Angry customers have taken to social media to call for a boycott of Holland & Barrett over its links to oligarch Mikhail Fridman, who has been sanctioned by the European Union.

The chain, which bills itself as the UK's leading health and wellbeing store, has been on the high street for 152 years. However, few customers who snap up its 'buy one, get one for a penny' offers realise it is owned by private equity firm LetterOne, founded by Fridman and in which he holds a major stake.

Shoppers on Twitter threatened to buy supplements elsewhere after discovering the ownership of the chain. One tweeted: 'Please boycott Holland & Barrett as it is owned by a Russian oligarch with links to Putin.'

Bitter pill: Holland & Barrett's 1,600 UK stores are owned by LetterOne, founded by Mikhail Fridman

Another added: 'There's nothing healthy about Holland & Barrett, owned by Mikhail Fridman, an oligarch and Putin crony.' A third tweeted: 'Boycott Holland & Barrett. It sounds so wholesome, so English. It's not.' While another declared: 'Boots it is then.'

'Get your cashews elsewhere,' suggested one customer, a sentiment echoed by another who tweeted: 'Best steer well clear.'

Holland & Barrett has 1,600 stores and 7,000 staff who could be the victims of any boycott. Clive Black, a retail analyst at asset manager Shore Capital, said: 'Boycotts can hit the company's bottom line which can affect jobs.'

Critics said the chain's oligarch ownership was jarring and suggested it could be damaging for the business.

Black added: 'The juxtaposition between an oligarch owner in the current climate and customers in the UK buying wellbeing products could not be wider.' Fridman, 57, was born in Lviv in Ukraine and also has Russian and Israeli citizenship. He founded Alfa Bank, one of the largest in Russia, and was also one of the four oligarchs involved in TNK-BP, a joint venture with the UK oil giant.

The tycoon was last weekend sanctioned by the European Union, freezing his assets and banning him from travelling within the bloc.

His supporters said he was deeply distressed over the possible fate of Lviv, the city where he grew up, and that one of his biggest fears was now appearing on the sanctions list in the UK, the country he calls home.

He is the owner of Athlone House, a sprawling 65million mansion in Highgate, North London.

Fridman last week spoke out against the fighting in Ukraine but refused to denounce Putin. He has stepped down from the board of LetterOne, which is now being run by his British lieutenant, Lord (Mervyn) Davies, a former Labour Minister and now a crossbench peer best known for his crusade to get more women into boardrooms.

Late on Friday night, Intermediate Capital announced that Davies would be leaving as chairman with immediate effect. The Mail on Sunday understands the board of the FTSE100 investment giant met within 24 hours of Davies' promotion at LetterOne.

Under pressure: Mikhail Fridman

Fridman's stake in LetterOne, along with that of fellow oligarch Petr Aven, has been frozen, meaning he has no shareholder rights and cannot sell. He is also barred from the head office. But critics are not satisfied, as Fridman and Aven are still owners.

Holland & Barrett itself is unlikely to face sanctions as the pair own just less than half the shares in parent company LetterOne. Fridman hastily convened a press conference last week, which was broadcast on television. However, the move backfired as it alerted Holland & Barrett shoppers to his connection with the stores, something of which they had previously been unaware. The reaction comes as Foreign Secretary Liz Truss faces mounting criticism over the length of time the Government is taking to sanction oligarchs.

The UK lags far behind the US and EU, whose lists are significantly longer. So far the UK has sanctioned 11 oligarchs, while the European Union has 22 on its list.

Former Brexit Secretary David Davis told The Mail on Sunday: 'There are 140 possible targets that are not secret. We have imported a number of rich men and now we have to deal with it.'

Fridman made most of his 11billion fortune from oil, gas, banking and telecoms. He began his rise to riches in the 1980s when the Soviet economy opened up under general secretary Mikhail Gorbachev.

After university in Moscow, he began a window-washing business and in 1989 established the commodity trading business Alfa-Eco.

Using 75,000 of his profit he founded Alfa Bank in January 1991, which grew to become one of the largest private banks in Russia.

In 2013, he set up LetterOne in London using 11billion raised from the sale of his stake in TNKBP to Kremlin-backed oil giant Rosneft, whose petrol is currently fuelling Russian tanks. Fridman and Aven own just under 50 per cent of LetterOne. The rest of the company is split between board members German Khan, Alexey Kuzmichev and Andrei Kosogov  who all left the board last night. Fridman developed close links with the City establishment, hiring Lord Browne, the former boss of BP, as chairman of LetterOne's energy interests. Browne stepped down late last year.

Lord Davies was hired as deputy chairman of the group in 2015 and became chairman last week.

LetterOne bought Holland & Barrett for 1.8billion in 2017 from US private equity group Carlyle.

A spokesman for LetterOne said: 'Holland and Barrett is a fantastic business. The business employs thousands of people and we will do everything to protect them.'

Holland & Barrett's latest results show that it made a gross profit of 445million for the year to the end of September 2020.

Fridman and Aven said the EU sanctions are spurious and unfounded and vowed to contest them.
Production is underway in Queensland on Season 2 of Upright with Tim Minchin and Milly Alcock as misfit duo Lucky and Meg, respectively.

The eight-part series will take viewers on a road trip from Brisbane to the Far North with Mirrah Foulkes (Judy & Punch) joining as director.

l am very happy to be returning to Queensland to direct the second season of Upright. Its great to be involved in this wonderful local series and to be working with an exceptional Queensland crew, the glorious Milly Alcock and Tim Minchin, and our passionate partners at Foxtel, said Foulkes.

Foxtel Executive Director of Television, Brian Walsh said: We are looking forward to bringing Lucky and Megs next road trip adventure to the screen in what promises to be another epic Australian adventure full of humour and heart. Jason Stephens and the team at Lingo Pictures have once again put together a fantastic and dedicated team of creatives to embark on this next journey. We are thrilled to have Mirrah at the helm to bring Lucky and Megs story to life.

Screen Queensland CEO Kylie Munnich said: Were delighted to welcome the Upright 2 cast and crew here and that Queenslander Mirrah Foulkes is returning home to direct this next chapter in Lucky and Megs travels.

Upright 2 will be an irresistible mix: local talent Mirrah helming a story where Queensland is a defining character at a time when our states screen industry is thriving.

Upright 2 will be produced by Lingo Pictures for Foxtel and Sky UK, with Jason Stephens (Lambs of God) returning as producer. Meg OConnell (Robbie Hood) will also produce, with Lingo Pictures Helen Bowden (The Secrets She Keeps) as executive producer. Writers on the series include Niki Aken (The Hunting), Ian Meadows (Seachange) and Natesha Somasundaram (The Unlisted). Tim Minchin is also writing and executive producing the series. Niki Aken is Script Producer. Executive Producers for Foxtel are Brian Walsh and Lana Greenhaigh.

Production credit: Upright 2 is a Lingo Pictures production for Foxtel and Sky UK. Major production investment from Screen Australia in association with Screen Queensland. Financed with support from Screen NSW and Cutting Edge. Entertainment One (eOne) is managing international sales.
Doctors are handing out 10,000 NHS prescriptions a year for an unlicensed painkiller that is linked to suicides and accidental overdoses.

The drug, co-proxamol, is considered both dangerous and ineffective and can trigger breathing difficulties, heart-rhythm problems and heart attacks. Yet scores of patients are dependent on the tablets, claiming nothing else works with the long-term pain conditions they suffer  and despite warnings from health chiefs, some GPs and pain consultants feel they should keep providing it.

In 2020 alone, the NHS spent 2.5 million on the drug. Users say they have also obtained co-proxamol via private prescriptions, paying as much as 1,000 a month.

Ailsa Bosworth, founder of the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society, pictured, took co-proxamol for the condition for decades before her doctor stopped prescribing it in 2015. Soon after beginning the treatment, she had a few small glasses of wine and suffered a potentially deadly side effect

Its licence was withdrawn in 2005 by drugs watchdog the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority (MHRA). However, it is still available as an unlicensed drug for people who cant find a suitable alternative.

One woman who suffers rheumatoid arthritis says: Without co-proxamol, Im in agony. I struggle to wash or dress myself, let alone anything else. I only need six tablets a day and that changes everything. It means I can get up and about, I can look after my grandchild, I can help at charity events  I feel like I am living.

The 72-year-old from London, who we are calling Jane to protect her identity, adds: I have tried literally everything and I just found nothing else really works for this kind of chronic pain. Most of the alternatives, such as codeine or morphine, had horrible side effects like stomach problems or made me so drowsy I had to go to bed.

Jane is reluctant to give details about how she obtains co-proxamol but indicates it comes from overseas. She also claims her private pain consultant in the UK knows she is taking it, but wont offer her a prescription.

Studies have shown that co-proxamol is no more effective as a painkiller than paracetamol, despite being 28 times more likely to kill you if you overdose. But Jane insists she, and others like her, need the medication. Obviously I have tried paracetamol, but even on the maximum daily dose it wasnt working anywhere near as well, she says.

Co-proxamol is the only thing that keeps me going and makes me feel I can live a relatively normal life.

Studies have shown that co-proxamol is no more effective as a painkiller than paracetamol, despite being 28 times more likely to kill you if you overdose

However, pain expert Dr Nigel Kellow at The Wellington Hospital in North London warns: There is no justification whatsoever for co-proxamol still being prescribed. It is a dangerous drug which was withdrawn for a good reason a long time ago.

My close call when I took co-proximol... then had a drink Ailsa Bosworth, founder of the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society, took co-proxamol for the condition for decades before her doctor stopped prescribing it in 2015. But it was in the early days of taking it that she had a wake-up call as to how risky it could be. I didnt realise then how dangerous it could be when mixed with alcohol, Ailsa says. I had a couple of small glasses of wine at a Christmas party after taking co-proxamol to manage a flare of my condition. It wasnt long before I had to be taken home and put to bed. I never drank on it again, but I can see how easy it could be for something to go wrong, especially when alcohol is involved. She initially struggled with the alternative painkiller she was offered  co-codamol  but says she has now adjusted and feels the vast majority of patients have done the same. I can absolutely see why they had to withdraw co-proxamol. Quite a few people died accidentally, so the regulator has done the right thing, she says. On the whole, people have accepted it is no longer available and just got on without it. If some people are still using it, Im sure they are using it sensibly and carefully. Advertisement

Co-proxamol, sometimes known by the trade names Distalgesic, Cosalgesic or Dolgesic, is a combination of the weak painkiller dextropropoxyphene and a low dose of paracetamol, and it was once one of the most commonly prescribed drugs in England.

It binds to receptors within the nervous system to dull the bodys sense of pain, but can cause respiratory depression, where the lungs dont take in oxygen or remove carbon dioxide efficiently, as well as interfere with the electrical activity of the heart, potentially triggering heart attacks or heart failure.

In addition, it is relatively easy to overdose on it accidentally, because the margin between the amount needed to feel the painkilling effect and a toxic dose is very small, with some people reportedly dying from as few as two extra tablets.

The effects are worsened by alcohol, and death can occur very quickly  often within an hour.

Co-proxamol was patented in 1955, but by the mid-1960s concerns started being raised about unexpected deaths and its use in suicide. In 1985, health authorities labelled it less suitable for prescribing in an attempt to dissuade GPs from handing it out. But up to 400 people every year continued to die after taking co-proxamol  about a fifth of them accidentally. By the late 1990s, it was responsible for one in 20 of all UK suicides and one in five of those involving drugs.

As the evidence against co-proxamol grew, in January 2005 the MHRA announced it was withdrawing its licence, with the change coming into effect by the end of 2007. This meant it was no longer regulated for safety, and doctors could prescribe it only if they took personal responsibility for the consequences  if the patient has an adverse reaction or dies, they could be struck off or face legal action.

Following the withdrawal, prescriptions for co-proxamol in England plummeted from about 7.2 million a year in 2004 to around 275,000 by 2009.

As a result, some 600 deaths  including 500 suicides  had been prevented by 2010, according to an Oxford University study. Researchers found no compensatory increase in other drug deaths, despite a significant increase in prescriptions for painkillers such as co-codamol, paracetamol, co-dydramol and codeine  clearly indicating that co-proxamol itself, not just painkillers in general, was a risk.

Following the success of the UKs withdrawal, similar bans followed in Europe, the US and Canada, among others. The case against co-proxamol seemed clear-cut  but the statistics tell only half the story.

Many doctors and patients disagreed with the statement made in 2005 by Professor Sir Gordon Duff, then chairman of the Committee on Safety of Medicines, that there was no one for whom the benefits of taking co-proxamol outweighed the risks.

And a poll in the medical magazine Pulse in 2006 found that 70 per cent of GPs and 94 per cent of rheumatology consultants  experts in treating arthritis and other painful joint conditions  wanted the decision to withdraw it reversed. During a House of Commons debate on the issue in 2007, GP and then-Labour MP Howard Stoate quoted one consultant who claimed it was an invaluable drug for patients with chronic rheumatic pain. Its withdrawal has caused enormous distress for a large number of patients who have found it to be safe, effective and free of side effects, he added.

Many patients who have been using co-proximol said they wanted the drug reinstated

Since then, many chronic pain patients with illnesses such as rheumatoid arthritis or degenerative spine conditions have campaigned for co-proxamol to be reinstated.

The problem with finding alternatives is that we have very few pharmacological options available, says Professor Philip Conaghan, a rheumatologist at Leeds University and the charity Versus Arthritis.

He explains that many opioids  a class of strong morphine-like painkillers that includes co-proxamol  can cause dependency or addiction, while non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen can cause complications for people with heart or kidney disease. This very much highlights the need for more research into better treatments, and more safe and effective medicines for people with chronic pain and arthritis, he adds.

Dr Arun Bhaskar, president of the British Pain Society, as well as a pain consultant at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and the private Leva Clinic, believes that although there are risks, some patients might benefit from taking co-proxamol. This is because some people feel no benefit from other types of opioids, such as codeine, because their body lacks a particular enzyme needed to process them. How do we justify denying somebody a medication when they claim it works a treat for them? he says.

Although studies show co-proxamol works little better for long-term pain than paracetamol, he adds: As a pain consultant, my job is to ensure patients are happy and managing their pain. Whats wrong with a placebo effect?

With a purely scientific hat on, I have to go by what the published evidence says. But there is a small group of patients who swear by it. They have tried everything else and it hasnt worked.

Dr Bhaskar believes most patients still taking co-proxamol are highly aware of the risks.

The analogy I use is that we all have kitchen knives in our houses but most of us are able to use those without harming ourselves or others, he explains.

These are people who are completely switched on and are very responsible about how they take their medications. Their treating doctors have gone through the alternative options and safety checks and felt this was the best option for them.

But Dr Kellow, who specialises in treating back pain, argues the only reason NHS patients are receiving co-proxamol is because GPs are either unwilling or unable to challenge stubborn patients or find time to review their medications.

There will be a small number of patients who are very resistant to stopping or changing medication because they are addicted to it, Dr Kellow adds. It can be quite difficult for a GP because they dont want the relationship of trust to break down, so sometimes its easier to keep them on it.

One GP admitted as much when they revealed why they were still prescribing co-proxamol in an anonymous entry in the online pharmacy journal C&D. I should have enough gumption to simply say Enough and no more to my tiny handful of co-proxamol devotees, the GP wrote. But, in reality, when youre running late, theyve got numerous other symptoms still to sort, the ten-minute clock is ticking and the waiting room is heaving, its hard not to bail out by doing whats most expedient.

In the meantime, the cost of co-proxamol rocketed from an average of 1.40 per prescription in 2004 to 252 in 2020.

Professor Martin Marshall, chairman of the Royal College of GPs Council, says doctors are concerned by blanket bans of any drug and must be allowed to use their discretion. He adds: It is vitally important that GPs continue to be able to make decisions, based on their expert training and experience, in the best interests of individual patients, taking into account their unique physical, psychological and social circumstances.

Are you still taking co-proxamol? We want to hear about your experience with the drug. Write and tell us at health@mailonsunday.co.uk Advertisement

Until 2015, patients deemed to need co-proxamol could be given it on a so-called named patient basis, which allowed GPs to prescribe some unlicensed drugs. But it was removed from the list of treatments available to the NHS, meaning it was only available as an expensive special item prescription.

Then in 2017, NHS England added it to an additional list of treatments GPs should not prescribe  but they still can, legally, if they are able to prove there is no other treatment they can offer to relieve their patients symptoms.

For co-proxamol, which doesnt work very well compared with other medicines, the risk of overdose is not worth taking, states an NHS leaflet handed out to patients who want the drug. It also makes clear cost is an issue, adding: The price is too high for a drug that doesnt work as well as others.

It means that while the number of prescriptions for the drug has fallen by 99.8 per cent over the past 15 years, the NHSs annual bill for it has only dropped from 10 million to 2.5 million.

The price is likely to have been put up by the manufacturer to recoup their losses in the number of people who are being taken off this medication, says Hussain Abdeh, superintendent pharmacist at Medicine Direct.

Unsurprisingly, the number of GPs willing to prescribe a drug now considered both unsafe and expensive continues to dwindle.

There has also been a shift in the way chronic pain is treated.

With about one in three Britons in daily pain  driven by an ageing population and rising obesity levels  doctors are moving from handing out repeat prescriptions of painkillers which, evidence shows, may cut pain by only about 30 to 50 per cent. Instead they are advised to encourage other forms of pain relief, including heat packs and exercise

With about one in three Britons in daily pain  driven by an ageing population and rising obesity levels  doctors are moving from handing out repeat prescriptions of painkillers which, evidence shows, may cut pain by only about 30 to 50 per cent. Instead they are advised to encourage other forms of pain relief, including heat packs and exercise.

Treatment delays caused by Covid may have changed this picture  research suggests the number of patients using powerful opioid painkillers while awaiting surgery has increased by 40 per cent compared with pre-pandemic levels.

Dr Kellow says patients taking co-proxamol should ask their GPs for help switching to an alternative  and GPs should seek out patients to make sure they come off it.

Co-proxamol has been discontinued for a very good reason and we should comply with the rules instead of seeking out loopholes and exceptions, he adds.
Former Trump national security adviser John Bolton said he believes the former president would have pulled the US out of NATO had he won reelection in 2020 - playing into the hands of Vladimir Putin



Bolton, who served as a Trump adviser from 2018 to 2019 before being pushed out and becoming one of Trump's harshest critics, said the former president nearly withdrew from the alliance in 2018.

'In a second Trump term, I think he may well have withdrawn from NATO,' Bolton told the Washington Post on Friday.

'And I think Putin was waiting for that.'

Bolton's comments came as Putin's forces have besieged Ukraine and sparked fears that NATO would be drawn into the fighting. Ukraine President Ukrainian President Volodymy Zelenzky has repeatedly begged NATO to enforce a no-fly zone over his country to help thwart Russian air superiority.

However, the US and its allies have resisted, fearing it could put NATO forces in direct conflict with Russia.

Former Trump national security adviser John Bolton (pictured) said that Putin was hoping for vocal NATO critic president Trump to pull out of the alliance

Trump's feelings towards NATO made him an ally to Vladimir Putin, who has been open about his efforts to restore lost Soviet influence to Russia

In his 2020 memoir, Bolton wrote that he had to convince Trump not to quit NATO in the middle of a 2018 summit.

'I didn't know what the president would do,' Bolton told The Post. 'He called me up to his seat seconds before he gave the speech. And I said, look, go right up to the line, but don't go over it. I sat back down. I had no idea what he'd do.'

White House press secretary Jen Psaki responded to Bolton's comments, saying it is 'another reason the American people are grateful  the majority of the American people  that President Biden has not taken a page out of his predecessor's playbook as it relates to global engagement and global leadership, because certainly we could be in a different place.'

'I mean, there's no question that the strength and unity of NATO has been a powerful force in this moment,' Psaki added.

During his presidency, Trump had reportedly said multiple times that he wanted to pull the United States out of NATO, a move that aides scrambled to counter.

In 2018, Trump told top national security officials that he didn't see the point of the international alliance, the New York Times reported.

His discontent was especially high during the organization's 2018 Brussels meeting.

During his presidency Trump had reportedly said multiple times that he wanted to pull the United States out of NATO, a move that aides scrambled to counter (pictured at a 2019 NATO summit in London)

In 2018 Trump told top national security officials that he didn't see the point of the international alliance (pictured during Brussels NATO Summit)

Forged after the allied victory in World War II, security experts credit NATO with helping preserve peace in Europe for decades while countering the Soviet threat.

Trump's feelings towards NATO made him an ally to Putin, who has been open about his efforts to restore lost Soviet influence to Russia and eager to see splits in the alliance that for years countered Warsaw Pact nations.

Putin blames NATO's militarization of former Soviet states, such as Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, since the end of the Cold War for the current crisis.

Trump praised Putin throughout his time in the White House and sided with the Russian leader over American intelligence agencies during the July 2018 Helsinki Summit on Russian election meddling during the 2016 campaign.

In the run-up to the invasion, Trump called Putin a 'genius' and 'smart' for the moves he made against Ukraine.

At last week's CPAC event, Trump leaned into those comments telling the friendly crowd, 'The problem is not that Putin is smart, of course he's smart, but the real problem is that our leaders are dumb.'

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 said he was 'praying for the proud people of Ukraine' and expressed admiration for 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 2016 election - and whether there was coordination with the Trump campaign.

A member of the Territorial Defense Forces stands guard at a checkpoint in the eastern frontline of Kyiv on Saturday

A devastated civilian area in Kharkiv is pictured Friday after Russian forces stepped up their assault on major Ukrainian population centers

Local resident walks through the rubble as a result of shelling in Markhalivka, March 5, 2022

People cross an bridge intentionally destroyed to slow the Russian advance as they try to leave the city of Irpin on Saturday

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.

On Saturday, Putin escalated his rhetoric in his confrontation with the West, saying that sanctions against Russia are tantamount to a declaration of war and threatening to treat any country that declares a no-fly zone over Ukraine as part of the conflict.

The threats came as Moscow's brutal assault on Ukraine saw a mass civilian evacuation from the city of Mariupol derailed when Russian forces ignored a promised humanitarian ceasefire and continued shelling the southern city.

Russian troops continued to bombard encircled cities and the number of Ukrainians forced from their country grew to 1.4 million. The UN says more than 350 civilians have been killed since Russia's invasion last week.

On Saturday, Zelensky repeated his plea for NATO to establish a no-fly zone in a meeting with the US Congress -- but the idea faces strong bipartisan opposition in America, and NATO leaders have rejected it, pointing out that it would draw the alliance into direct military confrontations with nuclear-armed Russia.

A no-fly zone could only be enforced by shooting down Russian aircraft, and Putin on Saturday made clear that he would view such a move as joining the conflict.

'We'll instantly view them as participants in a military conflict,' the Russian leader told a group of female employees of Russian airlines, according to Russian state media. 'We'll view any movement in this direction as involvement in an armed conflict by the country from whose territory threats to our military service members are posed.'

Russian forces are now attempting to encircle Kyiv and pressing forward in the northeast and southeast

A view of destroyed settlements after recent shellings in the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv on Saturday

Ukrainian soldiers with shoulder-fired missiles look on people evacuate the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv, on Saturday

At the same meeting, Putin issued bellicose threats in response to the punishing economic sanctions leveled against his country by the US and Europe.

'These sanctions that are being imposed are like the declaration of war,' said Putin. 'A lot of what is happening now, of what we now see and what we face is undoubtedly a means of fighting against Russia.'

Despite Putin's saber-rattling, bipartisan members of Congress expressed support for ratcheting up sanctions and increasing lethal military aid to Ukraine after speaking with Zelensky on Saturday morning.

In his Zoom meeting with Congress, Zelensky repeated his plea for NATO to impose a no-fly zone over his country to blunt Russian air superiority, according to sources familiar with the matter.

However, the Biden administration and lawmakers from both parties have expressed strong opposition to the idea of a no-fly zone, because enforcing it would require shooting down Russian planes, drawing NATO into direct conflict with Russia.

In Saturday's meeting, Zelensky also asked for tougher sanctions on Russia, including a ban on oil and gas exports, an option the White House is currently weighing.

Cutting off Russian oil would be costly for the US, where it accounts for 7 percent of imports, but not insurmountable. The issue is more delicate in Germany, which is pitifully dependent on Russian natural gas.

Zelensky also requested the transfer of Soviet-era fighter jets currently stationed in Eastern Europe to his own air force to use in the fight against Russia, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Rep. Lloyd Doggett, a Texas Democrat, said on Twitter after the Zoom meeting that he supported transferring fighter jets to Ukraine from NATO allies in Eastern Europe.

'Without engaging U.S. pilots in direct conflict with Russians, we can facilitate Ukrainian access to aircraft with which Ukrainian pilots are already trained and which are held in other Eastern European countries,' he wrote.

'I support getting Ukraine access to the fighter jets needed to confront Putin in the skies,' added Doggett.

Ukrainian officials on Saturday blamed Russian shelling for breaching a ceasefire arranged in two cities in the country's south to evacuate more than 200,000 civilians.

The struggle to enforce the ceasefire in the strategic port city Mariupol and Volnovakha showed the fragility of efforts to stop fighting across Ukraine, as the number of people fleeing the country reached 1.4million just 10 days after Russian forces invaded.

Putin accused Ukraine of sabotaging the evacuation and even claimed Ukraine's leadership was calling into question the future of the country's statehood, saying that 'if this happens, it will be entirely on their conscience'.

Ukraine's military claims that it has killed around 10,000 Russian troops since the invasion on February 24  far beyond the 498 claimed by Moscow. Kyiv estimates that Russian losses also include 269 tanks, 105 artillery systems, 39 aircraft, 40 helicopters and 409 vehicles.

The Russian defence ministry said on Saturday that its units had opened humanitarian corridors near the two cities encircled by its troops for five hours between 12pm and 5pm Moscow time, Russia's RIA news agency reported.

In Mariupol, citizens would be allowed to leave during a five-hour window, it quoted the city's officials as saying. The Russian defence ministry said a broad offensive would then continue in Ukraine, RIA said.

The Ukrainian government said the plan was to evacuate around 200,000 people from Mariupol and 15,000 from Volnovakha, and the Red Cross would be the ceasefire's guarantor.

The evacuation would have been seen as a prelude to a final assault that, if successful, would see the Russian army push north from occupied Crimea and link up with their forces from the east and take control of Ukraine's coast on the Sea of Azov.

Since Russia invaded on February 24, Moscow has pummelled Ukrainian cities, with officials reporting hundreds of civilians killed. Europe's largest atomic power plant has even come under attack sparking fears of a catastrophic nuclear accident. But Russia has so far only seized two key cities, Berdiansk and Kherson on Ukraine's southern Black Sea coast.

Capturing Mariupol represents a bigger prize for Russian forces as it would deal a severe blow to Ukraine's maritime access and connect with troops coming from annexed Crimea and the Donbas.

In comments carried on Ukrainian television, Mariupol mayor Vadym Boychenko said thousands of people had gathered for safe passage out of the city and buses were departing when shelling began.

'We value the life of every inhabitant of Mariupol and we cannot risk it, so we stopped the evacuation,' he said.

Before Russia announced the ceasefire, Ukraine had urged Moscow to create humanitarian corridors to allow children, women and the older adults to flee the fighting, calling them 'question number one'.
A civilian was killed while 24 others, including a policeman, were injured after terrorists hurled a grenade at security forces in the Hari Singh High Street locality of the city here on Sunday, police said.

"At about 4:20 pm, terrorists hurled a grenade upon police and security forces deployment at Hari Singh High Street," a police official said.

He said a policeman and 24 civilians received splinter injuries in the explosion.

The injured were rushed to the Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) hospital, where a civilian succumbed to his injuries, the official added.

The deceased was identified as Mohammad Aslam Makhdoomi (70), a resident of the Nowhatta area of the city.

The Hari Singh High Street area has been cordoned off and a hunt launched to nab the attackers, the official said.

The leaders of various political parties, including two former Jammu and Kashmir chief ministers -- Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti -- condemned the attack.

"I condemn this deplorable attack in the strongest possible terms. May the deceased find place in Jannat & may the injured make a complete and speedy recovery," Abdullah wrote on Twitter.

"Condemn this dastardly attack. People of J&K have been paying with their lives & sadly neither India nor Pakistan are doing anything to end the conflict & stop this bloodshed. My prayers are with the bereaved families & loved ones," Mufti said in a tweet.

The People's Conference, led by Sajad Lone, also condemned the attack.

"We are shocked at the extremely distressing news of a grenade attack at a crowded marketplace in Amira Kadal, Srinagar. We unreservedly condemn the dastardly and cowardly attack in which one civilian died while many are injured," the party said in a statement.

The perpetrators of the attack must be held accountable and brought to justice, it added.

"We pray for peace to the departed soul and swift recovery of those who have sustained injuries in this despicable act of violence. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and loved ones during this terrible time," the party said.

Condemning the incident, Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari said violence is unacceptable.

"My thoughts and prayers with those injured in Hari Singh High Street grenade attack. Violence in any of its manifestations is unacceptable to us. I unequivocally condemn this cowardly act of violence," he said in a tweet.

Jammu and Kashmir BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur also condemned the grenade attack and described it as a barbaric and cowardly act.

"Lobbing a grenade at a busy place is an act of frustration on part of militants," he said.

He expressed grief over the death of the civilian and prayed for the recovery of the injured.

Thakur urged the police to track the attackers and punish them sternly.

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Has anybody out there got one of those tracker devices? You know the ones that are seen in the movies, where the device is placed in a suitcase full of cash to keep tabs on where it goes and who has possession of it.

We could do with a tracker device right now to ensure that our money is put to proper use in the battlefield that is engulfing Ukraine.

Last Sunday, the EU responded to the spectre of war in Europe in the 21st century by committing 500m worth of arms and aid to the Ukrainian military.

As a constituent member of the EU, this country was obliged to put its hand in its pocket. We came up with 1.9% of the total bill, amounting to 9m.

We are on board, on the side of democracy over authoritarianism, standing in support of those being slaughtered by an aggressive, invading force. However, there is a catch  one that requires our tracker device.

The Irish contribution is to go only towards non-lethal spending. This, we were told, is to comply with the programme for government, which states: Within the context of the European Peace Facility, Ireland will not be part of decision-making or funding for lethal force weapons for non-peacekeeping purposes.

No doubt Vladimir Putin factored in the constraints of the current Irish administrations programme for government when gauging how severe the Wests reaction would be to his aggression.

Presumably, any Irish representatives left the room when the EU decided to donate the money, as the programme insists the State is removed from any decision-making on lethal-force weapons.

Now comes the tricky bit. How are we going to trace the money that this State is contributing to ensure that it is ringfenced to be used exclusively as the Irish Government has instructed?

The only possible way to observe this money is to present it in cash and use a tracker device to trace where the money goes and call a halt if it comes within an asss roar of anything that could be categorised as lethal.

Ireland standing aloof

Such is the ludicrous position in which this country finds itself while the world reels in shock as Russian president Vladimir Putins tanks roll through Ukraine.

We, wedded to an outdated concept of neutrality, are standing aloof, above the fray, pure as the driven snow, lecturing the rest of the world that all you need is love.

Last week the EU effected a major policy shift. The decision to donate monies for military aid was an acknowledgement of the world as it exists today. A bloc that espouses democratic values can no longer stand aloof from a conflict in which an authoritarian dictator pursues dreams of an empire through violence and mayhem.

Look at Germany, a country rightly obsessed since the Second World War with avoiding any form of military intervention anywhere.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine marks a turning point, Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, said last Saturday.

It threatens our entire post-war order. In this situation, it is our duty to do our utmost to support Ukraine in defending itself against Vladimir Putins invading army.

The end of the Cold War was supposed to have heralded a new era in which liberal democracy took hold and spread like wildfire across the globe. The West and its values had won. The authoritarian Soviet Union had collapsed in on itself. Democracy was coming to a town near you.

Things didnt work out that way. Instead of building on its strengths, western capitalism turned in on itself. Markets were let rip, inequality rose, the basic tenets of democracy were, in places, undermined.

An insane war in Iraq was followed by an equally insane economic bubble that burst in 2008.

Inevitably, those who were left behind in the harsh new world order turned elsewhere for solutions and came up with preening strongmen such as Donald Trump, Viktor Orban in Hungary, and Brexit, a form of populism that promised to turn back the clock.

Meanwhile, the really serious dictators in Russia and China reaped the benefits of economic globalisation and kept an iron grip on power, biding their time until they could once more rebuild empires.

Putin saw his opportunity with Ukraine. Whether or not he has underestimated the unity of the West remains to be seen.

If he does succeed in killing his way to success there, whats next? He may try to keep going, pushing into the Baltics, subjugating more people to his will.

In such a milieu it is inevitable that China will move against Taiwan.

Pretence of neutrality

Thats the world in which we now live. Yet, in this country, a pretence persists that we can remain above it all, comforted in the belief that others will do our dirty work for us in order to preserve our way of life.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin recently told the Dail that Ireland is not politically neutral but is militarily. Is that really sustainable in todays world?

Martin also called Putin a bully and a thug.

So we dont like the bully but we can put forward People Before Profit/Solidarity TD Richard Boyd Barrett to explain to the bully where hes going wrong and cajole him to put down his arms in the name of peace and harmony.

Putin is the Hitler of the 21st century, Tanaiste Leo Varadkar said last week.

So does he want to emulate Eamon de Valera and sit on his hands while the dictator kills and burns?

To be fair to Dev, that was a different time and a cogent case could be made for remaining neutral during the Second World War. Not now, though.

What about the government-in-waiting, Sinn Fein?

Up until the invasion, the party did a soft-shoe shuffle with Putin, considering him a handy foil to outdated notions of imperialism. Meanwhile, the Shinners regularly pass around the bucket among US-based millionaires for donations.

With the best of both worlds, why would the party ever want to abandon neutrality?

There is no appetite in this country to join a body such as Nato. However, we are part of the EU and membership has brought huge benefits. So, when there is a policy shift within the union, surely it is incumbent on this State to acknowledge that it also must do what is required to defend the values western Europe espouses.

Those who claim to stand for peace put forward the silly binary proposition that either we are neutral or we become part of the so-called military-industrial complex. Thats grand for a student debate but bears no resemblance to the world as it actually is.

Once upon a time, neutrality was an Irish solution to an Irish problem. Those days are gone and the slaughter in Ukraine should prompt a proper debate on how exactly we bring to a close the States shambolic policy.
(Newser)  Saturday Night Live had a somber opening last week related to the war in Ukraine. This week, not so much. The cold open skewered Fox News for its coverage of the conflict, featuring Kate McKinnon as Laura Ingraham and Alex Moffat as Tucker Carlson hosting a telethon called the Ukrainian Invasion Celebration Spectacular, reports CNN. The idea was to raise money for "the real victims of this invasion: the oligarchs," said McKinnon. The hosts referenced the real-life criticism their characters received for coverage, notes Deadline. We did sound pretty awful in hindsight," said McKinnon. "And foresight.

McKinnon-Ingraham: I called the president of Ukraine pathetic," she said. "He stayed and fought with his people in the war, and I called him pathetic from the news desk in Washington."

I called the president of Ukraine pathetic," she said. "He stayed and fought with his people in the war, and I called him pathetic from the news desk in Washington." Moffat-Carlson: I kept saying we should be more worried about our own border getting invaded by Mexico, but in my defense, I am racist, so I thought that was true, Carlson said.

I kept saying we should be more worried about our own border getting invaded by Mexico, but in my defense, I am racist, so I thought that was true, Carlson said. Trump: "Former and current President Trump" (as introduced by McKinnon) manned the phones, portrayed by James Austin Johnson. But he also sang "My Funny Valentine" to Vladimir Putin.

(Read more Saturday Night Live stories.)
As quickly as cases of COVID-19 have fallen over the past six weeks in Nebraska, it would be easy to conclude that the coronavirus is on its way out.

But weve been here before. Last summer, President Joe Biden declared victory over the virus, only to see it come surging back as variants emerged.

This time, the Biden administration appears to be taking a more measured approach. The administrations new COVID plan, released Wednesday, is aimed at putting measures in place to fight COVID in the future as we begin to get back to our more normal routines.

Dr. Matthew Donahue, Nebraskas state epidemiologist, said he thought that after the delta variant hit last year, the population would have developed enough immunity between infections and immunizations to prevent another surge.

I was wrong then, he said. Omicron came right out of delta and smacked us in the face before delta even went away.

Now Nebraska is heading into year three of the pandemic  the states first case of COVID-19 was announced two years ago, on March 6, 2020. What exactly the future with the coronavirus will look like still isnt entirely clear.

One thing is clear, Donahue and other Nebraska health officials say: COVID-19 is here to stay.

Whether we want to acknowledge it or not, this is a long-term management challenge that were going to have, said Dr. James Lawler, co-executive director of the University of Nebraska Medical Centers Global Center for Health Security.

What happens next, Donahue said, depends on a handful of questions, none of which can yet be answered. The first: How long will infection-induced immunity last? The others: When will the next variant of concern arrive and what can it do? How many more people will choose to get vaccinated and boosted? How many anti-COVID therapies can be stocked in the coming months?

Acknowledging the many uncertainties, Donahue said he can see a way to coexist with COVID-19. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Preventions new community guidelines, which determine risk based on criteria such as a countys COVID cases and hospitalizations, also are geared toward living with the virus.

Many Nebraskans, Donahue said, already have stopped letting the pandemic affect their daily lives. He added that he, too, plans to enjoy the reprieve provided by lower case counts and fewer hospitalizations. He went to dinner and a movie with his wife on Valentines Day. Hes planning a trip to see friends.

When he decides what hes willing to risk and what hes not, Donahue said, hell factor in his own individual risk from the virus  namely his vaccination and health status  and the risks of those close to him. And hell stay flexible, ready to take additional steps, like masking and avoiding crowds, to stay safe if the virus surges again and hospitals fill back up.

Near term

Donahue and Lawler both said immunity from vaccination and from a record-breaking number of infections during the omicron wave should provide some protection from another surge for a time  barring another variant that takes over where omicron left off.

Based on an analysis of blood tests, the CDC estimated last week that 140 million Americans, roughly 43% of the nations population, have been infected with the coronavirus. In Nebraska, an estimated 51.5% of residents have been infected.

But Lawler said immunity both from infections and vaccinations wanes over time.

Some new studies, the New York Times reported, suggest that several parts of the immune system can mount a sustained, potent response to any coronavirus variant and that other parts of the immune system can remember and destroy the virus over many months, if not years.

But Lawler said scientists dont yet know enough about how different antibody or cellular immune responses correlate with true protection.

I think we would expect to have long-lasting memory B and T cell responses, he said. What we dont know is whether these responses are robust enough to avoid infection and more severe disease as we move further away from a third dose. The epidemiological data of actual human vaccine effectiveness studies seems to suggest not.

In fact, Lawler said theres a good chance another epidemic wave could occur this fall. How serious it becomes depends on how many people get up to date on vaccines by then and whether omicron is replaced by another variant.

The reality is if we had everybody up to date on their vaccines, he said, ... we could function relatively normally and still have very low or at least manageable rates of disease in a community, where we would not have widespread deaths and we would not have health systems that were stressed.

Vaccination/boosters

Dr. Mark Rupp, chief of the University of Nebraska Medical Centers infectious diseases division, said its clear boosters protect against severe illness and death.

During December, Nebraskans who were fully vaccinated but not boosted were 11 times less likely than those who had not been vaccinated to require hospital care. Those who had been vaccinated and boosted were 46 times less likely to be hospitalized than those who hadnt gotten any shots.

But only 33.4% of Americans 12 and older have gotten vaccinated and boosted, according to the CDC. In Nebraska, the figure is 36.2%.

Donahue said it increasingly appears that infection-induced immunity might protect people against severe illness for a time. But its not clear how long that protection will last or how protective it will be against new variants. As with other coronaviruses, people who are infected can be infected again.

Lawler noted that the data suggest protection from natural immunity is less robust than that from vaccines. Almost all experts recommend that people who have had COVID get vaccinated as well.

Dr. Maureen Tierney, assistant dean for public health and clinical research at Creightons School of Medicine, said she thinks low levels of COVID transmission and waves of disease will continue around the country as antibody levels from vaccines and infections fall.

To manage it, Tierney said, people likely will need boosters on an annual basis for a few years.

Lawler agreed. Maybe after four or five doses, youll have long-lasting durable immunity, he said. But right now, it seems to be the case that youre probably going to need an annual booster, and maybe more frequently for some, the highly vulnerable, for the foreseeable future.

Variants

Tierney said vaccination not only protects individuals and those around them but also helps prevent new variants. Thats why its important to continue to work to vaccinate people globally as well as in the United States.

The less you give a virus a chance to replicate, Tierney said, especially for long periods, the less chance there is of those variants becoming variants that catch on (and) that are more transmissible or more virulent.

Tierney said she thinks more variants will arise. What will determine their impact  and the measures needed to protect against them  is their transmissibility and virulence. Coronaviruses, in general, have a greater capacity to mutate than influenza viruses.

Rupp said one of his concerns is the fact that the virus already has been found in other mammals, including mink, hamsters and white-tailed deer.

That raises concerns that the animals could become long-term reservoirs for the virus and a source of new variants.

Not yet endemic

Eventually, Lawler said, the world probably will have seasonal variations in COVID-19 and waves with rates on par with those seen with other respiratory illnesses. The hope is that they eventually will become less severe.

For now, he said, the virus remains epidemic rather than endemic. It still is causing large outbreaks, as well as illness and death, around the world. COVID-19 was the third-leading cause of death in the U.S. last year, with more than 952,000 known COVID deaths as of Thursday. That is unprecedented in recent history for an infectious disease, he said.

Lauren Sauer, an associate professor in UNMCs College of Public Health, said reaching endemic status doesnt mean people wont need to worry about COVID anymore.

Both malaria and Lassa fever are serious diseases with a degree of endemicity, she said, and we still put really important and large-scale public health measures toward them.

Donahue said he thinks an endemic COVID will look like more routine, flu-like seasonal surges in cases, hopefully, seasonal surges that our hospitals can handle without coming close to going over capacity.

Other tools

Donahue said it still will be important for Nebraskans to remain flexible and be prepared to change course if cases rise and hospitals fill. That includes being ready to use the tools previously employed with COVID, including masking and distancing. Even with low transmission, he said, he may mask before he sees his grandparents. Hell still mask on a bus or plane.

Tierney said she sees testing continuing to be a part of the equation for travel and gatherings, particularly when immunocompromised people are part of the group.

She also said increased availability of preventive therapies, such as the antiviral pill Paxlovid, will be a game changer for high-risk people.

Sauer said it will be important to not give up on people who havent yet been vaccinated.

Tierney said increasing comfort with the vaccines safety and efficacy also will help change minds. With two years worth of data, she said, They will say, You wore me down, Ill get it when I get my flu shot.

World-Herald Staff Writer Henry J. Cordes contributed to this report.
Adam DesLauriers is the director of Nordic and backcountry and co-owner at Bolton Valley, Vermont.

Hes got the loneliest job in ski country.

The uphill lift pass checker at Bolton Valley stood alone unflinchingly in the zero-degree cold on a recent Saturday at the northern Vermont ski areas gateway to a vast backcountry Alpine touring playground in Mount Mansfield State Forest and around the Catamount and Long trails.

The young sentinel  lets call him by his first name, Mike  smiled broadly as my touring partner, Larry Sher of Arlington, Virginia, and I fished for our passes among our many wicking and insulation layers.

We then headed up the storied Bryant Trail for an hour-and-45-minute, uphill-downhill loop through at times dense and then thinned-out woods that ultimately delivered us back to the base of Boltons Nordic-backcountry sports center for a brown-bag lunch and welcome warmth.

On the trail of pass evaders

Passes for a day of unlimited uphill trail access are $25, but that reasonable fee doesnt stop some skinners (as AT practitioners call themselves after the climbing skins they affix to the bases of their skis) on $1,000-plus touring rigs from trying to evade Boltons solitary pass checker.

The skinners apparently crawl through brush, hide behind trees and take evasive routes around the sports center to avoid the modest fee, most often with the pass checker in close pursuit following their stolen tracks through the snow.

God love that guy. Its taken a long time to work that out. For a while, it was hard to really dedicate one paid employee to be doing that all the time, said Adam DesLauriers, 48, director of Nordic and backcountry and a Bolton Valley co-owner. But its popular enough where we need it because its a steady stream of customers.

Youd be surprised at the lengths people go to. I have a perfect view of it from my office, DesLauriers said during a lunchtime chat at the sports center before Sher and I headed out for another, longer lap. Just people sneaking around and Mike darting back and forth. Love Mike.

Story continues

Its a good problem to have and reflects just how popular backcountry touring has become (the sports explosive growth has also been spurred by the get outside pandemic mentality) since the DesLauriers family bought back Bolton Valley in 2017 and launched what was the first Alpine touring operation of its kind in the East.

Boltons prominent role

Adam DesLauriers sister, Lindsay, is president of Bolton Valley. Brother Evan heads up special projects. Their father, Ralph DesLauriers, built the resort in the 1960s and owned and ran it for 30 years until he sold it to a bank in 1997. The elder DesLauriers is president of the board and less involved now in day-to-day operations but has been overseeing a hotel and base lodge renovation.

While other independent New England ski areas, notably Black Mountain in New Hampshire and Magic Mountain in Vermont, also have made Alpine touring a priority in recent years, Boltons operation is unique.

The ski area serves as a portal to 10,000 acres of backcountry that is mostly not owned by the ski area but is directly adjacent to and beyond it. Bolton, along with several nonprofit groups, maintains the uphill trails in the warm-weather months and provides some rescue services with a Nordic ski patrol and ski patrollers from the inbounds ski area.

Boltons perch on the edge of a ski-able wilderness, even though it is only 40 minutes from Vermonts biggest city, Burlington, addresses the Eastern backcountry access problem that Bolton and some nonprofit groups, such as the Granite Backcountry Alliance in New Hampshire and Vermonts RASTA, have been working on.

By contrast, backcountry skiing is so much bigger in western ski country in part because of the exponentially greater number of access points that people can drive to or even get to using public transit.

Here's the plentiful backcountry terrain at Bolton Valley in Vermont.

In any event, Bolton has done more than any group to promote Alpine touring in the East  and the $25 day uphill pass and $180 season pass dont produce all that much revenue, though they bring in some.

Boltons Alpine touring rental fleet of Dynafit skis boots, skins and poles is ample and up to date. Its (ungroomed) uphill trail network is extensive. The backcountry downhill routes that skiers and split boarders (snowboarders equipped to go uphill with skins) can access are nearly limitless. Meanwhile, customers can also ski up two cool routes within the resort boundaries.

Bolton offers the services of 30 backcountry guides.

Book one now.

Ski area parking and the lack thereof

Amid widespread unhappiness across the country and in New England with ski area crowding, scarce parking on busy days and the advent of paid parking at Vail Resorts-owned Mount Snow in particular, one ski area has received lots of positive media attention somehow for its new and radical parking and transit strategy.

That place is Crystal Mountain, Washington, the ski area colossus near mighty Mount Rainier that offers 2,600 acres and 3,100 vertical feet of terrain just two hours from Seattle.

As it happens, my younger brother, Adam Sutner, is vice president of business development for Crystal, which is owned by Vail Resorts competitor Alterra Mountain Co. Adam was formerly chief marketing officer at Jackson Hole and marketing director at Vail.

New ski parking paradigm

This season, Crystal drew nationwide attention when it said it would charge daily parking fees, require parking reservations on weekends and also provide free regular luxury bus service to the mountain from the closest big community  Enumclaw, a city of 12,190 about 42 miles from Seattle and 43 miles from Crystal.

We approached this not so much as a nice-to-have amenity that we would add, but a significant attempt at shifting an age-old paradigm, which is skiers hopping in their car and driving to the slopes and expecting a parking spot right at the foot of the resort, Adam said. Those days are probably over, and this is the way of the future.

That last stretch from Enumclaw to splendidly isolated Crystal on the infamous mostly two-lane state highway 410 East has become a traffic quagmire in recent years as Crystal has become more and more popular as a daytrip and overnight destination.

In addition to frequent elk crossings, compounding the nightmarish traffic is that Crystal has severely limited parking mostly because the resort is situated on U.S. Forest Service land and cant expand its base footprint or parking.

So Crystal decided it would be logistically and ecologically sounder to charge $20 to $30 day Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for vehicles that are not fully occupied and offer a steady stream of buses even amid COVID-19 hesitancy.

The bus program has been a success, Crystals data shows, according to my brother.

That 56-seat luxury coaches are equipped with bathrooms and WiFi (unlike most of highway 410) and are operated by drivers empowered to enforce mandatory masking, has helped. Crystal employees are also present at every loading to check for masks.

The parking changes, "are coupled with significant transportation options, which, in addition to being good for the environment and the experience, offer guests the opportunity to neither pay for parking nor make parking reservations, Adam said.

Friday morning buses depart hourly and require reservations. Saturdays and Sundays feature a shuttle system with a load and go policy: people show up and grab the first available bus.

Crystal balances bus frequency with capacity limits at the ski area. On weekends, the overall bus capacity is for 1,200 passengers in both directions, which can amount to about 20 percent of the mountains total skier volume on a given weekend day.

So that takes about 600 people off the road, according to Crystals metric of about 2.2 passengers per car. Meanwhile, carpooling is up to 150 to 200 a weekend, which takes another 100 cars off the road.

Since instituting all the charge-for-parking and free bus program, Crystal says it has eliminated park out weekend days, when parking lots are full and the resort has to turn away visitors.

Our objective with this program was twofold: one was to reduce road traffic by 10 percent and the other was to increase the average number of people per car similarly by another 10 percent, Adam said. The combination of those two thus far the season has basically eradicated our major congestion issues on Saturday and Sunday.

Adam noted that a few other big ski areas, including Alta, Utah  an Alterra Ikon Pass affiliate  that are also suffering from traffic congestion are trying new parking and public transport approaches, and several other Alterra resorts are studying how they could do it.

Also, some New England ski areas are working on the parking problem. At busy Wachusett Mountain in Princeton, where three auxiliary lots often fill up at peak periods, a shuttle van picks up customers at a nearby train station who arrive on the ski train commuter service from Boston.

Meanwhile, for apres-ski aficionados, I should note that alcoholic beverages are not permitted on Crystal buses.

But some drivers are more easygoing than others, Adam said with a chuckle. To my knowledge, there have been no recorded incidents of alcohol consumption.

Olympic success for New England ski racers

Last week, on the first day of the 2002 Beijing Winter Olympics, I quoted 1988 Olympian ski racer and longtime U.S. Ski Team member Pam Fletcher, a Westford native and product of her familys Nashoba Valley Ski area, about the U.S. teams chances this time.

She said she thought the team had a good chance to compete and win medals in China.

Fletcher was right.

Silver for Vermont-raised racer

Green Mountain State-bred Ryan Cochran-Siegel pulled of a spectacular silver medal-winning super giant slalom performance on Monday on the Yanqing track, joining his mother, Barbara Ann Cochran, who won a gold medal in slalom at the 1972 Winter Games in Sapporo, Japan.

Cochran-Siegel had scared ski racing fans when he nearly crashed but made a spectacular recovery in a downhill training run last week.

Ryan just works so hard. He watches and analyzes video more than anyone, Fletcher told me this week. And it was a brilliant run too, especially after his wild ride on the first training run.

And Charlemont resident Paula Moltzan, ranked world 45th in the event going into the Olympics, finished a surprising 12th in Sundays giant slalom, which is the slalom specialists second-best discipline.

Crushing early U.S. hopes for gold, though, superstar Mikaela Shiffrin crashed and skied out of the race. And a promising U.S. skier, Nina OBrien, fell just feet from the finish in a painful tumble that left her with a fractured left leg.

I am sad for Nina, Fletcher said. She was skiing so well.

Sadly, Shiffrin, probably the greatest slalom skier of all time of any gender, crashed soon out of the gate in Tuesdays slalom. It was shocking to see Shiffrin, a model of consistent winning excellence over the years, ski out in what was arguably the biggest race of her life.

But then again, the Olympics are just another race for elite skiers like Shiffrin, Cochran-Siegel and Moltzan, who ply the World Cup circuit year after year on considerably tougher courses with just as challenging weather.

Loss for the Worcester skiing community

Mark Welch, manager and veteran ski salesman extraordinaire at Strands ski shop in Worcester, who I profiled in the column last year, died unexpectedly on Sunday.

He was 51. The former ski race coach and instructor worked at the citys 72-year ski institution for more than 22 years.

He was a great guy, personable and very knowledgeable, with a lot of friends, said Leif Mikkelsen, who with his twin brother Roy has run Strands for decades. He studied the industry.

My condolences to Welchs family and friends. I enjoyed my friendship with Mark over the years.

Contact Shaun Sutner by e-mail at s_sutner@yahoo.com.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Bolton Valley in Vermont provides popular Alpine touring, backcountry ski experience
Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations.
Civilians, mostly women and children, rush to board any train that still has any room, as the sounds of gunfire and bombing draw closer to Irpin, Ukraine, on Friday. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin spent 90 minutes on the phone with French President Emmanuel Macron, who asked him to declare a ceasefire in Ukraine.

Not interested, Putin replied.

He refuses to stop his attacks, Macron wrote on Twitter after the call.

A French official said Putin seemed determined to take control of all of Ukraine.

The worst is yet to come, the official added.

Putins invasion of Ukraine is in its second week. Some Russian units are mired in mud, but the offensive is escalating overall.

As the invasion has escalated, so, too, have economic sanctions imposed by the U.S. and its allies. And, like Ukraines armed forces, the sanctions have had more punch than expected. The Russian ruble has plunged in value, and ordinary Russians have scrambled to ATMs to try to get their money out of endangered banks.

But the two escalations are far from equivalent.

The sanctions have clearly damaged Russias economy, but theres no sign that they have affected Putins calculus.

More Russian units have moved into Ukraine. Russian missile and artillery strikes on civilian neighborhoods have stepped up. Ukraines three biggest cities  including Kyiv, the capital  are in danger of falling.

Ukraines defenders are fighting courageously, but they are slowly losing ground.

Sanctions may influence Russian decision making down the road, said Richard N. Haass, president of the nonpartisan Council on Foreign Relations. "But they wont stop the siege of Kyiv."

The Russian president has waged war against cities before and has been rewarded with success.

Putin came to power in 1999 largely by waging a savage war against separatists in Russias mostly Muslim republic of Chechnya. The resulting campaignkilled tens of thousands of civilians.

The lesson for Putin: Ruthless military action works.

Every time you think, 'No, he wouldnt, would he? Well, yes, he would, Fiona Hill, a former White House expert on Russia, said in an interview with Politico.

Putin's intentions toward Ukraine should have come as no surprise. He has publicly demanded since 2007 that the country be returned to some form of Russian control. The CIA warned that he might invade Ukraine as early as 2008, Hill noted. (She was a CIA intelligence analyst at the time.)

If he can, he is going to take the whole country, she said.

Putin may not want to occupy all of Ukraine's territory, she added, but he may want to divide it into a fractured, shattered Ukraine.

And he may be willing to fight for a long time. His war in Chechnya lasted almost 10 years.

The Western response is aimed at raising Putin's costs until he  or Russias military brass, its oligarchs and the Russian public  decide that their losses from the war outweigh any benefits. That, too, could take a long time.

Putin has shown no interest in a negotiated outcome thats within the ZIP Code of reality, Haass told me. That could change, but only if three things occur: if his military suffers high battlefield costs, if the sanctions begin to exact a real economic cost and if popular unrest grows.

"Our policy ought to be aimed at bringing about those three conditions.

Sanctions hawks argue that in addition to punishing Putin in the near term, the measures serve a separate long-term U.S. interest by weakening Russia economically and militarily.

Sanctions will worsen Russias position in its long-run competition with western countries, Edward Fishman, a former State Department expert now at Columbia University, told me. We have zero interest in enhancing Russian power.

He predicted that the sanctions would stay in place as long as Putin is in power, if not longer, in "a long-term war of attrition."

But an original goal of these sanctions was to persuade Moscow to change course. To accomplish that, the United States needs to offer Russians the prospect of at least some sanctions relief if they withdraw their forces.

That kind of offer isnt likely to change Putins mind, but it could help increase pressure on him from his military and his oligarchs, as well as the Russian public.

I can imagine putting out  with the Ukrainians participating  some definition of a negotiated outcome that could produce some sanctions relief, Haass said. But were not there yet."

President Biden, for one, isnt there yet. His spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, said last week that sanctions relief isn't on the table.

Were in the middle of an invasion, so I dont think now is the moment where we are giving anybody that sort of an offramp, she said.

Translation: For now, both sides are still escalating.

That French official was probably right. The worst is yet to come.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
All victims of child sexual abuse deserve the chance to seek justice. Who could disagree? Two high-profile Nebraska public officials, thats who.

On Feb. 9, Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson sent a representative to a Judiciary Committee hearing to publicly testify against LB 1200. That legislation would allow victims of child sexual abuse to sue public institutions  like public schools and juvenile detention facilities  for their careless supervision of employees who sexually abuse children.

This is the same attorney general who, a mere five months ago, publicly advocated expanding the right to sue non-governmental organizations for the exact same conduct. This did not go unnoticed by several senators on the Judiciary Committee, who rightly called out the attorney generals brazen double-standard.

In November, Attorney General Peterson widely publicized his investigative report on sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in Nebraska. At the press conference releasing the report, the results of which he grossly misrepresented, he pleaded for expanding the opportunity to sue the Catholic Church by extending the statute of limitations against private entities.

Expressly following up on the AGs report, Sen. Rich Pahls of Omaha introduced a bill to make private institutions  and only private institutions  indefinitely liable for claims related to sexual abuse. During the public hearing on his bill, Pahls stated the attorney general supported his legislation.

Pahls legislation targets the Catholic Church. While dissembling that is does not, Pahls words and actions at the hearing proved otherwise. He handed out the AGs misleading report against the Catholic Church and concluded the hearing in a rant about the churchs historical sex abuse scandal. The Catholic sex abuse scandal caused great pain and injustice to children, parents and families. It rocked the faithful clergy and the Catholic community. And it was the trigger for sweeping changes that have nearly eliminated instances of Catholic sexual abuse in the last two decades.

While Pahls legislation hounds private entities, it specifically protects public institutions from being sued when they do the exact same thing, facilitate child sexual abuse.

Child sexual abuse is dishearteningly widespread across all institutions dealing with a large number of children. Child sexual abuse in public institutions  like public schools, foster care and juvenile detention centers  is ongoing and pervasive. As reported at the hearing, a leading expert on educator sexual abuse stated that the physical sexual abuse of students in schools is likely 100 times the abuse by priests.

Unlike Pahls and Petersons discriminatory efforts, Sen. Steve Hallorans LB 1200 would ensure that victims of child sexual abuse in public institutions have the same legal rights and remedies to sue as victims in private institutions.

By publicly opposing LB 1200, Peterson exposed his willingness to treat victims who suffer at the hands of public institutions as second-class victims. The deliberate shielding of public institutions from liability in Pahls bill treats child victims in the same appalling manner.

These actions by Nebraskas top law enforcement officer and by a state senator can only be described as brazen discrimination. And their primary goal does not appear to be protecting children  when they purposefully shield major perpetrators in public institutions. Such an injustice cannot go unaccounted for.

Any Nebraska senator who opposes Hallorans LB 1200  especially if they support Pahls LB833  would be in the same boat with Peterson and Pahls. Nebraska deserves better. All victims of sexual abuse deserve the chance to seek justice.
KYODO NEWS - Mar 6, 2022 - 21:31 | All, Japan

A memorial service was held Sunday to commemorate the first anniversary of the death of a Sri Lankan woman who died while in custody at an immigration center in central Japan last year amid calls nationwide to review Japan's detention system for those facing deportation.

Around 50 people braved the rain and wind to attend the Buddhist service in Aichi Prefecture for Ratnayake Liyanage Wishma, including her 27-year-old sister Poornima, as well as some who had previously been held at the Nagoya Regional Immigration Services Bureau, where Wishma had been detained.

Both Japanese and Sri Lankan rites were held at the temple, where Wishma's remains are being kept, with her sister expressing gratitude for the service.

Wishma died at the age of 33 on March 6 last year at the immigration center following a month of medical complaints, including vomiting and stomachaches.

"We sympathize with the family and vow to never allow something like this to happen again," said Shoichi Ibusuki, a defense lawyer representing her family.

Related coverage:

Kin of dead Sri Lankan detainee file 156 mil. yen damages suit with Japan

Japan will not seek immigration law amendment before summer election

Family of dead Sri Lankan files criminal complaint against Japan officials

The service came after Wishma's relatives filed a suit against the government Friday, demanding 156 million yen ($1.35 million) in damages. Her family alleges she was illegally detained and died due to a lack of necessary medical care.

She had arrived on a student visa in 2017 to study the Japanese language but overstayed her visa, and immigration authorities denied her asylum application.

Demonstrations were held across the country Sunday as people demanded better treatment at Japan's detention centers and a revision of the country's strict refugee recognition system. Over 300 people marched by one facility in central Tokyo.
RCMP officers prepare to take a person into custody at a gas station in Enfield, N.S., Sunday, April 19, 2020. Public trust in the inquiry investigating the mass shooting in Nova Scotia almost two years ago will be undermined if the RCMP officers involved are not compelled to testify, legal experts say. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Tim Krochak
New Delhi, March 6 : A 17-year-old youth hacked a man to death in the national capital while he was returning from the Yamuna ghat, a police official said on Sunday.

The deceased was identified as 18-year-old Ramzani, a resident of east Delhi's Shakarpur area.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), North-east Delhi, Sanjay Kumar Sain, said an information was received on February 6 by the Shastri Park police station that a man admitted in Bhagwan Mahavir hospital at Pitampura, following a fight near the Signature Bridge, has been declared as brought dead.

The medico-legal case of the deceased revealed that he died of two stab injuries on the back.

Later, the complainant Abhishek met the police and said he along with his friend Ramjani and their friends and relatives visited the Yamuna ghat for immersion of a religious idol.

After taking bath in river Yamuna while Abhishek, Ramjani and their friends were returning from the ghat, when they were stopped by an unidentified person who asked for a 'gamcha' (towel) from the complainant.

On being refused a towel by Abhishek, the unidentified youth started hitting him.

Seeing this, the deceased Ramjani intervened and slapped the youth after which he fled the site and reached there with some of his associates who started hitting Abhishek and Ramjani.

"Suddenly one of the identified men took out a knife and stabbed Ramjani on his back after which all of them fled the site," the DCP said.

The police registered an FIR under sections 302 (punishment for murder) and 34 (acts committed by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code at Shastri Park police station on February 7 and started an investigation.

The senior police officer termed the investigation as 'finding a needle from the hay stack' since during immersion of idols, thousands of people from different parts of the city visit the Yamuna ghat.

"Several Saraswati pooja groups all over the city were contacted. Nearly 350 people, who visited Yamuna ghat on February 6, were interrogated at length," Sanjay Kumar Sain added.

Later, a group of youth, who were seen on the same route from the place of incident, and whose movement was found to be suspicious were recorded in the CCTV footage.

"This group had come for idol immersion from Delhi's Vikaspuri area," said the police official.

The police after interrogating several people finally found that a 17-year-old youth was the assailant and was subsequently apprehended in the case on March 4. Further probe is underway, the official added.
Pune, March 6 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged students to combine their career and country's goals and find lasting solutions for local problems to spur the country's progress.

Modi said whatever field a student is pursuing, he/she must have some goals for the country on the same lines as they set for their personal career.

"When our goals go from personal to national growth, then the feeling of being a participant in the nation building process takes over," he added, addressing the golden jubilee of Symbiosis International University.

The Prime Minister asked the student community to select an annual theme based on national or global needs like climate change on which they could work round the year, along with their other assignments, and find practical solutions for the larger public good.

"In the next 25 years till you reach your platinum jubilee celebrations, you will have at least 25 themes on which thousands of creative minds have worked to provide workable solutions. You can also share the ideas and results with the Prime Minister's Office," Modi said.

He urged the student community to take full advantage of the opening of various sectors like geo-spatial systems, drones, semi-conductors and space technology for the betterment of the country and humanity.

"Today we have emerged as global leaders in sectors which were previously considered out of reach. Seven years ago, there were only two mobile manufacturing companies but now India is the second-largest mobile manufacturer in the world with more than 200 companies engaged in it. Once the country was the largest defence importer, but now it is becoming an exporter," he added.

The Prime Minister inaugurated the Symbiosis Arogya Dham -- comprising the Symbiosis Medical College for Women, the first-of-a-kind residential medical college for girls in Maharashtra, in presence of Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, the College Director S.B. Mujumdar, and other dignitaries.

The 900-bed Symbiosis University Hospital and Research Centre is attached to the Symbiosis Medical College for Women, with a series of streams in the integrated Symbiosis Arogya Dham, spread over 70 acres at Lavale.

Established in a modest way 50 years ago by S.B. Mujumdar, the Symbiosis is now a teeming multi-disciplinary academic hub with campuses spread in Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Noida, with more than 45,000 students from India and 85 other countries.
New Delhi, March 6 : Defending champions Chennai Super Kings will take on fellow finalists of the last season, Kolkata Knight Riders in the opening match of IPL 2022 on March 26 at the Wankhede stadium, the BCCI confirmed on Sunday while announcing the schedule for the 15th season of the cash-rich league.

A total number of 70 league matches and four Playoff games will be played in 65 days in Mumbai and Pune.

In all, 20 matches each will be held at Wankhede Stadium & DY Patil Stadium, 15 matches each at Brabourne and MCA International Stadium, Pune, the league said in a statement.

The league will stage its first double-header on March 27, starting with a day game at Brabourne where the Delhi Capitals will square off against Mumbai Indians. The DY Patil Stadium will host the clash between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore at night.

The MCA Stadium in Pune will host its first game on March 29 when Sunrisers Hyderabad take on Rajasthan Royals.

Overall, there will be 12 doubleheaders in total with the first match starting at 1530 hrs IST. All evening matches will start at 1930 hrs IST.

The final game of the league stage will be played between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings on May 22 at the Wankhede Stadium.

The schedule for the Playoffs and the IPL 2022 final, to be played on 29th May will be announced later.
Hapur : , March 6 (IANS) The 'satta markets' of Hapur, Lucknow, and, Delhi are predicting the return of the BJP to power in Uttar Pradesh, but with a curtailed majority of 220 seats.

The bookies who run the satta bazaar had predicted 230 seats to the BJP in the key state in January, but noted that each phase - the state went in for a seven-phased election, the figure will change. Now ahead of the last round of voting on March 7 and counting on March 10 is round the corner, they are giving 220 seats in the 403-member state Assembly, or a loss of 80 seats, to the saffron party in their last trends.

"Farmers have played a crucial role to divide, the votes otherwise the BJP will get more seats. In the last phase the situation has again turned... our calculation is saying that the BJP is getting 220 seats," a bookie, who did not want to be named, told IANS.

Since the last 21 years, no party has returned to power in the state, and if bookies' prediction comes true, then the BJP will create a new trend. The bookies said that they had predicted that after early losses, the BJP would emerge winner with a majority.

IANS spoke to different bookies to know who they were predicting for the other contenders, and they said that the Samajwadi Party will emerge as the major opposition party with 135 to 140 seats. In the early trends of the elections, they had given it 130 seats.

"There is increase in number of Samajwadi Party. They are getting 10 extra seats," said the bookie.

Bookies are offering 100 for 100 for both the BJP and Samajwadi Party.

The Congress and Aam Aadmi Party do not figure in the calculations of the bookies, who told IANS that both these parties are "merely mute spectators" in the UP Assembly elections.

However, they are giving 15 seats to the Bahujan Samaj Party.

The satta bazaar is taking the help of professionals and paid services to run their operations, and are catering only to trusted customers, to save themselves from the police.
Times Insider explains who we are and what we do, and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together.

Kashmir Hill recently published an article in The Times in which she detailed how she digitally followed her husbands movements for a month using GPS and other location trackers.

I am that husband.

As a privacy advocate, I spend a lot of time thinking about surveillance  not usually the spousal variety, but the kind conducted by the government. I have written about how authorities track people using metadata, the information created by our devices, to learn whom you are talking to, and where you are and when. This data can sometimes be as revealing as our most private discussions.

When Kashmir, a technology reporter for The Times, asked for my consent to track me, I was prepared for her to violate my privacy for the sake of journalism. But what I was not prepared for was how easily my actions could be misinterpreted.
SIOUX CITY -- Woodbury County Sheriff Chad Sheehan faces opposition from some local residents for helping bring to Sioux City a nationally known, right-wing speaker who has suggested most federal agencies, with the exception of the military, are unconstitutional.

KrisAnne Hall, who describes herself as a constitutional attorney, is set to speak at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 12 at Western Iowa Tech Community College. A group called "We the People for Constitutional Sheriffs,'' is sponsoring the free event, which is hosted by "Sheriff Chad Sheehan," according to a flier posted to the Woodbury County Sheriff's Office Facebook page on Feb. 25.

"Are you losing your freedoms and liberties? Learn how to get them back!" the flier said. His office also sent a press release using official stationery, and has promoted the event on the sheriff's office's official Facebook page. As of Saturday, March 5, the post had generated more than 190 comments, with many questioning the appropriateness of the sheriff hosting what they deemed as a political event.

At Tuesday's weekly meeting of the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors, four speakers objected to Hall's appearance, as well as the constitutional sheriffs movement, which views federal and state government authorities as subordinate to county sheriffs.

"They believe that the sheriff rules the county and doesnt have to listen to federal law if they interpret it to be unconstitutional," Jasmine Solstice told supervisors at Tuesday's meeting.

During the meeting, Sheehan pointed out that "We the People for Constitutional Sheriffs" is a small group and is not associated with the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, a national group formed in 2011 by former Arizona sheriff Richard Mack, who was an Oath Keepers board member at the time.

Hall, an Army veteran, former Florida prosecutor and radio talk show host, has attracted the scrutiny of the Southern Poverty Law Center, or SPLC, a civil rights group that tracks extremism. In a 2018 Facebook post, Hall claimed the SPLC included her on its "anti-government hate group list" for the fourth year in a row.

"Imagine that logic," she said in the post. "I teach the Constitution, the document that created the government they love so much, & in their warped minds that makes me an 'anti-government extremist' hater."

In August 2019, the Southern Poverty Law Center's "Hatewatch" reported that Hall had addressed the Florida chapter of the League of the South, a neo-Confederate hate group that declares on its website its "end goal is to establish an independent Southern republic." Its president, Michael Hill, is quoted as saying in August 2016: "The Browning of America, and my native South, was not something to which I assented, and I surely do not approve of it."

Immediately denounce

After speaking at the League of the South event, Hall told the SPLC: "While I am not a proponent of secession, a state certainly has that contractual right when it feels that the compact has been irrevocably broken. Our states are not fiefdoms under subjugation to an unquestionable despot. Yet while a state may secede or be expelled, that state would lose all benefits and privileges afforded to it under the federal compact."

Hall did not immediately reply to an email from the Journal.

Sheehan did not immediately return multiple calls from the Journal last week seeking additional comment.

In a statement Thursday, Sheehan defended the inclusion of Hall at the March 12 training, which he described as an "opportunity to educate the public on your rights, liberties and freedoms."

"While you may have read things on the internet, they can be certainly skewed, I am in no way a person thats above the law," Sheehan said at Tuesday's supervisors meeting. "Im not anti-gay. None of that. If theres anything that would come out of that meeting that was racist, anti-Semitic or any of that, I would immediately denounce anything that would come out like that."

Sheehan said he got the idea for the training session after seeing Hall speak at a meeting with members of the Iowa State Sheriffs and Deputies Association.

"KrisAnne Hall was brought in as a constitutional attorney to give an educational piece to the members of law enforcement and she did a training that I attended," he said.

Maria Rundquist, a community organizer and Democrat who is seeking a seat on the county board of supervisors this year, asked the Woodbury County Board to consider nixing the March 12 training session, claiming that Hall's ideology is rooted in white nationalism.

"We don't want to infringe on... individual political ideologies but this particular action will bring divisiveness and chaos. We want to embrace people of all colors, united as a stronger community," Rundquist wrote in an email to: Rocky De Witt, Keith Radig, Jeremy Taylor, Matthew Ung and Justin Wright.

Supervisor Rocky De Witt, who also works with Sheriff's Office as a courthouse security guard, dismissed Rundquist's request.

"For me, it is concerning that some folks want to shut this event down" DeWitt said in an email. "It is not the boards event to shut down She has been invited by the sheriff, an elected official, at no cost to the county, and he has the Constitutional right to do so under the autonomy of his office."

DeWitt went on to talk about being "bombarded by far-left, if not pure communist propagandists on a daily basis."

"Do I ask for these groups to be shut down? No, I do not," DeWitt said in the email.

'Permission of the sheriff'

Hall, who reportedly speaks at over 250 events per year, is also an author who's written books with titles such as: "Sovereign Duty" and "Bedtime Stories for Budding Patriots," describes herself as a "steadfast warrior in the battle for Liberty" and a "true Patrick Henry of our time."

In January 2014, she posted the following to her page: "Sheriffs, Police Officers, Public Servants UNITE to declare the Federal Government has NO POWER outside the Constitution and no authority outside the PERMISSION of the Sheriff!"

The SPLC story explained that Hall disagrees with the generally accepted view of the Supremacy Clause in Article VI of the Constitution, which says the Constitution and federal laws generally take precedence over state laws. She argues actions taken by the president, Congress or federal courts that are not specifically delegated to the federal government are unconstitutional because the 10th amendment reserves those powers to the states. Hall has also called the 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution: "dangerous and unnecessary." The former gave citizenship and equal civil and legal rights to African Americans while the latter is meant to protect the voting rights of all U.S. citizens regardless of race.

InfoWars guest

Hall, who has appeared on shows on Fox News, Newsmax and C-SPAN, also was a guest in October 2018 on InfoWars, the conspiracy website founded by Alex Jones, who recently was successfully sued by parents of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims for saying that the event was a false flag.

During her InfoWars appearance, Hall chatted with The Rev. Rodney Howard-Browne. In March 2020, the Boca Raton Tribune reported Howard-Browne promised to cure parishioners of COVID-19.

On her own Facebook page, Hall has shared posts suggesting there have been 21,000 deaths for people who took the COVID-19 vaccine and that vaccination efforts are about "making masters and slaves."

No taxpayer dollars

Sheehan has emphasized no taxpayer dollars will be spent on Hall's March 12 appearance at WITCC's Rocklin Conference Center.

Troy Jasman, the vice president of finance & administrative services and chief financial officer at Western Iowa Tech Community College, said the sheriff contacted the college and requested the conference center space, which often hosts community events.

"This is not a college event. Its merely on our campus. We have no part of this," Jasman said. When the school had people calling and complaining, Jasman said he told them to reach out to the sheriff's office.

Sheehan said he would like to see a good turnout for the training.

"I would invite you to come to the event and if you disagree I will protect your right that is afforded to you in the First Amendment of the Constitution, and I will protect you to the death if necessary," Sheehan said at Tuesday's county board meeting.
A newlywed couple have been filmed celebrating on Ukrainian frontline while wearing their military uniform and being serenaded by fellow soldiers.

Video shared online shows a loved-up pair said to be called Lesya and Valeriy, who are with the territorial defence, celebrating the nuptials near Kyiv.

Lesya can be seen holding a bouquet of flowers as both her and Valeriy clutch champagne flutes.

Video shared online shows a loved-up pair said to be called Lesya and Valeriy, who are with the territorial defense, celebrating the nuptials near Kyiv, Ukraine

Both the newlyweds were applauded and the bride looks to have swapped out her helmet for a white veil as she smiled and held Valeriy's hand.

A group of fellow soldiers joined in a chorus to the couple, with one man playing what appears to be a bandura, a Ukrainian folk musical instrument similar to a lute.

The footage was shared by Paul Ronzheimer, reporter for German news outlet BILD-Zeitung.

It has since received around 22,000 views and accrued hundreds of likes, with most comments wishing them happiness and prosperity.

One of the soldiers also appears to be wearing an Orthodox Christian cross, often seen at weddings in the country where the religion is followed by a majority of people.

Valery and Lesya kiss as they get married not far from check-point on Kyiv outskirts earlier today

Both the newlyweds were applauded and the bride looks to have swapped out her helmet for a white veil as she smiled and held Valeriy's hand

Lesya can be seen holding a bouquet of flowers and Valeriy, a champagne flute, as the newlyweds are applauded

Russia has made progress in southern Ukraine since its invasion 11 days ago, overrunning the city of Kherson and shelling the port of Mariupol, but Odessa has so far been largely spared.

The Kremlin is 'preparing' to pound Odessa and 'choke' off its lifeline as a ceasefire is called for the besieged city of Mariupol - amid fears Putin could blast the escape route of refugees with airstrikes for a second time.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky today warned that Russian forces are preparing to shell Odessa - a historic port city on the Black Sea coast.

The newlywed couple was filmed getting married on the frontlines, donned in military uniform and surrounded by fellow soldiers

The newlyweds celebrated their nuptials on the frontlines today, surrounded by fellow servicemen

In a video address, the Ukrainian leader said: 'They are preparing to bomb Odessa.

'Russians have always come to Odessa. They have always felt only warmth in Odessa.

'Only sincerity. And now what? Bombs against Odessa? Artillery against Odessa? Missiles against Odessa?

'It will be a war crime. It will be a historical crime.'

Servicemen of Ukrainian territorial defence attend a wedding ceremony not far from check-point on Kyiv outskirts today

Servicemen held flowers as they celebrated the newlywed couple today, in a wedding ceremony on the frontline

One of the soldiers also appears to be wearing an Orthodox Christian cross, often seen in weddings in the country
Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh officially inaugurated the first phase of a VND3.3 trillion (US$144.4 million) irrigation project in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang on Saturday.

The inauguration of the first phase of the Cai Lon-Cai Be irrigation system was attended by PM Chinh and leaders of relevant sectors and localities in the Mekong Delta.

Costing VND3.3 trillion, the project was built along the border of An Bien and Chau Thanh Districts in Kien Giang Province.

A birds-eye view of the Cai Lon-Cai Be irrigation system in Kien Giang Province, Vietnam. Photo: Chi Quoc / Tuoi Tre

The system consists of the Cai Lon, Cai Be, and Xeo Ro sluices, a dyke connecting the sluices with National Highway No. 61, eight sluice gates along the An Bien - An Minh sea embankment, and an automatic monitoring system.

The most noticeable construction is the Cai Lon sluice, which is 455 meters wide and has 11 gates, each 40 meters wide.

The irrigation project is aimed at controlling the water resources to ensure stable and sustainable conditions for agricultural production across an area of 384,000 hectares in Kien Giang, Hau Giang, Ca Mau, and Bac Lieu Provinces.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the inauguration of the Cai Lon-Cai Be irrigation system in Kien Giang Province, Vietnam, March 5, 2022. Photo: Chi Quoc / Tuoi Tre

Alongside the Bien Tay embankment, the project will also contribute to the response to climate change and rising sea level and natural disaster prevention, while minimizing the damage caused by drought and saltwater intrusion during the dry season.

At the ceremony, PM Chinh stated that the project represents the shift from agricultural production to agricultural economic development and urged relevant units to operate the system efficiently.

The premier called for preparations for the early implementation of the projects second phase.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (third right) and leaders of localities in the Mekong Delta officially inaugurate the Cai Lon-Cai Be irrigation system in Kien Giang Province, Vietnam, March 5, 2022. Photo: Chi Quoc / Tuoi Tre

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Kobe Bryants shooting shirt from his iconic 81-point game just sold for a massive $277,000 at auction  and the lucky buyer also got a one-of-one NFT that came with it. The shirt is a one-of-a-kind piece  not only was it worn by the Mamba before he scored the 2nd-most points ever in an NBA game (back in 2006), experts at Sothebys tell TMZ Sports its the ONLY worn piece from that game on the market. Were told it was worn six other times by Kobe, too  including in the 2006 playoffs.

Source: TMZ Staff @ TMZ.com

Whats the buzz on Twitter?

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin

Michael Jordan. First ballot Hall of Famer.

Kobe Bryant. First ballot Hall of Famer. (Rest in Power).

LeBron James: Future first ballot Hall of Famer.

Jamal Crawford: Should make the Hall of Fame. pic.twitter.com/gccviB5aOe  11:58 PM

StatMuse @statmuse

Most points in a game after turning 35:

60  Kobe Bryant

56  LeBron James pic.twitter.com/yPRhhSQsTN  11:39 PM

Alex Kennedy @AlexKennedyNBA

LeBron James had 56 points, 10 boards, 3 assists in the Lakers win over the Warriors. He shot 19-31 (61.3%) from the field, 6-11 (54.5%) from three and 12-13 (92.3%) from the FT line.

Only one other player age-37 or older had 51+ points in a game: Kobe Bryant in his final game.  11:16 PM

Bob Garcia @bgarciaivsports

LeBron James 56 points tonight is the second-highest single-game performance for a player age 37 or older, only trailing Kobe Bryants 60 points in his final game. pic.twitter.com/tW6DyIGGyc  11:11 PM

Mike Trudell @LakersReporter

LeBron is the 7th Laker with at least 54 points in a game: Mikan (1x), Baylor (6x), West (1x), Wilt (2x), Shaq (1x), Kobe (9x).

(via @JoeyARamirez)  11:01 PM

Tommy Beer @TommyBeer

Only four players in NBA history have scored 50+ points in a game after celebrating their 37th birthday:

Michael Jordan,

Jamal Crawford and

Kobe Bryant

And now

LeBron James  10:50 PM

Mike Trudell @LakersReporter

 @LeBron James is the 7th Laker with multiple 50-point games.*

 LeBron (2x)

 Shaq (2x)

 Chamberlain (2x)

 Mikan (4x)

 West (5x)

 Baylor (17x)

 Kobe (25x)

*51 at Miami his first season in L.A., and tonight.  10:50 PM

Story continues

Ben Golliver @BenGolliver

Lakers LeBron James with his 13th career 50-point game.

 Second among active players to James Harden (23).

 Seventh all-time behind Wilt Chamberlain (118), Michael Jordan (31), Kobe Bryant (25), Harden, Elgin Baylor (17) & Rick Barry (14).  10:49 PM

Ben Golliver @BenGolliver

Oldest NBA players to score 50+ points in a game

1. Suns Jamal Crawford in 2019: 39 years old

2. Wizards Michael Jordan in 2001: 38 years old

3. Lakers Kobe Bryant in 2016: 37 years, 234 days old

4. Lakers LeBron James vs. Warriors: 37 years, 65 days old  10:48 PM

Chris Palmer @ChrisPalmerNBA

Can LeBron get Kobes 60?  10:44 PM

More on this storyline

The lucky buyer is David Kohler, President of SCP Auctions and owner of one of the largest private Lakers memorabilia collections in the world, and he said after the sale hes pumped to now own the item. After collecting Kobe Bryant memorabilia throughout many years, I am thrilled and honored to add this very special artifact from one of the most significant games in NBA history to my collection, Kohler said. -via TMZ.com / March 6, 2022
Chennai, March 6 : The Madurai district rural police arrested eight people of the ten charged under the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in a case related to a minor girl eloping with a 26-year-old man.

The accused have been booked for unlawful assembly, procuring of minor girl and attempt to murder.

Madurai district superintendent of Police, V. Bhaskaran in a statement on Sunday said that the girl was admitted to Government Rajaji Medical College and Hospital, Madurai, after she along with S. Nagoor Haneefa (26) with whom she had eloped, consumed poison. Haneefa spit the poison immediately but the girl developed health issues and was taken to the hospital.

Nagoor Haneefa, according to Police, had taken the girl to his uncle's residence at Erode after eloping with her on February 14. However, Haneefa's mother scolded him for bringing the girl as it had created trouble in the village.

The SP in a statement said, "Haneefa and the girl tried to end their lives by consuming poison but Haneefa immediately spit the poison while the girl consumed it and she was admitted to a hospital." Police said that Haneefa dropped the girl at his house and asked his mother Mathina Begum to hand her over to her parents and she was handed over to her parents on March 3. When the parents came to know that she had consumed poison, they took her to a private hospital and got her admitted to the Government hospital in Melur, Madurai. She was later admitted to Government Rajaji Medical College hospital in Madurai as her condition turned worse.

However, the Police Superintendent said that she was not subjected to sexual abuse.

Police said that the girl's parents did not agree to register a missing case when the police asked them to, but later they agreed and an FIR was registered.

The SP said that Haneefa had taken the girl to the hospital and was injected. Police arrested Haneefa, his friends P. Prakash, M. Perumal, Krishnan, Raja Mohammed, Shahul Hameed, Sultan Aladin, his wife Begum, and his aunt Ramzan Begum.

Police also warned the general public not to reveal the identity of the minor girl and against circulating her photograph on the social media.
Katie Snyder writes: The Museum of the Grand Prairie is honored to collaborate with Community Coalition/Walk as One to record oral histories of the local Champaign County Black community in a project called Revisiting Your Legacy.
Peter Buckley of St. Joseph is a retired special agent with the FBI and a former chief deputy with the Douglas County Sheriffs Office.
Chennai, March 6 : Actor and producer Vishal, who had gone to Kerala for the treatment of injuries he had sustained while shooting for director Vinoth Kumar's 'Laththi', has returned and is all set to begin shooting from Monday for the film.

Sources close to the actor said that the actor had recovered after a few weeks of treatment at an ayurvedic treatment centre in Peringode, Kerala.

They now say that the actor will resume shooting for the final schedule from March 7 in Hyderabad.

Vishal had suffered multiple hairline fractures during the filming of a climax stunt sequence. The grand climax sequence, for which the crew had set aside 30 days exclusively, was choreographed by stunt choreographer Peter Hain.

As part of the fight sequence, Vishal had to fight a group of baddies and jump off a floor with a child in hand. However, he missed the timing slightly and ended up sustaining a number of hairline fractures on his hands.

The actor tried to continue shooting but then, his pain intensified and he was unable to continue. It was then decided that he should first get his hand treated before continuing the shoot. He is now back after having recovered.
It has been reported that the Queen will never live in London again, after making Windsor Castle her permanent residence for the past two years.

Her Majesty and Prince Philip moved to the Berkshire residence at the beginning of the pandemic, before Philips death in April last year.

The Queen has spent the past two Christmases at Windsor, because of Covid regulations, and now the monarch is said to have no plans to return to Buckingham Palace.

As The Sunday Times reports, this means the next royals to take up residence in Buckingham Palace will be the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall, when the time comes for Prince Charles to be king.

Royal author Hugo Vickers told the newspaper that Windsor is the place the Queen loves. He added: She has her memories with Prince Philip there, she has her ponies there and family nearby. It makes sense.

Windsor is a short drive from Bagshot Park, where Prince Edward lives, while Prince Andrew resides at the Royal Lodge in Windsor.

The Queen spent much of her childhood at Windsor, with her father and mother, then the Duke and Duchess of York, who were gifted the Royal Lodge by her grandfather, King George V, when the young Elizabeth was five years old.

Initially used as a weekend retreat during the Second World War, the Queen and her sister Princess Margaret moved to Windsor Castle as it was considered to be safer than London.

Royal biographer Christopher Warwick told the BBC in 2016 that Windsor was a place that was very much home to the Queen and to her sister for a very long time, and that cemented the emotions and attachment that she has to a place she loves dearly.

Windsor is also where Prince Philip is buried. When the Queen dies, the pair will be buried together in Windsor, in King George VIs memorial chapel.

The Independent has contacted Buckingham Palace for comment.
Lismore will die as a major regional city unless the federal and state governments undertake a major reconstruction and flood mitigation program, its mayor says.

The recently elected mayor, Steve Krieg, said the record-breaking flood, which peaked at 14.37m high, had carried out a demolition job on the city, with four people confirmed dead, thousands made homeless and critical damage to houses, schools, businesses and cultural institutions.

Lismore mayor Steve Krieg had his home and business destroyed by severe flooding in the worst flood in modern history to hit Lismore in northern NSW. Credit:Elise Derwin

Mr Krieg said any reconstruction of the city would be worthless without minimising the impact of future floods. He said council had unreleased plans to raise the existing levee on the eastern bank of the Wilsons river and build another levee on the western side. Further he said excavating existing river bends would help speed up the exit of flood water from the city.

If we dont do it, we die as a city. Simple as that, said Cr Krieg, whose downtown bar and trattoria, as well as his home, were inundated by the flood.
If you've been trying to invest ethically over the past few years, chances are you've been avoiding the defence sector, just as you will have shunned cigarettes, gambling and possibly even alcohol.

But what happens when a so-called 'sin stock' starts arming the freedom fighters? Should investors drastically change their views?

As Russia continues its onslaught against Ukraine, defence companies have soared in value.

Tense: The world's threat level is heightened and nations are increasing their defence budget

The world's threat level is heightened, nations are increasing their defence budget, and the EU is rushing to arm Ukrainian soldiers. Suddenly we're reminded of what the word 'defence' really means and questioning whether there is a place for defence shares in a larger number of our portfolios after all.

This could mean a rerating for a sector that has been out of favour for some time as investors poured money into green funds and defence companies were screened out of many 'Environmental, Social, and Governance compliant portfolios'.

There are already signs that the tide is turning. Swiss Bank SEB has just lifted some of its restrictions on investing in defence companies.

It will still block any company that makes what it calls 'controversial weapons' such as cluster bombs, but that gives it far more leeway to invest in defence. Other investment companies are likely to follow suit. David Perry, at JP Morgan Chase delicately notes that defence is a 'complex topic when it comes to ESG investing'.

'More investors may accept that 'defence' is needed to preserve peace and democracy, driving a rerating,' he notes.

The fact that defence stocks are soaring in value will further whet investor appetite for an unloved sector. Analysts Ross Law and George McWhirter at Berenberg point to 'conflict-driven demand potential' as a reason why defence stocks are now attractive.

'Valuations across the sector remain compelling given the improving prospect of rising defence budgets,' they said in their most recent note.

Midas mentioned BAE Systems in last week's column, tipping it at 6.53. Since then it has risen to 6.92. There are other stocks that defence fans could consider as well. Here is one to look at.

CHEMRING

As Nato countries, including Germany, increase their defence budgets, Chemring is well-placed to benefit from increased spend.

The company makes everything from sensors for electronic warfare to what are called Countermeasures  flares and decoys to protect platforms and ships from missile threat.

Chemring has been trying to move away from military roots, focusing on broader cybersecurity products for all, with analysts particularly excited by its Roke security division in the US.

Its more traditional businesses, though, will also see increased interest in coming months if global tension remains high.

The company's AGM statement, out this week, provided reassuring reading, with management saying that results for the current year will be slightly ahead of the consensus of analyst expectations. Those calculations will have been prepared before the recent flare-up, so it's likely that there will be more demand ahead.

Many analysts are positive on Chemring. Peel Hunt, which has a Buy on the stock, believes that the Roke cybersecurity arm will come to the fore as fear over hacking intensifies, while Law and McWhirter at Berenberg believe that the company will have some of the highest short term demand from elevated threats or conflict in the region, both because of the sectors in which it operates, including cybersecurity, and its exposure to Continental Europe.

In its latest note, Berenberg also highlighted the company's relative good value.

Until this week, it had been languishing on just 14 times earnings, due to a number of issues including an unresolved Serious Fraud Office investigation into money laundering allegations, and a probe into a chemical explosion at Salisbury Plain which killed one person.

Provisions have been made for both of these, but there's still the chance more will be needed.

Midas verdict: Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Chemring was very cheap until defence was flavour of the month. After this week's bounce, the shares trade on a price/earnings ratio of 19, which makes them a less compelling prospect than they were at 14 times earnings. But at this week's close of 3.29 they are still trading below Peel Hunt's 3.60 and Berenberg's 3.55 price targets.

That may be the price we have to pay for a company that seems to have reinvented itself for a war fought both on the ground and in cyberspace.

Given that Chemring is in the right place at just the right time, it is worth buying on any weakness in the price, such as Friday's fall.

Traded on: Main market Ticker: CHG Contact: chemring.com or 01794 463401
Ukrainian and Russian negotiators during the first round of talks in Belarus (ANSA)

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Belarus is calling for the immediate cessation of hostilities in Ukraine, and urging Belarus not to get involved further in the Russian invasion of its neighbour.

By Lisa Zengarini

The Belarusian Catholic Church stands in solidarity with Ukraine while pleading for Belarus not to take an active part in the aggression waged by Russia against its neighbour.

Belarusian President, Aleksandr Lukashenko, is a close ally of Vladimir Putin and since the outbreak of the war, on 24 February, Russian troops in Belarus have been allowed passage into Ukraine by Belarusian border guards. Belaruss air defense and traffic control systems, along with the countrys fueling stations, have also been made available to Moscow.

Support for talks

In a statement released on 3 March, Belarusian Bishops expressed their full support to Pope Franciss and the Holy Sees ongoing appeals for peace and to the tentative negotiations taking place in Belarus to end hostilities and find ways of reconciliation.

But in order for the parties to listen to each other, weapons must be silenced," they said.

A first round of talks started on 2 March, followed by a second meeting the next day, and a third round is expected over the weekend.

Read also 02/03/2022 Pope: Those who wage war forget humanity Again and again, Pope Francis has called for peace, stressing that "war is madness." His reiterated appeals continue to echo as the war rages on in Ukraine



The Bishops expressed the deep concern of all the Belarusian Church for the war causing the loss of so many lives, the massive destruction of cities, settlements and infrastructure, and hundreds of thousands of refugees.

War is a crime against God and against man that deserves a decisive and immediate condemnation

The bishops are also concerned about the parallel war of information going on, which they say, is no less harmful and causes hatred between peoples and nations.



They vehemently insist that "everything possible should be done to find a peaceful solution to the conflict, while pleading with the Belarussian authorities not to get the country actively involved.

Listen to our report

Assistance for victims

President Lukashenko said on Friday that the Belarusian armed forces were not taking part in Russia's operations, after the Ukrainian military said it believed they had already received the order to cross the Ukrainian border.

The bishops' statement concluded with a call on the faithful and people of good will to pray and to lend all assistance possible to the victims" with "brotherly love and solidarity".
BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will meet the press Monday afternoon on the sidelines of the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress.

Wang is expected to take questions from journalists at home and abroad on China's foreign policy and foreign relations via video link in consideration of COVID-19 prevention and public health.

The event will be broadcast live by China Media Group, and xinhuanet.com will provide live broadcast in photos and text. 
New Delhi, March 6 : India kept sending relief materials to war torn Ukraine as part of humanitarian assistance by the Indian Air Force aircraft deployed for evacuation of stranded nationals through the neighbouring countries.

On Sunday, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting shared a video of the relief materials being loaded in IAF's aircraft by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel and these supplies are being sent to Poland from where it would be sent to Ukraine.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on March 3 said that two tranches of humanitarian assistance that included medicines, medical equipment, relief materials were dispatched by the Indian Air Force (IAF) to Ukraine.

"One of the flights carried six tonnes of material to Romania while the other flight carried nine tonnes of material to Slovakia. Besides, the four tranches of humanitarian aid were sent earlier," the MEA further said.

The Ministry also said that the humanitarian aid were sent via Poland and Romania.

Earlier on March 2, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) had sent relief material to Ukraine via neighbouring countries.

The supplies include blankets, sleeping mats, and solar study lamps ect, which were sent from IAF's transport aircraft that left for Poland and another consignment by a commercial airlines on March 2.

Meanwhile, the MEA said that a total of 2,135 Indians have been brought back on Sunday by 11 special flights from Ukraine's neighbouring countries. With this, more than 15,900 Indians have been brought back since the special flights began on February 22.

Till date, the IAF has flown 10 sorties to bring back 2,056 passengers, while taking 26 tonnes of relief load to these countries under Operation Ganga.
David Bernthal of Mahomet is a retired 21-year federal magistrate. He is a counsel with the Webber & Thies PC law firm. His email is askthejudge1@gmail.com.
On Saturday, March 5, China's State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the latter's request.

That's according to the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Wang Yi said that the "situation in Ukraine has developed to the point, which the Chinese side does not want to see," the statement read.

He said that the Ukrainian issue is "intricate" and it is related not only to the basic norms of international relations, but also to the security interests of all parties.

The Chinese politician called on the United States, NATO, the European Union and Russia to have an equal dialogue, "face up to the contradictions and problems accumulated over the years, pay attention to the negative impact of the continuous eastward expansion of NATO on Russia's security environment, and seek to build a balanced, effective and sustainable security environment."

"It is necessary to focus not only on the resolution of the current crisis, but also on achieving long-term peace and stability of the region," the Chinese minister said. He noted that China, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, always "builds its position and policy based on the merits of the matter." China believes that in order to resolve the "Ukraine crisis" it is necessary to act in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. On the one hand, it is necessary to respect and protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, and on the other hand, it is necessary to insist on peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue.

Wang Yi expressed hope that the fighting will stop as soon as possible, the situation on the ground will be eased, the safety of civilians' lives and properties will be effectively guaranteed, and large-scale humanitarian crises will be prevented.

The Chinese Foreign Minister stated that the "Ukrainian crisis" can be resolved only through dialogue and negotiations. According to him, China supports all efforts that contribute to de-escalation and political settlement and opposes any actions that are not conducive to promoting a diplomatic solution but "instead fuel the fire and escalate the situation."

China will continue to speak out and do its best for peace and will encourage Russia and Ukraine to negotiate directly, the diplomat said. He acknowledged that the talks may not go smoothly, but stressed that the international community must continue to cooperate and support them until results and peace are achieved.

As reported, on February 24, Russian President Putin declared war on Ukraine and launched a large-scale invasion of the country. Russian troops are killing civilians, shelling and destroying key infrastructure, with missiles hitting Ukrainians' homes.

Zelensky signed a decree on general mobilization.

Ukraine officially filed a lawsuit against the Russian Federation to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
One of the benefits of having worked with people from across the state over the years is to have learned many of the idiosyncrasies of the state.

In our part of the state, we tend to associate many county seat towns with the same name of their county. For example, Cherokee and Cherokee County, Ida Grove and Ida County, Sioux Center and Sioux County. Its all nice and orderly, just like most of the states county lines.

When you take a closer look, though, you start to see quite a few mismatches. Perhaps the biggest mismatch is that the city of Des Moines is not in Des Moines County. You can perhaps excuse that based on the city of Des Moines being on the Des Moines River. Oddly, Des Moines county doesnt even have the Des Moines river going through it.

You may think, ok, thats a one-off. But those who drive along Highway 20 might note that Webster City is in Hamilton County, not neighboring Webster County. Another significant oddity is that Iowa City is not in Iowa county. The city of Osceola is about 35 miles from the Missouri border while Osceola County is on the Minnesota border.

So thats a few, but not much of a trend, you may think. Well, the city of Marion is not in Marion County, Emmetsburg is not in Emmet County, and the city of Keokuk is not in Keokuk County. Fun fact, the town of Keokuk is one of two county seats for Lee County.

Some towns are pretty far away from counties with the same name. For example, the city of Jefferson is about 175 miles by road from Jefferson County. Even further is the distance between the town of Monona (about 15 miles from the Mississippi River) to Monona County - on the Missouri River.

There are smaller examples, like the town of Plymouth not being in Plymouth County and Wapello not being in Wapello County. Actually, there are more, but you get the point.

People often are unaware of the impact that the Mexican-American War had on shaping the state. The two most obvious examples are Buena Vista and Cerro Gordo Counties. Both are named after prominent battles of that war.

Lesser known is that Mills and Guthrie counties are named after Iowa Army officers who died in that conflict. Other counties named for leaders during that war include Butler, Clay, Fremont, Hardin, Page, Ringgold, Scott, Taylor and Worth.

Kossuth County is named after a leader of Hungarian independence from Austrian rule. He was temporarily exiled to the United States. In addition to a county named in his honor, a bust of him is in the United States Capitol. You may recognize Kossuth as the large county in north-central Iowa. It takes its shape from what had previously been two counties, one of which was smaller than the state Constitution required. For details, go to Article 11 of the Iowa Constitution.

Locally, Wahkaw County was established in 1851, with Thompsonville as the county seat. Havent heard of it? In 1853, the Legislature changed the county name to Woodbury, in honor of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Levi Woodbury. The county seat moved to Sergeant Bluff, then called Sergeants Bluff in honor of Sgt. Charles Floyd, at the same time. In keeping with the theme of this column, Floyd County in northeast Iowa is named after Sgt. Floyd.

One county recently changed the name of its namesake. Johnson County had originally been named for Richard Johnson, Martin Van Burens vice president. Johnson had not only enslaved people, but he fathered two children with one of them. With no ties to Iowa, the county selected Lulu Merle Johnson as the new namesake. Born in Iowa, she was the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa and the tenth to do so nationally.

This is by no means a comprehensive list, even though it is focused on counties. I hope to devote another column at some point regarding towns and natural features.

Next week: Linda Holub

A Sioux City resident, Steve Warnstadt is government affairs coordinator for Western Iowa Tech Community College. He is a former Democratic state senator and retired Army National Guard brigadier general. He and his wife, Mary, are the parents of one son and one daughter.
I came in to contact with Swedish Yvonne Borjesson when a client of mine wanted a full make over of their Mallorca home and I had no clue where to start. I had heard about her and really like the design update she made in La Paloma Restaurant in the old town in Palma. Yvonne is the living legend of Home Couture and have spent all her life in fashion and design business. She still has her house in Paris but admits she loves the island and spend a lot of her time in Mallorca.

We agreed to meet in a nice cafe in Palma for a coffee and she insisted that we both set off at least an hour for the first meetup. As a true swede she steps in exactly on time and with a big smile sits down next to me. I thought its easier if I show you some of my work and what I do when we talk, she says. I felt like Christmas had come early when she carefully layed out samples of her own designed fabrics in different colours. Yvonne starts to explain how she works with the different materials and presents photos of the type of furniture she has produced locally in Mallorca.

The same material she wears in her jacket, looks completely different on a footstool or an ornamental cushion. Knitted materials, real leather, a lot of linen and natural materials are in the collection that she offers and since 2008 she produces tailormade furniture as well. I stared at a super cool orange sofa that you can find in the real estate boutique of Fantastic Frank in Palma. I made the drawings for that sofa in the shop she says as she smiles. The client had very anonymous furniture before, and I wanted something that would make people stop and look. A little later I added a white/orange puff with perforated leather that brings some fun in to the room

Yvonne started out her career designing active sportswear in Sweden and quickly became well know for her strong collection concepts. In 1994 she moved to Paris and changed over her concept to womens wear and designer clothing. She was doing very well and in 1998 her own brand was launched Yvonne Borjesson Paris- Stockholm, she was immediately recognised by the international press, as a creator of new concepts in ready-to-wear. Well known Patricia Field in New York city became her first client.

Yvonne has represented Swedish design and innovation in several international events.

Her biggest achievement took place in Spiral Hall, Aoyama, Tokyo during the exhibition Swedish style in Tokyo 2001, where she directed 38 people on the scene, including Swedish dancers and well know jazz musicians from the Swedish music scene.

That was a huge moment in my career, it felt very special to have so many Japanese models on the stage at the same time all wearing my Scandinavian knitwear she remembers. Yvonnes philosophy is to create objects & clothing in creative and interesting material. All her creative work is starting with the research of new creative textiles & leathers which she combines to create interesting contrasts in surfaces and structures. The shapes are pure and simple and slightly futuristic. Both her furniture as well as her clothes are meant to highlight the more classical pieces you have in your home or wardrobe. Together with her design pieces, they create a new design unit.

Being specialised in concept design, Yvonne Borjesson created the interesting textile concept for the French company Bleu Nature. Her input of new ideas gave the company tremendous success during 2005-2010.

But she did experience hard challenges as well, after 9/11 everything stopped, my showroom in Paris was empty for months and no one was travelling to buy new products. I had to be creative and re-did the showroom in to a boutique for private persons.

In 2014 she was contacted by the Swedish luxury brand Hastens to design a line of headboards. Her very modern design creates with this famous & classical bed a new design unit. Hastens showroom in Paris was all made up by Yvonne 2020 and 2021 and got featured in international design magazines. She is since then collaborating with Hastens and of cause other architects, restaurants & hotels with her design. Portixol hotel was the first hotel client in 2003. Others came after. Her Scandinativan design products in the Valluga hotel in St Anton, Austria was so popular the hotel suggested to open a hotel shop and sell some of her products in there. It was a great success.

Id love to work more with hotels and one of my dreams is to design a concept for a retreat finca here on the island, she says.

My creations shall bring joy into your home YvonneBorjesson.com

Home is where you relax and get energy for your life. Thats why you shall be surrounded by good & joyful design.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan urged his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Sunday to declare a ceasefire in Ukraine, open humanitarian corridors and sign a peace agreement, his office said.

NATO member Turkey shares a maritime border with Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea and has good ties with both. Ankara has called Russia's invasion unacceptable and offered to host talks, but has opposed sanctions on Moscow.

In a statement after a one-hour phone call, the Turkish presidency said Erdogan told Putin that Turkey was ready to contribute to a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

"President Erdogan, who said an immediate ceasefire will not only ease humanitarian concerns in the region but also give the search for a political solution an opportunity, renewed his call of 'let's pave the way for peace together'," his office said.

"Erdogan emphasised the importance of taking urgent steps to achieve a ceasefire, open humanitarian corridors and sign a peace agreement," it said.

The Kremlin said Putin told Erdogan that Russia would only halt its military operation if Ukraine stopped fighting and if Moscow's demand were met, adding the operation was going to plan.

Russia calls its assault a "special military operation". It has uprooted more than 1.5 million people, in what the United Nations says is the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War Two.

Turkey has said it would be "naive" to expect results from the Ukraine-Russia negotiations while the fighting continues. Turkey's defence minister on Sunday said an urgent ceasefire was needed so Ankara could evacuate its citizens from Ukraine.

Erdogan, who has called Putin a "friend", had last spoken to the Russian leader on Feb. 23, a day before Russia launched its invasion. The call makes Erdogan the third NATO leader to speak to Putin since his offensive, following the leaders of Germany and France.

While forging close ties with Russia on defence, trade and energy, and hosting millions of Russian tourists every year, Turkey has also sold drones to Ukraine, angering Moscow, and opposes Russian policies in Syria and Libya, as well as its 2014 annexation of Crimea.

Turkey has said it wants to bring together foreign ministers from Ukraine and Russia for talks at a diplomacy forum next week in southern Turkey. Both countries have welcomed the offer, but Ankara says it is unclear whether they will be able to attend.

Watch latest videos by DH here:
Srinagar, March 6 : One person was killed and 20 others injured when militants attacked a security forces party in Srinagar city on Sunday, police said.

Police said militants hurled a grenade at a joint party of the security forces in Amira Kadal area in the afternoon.

"Twenty one persons were injured in this explosion including one cop and 20 civilians.

"All the injured were shifted to hospital where a 64-year-old civilian succumbed," a police official said.

Doctors at the S.M.H.S hospital in Srinagar, where the injured were shifted, said all the injured 20 persons are stable.

Senior police and CRPF officers reached the spot immediately. The area was cordoned off for searches to nab the militants.
Pope Francis makes a heartfelt plea for peace in Ukraine, guaranteed humanitarian corridors, and for all people to come to the assistance of the war victims, especially the mothers and children fleeing.

By Thaddeus Jones

Pope Francis made the following appeal for an end to the hostilities in Ukraine and that humanitarian corridors be assured so those fleeing can reach emergency aid and shelter. He made the appeal during his Sunday Angelus address in St. Peter's Square where 25,000 pilgrims were onhand, some bearing Ukrainian flags.

"Dear brothers and sisters,

Rivers of blood and tears are flowing in Ukraine. It is not merely a military operation, but a war, which sows death, destruction and misery. The number of victims is increasing, as are the people fleeing, especially mothers and children. The need for humanitarian assistance in that troubled country is growing dramatically by the hour.

I make a heartfelt appeal for humanitarian corridors to be genuinely secured, and for aid to be guaranteed and access facilitated to the besieged areas, in order to offer vital relief to our brothers and sisters oppressed by bombs and fear.

I thank all those who are taking in refugees. Above all, I implore that the armed attacks cease and that negotiation - and common sense - prevail. And that international law be respected once again!

And I would also like to thank the journalists who put their lives at risk to provide information. Thank you, brothers and sisters, for this service! A service that allows us to be close to the tragedy of that population and enables us to assess the cruelty of a war. Thank you, brothers and sisters.

Let us pray together for Ukraine: we have its flags in front of us. Let us pray together, as brothers and sisters, to Our Lady, Queen of Ukraine. Hail Mary...

The Holy See is ready to do everything, to put itself at the service of this peace. In these days, two Cardinals went to Ukraine, to serve the people, to help. Cardinal Krajewski, the Almoner, to bring aid to the needy, and Cardinal Czerny, interim Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. The presence of the two Cardinals there is the presence not only of the Pope, but of all the Christian people who want to get closer and say: War is madness! Stop, please! Look at this cruelty! "
Oil buyers and refiners are already in a sort of self-sanctioning mode.

Western leaders have so far been reluctant to slap sanctions on Russian oil and gas exports.

The United States and the European Union have been reluctant to slap sanctions on Russia's oil and gas exports since Putin invaded Ukraine, as the Western allies are concerned about the repercussions on Europe's energy supply and skyrocketing oil and gasoline prices.

Still, potential sanctions on Russian energy exports are not off the table. If the West bans Russian oil, international crude prices could skyrocket to $150 per barrel, analysts say.

But even in the event of no sanctions on Russian oil, prices are set to remain very high and jump higher still because buyers and refiners are in a "self-sanctioning" mode, not daring to touch Russian crude and looking for alternative supplies. The possibility of an Iranian nuclear deal that would allow Iran to legitimately return to exporting its oil is a potential drag on oil prices, but barrels from the Islamic Republic cannot replace the loss of Russian oil, analysts say.

"While some remain transfixed with the idea that an Iran agreement will provide much needed relief (from rising oil prices), we again caution that the deal is still not done and the sums entailed would simply be too small to backfill a major Russian disruption," RBC Capital analyst Helima Croft wrote in a note cited by Reuters on Thursday.

There is already disruption in Russian oil exports as Moscow meets mounting challenges in selling its seaborne crude and oil products, with traders, refiners, banks, insurers, and tanker owners unwilling to touch anything coming out of Russia.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine was met with a severe sanctions response from the U.S., the EU, and the UK. The Western allies kicked several Russian banks out of the international SWIFT system, and although direct sanctions on Russia's oil and gas are not (yet) implemented, trade in Russian commodities has become toxic for many global players.

"Because of the banking sanctions we've estimated about 70% of Russian crude oil exports can't be touched. That's about 3.8 million bpd," Amrita Sen, Director of Research at Energy Aspects, told CNBC on Wednesday.

Russia's crude and refined product exports have dropped by one-third, or by 2.5 million bpd, this week, according to estimates from Energy Intelligence based on shipping data and interviews with traders.

Oil market participants have started to realize that a lot of Russian oil could be off the market in the near futureeven if the West doesn't impose direct sanctions on Russian oiladding to the already tight market balances.

The oil market seems to believe that sanctions on Russian oil are coming, John Kilduff, partner at Again Capital, told CNBC this week.

"These are barrels that we cannot make up, so that's why this market is on tenterhooks," Kilduff said.

Sanctions on oil from Russiawhich exports around 5 million bpd of crude and 2.8 million bpd of refined productswould have a much bigger effect on market balances compared to the sanctions on Iran and Venezuela of the previous years, analysts say.

Yet, even without direct sanctions, buyers have started to "self-sanction" themselves, as analysts say.

Refiners have started to replace Russian crude. Some of the biggest U.S. importers of Russian crude oil have started suspending their purchases of the commodity, including Monroe Energy, the third-biggest U.S. buyer of Russian oil.

Neste of Finland said on Tuesday, "Due to the current situation and the uncertainty in the market, Neste has mostly replaced Russian crude oil with other crudes, such as North Sea oil." Neste is preparing "for various options in procurement, production and logistics."

On Wednesday, Portugal's energy group Galp said that it was suspending all new purchases of petroleum products either sourced in Russia or from Russian companies.

"Our decision is simple: Galp will not contribute to finance war," the company said.

Meanwhile, in Russia, Surgutneftegaz hasn't been able to award spot cargoes in three consecutive tenders over the past week, as no one is bidding even at the huge discounts of the Urals grade to Dated Brent.

Russian oil flows are already disrupted by the existing sanctions and even if direct sanctions on oil don't follow, the market will struggle to replace barrels already lost to "self-sanctioning," even if Iran returns to exporting crude soon.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Nestled in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, a coffee shop in Phu Nhuan District has become a hub for local history buffs thanks to the thousands of artifacts lining its walls.

Donning a do ba ba  a traditional outfit worn by people in the Mekong Delta  Huynh Minh Hiep, the owner of Lua Saigon, a cafe at 140B Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan District, spends his days chatting with customers about the history of each piece on display at his coffee shop.

Hiep has spent nearly three decades collecting antiques and artifacts, mostly pieces related to the culture of southern Vietnam, and putting them on view in his shop.

A corner at Lua Sai Gon Cafe in Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Hoang An / Tuoi Tre News

His collection of artifacts, which now boasts nearly 10,000 pieces, began with coins he sourced from countries around the world.

During my trips [to collect the coins], I realized that I had a strong interest in antiques, he shared.

I was born in southern Vietnam and I really want to preserve the local cultural values.

Society is becoming more and more modern, so our old values are fading away."

To Hiep, such preservation means holding on to as much of the past as he can.

Some collectors offered to buy my 1938 Motobecane AB1 for hundreds of millions of dong, but I turned them down, Hiep shared. (US$1 = VND22,980)

This is my passion.

"Its something that is meaningful for society so I feel that its my responsibility to protect it.

Huynh Minh Hiep, the owner of Lua Saigon Cafe, poses with his 1938 Motobecane AB1 in Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Hoang An / Tuoi Tre News

Hiep decided to open his cafe when his collection became so large that he felt the public deserved to bask in the nostalgia of old Saigon, the former name of Ho Chi Minh City.

There is a story behind every artifact about how I collected it, and each one has become a part of my life, he said

I always give a detailed explanation when people ask me about a piece.

Hoang Nghia, a regular customer of Lua Saigon, often visits the cafe with his wife. Together, they enjoy the classic tunes that play on the venues speakers.

I love this place because it reminds me of spending time with my parents and grandparents, Nghia said.

Meanwhile, Ngoc Thao, a resident from District 1, shared that she was stunned by Hieps collection of old banknotes and movie posters.

Hieps collection has won him several titles, including recognition for owning the most movie posters, documents, and artifacts relating to Vietnamese cai luong (southern folk music and stage performance) before 1975 (the year when Vietnam was reunified), the largest collection of world currencies in Vietnam, and more.

Huynh Minh Hiep points to a poster and photos from the 1973 film 'Con Ma Nha Ho Hua' (The Ghost of the Hua Family) at Lua Sai Gon Cafe in Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Hoang An / Tuoi Tre News

Huynh Minh Hiep poses with certificates recognizing his antique collection at Lua Sai Gon Cafe in Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Hoang An / Tuoi Tre News

In the future, Hiep plans to open a private museum where he hopes to preserve more artifacts and antiques of Saigon.

A pre-1975 beverage cart on display at Lua Sai Gon Cafe in Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Hoang An / Tuoi Tre News

Minh Quan, a staff member at Lua Saigon Cafe, prepares an old record player in Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Hoang An / Tuoi Tre News

A corner at Lua Sai Gon Cafe in Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Hoang An / Tuoi Tre News

Old artifacts at Lua Sai Gon Cafe in Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Hoang An / Tuoi Tre News

A set of vintage dishes Huynh Minh Hiep collected from a house in the Mekong Delta at Lua Sai Gon Cafe in Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Hoang An / Tuoi Tre News

Lua Sai Gon Cafe also serves drinks and snacks which were popular in the 1980s and 1990s. Photo: Hoang An / Tuoi Tre News

Drinks which were popular in the 1980s and 1990s on display at Lua Sai Gon Cafe in Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Hoang An / Tuoi Tre News

A collection of old banknotes at Lua Sai Gon Cafe in Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Hoang An / Tuoi Tre News

A corner at Lua Sai Gon Cafe in Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Hoang An / Tuoi Tre News

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SIOUX CITY -- The Sioux City Municipal Band will be holding auditions for open seats, beginning at noon March 19, at the Bishop Heelan Catholic High School band room, 1231 Grandview Blvd.

Positions are available for fulltime positions in most sections of the band as well as for substitute players.

Musicians wanting to audition must make an appointment by contacting personnel director Michelle Smith at sweetiebassoon@hotmail.com.

The Municipal Band's summer concert will run from June 5 through July 24 at the Grandview Park Bandshell. These Sunday evening concerts are presented by the Sioux City Parks and Recreation Department.
Sir Keir Starmer has all but withdrawn his previous calls for Boris Johnson to resign as he said the country needs unity in the face of Russias invasion of Ukraine.

The Labour leader said there was still a basic question of trust in the Government, but that for now the Prime Minister was concentrating on the job in hand.

Speaking on the BBCs Sunday Morning programme, Sir Keir said Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to divide the West, and therefore it was very important we demonstrate unity.

He said: I do think theres a basic question of trust (in the Prime Minister) and it does seem a long time ago now we were talking about all of the allegations that Prime Minister faces.

There is still a basic question of trust in Boris Johnson, Labour has said (Leon Neal/PA)

Of course, he is still being investigated by the Metropolitan Police. I do think theres an issue of trust.

The Metropolitan Police are investigating 12 alleged breaches of coronavirus restrictions over eight dates where parties or gatherings have been reported across Downing Street and Whitehall.

Sir Keir appeared to have put his calls for the Prime Minister to resign over the partygate saga on hold for now.

Im very clear as the leader of the opposition, leader of the Labour Party, that when it comes to standing up to Russian aggression, and standing in support of Ukraine, its very important in the United Kingdom and in our politics that we show the world that were united and, therefore, whatever the challenges and frustrations and criticism I have of the Prime Minister, and Ive got many on this issue, there is unity, and its very important that we demonstrate that unity, he said.

When asked if he would therefore withdraw his call for Mr Johnson to resign immediately, he said: Look, at the moment the Prime Minister is obviously concentrating on the job in hand and we stand united as the United Kingdom on that issue.

He told ITV News: In a time like this, its very important that the public have trust in their leaders. But I can tell you in the debate in Parliament tomorrow, we wont be talking about partygate.

We will be absolutely focused on the amendments that we need to pass to toughen up the sanctions regime. So, our challenge to the Government tomorrow is to go further and to go faster on this.

A Labour source later added: Our position is unchanged, we havent withdrawn our call for Boris Johnson to resign.

Shadow defence secretary John Healey said it was right to set aside calls for the Prime Ministers resignation.

Those hard, underlying questions that ultimately Boris Johnson will have to return to answer about his law-breaking, about the parties in Downing Street, the police investigations will come back, he told Times Radio.

But for now we must stand with other European nations and Labour gives its full backing to the extent the Government will stand by and support the Ukrainians resistance in Ukraine against the Russian invasion, and the toughest possible sanctions to help isolate and cut Russia out of the international system.

Sir Keir said his party supports the Government but he wants to see them going further and faster.

He told ITV News: Everybody understands why we cant have a no-fly zone, why direct military assistance is not possible. That means sanctions have to be the strongest we have ever seen, the most effective weve ever seen. And in order for sanctions to work, you need to know what property the oligarchs have got here in the United Kingdom.

Sir Keir Starmer arrives at BBC Broadcasting House in London, to appear on the BBC One current affairs programme Sunday Morning (Yui Mok/PA)

At the moment, the Government is saying that they will have to register that ownership but theyll have six months to do that. Now, our concern is that in that six months, theres time to sell property and therefore itll never be registered, never be sanctioned.

That should be 28 days. So, I want to push the Prime Minister much further than that and well be trying to do that tomorrow.

Sir Keir said there is also another area where the Government could move.

He added: That is in relation to those oligarchs who have been using our courts to suppress critics and challenges, expensive legal cases that close down challenge and free speech.

We want to see the Government go much further there. Theres going to be an amendment tomorrow in Parliament.

The Labour leader added: So, yes, we support what the Government is doing, but we do think they could go further and faster, and we are going to be pushing them to do that tomorrow on that issue.
The Queen is 'desperate' to see her great-granddaughter Lilibet in person, a royal expert has claimed.

Royal author Brian Hoey, who has written extensively about the royal family, told The Express that the monarch, 95, is very keen to meet the nine-months-old daughter of Prince Harry, 37, and Meghan Markle, 40, who lives in California, in the flesh.

So far, it is believed the Queen, who celebrates her Platinum Jubilee this year, has only met her 11th granddaughter, who is yet to travel to the UK, via video link.

The remarks come as Prince Harry brings a legal challenge against the Home Office after being told he would no longer be given the 'same degree' of personal protective security when visiting from the US, despite offering to pay for it himself.

The royal, who is living in Montecito, California, with Meghan and their son Archie, two, and Lilibet, wants to bring his children to visit from across the Atlantic, but 'does not feel safe' when visiting under the current security arrangements, the High Court was previously told.

The Queen (pictured last month) is 'desperate' to see her great-granddaughter Lilibet in person, a royal expert has claimed

Lilibet, nine months, is named after her great-grandmother. The couple have been very private about their daughter since her birth in June and have only shared one picture of her on their Christmas card, above

Mr Hoey said: 'I have heard from people I know within the Royal Household, she really would desperately like to see the baby in this way.

'I think she would love to, I wonder whether it is going to happen, I would love to think it could,' he added.

The expert said he believes that a meeting between the Queen and the newest member of the Sussex family would heal the reported rift between Harry and the other senior royals.

He added that Her Majesty would welcome Prince Harry and Meghan back if they were to visit the UK with their children.

Lilibet 'Lili' Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, who was born on Friday, June 4 at 11.40am at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in California, was named after the Queen's childhood nickname.

There is ongoing speculation over whether Harry and Meghan will return to the UK for the Queen's Jubilee (pictured at the 53rd NAACP Award in California on February 26)

'I am absolutely sure the Queen holds no feelings of disapproval towards Harry and Meghan, none whatsoever, she would certainly welcome them back if they came,' Mr Hoey said.

It was reported at the time of Lilbet's birth that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had 'excitedly' introduced her to her great-grandmother via a video link.

A source told People magazine: 'They were very excited and couldn't wait to share that their daughter arrived.'

The Queen's family nickname Lilibet was first used when she was unable to pronounce her own name properly as a toddler and her grandfather King George V would call her 'Lilibet' to imitate her attempts.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex explained in the announcement of their daughter's birth that they had chosen the name as a tribute to the Queen, meanwhile the middle name Diana was given in honour of Harry's late mother.

The Queen, pictured in October, is marking her Platinum Jubilee this year. On March, she and other members of the royal family will attend a thanksgiving ceremony for the Duke of Edinburgh who passed away in April 2021

At the time, royal commentators were hopefully Harry and Meghan would soon come to the UK to introduce her to the royal family.

However, nine months on, the couple are thought to have yet to cross the pond as a family, and a recent legal challenge over their security detail in the UK has cast a doubt over whether Harry and Meghan would visit the Queen for her Platinum Jubilee.

Harry has visited the UK twice on solo trips since moving to North America, once for the funeral of his grandfather the Duke of Edinburgh on April 17 and on July 1 to unveil a statue of his mother Princess Diana at Kensington Palace with Prince William, 39.

Tom Bower, who is currently penning a biography of Meghan Markle, told Closer the Duke of Sussex faces the 'ultimate dilemma' this year, as he must decide whether to make the trip to visit his beloved grandmother knowing that he's being paid to bare his soul for his much-anticipated memoir.

The Queen has been introduced to Prince Harry and Meghan's daughter Lilibet via video call when she was born last June, according to a source. Pictured: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex introducing their son Archie

Harry's explosive 14.7million ($20million) memoir is due to be published in the autumn.

His book, to be published by Random House, is likely to tackle the brothers' frosty relationship with the Duchess of Cornwall, who was confirmed as the future Queen Consort in February.

Bower claims the Duke of Sussex is using worries over his security as 'an excuse' and says he knows that it's likely to be difficult to maintain friendly relations with the royal family following the release of the book.

The author said he does not believe Harry will come back this year, in spite of Prince Philip's thanksgiving ceremony on April 29 and the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in early June.

'I think Harry wont come back because he knows he cannot face his family, and be pleasant with them, knowing what hes written about them in that book,' Bower said.

'That book will have a lot of casualties and cause a lot of hurt. It will really deliver, as Harry knows it has to, to justify the money hes been paid to do it. How can Harry come back and pretend its all fine? The worst of what he will say is yet to come,' he added.

The author added not coming back would be a clear show of where Harry's loyalties lie, and that the Duke of Sussex could regret not introducing his daughter Lilibet to the monarch before it's too late.

Lilibet who is the Queen's 11th great-grandchild, arrived less than a month after Prince Harry criticised the monarch's parenting. Pictured: Harry and Meghan with Archie

He's added that the Duke of Sussex has had plenty of opportunities already to come back to the UK, and the fact he and his family have not visited the Queen since settling in the US shows where Harry and Meghan's mindsets are.

Tom also recently told the Sun that Meghan has no intention to coming back to the UK and 'simply doesn't care' what the British public think.

The commentator said the royal viewed the UK as a 'lost cause.'

'Meghan's ultimate destination is unclear, but she certainly has the backing to make a bid to star as an American politician,' he said.

'In parallel, Britain is a lost cause for the Sussexes. In truth, I suspect Meghan no longer cares whether she is welcome in London. She has no intention of returning.'

He added that while her popularity has fallen in the UK since getting married, her three day visit to New York in September was a 'remarkable success' and she clearly enjoys support among 'Democrats, minorities and the young.'
(In) 2021, I lived in the single most locked down city in the world  Melbourne, Australia, said Natalie Zea, who stars in the NBC series La Brea. Not only were we not able to legally travel outside the city limits, but we were restricted to being in our homes for all but two hours a day. That experience made myself and my family even more determined to see as much of Australia as we could once the lockdown lifted. This time around, weve made sure to take advantage of long weekends and plan short road trips in and around Victoria or even the occasional day trip. Zea splits her time between Melbourne and Los Angeles.
The global pressure on Russia to stand down  backed by devastating economic sanctions against Mr. Putins government and its allies and by shipments of weapons and military equipment to Kyiv  will not only continue, it will grow until this war of choice is brought to an end, Mr. Blinken said. He said the United States and its allies are, again, looking at everything to support Ukraine.

The world is here; the world is with you, Mr. Blinken told Mr. Kuleba.

Mr. Blinken has repeatedly noted the increasing number of deaths in Ukraine, sometimes describing them in graphic terms, over the past few days to underscore the war to Americans who may largely feel untouched by its violence. He witnessed its despair firsthand on Saturday at the border crossing, where the sounds of crying babies and truck engines punctuated an otherwise stunned silence among most of the arriving refugees, who shivered as they were led in small groups by border guards to a processing center just inside Poland.

The Polish foreign minister, Zbigniew Rau, estimated that as many as one million refugees from Ukraine would have fled to Poland alone by the end of this weekend. As of Saturday afternoon, that number stood at 700,000 and many of those who fled arrived at the Korczowa-Krakovets crossing. In all, more than 1.3 million refugees have left Ukraine for neighboring nations as of Friday.

The line of Ukrainians trudging into Poland included refugees leading children by the hand or carrying a lone backpack or suitcase stuffed with their belongings.
Tom Fletcher and his wife Giovanna were in high spirits as they took a visit to Disneyland Paris on Saturday.

The couple enjoyed a weekend away at the iconic theme park to celebrate its 30th anniversary, revealing it's the first time they have left the UK in two years.

Tom, 36, and Giovanna, 37, wore Disney themed outfits, with the McFly star opting for a Mickey Mouse print jumper with black jeans and a navy blue jacket.

Getaway: Tom Fletcher and his wife, Giovanna, seemed in high spirits as they took a visit to Disneyland Paris on Saturday

Giovanna got into the spirit with a mouse-ears headband, matching her husband with black jeans and a patch-design jumper.

The couple enjoyed the weekend with their three children, Buzz, seven, Buddy, six, and three-year-old Max.

They later revealed their enjoyment of the trip, saying: 'The 30th Anniversary weekend at Disneyland Paris has been amazing.

'Theres been so much to do and so many new things to see. There is so much magic, and it feels like such a fitting celebration.'

Dress up: Tom posted a picture of the family enjoying a ride to Instagram, with the five of them wearing 3D glasses, as the kids were dressed up in Disney costumes

Family holiday: Giovanna and Tom enjoyed the weekend with their three children, Buzz, seven, Buddy, six, and three-year-old Max

Disney spirit: While Giovanna got into the spirit with a mouse-ears headband, matching her husband with black jeans and a patch-design jumper

Tom posted a picture to Instagram of the family enjoying a ride, with the five of them wearing 3D glasses, as the kids were dressed up in Spiderman costumes.

He revealed their kids are 'finally' tall enough to get on the ride to his 2m followers.

Sharing snaps from the trip to his story, Tom showed Buzz and Buddy having fun at a Darth Vader attraction - after the family saw fireworks at the iconic Disney castle.

Long-awaited: The couple admitted that the getaway was their first time outside of the UK for two years

First look: Tom and Giovanna were amongst the first to experience a new era of Disneyland Paris, which features new decors, costumes and shows

The couple said it was their first time outside of the UK for two years, admitting: 'weve needed this, weve really needed a trip out and some Disney magic so its been a nice way to start off the year.'

Other stars such as Vogue Williams, Spencer Matthews and Aston Merrygold were also in attendance for Disneyland Paris's 30th Anniversary celebration.

The celebrities were amongst the first to experience a new era of Disneyland Paris, which features new decors, costumes and shows.

Spidermen: Sharing snaps from the trip to his story, Tom showed Buzz and Buddy having fun at a Darth Vader attraction

Good start: Tom and Giovanna admitted it was a good way to begin 2022, saying: weve really needed a trip out and some Disney magic so its been a nice way to start off the year'
Servicemen line up by Yars intercontinental ballistic missile systems of the 54th Guards Rocket Division of the 27th Guards Missile Army of the Russian Strategic Rocket Forces based in Teikovo, Ivanovo Region

A financial research company has raised eyebrows by saying there is a 10pc chance of civilisation being destroyed in a nuclear apocalypse  while urging clients to keep buying shares regardless.

BCA Research, a Canadian business, told clients to stay bullish on stocks and largely ignore existential risk as their investments will become irrelevant if the Ukraine crisis leads to nuclear armageddon.



It put the chance of a civilisation-destroying nuclear war in the next 12 months at an uncomfortably high one-in-10, as tensions between Russia and the West escalate.



Peter Berezin, chief global strategist at BCA, wrote: Despite the risk of nuclear war, it makes sense to stay constructive on stocks over the next 12 months.



If an ICBM [intercontinental ballistic missile] is heading your way, the size and composition of your portfolio becomes irrelevant. Thus, from a purely financial perspective, you should largely ignore existential risk.



He concluded: The risk of Armageddon has risen dramatically. Stay bullish on stocks over a 12-month horizon.



The Kremlin has put Russias nuclear forces  the largest in the world  on high alert and has argued that Natos onslaught of financial sanctions are akin to an act of war.



Global stock markets tumbled last week as Vladimir Putin doubles down on the invasion of Ukraine.



The FTSE 100 suffered its worst week since March 2020, when the pandemic first struck with the rout wiping more than 130bn off the UKs blue-chip shares.

Mr Berezin said: If Putin concludes that he has no future, the risk is that he will decide that no one else should have a future either.



BCA warned that markets could experience a freak-out moment over the next few weeks even if World War III is ultimately avoided.



Defence secretary Ben Wallace has played down the threat of nuclear war, saying Mr Putin is touting his arsenal in a battle of rhetoric.



Mr Wallace said last week: This is predominantly about Putin putting it on the table just to remind people, remind the world, that he has a deterrent."

Follow the latest news from the Russia-Ukraine conflict in today's live blog
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SIOUX CITY -- A Sioux City man who had sex with a 14-year-old girl has been sentenced to probation.

Jesse Castro-Navarrette, 23, pleaded guilty Thursday in Woodbury County District Court to one count of third-degree sexual abuse.

Following terms of a plea agreement, District Judge Roger Sailer suspended a 10-year prison sentence and placed Castro-Navarrette on probation for three years.

In addition to registering with the Iowa Sex Offender Registry, Castro-Navarrette will serve a lifetime special sex offender sentence. If he were to violate terms of the special sentence, he could be sent to prison.

Castro-Navarrette picked up the girl, whom he had met a few days earlier on social media, on Dec. 14, 2020, and took her to his home, where they had sex.
Jerri-Lynn here. Despite polling showing student loan cancellation to be popular, even among those who dont hold such debt themselves, Biden is unlikely to cancel all student debt outright. At best, well continue to see the extension of measures that kick the can down the road, such as a continued pause on student loan payments.

By Jessica Corbett. Originally published at Common Dreams

After a White House official confirmed this week that President Joe Biden is considering further extending a pandemic-related pause on student loan payments, lawmakers and activists renewed calls for debt cancellation.

We have reached a student debt crisis of epic proportions.

While payments are due to resume on May 1, White House Chief of Staff Ronald Klain suggested on a popular podcast that the president may extend the pause and is still sorting out whether he will take further action on the student debt crisis.

This is a GOOD idea! the group Bold Progressives tweeted with a video of Klain on Pod Save America.

We are excited to hear WH Chief of Staff Ronald Klain say that @POTUS is considering a further EXTENSION on student loan payments and that student loan forgiveness is very much still on the table! This is a GOOD idea!#CancelStudentDebt@WHCOS @DebtCrisisOrg @StrikeDebt https://t.co/SGXuvjnti0  BoldProgressives.org (@BoldProgressive) March 5, 2022

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), a key advocate of student debt cancellation in Congress, agreed, also tweeting Klains comments.

Today would be a great day for President Biden and Vice President Harris to #CancelStudentDebt. https://t.co/MefjfYbK46  Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) March 4, 2022

In response to HuffPosts reporting on Klains remarks, Congresswoman Marie Newman (D-Ill.) said Saturday that pausing student loan payments during Covid has allowed Americans to get by.

We need immediate student debt relief, and deferring payments again is a great step, but we need to do more, she added.

Noting that education is a pathway to greater opportunity and economic security, yet many Americans simply cant afford it or become crushed by student loans, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) told Biden on Saturday that we must cancel student debt.

Rep. Jesus Chuy Garcia (D-Ill.) and Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) also pressured the president to take action on the issue Saturday:

Americans currently hold enough student debt to buy the @ChicagoBulls valued at $3,650,000,000 517 times over. We have reached a student debt crisis of epic proportions, and its time for @POTUS to help a generation of Americans by taking decisive action to #CancelStudentDebt. https://t.co/sZaA38lwp9  Congressman Chuy Garcia (@RepChuyGarcia) March 5, 2022

Pressley and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who have been leading the fight in Congress with Schumer, participated in a Friday roundtable about how student loan debt impacts Black communities, particularly business owners, entrepreneurs, and other professionals.

Advocates of debt cancellation often argue that it is necessary to help address the racial wealth gap in the United States.

What a day! Our President Nicole Obi & our amazing policy team held a roundtable w/ @RepPressley, @Senwarren, & @Ruthzee to discuss the student loan debt for Black biz owners, entrepreneurs, & professionals a like. We need to #CancelStudentDebt to close the racial wealth gap. pic.twitter.com/Yj04AHiHuo  Black Economic Council of Massachusetts (@BECMAinc) March 5, 2022

Also on Friday, the Debt Collective announced a nationally coordinated refusal to make payments if Biden refuses to step in before they resume in May.

If President Biden resumes illegitimate student debt payments in May, we will facilitate as many student debtors as possible to safely pay $0 a month to the Department of Education, declared Debt Collective co-founder Astra Taylor.

Whether its filing a borrower defense or enrolling in an income-driven repayment plan, we are politicizing our refusal to pay as part of our escalation on President Biden, Taylor said. He has the authority to cancel all federal student debt with the flick of a pen. He can end this manufactured crisis today.

NEW: If Biden turns student debt payments back on, were going on a student debt strike. Join here: https://t.co/jdxgQcd8Ch The Debt Collective is Launching a Student-debt Strike If Payments Resume on May 1.https://t.co/dE6OQe3cV3  The Debt Collective (@StrikeDebt) March 4, 2022

Debt Collective spokesperson Braxton Brewington emphasized that we want to be cleara student debt strike is not intentionally defaulting on your loans, but politicizing and collectivizing your refusal to pay by using the tools the Department of Education already provides to student borrowers.

The federal government doesnt need our student debt payments to function, and the last two years have proved that, Brewington added, but they do need our cooperationand they certainly wont have that.

Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) expressed support for the planned strike, noting that the road to student debt cancellation is long and hard, and a key aspect is building solidarity amongst students and graduates with debt.

The Debt Collectives Student Debt Strike is an important campaign to help build the mass movement we need to resist and abolish student debt, and there are so many ways to support it without putting yourself in financial jeopardy, she said. I stand with Student Debt Strikers and encourage everyonewhether you have debt or notto join us.

As Common Dreams reported last month, polling shows student debt cancellation is popular with the American public, even among people who dont have higher education loans to repay.
Shes innovative in the way of looking at things differently than others," former United Way CEO Tammy Lemke says of C-U Schools Foundation honoree Sue Grey. "Shes not your stereotypical fundraiser. Shes always like, Lets figure it out.
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It was a shellacking, as described by President Barack Obama in 2010. As a result of midterm elections during Obamas first term in office, the Democrats lost a net of 63 seats in the House of Representatives, seven in the Senate, five governorships, and control of 20 state legislative chambers.

The consequences were far reaching. The Democrats lost their majority in the House of Representatives, and with it, unified government control. State losses put Republicans in a more favorable position for redistricting after the 2010 census. Partisan gerrymandering would put Democratic candidates at a disadvantage in future elections.

The party that controls the presidency typically suffers a setback in midterm elections. This years elections for Biden and the Democrats will likely be no different. But the coming shift in American politics to the right may contrast with the general trend of elections elsewhere in 2022.

In 2016, there was a surge of right-wing populism. Trump was elected president in the United States on a campaign to make America great again and build a wall along the southern border to keep out illegal immigrants. Britain voted to exit the European Union and take back control of its borders. Right-wing populist parties were gaining ground in Europe as a result of backlash to the migration crisis that peaked in 2015.

A few years later, Jair Bolsonaro was elected president of Brazil, running as a pro-market, socially conservative right-wing populist. He is highly controversial, having made disparaging remarks about gay people (such as that gay children should be beaten, and that if he had a gay son he could not love him and would prefer for him to die), and having praised Brazils military government (from 1964-85) that committed human rights abuses. As president, Bolsonaro has poorly handled the pandemic, downplaying or disregarding its seriousness (referring to it as a little flu and holding mass public unmasked events). Brazil has had one of the highest COVID-19 death rates in Latin America.

When Bolsonaro was elected, anti-incumbent sentiment was strong due to revelation of a bribery scheme involving government officials (the Lava Jato or Car Wash scandal) and economic recession. Brazilians were looking for change.

Bolsonaro will not be so well-positioned when citizens return to the polls this year. Former president Luis Inacio da Silva (popularly known as Lula) of the leftwing Workers Party is likely to be voted back into office.

The left returning to power in Brazil would correspond with what seems to be a regional trend. Chileans elected progressive, tattooed, rock and metal music fan, Gabriel Boric in December. In the first round of Costa Ricas election last month, Fabricio Alvarado, a conservative, Evangelical candidate, failed to win enough votes to move on to the second round (held between the top two candidates if no one wins a majority in the first round). Gustavo Petro is expected to be elected as Colombias first left-wing president later this year.

Across the Atlantic, in Hungary, right-wing populist Viktor Orban might finally be voted out of office. He has been in power since 2010. The opposition has typically been divided going into elections. For this years election, a disparate opposition has united behind a single candidate, Peter Marki-Zay, a small town mayor unaffiliated with a political party.

Defeating Orban will not be easy. He has stacked the deck in his favor. Electoral districts are gerrymandered to benefit his party. Orban has the support of wealthy oligarchs and influence over the media. He uses scare tactics over immigration, peddles conspiracy theories, and doles out benefits to voters to increase support. Some fear that there will be voter fraud facilitated by a change in electoral rules. And the ideologically diverse opposition, for its part, will need to stay united.

Despite such hurdles, Orban appears vulnerable. If he is defeated, the election will serve as a warning shot to other liberal governments in the region, such as Polands, where the right-wing populist Law and Justice Party has been in power since 2015.

In France, President Emmanuel Macron is likely to hold off far-right challenger Marine Le Pen of the National Rally, previously known as the National Front. Macron defeated Le Pen in 2017, winning nearly two-thirds of the votes in the second round. The left is divided in this years election but will likely coalesce behind Macron in the second round as it did in the previous election to deny Le Pen victory if she advances to the runoff. The Economists election forecast model gives Macron an 88% chance of being reelected. Le Pen, the closest challenger, has a 5% chance of winning, according to the model.

Rodrigo Dutertes time in power will come to an end this year in the Philippines, where presidents are constitutionally limited to a single six-year term in office. Duterte, a controversial right-wing populist who has claimed that he has personally killed drug dealers, has waged an extrajudicial war on drugs in which suspected users and dealers have been killed by security forces without due process. He hoped that his daughter Sara would run for president, but she is running as a vice presidential candidate instead.

South Korea will hold an election this week in which Lee Jae-myung of the center-left ruling Minjoo Party will face off against Yoon Seok-youl of the right-wing People Power Party. Neither candidate is particularly popular. Both campaigns have been centered on attacking the other rather than on substantive issues. Whichever candidate wins, it will be more as a result of voting for the lesser of two evils than out of ideological conviction.

In Australias elections that will be held this spring (the exact date has yet to be determined), the center-left Labor Party is expected to gain power, dislodging the conservative ruling Liberal-National coalition.

The Democrats may take another shellacking in this years midterm elections. But liberals can perhaps take solace in the fact that elections elsewhere seem to be trending in their favor. The next election is always around the corner. Perhaps in 2024, if the trend continues, the Democrats will join the ride.
(Newser)  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took his case for more weapons directly to Congress on Saturday, addressing lawmakers in a Zoom call. About 300 members of the House and Senate heard him describe "the urgent need" for increased military and humanitarian aid to help Ukraine fight off the Russian invasion, the Washington Post reports. Sounding defiant, lawmakers said, Zelensky also argued for a global ban on the purchase of Russian oil. "He is standing strong but pleaded for more help," said Democratic Rep. Jim Himes, per the New York Times.

Asked by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell what Ukraine needs most, Zelensky said fighter jets, per the Wall Street Journal. He also raised the already-rejected idea of a no-fly zone over Ukraine. "If you can't do that, at least get me planes," the president said. Military jets would be more help than the Stinger antiaircraft missiles that the US is sending, he said. Allies in Eastern Europe have Russian military jets that could be turned over to Ukraine, and senators including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said they'd work on facilitating that. Lawmakers joined the call Saturday from their cars and homes and airports. Zelensky told them it might be the last time they see him alive. (Read more Russia-Ukraine conflict stories.)
A Lagos lawmaker, Jude Idimogu, has called on Bola Tinubu, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and other leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to wade into the leadership crisis rocking Ndigbo in Lagos APC.

Mr Idimogu, a two-term member of the Lagos State House of Assembly representing Oshodi-Isolo Constituency II, made the appeal on Saturday in Lagos, following the clash between his loyalists and loyalists of Joe Igbokwe, the Special Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu on Drainage Services.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the clash occurred at the official inauguration of Executive Members of Ndigbo in APC, Lagos State, Ejigbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Chapter, at the party secretariat.

Both Mr Igbokwe, the apex leader of Ndigbo in Lagos APC, and Mr Idimogu, his deputy, on Saturday disagreed over the list of executive members of Ndigbo in Lagos APC, Ejigbo LCDA Chapter.

The inauguration was conducted by Mr Igbokwe amidst protest from the group loyal to Mr Idimogu, who vowed that the event would not hold because they were not carried along.

Speaking with journalists after the rancorous inauguration, Mr Idimogu said the inauguration was not supposed to hold until all interest groups were harmonised so as not to deepen trouble among Ndigbo in Lagos APC.

The lawmaker added: Election is coming and the party knows that in this particular zone we have a lot of non-indigenes and they are watching.

I am appealing to my leaders, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Mr Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Rt- Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, Lagos APC Chairman, Hon. Cornelius Ojelabi and other leaders to call Igbokwe to order.

The party should intervene. We dont want our party to fail in 2023 elections. Igbos must be carried along.

Describing the event as inconclusive, Mr Idimogu said that as a serving member of the Lagos Assembly and the only Igbo man in elective position, he remained a factor before any executive would be inauguration in his constituency.

Joe Igbokwe does not contest election, he cannot come here and control me. This is my territory and I represent people here. It is not fair and acceptable for anyone to come here and inaugurate executives without my input.

It is not normal, it is an injustice. It is an assault and affront and disrespect to my person, My position is that this inauguration cannot hold because the house is not complete, Mr Idimogu said.

According to him, his members are not going to fight, neither are they going to destroy anything but must be carried along.

While conducting the inauguration, Mr Igbokwe said there was nothing he had not done to resolve the crisis in the council.

There is nothing I have not done to put this house together. By the Grace of God with all the powers conferred on me as the Apex Leader, I hereby inaugurate this excos, he said.

Mr Igbokwe, however, said that all the infighting would be resolved and fixed, adding that the door was still open for reconciliation.

Earlier, loyalists of Mr Idimogu staged a peaceful protest at the venue over an alleged sidelining of their group, saying they were not carried along in the selection process.

Nelly Okafor, one of the Ndigbo women leaders, who frowned at attempt to deny loyalists of Mr Idimogu access into the secretariat, said the inauguration would not be allowed to hold until there is harmonisation.

Mrs Okafor said: Ndigbo in APC in Ejigbo LCDA have a very big problem and we are factionalised. We have three factions. We solicit the intervention of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu Sanwo-Olu and other party leaders to intervene.

Our leader in this constituency, Hon. Jude Idimogu, has pleaded with the party to hold on for harmonisation to be done because the 2023 election is fast approaching.

We want intervention of party leaders. We want the party to bring all the Igbos in APC together, let us harmonise and there will be proper inauguration.

The party had earlier resolved the leadership tussle between the duo by declaring Mr Igbokwe as the apex leader of Ndigbo in Lagos APC, while Mr Idimogu is the deputy. (NAN)
Thirty-eight children have been killed and 71 more have been injured since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

According to Ukrinform, Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Liudmyla Denisova reported this on Telegram.

"As of 12:00 on March 6, 2022, since the beginning of the Russian invasion, 38 children were killed in Ukraine and 71 children were injured. These data are not final, as it is currently impossible to establish accurate information on the number of killed and wounded residents of Mariupol, Donetsk region and the city of Irpin in Kyiv region," the Ukrainian ombudsman said.

She noted that a one-and-a-half-year-old boy had died as a result of shelling by Russian aggressors in Mariupol in the last 24 hours. Also, according to her, in Bucha in Kyiv region, two seriously injured children died due to inability to receive medical care.

"On the way out of the city of Irpin, Kyiv region, Russian troops opened fire on civilians as they tried to evacuate from the city. At least three people were killed, including two children, and another one is in critical condition due to injuries," Denisova said.

According to her, a boy, who was born in Kharkiv 40 days ago, died of pneumonia, which he contracted during a several-day stay in a bomb shelter in Kharkiv.

As a result of the enemy's air attack on Bila Tserkva, missile strikes damaged 15 private homes with elderly people and children, and the number of victims is still unknown.

Denisova clarified that in the Hostomel-Bucha-Irpin area there are up to 70 children in shelters, there are wounded, but doctors and volunteers are not allowed to see children.

The ombudsman stressed that the Russian Armed Forces continue to grossly violate the fundamental rights of children - the right to life and health, guaranteed to every child in the world by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

"I call on international human rights organizations to take all possible measures to increase pressure on the Russian Federation to end military aggression against Ukraine," the Ukrainian ombudswoman said.

The war with Russian invaders has been going on in Ukraine since February 24.
Fox News hosts Tucker Carlson (Alex Moffat) and Laura Ingraham (Kate McKinnon) hosted a "Fox News Ukrainian Invasion Celebration Spectacular" fundraising telethon in the latest Saturday Night Live cold open.

The two apologized for taking a pro-Russia stance in the weeks leading up to the invasion of Ukraine. "I kept saying we should be more worried about our own border getting invaded by Mexico, but in my defense, I am racist, so I thought that was true," Moffat-as-Carlson said.

McKinnon-as-Ingraham then told the audience the two hosts planned to atone for their mistakes by "raising money for the real victims of this invasion: the oligarchs."

Former President Donald Trump (James Austin Johnson) appeared to help with the fundraiser, but quickly launched into a series of stream-of-consciousness monologues that ranged from Rihanna's maternity wardrobe to his popularity among whales to meatless Beyond Burgers to the new show Bel-Air.

Other guests included Donald Trump Jr. (Mikey Day) and Kimberly Guilfoyle (Cecily Strong), who performed a Ukraine-themed cover of the Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper duet "Shallow" before Day-as-Trump Jr. wandered off to find a place to do cocaine.

"Carlson" and "Ingraham" also gave away prizes, including an "I Stormed the Capitol" T-shirt (with a legal disclaimer on the back) and "tickets to see [Rep.] Matt Gaetz [R-Fla.]," who has been accused of paying for sex with underage girls, "do a live reading of his favorite Russian novel, Lolita."

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Lenny Rowell and his family had to act fast.

The contractor for the U.S. Marine Corps and his wife, Brandi, were frantically trying to move from Northern Virginia to Charlotte, North Carolina, in time to enroll their kids in school. Like many households at the height of the pandemic, they wanted to live closer to older loved ones.

But after months of searching, there was no new home yet. With houses selling so quickly in Charlotte, one of the most competitive markets in the country, Rowell relied heavily on their Charlotte-based real estate agent Nelvia Bullock who suggested that the family might have to make offers on several homes she showed them virtually at the same time.

And, to stay in the running against dozens of bidders, Bullock also suggested Rowell come in with their best offer right up front  and consider doing an all-cash deal.

Skeptical, Rowell wanted to move less aggressively, but two homes his family really liked were quickly snatched up and bought with cash. With his Virginia house not yet sold, Bullock then suggested a third-party entity called Ribbon, a startup "power buyer" based in Charlotte and New York City that helps qualified buyers get their new house by providing all-cash offers to sellers.

Lenny Rowell and his wife Brandi, right, used startup Ribbon to make an all-cash offer that helped them get their home in suburban Charlotte in an increasingly competitive housing market.

Rowell got an all-cash bridge loan from Ribbon and paid a 1% transaction fee in order to "jump to the front of the line," he said. As a result, his family was able to buy a 3,400-square-foot, 5-bedroom, 4-bathroom home in a suburb about 40 minutes north of Charlotte.

The new house provides plenty of space for their four kids ranging in ages from 1 to 9.

"I never did anything like this before, but this was a decision driven by the market and time," Rowell said about borrowing from Ribbon. "I took a chance, and it all paid off."

The rise in all-cash home buying comes during a continuing seller's market that exploded during the pandemic. Coming in with all cash may be the best way to bypass or win a bidding war, some experts say. And for some buyers, initially skipping a more traditional mortgage and borrowing from "power buyers" like Ribbon, Orchard, UpEquity, Flyhomes and Better.com, has proven vital during a time when there is a shortage of homes for sale.

Story continues

How can I buy a house if I don't have enough money?

Currently, all-cash purchases comprise 33% of home sales, compared to about 19% at this time two years ago, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

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Shaival Shah said he co-founded Ribbon with Wei Gan in 2017 to help level the playing field for the average homebuyer and also in part because he remembers his parents having difficulties becoming homeowners after immigrating to the U.S. from India in the 1960s.

"For buyers, speed is of the essence," Shah said. "When a home comes on the market, it can be gone within 24 to 48 hours. ... We're here to help."

With more than $650 million in funding since its inception, including receiving a $150 million infusion from investors last fall, Ribbon assists home buyers with cash offers ranging from $100,000 to $1 million, Shah said. It partners with about 20,000 real estate agents and more than 100 lending partners in states across the South and plans to expand to the Northeast, Midwest and West Coast.

Shah said Ribbon is not a mortgage company, but rather a "power buyer" to help home buyers from all economic backgrounds compete with investors who throw cash at sellers who want a quick sale.

Scott Emidy of Memphis, Tennessee, turned to Ribbon after being outbid on two homes because of quick all-cash offers. Dejected, the software engineer who'd just gotten a job promotion, was ready to renew his apartment lease in December when his real estate agent urged him to try the company.

Soon, Emidy found a renovated house he liked in east Memphis that was move-in ready. He envisioned having a downstairs theater room and a gym in his garage. His agent contacted Ribbon and within hours the startup agreed to make a cash offer on Emidy's behalf for a 1% transaction fee.

The seller accepted the deal, and Emidy, his girlfriend and his dog moved into the 3-bedroom, 2 bathroom home, a month ago.

"I feel like ... Ribbon made it easier for me to get it," Emidy said.

Baby boomers tap home equity to make all-cash offers

Besides fewer houses for sale, the NAR says restrictive lending standards are also fueling the spike in all-cash purchases as many buyers, especially those who are wealthy, decide to bypass a loan.

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Additionally, aging baby boomers who are downsizing and selling their houses, are able to use decades of equity to pay for their new homes with cash. And a growing number of foreign buyers who don't have a credit history in the U.S. are buying homes outright.

Many prospective and qualified home buyers, however, don't have those resources, said Tamesha Wells, a Houston-based real estate agent who uses Ribbon for her clients.

"In this market, cash is king," said Wells, who works with a lot of first-time home buyers. But not only do many of those buyers not have access to available cash, they are also being outbid by buyers who sometimes offer between $20,000 to $30,000 over the asking price.

"Individuals are having a tough time competing with that option," Wells said.

Wells was introduced to Ribbon about a year ago by a colleague who had success with it. Now, more than half of her clients have used Ribbon to get their homes.

Power buyer companies that compete with Ribbon typically take half of the standard 5% to 6% real estate commission that is based on the sale price, the NAR said. Ribbon's transaction fees can range from 1% to 3%, depending on the service and the state.

Wells educates her clients so they can decide if using Ribbon works for them.

For example, Wells typically prefers using Ribbon's Reserve option for clients who are in the middle of selling one home and buying another.

With Boost, Ribbon works directly with the real estate agent to write a noncontingent cash offer on the pre-approved buyer's new house.

With Reserve, Ribbon will buy the new house on the home owner's behalf in cash and rent the new house to them for up to six months, allowing the owner the time they may need to sell their current home and secure their loan. When the homeowner is ready, Ribbon will sell them the house at the same price they paid for it. And if the buyer doesn't buy the house back, Ribbon will put it back on the market for another buyer.

"Ribbon has been my go-to," Wells said. "It's another tool in the toolbox."

All cash deals? Some aren't buying it

But not all experts are sold on all-cash deals, a tactic that was also popular in the years leading up to the housing bust in 2008, when all-cash bids were up as much as 30% according to the NAR.

Christopher Mayer, the co-director of the Paul Millstein Center for Real Estate at Columbia University, believes the current housing market is "unhealthy" and all-cash home purchases are among the causes, although he understands the rationale behind it.

"If youre a seller and you have two people who make you the same offer and one is cash, why would you not take the cash offer?" Mayer said.

But a majority of would-be homeowners just don't have that kind of cash flow, and if "the fad" for all-cash offers remains popular, it's going to be a major problem for the housing market, Mayer added.

Over time buyers will bristle at the idea they should pay an intermediary to help them get a house, says Mayer adding that he believes entities like Ribbon are not "a durable business model.''

"The housing market has worked quite well,'' Mayer said. "Why do we need somebody in the middle to complicate the action?"

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Brandon Colberg, a regional executive at MortgageRight, a mortgage lending company with branches across the South, says he's not opposed to all-cash offers. But buyers shouldn't feel that they have to pay a third-party entity to get a house when they have secured a loan and all of their paperwork is in order.

"When a seller hears the word 'mortgage,' they may have issues, but that should not be the case when a buyer has done the work and is working with a professional lending institution," Colberg said. "That mortgage approval should be as good as cash."

Is it worth buying a house outright?

Ribbon CEO Shah agrees that not everyone gets a fair chance to own a home and that there's "a severe housing crisis" in America.

The housing shortage is due to a combination of factors including home price appreciation that is eliminating affordable housing, low housing inventory and investors scooping up houses nationwide, leading to what he fears will make the U.S. "a renter nation."

Ribbon CEO and co-founder Shaival Shah said the startup's goal is to make homeownership more accessible for qualified buyers by helping them purchase homes with all-cash offers in a competitive housing market.

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Still, deciding to use third parties such as Ribbon should be a well-thought-out process, said Katrina Jones, vice president for Racial Equity Strategy & Impact at Fannie Mae, one of two government-sponsored mortgage finance agencies.

"This is where I would rely on the expertise of your realtor because every market is going to be different," Jones said. "Give your realtor an opportunity to be your advocate by getting your financing lined up, whether you are using an all-cash option or not."

And being an advocate is part of the job, said Sharon Wrenn, a realtor based in Burlington, North Carolina, who learned about Ribbon through a presentation in her office.

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"I thought at first, 'Whats the catch? Wheres the hidden fee?' " Wrenn said. But once (Ribbon) explained the process, its a no-brainer to explain to my clients."

One of her clients who's married with two kids had been looking for a new home after quickly selling their two-bedroom house in Burlington, North Carolina, in December.

Wrenn told him about Ribbon. He applied, and the family was able to make a cash offer on a 3-bedroom, 1,400-square-foot home in nearby Greensboro. The family is scheduled to close on that house March 24, Wrenn said, just in time for their youngest daughter's first birthday.

Wrenn said she will consider Ribbon for most of her clients.

"I don't want them to be in second place, " Wrenn said. "I want winners. In the end, I'm doing what's best for my clients."

That is Bullock's thinking as well.

Nelvia Bullock, a real estate agent in the metro Charlotte area, said the housing market there is currently dominated by above-cost all-cash purchases that can leave several hardworking prospective homebuyers left out.

"It's not even a matter if you can get a loan,'' Bullock said. "It's how do you get the house because the competition is so fierce out here."

Rowell, who was frantically trying to find a home in Charlotte, remembered Bullock told him bluntly that, "'time is not on your side with this market so hot.' She was right. We had to act."

He was worried he might be hit with some surprise fees, but Bullock and the Ribbon support staff eased all of his concerns.

Now, nearly two years after moving into his home, Rowell said his family is happy and he will consider using Ribbon again if they buy another home as his kids get bigger.

His advice to other home buyers? Do your homework.

"This is a race to the finish," Rowell said. "You need to take advantage of every option you can get."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Housing market 2022: Lenders help home buyers make all cash offers
Sanctions imposed by the U.S. and Western world on Russia have caused Vietnamese export order and transaction delays.

Phan Minh Thong, general director of Phuc Sinh, has spent the last few days contacting customers in Russia and Europe to deal with order and transaction delays.

Yearly, the company exports around $30 million worth of coffee, pepper and other produce to Russia. But when Russia attacked Ukraine last month, followed by Western sanctions, Phuc Sinh's export orders were suspended.

After certain Russian banks were blocked from the SWIFT payment system, orders to Russia saw their value drop by half due to devaluation of the ruble and delayed transactions.

Thong said his partners in Russia and Europe are facing similar problems due to the sanctions. And in Vietnam, Thong is hardly alone in facing these difficulties.

Another company that exports fruits and vegetables to Russia has also had to suspend its orders due to logistical difficulties, according a representative. Export vouchers to Russia have also been denied by banks as Vietnamese banks and their partners use SWIFT.

"International logistics firms were all unable to receive goods, while flights to Russia are limited. Orders are delayed and payments are impossible," said the representative.

Vietnam exports to Russia hit around $3.2 billion in trade value and imports around $2.3 billion in 2021, according to customs data.

Main exports to Russia include computers, components, phones, textiles, coffee and electrical products.

As for Ukraine, while its trade turnover with Vietnam is under $1 billion, the country has always been a traditional commercial partner in the region. In 2021, trade turnover between the two countries reached $720.5 million, an increase of 51 percent from 2020. Main exports to Ukraine are computers and shoes, among others.

Vietnam would experience impacts on its production, trade, logistics and payments amid the sanctions, according to European-American Market Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Business cooperation with Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other relevant markets would also be affected.

"This crisis is having comprehensive and negative impacts, both in the short and long terms for the economy, commerce, finance and global supply chains," said the department.

The first things to be impacted would be the supply of fuel and raw materials, with the crisis being one of the main factors for price hikes of oil and gas, flour, aluminum, nickel and corn as major products of both Russia and Ukraine.

Commercial contract payments with Russia would also be difficult due to Western sanctions, which has also caused the devaluation of the ruble. Several Russian exporters have proposed to suspend payments for about two to three weeks to see how the situation would develop.

Some shipping companies have refused to deliver goods from Vietnam to Russia, while transportation fees rise with further delays in transportation.

The sanctions on air transportation also forced airlines to choose alternative flight routes, increasing costs and burdens on global logistics systems as well as product prices. Several businesses have stated increased transportation costs may leave them without profit.

The devalued ruble would also hamper Russia's export capabilities and force its businesses to reconsider their strategies.

Vietnam and Russia's bilateral commerce would be unlikely to evade negative impacts if the West decide to step up sanctions, the department noted. Businesses exporting products to both countries should be in touch with their import partners regarding payments and deliveries, it cautioned.

Thong said businesses trying to export to Russia should just sell their products in other markets instead. The department urged companies to make use of free trade agreements between Vietnam and other countries to maximize gains and diversify markets.

At a cabinet meeting last month, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has directed a special team to respond to impacts posed by the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has said that the United States will continue to provide assistance to Ukraine.

The United States has provided constant support to Ukraine, including with the aim of strengthening its defense capabilities. Only recently, this assistance has amounted to about $1 billion, Blinken said on Sunday at a joint press conference with Moldovan President Maia Sandu in Chisinau.

He said that the United States will continue to provide assistance, including by planes through Poland.

At the same time, he again called for peace and did not say that the United States needed to maintain diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation.

He described the situation in Ukraine as the biggest challenge faced by the region, including Moldova, over the past 30 years.

He said that the United States will provide assistance to all countries that are the first to face this challenge, having a common border with Ukraine. The United States will allocate $2.75 billion for this, including assistance to countries supporting Ukrainian refugees, Blinken said.

Blinken arrived late the evening before on a visit to Moldova. On Sunday, he held meetings with the President, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Sunday that the obligatory wearing of face masks indoors will end "very soon".

Acknowledging that this will be the decision of the health minister, Carolina Darias, Sanchez indicated that dropping this requirement would be because of the "formidable response" to the pandemic. An "extraordinarily high" number of people have been vaccinated, and Spain has the "lowest" cumulative incidence in the European Union.

The prime minister's remarks came ahead of a meeting to be held in Zaragoza on Thursday. Spanish and regional government ministers will consider face masks at what will be the first meeting to discuss the new public health surveillance system.
Former Illinois Speaker Michael Madigan departs from his lawyers' office, March 9, 2022, after making his first virtual court appearance for his indictment. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

The long-awaited racketeering indictment of Michael Madigan runs some 106 pages, but anyone looking for a quote directly from the former House speakers mouth will have to wade through more than half the document before finding one.

On May 16, 2018, Madigan called his longtime confidant Michael McClain and told him go forward with a plan to have former McPier boss Juan Ochoa appointed to the Commonwealth Edison board of directors, according to the indictment filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court.

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Read Michael Madigans indictment on federal racketeering charges 

That first direct line from Madigan is followed by many others that are equally opaque, with the speaker quoted multiple times saying variations of phrases like Okay, alright, very good or using carefully couched language such as, You were contemplating processing something. You should go ahead and process that.

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In the annals of Chicago political corruption cases, they arent exactly Blagojevich-esque moments, such as the infamous recorded call where the then-sitting governor of Illinois said of a U.S. Senate seat appointment that was his to make: Ive got this thing and its (expletive) golden.

In fact, much of the language contained in the Madigan indictment seems to confirm what many have long said about Madigans careful practice to avoid talking business on cellphones or over email. But federal prosecutors have now committed to taking the case forward, even without what might amount to a verbal smoking gun.

Michael Madigan, under oath: Exclusive video shows reclusive former speaker opening up about ward politics, campaigns and Bruce Rauner 

The charges allege that the words that did come from Madigan, coupled with wiretapped conversations, emails and other communications between McClain and others, show the famously shrewd speaker knew exactly what was being orchestrated on his behalf behind the scenes.

Defense attorneys will surely try to argue that the pattern of conduct described in the charges  the exchange of jobs, appointments, the backscratching and political favors  is just the usual way of doing business in Chicago and Illinois politics, and that none of it is illegal.

To win their case, prosecutors will have to prove that it crossed a line, turning Madigans elected office and vast political organization into a criminal enterprise.

Dylan Smith, a former federal prosecutors and partner at the firm Freeborn & Peters LLP, said prosecutors may argue from the conversations that there already was an implicit understanding about how things were supposed to work.

You almost dont have to even say it out loud, Smith said.

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Madigan did seem much more at ease talking with then-Ald. Daniel Solis face to face, not knowing that Solis was cooperating in the investigation and wearing a secret FBI wire.

In November 2018, for example, Solis met with Madigan to tell him he was planning on retiring but was still committed to generating additional business for Madigans private law firm, according to the charges. And in what appeared to be an FBI ruse, Solis had also told Madigan he was looking to land a state appointment from Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker.

Michael Madigan case a study of how Illinois cozy politics morphs into alleged crime 

After thanking Solis, Madigan asked him point blank, Do you wanna go forward now on one of those state appointments? the indictment alleged. He then asked for the aldermans resume and said, Because I wanna have a meeting with (Pritzker) the week after next.

Ald. Daniel Solis, 25th, speaks during a City Council meeting on Nov. 12, 2014, at City Hall in Chicago. (Anthony Souffle / Chicago Tribune)

At a news conference announcing the charges last week, U.S. Attorney John Lausch said that while the indictment doesnt spell out all the investigative tools used in the investigation, it did indeed hinge on conversations between Madigan and the alleged planners of the various charged schemes.

What you do have are words that are used in conversations, you do have words that are used in documents or on emails that are spelled out throughout the indictment, and thats the core of our evidence in this case, Lausch said.

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Legal experts who spoke to the Tribune  including several who did not want to be quoted because they are loosely involved in the case  said the charges methodically pursued by Lauschs office over the past several years appeared strong, but perhaps not open and shut, like some people expect.

Aaron Goldstein, one of former Gov. Rod Blagojevichs attorneys, said prosecutors will have a lot of dots to connect between Madigans statements and the votes he took in the General Assembly or other political favors he allegedly granted to enrich himself and his associates.

Id be a little hesitant to say its a slam dunk, but the defense certainly has its challenges, said Goldstein, who now heads the civil division for the Cook County public defender.

While Madigan was certainly more careful than Blagojevich ever was about talking on the phone, its still challenging in any case for defense attorneys to overcome recorded conversations in front of a jury, Goldstein said.

If you look at the Blagojevich trial, the final verdicts really were guilty on all the charges prosecutors had phone calls for, and not guilty on the others, Goldstein said.

Goldstein said its also going to be a hurdle for the defense that so many potential jurors in Illinois already assume that a powerful politician like Madigan is, by nature, corrupt. If the case goes to trial, Goldstein said Madigans best shot might be to own the fact that he was powerful and use it to explain why people had to go through him to get things done.

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Then-House Speaker Michael Madigan, left, stands with Senate President Don Harmon while Gov. J.B. Pritzker delivers his first State of the State speech before a joint session of the Illinois House and Senate at the State Capitol in Springfield on Jan. 29, 2020. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)

Of course people are going to be coming to me, Goldstein said Madigan might argue. Im the speaker of the House. Im the head of the Democratic Party. Im the central committeeman. ... Just because I voted one way or or overrode the governors veto on something else doesnt mean it was a quid pro quo.

Thats a strategy, however, that cuts both ways, Goldstein said.

Its very difficult to say its politics as usual when a lot of people think its Madigan who invented the politics as usual, he said.

The 22-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury comes after a yearslong federal investigation and alleges Madigan participated in an array of bribery and extortion schemes from 2011 to 2019 aimed at using the power of his office for personal gain.

Also charged was McClain, the speakers good friend and former colleague in the General Assembly who went on to a lucrative career as a lobbyist, including for ComEd.

Now that the public has gotten its first look at the case prosecutors have built against Madigan, the real legal wrangling begins this week, when the former speaker is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Cole and a schedule for an exchange of evidence is laid out.

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Cole has ordered that the hearing be conducted by telephone, which has been common for the courthouse amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

That means that Madigan, 79, will likely not have to personally appear at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse anytime in the foreseeable future, since judges have been quick to waive defendants appearances for routine status hearings and other issues that dont require their direct participation.

In bringing charges against Madigan, who for years was the most powerful politician in Illinois, the U.S. attorneys office has reached rarefied air even for a state that has dozens of governors, state legislators, aldermen and other elected officials go down for public corruption.

Federal prosecutors in Chicago rarely lose a high-profile case, particularly one brought against a powerful elected official, and the case against Madigan involves several crucial witnesses who can fill in gaps left by the recordings.

Among them is Solis, who wore a wire after he was caught in his own wrongdoing and made secret recordings of Madigan allegedly scheming to get business for his private tax reduction law firm from developers who needed political help on a deal involving state-owned land in Chinatown.

Also crucial to the charges is Fidel Marquez, the former vice president of governmental affairs for ComEd, who also recorded conversations for the FBI during the investigation, which in turn helped prosecutors secure a wiretap on McClains phone.

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Equally important, however, may be two key witnesses who wouldnt flip: McClain, whos suffering from prostate cancer and has rebuffed repeated attempts to get him to cooperate; and Tim Mapes, the former chief of staff to Madigan who was charged with perjury last year after allegedly lying to the federal grand jury despite having an immunity agreement with the government.

Mapes has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.

In a statement after the indictment was returned, McClains attorney, Patrick Cotter, said McClain was innocent and that the government for years has been trying to force him to cooperate in its quest to charge Madigan.

These latest charges are nothing more than the governments continued attempt to pressure Mike McClain to do the governments bidding, the statement read. He will never testify falsely about himself or anyone, no matter how many indictments are brought against him. We will fight to prove his innocence.

The pressure on both McClain and Mapes to cooperate will be even more intense now that Madigan has been charged along with them, which changes the equation, according to some longtime criminal defense lawyers who spoke to the Tribune.

Goldstein, who represented Blagojevich, said that even if McClain and Mapes did decide to flip, they wouldnt necessarily be great witnesses for prosecutors. Defense attorneys would be able to attack their credibility over any deals they struck to save their own skin, he said.

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Either way, prosecutors in a case like Madigans always start out having the upper hand, he said.

The feds have an infinite amount of resources, even when its a powerful defendant like Madigan who has tens of millions of dollars in campaign funds that are at his disposal to pay legal fees, Goldstein said.

Smithsaid big political corruption cases tend to come down to a battle of context, with experienced lawyers on both sides trying to convince a jury that their narrative explaining Madigans statements and actions makes more sense. Either way, the charges illustrate one of the biggest problems with the way business is conducted in Springfield, Smith said.

When you have people who are both lobbyists and advisors to politicians, that line gets really blurry, Smith said.

So would Madigan testify, like Blagojevich famously did?

Goldstein said hes not holding his breath.

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Ill bet you a sandwich Madigan never hits the stand, he said.

jmeisner@chicagotribune.com

rlong@chicagotribune.com
The police in Lagos on Saturday said it has arrested two suspects in connection with the alleged kidnap of a 22-year-old in a Lagos Bus Rapid Transit.

Adekunle Ajisebutu, the police spokesman, in a statement said that the state commissioner of police, Abiodun Alabi, has directed the Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, to take over the case.

The victim, Oluwabamise Ayanwola, works as a Fashion Designer at Chevron Estate, Ajah, and spends weekends at Ota, Ogun State, with her sister.

She was returning to Ota from Ajah last Saturday when she boarded a BRT bus with number 240257 going to Oshodi at about 7 p.m. at Chevron Bus-Stop on February 26, before she went missing.

In the course of the ongoing investigation, two suspects have been arrested and are currently helping in our investigation, the statement reads.

While assuring that police detectives will continue to work assiduously to find the missing lady and bring her abductors to justice, the Command wishes to appeal to anyone with useful information that could help in our investigation to promptly give it to us for further necessary actions.

The subject who hails from Moba L.G.A. in Ekiti State is about 5 feet plus tall, dark in complexion and speaks Yoruba and English languages well.

Meeting

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that Mz Ayanwolas family held a meeting with the Lagos Bus Service Ltd. (LBSL), operators of BRT on Wednesday, March 2, and the latter assured that efforts were being made to track down the driver.

It was learnt that the driver of the bus had not been seen and also the guarantor was nowhere to be found.

Johnson Omilana, a family member who reported at Akinpelu Police Station, said Ms Ayanwola had not been seen since she left Ajah on Saturday.

We met with the BRT general manager and about three other management staff who told us that the matter was being shared on social media and that might jeopardise police investigation.

The BRT management told us that they were working with the police to make sure the missing girl is rescued.

The management also told us that they do not employ drivers directly and that the consultants involved are being sanctioned because of the incident, Mr Omilana said.
Mike Landis, a co-organizer of The People's Convoy, speaks on stage at Hagerstown Speedway, in Hagerstown, Md. on March 5, 2022. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times)

Truck-Led Convoy to Circle Capital Beltway Twice in Protest Against COVID-19 Emergency Powers

'We're not leaving until we get what we want'

HAGERSTOWN, MarylandThe Peoples Convoy, a large caravan of vehicles led by trucks, will be moving slowly around the Beltway twice on Sunday morning in efforts to stop the governments COVID-19 emergency powers.

Brian Brase, one of the convoy organizers, confirmed the plan to drivers Sunday morning before the group departed Hagerstown Speedway in western Maryland, where it has spent the past two nights.

The Beltway refers to a 64-mile interstate highway that surrounds Washington, D.C., as well as Maryland and Virginia. Virginia and Maryland State Police previously issued traffic notices saying they will be increasing patrol in the region to mitigate potential traffic disruptions.

We do not expect any type of law enforcement blockages stopping us, Brase said, adding that organizers spent many hours working with local law enforcement in Virginia and Maryland on Saturday.

Brase, a trucker from Ohio, told drivers to proceed in one lane so they could see just how long we are.

Were doing this so that the people in the area can see truly how large we are. Were doing to do this peacefully, with some class. Were not going to shut anything down today, he said.

The convoy will be traveling slowly but not below the minimum permitted speed, a convoy organizer confirmed to The Epoch Times. After two laps, it will return to Hagerstown Speedway and repeat the process in the days to come, while increasing the number of laps each day.

Brian Brase, a truck driver from Ohio and a co-organizer of The Peoples Convoy, speaks to drivers at Hagerstown Speedway, in Hagerstown, Md., on March 5, 2022. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times)

Well Increase Those Laps

Brase told drivers, In an effort to work with the local community here, which has been gracious in hosting us, weve agreed to two laps today. As we go forward, well increase those laps.

He told the drivers, Im seeing light, Im seeing people that are willing to sit down and meet in D.C. with us  At least the people are starting to be heard, whether theyll do anything with that has yet to be determined.

The website of The Peoples Convoy declares, We demand the declaration of national emergency concerning the COVID-19 pandemic be lifted immediately and our cherished Constitution reign supreme.

The COVID-19 national emergency, recently renewed by President Joe Biden, has facilitated various COVID-19 restrictions and mandates over the past two years in the United States.

At a rally late Saturday, Brase said the group will not leave until we get what we ask for, to loud cheers and applause.

People cheer at a late afternoon rally held by The Peoples Convoy at Hagerstown Speedway, in Hagerstown, Md., on March 5, 2022. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times)

The convoy arrived in Hagerstown on Friday. At least 1,000 vehicles, among them about 200 trucks, were in the area.

The convoy set out on Feb. 23 from California and traveled through Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Indiana, and Ohio, before arriving in Hagerstown. They were inspired by Canadian truckers who protested in downtown Ottawa for about three weeks against government COVID-19 mandates and restrictions.

Trucks of The Peoples Convoy traveling from Indiana to Lore City, Ohio, on March 3, 2022. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times)

Warnings Against Going to Downtown Washington

Joshua Yoder, co-founder of U.S. Freedom Flyers, urged convoy participants not to enter downtown Washington.

I was in the military, I was with the federal government for many years. I can tell you right now that as I speak, there are traps being laid in D.C., he said late Saturday. Im pleading with all of you, we cannot go into the District of Columbia. It cannot happen.

He said he was informed that anyone who comes in there with the convoy is probably going to be detained.

Im asking you please keep this peaceful, keep it law abiding, and do not go into the District of Columbia, Im begging you, Yoder said. Some of the crowd responded with boos.

Brase responded to the reactions, saying, I know some didnt like what an individual said up here tonight. That is a persons opinion, and it is a very good opinion, honestly.

Brase shared that he had inconspicuously traveled into D.C. proper to check out the situation on Saturday morning. Im telling you, its creepy, he remarked. Its always creepy, but this is a different feeling. They are waiting for us to show up, and its a trap.

Men carrying 2nd Amendment and We The People flags at a rally in Hagerstown Speedway, Hagerstown, Md., on March 5, 2022. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times)

Brase told the rally that the approach will be through diplomacy first and if things dont work, the group will take the next step, without elaborating. Please hold the line and be patient as we develop this plan going forward, he said.

On Sunday morning, Brase said that drivers are not going into DC proper at this time.

At this time, Brase emphasized. Doesnt mean it wont happen. It means that were going it diplomatically. We are working through the process and giving time for them to come to the table.

The Epoch Times previously reported that at least one of the convoy organizers, Mike Landis, said he intends to travel into Washington. He did not specify when.

Fighting for Freedom

A group of about 20 Chinese-Americans attended the rally on Saturday. Sam Shi, part of the group, said they are supporting the truckers because truckers support freedom.

Were all fighting for freedom, thats what were all here for, he added. I come from China, everyone knows China is a communist country.  Communism is dictatorship. Communism is just to give you a little bit of benefit and take away your whole portion.

He said he believes COVID-19 mandates are communism because mandates are how they divide people.

Group of Chinese-Americans attend a rally held by The Peoples Convoy in Hagerstown, Md., on March 5, 2022. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times)

They divide and control you. Thats why its communism, he said of the mandates. Its all about control. Government control you and take your freedoms away. Its very dangerous. I want American people, especially young people, to know. I know communism because I come from a communist country.

Its so dangerous, the direction the country is going now. We need to take the country back, we need to take our freedom back.

Enrico Trigoso Reporter Follow Enrico Trigoso is an Epoch Times reporter focusing on U.S. politics, health news, social issues, and a wide range of topics.
'Its my dream now to help others. It is by giving back that one can make a difference in society.'

A bright and cheerful place, Hais coffee and cake shop displays many of the best things about Vietnam. But behind the light, colorful atmosphere and warm hospitality lies an immense story of struggle and bravery.

The owner of Sunhouse Coffee, Ngo Quy Hai, 27, is a burn survivor who overcame all odds to open his own prize bakery in his birthplace, Kon Tum city. His enrolment in KOTO, a hospitality training school in Hanoi that supported him in finally learning to write after years of childhood bullying, was his launchpad.

Before this, there would be many, many challenges for Hai to have to face.

I am more than how I look, Hai told The Epoch Times. Do not call me harsh words. I am a survivor.

Ngo Quy Hai, 27, owner of Sunhouse Coffee in Kon Tum city, Vietnam. (Courtesy of Ngo Quy Hai)

Hai was just a toddler when the accident that would forever change his life happened. Pushing a baby walker in the kitchen, he fell into the woodstove, resulting in burns to a large part of his body.

Baby walkers were common back then and there wasnt knowledge about how dangerous they can be, he said.

After the accident, Hai was transported to Childrens Hospital 1 in Saigon where he remained for two years undergoing lifesaving intensive care and treatment. Many reconstruction treatments would follow, but he was left with significant scarring.

He had to brave through emotional trauma and bullying to carve out a niche for himself.

Childhood picture of Hai with his family. (Courtesy of Ngo Quy Hai)

I felt alone growing up and didnt have many friends, said Hai. I felt ostracized from society. When I tried to find work, I was mocked and ridiculed. I didnt leave my house at one point for almost two years.

Hai was bullied too much to attend school, a situation that resulted in him falling far behind academically. He says he was lucky to find that one good friend who himself had disabilities, and they bonded.

Sometimes I think it is fate that brought us together, Hai said of his friend. Weve played together since we were very young and have experienced many joys and sorrows as we both shared the same sadness that no one wanted to play with us.

Recalling a childhood incident that fostered his dream to open his own bakery, Hai said that, at around 10 years old, he was out with his friend when they passed by some big shops they had never seen before. Both boys were entranced by one in particular; a beautiful bakery.

The pair decided to save their money and one day walk proudly into the store and purchase a cake. It took months for them to save enough. The price was quite high for us country kids but as soon as we had it, we returned to the bakery, said Hai. It was my friends birthday and I was so excited that we would eat cake on his birthday.

The young boys ran as fast as they could. But as soon as they entered the door, the security guard and staff kicked them out, he said. We were very poor so our clothes werent as fancy as some peoples and they didnt listen to our explanation either. They chased us away.

Hai said that his friend cried a lot as they tried to explain they had the money, to no avail.

It was humiliating, said Hai, But its an experience that has made me who I am today. It made me know in my heart what I wanted to do. I was going to open up my own bakery so I could bake delicious and beautiful cakes and serve good food to everyone, whether they be rich or poor. I would not discriminate; everyone would be welcome.

Hai says, despite all the hardship, he has also experienced much love and support along the way.

In 2016, sponsored by charity organization Interplast, he flew to Germany for surgery to separate the skin under his chin that was attached to the skin on his chest. The surgery was successful, he said, but he remained in a coma for 21 days and was quite homesick.

The nurses and doctors at the hospital were so kind to me, he recalled. They played music from my hometown and even learned basic Vietnamese greetings. The work of the surgeons there changed my life. I felt positive in myself and in my future for the first time ever. I am forever, so thankful.

Attending KOTO helped Hai realize he was amongst others whod experienced hardship and felt alone in life. He said that, at first, he was behind because he couldnt write nearly as well as his classmates. After around two months, spending all his free time writing and practicing, he became fluent.

I met so many people and my classmates always included me. For the first time, people put their arms around me in photos, he said. Everyone there at KOTO has their own story. We see each other as brothers and sisters and theres no difference between us.

Amazingly, considering all hes been through, Hai considers himself fortunate.

Funnily enough, many times Ive been in the hospital, Ive seen people come in with more severe burns but theyre still optimistic, he said. I see myself now as being a lucky person. I am here now to help others.

People may be better than me in luck, but I may be better in effort.

Hai playing guitar in his bakery shop. (Courtesy of Ngo Quy Hai)

Hai (R) and his team, serving free drinks and cakes at his bakery. (Courtesy of Ngo Quy Hai)

Hai says that his family members are his first and foremost and the biggest supporters.

They are a source of positive energy for me to overcome the difficulties of society that I will continue to experience because of the way I look, Hai said. I ask that people look past that. There is more to me.

Having proved his might as a successful businessman with a passion for baking and music, now its Hais goal to raise money to help children in difficult circumstances, and bring joy to underprivileged children in his hometown. He recently hosted a fundraiser where they gave out milk tea, cake, and played music.

It was lovely to see so many smiling faces, he said. I see a lot of children on the streets selling lottery tickets and I always invite them in for a piece of cake. We dont know the hardships others have faced. Be kind.

Its my dream now to help others through similar hardships that I have been through. It is by giving back that one can make a difference in society.

Arshdeep Sarao contributed to this report.

Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Bright newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, March 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- American Jewish Committee (AJC ) officially opened its first office in an Arab country, AJC Abu Dhabi: The Sidney Lerner Center for Arab-Jewish Understanding, on March 2, with a reception and ribbon-cutting ceremony in the UAE capital.

"AJC played an essential role over the years in laying the foundation for the Abraham Accords. I cannot overstate the significance of its contribution, which makes its new office here so natural and also so necessary, as we work together to expand regional peace and understanding," said Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Defense, Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee of the UAE Federal National Council. He joined with AJC CEO David Harris, AJC Abu Dhabi Director Ambassador Marc Sievers, and AJC Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer Jason Isaacson to cut the ribbon at the entrance to the new office.

"The opening of AJC Abu Dhabi is the culmination of a process of trust-building and cooperation in pursuit of common goals that began years, in fact decades, before the Abraham Accords," said Isaacson, who has led AJC consultations in Bahrain, the UAE, and other Arab states for more than 25 years. "In a region and a world that has known too much war, it manifests our commitment, in concert with partners in the Arab world and Israel, to wage peace."

At a reception celebrating the opening of AJC Abu Dhabi, AJC CEO David Harris addressed the diplomats, business leaders, Emirati and Israeli diplomats-in-training, and Gulf Jewish community representatives who filled the Four Seasons Hotel ballroom. Diplomats from 12 countries -- Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Poland, Bahrain, the UAE, and the United States -- attended the reception.

"We are the answer to war -- all of us in this room. In whatever language we speak, we are pursuers of peace. Real peace -- not just signed pieces of paper, but the actualization of peace, mutual respect, mutual understanding, friendship, cooperation, coexistence, standing up for one another. Those are the elements of peace," Harris declared.

The AJC Abu Dhabi opening reception came during a weeklong visit to the Gulf, first to Bahrain and then to the UAE. In Manama, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa received the AJC delegation at the Royal Palace and spoke of the importance of U.S.-Bahrani friendship and partnership, and the need for greater regional cooperation in the Middle East. AJC honored the King of Bahrain with its Architect of Peace Award in 2019.

In Bahrain the AJC group also met with Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohamed Al Khalifa, Advisor to His Majesty the King for Diplomatic Affairs; Shaikh Mohamed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister; Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Undersecretary for Political Affairs; and Ambassador Houda Nonoo, a leader in Bahrain's Jewish community who served as the country's ambassador to the U.S. (2008-2013). They also met with U.S. Charge d'Affaires Maggie Nardie, Israeli Ambassador to Bahrain Eitan Na'eh, and French Deputy Chief of Mission Emmanuel Mayer, and visited the newly restored House of Ten Commandments synagogue -- the only working synagogue in the Gulf.

Following the one-day visit to Bahrain, the AJC delegation arrived in the UAE, where they met in Abu Dhabi with Dr. Al Nuaimi, Minister of Education Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, and Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary-General of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity.

The group also met with U.S. Embassy Charge d'Affaires Sean Murphy and Israeli Ambassador Amir Hayek.

At the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA) AJC CEO David Harris and Nickolay Mladenov, AGDA Acting Director General and Director of Research and Analysis, who formerly served as UN Coordinator of the Middle East Peace Process, engaged in a conversation with Emirati and Israeli diplomatic cadets studying at the UAE institution.

Based in Abu Dhabi, AGDA is the principal training center for Emiratis pursuing a career in diplomacy and continuing education for UAE diplomats. Last September, on the first anniversary of the Abraham Accords signing, AGDA and AJC launched an educational cooperation that aims to explore the multidimensional components of emerging Emirati-Israeli relations by engaging the next generation of American, Israeli, and Emirati leaders in political, economic, scientific, and diplomatic discussions on the future of the Middle East.

The AJC delegation also visited Dubai Expo 2020, including the Israeli Pavilion -- the presence of which was announced by UAE authorities even before the historic Abraham Accords normalization of relations with Israel in 2020.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ajc-leadership-delegation-opens-abu-dhabi-office-on-visit-to-uae-bahrain-301496310.html

SOURCE American Jewish Committee
Online debt marketplace CredAvenue has become the tenth unicorn of 2022, raising $137 million in its Series B funding round. The fintech start-up said that it is now valued at $1.3 billion  more than tripling its valuation in 6 months.

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PARIS, FranceShen Yun Performing Arts was back in Paris, France, on March 1, bringing to life stories from 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture.

Constance Yver-Elleaume is a regular at Shen Yun. For this palliative care physician who also writes about her life experiences, Shen Yun is a source of deep emotion. Wonderful, deeply spiritual, she said.

For almost 15 seasons, New York-based Shen Yun has been performing a different program every year.

This is the fourth time I have come and I am always deeply touched. Its a link between an inner dimension and what we experience in our daily lives. Its just wonderful. And in the current context, it is particularly wonderful, Ms. Yver-Elleaume said, visibly moved.

There is a very, very deep joy. And at the same time, a lot of emotion. I feel like crying all the time  deeply gratefulthere is deep, deep gratitude, she said.

Before going into medicine, Ms. Yver-Elleaume taught meditation before moving into end-of-life care. She is therefore very attuned to the spiritual aspect presented in many of Shen Yuns mini-dramas.

Our time is calling for us to connect  to return to spiritual values  to inner values. And here, I find that this show really makes this tieit really shows this dimension! You come to the end of a world and you have to go and find these inner values, she explained.

Shen Yun means the beauty of divine beings dancing and the company explains on its website, In the past, China was called the Land of the Divine, evoking a world where deities and mortals lived together on Earth  daily life was punctuated by rituals linking human beings to the divine.

Ms. Yver-Elleaume shared her feelings about the first scene of the performance in which the Creator descends to Earth to save humans.

Im very happy that youre showing this now because its really  Its really this urge to find the creator within ourselves, actuallythat the creator is within ourselves, that this dimension of the creator is within ourselves, within each of us.

She added her wish: It is fundamental that the company continues. I am so happy!

Reporting by NTD and Epoch Times French translation team.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006.
Andhra Pradesh's Kurnool police on Sunday seized gold biscuits, silver and cash worth Rs 5 crore from a person who was carrying them in a private bus from Hyderabad to Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore. Speaking to ANI in a telephonic conversation, S Ramudu, Kurnool police inspector said, "We have seized gold, silver and cash worth Rs 5 crore from a passenger identified as Venkatesh. We are investigating the case and more details need to be established before revealing facts on it." Further investigation is underway. (ANI)
On Facebook, former deputy of Kherson Regional Council, has called on the inhabitants of Kherson region to surrender to the occupying troops of the Russian Federation, a criminal case for treason was opened against him, the Prosecutor General's Office reports.

"The Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine has opened criminal proceedings on the fact that a former deputy of Kherson Regional Council committed state treachery and actions aimed at forcibly changing or overthrowing the constitutional order or at seizing state power using the media (Part 1 of Article 111, Part 1 of Article 3 of Article 109 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine," the PGO said in a message posted on the Telegram channel.

According to the department, the ex-deputy, through Facebook, persuades the inhabitants of Kherson region to obey the occupying forces of the Russian Federation. "He preaches the ideology of the 'Russian world' among the population and calls for the transition to the side of the enemy during the crushing bombardment of civilian infrastructure and the killing of civilians," the message says.
I am writing to address the inaccuracies and the attack on me by Rob Abraham. Why am I being singled out? He is my opponent for the La Crosse County Board.

Having family members in law enforcement, I know the dangers of policing. I have worked for years on oversight of the criminal justice system in La Crosse County. Public safety is important to me and the County Board. Thirty-one percent of the tax levy for 2022 is spent on courts and public safety. We have provided training for County officers and other municipalities. I cant recall a request for safety equipment for jail staff or deputies that went unanswered.

We work to establish a fair and impartial system. We were one of the first counties in Wisconsin to establish specialty courts for drug and OWI offenders. In an article in the La Crosse Tribune entitled Skepticism on bail change (Feb. 13, 2022) Sheriff Jeff Wolf said, La Crosse County has been a leader in implementing best practices for many areas of our criminal justice system.

The La Crosse County Judiciary and Law Committee will oversee the STUDY committee the board has appointed to examine a possible police oversight committee. I will ask hard questions about the necessity of additional oversight.

No statistics were given to support the writers claim that La Crosse County judges consistently release dangerous criminals on signature bonds. The judges have guidelines and information on the accused to determine if an individual may be safely released into the community.

I care about the safety of law enforcement officers and the public. The writer is just wrong.

I am writing to address the inaccuracies and the attack on me by Rob Abraham. Why am I being singled out? He is my opponent for the La Crosse County Board.

Having family members in law enforcement, I know the dangers of policing. I have worked for years on oversight of the criminal justice system in La Crosse County. Public safety is important to me and the County Board. Thirty-one percent of the tax levy for 2022 is spent on courts and public safety. We have provided training for County officers and other municipalities. I cant recall a request for safety equipment for jail staff or deputies that went unanswered.

We work to establish a fair and impartial system. We were one of the first counties in Wisconsin to establish specialty courts for drug and OWI offenders. In an article in the La Crosse Tribune entitled Skepticism on bail change Feb. 13, 2022 Sheriff Jeff Wolf said, La Crosse County has been a leader in implementing best practices for many areas of our criminal justice system.

The La Crosse County Judiciary and Law Committee will oversee the STUDY committee the board has appointed to examine a possible police oversight committee. I will ask hard questions about the necessity of additional oversight.

No statistics were given to support the writers claim that La Crosse County judges consistently release dangerous criminals on signature bonds. The judges have guidelines and information on the accused to determine if an individual may be safely released into the community.

I care about the safety of law enforcement officers and the public. The writer is just wrong.

Vicki Burke

District 21 La Crosse County Board

District 21 La Crosse County Board
To rescue Indian citizens, 2135 Indians have been brought back on Sunday by 11 special civilian flights from Ukraine's neighboring countries. The number of Indians airlifted by 66 special civilian flights goes up to 13852, said the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

To date, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has flown 10 sorties to bring back 2056 passengers, while taking 26 tonnes of relief load to these countries, as part of Operation Ganga," it added.

Among the special Civilian flights today, 9 landed in New Delhi while 2 reached Mumbai. There were 6 flights from Budapest, 2 from Bucharest, 2 from Rzeszow, and 1 from Kosice.

On Monday, 8 special flights are expected to operate from Budapest (5), Suceava (2) and Bucharest (1), bringing in more than 1500 Indians back home.

The government has also deployed "special envoys" to four neighbouring countries bordering Ukraine to coordinate and oversee the evacuation process of the Indian nationals.

Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. (ANI)
Under 'Operation Ganga', 2,135 Indian citizens returned back home on Sunday through 11 special civilian flights from Ukraine's neighbouring countries.

Among the special civilian flights on Sunday, nine landed in New Delhi while two in Mumbai.

There were six flights from Budapest, two from Bucharest, two from Rzeszow and one from Kosice.

With Sunday's evacuation, nearly 16,000 Indians have been evacuated since the special flights began on February 22.

"The number of Indians airlifted by 66 special civilian flights goes up to 13,852. Till date, the IAF has flown 10 sorties to bring back 2,056 passengers while taking 26 tonnes of relief load to these countries as part of Operation Ganga," Union Ministry of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia said in a statement on Sunday.

On Monday, eight special flights are expected to operate from Budapest (5), Suceva (2) and Bucharest (1), evacuating more than 1,500 Indians back home.

--IANS

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(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.)
Montana State University Billings hosted its annual Faculty Excellence Award Ceremony on Thursday, February 24. The annual event highlights the excellence of MSUB faculty members in their teaching, community outreach, research, and scholarship.

This year, 17 faculty members received honors for their exemplary efforts.

ASMSUB Outstanding Faculty recipients include John Roberts, associate professor of music; Rodrigo Lobo, Ph.D., assistant professor of business administration; Matt Queen, Ph.D., professor of biological and physical sciences; Lance Mouser, general education instructor at City College.

The Montana Center for Inclusive Education Award for Support of Students with Disabilities was awarded to Sarah Friedman, Ph.D., assistant professor of biological and physical sciences, and Charity Dewing, adjunct instructor in English, Philosophy & Modern Languages.

Melissa Boehm, Ph.D., associate professor of communication, was honored with the Dr. Tasneem Khaleel Award for Mentoring Young Female Professionals.

The Promoting International Student Success Award was received by Erica Shea, instructor in general education at City College. Cindy Millard, instructor of business, construction and energy technology at City College, was awarded the Part-Time Faculty Award, while fellow City College colleague, Heather Thompson-Bahm, Ph.D., instructor of business, construction and energy technology, was awarded the City College Leadership Award. Lynette Schwalbe, assistant professor of educational theory and practice, received the Excellence Award for Non-Tenured Faculty.

Three recipients, Emily Arendt, Ph.D., associate professor of history; Tien Chih, assistant professor of mathematics; and Melanie Reaves, Ph.D., associate professor of educational theory and practice, received the Faculty Excellence Award.

The Winston and Helen Cox Fellowship Award was presented to Scott Jeppesen, Ph.D., assistant professor of music, and to Keara Rhoades, assistant professor of art, for their significant impacts within their fields of study.

Twenty-four faculty members were acknowledged for their years of service and five were recognized for achieving tenure at MSUB.
He took to his Instagram handle and shared two adorable posts marking their special day. In the first post, he shared a picture of their anniversary cake, which had a heart-warming wish that read, "Happy Anniversary Cutie!!"

In the second post, he shared an endearing family picture, which showed the small and loving family cut the anniversary cake together. He captioned the post as, "Happy Anniversary Cutie. 11 years of togetherness. #AAfamily"

The 'Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo' actor and his wife often share heart-warming family pictures on their social media that give major family goals to all their fans.

Meanwhile, on the work front, after the pan-India success of 'Pushpa: The Rise', Allu Arjun is all set to gear up for its sequel, 'Pushpa: The Rule', which will have Fahadh Faasil and Rashmika Mandanna share the screen space with him again. (ANI)
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal says that the state has already begun placing state orders for enterprises to meet critical needs.

"What, for its part, is the government doing to ensure a speedy transition to a 'war footing'? Firstly, financial support for the functioning of the country. We are negotiating with all international organizations and countries on financial assistance. Of the latest decisions, the European Investment Bank will redirect EUR 639 million from other projects to the state budget of Ukraine," Shmyhal said in his address on Sunday afternoon.

Also, according to him, the Ministry of Finance has already held the first issue of war bonds and will soon have a second issue.

"Everyone who is ready to lend to Ukraine, our military, our doctors, and critical infrastructure workers, can do this by purchasing war bonds," he said.

Shmyhal also noted that the government has already authorized the relevant ministries to open four accounts with the National Bank, to which funds from individuals, organizations, companies, and international financial organizations will be credited to the fund for the restoration of Ukraine.

"Secondly. The economy of martial law implies a clear planning of needs. The state has already begun to place state orders for enterprises to meet critical needs. It's not just about weapons. It's about food, medicine, fuel and other important goods," the prime minister added.

Among other things, he said that the government had already decided to limit the export of a number of socially important goods and raw materials from which they are produced.
French luxury giants LVMH, Hermes and Chanel announced that they will temporarily close their shops in Russia starting this weekend. The move comes as a reaction to Moscow's decision to invade Ukraine on 24 February.

Hermes group runs three stores in Russia, including one in the Gum department store on Red Square, and employs 60 people in the country.

"Taking into account the situation in the region, LVMH regrets to announce the temporary closure of its stores in Russia from March 6," an LVMH spokesperson told AFP, affecting some 124 shops.

The group also announced a 5 million donation to support the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Chanel, which has 17 stores in Russia, said that "major uncertainty and the complexities of operating" had led it to temporarily suspend its operations in the country.

"We won't be delivering to Russia any more, we will close our stores and we have already suspended internet shopping," the luxury brand said.

Hermes said "it's with regret that we have taken the decision to temporarily close our stores in Russia and pause all our commercial activities from March 4".

When it published its financial results last month, Hermes said it was planning to open a store in Saint Petersburg this year, but told AFP Friday it is "postponed".

Several multinationals have announced the suspension of their activities in Russia, including Swedish furniture giant IKEA.

"The war has had a huge human impact already. It is also resulting in serious disruptions to supply chain and trading conditions," the company said in a statement to AFP on Thursday.

Among others that have paused activities are Intel, Airbnb, ExxonMobil, Apple, Boeing and Ford.

(With AFP)
Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar and Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee had an hour-long interaction on Sunday regarding the session of the House commencing from Monday, as the state's constitutional head wrote to Chief Minister seeking a dialogue with her at the earliest.

The governor had invited the Speaker for an interaction on, among other things, live coverage of his address to the House on Monday complaining that it had been "blacked out" on earlier occasions.

"There was (an) interaction at Raj Bhawan today between Governor and Assembly Speaker for an hour regarding the upcoming assembly session," Dhankhar tweeted.

The Assembly has been summoned by the governor at 2 pm on Monday after an impasse over the timing of the sitting of the House with the Governor taking the stand that a typographical error in an earlier communication that gave the unearthly 2 AM as the time of commencement of the budget session, could only be changed if the cabinet met again and passed another resolution correcting the time while following all constitutional procedures.

"In view of unwholesome situations during the earlier such addresses to the Assembly, including 'black out' of 'live coverages' of the address, I find it expedient to have an interaction with the Hon'ble Speaker so that sanctity of the proceedings is maintained and dignity of the office of Governor is not compromised," Dhankhar wrote to Biman Banerjee.

A copy of the letter was attached with a tweet message in the twitter handle of the governor.

The governor also urged Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in a separate letter sent on Sunday, to interact with him at the earliest, saying that will hopefully help pave the way for "seamless concerted coordinated stance" with respect to his address to the Assembly.

This was in response to Banerjee's communication to Dhankhar that she will meet him after the inaugural session of the Assembly on Monday.

"Since only one day is left before the inaugural session of the Assembly, we are getting ready to welcome you in the Assembly tomorrow," she wrote, a copy of which was attached to a press release issued by the Raj Bhavan.

The release also referred to an earlier letter by the chief minister to which the governor had replied saying that he was "appalled" at her February 23 response to his invitation for an interaction, indicating presently, I am tied up with various programmes. After the inaugural session of the Assembly I will definitely come to thank you and have a cup of tea with you.

It said that the intent of communications by the governor sent on February 15 and 22 urging you (the chief minister) to effect response to all issues flagged thus far at the earliest and make it convenient for an interaction at Raj Bhavan anytime during the week ahead. seemed to be lost.

The governor complained that there was a need to end Dialogue Deadlock, maintaining that it "invariably (becomes) a hurdle to possible resolution of issues.

The Governor and the state government have been at odds for a long time over issues such as the Governor calling top officials and vice chancellors of the state without intimating the state government, and ministers in the state passing comments on a rethink on the tradition of making the Governor Chancellor of state run universities by virtue of his position. As also complaints by the state that the Governor has been delaying consent on bills such as bifurcation of Howrah Municipality.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
On the eve of the last phase of the ongoing Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Union Minister Mahendra Nath Pandey on Sunday said that the poor are the BJP's "wealth" and they will take the party beyond the 300-seat mark on March 10, the day on which the votes polled will be counted. The seventh phase of elections will be held tomorrow on 53 seats spread across nine districts. Speaking to ANI, Pandey said, "The 80 per cent of the poor population in the country are seeing how Prime Minister Modi and CM Yogi have worked for their welfare. The poor are the BJP's wealth, they will take us beyond the 300 seat mark in the election. So the remarks of Mulayam Singh or any other leader do not have any impact. The poor are with us for their upliftment." "The BJP will cross the 300 seat mark once again. The trends that have come in the six phases of the polls so far show that we will cross the 300 seat mark," he added. Hitting out at former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Mulayam Singh Yadav, the Union Minister said that his statements against the BJP not working for the poor will have no impact on the poor as they have seen Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath working for them through various welfare schemes. "Mulayam Singh Yadav is campaigning in Jaunpur and saying that the BJP has not done anything for the poor. There will be no impact with such statements. Because he did not do anything for the poor, only thought about his family and for one caste and community," he said. Talking about his party's preparations for the last phase of elections, Singh said that his party would win 40 out of the 53 seats that will go to the polls tomorrow. "Voting is to be held on 53 seats in the seventh phase tomorrow and in the previous 2017 Assembly elections, BJP and its alliance partners had won 38 seats. A lot of work has been done from the inspiration of PM Modi and the efforts of CM Yogi. Be it the construction of medical colleges, roads or the COVID-19 management, so much work has been done that the people are happy. We are contesting with full responsibility. We had won 38 seats out of the 53 seats last time, this time we will win 40 seats this time," the Union Minister said. "In my parliamentary constituency Chandauli, we won 3 out of 4 seats. I am saying with full responsibility that we are going to win the fourth seat which we did not win in Sakaldiha. Along with Ghazipur Sadar, Zafarabad, and Zamania, we are going to register a win on Saidpur, Jakhanian seats as well," he added exuding confidence in Kalicharan Rajbhar defeating Om Prakash Rajbhar "with a large margin of votes". Taking a jibe at the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party chief, Singh said that he will reach the "same state after March 10, from where he started". Responding to Ram Gopal Yadav's letter to Akhilesh Yadav expressing concern about the ballot paper, Singh said that he is doing so to accuse the BJP of EVM tampering after the counting of votes. "This is proof of the defeat of the Samajwadi Party. Their defeat is assured. They made such tall claims that they would win 400 out of the 403 seats. They know that their claims are going to be busted. So he is writing to Akhilesh so that if they lose to the Modi-Yogi duo, then they could accuse the BJP of EVM tampering," he said. "It is the tendency of the Opposition that if they win an election, they would not thank the EVM and the Election Commission, but if they lose, they would blame them. People will not fall into their trap," Singh added. Meanwhile, the polling on Monday will decide the fate of 613 candidates on 54 assembly seats in nine districts of the state. The polling will commence at 7 am and will go on till 6 pm in the districts of Azamgarh, Mau, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Varanasi, Mirzapur, Bhadohi and Sonbhadra. The key constituencies in this phase include Azamgarh, Mau, Zahoorabad, Mohammadabad, Varanasi North, Varanasi South, Varanasi Cantt and Gyanpur.
Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has said Ghanas access to the international market to borrow is restricted.

Speaking at a town hall meeting on the e-levy in the Volta Region on Friday, 4 March 2022, Mr Ofori-Atta confessed: I am telling you that because of what we are doing, now, our access to the international market is being curtailed to a certain degree.

Now, even when we go, we are going to pay US$500 million over 10 years if I were to issue a billion cedi paper and that is significant and cannot be allowed, he explained.

At the same even, Mr Ofori-Atta said the scrapping of road tolls has become a problem for the government.

Mr Ofori-Atta said: The challenge really is: we passed the appropriation very quickly because there was an absolute belief in the direction that we were going and then the politics came to stall the issue of the revenue measure, which is e-levy, and, therefore, the issue of the tolls being disbanded has become a chain around our necks.

The e-levy was proposed by the 2022 budget to replace the road toll as a revenue stream.

However, there have been fierce opposition to the 1.75 per cent e-levy even after it had been reviewed to 1.5 per cent.

The minority caucus in parliament together with some civil society organisations have strongly kicked against the levy.

Despite the confession of Mr Ofori-Atta, the Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Kwasi Amoako-Attah, who, unilaterally issued a statement stopping the collection of road tolls in November 2021 right after the 2022 budget was presented in that same month, recently told parliament, while answering an urgent question from the Ranking Member of the Roads and Transport Committee of Parliament, Kwame Agbodza, that: Mr Speaker, there are, in total, 38 toll booths across the country, adding: There has been no loss of revenue to the Ministry of Roads and Highways since the cessation of the collection of the road tolls.

Explaining why he stopped the road tolls, Mr Amoako-Attah told parliament on Friday: Most road users refused to pay road tolls at all the locations with booths throughout the country during that period, noting: There was confusion between road users and collectors.

In order to save lives and properties at those locations, a directive was issued for the suspension of the collection of tolls, Mr Amoako-Atta added.

Source: Classfmonline.com
(Natural News) The purveyors of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) plandemic are now openly bragging about how they fooled the world into accepting gene therapy into their bodies under the guise of vaccination.

Bayer Pharmaceuticals Division President Stefan Oelrich spoke at the recent World Health Summit. He gloated about how the plandemic shifted public opinion about what is acceptable to inject into the body.

Uh, were really taking that leap, uh, us as a company, Oelrich stated, having some difficulty getting his thoughts out with any kind of cadence.

In cell or gene therapy, which to me is one of these examples, were really, were going to make a difference hopefully, uh, moving forward.

Oelrich went on to talk about how even just a few years ago, the vast majority of people have said no way to experimental gene manipulation. Thanks to aggressive propaganda from the likes of Tony Fauci and other corrupt world leaders, most people ended up complying after a year of full-scale tyranny.

Theres some, uh, ultimately, the, uh, the mRNA vaccines, uh, are an example for that, uh, cell or gene therapy, Oelrich added.

I always like to say that if we had surveyed two years ago, uh, in the public, would you be willing to take, uh, uh, gene th or cell therapy and inject it into your body, we would have probably had a 95 percent refusal rate.

I think, uh, this pandemic has also opened many peoples eyes to, to innovation in the way that, uh, was maybe not possible before, he further added.

The globalists now know they have full control with minimal resistance

To recap, we went from two weeks to flatten the curve to mandatory face masks to fast-tracked vaccines under Donald Trump to mandatory injections under Joe Biden.

As far as the narrative goes, it went from SARS-CoV-2 leaking into bat soup at a wet market to the virus accidentally escaped from a laboratory in China to Moderna patented the virus years before its release to this now admission that the whole thing was a scam to get people to permanently modify their DNA.

It is truly amazing that all of these changes occurred in just two short years, and barely anyone seems to have noticed. A bioengineered cold, in essence, was used to grift, swindle and basically destroy the world while turning all of the fully vaccinated into walking trans-humans.

The seeming ease with which the globalists pulled all of this off suggests that they are now fully confident they have complete control over the masses, at least in the West.

They no longer care if the scamdemic gets exposed, and are now, in fact, exposing it themselves while laughing in our faces about it.

It seems that Stefan Oelrich and the World Health Summit found that profound revelation of theirs: that tyranny works, is a good thing, and is even a little exciting, wrote someone in response to the clip of Oelrich speaking.

People dumb enough to get a vaccine created literally LAST YEAR with NO IDEA of the LONG TERM side effects  Sorry, you did that to yourself, wrote someone else.

The people I actually feel bad for are the ones FORCED to test out these vaccines or they lose their job, are unable to travel certain places, unable to go grocery shopping (e.g., Lithuania), unable to get medical treatment (Australia, Canada, United States). If these vaccines were so Safe and Effective why did they have to FORCE people to take them?

More of the latest news about the plandemic grift can be found at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

Twitter.com

NaturalNews.com

CitizenFreePress.com
MARCH 2022 marks the two-year anniversary of the very first COVID-19 case being identified in Virginia.

Two yearswow. Some days it feels like its been much longer since we first heard about SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. These past two years certainly have taken a toll on us, havent they? Well, there is, finally, some very good reasons to start exhaling. First, the great news about our health districts metrics. Since our winter cases peaked the week of Dec. 26, 2021, we have seen a 95 percent decline as of this week. Our local hospitals are no longer overwhelmed, which is more good news. With more and more people getting vaccinated and receiving their COVID-19 booster doses, there are fewer in our communities who are at risk for severe illness and hospitalization. We have come a long way.

One question that comes up a lot for us at RAHD is about continuing to mask when we are not actually required to. Bottom line: You dont need a mandate to wear a mask. If masking-up in public makes you feel safer and more comfortable, wear your mask. Are you still protected if you are the only person in a public space wearing one? Absolutely, if youre masking correctly. (For more info, go to cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html.) The CDCs recommendation for areas of low community level COVID-19 transmission risk states, Wear a mask based on your personal preference, informed by your personal level of risk.

The past two years have felt like a long and not-so-fun roller coaster ride. We may feel shaky for a while. Its important to remember that each of us has spent two years adjusting to a new normal, so we should be patient with othersand with ourselves.

Some people, especially those who have lost loved ones, may struggle to cope. And some may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Signs of PTSD include overwhelming sadness, fear or anger; flashbacks; nightmares; avoiding loved ones; and distorted thoughts. If you recognize these signs in yourself or someone else, please seek mental health treatment.

COVID numbers started dropping just in time for more worries to arise. War in Ukraine brings new tensions and anxieties. Its important to keep an eye on your mental well-beingand that of the people closest to you. Find time to unwind and to turn off the news and social media notifications. Take advantage of the warmer weather by getting outside and taking deep breaths while enjoying fresh air and sunshine. Make time to connect with others in ways that uplift you.
Police said that all the injured have been shifted to the SMHS Hospital in Srinagar.

A police officer said, "Terrorists lobbed grenade in busy Amira Kadal Market. In this incident, ten people received splinter wounds when they were in the market. All the injured have been shifted to hospital where their condition is said to be stable."

Meanwhile, the area has been cordoned off. (ANI)
The Karnataka government has informed the Supreme Court that a total of 39,952 deaths have been reported due to Covid-19 in the state till March 1, this year. As many as 188 children were orphaned due to the disease in the state.

The state government said it has reached out to the families of 31,789 for payment of ex gratia amount of Rs 50,000 in compliance to the top court's judgement.

Among these, applications have been received from 28,270 families of the Covid-19 victims.

Of the remaining 3519 cases, 1,955 are not traceable, but 899 families refused to take the payment. The state government, however, did not spell out the reasons for refusal of payment by the victims' families.

In case of 146 deaths, no legal heir of the deceased was found while 519 belonged to other States.

Giving the details in an affidavit to the top court in a PIL filed by advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal, the state government said, out of the total, 27,938 records have been pushed for Aadhaar-based DBT of ex gratia as on March 2.

The payment has so far been successful in case of 27,007 beneficiaries while it was not so in 931 cases due to their bank accounts having not been mapped with the Aadhaar.

Following the instructions to deputy commissioners to honour all cases of ex gratia payment even though not recorded as Covid-19 deaths, a total of 17,174 claims have been received. Out of which, 12,481 claims have been settled while 4,693 claims are at verification stage.

The state government further said out of 188 orphaned children, ex gratia payment has been made in 128 cases while efforts were on to clear pending cases on priority basis.

The Directorate of Child Protection through the Women and Child Development Ministry has also started new schemes "Bala Hithaishi" and "Chief Minister's Bal Seva" to provide assistance to children orphaned due to Covid-19.

Under the schemes, monthly assistance of Rs 3,500 has been assured to the orphaned children till they attain age of 18 years, protection and home care facility to children below 10 years of age, free enrolment of children to government residential school, laptop and tab to pursue higher education, and financial assistance of Rs one lakh to girl child on attaining age of 21 years to help in marriage, higher education or self employment.

Watch the latest DH videos:
1. Yes. The current shelter is too small to serve the growing city; build a larger one soon.

2. Yes. The high number of animals being euthanized at the shelter makes this urgent.

3. No. The city has far more important things to spend millions of dollars on.

4. No. Having a larger shelter might be nice, but it is by no means a city priority.

5. Unsure. It would depend on whether the current surge in shelter animals continues.

Vote

View Results
Nhyiaeso MP Dr. Stephen Amoah

05.03.2022 LISTEN

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Nhyiaeso Constituency, Dr. Stephen Amoah has said Akufo-Addo government should not be blamed for hardship in the country.

According to the parliamentarian, the impact of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has been huge, thereby messing up the fiscal space.

Speaking to TV3 in an interview on Saturday, Dr. Stephen Amoah said, This is not a joke. Our fiscal space is messed up and you cant blame the government.

In a conversation on the controversial Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy), the Nhyiaeso MP expressed shock at the Minoritys continuous opposition to the bills levy.

He said if indeed the NDC MPs believe their actions cause the ruling governments defeat, then they should rather help in its approval.

Dr. Stephen Amoah shared, The NDC has said that when we pass the E-levy we will be unpopular and we will not win the elections, the speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin said that. Why is the NDC not allowing us to pass it?

If you think this will make the NPP unpopular and NDC will win the elections why are you not allowing us to pass it?

As the country continue to struggle economically, the government is pushing to ensure it receives parliamentary approval of the Electronic Transaction Levy.

Reports suggest that next week, the levy will be reintroduced into the agenda of Parliament.
Another Russian plane was shot down over the Black Sea, said Serhiy Bratchuk, spokesman for the operational defense headquarters of Odesa Regional Military Administration.

"Another enemy aircraft over the Black Sea has been shot down. Thanks to the Armed Forces for the excellent work. That's right," Bratchuk said in a video message posted on his Facebook page on Sunday.
Poland's border guard agency says that over 922,000 refugees have crossed the border from since February 24, when Russia launched its invasion.

The agency said on Twitter that a record one-day number of over 129,000 crossed into on Saturday, and almost 40,000 between midnight and 7 am on Sunday.

A nation of some 38 million people, is receiving the largest number of refugees among Ukraine's neighbours. Some who entered have continued to other countries.

The head of the United Nations' refugee agency said Sunday that more than 1.5 million refugees have crossed from into neighbouring countries since Russia invaded.

(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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has told the Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that two out of the 6 reactors at the country's largest Zaporizhhzhya Nuclear Power Station (NPP) are working and the radiation levels are normal, days after Russian forces took control of the site in the country's south-east, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has said.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Grossi said the Ukrainian regulatory authority and the plant management told the Vienna-based UN nuclear watchdog that the technical safety systems were intact, and one telephone communication line had been lost but another was still functioning, as was the mobile phone communication.

The Ukrainian counterparts told the IAEA that the facility's training centre located separately from the reactor units had suffered significant damage during the events early on March 4, when says it was hit by a projectile and a localised fire broke out that was later extinguished, the statement said.

There had also been damage to the site's laboratory building and to an administrative structure, it said.

According to IAEA, the safety systems of Ukraine's three other nuclear power plants were operating and the regulator continued to receive online monitoring data regarding radiation levels at the sites, which were also as usual.

Six of their combined total of nine reactors were currently operating, the regulator said.

Staff at the Chernobyl NPP which has been under the control of Russian forces since last week have been on site since February 23 without being able to rotate the shift of technical personnel and guards, the regulator said.

Grossi has repeatedly stressed the importance of staff operating Ukraine's nuclear facilities being allowed to rest and rotate in order to be able to carry out their jobs safely and securely.

He has also said that a tense situation with Russian forces controlling the Zaporizhhzhya NPP site and Ukrainian staff operating it certainly cannot last for too long.

The head of the national operator Energoatom, Petro Kotin, informed the Director-General on Friday that the plant was now allowed to change work shifts.

All Ukrainian nuclear power plants (NPPs) are functioning in a regular mode, the radiation background is normal, including at the Zaporozhye NPP controlled by Russia's Armed Forces, Energoatom, the operating company of Ukraine's NPPs, said on Sunday.

Ukraine's functioning nuclear power plants continue to work stably. The current capacity of all four Ukrainian NPPs provides the necessary volumes of energy production for the country's needs, Russia's state-run Tass news agency quoted the company as saying.

The radiation, fire-prevention and ecological conditions at all the NPPs and adjacent territories have not changed and are within the limits of existing norms, it said in an update on social media



The power units of the Zaporozhye NPP were not damaged, it was functioning in a regular mode, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with Sky News Arabia published on Friday night, the report said.

Earlier, Russian Defence Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov said that the staff of the Zaporozhye NPP continued to work in a regular mode with the radiation background being normal, 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.)
A protest action against the invaders has begun in Kalanchak (Kherson region), temporarily occupied by Russian occupiers, located near the border with the temporarily occupied Crimea, eyewitnesses report to the agency.

According to them, several hundred residents of Kalanchak came with Ukrainian symbols to the building of the local police department. They call on the invaders to return home and chant patriotic slogans.

Videos of eyewitnesses from the protest have also been posted on social networks.
Anneliese van der Pol is living the rock star life.

Its not what one would think, because shes taking part in the national tour of Disney Princess: The Concert, which makes a stop at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 10, at Popejoy Hall.

Im sitting in the top bunk as we travel from Palm Springs to Bakersfield, (California), she says. Were supposed to be pretty poised princesses and I do feel that on stage. On the bus, were traveling like rock stars and seeing the country through each stop. Im grateful for this opportunity.

The show is on an 83-city tour across the country. It is a celebration of the most beloved Disney Princesses and their timeless songs.

The four actresses have all portrayed Disney princesses on Broadway.

Van der Pol portrayed the final Belle in Beauty and the Beast on Broadway. Fans will know her from her role as Chelsea Daniels on Thats So Raven and Ravens Home.

She is joined on stage by Susan Egan, who is Broadways original Belle in Beauty and the Beast, as well as Meg in Disneys animated feature Hercules.

Arielle Jacobs, who was Broadways Jasmine in Aladdin and Syndee Winters who played Nala in The Lion King on Broadway round out the quartet.

The cast will perform more than 30 favorite Disney Princess and Frozen songs, including classics like Part of Your World, Let It Go, A Whole New World, Colors of the Wind and A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes.

Van der Pol calls herself a Disney girl, through and through.

Disney crosses so many borders and the message is the connector for people, she says. Im used to reaching people through TV and with this tour Im meeting people and I really feel alive. We not only meet children, but fans from all walks of life. As we grow, Disney grows.

Van der Pol says though she portrays mostly the blonde princesses, she has a soft spot for all of them because she grew up singing those songs.

It means a lot to me in my older age, she says. I dont have any children of my own and there was this unexpectedness of it. I didnt think it would mean as much, but its blown me away and gives me so many emotions.

Another aspect van der Pol enjoys about the show is that each woman supports each other.

I grew up, literally, on the Disney Channel, she says. With this show, we are sending a new message that a princess can be anything. She is brave, courageous and kind. Women often get pitted against each other. Im close to each of the women in the show and in my life. The show serves as a message to remember kindness. We are sending a modern positive message.
Roman Abramovich may have ended any hopes of ever returning to Russia while Vladimir Putin remains the president after using the phrase the war in Ukraine in his recent statement saying he was selling Chelsea.

Russias parliament introduced new laws on Friday against the spreading of fake news about the countries activities in Ukraine, punishable by jail terms of up to 15 years.

Examples of fake news by Russias definition include referring to their invasion of Ukraine either as an invasion, or a war.

On the face of it, Abramovichs statement - which acknowledges Russia is waging war - is now an illegal act in his homeland.

Putins propaganda machine claims he is neither invading Ukraine nor waging war, but that he wants to denazify' the country and protect people who have been subjected to bullying and genocide.

The new Russian fake news law has led to major global news organisations including the BBC to halting reporting in Russia, and in some cases, withdrawing journalists.

The BBCs director general Tim Davie said the legislation appeared to criminalise independent journalism.

Roman Abramovich (right) may have ended any hopes of ever returning to Russia while Vladimir Putin (left) remains the president after using the phrase the war in Ukraine

Abramovichs statement - which acknowledges Russia is waging war - is now an illegal act in his homeland

Boris Johnson has drawn up a six-point plan to defeat Vladimir Putin as he moves to assume leadership of global efforts to end the horror of war in Ukraine

It leaves us no other option than to temporarily suspend the work of all BBC News journalists and their support staff within the Russian Federation while we assess the full implications of this unwelcome development, he said.

Abramovichs use of the word war may now have personal repercussions for him more sinister than he can ever have imagined.

Boris Johnson has drawn up a six-point plan to defeat Vladimir Putin as he moves to assume leadership of global efforts to end the horror of war in Ukraine.

The Russian President faced an unprecedented wave of international fury yesterday for offering safe passage to Ukrainian refugees  only to bombard them with artillery as they fled.

The Russian President faced an unprecedented wave of international fury yesterday for offering safe passage to Ukrainian refugees  only to bombard them with artillery as they fled

The Russian defence ministry claimed that its units were opening humanitarian corridors near the two cities for a period of five hours to allow families to flee. Ukrainian authorities, however, announced that both evacuations had to be called off because Russian forces had continued to pound the cities. Pictured: Ukrainians crowd under a destroyed bridge as they try to flee crossing the Irpin river in the outskirts of Kyiv, March 5, 2022

The Prime Minister led the condemnation of Russia and said the world must unite under his plan to thwart the aggression.

In his action plan, Mr Johnson called for: the creation of an international humanitarian coalition for Ukraine; a boost to Kyiv's military self-defence; a ratcheting up of sanctions on Moscow; concerted diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the crisis; and 'a rapid campaign to strengthen security and resilience across the Euro-Atlantic area'.

In addition, Mr Johnson wants to combat 'the creeping normalisation of what Russia is doing in Ukraine' as he fears that the shock value of Putin's actions will start to fade.
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Russian pilots have been filmed saying they were 'following orders' after their aircraft was shot down over Ukraine.

Pictures and video show the men, some on their knees with their hands behind their heads and others bleeding heavily, after being detained by soldiers and civilians in a field.

Video shared online shows a pilot, reportedly from a downed Russian aircraft, wearing an orange jumpsuit as he gets on his knees with his hands behind his head as his capture questions him.

It comes after footage showed two pilots ejecting from an aircraft - thought to be an Su-30 - after it was shot down over the Ukrainian city of Chernihiv on Saturday.

Footage also emerged of a Russian pilot wearing a blue jumpsuit and a bloodstained T-shirt being treated for a head wound after he crashed in a field.

With a bandage around his head, he nodded wearily as Ukrainian troops asked him questions.

A third video shows two men, reportedly Russian pilots with blood coming from their faces, being interrogated in the back of a van.

The footage came on a day when Russian aerial forces lost as many as eight aircraft, as well as multi-role, strike and close air support aircraft and a drone.

Video emerged of a Russian pilot wearing a blue jumpsuit and a bloodstained T-shirt being treated for a head wound after he crashed in a field

Footage shared online shows a pilot, reportedly from a downed helicopter, wearing an orange jumpsuit as he gets on his knees with his hands behind his head as his capture questions him

Another pilot, also dressed in an orange jumpsuit and thought to be his colleague, was taken away by Ukrainian soldiers

The burning wreckage of a Russian Su-30 which crashed into a field in Ukraine on Saturday

In more footage shared online yesterday, a Russian helicopter is shown being brought down by Ukrainian soldiers.

As the state-of-the-art Mi-24 Hind aircraft makes its approach, the defending troops fire a rocket skywards from a frost-covered field about 25 miles outside the capital Kyiv.

Ukraine war latest: at a glance Boris Johnson has drawn up a six-point plan to defeat Vladimir Putin as he moves to assume leadership of global efforts to end the horror of war in Ukraine.

A second attempt to evacuate Mariupol failed today after Ukraine accused the Russians of shelling the city as citizens attempted to flee through a 'humanitarian corridor'.

More than 1.5million refugees have now fled Ukraine for neighbouring countries since Vladimir Putin invaded, United Nations figures have shown.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says missiles have struck and completely destroyed Vinnytsia regional airport, and urges NATO to close the airspace and make a no-fly zone.

The Pope deplored 'rivers of blood' in Ukraine as he demanded humanitarian corridors.

Elon Musk held a video call with Volodymyr Zelensky as he promised to bolster his Starlink satellite support for the war-torn country, as he tweeted: 'Hold strong Ukraine.'

A Ukrainian peace negotiator is reported to have been shot dead amid claims he might have been a spy for the Russians. The reports are unconfirmed.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday held new telephone talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Elysee said.

More than 1,700 people in cities across Russia have been detained while taking part in anti-war protests against the country's invasion of Ukraine, a monitor said, more than a week after the assault began.

Russian pilots have been filmed saying they were 'following orders' after their aircraft was shot down over Ukraine.

The deputy minister of defence for Belarus has submitted his resignation and claimed he cannot support the current Russian invasion of Ukraine.

BBC World News has been taken OFF AIR in Russia  two days after Putin approved law that could lock up journalists for 15 years for spreading fake information. Advertisement

The warhead fizzes, leaving a trail of white smoke in its wake. It locks on to its target before the crew can engage their infrared jammers and flare dispensers.

The invaders receive a brutal and direct hit; the helicopter explodes instantly, sending brilliant orange flames bursting from the engine.

The stricken Mi-24 plummets to the earth, hitting the ground nose-first, with all her pilots and navigators feared killed.

Their losses, claimed by Ukrainian military sources, provide further evidence of Russia's failure to gain air superiority  a tactical advantage that Vladimir Putin thought would be achieved on the first day of the war.

But, ten days later, the Russian President's much-vaunted air force is still being picked off in ambushes by highly mobile Ukrainian air defence units equipped with the latest shoulder-fired rocket launchers.

In another remarkable development yesterday, Putin came under pressure from his own soldiers to stop the war. At a press conference in Kyiv, captured Russian troops condemned the mission and called on their fellow citizens to rally against the conflict.

Andrey Chuvatarevsky, a soldier who served on a contract basis in the Moscow region, said: 'Russians, do everything possible to stop this war. Neither Ukraine nor Russia needs this war. Only Putin needs this war.

'Try to inform the President, drive the military away from the equipment so that they don't drive and bomb the civilian population. If you take to the streets, the President will decide to withdraw the troops. Then there will be no war.'

Fellow captured soldier Mikhail Kulikov warned that Ukrainian children were suffering: 'People of Russia, stand up. Your children are here. Children of the Ukrainian people are also suffering here. There is no need to be afraid.

'The Ukrainian people are not afraid of anyone. They will stand up for their land to the last. I also have two small children at home, to whom I do not know if I will get. Parents, block the roads, do not let your children go, do everything to make the Russian troops turn back.'

The two men were among ten soldiers who spoke at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine yesterday. They had voluntarily surrendered and each noted that they had received good treatment and the chance to contact their relatives.

Prisoner Dmitry Gagarin told relatives and friends in Russia not to listen to Russian propaganda. 'I would like all the people of Russia to hear that here everything is not like they say on Russian television,' he said.

'There are no Nazis. Here are ordinary peaceful people who have rallied against one person  Putin, who wanted to be a conqueror.'

Ukrainian forces were last night holding key cities in central and south-eastern Ukraine, while the Russians are trying to keep Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv and Sumy encircled, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

At least 351 civilians have been confirmed dead since Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, but the true number is probably much higher, the UN human rights office has said.

Dramatic footage emerged yesterday of the final moments of a helicopter, christened the 'flying tank' by Russian air crews, after it was hit by Ukrainian soldiers

The stricken Mi-24 plummets to the earth, hitting the ground nose-first, with all her pilots and navigators feared killed

President Zelensky claimed yesterday that 10,000 Russian troops had died in the war, a claim that could not be independently verified.

'We're inflicting losses on the occupants they could not see in their worst nightmare,' he added.

The Russian military, which does not offer regular updates on casualties, said on Wednesday that 498 of its troops had died in the conflict.

Ukraine's military might is vastly outmatched by Russia's, but its military and volunteer forces have fought back with fierce tenacity since the invasion.

On Friday at least 47 people were killed and hundreds more injured when Russian jets fired missiles into high-rise apartments in the city, reducing them to piles of blazing rubble, with residents trapped underneath.
Russia's military aggression against Ukraine has brought the war back to Europe, French Defence Minister Florence Parly, who is currently paying a visit to the 57th Air Base in Mihail Kogalniceanu, said on Sunday.

"Since February 24, a sentence has been on everyone's lips: the war has returned to Europe. A few weeks ago, many of us did not imagine that such a thing could happen. Today, war is a reality in Ukraine, at the gates of Romania and at the gates of Europe, at the gates of our Europe," she said, Agerpres.ro informs.
President Klaus Iohannis and Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca will be at Mihail Kogalniceanu-based 57th Air Base on Sunday.

The French Minister of Defence, Florence Parly, will also be there to meet with the soldiers sent by France to our country.

The Minister of Defence, Vasile Dincu, and the Chief of the Defence Staff, General Daniel Petrescu, will also participate, Agerpres.ro informs.

The French Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, on Thursday informed that she was going to travel to Romania on Sunday to meet with the soldiers sent by France to our country. "I will go to Romania on Sunday to see our soldiers. (...) We have deployed them to Romania because we owe assistance and solidarity to the countries that belong to the European Union and to the Atlantic Alliance, and that are closest to this conflict," she said when asked by Franceinfo.

On March 1, another 235 French soldiers and technical personnel from the 27th Annecy Mountain Hunters Battalion, led by Colonel Vincent Minguet, arrived in Mihail Kogalniceanu, aht the 57th Air Base, joining the 40 soldiers who were already there, having arrived in Romania a couple of days before, informs the Ministry of National Defence.

The French battalion represents the first ground element of the NATO Response Force deployed in Romania following the decision of the North Atlantic Council on February 25.

NATO has activated defence plans to strengthen command and control of Allied forces and to facilitate the rapid response of military capabilities along Allied borders.

A total of 500 French and 300 Belgian soldiers, part of the NATO Response Force ground component, will join the Romanian military in measures to strengthen the Alliance's Eastern Flank.
by Xinhua writers Yuan Quan and Zhou Zhou

BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- The proverb "great power in small things" has a great many applications, but it very aptly describes Wang Qihui, a petite Chinese woman who has taken on a challenging mission: to develop new antibody drugs that can defeat COVID-19.

Since January 2020, when Wang first volunteered to work on COVID-19, the virologist at China's top academic institution has been racing against the clock to find ways of defeating the deadly virus. Her efforts have yielded significant results, although she continues to conduct research on further solutions.

Wang, 37, works at the Institute of Microbiology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the north of Beijing. Her office is a bright room filled with books, simple furniture and a light floral fragrance. It could be mistaken for a business premises, were it not for the white-coated personnel walking around the laboratory opposite.

Over the past two years, Wang has led her laboratory team in conducting research on the development of reagent testing, neutralizing antibodies and recombinant vaccines. She has worked around the clock, often foregoing food and sleep.

Tasked with finding effective antibodies in a short time, Wang conducted experiments day and night, and for half a month she didn't leave the lab at all. Whenever she could not continue, she would collapse in a chair for a few hours.

"I felt like I had died," Wang said, recalling the early days of the pandemic.

Her painstaking efforts were not in vain. Five months after the novel coronavirus first broke out, her team announced that JS016, the neutralizing antibody against COVID-19 that they had developed, had entered human testing following approval by China's drug regulator. It was the world's first monoclonal antibody targeting COVID-19 to be administered to healthy people in clinical trials.

In November last year, the antibody was granted emergency use authorization in 15 countries, including the United States and several European countries.

It was only then that Wang was relieved of the great mental pressure she had been under. In the early days of the pandemic, the pressure had been amplified by publicly stated doubts regarding Chinese scientists. Feeling aggrieved by such views, she was determined to accelerate her research and take the lead in the global race to defeat the virus.

Aside from all the hard work, Wang attributes her achievements on COVID-19 largely to her previous experience in the field of viral infectious diseases. After obtaining her doctorate in 2012, Wang joined the Institute of Microbiology and participated in the research on Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). Four years later, she completed the mission of isolating antibodies from the blood of patients who had recovered from the Zika virus.

Over the past 10 years, she has published dozens of papers in the world's leading academic journals and translated an English-language science book. Wang's work brought her wide acclaim and a host of accolades.

She also received high-profile media coverage, with her story and photo appearing in multiple news outlets. However, the fame and glory cannot compare to the sacrifices made behind the scenes.

Right before the results of the COVID-19 antibody study came out, Wang suffered from neurological deafness, which led to temporary hearing loss in her left ear. She was hospitalized for five days after a doctor warned that, in the absence of timely treatment, she might suffer permanently impaired hearing.

"I seldom talk about work with my parents, but when I called my mom and said I was sick, she suddenly started crying, worrying that I would go deaf," Wang said with tears in her eyes.

Regardless of the awards and titles, what Wang cherishes most is her father's praise. She grins as she recalls how he would boast to everyone he met, highlighting her accomplishments as a pioneer of Chinese virology.

The researcher is often described by her students as "Superwoman." But Wang is also a daughter, wife and mother. Like most career women, female Chinese scientists must find a balance between family and work.

Wang regrets that her dedication to research has meant spending little time with family, and yet she enjoys a harmonious family life. Her mother-in-law is very helpful in taking care of her 7-year-old boy. The easy-going in-law relationship has convinced her that the apparent conflict between family and career can be resolved.

The scientist also has a passion for promoting science publicly. Over the past two years, Wang has lectured to school students, police officers and rural residents in northwest China.

As for the scientific work, she has not rested on her laurels, but has continued the research into new COVID-19 vaccines and drugs. Among the topics currently receiving her attention are a nasal-spray COVID-19 antibody drug and an mRNA vaccine.

Wang is determined to make an even greater contribution to the fight against the pandemic. Indeed, this petite woman's dedication to the task remains undimmed, proving that powerful things really do come in small packages. 
Pope Francis has said that the Russian invasion of Ukraine is 'not a military operation, but a war' in his Angelus address to the world.

The head of the Catholic Church led this Sunday's prayer at the Vatican with the Russian invasion of Ukraine as his point of focus, making calls to stop the war and to allow humanitarian corridors to keep people safe.

In his address, the Pope said: 'Rivers of blood and tears are flowing in Ukraine. This is not just a military operation but a war which is sowing death, destruction and misery.'

In a prayer said for the first Sunday of Lent, Pope Francis spoke at the Vatican in the Apostolic Palace overlooking St. Peter's Square in Vatican City, facing thousands of people, with many holding Ukrainian flags or placards with messages of solidarity with the country under attack.

He said of the conflict: 'True happiness and freedom do not lie in possessing, but in sharing, not taking advantage of others but in loving them, not in the obsession of power, but in the joy of service.

Pope Francis has said that the Russian invasion of Ukraine is 'not a military operation, but a war' in his Angelus address to the world in his Sunday address of St. Peter's Square at the Vatican in Rome

Pope Francis spoke at the Vatican in the Apostolic Palace overlooking St. Peter's Square in Vatican City, facing thousands of people, with many holding Ukrainian flags or placards with messages of solidarity with the country under attack (two nuns pictured holding a Ukrainian flag as they pray)

In his address, the Pope said: 'Rivers of blood and tears are flowing in Ukraine. This is not just a military operation but a war which is sowing death, destruction and misery'

He said of the conflict: 'True happiness and freedom do not lie in possessing, but in sharing, not taking advantage of others but in loving them, not in the obsession of power, but in the joy of service' (people listened to Pope Francis in his Angelus address)

'We must be vigilant because they often present themselves under an apparent form of good. In fact, the devil, who is cunning, always uses deception, and [he even knows] how to disguise himself with sacred, apparently religious motives.'

He prefaced his prayer for those caught up in the conflict and for those assisting victims by noting that there are 'no compromises with evil'.

'Let us take time for silence and prayer, during which we can stop and look at what is stirring in our hearts' he said.

'Placing ourselves before the Word of God in prayer, so that a positive fight against the evil that enslaves us, a fight for freedom, may take place within us.'

He prefaced his prayer for those caught up in the conflict and for those assisting victims by noting that there are 'no compromises with evil'.

His comments are a rebuke to the official Russian narrative being pushed by the Kremlin, which insists its invasion of Ukraine is a 'special military operation' launched to 'demilitarise' Ukraine

Last week the Pope appealed for an end to the conflict, calling for humanitarian corridors to be opened to allow civilians to flee.

Thousands turned up to Pope Francis' Angelus prayer at the Vatican, and in the address he quoted Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, who has been quoting late Cardinal Slipyj, saying that in #Ukraine today, 'there are rivers of blood and tears'

His comments are a rebuke to the official Russian narrative being pushed by the Kremlin, which insists its invasion of Ukraine is a 'special military operation' launched to 'demilitarise' Ukraine.

Last week the Pope appealed for an end to the conflict, calling for humanitarian corridors to be opened to allow civilians to flee.

Pope Francis also quotes Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, who has been quoting late Cardinal Slipyj, saying that in #Ukraine today, 'there are rivers of blood and tears.'

The Catholic leader also dispatched two cardinals to Ukraine in a highly unusual move, saying that 'the Holy See is willing to do everything to put itself in service for peace.

The papal almsgiver, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, a Polish priest, has been dispatched with aid, along with Cardinal Michael Czerny, who is head of the papal office that deals with migration, charity, justice and peace.

Referring to Ukraine as 'that martyred country,' Francis called for a cessation of violence, the establishment of humanitarian corridors and a return to negotiations (pictured: nuns holding up the Ukrainian flag)

The sun beamed down on the crowds who stood holding Ukrainian flags in St Peter's Square to listen to Pope Francis' address from the window of his studio at the Vatican in Rome

The Mariupol city council announced the evacuation of Ukraine civilians through a corridor on Sunday to let 400,000 people flee from the southeastern city. Similar efforts were made on Saturday before Russian bombing restarted just 45 minutes after a ceasefire was agreed (people stood at St Peter's Square in Rome listening to Pope Francis)

According to aid agency Doctors Without Borders (MSF) the humanitarian situation in Mariupol, a key target for the Russian invasion forces, is currently 'catastrophic' with no power or water in civilian homes (crowds holding Ukrainian flags at the Vatican, Rome)

As papal almsgiver, who is also known as 'Don Corrado', Cardinal Krajewski performs duties on behalf of the Pope to carry out charitable wishes for the poor.

Francis did not say where exactly the cardinals had gone, but said they represented him and all Christian people with the message that 'war is madness.'

Referring to Ukraine as 'that martyred country,' Francis called for a cessation of violence, the establishment of humanitarian corridors and a return to negotiations.

The humanitarian corridors are a type of demilitarized zone which would allow refugees and aid to be safely transited out of Ukraine as a crisis region.

The Mariupol city council announced the evacuation of Ukraine civilians through a corridor on Sunday to let 400,000 people flee from the southeastern city.

Similar efforts were made on Saturday before Russian bombing restarted just 45 minutes after a ceasefire was agreed.

The evacuation is set to take place between 12pm and 9pm on Sunday.

People will be able to use private transport to travel out the city, currently encircled by Russian troops, and will be accompanied by the Red Cross, while deviating from the set route is prohibited.

The city council has said: 'We ask all drivers leaving the city to facilitate the evacuation of civilians as much as possible - take people with you, fill the transport as much as possible.'

According to aid agency Doctors Without Borders (MSF) the humanitarian situation in Mariupol, a key target for the Russian invasion forces, is currently 'catastrophic' with no power or water in civilian homes.

The Catholic leader also dispatched two cardinals to Ukraine in a highly unusual move, saying that 'the Holy See is willing to do everything to put itself in service for peace

The papal almsgiver, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski (pictured), a Polish priest, has been dispatched to Ukraine with aid, along with Cardinal Michael Czerny, who is head of the papal office that deals with migration, charity, justice and peace

Ten days after Russia invaded Ukraine, more than 1.5 million people have fled the former Soviet state, the United Nations said, calling it 'Europe's fastest growing refugee crisis since World War II' (people holding signs in front of Pope Francis at his address in support of Ukraine)

They have called for a 'humanitarian corridor' to be imposed 'very quickly'.

If Russian forces succeed in capturing Mariupol which held out against rebel forces in the previous 2014 conflict, they will control Ukraine's entire Azov Sea coast.

This would give them a landbridge from Russia to Russian-annexed Crimea and an important supply route and port if they decide to push north in a bid to take all of eastern Ukraine.

A safe passage out the nearby city of Volnovakha has also been offered after failed efforts on Saturday.

Ten days after Russia invaded Ukraine, more than 1.5 million people have fled the former Soviet state, the United Nations said, calling it 'Europe's fastest growing refugee crisis since World War II'.

Ukrainian president Zelensky has warned that Russian forces were preparing to bombard Odessa on the Black Sea coast.

The Ukrainian military said Sunday it was engaged in "fierce battles" with Russian forces for the control of borders at the southern city of Mykolaiv and the Chernihiv in the north.

Hundreds of civilians have been killed and thousands wounded in the war, now into an 11th day, sending hundreds of thousands of mostly women and children pouring into neighbouring countries such as Poland, Romania or Moldova for refuge (Ukrainian supporters during prayer)

Putin has equated global sanctions with a declaration of war and has warned that Kyiv is 'putting in question the future of Ukrainian statehood' with its actions (Pope Francis reciting the Angelus noon prayer from the window of his studio)

'The main efforts are focused on defending the city of Mariupol,' it said in a Facebook post, adding an operation by Ukrainian forces was also under way in the eastern part of the Donetsk region.

Hundreds of civilians have been killed and thousands wounded in the war, now into an 11th day, sending hundreds of thousands of mostly women and children pouring into neighbouring countries such as Poland, Romania or Moldova for refuge.

The economic bill for Russia is lengthening by the day after the West imposed unprecedented sanctions against Russian businesses, banks and billionaires in a bid to choke off the country's economy.

In the latest efforts to freeze Moscow out of the world economy, US-based card payment giants Visa and Mastercard announced they would suspend operations in Russia, while world leaders vowed further punitive action if Russian President Vladimir Putin failed to change course.

In a sign that sanctions were beginning to bite, the Russian government said Sunday that retailers in Russia will limit sales of essential foodstuff to limit black market speculation.

Putin has equated global sanctions with a declaration of war and has warned that Kyiv is 'putting in question the future of Ukrainian statehood' with its actions.
On March 10, 1984, Wil Lou Gray passed away in Columbia. She was 100 years old and dedicated her life to fighting illiteracy and poverty in S.C. Gray was the daughter of a prominent attorney and merchant, William Lafayette Gray, who was also a state representative from Laurens County. Her mother, Sarah Louise Dial, the sister of U.S. Senator Nathaniel Barksdale Dial, died when Gray was only 9 years old.

After her graduation from Columbia College, Gray taught at a one-room schoolhouse in Greenwood County. She was struck by the poverty and lack of education in the area and decided to pursue a graduate degree. Attending both Vanderbilt and Columbia universities, Gray obtained a masters degree in political science. She also studied under professors who saw education as a means to promote democracy and equality.

Gray returned to South Carolina determined to work for the betterment of communities and to alleviate the problem of adult illiteracy. She established her first night school in Laurens County in 1915. In 1918, she became a field worker for the South Carolina Illiteracy Commission and in 1921 she was named South Carolina Supervisor of Adult Education. She remained in that role until 1946.

Gray tried several approaches to teaching adults, including night schools, summer sessions and educational camps that she called opportunity schools. The first opportunity school was established at the Daughters of the American Revolution Camp at Tamassee in Oconee County in 1921. The schools originally accepted white women only, but later admitted men and African Americans. The courses included home economics, Christianity, etiquette and citizenship.

After a long effort, Gray was able to get a portion of the old Columbia Air Base for her school and, in 1947, offered year-round programs there. She retired in 1957 and the school was renamed in her honor. The Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School served more than 26,000 students by the time of Grays death in 1984. Today, it works with at-risk youth.

Gray spent her later years volunteering for organizations that helped the disadvantaged. She organized the South Carolina Federation on Aging and continued to fight for equal education for all races and the eradication of poverty. Her portrait hangs in the South Carolina State House.
Sunday, March 6, 2022

News outlets across the nation last week reported on a tragedy in Sacramento. On a supervised visit, a father killed three children, and a chaparone, before killing himself at a church.

Sadly, news outlets and political leaders now are trying to make immigration an issue by highlighting the fact that the father was an undocumented immigrant from Mexico. This kind of sensationalism unfortunately is nothing new and occurs regularly in high profile cases involving immigrants. One should ask the question what his immigration status had to do with the horrible crime?

A local Sacramento news station reported that

"The gunman who killed his three daughters, a chaperone who was supervising his visit with the children and himself in a Sacramento County church was known to have struggled with mental health issues, officials said.

New details also reveal that David Mora Rojas, 39, also used a `ghost gun' in the shooting. Mora Rojas also overstayed his visa after entering California from his native Mexico on Dec. 17, 2018, on a non-immigrant visitor visa, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Alethea Smock told The Associated Press."

As the local report noted, the Associated Press appears to be the source about Rojas' immigration status.

Although mental health issues, not immigration status, appears to have directly resulted in the killings, Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones , who is running for Congress, says U.S. immigration policies and Californias sanctuarylaw somehow are to blame for the deadly church shootings.

"Theyll call me racist and evil," Jones wrote in a Facebook post. "But let me be perfectly clear, there is only ONE thing that allowed this horrific tragedy to occur with certainty: the deplorable state of our national immigration policies, and Californias Sanctuary State Laws."

The killings of the young people in a church by all appearances is a tragedy. We all should think about how it happened and how such tragedies could be avoided. For example, mental health crisis services are not as well funded and accessible as they perhaps should be. Oddly, rather than focus on mental health, news agencies have been broadcasting the father's immigration status and tapping into passions for the purpose of exploitation. President Trump tapped into similar passions, for example, characterizing Mexican immigrants as "criminals" and "rapists."

The truth of the matter is that Mora's immigration status had absolutely nothing to do with his criminal acts.

Although immigrants commit crimes, studies consistently show that immigrants commit crimes at lesser rates than native born U.S. citizens. News stories that focus on immigration status of alleged criminal perpetrators help reinforce stereotypes that immigrants are predisposed to crime, which is simply not true.

Immigrant rights advocates do not claim that immigrants who commit crimes should not be held accountable. No one could reasonably say that the perpetrator of a crime like that which occurred in the Sacramento church -- immigrant or not -- should not face criminal charges. With the alleged perpetrator dead, that is not possible in this case. Rather than chase immigration ghosts, we should think hard about how we can act to avoid tragic deaths of young people in the future.

KJ

UPDATE March 8:

KJ

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/immigration/2022/03/exploiting-immigration-passions-in-a-tragic-and-horrible-case.html
Do you have an event or calendar item you would like published in the Ravalli Republic? Please email your submission to events@ravallirepublic.com. Submit information in paragraph form. Submission does not guarantee publication. Posters and flyers will not be accepted.

Monday March 7

Bitterroot Public Library, Beaded gecko take home kit for kids. First come, first served, grab bag. The kit includes all materials and instructions to use a simple threading technique and pony beads to make a lizard key chain. For more information call 363-1670. 306 State St., Hamilton. bitterrootpubliclibrary.org.

North Valley Public Library, Mother Goose on the Loose, 10:30-11:30 a.m., children, babies and toddlers. For more information call 406-777-5061. 208 Main St., Stevensville. northvalleylibrary.org.

Hamilton Senior Center, lunch is served 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., $4; Hand and foot, every Monday, 12:30 p.m. Cards/shufflers provided. $1. 820 N. 4th St., Hamilton.

Golden Age Club, exercise class, 9-10 a.m. 727 S. 5th St., Hamilton.

Hamilton Rotary Club meets at noon at BJs Restaurant, 900 N. 1st St., Hamilton. Gary Locke form the Bitterroot Warming Shelter will be the guest speaker. This meeting is open to the public, and visitors are welcome.

Public Land Solutions: Outdoor Recreation Stakeholder In-Person Meeting, 5:30 p.m., Bitterroot River Inn, Hamilton. Following the initial kickoff stakeholder meetings this year in January, Public Land Solutions is hosting three in-person meetings to hear more from you about the public lands you visit and your ideas. For those who want to attend virtually, please use the zoom links below to access the online version of these meetings. In-person and virtual meetings will be held simultaneously.

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For more information contact Krystyna Dillard-Crawford at krystyna@publiclandsolutions.org.

Tuesday, March 8

Bitterroot Public Library, Coloring Club for Adults, meeting room, 10 a.m. to noon. Indulge your creative side and social network the old fashion way. Coloring pages and pens provided. Builders Club, 4 to 5 p.m., meeting room. Registration required. Builders Club is a weekly club that meets every Tuesday and offers free play building options for children through teens. Ages 5 and up. Socrates Cafe, 6:30 to 9 p.m., meeting room. No registration required. Revive the love of questions that Socrates inspired long ago and join the community of inquiry. For more information call 363-1670. 306 State St., Hamilton. bitterrootpubliclibrary.org.

North Valley Public Library, Role Playing Games (RPGs) in-person or online, 4-6 p.m., teens (12-18). For more information call 406-777-5061. 208 Main St., Stevensville. northvalleylibrary.org.

Hamilton School District Board Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Washington Elementary, room 13. The Board will be conducting this meeting with live participation. In addition to meeting in person, the district will broadcast the meeting via ZOOM and live on the HSD#3 Facebook page. You are encouraged to join the meeting at https://www.facebook.com/HamiltonSchoolDistrict3.

Corvallis School District Board of Trustees Meeting, 7 p.m., Corvallis High School library.

Public Land Solutions: Outdoor Recreation Stakeholder In-Person Meeting, 1 p.m., Frontier Cafe, Stevensville. Following the initial kickoff stakeholder meetings this year in January, Public Land Solutions is hosting three in-person meetings to hear more from you about the public lands you visit and your ideas. For more information contact Krystyna Dillard-Crawford at krystyna@publiclandsolutions.org.

Public Land Solutions: Outdoor Recreation Stakeholder In-Person Meeting, 5:30 p.m., Bitterroot River Inn, Hamilton. Following the initial kickoff stakeholder meetings this year in January, Public Land Solutions is hosting three in-person meetings to hear more from you about the public lands you visit and your ideas. For those who want to attend virtually, please use the zoom links below to access the online version of these meetings. In-person and virtual meetings will be held simultaneously.

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For more information contact Krystyna Dillard-Crawford at krystyna@publiclandsolutions.org.

Wednesday, March 9

Bitterroot Public Library, Baby and Toddler Storytime, meeting room, 10:30 a.m., registration required. Join Annika or Kat for a story, finger plays, rhymes and songs. Ages 0-2. Junior Chef Creations, meeting room, 4 to 5 p.m., registration required. Join us on our food creation journey. Learn the basics of cooking and baking and take home a snack. Ages 8 and up. For more information call 363-1670. 306 State St., Hamilton. bitterrootpubliclibrary.org.

Hamilton Senior Center, lunch is served 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., $4; 820 N. 4th St., Hamilton.

Golden Age Club, exercise class, 9-10 a.m. Pinochle games, 1 p.m., multiple bid, $2. 727 S. 5th St., Hamilton.

Divorcecare Support Group, 6:30 p.m., Wednesdays through April 6, Hamilton Assembly of God Church, upstairs room 24. You can join at any time. $20 fee for participant workbook. Scholarships available; child care provided.

Thursday, March 10

Bitterroot Public Library, Artful Thinking for Kids, 4 to 5 p.m., meeting room, registration required. Join us Thursday afternoons to unlock your inner artist. Learn about artists, style, technique and work with a wide variety of mediums. Ages 7 and up. Plant Bundling Workshop, 6 to 7:30 p.m., meeting room. Join local herbalist Hillary Sargent for a hands on plant wand class. These plant bundles are commonly used for smudging and/or decoration. The used plants are locally harvested and will be supplied for free to participants. Ages 7 and up. For more information call 363-1670. 306 State St., Hamilton. bitterrootpubliclibrary.org.

Friday, March 11

Bitterroot Public Library, Preschool Story time, 10:30 a.m., meeting room, registration required. Join Annika or Kat for stories, activities and games. Ages 3 to 5. One on One Tech Support, 11 a.m. to noon. Daniel Ray, community librarian, will tackle technology questions and/or frustrations with an in-person, one on one session. Reservations recommended. For more information call 363-1670. 306 State St., Hamilton. bitterrootpubliclibrary.org.

North Valley Public Library, Open World Fridays, 4-6 p.m., teens (12-18). For more information call 406-777-5061. 208 Main St., Stevensville. northvalleylibrary.org.

Hamilton Senior Center, lunch is served 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., $4; Pinochle games, 1 p.m., $2. 820 N. 4th St., Hamilton.

Golden Age Club, exercise class, 9-10 a.m. 727 S. 5th St., Hamilton.

Saturday, March 12

Free Family Activity: Flower Fairies, craft a flower fairy from repurposed silk flowers, chenille stems, wooden beads and paper butterfly wings. Ravalli County Museum, 205 Bedford St., Hamilton. 406-363-3338.

AA Meeting, 6-10 p.m., Bitterroot Public Library, 306 State St.

Further ahead

Tuesday, March 15

Corvallis Primary School Kindergarten Registration will be held on Tuesday, March 15 and Wednesday, March 16. Registration is by appointment only for children who will be 5 years of age by Sept. 10, 2022. To register parents/guardians need to schedule a screening appointment and complete our online registration by going to our school website, https://www.corvallisschools.org/ and clicking on the Kg Registration button. If you have further questions, please call the primary school office at 961-3261.

Wednesday, March 16

Corvallis Primary School Kindergarten Registration will be held on Tuesday, March 15 and Wednesday, March 16. Registration is by appointment only for children who will be 5 years of age by Sept. 10, 2022. To register parents/guardians need to schedule a screening appointment and complete our online registration by going to our school website, https://www.corvallisschools.org/ and clicking on the Kg Registration button. If you have further questions, please call the primary school office at 961-3261.

Thursday, March 17

Bitter Root Back Country Horsemen host their monthly meeting at the Corvallis School cafeteria on Eastside Highway in Corvallis. The meeting runs from 7-8:30 p.m. There will be no potluck, but you are welcome to bring your own dinner and socialize between 6:30- 7 p.m. No program speaker is scheduled for this month. Those members who attended the BCH Convention in Dillon held March 11-13 will be reporting on this event. The president will be asking for members to sign up for the projects that are scheduled for this summer. Discussion will be held on the packing scholarships for his year. For more information please call Gene at 208-310-6326 or check out the website at www.bchmt.org/bitterroot. Find us on Facebook at: Bitter Root Back Country Horsemen (BR BCH).

Saturday, March 19

Footloose Montana trap-release workshop at the North Valley Public Library from 24 p.m. Practice releasing traps and snares with hands-on experience. Learn about current trapping regulations and how to identify potential traps as well as how to avoid them. Learn what tools to carry with you while hiking and basic first aid should your pet be caught in a trap. Register for this event at northvalleylibrary.org or by contacting the library directly on 406-777-5061. The North Valley Public Library is located at 208 Main Street, Stevensville.

Monday, March 21

Bitterroot Audubons March Zoom meeting will feature a presentation on Common Loons in Montana by Donna Love, secretary of the Montana Loon Society and award-winning author of numerous nature books for children. Donna was first captivated by loons on Seeley Lake in 1997, and has been active in the Montana Loon Society ever since. Her first book was Loons, Diving Birds of the North, in 2003, and she has since published books with subjects ranging from ospreys to herons to glaciers. Learn more about these fascinating birds via Zoom at the Bitterroot Audubon meeting at 7 p.m. You must register in advance for this meeting at: https://bit.ly/34A02dm. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
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Hrithik Roshan or the Greek god of Bollywood is known for his choice of movies and the kind of work he puts into them. However , sometimes when you read about an actor rejecting an offer, it makes you wonder why they did so. Here are 5 films rejected by the star which went on to become blockbusters.



1. Swades

While Hrithik worked with Ashutosh Gowariker in Jodhaa Akbar, he wasnt too keen to do Swades. In an interview he later explained why he rejected the film. I had read Ashutoshs script for Swades. I couldnt see it from the directors perspective, and therefore didnt think I was equipped to perform the part. I wasnt the best person to translate Ashutoshs vision. And this was right after Lagaan so when Ashutosh came to me I felt on top of the world. Swades is one of my favourite films. And Ashutosh is definitely one of my favourite filmmakers he said.

2. Baahubali

The Greek God of Bollywood was offered the titular role but since he had just finished wrapping up Jodhaa Akbar, he wasnt in a zone to take up another period drama. Although on a show, the director has mentioned that he only had Prabhas in mind for the role.

3. Dil Chahta Hai

As per reports and various interviews, it was reported that Hrithik was offered the role of Sameer and even Sid in DCH. However, the actor wasnt keen on taking up the role and well, rest is history. It went on to become one of the most iconic movies of all time.

4. Rang De Basanti

As per reports, Hrithik was approached by the makers for playing the role of Karan Singhania, which was later taken by Siddharth.

5. Lagaan

Hrithik was originally offered Lagaan but again the actor wasnt too sure about the script. When Aamir took over the project, the film eventually went on to reach the Oscars.
NATO and the European Union have shown solidarity with the Ukrainian people and the Executive in Kyiv, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca said on Sunday.

He is at the Mihail Kogalniceanu-based 57th Air Force Base, accompanying President Klaus Iohannis and French Defence Minister Florence Parly, who is currently paying a visit to Romania, Agerpres.ro informs.

"The allies will continue to take all necessary measures and decisions to ensure the security and defence of all member states. Our measures will remain defensive, proportionate and non-escalating. Both NATO and the European Union have shown solidarity with the Ukrainian people and their government. We are united in full support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders," the head of the Executive said.
Stars from the UK came out in droves to join the Disneyland Paris 30th Anniversary celebrations on Saturday.

Vogue Williams, 36, and husband Spencer Matthews, 33, led the celebrities and their families arriving for the event.

Vogue looked effortlessly stylish in a khaki jacket that hid her growing baby bump and skintight black leggings

Wow: Vogue Williams, 36, and husband Spencer Matthews, 33, led the celebrities and their families arriving for the Disneyland Paris 30th Anniversary on Saturday

She sported a pair of blue Minnie Mouse ears on her head and shielded her eyes behind a pair of black sunglasses.

Spencer looked in high spirits beside her, in a cream jumper and dark jeans, while they posed for a sweet family photo with their son Theodore, three, and daughter Gigi, 20 months.

Vogue also slipped into a bright green coat, as she cradled Gigi and watched the parade go by, her blonde tresses left down to flutter in the breeze.

Trendy: Vogue looked effortlessly stylish in a khaki jacket that hid her growing baby bump and skintight black leggings

Stylish: She shielded her eyes behind a pair of black sunglasses, and strolled in a pair of white trainers

Spencer said: 'Its just so nice to come here now as a family. We watch lots of Disney films together, so I think for our kids its just a fun realisation that the characters are real.'

Vogue added: 'I think because we work a lot when were at home, to come away to Disneyland Paris and just spend two or three days just together as a family doing everything the whole time is amazing.

'And its really important and its so nice to see how happy it makes the kids, and its kind of all about them now.'

Family time: Spencer looked in high spirits beside her, in a cream jumper and dark jeans, while they posed for a sweet family photo with their son Theodore, three, and daughter Gigi, 20 months

Stunning: Vogue also slipped into a bright green coat, as she cradled Gigi and watched the parade go by, her blonde tresses left down to flutter in the breeze

For the kids: Spencer said: 'Its just so nice to come here now as a family. We watch lots of Disney films together, so I think for our kids its just a fun realisation that the characters are real'

Adorable: Vogue added: 'I think because we work a lot when were at home, to come away to Disneyland Paris and just spend two or three days just together as a family doing everything the whole time is amazing'

They were joined at the celebrations by Giovanna and Tom Fletcher who grinned in sheer delight as they walked around the park.

Giovanna looked lovely in a grey jumper, black trousers and multicoloured shoes, while wrapping up warm in a pale pink scarf.

She left her brunette locks down and opted to go makeup free, letting her natural and youthful beauty shine through.

Smiles all round: They were joined at the celebrations by Giovanna and Tom Fletcher who grinned in sheer delight as they walked around the park

Keeping warm: Giovanna looked lovely in a grey jumper, black trousers and multicoloured shoes, while wrapping up warm in a pale pink scarf

Amazing: She left her brunette locks down and opted to go makeup free, letting her natural and youthful beauty shine through

Tom cut a casual figure as he walked with him arm around her, wearing a grey hoodie emblazoned with Mickey Mouse.

He teamed the Disney jumper with a black jacket and matching black jeans, and hid his eyes behind a pair of shades.

The pair larked about with the characters, including Daisy Duck and Goofy and made sure to watch one of the parades.

Perfect outfit: Tom cut a casual figure as he walked with him arm around her, wearing a grey hoodie emblazoned with Mickey Mouse

On trend: He teamed the Disney jumper with a black jacket and matching black jeans, and hid his eyes behind a pair of shades

Having a blast: The pair larked about with the characters, including Daisy Duck and made sure to watch one of the parades

Magical time: Giovanna said: 'There is so much magic, and it feels like such a fitting celebration'

Giovanna said: 'The 30th Anniversary weekend at Disneyland Paris has been amazing. Theres been so much to do and so many new things to see. There is so much magic, and it feels like such a fitting celebration.'

Also in attendance was Aston Merrygold and his fiance Sarah Louise Richards with their two children Grayson, four, and Macaulay, one.

Aston looked effortlessly cool in a pair of camouflage cargo pants and a brown hoodie.

Happy: Also in attendance was Aston Merrygold and his fiance Sarah Louise Richards with their two children Grayson, four, and Macaulay, one

Handsome: Aston looked effortlessly cool in a pair of camouflage cargo pants and a brown hoodie

Pure delight: Aston introduced Daisy Duck to his son, who clapped in delight at meeting the Disney character

Sarah smiled beside him, donning an ace of hearts decorated jumper, and leather trousers as they posed for a snap with Donald Duck.

Aston said: 'For me Disneyland Paris  and especially the 30th Anniversary  is all about the family appeal. Every single person, regardless of if you are 1 or 91, there is something for everyone.

'As soon as you walk through the front gates, its literally like the magic starts to happen.'

For 30 years, Disneyland Paris has continued to develop more immersive experiences to bring stories and Characters from Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars franchises to life.

Since the historical opening of Disneyland Paris on 12 April 1992, the resort has hosted more than 375 million visits and is Europes top tourist destination.

Beauty: Sarah smiled beside him, donning an ace of hearts decorated jumper, and leather trousers as they posed for a snap with Donald Duck

'Something for everyone': Aston said: 'For me Disneyland Paris  and especially the 30th Anniversary  is all about the family appeal. Every single person, regardless of if you are 1 or 91, there is something for everyone'
The West has failed to learn the lessons of Russian behaviour that have led to the invasion of Ukraine, the Prime Minister said as he warned world leaders: We need to prepare now for even darker days ahead.

In a nearly 1,300-word essay in the New York Times published on Sunday, Boris Johnson appealed to his counterparts to do more to resist the normalisation of the Russian offensive.

Have we done enough for Ukraine? The honest answer is no, he wrote, as he set out a six-point plan which he thinks will tackle Russian President Vladimir Putins advance.

Mr Johnson said never in my life have I seen an international crisis where the dividing line between right and wrong has been so stark, as he insisted world leaders must not allow anyone in the Kremlin to get away with misrepresenting our intentions to find post-facto justification for their war of choice.

(PA Graphics)

Mr Putin has repeatedly tried to blame fears over the expansion of Nato as a reason for launching the attack on Ukraine.

But Mr Johnson said: The truth is that Ukraine had no serious prospect of Nato membership in the near future.

This is not a Nato conflict and it will not become one. No ally has sent combat troops to Ukraine.

We were ready to respond to Russias stated security concerns through negotiation. I and many other Western leaders have spoken to President Putin to understand his perspective.

It was now clear diplomacy never had a chance. But it is precisely because of our respect for Russia that we find the actions of the Putin regime so unconscionable.

We have no hostility towards the Russian people and we have no desire to impugn a great nation, a world power and a founding member of the United Nations. We despair of the decision to send young innocent Russians into a bloody and futile war.

Mr Johnson called on leaders to mobilise an international humanitarian coalition for Ukraine and support the country in its efforts to provide for its own self-defence.

(PA Graphics)

The economic pressure on the Kremlin should be ratcheted up, he said, and leaders must resist the creeping normalisation of what Russia is doing in Ukraine.

We have failed to learn the lessons of Russian behaviour that have led to this point, he wrote.

No-one can say we were not warned: we saw what Russia did in Georgia in 2008, Ukraine in 2014 and even on the streets of the British city of Salisbury. And I know from speaking to my counterparts on recent visits to Poland and Estonia just how acutely they feel the threat.

Mr Johnson also said while diplomatic paths to resolving the war must be pursued, this could only be done with the full participation of the legitimate Government of Ukraine.

He added that there also needs to be a rapid campaign to strengthen security and resilience across the Euro-Atlantic area.

It is no longer enough to express warm platitudes about the rules-based international order. We are going to have to actively defend it against a sustained attempt to rewrite the rules by force and other tools such as economic coercion, he said.

Shadow defence secretary John Healey said the Prime Minister must match his rhetoric with action.

He told Times Radio: In many ways, some of our allies could reasonably turn around and say well its all very well for you, Boris Johnson, but youve got to now match some of your tough rhetoric with your own action, particularly on humanitarian assistance, on diplomacy and on sanctions.

The Prime Ministers intervention comes as a desperate humanitarian crisis emerges in Ukraine.

The hopes of a temporary ceasefire in two Ukrainian cities were revived on Sunday, after a previous attempt on Saturday could not go ahead due to continued shelling.

Eduard Basurin, the head of the military in separatist-held Donetsk territory, said safe passage corridors for residents of the besieged port city of Mariupol and the city of Volnovakha will reopen.

Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary Dominic Raab (Jeff Overs/BBC)

Asked whether he thought the second attempt would hold, Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab told the BBCs Sunday Morning programme: Im very sceptical about any assurances or commitments that President Putin makes.

Of course, we want to do everything we can. We should exhaust all opportunities to try and provide humanitarian relief. But I think you only have to look at his track record in Syria to see that we need to be very careful to test any assurances Vladimir Putin gives.

Ukrainian deputy prime minister Olha Stefanishyna told the programme Ukrainians would never trust what the Russians say and that they know the Russian playbook by heart.

Meanwhile, Mr Raab defended the UKs support to Ukrainians fleeing the country, after reports in the French media that 150 refugees had been turned away at Calais because they did not have a visa.

Ive been lost in admiration by the way in which the British public has responded to the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine. From community groups to sports clubs and businesses, everyone in the UK has been united in their support for the Ukrainian people. pic.twitter.com/gzj0Wtb6W6  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) March 5, 2022

French interior minister Gerald Darmanin is reported to have written to Home Secretary Priti Patel accusing London of a totally inadequate response and lack of humanity and calling on her to set up a proper consular presence in Calais to deal with the humanitarian crisis.

Mr Raab did not deny the refugees had been turned away, and said: Look, if we just open the door not only will we not benefit the people that we need to, the genuine refugees, but I think we undermine the popular support for this very thing, so I dont think thats the right thing to do.

We need to make sure that were acting for those that need our support.

More than 1.5 million refugees have fled Ukraine in the past 10 days in the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War, the United Nations has said.
Its natural to think that if you ever need a blood transfusion that the blood supply will be there in your time of need. But what if it wasnt? What if the one thing that could save you was simply not available? Its an unthinkable thought, right? The reality is, the blood supply, like many things in life, is often taken for granted. We expect it to be available but know little about the herculean effort required to make it possible.

Much has been said about the nations blood supply during the past two years. The pandemic has indefinitely disrupted the traditional venues for blood drives and it has left blood centers reinventing themselves, and at times, sounding the alarm with the public to donate blood.

Susan Forbes

Local blood shortage: Help save a life! Bay County faces blood shortage due to COVID-19 and needs donations

Latest on COVID: Gov. DeSantis, Ladapo question masks and COVID-19 treatments in free speech push

So, what is the problem? Simply put, the pandemic has created a seismic shift in society. People are not where they once were, and locations for blood drives have been upended.

Remote work is a reality. Fewer people in the office means fewer people at the company blood drive. Before the pandemic, seeing a bloodmobile on campus at high schools and colleges was the norm. In a COVID-19 world, its an infrequent occurrence. Large community gatherings and festivals that used to bring people together making for a perfect backdrop for a blood drive, are not as prevalent as they were in a pre-pandemic society. Ongoing spikes in COVID-19 cases further displaces the donor base, because blood donors get sick too, and then they are unable to donate until they are better.

Less than 10% of the population donates blood. This reality makes ensuring a ready blood supply challenging under normal circumstances, let alone in the midst of a global pandemic. Despite the challenges, the need for blood remains.

One in three of us will need a blood transfusion at some point in our life. Its not really a matter of if, its a matter of when, you or a loved one will need a blood transfusion.

Story continues

One in seven patients entering a hospital will need a blood transfusion. Some might need one unit, others might need 100 or more. There are also patients with chronic health issues that require frequent blood transfusions. Trauma patients, cancer patients, sickle cell patients and transplant patients, just to name a few, depend on blood donors to live.

The important lifesaving role blood centers hold in the community is often misunderstood. Its a massive effort to ensure blood is available when and where it is needed. A carefully coordinated balancing act of the donations coming in versus the growing demand by hospitals.

Its a team effort to save lives and blood donors are often the star players. Blood that is donated today will be on the way to help a patient within two to three days. The turnaround is quick, making the need constant.

Nothing can stand in the way of the blood supply. Not a pandemic, not a hurricane or a snowstorm. Absolutely nothing.

Every blood center in the country operates around the clock, 365 days a year. In the middle of the night, when most people are asleep, blood centers are still going full force. The night shift team is processing, testing and distributing blood to hospitals, specialized cross-matching is taking place for patients with unique blood needs, couriers are traveling the highways delivering lifesaving blood, platelets and plasma to every hospital in America. It never stops, because the need for blood never stops.

Blood centers are on high alert, pursuing all avenues to raise awareness, to remain in the news cycle and to remain relevant with the sole purpose of ensuring blood is available when and where it is needed.

The situation facing the nations blood supply can be easily reversed. Together, we can change the narrative. Lets stop imagining a world where everyone who can donate blood does, and lets make it happen! Donating blood is safe, its easy and its needed.

There is no greater gift than to give someone their life back. The ability to save another persons life is running through your veins. Thats an amazing super power that you need to share, and never take for granted.

Susan Forbes is the senior vice president of corporate communications and public relations at OneBlood and is the co-host of the Share Your Power Podcast. OneBlood is one of the largest blood centers in the country, and distributes more than one million blood products annually to more than 250 hospitals throughout the Southeast.

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: OneBlood: Blood supply in U.S. sunk during pandemic; donations needed
Russia's military aggression against Ukraine fundamentally and dramatically affects European security, and the international community has responded "uniformly and swiftly," President Klaus Iohannis said on Sunday.

He made a statement along with Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca and French Defence Minister Florence Parly at the 57th Air Base in Mihail Kogalniceanu.

"The military aggression launched by the Russian Federation against Ukraine is fundamentally and dramatically affecting European, transatlantic and global security. The international community has responded uniformly and swiftly. There have been taken substantial measures to help Ukraine, which is facing an extremely brutal aggression, with many civilians dead and many others injured and, on the other hand, there have been a number of very harsh and extensive sanctions packages taken against Russia and Belarus," he said, Agerpres.ro informs.

He added that, in the context of this crisis, Romania has mobilized in an exemplary manner.

Before the statements, a moment of silence was held in memory of the eight Romanian soldiers who died on March 2, in two aircraft crashes.
A number of 2,849 Ukrainian citizens have applied for asylum in Romania since the beginning of the conflict in the neighbouring country, according to a press release of the Ministry of Interior (MAI) sent to AGERPRES on Sunday.

These citizens enjoy all the rights provided by the national legislation, according to the same source and they can also benefit, throughout the procedure, from accommodation in the centres especially arranged by the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI), if they so wish, as well as from a series of assistance measures (financial, medical, specialized psychological and legal counseling, access to the labour market and cultural adaptation activities).

In addition, they can benefit from the support of international and non-governmental organizations working in the field of migration, Agerpres.ro informs.

At this moment, the occupancy rate of IGI accommodation centres is 66.1pct.

Regarding the traffic through the border crossing points, the MAI mentions that on Saturday 91,607 people, out of which 31,628 Ukrainian citizens, entered the country, and 98,138 people, out of which 23,180 Ukrainian citizens, left the Romanian territory.

At the same time, 22,253 means of transport crossed the border on the way in and 24,300 on the way out.
WRS will represent Romania at the Eurovision 2022 song contest, with the song "Llamame," which was chosen after the National Selection held on Saturday in the Pangrati studio of the TVR (Romania's national television broadcaster).

"I still don't realize what's going on (...) I want to thank my team, the dancers - Vivi, Emi, Andrei and Ruxi -, I want to thank Costi, who wrote the song together with me. It happened in a mountain hut, where it was actually very cold, while we were singing about summer and in Spanish. It feels great after so many years of work because there are many years of work behind the three minutes that you saw on the stage. I am very proud of myself, and it's very important, as I said in the lyrics, to be in a very healthy relationship with yourself, to appreciate your work, to know the level at which you are and i really worked very very much on the stage for so many years. For me, the stage is sacred, and when I stepped on it, I left all worries behind. The audience deserves a moment as close to perfection as possible," said the artist.

Coming second and third were Kyrie Mendel, with "Hurricane," and Dora Gaitanovici, with "Ana."

The jury was made of: Alexandra Ungureanu, Ozana Barabancea, Randi, Cristian Faur and Adrian Romcescu.

The audience was the sixth jury of the national final, Agerpres.ro informs.

Representatives of the Eurovision Song Contest from seven countries took the stage after the performances of the contestants: Zdob and Zdub - "Trenuletul" (Republic of Moldova), Ronela Hajati - "Secret" (Albania), Vladana - "Breathe" (Montenegro), We Are Domi - "Lights off" (Czech Republic), Andrea - "Circles" (Northern Macedonia), Stefan - "Hope" (Estonia), Intelligent Music Project - "Intention" (Bulgaria).

A special moment was offered by the children's choir "Sound of Music" which performed "Ode to Joy."

The last recital was given by the Ukrainian artist Jamala, winner of the 2016 edition of the European song competition, who took the stage with the flag of her country in her hand. Jamala, a refugee from the hell unleashed in her country, performed the song "1944," which took Eurovision to Kyiv.

"I invite you all to stop this war. (...) Many people have been killed. (...) Say NO to the destruction and killing of children! I want to thank you first and foremost as our neighbour. Thank you very much!" Jamala said after his recital.

Under the slogan "The sound of beauty," the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 will take place in Turin, with its semifinals scheduled for May 10 and 12 and the final for May 14.

Romania will enter the competition on May 12, in the second part of the semifinal.

Eurovision Song Contest 2022 will bring, on the stage in Turin, the representatives of the 41 countries competing: Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Switzerland, Finland, France , Germany, Georgia, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Northern Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

Romania's best performances in this competition were twice the third place (Luminita Anghel & Sistem - Kyiv 2005; Paula Seling and Ovi - Oslo 2010) and once the fourth place (Mihai Traistariu - Athens 2006).
March 9 update: Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced over $6 million in relief funds for families affected by the fires in Florida.

Three fast-moving wildfires in the Florida Panhandle have consumed more than 10,000 acres and forced the evacuation of more than 1,100 homes, the authorities said.

The Bertha Swamp Road fire began Friday in Gulf County, about 60 miles southwest of Tallahassee, and spread north into Bay and Calhoun Counties, the Florida Forest Service said. The fire had burned around 9,000 acres and was 10 percent contained as of Sunday afternoon, Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a news briefing on Sunday.

Thats a big boy and its raging very quickly, he said.

Mr. DeSantis said emergency responders had been injured, but it was not clear how many were hurt or the nature of their injuries.
(Natural News) Many of the major tech giants, including Google, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter and even Netflix, are cutting off Russian content entirely in response to the Ukraine invasion.

China, meanwhile, is still allowed to spread as much propaganda as it wants via social media, despite the fact that it contributed to the creation of the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19).

Big Tech is basically colluding to censor all things Russia from their various platforms, and only allow a pro-Ukraine narrative.

The Russian news networks RT and Sputnik, for instance, can no longer share any content on the aforementioned platforms after European Union officials pressured the Silicon Valley giants into obeying and supporting the narrative.

On Saturday, Meta, the new parent company of Facebook, along with Google, demonetized and banned all advertising from RT and various other Russia-backed channels. The move aims to prevent these Russia-based companies from earning revenue.

The EU also announced that all Kremlin-based media outlets must be banned, even if it requires unprecedented measures in order to censor Russian disinformation.

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, announced EU president Ursula von der Leyen.

So we are developing tools to ban their toxic and harmful disinformation in Europe.

EU also wants Google to ban users who challenge the official war narrative

EU industry chief Thierry Breton is also calling on Google to ban users who push war propaganda as part of a seemingly global effort to control the narrative surrounding Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Freedom of expression does not cover war propaganda, Breton said in a statement following a video call with Google CEO Sundar Pichai and YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki.

For too long, content from Russia Today and other Russian state media has been amplified by algorithms and proposed as recommended content to people who had never requested it.

War propaganda should never be recommended content  what is more, it should have no place on online platforms at all. I count on the tech industry to take urgent and effective measures to counter disinformation.

In almost immediate obedience to Bretons call, Google issued a statement announcing that it will now censor all content from Russian news networks. YouTube, its subsidiary, will also block all channels connected to RT and Sputnik across Europe, effective immediately.

Itll take time for our systems to fully ramp up, Google Europe added in a tweet. Our teams continue to monitor the situation around the clock to take swift action.

Nick Clegg, the president of global affairs at Meta, also announced on Twitter that the company has agreed to obey requests from a number of governments calling on Facebook and Instagram to no longer allow the sharing of content from RT and Sputnik on their platforms.

The China-owned TikTok platform has likewise blocked these two sources and all associated accounts.

Netflix announced that all Russian TV channels and content providers are now blocked on the subscription service. This is in spite of a Russian law requiring major streaming services making a profit in the country, which Netflix is, to include Russian content.

Given the current situation, we have no plans to add these channels to our service, a Netflix spokesperson told Variety.

Meanwhile, no one in the tech world is doing anything about communist China spreading propaganda online, even though we now know that the Chinese government is involved with creating biological weapons like the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19).

More related news about Big Tech can be found at Censorship.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheGatewayPundit.com

NaturalNews.com
An 11-year-old boy from Ukraine has crossed the border into Slovakia with just a plastic bag, a passport and a telephone number written on his hand, Slovak police said Sunday.

"He came all alone from Zaporizhzhia because his parents had to stay in Ukraine," police spokeswoman Denisa Bardyova told AFP.

Volunteers took care of the boy, who arrived on Saturday, and provided him with food and drink.

Follow live updates on Russia-Ukraine crisis here

The boy's mother had put her son on a train to Slovakia since she could not leave because she has to look after her own disabled mother.

"I am very grateful that they saved the life of my child," the mother, Yulia Pisetskaya, said in a video message posted on Facebook on Sunday.

"In your small country, there are people with big hearts," the mother said.

The police said on Facebook that the boy "won everybody's hearts with his smile, fearlessness and determination, worthy of a real hero".

Local volunteers have managed to contact the boy's relatives in Slovakia, who have now come for him and brought him to the capital Bratislava.

Watch the latest DH Videos here:
Are peaceful protests under attack?

Is peaceful dissent to be shut down merely because it is politically incorrect and goes against the elites view of what is just and unjust?

In his End of the Day Report, Gary Bauer often notes that the Left doesnt want to win the debate. The Left wants to shut the debate down.

We can see an example of that in the recent case of the rise and fall of the peaceful protests of the Canadian truckers.

For the first time since it was passed in 1988, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act to shut down the protests of the Canadian truckers.

To see how far to the Left Trudeau is, note what he proclaimed in 2016 upon the death of the notorious dictator who brought communism to Cuba: Fidel Castro was a larger than life leader who served his people for almost half a century. A legendary revolutionary and orator, Mr. Castro made significant improvements to the education and healthcare of his island nation.

Why did the truck drivers protest in the first place? They resented being forced to be double-vaccinated against the coronavirus. Some of them apparently were vaccinated, but they resented the vaccine mandate as an encroachment on their freedom.

They stuck to their peaceful protests until the Canadian government swooped down on them with horse-mounted police. Once the protests had been gutted, Trudeau initially clung to keeping the Emergencies Act in effect.

In the Canadian Parliament, Senator Denise Batters remonstrated against this measure on February 22. She said,

What a sad day it is, honorable senators, when it has come to this. That this Trudeau government has invoked and employed the Emergencies Act on Canadian citizens before it could even be voted on in Parliament. Tear gas and batons and lines of police to shove back protesters chanting for freedom. Truck windows smashed, bank accounts frozen, promises to hunt down even those who chose to leave the protests voluntarily, and even now with the bridge blockades in Ottawas protest cleared, the prime minister cant tell us when the Emergencies Act and its extensive government power will be lifted, only that his government plans to make some of the features of those powers permanent.

The next day, thankfully, Trudeau relented and revoked keeping the Emergencies Act in effect.

There seems to be a double standard when it comes to truly peaceful protests versus the violent ones. Since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of a policeman (now convicted of manslaughter), there have been hundreds of protests across the United States.

They have resulted in the deaths of a few dozen people and in property damage worth approximately $2 billion. Just within two weeks of Floyds death, Forbes reported that 19 people died in protests.

To this day, there have been various ongoing protests by Antifa in Portland, Oregon.

Yet these mostly peaceful protesters, as the Left disingenuously calls them, have only received a collective slap on the wrist, despite all the deaths and billions in property damage.

The great 19th-century American statesman, Daniel Webster, once noted this about the United States:

We live under the only government that ever existed which was framed bydeliberate consultations of the people. Miracles do not cluster. That which has happened but once in 6,000 years cannot be expected to happen often. Such a government, once gone, might leave a void, to be filled, for ages, with revolution and tumult, riot and despotism.

Part of the reason the American experiment of the founders has proved so durable over time is the Biblical undergirding of our Constitution. Our founders knew that man is sinful and that power must be divided.

James Madison, a key architect of the U.S. Constitution, once said in Federalist #47,

The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.

We cant have two systems of justice  one for the politically correct elite and another for the unwashed masses.

Theres a reason that Justice, as portrayed in the statues as a robed woman holding scales, is blind. In the Western system of law, which has been applied in both the U.S. and Canada, all people are to be treated equally under the law.
As we progress through this legislative session, it is imperative that our state leaders and policymakers focus on the most immediate and pressing issues affecting public education.

Now is not the time to be proliferating additional tax credits or school choice in Oklahoma. We already offer more choices for how a parent chooses to educate his or her child than most states around us.

Surely we fall in the Top Ten in this category when you consider our new open transfer law, nonregulated home schools, charter school offerings, statewide virtual charter schools, the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship and the Equal Opportunity Scholarship.

Without question, Oklahoma parents have choice in terms of where they choose to send their child to school.

Regardless of the choice a parent makes in terms of where they send their child, there is one educational issue that must be addressed immediately  Oklahomas teacher shortage.

It is a profoundly significant issue that is not going away. Meaningful action asserts we must be intentional and strategic.

It is disingenuous to say our teachers will be making six figures without a firm plan. I certainly applaud Gov. Kevin Stitts desire to pay our teachers this amount. Having battled through this pandemic and knowing the value teachers bring to our childrens education, they more than deserve it!

We have exceptional teacher preparation programs in our state; just ask Texas, Missouri, and Arkansas as they continue to recruit our graduates. Oklahoma has some of the best educators in the nation, ranking 11th with more than 3,117 National Board certified teachers.

The problem is we are not producing enough teachers to meet the demand.

As a result, the Oklahoma State Department of Education issued a mindboggling 3,616 emergency teaching certifications this school year. Compare that to just 32 during the 2011-12 school year.

Couple this number with an estimated 1,100 education graduates this spring seeking to fill roughly 4,000 open teaching positions. Equally alarming are teacher retirements that were up 38% this year, causing further strain to a system hit hard by the pandemic.

Whats the fix? It wont be easy.

Some things we need to consider: ensure our teacher pay continues to remain the highest in the region, provide more competitive health benefits, offer tuition waivers and increase the Oklahoma Teacher Retirement System multiplier.

We also need to take a hard look at restructuring the teacher salary schedule to reward those who stay in the system with pay incentives over the course of their careers, or even removing the 36-month earnings cap for a retired teacher.

It is time we get serious about how we recruit and retain quality teachers in Oklahoma.

If Oklahoma wants to land Fortune 500 companies and high-paying jobs, then we must take meaningful action that shows we highly value common education in Oklahoma.

Just as effective teachers are the lifeblood of a schools success, sustaining quality pre-K through 12th grade schools are the surest way to increasing Oklahomas economic viability and our quality-of-life measures. To this end, we need to expand the teacher pipeline.

With record increases to our states general revenue fund, now is the time to capitalize on addressing our serious teacher shortage.

Lets remember that the education of our children is one of our states most important priorities. Thus, the quality of this educational experience is optimized when our children are instructed by highly qualified teachers at every grade level.

The harsh reality is we have an unsustainable pipeline of available teachers that must be addressed immediately. The crisis is already bigger than we care to admit.

Featured video:
Stunning symphony

On Feb. 12, we had the treat of attending the Omaha Symphony perform Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2. The show was magnificent! We would like to congratulate the musicians and music director Bahl for a stunning performance. We wish that all of Omaha could have been there for this evening. If our symphony wishes to play this concert again, we would be overjoyed and be first in line to attend.

Wayne & Cyndi Mattson, Omaha

Omaha Performing Arts

Ambassadors

Thrilling concert

Congratulations and thank you to the Omaha Symphony for the thrilling concerts on Feb. 11 and 12. The programming was adventurous and scintillating. Maestro Bahl is a masterful conductor leading the players with artistry. He is dynamic and expressive and conducts with compassion and understanding.

Omaha is fortunate to have an orchestra of this caliber to call its own due to sponsors and ticket purchases.

I sincerely hope that the press will review the next outstanding and interesting performance so others will be able to know the artistic news.

Loree MacNeill, Omaha

Support local journalism

The Feb. 27 episode of 60 Minutes on CBS aired a timely story about Alden Global Capital, a $2.1 billion hedge fund managing assets for 10 unnamed clients. Alden is known for buying local newspapers, slashing 70% of the staff and selling off all the assets (buildings, equipment, etc.). In other words, destroying dozens of local newspapers. I was gratified to see, in the March 1 paper, that a judge ruled against Aldens underhanded attempt to buy Lee Enterprises, the publisher of the World-Herald and a multitude of other local newspapers.

The 60 Minutes episode illustrates what happens when local newspapers disappear. Democracy cannot survive without an informed electorate to hold city, county and state officials accountable and local newspapers are a key source of their information. Not everything in this country should be about profitability. Journalism is about more than making a profit. It has a higher calling to inform citizens of local  along with national and world  news. The Omaha World-Herald provides this vital service to the people of eastern Nebraska.

Also, we must ask, who are these 10 unnamed clients of Aldens hedge fund? Do they have our best interests at heart? I doubt it.

Catherine Walling, Omaha

The Nebraska Way

Like many Nebraskans, I have watched dueling TV ads, some times back-to-back, from Mr. Pillen and Mr. Herbster in their race to see who will be nominated for Republican candidate for governor of Nebraska. Both candidates are in the agriculture business, wealthy, supporters of Trump, and say they will do things the Nebraska way

Mr. Pillen and Mr. Herbster, please inform us what you mean by the Nebraska way?

Was it the Nebraska way in Richardson County  home of Herbster  when an a Nebraska elected sheriff ignored the pleas of a 21-year-old trans woman, who had been viciously raped and beaten by two ex-convicts known to the sheriff.

She ran barefoot in freezing weather to escape them; and the Nebraska sheriff refused to arrest; only to allow these two felons to murder Tina Brandon and two of her friends several days later.

Or was it the Nebraska way in Gage County, when Nebraska elected officials falsely arrested and convicted six young people, who came to be known as the Beatrice Six, for raping and murdering a 68-year-old widow, who they did not even know, and imprisoning them for 75 years.

Or on a more positive note, was it the Nebraska Way when a young lawyer named William Jennings Bryan, who was nominated three times to be president of the United States, spoke out for poor farmers; or when Sen. Geo Norris helped create the Nebraska Unicameral, and was the driving force for the Tennessee Valley Authority which brought water to poor farmers; or Bob Kerrey, a Nebraska boy who lost a leg in the Vietnam War, was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, and later was governor and U.S. senator? But I guess those men were Democrats, and would not count in your book.

Herb Friedman, Lincoln

Carbon-free energy

I appreciated reading Nancy Gaarders insights into carbon-free energy (Feb. 15). Clearly, we will need a carbon-free way to keep the lights on when the sun isnt shining, and the wind isnt blowing.

Nuclear power could work if, as the story points out, it can be produced safely and economically. Unfortunately, we have repeatedly heard that safe, economical nuclear power is on the horizon, or 10 years away. As NPPDs Tom Kent said, nuclear power will prove itself, or not, within the next 10 years.

It would be wise for utilities to hedge their bets and seriously consider green hydrogen.

The media should do so as well. Green hydrogen is already being used. It still needs some work to be cost effective, but that is achievable. This technology uses excess sun and wind energy to produce hydrogen and store it for later use.

That puts Nebraska  with its abundance of wind and sun  in an excellent position for a green hydrogen future.

Entrepreneurs such as Australias Andrew Forrest are hard at work promoting this promising technology.

Ann Harms, Omaha
Clinic doctors may soon be without essential equipment and firefighters without protective gear due to an advisory issued by National Treasury this week following its Constitutional Court loss over BEE procurement rules.

In mid-February, Sakeliga said it won a significant victory in its campaign against Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) policies.

The Constitutional Court ruled that BEE regulations issued by former finance minister Pravin Gordhan in 2017 were invalid and unconstitutional.

These regulations, issued under the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act, allowed organs of state to disqualify bidders from a tender if they were not 100% black-owned.

Previously, all bids submitted according to tender specifications would be considered, and the bidders BEE status would make up some fraction of their final score  usually 10% or 20%.

Following the Constitutional Court ruling, National Treasury director-general Dondo Mogajane issued a circular to government departments stating that that:

Tenders advertised before 16 February 2022 be finalised in terms of the Procurement Regulations struck down by the ConCourt

Tenders advertised on or after 16 February 2022 be held in abeyance

No new tenders be advertised

Sakelige CEO Piet le Roux decried the circular as an unlawful instruction.

However, on Thursday, Le Roux revealed that Mogajane had conceded that the circular was not binding in response to their questions.

Despite Mogajanes assurance that the circular was merely advisory, municipal governments in Cape Town and Johannesburg said it had placed them in a difficult position.

Afrikaans-language newspaper Rapport reported that in Cape Town, tenders to the value of hundreds of millions are standing still.

Quoting Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, the paper wrote that the metropolitan municipality had hoped to conclude a tender for essential medical equipment by 22 March.

It includes new blood pressure monitors, blood glucose sensors, stethoscopes, and other medical devices for the citys clinics.

Another example of a vital tender stuck in limbo is one for weatherproof jackets and fire-retardant clothing for the citys firefighters.

Johannesburg spokesperson Nthatisi Modingoane told Rapport that tenders of R1.3 billion are standing still in South Africas economic hub.

Modingoane warned that Treasurys embargo would have a massive impact on service delivery, the citys procurement plan for the year, and their integrated development plan goals.

Hill-Lewis and Modingoane also warned that various contracts that are renewed monthly would eventually need to be cancelled if Treasurys moratorium dragged on.

In the Western Cape, provincial finance minister David Maynier said Mogajanes circular would immediately halt 86 tenders to the value of R1.85 billion planned for March 2022.

Maynier said that he has written to national finance minister Enoch Godongwana to request that Treasury urgently withdraw the note.

Thus far, Mogajane has refused to withdraw the circular and instead wrote to Sakeliga to clarify that the note was purely an advisory document.

Sakeliga warned that National Treasury was creating a semblance of lawfulness for the continued application of BEE-based pre-disqualification of tenders.

This while the Constitutional Court now has finally confirmed the invalidity of the BEE-based pre-disqualification in terms of the 2017 regulations of the Minister of Finance, Sakeligas Le Roux stated.

Todays letter by the Director-General to Sakeliga has removed the need for urgent litigation and means that government institutions may now proceed with procurement, regardless of National Treasurys view of the judgment in favour of Sakeliga handed down by the Constitutional Court on 16 February.

Sakeliga said it is on standby to resort to litigation again should National Treasury or other government institutions try to sidestep the Constitutional Courts judgment.
Northern Irish dairy farmers are being encouraged to contact their board representative to demand a 'much-needed' price for their milk.

The call, by the Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU), follows this weeks dairy auction in New Zealand hitting hit all-time record levels.

The GDT Index has increased 19.5% since the end of 2021, while whole milk powder (WMP) prices have seen a rise of 23% so far this year.

The UFU said dairy processors were failing to pass significant dairy commodity returns back to their suppliers.

Speaking after an angry dairy committee meeting, UFU dairy chairman Mervyn Gordon said farmers were 'beyond frustrated at this stage'.

"They are not seeing any benefit from the booming dairy market because of their processors," he explained.

The UFU would urge every dairy farmer to pick up the phone and ring their local board representative following their ongoing hesitation to provide a justified, fair return to producers for their milk.

To aggravate the situation further, our dairy farmers expressed their anger that when dairy commodity prices fell two years on the back of Covid-19, dairy companies were very quick to slash the farmgate price.

"Yet, now when we are on the flip side, theyre dragging their heels on giving farmers the return they deserve despite record rises for all dairy products.

The UFU MPI allows for processing costs which is data published by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and does not account for processor margin nor transport.

Farmers are aware of the data, they have seen it first-hand. Producers need to have confidence in the processor they are supplying," Mr Gordon said.

"They put so much effort into producing high-quality milk and their margins are under severe pressure with record high input prices.

"Should confidence in their processor not be restored, there will be a severe shortage of milk when it is needed most.

Whilst the UFU can make calls to dairy companies urging them to pay reflective milk prices, the processors cannot ignore direct calls from the very people that their businesses are built upon.

"I would urge them to address this situation immediately and do what is right, added Mr Gordon.
Union Law Minister has reached Vienna on his way back to India from Slovakia where he coordinated evacuations of Indians from the war-hit Ukraine.

In a tweet, the Indian embassy said the ambassador received Rijiju in the Austrian capital.

"With great pleasure and honour Ambassador Jaideep Mazumder welcomed Hon'ble Minister of Law and Justice Ji in Vienna, enroute to India from Bratislava, during his and Team MEA's successful efforts for Operation Ganga," the embassy tweeted.

With the Ukrainian airspace having been shut for civilian aircraft amid the ongoing Russian military offensive, India is evacuating its citizens through Ukraine's neighbouring countries such as Poland, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia under Operation Ganga.

Union ministers Rijiju, Gen V K Singh (retd), Hardeep Singh Puri and Jyotiraditya Scindia were sent to the countries bordering Ukraine to coordinate evacuation of Indians from the war-hit country.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Turkey unveils mock-up of fifth-generation fighter

Expert says supporters of current authorities tried in every way to assure that it was Ankara that was holding Baku back

Turkey considers it necessary to abolish veto in UN Security Council

Armenia and Luxembourg PMs meet in New York

Armenian PM presents Slovenian President consequences of Azerbaijani aggression

Hungary to hold public opinion poll on support for EU sanctions on Russia

Armenian and Dominican Republic FMs meet on margins of UNGA

ICRC takes part in handing over bodies of Armenian servicemen to Armenian authorities

Turkey to send more than 3,000 police officers to Qatar to protect public order during World Cup

Expert: Under current circumstances Armenia must suspend negotiation process with Turkey

NEWS.am digest: Armenian PM gives speech at UN, Azerbaijan again violates ceasefire

Danish authorities to help with energy payments despite central bank warning

Gevorgyan at PACE: We refuse to believe that promise of access to Caspian Sea gas and oil can cloud mind

G20 trade ministers meeting ends without joint statement

Icelandic police arrest four Icelanders suspected of planning terrorist attacks

Turkologist: Prospects for normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations extremely far away

Investigative Committee of Armenia initiates proceedings on actions of Red and Black Berets in Yerablur

UK energy package to cost 60 billion pounds over six months

French Embassy advises its citizens to refrain from visiting Armenian regions bordering Azerbaijan

MOD: As of 6 pm, situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border remains unchanged

Business decline in Germany intensified in September

Karekin II: Clear position of international community is important to deter Azerbaijani aggression

Dollar, euro lose value in Armenia

CSTO Secretary General and Armenian Deputy FM discuss joint measures for de-escalation in region

American billionaire compares inflation in U.S. to fall of Roman Empire

Grigoryan's Office: Deputy Prime Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan hold short conversation

Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister tells Canadian counterpart about Azerbaijani aggression

U.S. Embassy urges its citizens to be careful in Armenia and not to visit five border regions

Focus online: Germany faces deindustrialization

Iran claims elimination of terrorist group on border with Azerbaijan in Khoda Afarin

Tehran residents hold mass rallies against rioters

Bar association board of Frances Haut-de-Seine strongly condemns Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia

Lawyer: It would have been effective if Armenia had applied to UN Court under Hostages Convention

Azerbaijan media: Armenia, Azerbaijan deputy PMs meet in Moscow

Trump: US is going to hell

Silvio Berlusconi: Putin was 'pushed' into war with Ukraine

OSCE Secretary General and trio discuss recent military actions on Armenia-Azerbaijan border

Lapid calls for 2-state solution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Armenia Deputy Prosecutor General is dismissed

Peskov: No decisions on flights from Russia to Northern Cyprus have been made so far

Kremlin: It's hard to understand hysterical reaction to partial mobilization

Yerevan new deputy mayor on military pantheon incident: I hope those who are guilty will be punished

Senator Menendez calls on Biden administration to halt all security assistance to Azerbaijan

Armenia Criminal Court of Appeal judge submits resignation

UN senior representatives visit Armenias Syunik Province, say they aim to record needs of local residents

Lukashenko: Belarus expects to become a member of SCO in year

Norwegian Prime Minister: The war has to stop

Macron warns of crisis of democracies

Thomas de Waal: More storm clouds gather over Armenia, Azerbaijan

Armenia FM to Jordan counterpart and deputy PM: Maximalist policy of Azerbaijan needs to be restrained

Armenia parliament speaker calls on all international colleagues to condemn Azerbaijan military aggression

Armenia former deputy PM Tigran Avinyan is appointed Yerevan Deputy Mayor

Yerevan market explosion criminal proceedings: 1 of 3 arrested accused is released

Estonian PM urges to prepare for rolling blackouts

Yerevan city council holding special session, appointing ex-deputy PM Tigran Avinyan as deputy mayor is on agenda

Fly Arna receives its second Airbus A320 aircraft

Armenia defense ministry dismisses Azerbaijan MOD statement disseminated a while ago

Anthony Blinken's father passes away aged 96

MOD: Azerbaijan army fires at Armenia combat positions, at around 7:40am

Armenia MP: Azerbaijan opened fire at Kutakan village positions

Pashinyan at UN: Azerbaijan stalls repatriation of Armenian POWs

Newspaper: Armenia PM, parliament majority faction have closed discussion day after military operations

PM Pashinyan at UN, addresses Azerbaijan president: Could you show map of Armenia that you recognize?

PM Pashinyan at UN: Azerbaijan intends to seize new territories from Armenia

Blinken to Armenia PM: US is ready to continue its efforts aimed at negotiation, peace process

FM addresses at Ancient Civilizations Forum: Armenian cultural heritage is being destroyed by Azerbaijan

Putin, Mohammed bin Salman discuss transferring of foreign POWs to Saudi Arabia

NATO chief says he is extremely concerned about recent events on Armenia-Azerbaijan border

PM: Georgia ready to become venue for Armenia-Azerbaijan dialogue

Spain wants to introduce tax on richest

Pashinyan and Mirzoyant meet with NATO Secretary General

German government intends to nationalize gas importer Sefe

Armenian side does not exclude possibility of Pashinyan and Erdogan meeting in Prague

Former Presidents and Catholicos discuss situation in Armenia

ADB lowers its economic growth forecast for developing Asia

Fire breaks out in Khosrov Forest Reserve

Saudi Arabia plans to send first female cosmonaut into space in 2023

Ararat Mirzoyan attends US President's reception

Israel agrees to sell advanced air defense system to the UAE

How does adversary aggression, mobilization in Russia, and currency fluctuations affect Armenian tourism?

Raisi to Pashinyan: Iran-Armenia connection should not be threatened

Karekin II and former presidents meet in Echmiadzin

Tatoyan Foundation: Azerbaijan is misleading international community with its lies

It becomes more and more difficult for EU to agree on new sanctions against Russia

Lavrov: Western countries become party to conflict in Ukraine

CSTO Secretary General visits Armenian border region

U.S. imposes sanctions on Iranian vice police

Liz Truss considers moving British embassy in Israel to Jerusalem

Speaker of Iranian Parliament: Security in Persian Gulf will be achieved by withdrawal of extra-regional powers

CSTO exercises will be held in Kazakhstan

Lawyer: Mothers of deceased servicemen in Yerablur are subjected to different bodily injuries

Erdogan will hold meeting on Russian 'Mir' cards and possible sanctions

Erdogan does not rule out meeting with Pashinyan in Prague: We will have certain initiatives on Caucasus

U.S. again calls for halting military aid to Azerbaijan

Iran demonstrates new long-range ballistic missiles for first time

Two servicemen of Armenian Armed Forces are out of encirclement after 9 days

Karekin II to meet today with Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan

Trump: Conflict in Ukraine can lead to World War III

Russia's budget deficit in 2022 will amount to 1.3 trillion rubles

One of Armenia civilians wounded in recent Azerbaijan military aggression dies
How does the Ukraine-Russia conflict end?

Early in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, then-Maj. Gen. David Petraeus (later a four-star general and director of the Central Intelligence Agency) rhetorically asked author Rick Atkinson the question, How does this end? as they surveyed the battlefield together.

The same question is being asked about the war in Ukraine. While we have no crystal ball at The Heritage Foundation, it is possible to understand the alternative endings to this conflict. Lets look at how this could end.

The first option is the most troubling. Russia continues to press its invasion, applying more firepower and forces to achieve success, which results in President Vladimir Putin taking the capital Kyiv and other major cities such as Kharkiv.

Sadly, the fight to take these cities would likely destroy them. History provides examples of major fights taking place in cities such as Stalingrad in World War II, Hue in the Vietnam War, the Chechen city of Grozny in the First Chechen War, and Mosul in the fight against the Islamic State. In all these cases, the city concerned was destroyed.

In this option, Russia isolates one or more major Ukrainian cities and pounds or starves them into submission, thereby killing thousands of civilians. After taking these cities, Putin then settles in for an occupation of Ukraine. What follows is a long, bloody campaign by the Ukrainian forces to bleed the Russian occupiers and cause them to withdraw.

Another option is that the Russian offensive could grind to a halt short of capturing the capital and other major cities. Ukrainian resistance and logistical issues could cause the Russian attacks to lose steam.

It is too early to judge whether this is already happening. While the Russians have paused their attacks, it is not uncommon for ground forces to stop advancing to allow logistics to catch up with formations. If the Russians are indeed halted short of their objectives, its likely they will seek more defensible terrain such as behind a river or other obstacles, dig in, and keep the parts of Ukraine they have captured.

If Putin and his army are halted, that raises more options. Putin could double-down on his attack and summon still more forces to reinforce his attacks. Reportedly, approximately 80% of Russias forces are deployed to the Ukraine theater of operations, and of those, 80% are in the country, meaning he still has uncommitted forces. He could send those in.

If Putin sees this invasion as key to his survival as the Russian leader, he may feel no reluctance to send in the entire Russian military. Even further, if Putin feels the situation is desperate enough, he could even employ a low-yield nuclear weapon to signal his determination and cause more destruction. The U.S. and the rest of the world would view the use of a nuclear weapon gravely, but they would not automatically deliver a nuclear response.

As a sidenote, some have suggested the U.S. should declare a no-fly zone over Ukraine. While the idea is attractive, enforcing a no-fly zone would mean U.S. pilots shooting down Russian jets. That can lead to a broadening of the conflict to all of Europe and the world.

If Russias attack stalls, instead of doubling down, it could instead choose that moment to seek a mediated solution with talks at a neutral venue and a cease-fire in place while talks start. Although most countries in the world have condemned Russias attack, there are some who have remained neutral, and talks could take place in those countries.

In those talks, Putin might seek to trade some of the Ukrainian territory he has captured elsewhere for a greater portion of the Donbas area. No one will be in a mood to give Putin and Russia any concessions or an inch of territory, but there will also be a desire to stop the bloodshed.

And then there are some more unlikely scenarios for how this could end.

Putin could resign in a staged ritual while putting in place a hand-picked successor who would proceed to disavow the previous Russian leaders actions and seek relief from sanctions and negotiate the best deal possible.

Or, yet even more unlikely, Putin could be deposed by other Russian leaders concerned about the fate of their country. While that sounds attractive, the reality is that Putin, as a former KGB operative, has already sidelined or eliminated any individuals who posed any sort of threat to his rule.

There is one wildcard: China.

China initially aligned itself with Russia in statements made at the Beijing Olympics and has since declined to call Russias attack an invasion. China has gone so far as to accuse the U.S. of fanning up the flame of conflict. China also abstained from voting on a U.N. Security Council resolution deploring the Russian invasion.

But as more and more countries move to assist Ukraine and actively send weapons, Chinas support to Russia is going to come under increasing scrutiny.

One has to believe it is experiencing buyers remorse by aligning with Russia. While China cares little about world opinion, it does rely on trade to sustain its economy, and it wont be long before sanctions currently applied to Russia are extended to those who do business with Moscow.

The U.S. and our allies should be pushing China hard to renounce support for Russia, and there are indications that we already are.

Its early in this conflict. Even though the invasion has been underway for seven long days, in terms of warfare, it is just beginning. Americans have become accustomed to quick solutions. While a more imminent resolution might happen, the fighting might also continue for weeks and months.

While there are currently many unknowns, there is one thing for certain: The right answer is to root for the brave Ukrainians and their success.

Originally published at The Daily Signal.
(Newser)  Ukraine leader Volodymyr Zelensky has been pleading with other nations to give him more help in repelling Russian soldiers. On Saturday night, he issued the same plea to ordinary residents of his nation. "Ukrainians in all of our cities that the enemy has enteredgo on the offensive! he said in a video message, per the AP. You should take to the streets! You should fight!  It is necessary to go out and drive this evil out of our cities, from our land. His appeal came after NATO rejected the idea of imposing a no-fly zone. Every meter of our Ukrainian land won by protest and humiliation of the invaders is a step forward, a step toward victory," he said. Other developments:

Odessa: Zelensky warned that Russia planned to unleash a massive attack on the key port city of Odessa, one that would encompass aerial bombardments, along with missiles and artillery fire. "This will be a war crime," he said, per the Washington Post.

Mariupol: Ukrainian officials in this southern port city said their attempt to evacuate civilians was foiled for the second day in a row on Sunday because of Russian shelling. However, Moscow blamed Ukraine. Either way, the 200,000 people that the Red Cross hoped to evacuate remain in limbo. The BBC has a grim report from there: "The city is now in its fifth day with no water, no power, no sanitation, and food and water are fast running out."

Ukrainian officials in this southern port city said their attempt to evacuate civilians was foiled for the second day in a row on Sunday because of Russian shelling. However, Moscow blamed Ukraine. Either way, the 200,000 people that the Red Cross hoped to evacuate remain in limbo. The BBC has a grim report from there: "The city is now in its fifth day with no water, no power, no sanitation, and food and water are fast running out." Kyiv: The New York Times reports that "Russian forces appeared to be struggling in their primary objective of encircling and capturing" the capital city. Ukraines defense minister, Oleksiy Reznikov, said his soldiers are holding their positions around Kyiv as well as Kharkiv, the nation's second-largest city.

(Read more Volodymyr Zelensky stories.)
WASHINGTON (AP)  Russia's invasion of Ukraine has set off the largest mass migration in Europe in decades, with more than 1.5 million people having crossed from Ukraine into neighboring countries  "the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II, the head of the U.N. refugee agency tweeted on Sunday. Nearly all the refugees have gone to other countries in Europe, where they have generally encountered a warm welcome. But some may eventually need permanent resettlement in the United States if they are unable to return to Ukraine.

A look at the situation:

WHAT HAS THE U.S. DONE TO HELP REFUGEES SO FAR?

The U.S. has provided $54 million in food and other assistance to people inside Ukraine and has pledged to send more, according to Samantha Power, head of the U.S. Agency for International Development. That aid is critical because conditions in Ukraine are horrific and growing worse. Food is scarce as millions of displaced people inside the country try to escape the Russian attack.

On Thursday, the Biden administration announced it would offer temporary protected status to Ukrainians already inside the United States. Members of Congress and advocates welcomed the announcement, but the effects are modest. The Department of Homeland Security estimates that about 75,000 people are eligible for the program and its only good for 18 months unless extended. Moreover, the program leaves people in immigration limbo because beneficiaries cannot necessarily convert their status into permanent legal residency or U.S. citizenship.

WILL THE U.S. BE TAKING IN UKRAINIAN REFUGEES FOR RESETTLEMENT?

It might. White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki says the U.S. would accept Ukrainian refugees. But the administration says that, for now at least, most of the refugees apparently want to stay in Europe. That's where many have families, they can work and then return home if that is possible at some point.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CNN's State of the Union on Sunday: The United States is committed to doing anything we can, first of all, to support the countries that are bearing the immediate burden of taking in Ukrainians. And then, as appropriate, if people seek refugee status in the United States, of course we will look at that and Im sure act on that.

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The administration previously said it would accept up to 125,000 refugees in the 2022 budget year. That annual cap had been cut to a record low 15,000 under President Donald Trump. In setting the annual target for refugees, the Biden administration set aside 10,000 refugee visas for people from Europe, but it could expand that number to take in more Ukrainians if needed. The White House has said it will work with the United Nations and European countries to determine whether people who have fled Europe will need permanent resettlement in the U.S. or elsewhere.

The 125,000 does not include the 76,000 Afghans who came to the United States after the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in August.

One thing the U.S. could do immediately to help Ukrainians would be to expedite the processing of several thousand members of religious minority groups, including Jews and evangelical Christians, who have family in the United States and have already applied to come under whats known as the Lautenberg program.

CAN THE U.S. REFUGEE SYSTEM ABSORB A NEW WAVE OF REFUGEES?

Yes, although it won't be easy, according to refugee resettlement experts.

The Trump administration cuts to the refugee program forced resettlement agencies to lay off staff and close offices. They have been struggling for months to help the tens of thousands of Afghan refugees who came after their country fell to the Taliban, and a complex problem was made more so by high housing costs and the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite the difficulties, the U.S. could handle the arrival of more refugees, says Mark Hetfield, president and CEO of HIAS, one of the nations nine resettlement agencies.

Theres so much interest in helping these people that the resources would be there, the volunteers would be there, Hetfield said. It would be a challenge because we are all stretched too thin. But we would definitely make it work.
The powerhouses in Michigan high school competitive cheer added to their legacies in the state finals.

On Saturday at the Delta Plex in Grand Rapids, Allen Park and Richmond both repeated as state champions.

In Division 2, Allen Park compiled a three-round total of 791.60, 3.58 points ahead of Gibraltar Carlson. It's the fifth state title since 2010 for Allen Park  Carlson has the other eight championship since that time.

It's the fourth straight state crown for Richmond and the sixth since 2012. Paw Paw, last year's runner up, finished one point short on Saturday, 781-780.

Rochester Adams (Division 1) and Hudson (Division 4) repeated as state champions in Grand Rapids on Friday.

Adams won its third straight state crown and has finished first or second every year since 2018. Led by coach Brooke Miller, Adams scored 793.74 over its three rounds to finish 2.38 points ahead of Rochester Hills Stoney Creek.

Hudson also claimed its third consecutive state title; coach Kelly Bailey's squad has been first or second every year since 2017. It had a three-round total of 759.80, more than 50 points better than Adrian Madison, Lawton and Montrose.

Contact Kirkland Crawford: kcrawford@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @HiKirkHere.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan high school cheer: Rochester Adams, Hudson repeat as champs


 UNHCR/Elyor Nemat

Celebrating the 30th anniversary of Central Asian states membership of the United Nations, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, commends their progress towards eradicating statelessness. In 2021, over 46,000 stateless persons acquired a nationality in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan or Uzbekistan.

The UN Refugee Agency appreciates the tremendous efforts made by the Governments, authorities, civil society, and people of Central Asia in addressing problems of statelessness. This constitutes tangible progress towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development  leaving no one behind. The prevention of statelessness and the protection of stateless persons greatly contribute to international peace, security, development, and the prevention of forced displacement, said Mr. Hans Friedrich Schodder, UNHCR Representative for Central Asia.

In 2021, Uzbekistan, the country with the largest known statelessness population in Central Asia, reduced statelessness almost by half, granting or confirming citizenship to 33,000 out of 70,000 registered stateless persons. This became possible thanks to provisions of the new Citizenship Law adopted in 2020, and further amendments to it, enacted in 2021.

Turkmenistan enacted Statelessness Determination Procedures (SDPs) which allow stateless persons to obtain legal status and thus access to basic human rights. Through enaction of SDPs Turkmenistan fulfilled one of the pledges formulated at the High-Level Segment on Statelessness in 2019.

As a result of activities implemented by Tajikistan in 2021 to reduce statelessness, over 4,000 persons received identity documents. Additionally, almost 4,000 stateless persons were identified to be provided with legal assistance.

Since the autumn of 2020, Kazakhstan has been running a national statelessness identification campaign aimed at mapping and resolving cases of statelessness. By end 2021, as a result of this campaign, close to 7,300 persons with undetermined nationality were identified, of whom more than 4,100 were assisted to confirm the nationality of Kazakhstan, while close to 2,000 were documented as de jure stateless.

UNHCR continues supporting Government of Kyrgyzstan efforts to implement the four pledges it contributed to the 2019 High-Level Segment, consolidating the success of the Kyrgyz Republic in resolving all known cases of statelessness in 2019.

The UN Refugee Agency also supports the considerations of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan to join Turkmenistan and a growing number of states worldwide in becoming parties to both Statelessness Conventions.

Since 2014, when the #IBelong campaign to eradicate statelessness globally by 2024 was launched, more than 163,000 cases of statelessness have been resolved in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. As of 31 December 2021, over 56,000 stateless persons are known in Central Asia, still requiring a nationality, though the actual extent of statelessness is believed to be higher.

Contact information:

Yelena Sim

Email: [email protected]

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PITTSFIELD  After a season of ice and slush, the city is proposing a major change to the way it handles winter weather.

A January ice storm had residents slipping and sliding on local sidewalks  something many residents say has become the norm for the winter season. In this particular storms aftermath, At Large City Councilor Earl Persip III sent a petition to the citys Health Department asking staff to take a second look at how ice and snow are cleared from city walkways.

Now Persip and residents may have an answer to their ice woes. Health Director Andy Cambi plans to present a recommendation for an update to the staffing and fine structure for snow clearance during the City Council meeting Tuesday night.

Cambi writes in his response to the petition that the current snow clearance process has two problems.

The first problem is that there is only one designated staff member to address all the city sidewalks for snow and ice removal.

The second problem is that business owners and residents are allowed a warning before any kind of fee for delayed snow and ice removal.

Under the current fee schedule, the first failure to clear ice and snow within 24 hours is followed by a warning. If snow isnt cleared within the next 24 hours the property owner is issued a $25 fine. The third and fourth violations trigger a $50 and $100 fine, respectively.

Cambi is proposing that city inspectors drop the warning and begin issuing fines right away, in recognition that removal of snow and ice on sidewalks is an important safety and accessibility consideration for pedestrians especially those who have ambulatory disabilities, young children and seniors.

Snow and ice removal is federally required under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Speaking after the January ice storm, Julie Berger, a founder of Berkshire Mutual Aid and a disability rights advocate, said that even with the backing of the act, winter maintenance is an afterthought for many communities in the Berkshires.

Sometimes, people in the winter in the Berkshires are forced to choose between staying home and going without access to resources for their safety, or going out in the community and take the risk of a slip-and-fall injury, Berger said. And its a terrible position to be forced into.

Cambi is also recommending that when the snow starts to fall his entire inspection staff mobilizes around making sure sidewalks are being cleared.

Instead of tasking the citys sole nuisance control officer with snow monitoring, the draft policy Cambi will be presenting would have all five full-time inspectors focused on snow and ice clearance any time the city sees more than a two inch accumulation of snow or ice.

Heads-upThe citys Park and Recreation Department is looking for input on several early plans for a revival of Pontoosuc Lake Park. A concept review meeting will be held in City Council Chambers Thursday night at 7 p.m.

Residents will get a chance to see several plans which propose new boardwalks, swimming beaches and play areas around the lake ahead of a final proposal for the park.

Editor's Note: This article has been updated to reflect that the Pontoosuc Lake Park meeting will take place on March 10 at 7 p.m.
International payment systems Visa and MasterCard announced the suspension of their activities in Russia on Sunday night, according to Interfax.

After the companies will curtail all operations in Russia, the cards issued by Russian banks will not work abroad. Also cards issued by foreign financial institutions will not work in Russia.

Visa and MasterCard explained their decision by the Russian military operation in Ukraine, the news agency says.

"We are compelled to act following Russias unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, and the unacceptable events that we have witnessed. We regret the impact this will have on our valued colleagues, and on the clients, partners, merchants and cardholders we serve in Russia. This war and the ongoing threat to peace and stability demand we respond in line with our values" said Visa CEO Al Kelly, quoted in the press release.

"Its with all of this in mind  and noting the unprecedented nature of the current conflict and the uncertain economic environment  we have decided to suspend our network services in Russia," MasterCard said in a statement.

The company regretted the decision to leave the Russian market.

"We dont take this decision lightly. MasterCard has operated in Russia for more than 25 years. We have nearly 200 colleagues there who make this company so critical to many stakeholders. As we take these steps, we will continue to focus on their safety and well-being, including continuing to provide pay and benefits. When it is appropriate, and if it is permissible under the law, we will use their passion and creativity to work to restore operations," MasterCard said.

Sberbank, the largest bank in Russia, explained that this decision will not affect the operation of Visa and MasterCard cards within the country. The cards will work, they can be used to perform operations in Russia - withdraw cash, make transfers by card number, pay both in offline stores and in Russian online stores.

"Payments abroad and in foreign online stores with Russian cards issued by Visa and MasterCard will be limited. We recommend that Russians abroad withdraw enough cash in advance and prepay major expenses (hotels, tickets)," Sberbank said in a statement.

Bank of Russia has confirmed that all Visa and Mastercard cards issued by Russian banks will continue to work in the territory of the Russian Federation as usual until their expiration date.

They added that it is impossible to use Visa and Mastercard cards abroad and to pay for orders in foreign online stores. To travel abroad the Central Bank recommends withdrawing cash or use a card of the Russian payment system "Mir" in the countries where it is accepted (according to the Central Bank, it is Turkey, Vietnam, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, South Ossetia and Abkhazia).

According to the official website of the Russian payment system, Mir cards are accepted by Turkey, UAE, Vietnam, Armenia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Cyprus.

According to Alfa-Bank, the process of disconnection will take at least three days. Until then, Visa and Mastercard cards will continue to work as usual.
19 years ago, God called me to Ukraine. Today I pray I can return.

Nineteen years and 26 trips ago, God began a love relationship for me with the people of Ukraine. My wife of 30 years, Denise, and I adopted all three of our children from Ukraine. I love that place in a way that I cant really express in words. Last Thursday, the reality began to dawn on me that I may never set foot on that beloved soil again.

God gave us the opportunity to help train hundreds of church planters in Ukraine who are now scattered throughout the former Soviet Union. They are spreading the Gospel and multiplying themselves spiritually. By Gods grace, these church planters are strong, resourceful, and independent. We all planned for this day of war, although none of us really expected it today. God was at work building His Church to stand long before a madman lit the fire.

I am grieved beyond description. I am crushed for friends who are running for their lives, whose worlds have been turned upside down. I am broken for my children who grieve seeing their homeland torn apart. I am shaken by how a Russian madman has torn apart a beautiful land full of proud and resourceful people. I feel the darkness of this war in my bones.

But God is not surprised. He is not moved, and He is not shaken. His sovereignty is not challenged, and He holds the people of Ukraine in His hands.

The Church in Ukraine will care for widows and orphans, and they will carry the Gospel forth. They will stand in the face of pain and the actions of a tyrant because God is for them, and He will work through them.

Though the days are full of difficulty, Jesus will prevail because He has already won the only victory that matters.

The Lord will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned Psalms 34:22.



Jesus has already rescued all who follow Him, and He has prepared a place for us with Him. Until the day we see that Kingdom, we are here to steward the gospel and to be Christs ambassadors.

Pray for an end to the war. Pray for peace. Pray for the Ukrainian Church to bring the hope of the Gospel to the people of Ukraine in their time of need.

Speak up for Ukraine. Demand justice. Tell our leaders that it is unacceptable to finance the war in Ukraine by purchasing Russian oil. Demand that President Biden reverses course and allow U.S. oil and gas production to increase immediately to cripple Russias ability to finance this war.

Give to support relief efforts in Ukraine and in neighboring countries like Poland and Romania where refugees are fleeing to safety.
World leaders must make a new effort to ensure that Russia's terrible invasion of Ukraine fails, according to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the BBC reports.

In an article in the New York Times, the British prime minister said that "the people of Ukraine will be our judge." Johnson outlined a six-point plan, including rapid defense consolidation in NATO countries. However, Labor criticized the prime minister for not acting more quickly on sanctions.

Anticipating a series of meetings with international leaders, the British prime minister said, "Putin must fail and must be seen to fail in this act of aggression. It is not enough to express our support for the rules-based international order -- we must defend it against a sustained attempt to rewrite the rules by military force."

Johnson also intends to call on world leaders to make a new and concerted effort to stop Russian President Vladimir Putin, Downing Street said.

According to Johnson's six-point plan to maintain pressure on Vladimir Putin:

World leaders must mobilize an "international humanitarian coalition" for Ukraine.

They must also support Ukraine in its efforts to ensure its own self-defense.

Economic pressure on Russia must be stepped up.

The international community must resist Russia's "creeping normalisation" in Ukraine.

A diplomatic solution to the war must continue, but only with the full participation of the legitimate government of Ukraine.

There should be "a rapid campaign to strengthen security and resilience across the Euro-Atlantic area".

The prime minister is also expected to deliver his message at meetings with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in Downing Street on Monday. On Tuesday, he will receive the leaders of Central Europe: the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.

Downing Street says these countries are already experiencing a humanitarian crisis, with 1.4 million people fleeing Ukraine to neighboring countries in just 10 days.
Vlad Sazhen and his girlfriend, Alya, in the Carpathian region of Ukraine.

A bomb near his family home in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Thursday caused Vlad Sazhen's family to evacuate to a safer area, at his grandmother's home in another district of the besieged city.

Kharkiv is in eastern Ukraine, 25 miles from the Russian border.

Sazhen, an exchange student at the University of Missouri, talked with the Tribune on Friday from Galena Residence Hall.

His girlfriend moved with her family to Poltava, southwest of Kharkiv, to stay with other relatives.

"Russia is using cluster bombs, which are prohibited," Sazhen said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the Russian attack on Kharkiv a "war crime."

Sazhen's family is still in Kharkiv, but his grandmother is in a safer part of the city.

More:The Ukraine crisis through the eyes of University of Missouri international students

Although hundreds are packing the Kharkiv train station, trying to get out, Sazhen said it wouldn't be possible for his entire family, including his grandmother and 8-year-old sister, to squeeze onto a train. Plus, the train station is in central Kharkiv and vulnerable to attack.

"The train station is quite tense right now," Sazhen said. "Russian pilots are bombing everything."

Sazhen said his girlfriend saw corpses on the ground on the way to Poltava.

"It's terrible," he said.

His family didn't want to leave their home, he said.

"If something made them move, it's something really serious," he said.

Vlad Sazhen's parents, Alex and Julia.

He wants the Western governments to implement a no-fly zone, he said. If not that, immediate shipments of planes and air defense systems are needed.

"It makes me angry," Sazhen said. "I know the world can help."

He said he didn't think Russian President Vladimir Putin would use nuclear weapons, because someone would stop him.

Russian sanctions are having an effect, Sazhen said.

"We need more," Sazhen said of sanctions. "We need to completely destroy (the) Russian economy."

Story continues

Targeting oligarchs also will be useful, said Sazhen, 19.

"I believe it will be extremely effective to implement sanctions of the oligarchs, their wives and children," Sazhen said.

More: Family of Ukrainian exchange student at University of Missouri is 'safe for now'

Humanitarian corridors also are important to maintain, he said.

He and other Ukrainians feel the support of the world, he said.

"It means a lot to Ukrainians  seeing the whole world is behind us is very reassuring to us," he said.

The local protests also are meaningful, he said.

"I'm extremely grateful to Columbia citizens for doing such protests," he said.

More: Columbia supporters of Ukraine gather for vigil in frigid weather

His little sister is being strong and not freaking out, he said.

"She's a hero," he said. "She's smiling all the time. She believes in the army. She loves Ukraine."

His grandmother's home has a basement where his grandmother stores canned fruits and where his family can take shelter if they need to, he said. It wouldn't stand up to a direct hit, though.

"It's scary," he said.

rmckinney@columbiatribune.com

573-815-1719

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Bomb causes family of Ukrainian Missouri student to evacuate
Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin  not Biden, Harris, AOC or Sanders  are the icons of communism. Photo: Apic/Getty Images

The day after the 2020 vice-presidential debate between Mike Pence and Kamala Harris, then-President Donald Trump did something that is hard to do: He actually shocked me with intemperate language, in this case referring to Harris as a monster and a communist. The monster business didnt surprise me, actually, given Trumps long history of personal insults to women. But communist? Seriously? I hadnt heard a Republican call a Democrat a commie since the high tide of McCarthyism  and even back then, the rare slur was associated with specific (if lunatic) allegations of subservience to an international Marxist-Leninist conspiracy operating out of Moscow. Sure, for a generation, Republicans have been imprecisely calling Democrats socialists, though no more than a handful of Donkey Party members answer to that appellation, which in itself is as imprecise as conservative or liberal. But communist is actually pretty precise  and wildly inappropriate for anyone in either major U.S. party.

Its not just Trump throwing the term around. One of his favorite Republican acolytes, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, calls Democrats  all of them, not just some of them  communists all the time (most recently in her speech to a white-nationalist group, in which she referred to Democrats, who are the Communist Party of the United States of America). When Republicans lost two Senate seats and control of the upper chamber in Greenes home state in January 2021, South Dakota governor Kristi Noem called the winning Democratic candidates communists. And another Republican member of Congress, Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, betrayed a lack of understanding of communism just last month in explaining that the Russians were invading Ukraine because, as a communist, Vladimir Putin couldnt feed his people and needed Ukraines farmland.

So it may be time for a brief tutorial.

Socialism is a very broad and diffuse group of ideologies rooted in a post-industrial-revolution reaction to economic inequality, disempowerment of workers, and the consolidation of political and economic power in a capital-ownership class. For the most part, the socialists who rose to challenge capitalist parties and regimes in Europe (and, more gradually, in developing countries) in the 19th century were thoroughly democratic and pacific, though many did believe they could only reach their goals through revolution.

Communism is a specific ideology based on the historical teachings of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels (influential 19th-century socialists) as applied by Russian revolutionary Bolsheviks led by Vladimir Lenin, later succeeded by Joseph Stalin in the Soviet Union, Mao Zedong in China, Fidel Castro in Cuba, and Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam, among many others. While communists have varied in theory and practice, they typically espouse the total abolition of private property, the establishment of a dictatorship run for the alleged benefit of workers by a party vanguard, and an aggressive international movement aimed at global hegemony prior to a distant phase of history when the state will wither away.

Yes, communists consider themselves socialists  indeed, the only real socialists  but following the establishment of the Soviet Union and its terrorist tactics toward perceived enemies at home and abroad, self-identified socialists (e.g., those participating in parliamentary politics in democratic countries) have typically been anti-communist, often supporting Cold War defense policies aimed at restraining the expansion of communist countries. Now that communism has been overthrown in the Soviet Union (note to Tuberville!)  and nearly all of its client states  and has morphed into something unrecognizable to Marx or Engels in China and North Korea, socialists no longer feel quite the need to prove they are anti-communist. But outside the remaining enclaves, most socialists are democratic socialists aiming at public regulation, rather than public ownership, of the means of production and are comfortable with mildly nationalist  though not belligerent  political cultures.

Russia remains greatly influenced by its communist legacy, but in the most important respects, it is one of the least socialistic countries on earth, insofar as extreme nationalism, an economy controlled by oligarchic gangsters, and a culture touting homophobia and enforcing conservative religious values are not compatible with socialism of any form.

There is not a single Democratic political figure in the United States who espouses anything resembling communism as defined above (note to Trump, Greene, and Noem!). Socialists in any meaningful sense are few and far between and are certainly rare when compared to the members of left-of-center major political parties in democratic European nations. Whole tomes have been written about why socialism as it is generally known, much less communism, never took root in this country. One factor was the lack of rigid class distinctions based on precapitalist feudal systems; another was the early emergence of democratic habits; still another was a pluralistic culture in which religion was not identified with state power or compulsion. It doesnt really matter anymore since socialism now connotes not the red flag of revolution but egalitarian policies aiming at the humanization of societies in which private property is taken for granted.

Perhaps Republicans rely on so much anachronistic name-calling because they are reaching out to immigrant constituencies with recent experience of actual communism (like Cubans) or authoritarian societies utilizing socialist rhetoric (like Venezuelans). But its getting ridiculous  as ridiculous as parallel claims that Democrats (like white, male, regular Massgoer Joe Biden) want to abolish religion and hate men. They should cut it out.
NETWORK Ireland Limerick recently held its first face-to-face meeting for more than two years.

The group, which is aimed at women in business and the arts, hosted around 40 businesswomen from Limerick and Clare at the Savoy Hotel for a speed networking event.

Network Limerick president Emma Wilson said: It has been too long since we had the opportunity to meet in person and network. Our speed networking event was designed to be a fun and relaxed way for members to reintroduce or introduce themselves into the world of networking. It was great to be back. The energy in the room was electric.

Last week marked our first in-person event of 2022! Speed networking was the perfect format for our to meet & get to know each other. Thank you as always to our sponsors @leo_limerick & @AIBIreland



To become a member of #NetworkIreland Limerick, email limerick@networkireland.ie pic.twitter.com/MAX9d8z4FD  Network Ire Limerick (@NetworkLimerick) March 1, 2022

Network Ireland Limerick promotes the personal and professional development of women and provides a forum where women in business, the professions and the arts can exchange business ideas and increase their business contacts.

Its a branch of Network Ireland, a national voluntary organisation which encourages women to achieve more satisfying careers and promotes women as worthy contributors to the Irish economy.

Its next monthly event will take place on March 23 in conjunction with sponsors AIB.

More details on how to book will be available soon.
Almost a third of Victorian suburbs now have a median house price of more than $1 million, after the property market boomed through the pandemic.

New entrants to the million-dollar club late last year include middle- and outer-suburbs such as Wantirna, Montmorency and Oakleigh East.

Neighbourhoods such as Maribyrnong have passed a $1 million median house price. Credit:Paul Jeffers

In some of the neighbourhoods with a new million-dollar median, a seven-figure budget would stretch only to an unrenovated house on a block of land, or a newer townhouse.

The gains have been widespread. In the west, Maribyrnong edged above a seven-figure median house price over the 12 months to December, reaching $1,009,250, compared with a $936,000 median over the year to September, Domain figures show. Altona reached $1.08 million and Keilor $1.07 million.
The rise of pot tourism; the expansion of retail sales into hospitality licenses in Denver and elsewhere  allowing pot to be consumed on site, like alcohol at a bar  and the insidious promotion of THC-laced edibles, all pose significant perils to public safety.
Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited (TSE:CTC.A) will increase its dividend on the 1st of June to CA$1.30. This takes the dividend yield to 2.8%, which shareholders will be pleased with.

See our latest analysis for Canadian Tire Corporation

Canadian Tire Corporation's Earnings Easily Cover the Distributions

Impressive dividend yields are good, but this doesn't matter much if the payments can't be sustained. However, prior to this announcement, Canadian Tire Corporation's dividend was comfortably covered by both cash flow and earnings. As a result, a large proportion of what it earned was being reinvested back into the business.

Over the next year, EPS is forecast to fall by 3.7%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio could be 31%, which we consider to be quite comfortable, with most of the company's earnings left over to grow the business in the future.

Canadian Tire Corporation Has A Solid Track Record

The company has an extended history of paying stable dividends. The dividend has gone from CA$1.10 in 2012 to the most recent annual payment of CA$5.20. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 17% per annum over that time. Rapidly growing dividends for a long time is a very valuable feature for an income stock.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

Investors could be attracted to the stock based on the quality of its payment history. Canadian Tire Corporation has impressed us by growing EPS at 15% per year over the past five years. Growth in EPS bodes well for the dividend, as does the low payout ratio that the company is currently reporting.

We Really Like Canadian Tire Corporation's Dividend

Overall, a dividend increase is always good, and we think that Canadian Tire Corporation is a strong income stock thanks to its track record and growing earnings. The distributions are easily covered by earnings, and there is plenty of cash being generated as well. However, it is worth noting that the earnings are expected to fall over the next year, which may not change the long term outlook, but could affect the dividend payment in the next 12 months. All in all, this checks a lot of the boxes we look for when choosing an income stock.

Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. For example, we've picked out 1 warning sign for Canadian Tire Corporation that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield 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.
BLOOMINGTON  More data in law enforcement incidents equals better information, and it allows agencies to better understand how they can improve in certain areas, some local police chiefs said.

But few police departments in Central Illinois submitted information in 2021 to a national database tracking police shootings and deadly use of force.

After three years in operation, the FBIs National Use-of-Force Data Collection program is at risk of ceasing in 2022 because of low participation from law enforcement across the U.S., the U.S. Government Accountability Office reported.

Federal authorities began collecting data in 2019 from state, local, tribal and other federal law enforcement agencies with information on each time a police officer discharged a firearm, regardless if a person was struck, injured or killed.

The program arose because no government agency maintained reliable national data about how often police officers used force on citizens.

About 15% of Illinois law enforcement agencies provided use-of-force data to the FBI from January through September 2021. That is 148 out of 983 police agencies in the state, which represents 21% of sworn law enforcement officers in Illinois, according to the FBI.

Despite collecting the data, the FBI has not published and may never publish any use-of-force incident data because the program has not met the participation thresholds to publish information, the U.S. GAO said.

More data means better information

Through the program, police departments voluntarily submit their officer-involved shootings to the FBIs database. Agencies can submit reports even if there were zero use-of-force incidents involving firearms.

The Illinois State University and Normal police departments are in the minority of agencies that submitted reports to the FBI in 2021.

Non-participating area police departments last year include Bloomington, Colfax, Danvers, Decatur, Downs, El Paso, Farmer City, Gibson City, Gridley, Lexington, Pontiac, and the McLean County Sheriffs Department, among others, according to the FBI.

The Bloomington Police Department plans to submit information in 2022, spokesman John Fermon said.

He said Bloomington police did not participate in the FBIs Use-of-Force Data Collection program last year because the department focused on switching from the FBIs Uniform Crime Reporting program to the FBIs National Incident-Based Reporting System, which Fermon said was very labor-intensive.

Normal Police Chief Rick Bleichner said the department already collects its own use-of-force data annually, and that its important to have a nationwide tracking system.

This just seems to go hand-in-hand with that, as well as transparency, Bleichner said of why the department chose to submit data to the FBI. Theres no secret. We take that information and publish it on our website, so I understand and buy in to the concept of having a nationwide database that tracks similar types of information, so that we can get a better understanding nationwide of what the numbers and figures are.

Chenoa Police Chief Travis Cornwall said the department submitted a report last year; however, the FBI reported Chenoa police to be enrolled, but that it did not participate from January through September 2021.

Cornwall said the discrepancy could be because the Chenoa Police Department switched to submitting data to the NIBRS last August and did not continue with the National Use-of-Force Data Collection program through September.

A small agency like mine, thankfully, we dont have a lot of incidents in general and definitely have not had any of the ones that have reached the use-of-force or non-fatal shooting or arrest-related death. We just have not had those, Cornwall said, noting he still submitted a zero report to show that the department had nothing to report.

ISU Police Chief Aaron Woodruff recognized the amount of time and work it takes for small police agencies to keep up with mandates, presenting a possible reason why participation in the program is low.

They dont really have staffing to do all the different compliance requirements  and so if theyre not mandated, and even if they are mandated, it can be very difficult for these smaller agencies, Woodruff said. Thats probably leading to a lot of the non-participation more so than probably just blatant refusal to participate.

The CPD is staffed with four full-time officers and five part-time officers.

Cornwall said some of the newer federal data collection programs can be a little time consuming because it requires more specific information about every incident, such as age, race, type of weapon and what happened, as opposed to before youd just say what kind of incident you had and if you had an arrest or not.

But Cornwall emphasized that more data means better information, which Woodruff also noted when pointing to the lack of national data in policing issues in the past decade or so.

When The Washington Post is the major collector of police use-of-force or officer-involved shootings, thats a concern, Woodruff said. I think it behooves police departments to participate in the program.

In its first two years, the FBI National Use-of-Force Data Collection program reported 44% and 55% participation nationwide, putting the program in danger of shutting down this December.

A U.S. GAO report in December 2021 said the U.S. Office of Management and Budget stipulated at the inception of the program that if the FBI did not achieve 60 percent participation by the end of 2022, the FBI was to end the data collection effort and explore alternatives for collecting law enforcement use of force data.

It further stated that the Office of Management and Budget set these participation thresholds because a high response rate is an important indicator of data quality. OMB officials also stated that use of force data are highly influential and, therefore, warrant a high standard of quality.

Bleichner said its important to have a consistent nationwide database because otherwise, youre just utilizing narratives based on specific or certain events and you dont have the hard data behind it.

Training to reduce use of force

NPD submitted one use-of-force shooting to the FBI last year, which involved three officers discharging their firearms after a 66-year-old man opened gunfire at a mobile home park in north Normal.

The armed suspect, Ronald J. Reiner, shot five people, killing two, authorities said. He was killed by police at the scene. The McLean County States Attorneys Office later reported that police were justified in using lethal force.

But the vast majority of time, Bleichner said, use-of-force incidents are what police consider soft, empty-hand incidents such as an arm-lock or pressure points to gain compliance when a person resists arrest.

One thing about use of force is that it is really a response to aggression," Fermon said. Just because there is a use of force does not mean the officer is doing something wrong.

Officers may be involved in more serious altercations at times, Bleichner said, and sometimes it presents opportunities for more training.

Police officials said departments look at each use-of-force event to make sure it was within its policy and to explore any additional training.

We also look at a situation to see who is using force and in what types of situations, Bleichner said. If you have individuals that are utilizing force at a higher rate, why is that?

The ISU Police Department also conducts regular use-of-force training, and it has video simulators for fast-pace or high-pressure situations.

Fermon said BPD conducts automatic reviews for officers with 10 or more use-of-force incidents in a year in addition to spot checking body worn cameras  annual de-escalation training and other trainings officers can attend to better communication.

Its all about officer development, risk management, and then again, we always look at our policy, NPD's Bleichner said, emphasizing the effort to ensure use-of-force incidents are in compliance with state law and recent case law.

Police departments use scenario trainings to build experience and repetition.

The first time they experience it, hopefully isnt out on the street, Bleichner said. Theyve been through a training scenario or an exercise where theres been something similar happened and they have some positive repetitions in that training environment, which should prevent a situation from going awry and have a better outcome.
The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:

I was 3 years old when I first laid eyes on my Dad. He was in Navy blues exiting a military transport bringing the troops home to St. Louis. It was 1945, and America was the victor, if you can call it that. For in war, there are only losses, and some lose less than others. He came to us and hugged us all, my Mom, my brother and me. In a flash, he was gone again, and my next image of this tall, handsome man was in a military hospital where he was being treated with electric shock for incapacitating depression.

It took two decades for this talented veteran to find the help he needed, and he went on to become a successful English teacher and comedy writer. Until then, our family suffered through the tyranny of his depression fueled by alcohol. This same circumstance invaded millions of American homes as the taste of victory on VE Day soured when the boys tried to resume normal life.

When I think of what defines my generation, there are many candidates: the space program, the internet, the assassinations of JFK and MLK, the civil rights movement, AIDS, medical breakthroughs, and many more. And yet sadly, I would have to choose nearly 80 years of war as the distinguishing characteristic.

Wars never really end. The shooting stops but the residual wounds are deep and long lasting and often give life to the next conflict. Hitler used the punishing reparations exacted by the temporary victors of World War I to stir the German people into a war of revenge. Sixty million graves testify to the result. Vladimir Putin is similarly bent on recovering Moscows dominion over not just the Ukraine but perhaps the entire captive empire it lost in the Cold War. He has become popular in Russia by promising to restore its stature as a great nation, notwithstanding an economy roughly equal to that of Texas. Putin, like Hitler, is a violent sociopath for whom murder is a walk in the park.

In Czar Putins defense, it is possible the West went too far in pushing Russias nose to the glass after the Cold War. And indeed, there is something called the Monroe Doctrine, essentially a warning to Europe or anyone else to stay out of the American hemisphere or face war. With the notable exception of the Cuban Missile Crisis, it is a policy that has gone essentially unchallenged for two centuries.

But Putin isnt interested in policy: He is chasing glory. He wants his portrait at the Kremlin to sit level with Peter the Great, Lenin, and Stalin. His Majesty Vladimir thought he picked an easy target in Ukraine. Yet, the courageous resistance once again proves that people who have lived under authoritarian rule and escaped it will fight to the death for their freedom and democracy. Is that not what our founders did in facing down King George III and his powerful military? The Ukrainians of today are the Americans of the past, and they are telling us that we dont know how great democracy is until we lose it.

That brings me to former President Trump and his acolytes in Congress. Exactly who are they pulling for in this battle between dictatorship and elected government? Now that the whole world has condemned Putin, many are busy deleting old tweets praising the dictator (Putin is brilliant, said Trump). The sad and remarkable truth is many leaders of the current Republican Party have become stooges for the Kremlin, which aims to divide America by deploying an Orwellian disinformation campaign. The paradox is that many of the stooges hold degrees from Harvard and Yale.

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it, wrote the philosopher George Santayana. A few days into this invasion, the map of Europe has been turned on its head. Germany, which was the provocateur of two world wars, announced it will re-arm with the full support of democratic Europe and the Biden administration. The sea change in approach to combating escalating global authoritarianism could remake the Far East as well, with Japan rearming in order to balance the threat of a newly aggressive China.

The shock of Putins invasion caused the European continent to reassess their relationship to their own security. America should take the opportunity to do likewise. Fifty one years ago, outgoing President Eisenhower in his farewell address warned us to be wary of the encroaching Military Industrial Complex. Unfortunately, we did not take this great mans advice. The U.S. currently spends more on defense than China, India, Russia, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Germany, France, Japan, South Korea, Italy and Australia  combined. Even with ostensibly peaceable intentions, our economy is geared for war more than any other in the world. As long as that federal spending pattern exists, every decision made in the Oval Office on conflict situations will naturally lean to military action. Follow the money.

As Germany and its robust economy leads the way in making European security more homegrown and less dependent on the U.S., the time has come for us to reexamine our own priorities.

We could cut defense spending by 20 percent and still take precedence as the worlds most intimidatingly robust military. Prudently reinvesting that money in infrastructure, education and innovation on the homefront could vouchsafe our stature as leaders-by-example in the furthering of liberal democracy for the next century. And it could ease the cycle of traumatizing conflict which has eroded public morale and confidence in government from the grinding nightmare of Vietnam to the failed Iraq and Afghanistan occupations.

Putins brazen act of criminal imperialism in Ukraine is a tragedy sure to result in catastrophic destruction and the loss of countless innocent lives. But his fundamental miscalculation about the global response presents a meaningful opportunity to exist in a more peaceful world.

Speaking for myself, Ive seen enough war for one life.
A CORK woman has launched yoga classes especially for children with additional needs after being inspired by the kids in the ASD unit where she teaches.

Jennifer Ormond, who works as a tutor, discovered the positive impact of mindfulness on children through her work with kids in the Shine Centre for Autism in Carrigaline.

After completing a course with Yoga Therapy Ireland, she is now providing classes to kids with special needs ranging from ADHD to Down syndrome.

Aptly named, Zen with Jen, the practise combines sensory play with yoga therapy.

High demand

Ms Ormond said there has been a lot of demand for yoga therapy from ASD units.

This is a lovely niche and there has been such an opening for it, she said.

I had a teacher contact me from a unit to ask if I would offer it in schools.

Unfortunately, this isnt possible at the moment because I work full-time but its great to see the demand growing.

I would love to give a workshop to teachers in the future to show them how to incorporate yoga into their lessons.

Early years practitioners and the parents of children with special needs form a core portion of Jennifers social media following.

I set up the Instagram during lockdown for primary school teachers and people in early years settings.

It was something I was very passionate about because its so important for kids to have mindfulness and yoga in their daily routines. Ive posted the work I do with the kids during the day and the sensory play visuals as well as the positions I use.

Jennifer spoke of how she has managed to incorporate yoga therapy into her students daily routine.

A lot of them might have been stuck in the car or sitting in traffic for long periods when you meet them in the mornings. They may have issues self-regulating or with noise. Some might come in feeling frustrated or sad as a result of this and yoga sets them up for the day.

"Its very much child-led and Im always conscious that something that might work for one child may not work for another.

"I have a box of sensory toys that children can choose from. We lay everything out.

"Some children might be looking for the slime theraputty while others find that a squeezy toy has a more calming effect. Its like satisfying an itch that is there all the time but is impossible to get to.

Many benefits

She listed the benefits of introducing a child with ASD to yoga.

Yoga has a number of benefits for children with special needs and improves issues like sleep quality for the child. Many are sensitive to noise or touch.

They may be averse to specific textures such as rice or pasta, which I will then integrate into the lessons.

These are the little things that wouldnt affect our minds that can seriously impact a child in this way. Yoga therapy is particularly useful for head and neck control and helps develop the ability to self-regulate.

The Kinsale woman enjoys working with children on a one-to-one basis.

I also tutor families and incorporate yoga sessions into home tuition.

My role is to help improve the childs academic, social and communications skills.

I find that yoga is very effective for the kids I work with.

To find out more about Jens yoga therapy, visit @zenwithjen on Instagram.
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One of President Joe Bidens most fist-pumping lines in his State of the Union address was his brash promise to go after the Russian oligarchs, as he called them. Were joining with European allies to find and seize their yachts, their luxury apartments, their private jets, he said. Then, wagging his finger, he addressed them directly: We are coming for your ill-begotten gains.

Its the perfect Bidenist blend of common-sense populist politics and good old-fashioned American patriotism. And its been followed up with real policy muscle. Still, the question lingers: Isnt this supposed to be about Ukraine?

The precipitating event for the global outpouring of anti-Russian sentiment was Russias outrageous and unjustified invasion of Ukraine, which has already killed, wounded and displaced millions. It is that which has mobilized the world against the country and Russian President Vladimir Putin, leading to broad sanctions and the widespread provision of arms to Ukraine, including by traditionally neutral states such as Sweden and Finland.

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Yachtless billionaires are not the most sympathetic victims of this war. But they are a curious one. And the Wests focus on them may be distracting it from formulating a more realistic strategy for defeating Putin and restoring Ukraine.

Its not just that the logic is not well-thought-out. Who counts as Russian? If someone bilked the violent Putin regime out of billions, as Biden said the oligarchs did, couldnt that be considered a good thing? If Putin withdraws his forces, will Biden give them their yachts back? What about the German government, which last week impounded Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanovs superyacht, the worlds largest?

And if the justification for seizing the oligarchs luxury apartments and private jets is that they reflect ill-gotten gains, then why werent they taken away months, years or even a decade ago? In fact, under Putins predecessor Boris Yeltsin, a somewhat different group of oligarchs  many later purged by Putin himself, and many of whom were financiers of anti-Putin activities in the West  got their ill-gotten gains from the botched privatization of Soviet assets.

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The premise of this anti-oligarch campaign is that Putins regime is fundamentally illegitimate  and therefore the West is not obligated to respect the property rights of Russians, at least rich ones.

It is, admittedly, an appealing position. Putin is, in fact, a bad guy and a bad actor on both the domestic and global stages. But going after the oligarchs makes sense as part of a total war against his regime. And the strategy the West has chosen is a limited effort to get Russia to cease its invasion of Ukraine. Remember that even before it invaded Ukraine, Russia annexed Crimea, a move that most of the rest of the world never formally recognized but also didnt object to all that strenuously.

Biden also has to watch the political dynamics. While many liberals think all Republicans have become Russian catspaws, in reality most Republican members of Congress disagree with former President Donald Trump and oppose Putins invasion. Even better, from their perspective, to the extent that a tough-on-Russia stance leads to higher food and energy prices, so much the better: They know Biden will take the blame. That Republican applause at the State of the Union may have been genuine.

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Already, more voices in the U.S. and Europe  from former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt to Lawfare Editor in Chief and Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Benjamin Wittes  are calling for the West to adopt an explicit or implicit policy of regime change.

That idea is bolstered by the sense in many quarters that Putins hold on the country is tenuous. Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul says he is confident in predicting that Putins evil invasion of Ukraine marks the beginning of the end of Putins dictatorship and Putinism in Russia. The Economist pronounces: It seems ever clearer that the Russian elite is appalled  and impoverished  by his paranoid adventurism. The worse his plans go in Ukraine, the sooner cracks will start to appear in his regime and the more the Russian people will take to the streets.

This may all be wishful thinking.

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It is certainly possible that, bolstered by Western munitions and supplies, the Ukrainians will defeat the Russian army. And there is ample precedent (1905, 1917) for military defeat leading to domestic turmoil in Russia. But its also quite possible that, knowing this, Putin will pulverize Ukrainian cities the way he leveled Grozny. The courage of the Ukrainian people has inspired the world, but it was brutal Russian repression, not a lack of fighting spirit among the Chechens, that put an end to the war in Chechnya.

Destroying the village to save it would make a mockery of Putins alleged belief in the unity of the Russian and Ukrainian people. But nationalist politics often admits of such contradictions. And the idea that seizing superyachts  or sanctioning central banks  will lead Russians to overthrow their government flies in the face of history. From Cuba to Iran to North Korea to Venezuela, the idea of bringing about regime change via the 21st century equivalent of embargo and blockade tactics is the dream that refuses to die.

My one Russian friend  not an oligarch but a normal middle-class person  has had her previously high confidence in Putins statecraft shattered. At the same time, she is angry at the hypocritical West thats wiping out her savings to uphold a principle of sovereignty that the U.S. did not respect with regard to Iraq or Serbia.

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If NATO wanted to ensure a decisive military victory for Ukraine, of course, it could. Russias struggles to establish clear air superiority over Ukraine indicate that the U.S. probably does have the capacity to establish a no-fly zone or even bomb Russias slow-moving columns. The Kremlin probably wouldnt respond to that with a nuclear attack on the U.S., because it knows that Americans would retaliate in kind and everyone would die. But of course the Russians thought the West would never dare deploy a severe sanctions package in the first place.

And unless youre willing to roll the dice on nuclear Armageddon (I am not), you have to admit that Putin stands a very good chance of winning this war and staying in power.

All of which is to say: The best way to save Ukraine is to make clear that compromise is still on the table and offer Russia some off-ramps. Maybe Europe and America could even promise to give the oligarchs back their superyachts.

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Related at Bloomberg Opinion:

 You Cant Just Take a Russian Oligarchs London Townhouse: Chris Hughes

 Putins Wealth May Be Unreachable, But Russias Isnt: Timothy OBrien

 Ukraines Oligarchs Joust, Putin Laughs: Leonid Bershidsky

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Matthew Yglesias is a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion and writes the Slow Boring blog and newsletter. A co-founder and former columnist for Vox, he is also the author, most recently, of One Billion Americans.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

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COUNCILLORS are set to consider a new economic model which could transform Limericks economy.

At the Council's economic committee meeting, it was agreed to invite representatives from the Centre for Local Economic Strategies (Cles) to discuss adopting the new community wealth building model to Limerick.

Put simply, community wealth building is a new approach to local economic development which redirects wealth back into the local community.

Its based on five key principles  plural ownership of the economy, fair employment, progressive acquisition of goods and services and a socially productive use of land and property.

It was Sinn Feins Limerick City North councillor Sharon Benson who secured unanimous support for a call to invite representatives of Cles to address the local authority, with a view to adopting the practice here.

She said: Community wealth building is a common sense approach to local economic development that centres on ensuring wealth is retained and re-circulated and not just extracted from our local economy. This development model aims to leverage existing local resources to meet local needs while promoting values of equality and sustainability.

Councillor Benson said the practice has benefits for the environment in terms of reducing carbon footprint by establishing shorter supply chains and bringing in greater local employment.

She added: The model has proven to be more resilient to recessions and has been impacted far less by the current pandemic compared to private sector businesses.

The model has been a success in the city of Preston in north-west England, an area which up to its introduction, was in the top 20 most deprived parts of Britain.

Since they developed this model, theyve moved out of this bracket and unemployment levels have dropped below the national average, the councillor said, pointing to a recent study which revealed eight in 10 Irish unemployment blackspots were in Limerick.

The proposal to bring representatives of Cles to Limerick was seconded by Independent councillor Jerome Scanlan, the acting chair of the economic committee, and also supported by the Green Partys Sasa Novak.

Economic director Vincent Murray added: Id be very happy to invite Cles to the next economic meeting, and invite all councillors to attend also. If they are not available on that date, we could gladly have a special meeting to hear what they have to say.
Almost the entire opposition of Pakistan has united against PM Imran Khan. Pakistan People's Party President Bilawal Bhutto has condemned Imran Khan and said that it is because of his wrong policies that terrorism has increased in the country. Referring to the recent terror incidents that have taken place in the country, he said that it is due to the Prime Minister's wrong policies. Bilawal has said that the fire of terrorism has increased due to the elected Prime Minister of the country. He said this during a rally against the Imran government at Okara in Punjab on Saturday. He has said that the bomb threats in Balochistan and Peshawar are only a matter of their own wrong policies.

Bilawal has said that ever since the Government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Party was formed in the country, there has been a spurt in terrorism and terror incidents. He asked the people to continue their struggle against the government. He also said that his party is not going to end its struggle till it wins against Imran Khan. He alleged that Imran Khan has ruined the country's economy. Everyone knows that behind this, the prime minister of the country Imran Khan is.

It is worth mentioning that a day after expressing concern over the security situation in the country, there was a massive explosion in Peshawar in which more than 60 people lost their lives. Pakistan's human rights organisation has condemned it, saying it was a suicide attack targeting the Shia community. Earlier, Pakistan's Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said that there has been a rise of about 35 per cent in the number of terror attacks in the country in the last few months. Pakistan's Institute of Peace Studies says that the new government of Afghanistan is not providing any assistance to Pakistan in this regard. PIPS say that the Government of Afghanistan is not helping Pakistan in negotiating or getting them to talk to the terrorist organisations present there which is a threat to Pakistan.

Islamic State claims responsibility for Shia mosque blast, death toll crosses 60

Bomb fell from aircraft near Ratangarh Mata Temple amid Russia-Ukraine war, people shocked

Man did not come from Ukraine itself sent the dog to India
https://sputniknews.com/20220306/ukraine-not-a-nato-conflict-will-not-become-one-uks-boris-johnson-says-1093632931.html

Ukraine Not a NATO Conflict, Will Not Become One, UKs Boris Johnson Says

Ukraine Not a NATO Conflict, Will Not Become One, UKs Boris Johnson Says

Johnsons remarks come in the wake of a warning by UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss late last month that the crisis in Ukraine could end up being a conflict... 06.03.2022, Sputnik International

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The crisis in Ukraine will not be allowed to escalate into a conflict involving NATO, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has indicated.The truth is that Ukraine has no serious prospect of NATO membership in the near future  and we were ready to respond to Russias stated security concerns through negotiation, the prime minister added.Johnsons commentary doesnt square with remarks made by NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg in January  when he announced that Ukraines entry into the Western bloc was already a done deal, and merely a matter of timing. That same month, the United States and NATO formally rejected security proposals tabled by Russia beseeching Washington and the bloc to keep Ukrainian membership in the bloc off the agenda, in accordance with the principles of the indivisibility of security in Europe outlined by the Organisation for Security Co-operation in Europe Astana Declaration of 2010.In his op-ed, Johnson expressed confidence that his near-daily conversations with Ukraines president were providing Ukrainians with some comfort in their hour of need. He also expressed praise for US President Joe Biden and his great leadership, consulting and convening allies, exposing the lie that Americas commitment to Europe is somehow diminished.The prime minister expressed pride in designating Russia as the most acute security threat to the UK in 2021, and in the governments decision to ramp up defence spending to its highest levels since the end of the Cold War the same year. Johnson also patted himself on the back for increasing arms deliveries to Ukraine ahead of the current crisis, and boasted that the new AUKUS security alliance agreed last year was a demonstration of our shared resolve to meet the challenges we face in the Indo-Pacific.The prime minister promised that going forward, the UK effort would include additional supply of weapons to Ukraine, further sanctions against Russia, and renewed efforts to strengthen Euro-Atlantic security, including not only bolstering NATOs eastern flank but also supporting non-NATO European countries that are potentially at risk, including Moldova, Georgia and the western Balkans.The US and its NATO allies committed nearly $3 billion in arms aid to Ukraine before the escalation of the crisis into a full-blown Russian military operation in the country last month and committed to send over $800 million more since then. The UK announced plans to supply Kiev with light anti-armour defensive weapons systems in January, and in recent days has promised to up its weapons and non-lethal aid.Russia began a military operation President Putin said was aimed at demilitarising and denazifying Ukraine on 24 February. The operation commenced after Moscows newly-recognized Donbass republic allies formally asked Russia for assistance amid non-stop Ukrainian shelling, sniper and sabotage attacks.

https://sputniknews.com/20220305/live-updates-dpr-forces-face-fire-from-nationalist-battalions-after-entering-mariupol---russian-mod-1093605721.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220302/labour-mp-pulls-out-of-peace-rally-after-party-threat-to-withdraw-whip-1093527252.html

ukraine

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2022

Ilya Tsukanov

Ilya Tsukanov

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Zelensky to western politicians: If you neither close the sky over Ukraine, nor give us planes, then you also want to kill Ukrainians very slowly

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, in an address to Western politicians, has said that if the West does not close the sky over Ukraine and gives aircraft for Ukraine's self-defense, then there is only one conclusion: "you also want us to be killed very slowly."

"We are repeating every day: close the sky over Ukraine! Close to all Russian missiles, to Russian military aircraft, to all these terrorists. Create a humanitarian air zone. No missiles. No air bombs. We are people, and it is your humanitarian obligation to protect us, protect people. And you can do it," Zelensky said in an emergency video message after information about the missile attack on Vinnytsia.

"If you don't do this, if you don't give us at least planes so that we can defend ourselves, then only one conclusion can be drawn: you also want us to be killed very slowly," he added. Zelensky stressed that this is the responsibility of world politicians. "Today and forever," he said.

Zelensky stressed that this is the responsibility of world politicians. "Today and forever," he said.

The head of state said that on the eve of this video message, he was informed about the Russian missile strike in Vinnytsia.

"Eight missiles against our city, against our peaceful good Vinnytsia, which has never threatened Russia. No way. Missile attack. Cruel, cynical. The airport was completely destroyed. They continue to destroy our infrastructure, our life, which we, our parents, grandfathers and grandmothers, entire generations of Ukrainians were creating," the president stressed.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba discussed with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau the possibility of transferring fighter jets to Ukraine.

"I discussed this issue with Blinken and with my colleague, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland. It is not an easy process in terms of many of its components, but it is moving forward. And we are pushing it as much as possible. I can't disclose the nomenclature for obvious reasons, but there is a clear understanding among our partners that we need combat aircraft in order to stop the barbaric destruction of our cities and people from the sky," Kuleba said at an online briefing on Sunday, answering a question from Interfax-Ukraine.

Earlier, the White House reported that the United States was discussing with Poland the possibility of providing fighter jets to Ukraine.
(Natural News) Thousands of truckers converged in Monrovia, Indiana, and held a rally against the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine mandates on Tuesday, March 1, before heading to Washington, D.C. to continue their protest.

The Peoples Convoy, inspired by Canadas Freedom Convoy, set off from California on February 23 and continued through multiple states, including Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri before the trucks converged in Indiana. While it is difficult to quantify how many people are directly participating in the Peoples Convoy, they are shown to have gathered a lot of support as thousands cheered them on along the roads and on overpasses en route.

Other vehicles and trucks have also joined the convoy along the way: some expected to arrive with the convoy in Washington, while others joined for some miles before dropping away. (Related: Freedom Convoys spreading around the world as truckers fed up with vaccine mandates respond en masse.)

Hundreds to thousands more cars and trucks that are following or are ahead of the convoy showed their support by honking their horns.

There were about 80 trucks and 200 other vehicles when the convoy passed through Cuba, Missouri on February 28, but by March 1 and 2 in Indiana, where vehicles converged, the numbers swelled to more than 2,000 vehicles and another 100 trucks. It remains unclear how many will ultimately end up in the capital.

In attendance at the rally held at Ted Everett Farm Center on March 2 are Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita and Missouri Senatorial candidate Mark McCloskey.

Im very proud to be here amongst fellow Hoosiers and Americans who care about their country, said Rokita. I was humbled to offer them encouragement this evening but they gave me back much more inspiration and motivation.

The people of America have woken up. Were going to stand up and were not going to permit it, McCloskey said. You look at this crowd, you look at the highways coming here, you look at the overpasses, and [you can say that] the socialists will never complete their takeover of the United States.

Americans are waking up

The crowd in Missouri exceeded the capacity of their indoor venue, filling up the space inside, with hundreds more people gathered outside. The American people are waking up and theyre marching east, said Brian Brase, one of the organizers of the convoy.

Im begging that every truck driver around the world stand up now. Now is your time to stand up and send a message to your world leaders and your governments that they work for us, Brase told the crowd. (Related: With US Truckers about to take Washington DC by storm, globalists to demonize convoys as terror attacks on the food and supply chain while ratcheting up their own tyranny.)

This is a government that has overstepped its bounds, he went on. These are health care agencies that have overstepped their bounds. It is time to restore freedom to this great land. There is no medical emergency anymore. If they tell you that, they are lying.

The convoy began arriving at Hagerstown Speedway on Friday, where they will be staying for two nights, as per Brase, and will move forward to Washington on Sunday. There may be a rally Saturday night somewhere near the Beltway, with some lawmakers friendly to the cause expected to attend.

It remains unclear what the convoys actual plans and tactics are, as the organizers have been coy about what they will do. However, there had been reports that they plan to block the Beltway, while some said that the trucks will go to the White House.

Authorities have already reinstalled fencing around the U.S. Capitol and have called for extra security among law enforcement agencies in the area in anticipation of the arrival of the convoy.

More related stories:

The Peoples Convoy hits the road to DC  in time for Bidens State of the Union Address.

Censorship at its finest: Facebook removes page for DC Freedom Convoy.

Ontario government shuts down 39 trucking companies for participating in Freedom Convoy.

Australian truckers take cue from Canadas Freedom Convoy, drive to capital to protest pointless COVID mandates.

Canadian police move in to forcibly clear Freedom Convoy truckers, protesters from international bridge.

Watch the video below to learn more about the Peoples Convoy.

This video is from the In Search Of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

Follow Pandemic.news for more updates related to the Peoples Convoy.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

DCIST.com

Brighteon.com
Ahead of former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's birthday on March 8, ex-BJP BJP MLA Gyan Dev Ahuja on Sunday said the senior party leader should stop thinking of becoming the Rajasthan CM again. He said Raje should look forward to becoming a minister in the Centre and a new face should be given the chance to become Rajasthan's CM.

"I want to humbly request that she should leave the thought of becoming Rajasthan's chief minister again. She should make efforts to get a ministerial post at the Centre or a post in the party in Delhi, said Ahuja.

I would also request her supporters that they should support someone else to become new CM instead of Raje. She should leave the attraction of becoming CM and leave this thought," Ahuja said in a video.

He said all BJP workers, without creating any difference in the party, should get united to oust Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government from the state.

"Whatever I have said is in the interest of the party. I received calls from Rajes supporters after I released the video. I told them that they should also talk about the party instead of an individual," former Ramgarh (Alwar) MLA Ahuja told PTI.

Ahuja was denied a ticket to contest the 2018 assembly elections from Ramgarh. He had earlier too said that Raje should stop thinking of becoming Rajasthan's CM again.

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A man accused of attempting to withdraw 3,000 from another mans bank account was refused bail at Cork District Court.

Kieran Toussifar of Fairways Flats, Gort Road, County Clare, appeared before Cork District Court on a charge of attempting to commit a theft on March 3 at Bank of Ireland, Wilton, Cork, and attempted to withdraw 3,000 from another persons account, presenting that persons birth cert in the course of the alleged incident.

Defence solicitor, Diarmuid Kelleher said the accused had a serious heroin addiction and that in his life, it has been one huge hurdle after another.

"He was desperately trying to get to a drug rehabilitation centre in the UK.

Judge Marie Keane refused bail and remanded Toussifar, 37, in custody until March 9.
https://sputniknews.com/20220306/more-than-a-paycheck-poll-shows-59-of-us-people-never-had-boss-who-truly-appreciated-their-work-1093632622.html

More Than a Paycheck: Poll Shows 59% of US People Never Had Boss Who Truly Appreciated Their Work

More Than a Paycheck: Poll Shows 59% of US People Never Had Boss Who Truly Appreciated Their Work

While such aspects as a nice paycheck, extra perks and professional development opportunities are always listed as most important in surveys, a new poll has... 06.03.2022, Sputnik International

2022-03-06T10:41+0000

2022-03-06T10:41+0000

2022-03-06T10:41+0000

us

poll

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A daily dose of under-appreciation from their bosses is acutely felt by 63 percent of workers in the US, according to the revelations of a new survey. Furthermore, 59 percent never had a boss who truly appreciated their work, according to the survey of 2,000 Americans, all of whom have either been employed over the last five years or are currently searching for a new job, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Bonusly. A majority (41%) of the respondents claimed that manifestations of favouritism among employees on the part of higher-ups contributed to their perceived lack of appreciation. Another 39 percent cited lack of communication and recognition on the part of management. Of those polled, 65 percent even acknowledged they would likely stick with a job even despite an unappreciative manager if their coworkers and peers recognised their work. One in three of the participants (29%) went as far as to claim that they would be ready to sacrifice a weeks worth of pay per year in return for more recognition from their employer. While close to half (46%) of those surveyed confessed that they had quit on occasion because they felt unappreciated, 65 percent admitted that they would put in more of an effort at the workplace if they felt it would be noticed by their management. This comes as the Great Resignation, also known as the Big Quit - an economic trend in which employees have voluntarily resigned from their jobs en masse, beginning in early 2021, primarily in the US  has highlighted how employees want more than just a paycheck. Money Talks As for the form this recognition from management should take, a third opted for salary increases, 35 percent said they would prefer bonuses or a recognition program, while 30 percent - wellness and professional development stipends. Career advancement remains important, with almost seven in 10 of those surveyed not at all eager to work for a company that lacks internal advancement opportunities. Over 77 percent of the people polled underscored the importance of being granted an opportunity to climb the ladder. Twenty-two percent stated that praise from management was their preferred form of recognition, while credit from their peers was important for 22 percent. As for the bosses whose praise and appreciation mattered so much, according to the poll, direct supervisors ranked first with 38 percent of the respondents.

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Svetlana Ekimenko

Svetlana Ekimenko

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A train with personnel of the 131st Infantry Regiment of the first Army Corps, mobilized in the Russian-occupied territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, arrived on the Crimean Peninsula on Saturday, it is planned to use these persons to carry out provocations in the southern regions of Ukraine, according to the Telegram channel of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine on Sunday.

"Although these units have extremely low motivation, as they were recruited from people who were forcibly mobilized in ORDLO, it is possible that the aggressor uses them as gun fodder. In addition, these persons can be used, passing off as local residents for propaganda pictures, since the occupiers fail to break the spirit of the Ukrainian population. Also, the Russian military-political leadership may soon commit provocations with numerous victims using those mobilized in ORDLO in the eastern regions of Ukraine," the ministry said.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the personnel of the sixth separate motorized rifle regiment is frightened and demoralized, looking for ways to desert.
https://sputniknews.com/20220306/escape-from-kiev-navy-seals-sas-commandos-reportedly-on-standby-to-get-zelensky-out-of-ukraine-1093634710.html

Escape From Kiev: Navy SEALS, SAS Commandos Reportedly on Standby to Get Zelensky Out of Ukraine

Escape From Kiev: Navy SEALS, SAS Commandos Reportedly on Standby to Get Zelensky Out of Ukraine

The Ukrainian presidents current whereabouts remain unknown. Last week, he reportedly told Washington that he needs ammunition, not a ride, and refused to... 06.03.2022, Sputnik International

2022-03-06T12:36+0000

2022-03-06T12:36+0000

2022-03-06T12:36+0000

ukraine

sas

navy seal

volodymyr zelenskiy

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An elite commando force consisting of 150 US Navy SEALS and over 70 British Special Air Service commandos are stationed at an base in Lithuania and planning an operation to evacuate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky from Ukraine, The Sun reports, citing sources said to be familiar with the matter.Zelensky reportedly told US lawmakers in a Zoom call Saturday that they may not see him alive again during an appeal demanding more weapons and the imposition of a no-fly zone over Ukraine. Most Western politicians have so far shied away from the latter idea, citing the dangers of an open military conflagration with Russia.On Friday, Opposition Platform  For Life! Rada lawmaker Ilya Kiva alleged that Zelensky had already fled Ukraine for Poland, and that he was hiding in the US Embassy in Warsaw. Ukrainian and US officials have not commented on this claim.On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Ukraines current authorities actions, including alleged efforts to build a nuclear weapon, pose a grave threat to the countrys future. People who do not understand this, especially among the current leadership, must understand that if they continue doing what they are doing, they will call into question the future of Ukrainian statehood. If this happens, it will be entirely on their conscience, Putin said.Russia began a military operation in Ukraine on 24 February after a request for assistance from its Donbass allies  who faced weeks of escalating Ukrainian artillery and mortar shelling, sniper attacks and sabotage raids. Putin characterized the operation as an effort to demilitarize and denazify the country, and called on the Ukrainian military to seize power from the current authorities. The US and its allies condemned the operation as an unprovoked invasion and slapped Moscow with tough new sanctions.

https://sputniknews.com/20220306/us-could-have-helped-kiev-in-its-work-toward-nuclear-weapon-development-source-says-1093627991.html

ukraine

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Ilya Tsukanov

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ukraine, sas, navy seal, volodymyr zelenskiy
NEW DELHI: The makers of Ram Charan and Jr NTR-starrer 'RRR' are planning to hold a massive pre-release event in either of the Telugu states.

As S.S. Rajamouli's directorial is inching towards its release date, the makers have been waiting to organizse a grand event.

It is reported that the producers have roped in a big team to organize the pre-release event, which will involve most of the movie's technicians and stars. A couple of dances and other promotional events will be held for the pre-release event as well.

'RRR - Rise, Roar, Revolt' is undoubtedly one of the most awaited pan-Indian movies, which is slated for its worldwide release on March 25.

'RRR' promises to deliver a visual grandeur, depicting the fictional lives of Indian revolutionaries, Seetharamaraju and Komaram Bheem. The multilingual magnum opus is gearing up for its grand release globally and will be released in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi.

'RRR' features an ensemble cast of Jr NTR, Ram Charan, Ajay Devgn, Alia Bhatt, Olivia Morris, Samuthirakani, Alison Doody, and Ray Stevenson. M.M. Keeravani is the music composer for this upcoming fictional drama.
https://sputniknews.com/20220306/arch-neocon-john-bolton-claims-putin-was-waiting-for-trump-to-withdraw-us-from-nato-1093635946.html

Arch-Neocon John Bolton Claims Putin Was Waiting for Trump to Withdraw US From NATO

Arch-Neocon John Bolton Claims Putin Was Waiting for Trump to Withdraw US From NATO

Bolton served as Donald Trumps national security advisor from 2018-2019, advising him to take a hard line on US adversaries around the globe. After firing... 06.03.2022, Sputnik International

2022-03-06T13:42+0000

2022-03-06T13:42+0000

2022-03-06T13:42+0000

john bolton

donald trump

ukraine

nato

russia

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Former national security advisor John Bolton has accused his former boss Donald Trump of planning to pull the US out of NATO if elected for a second term, and said that Russias Vladimir Putin was waiting for this eventuality.Commenting on his memoir, The Room Where It Happened, in which Bolton claimed that the US had already come dangerously close to pullout out of NATO in 2018, the former national security advisor said that he had his heart in [his] throat at a meeting where this possibility was raised.I didnt know what the president would do. He called me up to his seat seconds before he gave his speech. And I said, Look, go right up to the line, but dont go over it. I sat back down, I had no idea what hed do. I thought hed put his foot over it, but at least he didnt withdraw then, Bolton said.A Trump spokesperson dismissed Boltons claims, suggesting that the foreign policy hawk was only happy when America is at war.Commenting on Boltons remarks, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki suggested they were another reason why the majority Americans were grateful that President Biden has not taken a page out of his predecessors playbook as it relates to global engagement and global leadership, because, certainly, we would be in a different place.Russia Sanctions Not Tough EnoughBolton blasted the Biden effort to withdraw from Afghanistan in 2021 as a catastrophic strategic mistake, suggesting the US was not tough enough and that Putin had seen US threats as not credible.I said at the time, others did as well that you had to begin imposing costs on Putin before he went in[to Ukraine], the former official said. I would have imposed costs on Russia in real time until they withdrew from the Donbass and frankly from Crimea. I would have cut Nord Stream off earlier, I would have begun the imposition of sanctions because of the threat that they were posing, Bolton added.The neocon praised the sanctions imposed by the US and its allies against Russia, but suggested they were not tough enough.The former official suggested that President Bidens comments on a no-fly zone being out of the question were a big mistake, saying that if Putins mere threat gets us to do something that he wants, he is getting it for free. Its a serious matter. It requires careful consideration. But youre saying theres no difference between some use of force and all-out nuclear warfare is just wrong. He added that one possibility would be to set up a no-fly zone only over Western Ukraine.US lawmakers have so far shied away from establishing a no-fly zone over Ukraine, fearing that it could escalate the risk of a direct military confrontation with Moscow.Bolton also rejected Russian-Ukraine peace negotiations, advising against providing off-ramps at this point.Bolton served as Donald Trumps national security advisor between April 2018 and September 2019, when he was fired over numerous policy disagreements with his boss. Before that, he served in the Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush administrations, and acted as one of the key architects of the US invasion of Iraq in 2003.Bolton and Trump had a very public falling out after the neocon was fired from his post as national security advisor. Bolton subsequently released a memoir accusing the then-president of a broad range of foolish and potentially incriminating behaviour. Trump dismissed the claims, calling Bolton a traitor, a dolt, a boring fool and one of the dumbest people in Washington. In one interview, Trump suggested that the United States would be in World War Six by now if he had listened to Boltons advice.Since leaving office, Bolton has provided Biden with a range of policy advice, urging him to take out two-faced Pakistans nuclear capabilities, claiming that the Taliban* could get access to nuclear weapons, calling on NATO to stand up to Russia amid the Ukraine escalation, calling on Washington to overthrow the Belarusian government, and slamming attempts to restore the Iran nuclear deal.* An organization under United Nations sanctions over terrorist activities.

https://sputniknews.com/20211117/bolton-claims-us-should-oust-belarus-lukashenko-to-nice-villa-on-riviera---report-1090810634.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220303/trump-claims-china-readying-post-olympic-taiwan-grab-as-pompeo-us-delegation-meet-taipei-officials-1093536256.html

ukraine

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Ilya Tsukanov

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john bolton, donald trump, ukraine, nato
Russian troops damage Donetsk-Mariupol gas pipeline, settlements from Vuhledar to Berdyansk to be left without gas soon  local authorities

Russian troops have damaged the main gas pipeline Donetsk-Mariupol, all settlements from Vughedar to Berdyansk will soon be left without gas, Head of Donetsk Regional Civil-Military Administration Pavlo Kyrylenko said.

"In order to eliminate the uncontrolled leakage of natural gas, the specialists of Kramatorsk Linear Production Department of Main Gas Pipelines "GTSOU Operator of Ukraine" shut off the valve unit at the indicated gas pipeline in Vuhledar region. Currently, the pressure in the gas pipeline is decreasing, the gas will last for about three hours," he said on the Telegram channel.

"We are working to fix this problem as soon as possible," he said.
https://sputniknews.com/20220306/us-and-nato-security-services-summon-russians-who-interacted-with-diplomats-abroad---moscow-1093634564.html

US and NATO Security Services Summon Russians Who Interacted With Diplomats Abroad - Moscow

US and NATO Security Services Summon Russians Who Interacted With Diplomats Abroad - Moscow

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova was speaking as Russia continues its special operation aimed at demilitarising and de-Nazifying Ukraine. 06.03.2022, Sputnik International

2022-03-06T12:28+0000

2022-03-06T12:28+0000

2022-03-06T13:16+0000

nato

maria zakharova

russia

ukraine

russia's special operation in ukraine

donbass

lugansk peoples republic

donetsk people's republic

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US and NATO security services had summoned for conversations some Russians who interacted with diplomats abroad, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.In some NATO countries, such as the United States, Poland, the Baltic countries, representatives of special services would also approach at airports people who had been regularly interacting with our diplomats in line with absolutely normal, open principles, attempting to determine their list of contacts, said Zakharova.Furthermore, over the past few months, Russian embassies abroad have been living as though in a blockade, constantly targeted by hacker attacks, said Zakharova. "The fact is, this 'blockade' is not provisional or virtual, it is a most real and tangible one," she said, appearing live on Russian television.According to Maria Zakharova, Russians are currently being openly persecuted in many countries of the world.Ceaseless spreading of false stories, replication of fakes or outright propaganda have been bringing out the worst in some people, warned the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman.She underscored that through manipulation of information via the media, social networks, messenger and mailing lists, Western countries continue to push their own population to the brink of nationalist insanity.Moscow has demanded that countries where its embassies are accredited comply with obligations under the conventions on diplomatic and consular relations, Zakharova said.Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine on 24 aimed at demilitarising the country after weeks of escalating Ukrainian artillery, sniper and sabotage attacks targeting the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics. Moscow had earlier recognised the Donbass republics as independent states on 21 February after the breakdown of the Minsk peace process.Russia's President Vladimir Putin explained that a key goal of the ongoing operation is to "demilitarise and de-Nazify" Ukraine and thus eliminate a threat to Russia's national security.The Russian Ministry of Defence also underscored that the Armed Forces were targeting exclusively military infrastructure, and nothing threatens the civilian population. However, in response to Mosocw's operation, Western countries have rolled out a sweeping sanctions campaign, which includes airspace closures and restrictive measures targeting Russian officials, media, and financial institutions.

https://sputniknews.com/20220304/political-observers-natos-non-stop-eastward-expansion-forced-russia-to-start-spec-op-in-ukraine-1093594278.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220305/donbass-resident-icc-ignored-suffering-of-local-civilians-for-8-years-1093615392.html

donbass

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Svetlana Ekimenko

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Svetlana Ekimenko

nato, maria zakharova, ukraine, donbass, lugansk peoples republic, donetsk people's republic
Russian troops fire using hailstones on territory of Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology, where nuclear installation located  SBU

The State Security Service of Ukraine in Kharkiv region says that the Russian military fired using hailstones on the territory of the National Scientific Center "Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology," where an experimental nuclear facility is located, the destruction of which could lead to an environmental disaster.

"Once again, Russian-terrorist troops are inflicting pinpoint strikes on nuclear facilities in Ukraine. Today, the Russian aggressor fired using hailstones multiple launch missile systems at the territory of the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology national scientific center," the SBU said on the Facebook page.

The service said: "The Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology national scientific center has an experimental nuclear facility called Source of Neutrons, with 37 nuclear fuel elements loaded into its core. The destruction of the nuclear facility and storage facilities for nuclear materials could lead to a large-scale environmental disaster."

According to the SBU, investigators of the Security Service of Ukraine in Kharkiv region, under the procedural leadership of Kharkiv regional prosecutor's office, initiated criminal proceedings under the ecocide article (Article 441 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

SBU continues to collect evidence for The Hague.
Russian oligarchs, who are collectively estimated to control as much as one third of Russias wealth, most of which is held outside of Russia in various ways such as shadowy bank accounts and real estate, are feeling the wrath of sanctions by the European Union (EU) and the U.S.

Following Russias invasion of Ukraine in late February, the West swiftly moved to punish the regime of Russian President Vladimir Putin by freezing Russian assets, cutting off some of the countrys banks from the SWIFT messaging system, and other measures. Various prominent companies also distanced themselves from Russia.

The U.S. and its allies have specifically targeted more than 50 high-profile individuals with ties to Putins inner circle, as well as Putin himself. Furthermore, the moves by the West are going as far as actually seizing property owned by these individuals.

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the U.S. Capitol House Chamber on March 1, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Saul Loeb - Pool/Getty Images)

In his State of the Union address on March 1, President Biden addressed the oligarchs directly: We are joining with our European allies to find and seize your yachts, your luxury apartments, your private jets.

The U.S. has not yet seized any property of sanctioned individuals but has joined in Europeans in efforts to cut off assets. Yachts are a notable asset: According to Superyacht Group, between 7-10% of superyachts worldwide are owned by Russian citizens.

A picture taken on March 5, 2022 shows the yacht "Lady M", owned by Russian oligarch Alexei Mordashov, docked at Imperia's harbor. (Photo by ANDREA BERNARDI/AFP via Getty Images)

On March 4, Italian authorities seized a yacht owned by Alexey Mordashov, chairman of Russian steel and mining company Severstal.

On March 2, French customs officials impounded the superyacht of Igor Sechin, CEO of oil giant Rosneft. According to Bloomberg, the yacht was confiscated as it was preparing an urgent departure.

A picture taken on March 3, 2022 in a shipyard of La Ciotat, near Marseille, southern France, shows a yacht, Amore Vero, owned by a company linked to Igor Sechin, chief executive of Russian energy giant Rosneft. (AFP / NICOLAS TUCAT)

The 512-foot yacht of Russian billionaire Alisher Umanov  one of the largest in the world and valued around $600-$735 million is being monitored closely in Germany. (Forbes initially reported that the yacht was seized but later issued a correction.)

The White House announced new sanctions on Umanov on March 3, with the U.S. Treasury stating that "any transactions related to the yacht or aircraft, including things such as maintenance, the hiring of operating personnel, or payment of docking or landing fees, conducted with U.S. persons or in U.S. dollars, are prohibited." (The U.S. sanctions also apply to Umanov's private jet, reportedly one of Russias largest privately-owned aircraft.)

The Dilbar, the fourth longest yacht in the world, property of the Russian oligarch Alicher Umanov, is seen in Monaco April, 20, 2017. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard

Russian oligarch-linked yachts, as detailed by news reports and the Yacht Watch project by former CIA officer Alex Finley (paywalled), include a $100 million yacht linked to Putin.

Putin's yacht "Graceful" sails along the Kiel Canal (Nord Ostsee Kanal) near Rendsburg, north of Hamburg, Germany, February 7, 2022. (REUTERS/Steffen Mayer)

Putin's new worth is unclear, though some experts argue that he may be the wealthiest man despite the Kremlin claiming that he earns just an annual salary of $140,000 and only controls moderate assets such as an apartment in Moscow and three cars.

In any case, while it's unclear how these seizures will play out over time, the unprecedented moves indicate that the yachts of Russian oligarchs are no longer able to sail across the world without scrutiny.

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ANKARA/MOSCOW, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday held a phone conversation to discuss the situation in Ukraine.

Erdogan was quoted in a statement by the Turkish Presidency as saying that an urgent general ceasefire would alleviate humanitarian concerns in the region and allow for the emergence of a political solution.

Erdogan also emphasized the importance of achieving a ceasefire, opening humanitarian corridors and signing a peace agreement.

Turkey is ready to contribute to resolving the Ukraine crisis by peaceful means as soon as possible, Erdogan told Putin.

Putin informed Erdogan about the current situation of the special military and explained in detail the operation's main goals and objectives, according to the Kremlin.

Russia is ready for dialogue with the Ukrainian authorities and foreign partners to resolve the conflict, said Putin.

The Russian president also expressed his hope that during the planned next round of negotiations, the representatives of Ukraine will take a more constructive approach. 
By Ali Kucukgocmen

ANKARA (Reuters) -Three Turkish journalists were released on Tuesday, hours after being jailed over their coverage of the deaths of Turkish intelligence officers in Libya in 2020, a lawyer and opposition member said.

In September 2020, five journalists were convicted of revealing information and documents connected to intelligence activities. They were variously held in detention for up to six months during their trial.

The charges related to articles and social media posts published shortly after President Tayyip Erdogan said in February 2020 that Turkey had "several martyrs" in Libya.

Turkey has provided military support and training to Libya's internationally recognised Government of National Accord, and helped it fight off an assault lasting several months on the capital Tripoli by eastern Libyan forces led by Khalifa Haftar.

Two journalists were sentenced in September 2020 to three years and nine months in jail, while three were given four years and eight months.

The defendants denied the accusations, saying they had been doing their jobs as journalists. Their sentences were finalised after an appeals court rejected their application on Jan. 28.

A lawyer for the journalists said on Tuesday that Murat Agirel, a reporter for Yeni Cag newspaper, and Baris Pehlivan, journalist for opposition daily Cumhuriyet, were released.

Alpay Antmen, a lawmaker for the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) said journalist Hulya Kilinc was released, but it was unclear if the other two journalists were detained.

Turkish courts do not generally confirm rulings to the media and there was no word on Tuesday's case from the government.

According to the indictment, Agirel was the first to reveal the identities of the intelligence officers, sharing names and photos on Twitter and referring to Erdogan's comments.

Celal Ulgen, another lawyer in the case, said the sentences were "an intimidation directed towards all of society".

Story continues

Turkey is one of the world's biggest jailers of journalists.

Critics say Erdogan has eroded the independence of courts and the media since a crackdown following an attempted coup in 2016. Officials say the courts are autonomous and arrests have been necessary because of security risks.

(Reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen; Editing by Daren Butler and Grant McCool)
We should request the UN to implement the humanitarian air corridors!

Valentyn Nalyvaichenko, People's Deputy of Ukraine, Secretary of the Committee on Ukraine's Integration with the EU

Today we keep on searching the right solution how to close the sky over Ukraine on all the diplomatic fronts.

The preservation of innocent civilians, who suffer the most from the shelling and bombing of the enraged Russian aggressor, is critical.

Every day you see more and more innocent victims of children, civilians, destroyed hospitals and shelling ambulances. This is the main reason why the no-fly zone should be made and this is our main argument for Europeans and Americans.

We appeal to everyone: this is the genocide of the Ukrainian people, war crimes and crimes against humanity!

While NATO is procrastinating with the closure of the sky, we must involve international humanitarian organizations for making safe air corridors over Ukraine for humanitarian cargo, medicine and the evacuation of the wounded.

We do not require something new: the UN intervened in the establishment of humanitarian air corridors for many times before.

For instance, in 1948, when Western Berlin was surrounded by Soviet troops and tried to starve it to death. The air bridge created by the West delivered enough food and other assistance to make the Western Berlin survive.

Ukraine, as one of the founding members of the United Nations, has the right and all the levers to demand the same now. Make the humanitarian air corridors ASAP!

Another important thing is that mobile hospitals from international humanitarian missions should be deployed closer to the places where civilians suffer the most from hostile Russian shelling.
https://sputniknews.com/20220306/putin-tells-erdogan-halt-in-russias-ukraine-op-possible-if-kiev-halts-fighting-implements-demands-1093633995.html

Putin Tells Erdogan Halt in Russia's Ukraine Op Possible If Kiev Stops Fighting, Implements Demands

Putin Tells Erdogan Halt in Russia's Ukraine Op Possible If Kiev Stops Fighting, Implements Demands

Russia began a military operation in Ukraine on 24 aimed at demilitarising the country after weeks of escalating artillery, sniper and sabotage attacks against... 06.03.2022, Sputnik International

2022-03-06T11:49+0000

2022-03-06T11:49+0000

2022-03-06T12:30+0000

ukraine

turkey

russia

recep tayyip erdogan

vladimir putin

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Russia's military operation in Ukraine to defend the Donbass will be suspended only if Ukrainian forces cease hostilities and agree to implement Moscow's demands on demilitarisation, President Vladimir Putin has told his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan."The readiness of the Russian side for dialogue with Ukrainian authorities and with foreign partners to resolve the conflict was confirmed," the Kremlin said in a readout Sunday.Putin was said to have drawn Erdogan's attention to the "futility" of efforts by Kiev to stall the negotiations process, and to have "emphasized that the suspension of the special operation is possible only if Kiev ceases hostilities and fulfills Russia's well-known requirements," i.e. the so-called "demilitarisation and denazification of Ukraine," and justice against those responsible for "bloody crimes against civilians" in the Donbass over the past 8 years, as Putin has previously characterized them.Putin also told his Turkish counterpart that Russian forces were "doing everything possible to ensure the safety of civilians," with Russia's "pinpoint strikes" said to be "inflicted exclusively on military infrastructure." Erdogan was informed of the operations of nationalist and neo-Nazi formations, including the continued shelling of Donbass settlements and the use of Ukrainian civilians and foreigners as "human shields" in the cities and towns they control. Putin assured Erdogan that Russia would assist measures to evacuate Turkish nationals from areas where fighting is taking place.Turkey has presented itself as a possible mediator in the Ukraine crisis, citing its good relations with both Kiev and Moscow. At the same time, Ankara has closed the Bosphorus and Dardanelles Straits to warships of all states, including Russia, and continued the shipment of its Bayraktar drones to Ukraine.The current cataclysm in Ukraine is the culmination of a security crisis which began in 2014, when the country's unpopular but democratically elected government was overthrown in a Western-backed coup and replaced by forces seeking to pull Kiev into the European Union and NATO. The coup prompted Crimea to break off from Ukraine and rejoin Russia. In eastern Ukraine, independence movements popped up, prompting Kiev to send troops to crush the resistance and sparking a years-long civil conflict. A Russian, French and German-backed effort to end the conflict via the 2015 Minsk Agreements failed to bear fruit, with successive governments in Kiev refusing to provide the Donbass with constitutionally mandated autonomy in exchange for its peaceful reintegration into Ukraine.Russia began a large-scale military operation in Ukraine on 24 February after a formal request for assistance from the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, which faced weeks of escalating Ukrainian attacks, including hundreds of violations of the ceasefire by both sides recorded by Organization for Security Co-operation in Europe observers. Moscow recognized the republics as independent states on 21 February.

https://sputniknews.com/20220305/four-ukrainian-su-27-jets-shot-down-in-aerial-fight-above-zhytomir-region-russian-mod-says-1093619905.html

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Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

2022

Ilya Tsukanov

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Ilya Tsukanov

ukraine, turkey, recep tayyip erdogan, vladimir putin
LVIV, Ukraine  After Western nations rejected his appeal to impose a no-fly zone over the country, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine on Sunday called on the entire nation to resist the Russian invasion. He cheered the courage of protesters who filled the streets of occupied cities and towns, saying that every meter of our Ukrainian land won by protest and humiliation of the invaders is a step forward, a step toward victory.

Russian forces appeared to be struggling in their primary objective of encircling and capturing Kyiv, the capital. There has been fierce fighting just north of the city, where the Ukrainian military says it is successfully defending its position. The Ukrainians say they are also halting the Russian advance from the east, with the Russians bogged down in clashes around an airport.

Ukrainian officials are warning about a systematic effort to gain control over parts of the countrys critical infrastructure, with Russian forces now threatening a key hydroelectric power station. Russias military has destroyed, attacked or captured several energy infrastructure facilities in recent days. Russias gains in the south were the most sweeping in the early days of the war, making inroads in strategic areas along the coasts of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. But Ukrainian forces repelled a Russian assault in a key coastal city overnight, slowing the Russians advance toward the key port city of Odessa.
A boy from Zaporizhzhia in southeast Ukraine, was hailed "a hero of the night" by Slovakian authorities after they said he crossed Ukraine's border into Slovakia on his own, CNN reported.

The 11-year-old was carrying a backpack, a plastic bag and a passport, and had a telephone number written on his hand, according to the Slovak Ministry of Interior.

The statement said that thanks to the information written on the boy's hand and on a piece of paper that was folded in his passport, the staff at the border were able to get in touch with the boy's relatives in Slovakia who were then able to come and collect him, CNN reported.

"He came all alone because his parents had to stay in . Volunteers took care of him, took him to a warm place and gave him food and drink.

"He won over everyone with his smile, fearlessness and determination worthy of a real hero," the statement said. It is unclear why the boy was unaccompanied.

More than 1.2 million refugees have now left since February 24, according to the UN as of March 3. Of the 1,209,976 refugees who have fled, a majority of them, 53.7 per cent, crossed into Poland.

have gone to countries including Hungary, Slovakia, Moldova, and Romania.

--IANS

san/vd

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Kuleba urges Ukrainians abroad to hold public events in support of Ukraine's accession to EU as soon as possible

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has called on Ukrainians abroad to hold public events in support of Ukraine's accession to the EU as soon as possible.

"I call on every Ukrainian who lives abroad or temporarily stays there, every member of the Ukrainian diaspora to mobilize and next week hold powerful public events in all EU countries in support of Ukraine's accession to the EU as soon as possible," Kuleba said an online briefing on Sunday.

According to him, now is a unique moment, since Ukraine registers in all EU countries an increase in the level of support for Ukraine's membership in the EU.

"This is a unique moment, hundreds of thousands and millions of EU citizens are on your side. Reach out to them, mobilize with them and make sure that their governments hear them and that such decisions on Ukraine's membership in the EU are made as quickly as possible" Kuleba noted.
There are two valuable income tax breaks South Carolina homeowners should be aware of this tax season, and they're surprisingly easy to overlook.

The first is fairly simple, and it's worth up to $1,250. It's a state-specific tax break, and I've found during more than a decade of writing this personal finance column that many homeowners and some accountants have been unaware it exists.

It's called the Excess Insurance Premium Credit, it's claimed on South Carolina's income tax form TC44 and here's how it works: If the amount of money you paid to insure your legal residence is greater than 5 percent of your federal adjusted gross income, you get a tax credit for the difference, up to $1,250.

Pretty simple, right?

Like most South Carolina income tax credits, this one can only be used to reduce your state tax liability  the amount owed to the Department of Revenue in Columbia before any payments including payroll withholdings are counted. The credit can be carried forward for five years and applied to future returns.

If you're just finding out about this break and could have used it previously, you can file amended tax returns for up to three prior years. In hurricane-prone areas it's easy for people to pay more than 5 percent of their income on home insurance, and that credit can help ease the pain.

When I first wrote about it years ago, I got a number of calls from people living on the barrier islands who were able to claim the credit, and some filed amended tax returns and saved thousands more.

The second tax credit could also be of particular interest to homeowners in hurricane-prone areas, but it's a bit more complicated to claim.

The Residential Retrofit Credit is actually two credits in one, which are claimed together on form TC-43. It's a tax credit for people who retrofitted their legal residence to be more resistant to hurricanes, floods or wind damage.

For example, installing storm shutters, or upgrading to a hurricane-rated roof, or installing roof bracing could qualify. This credit is good to keep in mind for homeowners considering such improvements, because it can help offset the costs of making their houses less damage-prone, which is the intent.

The pair of credits requires a bit of research, and either a written certification that the work qualifies, or an affidavit from the homeowner plus receipts.

The payoff is considerable  and I speak from personal experience here. First, there's a 25 percent credit for the cost of the retrofit work, worth up to $1,000.

Second, and in addition, there's a credit for the state sales tax paid on the materials, worth up to $1,500. With that one, the credit amounts to 6 percent of the cost of the "tangible personal property"  the taxed materials  used for the retrofit job.

The pair of credits seems oddly structured, because the sales tax portion is capped at a higher amount than the credit for the retrofit cost. With most retrofit jobs it would be easy to hit the maximum $1,000 credit for the project cost, by spending $4,000 or more, but someone would have to spend $25,000 on taxed materials to get the maximum sales tax credit.

Regardless, the two credits together offer real savings, as much as $2,500, for homeowners who did qualifying work on their residence.

The credits can also be claimed by anyone fortunate enough to have received a Safe Home grant through the S.C. Department of Insurance for a retrofit project, but only the expenses the grant proceeds didn't cover can be counted.
In Cayuga County, DREAMS have come true.

The county Legislature has approved a $4 million project to transform the county's record-keeping system into a cloud-based digital environment, a proposal dubbed the DREAMS project by its advocates. The name is an acronym for the Digital Records Electronic Access Management System.

Its chief advocate is the person who's ultimately responsible for the county's legally required record-keeping program, elected Cayuga County Clerk Sue Dwyer. Faced with dwindling space for records and what she saw as a clear movement toward digitizing in New York state, she formed a committee to investigate how such a project could be done in Cayuga County.

More than two years of work later, the funding has been approved for a five-year, phased project to effectively make the county government paperless.

At the Legislature's Feb. 22 meeting, all but two lawmakers voted in favor of a resolution greenlighting the project using funds from the federal American Rescue Plan Act and the county's general fund balance.

"A digital solution would minimize storage and required office space, preserve all records in digital form while preserving historical documents, and saving the county money by selling or leasing a building we would no longer need, and combining three departments that have a symbiotic relationship into one office space," the resolution states.

A major motivating force for the work Dwyer and her DREAMS committee have done is the condition of the county's existing records spaces. The main county archives is located in the former county jail on Court Street that also houses the county Historian's Office.

That 62-year-old is at 97% storage capacity, and it's not climate controlled, which compromises the quality of records. The space costs more than $22,000 per year just for basic maintenance. The building also needs repairs to its roof, plumbing and furnace, and its windows are deteriorating.

"The building needs an overhaul and now is the time to consider making a change that makes sense both financially, operationally and technologically. It is clear that the building will continue to need costly repairs," the resolution states. The County is at a crossroads; If we do nothing, the County will be faced with extensive and expensive renovations, or the County would be faced with the need to purchase a new records facility. If we move forward and eliminate the need for that building, office spaced is reduced, and the County no longer has to be concerned about costly issues and destroyed documents."

Dwyer brought the resolution to the Legislature last month with a request to dip into nearly $15 million in federal ARPA funds to cover the costs. She was seeking a $4 million commitment. The largest ARPA allocation the Legislature has approved prior to last month's meeting was $1 million for a Deauville Island playground/amphitheater project.

"We're either going to go digital or we're not going to go, and then you're going to have to put with it in two or three years at the most, the records center will be full and then you'll have the taxpayers pay for it," Dwyer told the Legislature's Government Operations Committee on Feb. 9.

Dwyer said the county will be pursuing other state grants to help cover costs of the project, and that would include potential shared services funding by partnering with interested towns.

The two county lawmakers who voted against the project resolution, Lydia Patti Ruffini and Tricia Kerr, both expressed support for the concept at the Government Operations Committee, but said they had concerns about such a large draw from the ARPA pool.

"I think it's a really ambitious, great project to take on, but I've said all along that I feel like we have to maximize these ARPA dollars," Kerr said at the committee discussion. "I feel like there's other potential funding sources that should be considered with this."

Chris Petrus, Government Operations Committee chair, said using ARPA is a smart way for the county to get ahead of what he expects will eventually be a county mandate to digitize records.

"We're ultimately going to be saddled with it; we have a sufficient amount of money to be able to pay for it at this point," he said.

When the measure reached the full Legislature, it was adjusted to draw $1.9 million from ARPA funds and $2.1 million from the county's general fund balance. An amendment on the floor was passed to adjust the final breakdown to about $3 million from ARPA and $1 million from the fund balance.

After the meeting, Dwyer expressed her gratitude to the Legislature in an email to The Citizen.

"This will change the way county staff and the community will be able to research and access records; the County will no longer need a Records Retention Building; it will save office space in all of departments which will allow for some complimentary county departments to be located in one office instead of several separate offices," she said.

"This will assist in making it easier for more county staff to work remotely if needed; will save an incredible amount money by not using paper; will insure that there is no possibility of a catastrophic loss of historic/permanent records. They will be safely preserved and maintained."
Cate Blanchett looks like she has a surprise in store and I know what it is.

The double- Oscar-winning actress has submitted plans to splash out on an outdoor swimming pool at her 5 million East Sussex mansion.

Cate, 52, already has a circular meditation room in the sprawling property, which also boasts seven bedrooms and five reception rooms.

But designing her dream home seems to have been a bit of a nightmare: last year she and her husband, Andrew Upton, had to pause demolition plans after surveyors discovered a colony of rare bats.

Council planners are expected to decide on her pool next month.

Oscar winning actress Cate Blanchett, pictured, wants to build an outdoor swimming pool at her 5 million East Sussex mansion

Council planners are expected to decide on the pool application next month

Is Nick set up for top Eton job?

He's already chairman of the V&A and co-chair of the Queens Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Now I hear that Nicholas Coleridge has his eye on another plum Establishment role  Provost of Eton.

Nicholas, 65, who held a number of senior positions at glossy magazine empire Conde Nast before stepping down in 2017, is apparently among the contenders to take over from former Tory Cabinet Minister William Waldegrave as the person responsible for the good government of the 45,000-a-year school when Waldegrave steps down next year.

Nicholas declines to comment on the role but one of his supporters assures me: Hes worked out his game-plan and is coming up fast.

As his close pal, columnist Charles Moore, once observed: Nick is a supreme tactician. He takes only calculated risks and does nothing by mistake.

We're BFFs: Baby Friends Forever

It was the ultimate insult (in 2017 they unfollowed each other on Instagram!) but Naomi Campbell and Rihanna have put paid to any lingering rumours of a rift by forming a close bond  over babies.

The pair were invited to Vogue editor Edward Enninfuls star-studded wedding last month at Longleat and a guest tells me they got on famously.

Naomi introduced her nine-month-old daughter to the world in a Vogue interview last month, while Rihanna is expecting her first baby with rapper ASAP Rocky  showing off her bump in a series of daring outfits.
Convicted criminal Bassam Hamzy has reportedly been dethroned as the head of his clan with his younger cousin Ibrahem Hamze stepping in as the new leader.

Hamzy, 42, who founded the criminal gang Brothers 4 Life, has been in prison since 1999 for murdering a teenager. He is one of NSW's most notorious prisoners and will not be released anytime soon.

That, combined with the family losing Mejid Hamzy, Ghassan Amoud, and Bassam's cousin Bilal Hamze, due to their war with the Alameddine's, has prompted the clan to look to younger cousin Ibrahem, 27, for direction.

Convicted criminal Bassam Hamzy, 42, has reportedly been dethroned as the head of the Hamzy clan

The Hamzy family has looked to younger cousin Ibrahem (right), 27, for direction following Bassam's lengthy prison sentence and the shooting death of several family members in their blood fued with the Alameddine clan

'They look at Bass(am) like he's a weirdo,' a source close to the Hamzys told The Daily Telegraph.

'They all deal with his s**t and make out like they care, but there's a groan whenever he calls. They aren't that close with him.'

The source said there's still 'five or six that are [still] close' with Bassam.

The source claims that Bassam now has little influence following the deaths of his brothers.

'He was the boss, but now Ibby is running the ship,' the source added.

Ibrahem is currently in prison on remand following an alleged plot to murder a man connected to the Alameddine clan outside a gym in Prospect in Sydney's west in November.

His cousins, Tareek and Haissam Hamzy, were also charged in connection with the alleged murder plot and an alleged kidnapping and stabbing that Ibrahem and three others also took part in.

Ibrahem is currently in prison on remand following an alleged plot to murder a man connected to the Alameddine clan outside a gym in Prospect in Sydney's west in November. His cousins Tareek and Haissam Hamzy were also charged in connection with the alleged murder plot

Ibrahem Hamze (above in pale grey hoodie) has faced court charged with solicit murder, shooting with intent to murder and with the alleged kidnap of a man last September

Ibrahem also faces charges of large commercial drug supply, and directing the activities of a criminal group.

He arrived under police escort back in NSW after being extradited from the Gold Coast by detectives who have repeatedly warned him his life is in danger due to the blood feud between the Hamzy's and Alameddine's.

The war between the two Middle Eastern Australian families was reignited in earnest in October 2020, when Ibrahem's cousin Mejid Hamzy was gunned at Condell Park.

Ibrahem's cousin Ghassan Amoun was shot dead in a brazen lunchtime execution after he was ambushed on leaving the Lady Laser salon in South Wentworthville just days after being released from prison in early January.

Ibrahem Hamze (above) is escorted by NSW Police Raptor Squad at Bankstown Airport in Sydney after his extradition from Queensland to face charges of kinapping and soliciting murder

Hamze, 27, was arrested and charged by police who have warned him that he risks being the next target in the ongoing Sydney underworld blood feud between two families

Meanwhile, Bassam Hamzy single-handedly won back the right to make unsupervised calls to his lawyers last month.

Hamzy, who judges called 'articulate', represented himself in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and won the right to have restrictions on his legal phone calls overturned.

He is awaiting trial over allegations he coordinated an illegal drug ring from prison.

Hamzy is considered an 'extreme high risk restricted inmate' - the highest security classification in NSW.
New Delhi, March 6 : Noida Police has arrested a 25-year-old man for printing counterfeit currency at his residence, the police said on Sunday.

The accused, identified as Janki Yadav, was presently residing at Sector 53, Noida and was originally a resident of Gonda, UP.

Furnishing details, the police said that the accused lived at a rented house in village Gijhore, Noida and was involved in printing of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) by making photocopies of the original notes.

When the police conducted a raid at his residence they found fake currency of face value of Rs 4,750,99 papers with half-printed notes, one HP printer and two rims for printing the counterfeit currency.

"The accused, after making the fake notes, used them in the market," the police said.

The police registered a case under sections 489A (Counterfeiting currency-notes or bank-notes), 489B (Using as genuine, forged or counterfeit currency-notes or bank-notes), 489C (Possession of forged or counterfeit currency-notes or bank-notes) and 489D (Making or possessing instruments or materials for forging or counterfeiting currency-notes or bank-notes) of the Indian Penal Code at Bhadvi Police Station in Sector-24, Noida.

Notably, counterfeiting of currency notes is an offence under the Indian Penal Code. Further, production, smuggling or circulation of High-Quality Fake Indian paper currency, coin or any other material has been made a terrorist act under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
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Devastating images and videos have laid bare the horror of Vladimir Putins lawless invasion of Ukraine, as Russian troops unleash heavy gunfire and missiles on local residents.

Heartbreaking footage, taken in Irpin, located on the outskirts of the besieged capital city Kyiv, confirmed that Russian forces are attacking heavily populated civilian areas where men, women and children are leaving the country as the Russian tyrant continues denying bombing Ukrainian cities.

One image depicted a mother and her two children lying dead on the pavement after they were killed in Irpin as they tried to flee the city, whilst their father was wounded by a mortar shell as hundreds of civilians sought safety.

It comes as US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken today said there are 'very credible reports' that Russia has committed war crimes during its invasion of Ukraine - particularly in attacking civilians.

A second attempt to evacuate refugees from Mariupol was scuppered again today after the city was shelled just minutes into an agreed ceasefire.

Some 400,000 residents were hoped to be evacuated from 12pm today, with an initial agreement in place until 9pm, but residents are now having to take cover in bomb shelters without electricity and water.

It followed similar attempts on Saturday when plans to evacuate refugees were halted when shelling recommenced 45 minutes into a ceasefire.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said: 'Amid devastating scenes of human suffering in Mariupol, a second attempt today to start evacuating an estimated 200,000 people out of the city came to a halt.

'The failed attempts yesterday and today underscore the absence of a detailed and functioning agreement between the parties to the conflict.'

However, in a telephone call with French President Emmanual Macron, Putin blamed Kyiv for the failed evacuations.

Putin instead claimed 'Ukrainian nationalists' prevented civilians and foreign citizens from leaving the port city and neighbouring Volnovakha.

But Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky today warned that Russian forces are preparing to shell Odessa - a historic port city on the Black Sea coast.

In a video address, the Ukrainian leader said: 'They are preparing to bomb Odessa.

'Russians have always come to Odessa. They have always felt only warmth in Odessa. Only sincerity. And now what? Bombs against Odessa? Artillery against Odessa? Missiles against Odessa?

'It will be a war crime. It will be a historical crime.'

Almost a million people live in Odessa, a cosmopolitan harbour on Ukraine's southern coast with both Ukrainian and Russian speakers and Bulgarian and Jewish minorities.

Analysts have previously said that taking Odessa would be a huge strategic victory and would give Russia a chokehold on Ukraine's economy.

Russia has made progress in southern Ukraine since its invasion 11 days ago, overrunning the city of Kherson and shelling the port of Mariupol, but Odessa has so far been largely spared.

A factory and a store are burning after been bombarded in Irpin, in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, March 6, 2022

Ukrainian servicemen try to help people who have been wounded in Irpin - as an increasingly delusional Putin is insisting that Russia is not bombing Ukrainian cities, despite mounting fears that 100 people are buried under rubble after an apartment block near Kyiv was struck and after a cluster bomb attack on the city of Chernihiv killed 49 earlier this week. A mother and two children were killed and the father was wounded by a mortar shell as hundreds of civilians sought safety

A Ukrainian soldier walks past the corpses of a family lying on the ground after shelling by the Russian army at the evacuation point of Irpin, several members of the same family have been killed in this attack while trying to flee

person, who was trying to flee with his family, lies on the ground after the shelling of the Russian army at the evacuation point of Irpin, several members of the same family have been killed in this attack today

Earlier this morning, artillery hit a queue of people outside a grocery store in the Piatykhatky neighbourhood of Kharkiv, northern Ukraine

A wife says her goodbyes to her husband who is a member of the Territorial Defence as she evacuates Irpin, Ukraine, on Sunday

A woman who has just been safely evacuated from Irpin prays for those people who have stayed in the city as it is targeted by Russian shells

People who just evacuated from Irpin rush through the checkpoint on Sunday. It is understood three civilians were killed and others were wounded as Russian mortar rounds landed between Irpin and Kyiv this morning

Former heavy weight boxing champion Vladimir Klitschko visits a blockpost near Kyiv, Ukraine, earlier today

People cross on an improvised path under a bridge that was destroyed by a Russian airstrike, while fleeing the town of Irpin, Ukraine, on Saturday

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky (pictured) today warned that Russian forces are preparing to shell Odessa - a historic port city on the Black Sea coast

People place a man in a wheelchair in the back of an SUV after crossing on an improvised path under a bridge that was destroyed by a Russian airstrike, as people flee the town of Irpin, Ukraine, on Saturday

As residents continue to evacuate across cities in Ukraine, heartbreaking footage shows that civilians are being attacked with heavy gunfire and missiles in Irpin, 20 kilometres north-west of Kyiv

Many Ukrainian war refugees have taken a long and perilous journey to flee the destruction brought about by President Vladimir Putin - with 1.5 million crossing into neighbouring countries in 10 days, new stats have revealed

Yuriy, who who was shot in the leg while evacuating civilians from the shelled city of Irpin receives first aid on Sunday afternoon

Yuriy, who who was shot in the leg while bravely evacuating civilians from the shelled city of Irpin gets taken to the hospital

Ruslan from the Territorial Defense shows where a bullet came through his jacket as he gets medical help for a wound received during shelling near Irpin earlier today

Ukraine war latest: at a glance Boris Johnson has drawn up a six-point plan to defeat Vladimir Putin as he moves to assume leadership of global efforts to end the horror of war in Ukraine.

A second attempt to evacuate Mariupol failed today after Ukraine accused the Russians of shelling the city as citizens attempted to flee through a 'humanitarian corridor'.

More than 1.5million refugees have now fled Ukraine for neighbouring countries since Vladimir Putin invaded, United Nations figures have shown.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says missiles have struck and completely destroyed Vinnytsia regional airport, and urges NATO to close the airspace and make a no-fly zone.

The Pope deplored 'rivers of blood' in Ukraine as he demanded humanitarian corridors.

Elon Musk held a video call with Volodymyr Zelensky as he promised to bolster his Starlink satellite support for the war-torn country, as he tweeted: 'Hold strong Ukraine.'

A Ukrainian peace negotiator is reported to have been shot dead amid claims he might have been a spy for the Russians. The reports are unconfirmed.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday held new telephone talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Elysee said.

More than 1,700 people in cities across Russia have been detained while taking part in anti-war protests against the country's invasion of Ukraine, a monitor said, more than a week after the assault began.

Russian pilots have been filmed saying they were 'following orders' after their aircraft was shot down over Ukraine.

The deputy minister of defence for Belarus has submitted his resignation and claimed he cannot support the current Russian invasion of Ukraine.

BBC World News has been taken OFF AIR in Russia  two days after Putin approved law that could lock up journalists for 15 years for spreading fake information. Advertisement

Separately, on Sunday, the head of Kyiv-controlled Lugansk regional administration, said a train would be organised to evacuate women, children and the elderly from Lysychansk.

Lysychansk is near the frontline between Ukrainian forces and Moscow-backed separatists, who are fighting to link up with the Russian forces and control the entire southeast.

If Russian forces succeed in capturing Mariupol which held out against rebel forces in the previous 2014 conflict, they will control Ukraine's entire Azov Sea coast.

This would give them a landbridge from Russia to Russian-annexed Crimea and an important supply route and port if they decide to push north in a bid to take all of eastern Ukraine.

But although the Russian bombardment of Ukraine thus far has resulted in widespread destruction and considerable civilian casualties, Ukraine's armed forces and territorial defence units have also inflicted major losses on Russia's air force.

New footage shows the moment an alleged Russian jet was shot down over Ukraine's second city Kharkiv earlier today.

Oleg Synegubov, the regional governor of Kharkiv, claimed that the Russian Su-25 fighter was destroyed by Kharkiv's Air Defence Forces, which was later confirmed by the Kyiv Independent.

Video appears to show the plane erupt into a huge fireball as it is struck by two surface-to-air missiles (SAM) over Kharkiv's city centre, before the twisted remains tumbled out of the sky and exploded again upon impact with the ground.

Synegubov said the plane was part of a squadron of between five and seven aircraft which have been conducting regular bombing runs over Ukraine's second city.

Kharkiv is one of the cities worst-hit by Russian bombing campaigns in recent days, after Putin ordered his forces to engage in sustained shelling of several locations across the country.

Kyiv reported late last night that they have downed a total of 44 Russian planes and 44 helicopters in the past eleven days, providing further evidence of Russia's failure to gain air superiority  a tactical advantage that Putin thought would be achieved on the first day of the war.

The Armed Forces Air Command reported early this morning that one Su-25 fighter, two Su-34 fighter-bombers, two Su-30 SM planes, and three helicopters were shot down yesterday alone.

Video appears to show the plane erupt into a huge fireball as it is struck by two surface-to-air missiles (SAM) over Kharkiv's city centre, before the twisted remains tumbled out of the sky and exploded again upon impact with the ground

The burnt out remains of a building destroyed by Russian army shelling in the second largest Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, in the east of the country on March 6, 2022. Kharkiv is one of the cities worst-hit by Russian bombing campaigns in recent days, after Putin ordered his forces to engage in sustained shelling of several locations across the country

A young woman reacts as she crouches near the lifeless body of a man killed in a Russian rocket attack in Kharkiv earlier today

Since Russia invaded on February 24, Moscow has pummelled Ukrainian cities, with officials reporting hundreds of civilians killed. Europes largest atomic power plant has even come under attack sparking fears of a catastrophic nuclear accident. But Russia has so far only seized two key cities, Berdiansk and Kherson on Ukraines southern Black Sea coast.

Raab rules out no-fly zone in Ukraine Dominic Raab again ruled out imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine, saying this would lead to a 'massive escalation' and would feed into the Russian president's narrative. He told Sky News's Trevor Phillips on Sunday programme: 'We're not going to get ourselves into a direct military conflict with Putin because that would be a massive escalation, but also that feeds Putin's narrative. 'Putin wants to say that he's actually in a struggle with the west - he's not'. He called no-fly zones 'very difficult, very challenging' and said 'we will do everything short of that to support Ukrainians'. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said his party supports the Government but he wants to see them going "further and faster". Sir Keir told ITV News: "Everybody understands why we can't have a no-fly zone, why direct military assistance is not possible. That means sanctions have to be the strongest we have ever seen, the most effective we've ever seen. And in order for sanctions to work, you need to know what property the oligarchs have got here in the United Kingdom. Advertisement

Capturing Mariupol represents a bigger prize for Russian forces as it would deal a severe blow to Ukraines maritime access and connect with troops coming from annexed Crimea and the Donbas.

While the vast Russian armoured column threatening Ukraines capital remained stalled outside Kyiv, Putins military has launched hundreds of missiles and artillery attacks on cities and other sites across the country.

More than 840 children have been wounded in the war, and 28 have been killed, according to Ukraine's government. A total of 331 civilians had been confirmed killed but the true number is probably much higher, the UN human rights office said.

Some 200,000 civilians were set to leave Mariupol and a further 15,000 from Volnovakha at 7am (UK time) as part of a temporary ceasefire deal overseen by the Red Cross on Saturday.

Under the agreement, the refugees had five hours to flee the cities and evacuate westwards along humanitarian corridors.

But just 400 refugees managed to flee Volnovakha before the ceasefire was shattered. It is unclear how many  if any  families escaped Mariupol.

The total number of people fleeing Russia's invasion reached 1.5 million in just ten days on Sunday, making it Europe's 'fastest growing refugee crisis' since World War Two, the United Nations said.

In comments carried on Ukrainian television, Mariupol mayor Vadym Boychenko said thousands of people had gathered for safe passage out of the city and buses were departing when shelling began.

'We value the life of every inhabitant of Mariupol and we cannot risk it, so we stopped the evacuation,' he said.

Before Russia announced the ceasefire, Ukraine had urged Moscow to create humanitarian corridors to allow children, women and the older adults to flee the fighting, calling them 'question number one'.

The UK's Ministry of Defence later said the ceasefire offer was likely to have been a ploy to distract attention away from it resetting its forces for a renewed attack.

Ukrainian authorities accused the Russians of the shelling, but Moscow's defence ministry accuses the city's defenders of exploiting a 'human shield'.

It comes as supply issues and logistical problems have been plaguing Russian advances for a number of days as Ukrainian forces continue to put up stiff resistance and hold key cities.

As the slow progress infuriates Putin, Moscow has been forced to deny it is targeting civilian areas.

Dominic Raab said today that Putin's army leaders in Ukraine could join him in jail for war crimes if they follow 'illegal orders' - as he warned the conflict could drag on for years.

The Deputy Prime Minister said economic sanctions had 'put the squeeze' on the Russia leader, which was forcing him to use 'evermore brutal tactics' to achieve a quick result.

Britain has already called for Mr Putin to face warn crimes prosecution, with reports of illegal weapons like cluster bombs and possibly thermobaric weapons being used.

Appearing on television this morning Mr Raab said Ukrainian forces have 'proved a far tougher prospect than Putin expected' and that military commanders could also be prosecuted if they did not refuse orders.

'I think we ought to be under no doubt that our mission with our allies is to ensure Putin fails in Ukraine, and it's going to take some time,' Mr Raab said.

'We're talking about months, if not years, and therefore we will have to show some strategic stamina because this is not going to be over in days.'

He added: 'For all of those commanders on the ground right through to the people around Putin in the Kremlin, what they do now, whether they give or whether they follow illegal orders to commit war crimes, they will be held to account for it, and they need to know that.'

Mr Raab also again ruled out imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine, saying this would lead to a 'massive escalation' and would feed into the Russian president's narrative.

Since Russia invaded on February 24, Moscow has pummelled Ukrainian cities, with officials reporting hundreds of civilians killed. Europes largest atomic power plant has even come under attack sparking fears of a catastrophic nuclear accident

People lie on the floor of a hospital during shelling by Russian forces in Mariupol on Saturday, when efforts to evacuate residents were scuppered by bombing

A man with a child in his arms at the Porubne border crossing on Saturday

A child wrapped in a blanket and woolly hat attempts to keep warm as his family waits to cross the border into Poland

Refugees wrapped in blankets try to keep warm as they try to escape the ongoing conflict in Ukraine

Refugees, mostly women with children, arrive at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland, on Sunday

His appearance followed Putin's warning yesterday that ongoing resistance is putting Ukrainian statehood in jeopardy and sanctions imposed by the West sanctions are akin to 'declaring war'.

He continued to pin the blame for the war squarely on the Ukrainian leadership and slammed their resistance to the invasion.

The Russian leader said: 'If they continue to do what they are doing, they are calling into question the future of Ukrainian statehood. And if this happens, it will be entirely on their conscience.'

He also hit out at Western sanctions that have crippled Russia's economy and sent the value of its currency tumbling.

Putin added: 'These sanctions that are being imposed, they are akin to declaring war. But thank God, we haven't got there yet.'

But Russia's financial system suffered yet another blow late on Saturday as Mastercard and Visa announced they were suspending operations in the country.

It comes as some of Putin's own soldiers remarkable called on Russia to stop the war yesterday.

At a press conference in Kyiv, captured Russian troops condemned the mission and called on their fellow citizens to rally against the conflict.

The stricken Mi-24 plummets to the earth, hitting the ground nose-first, with all her pilots and navigators feared killed

The stricken Mi-24 plummets to the earth, hitting the ground nose-first, with all her pilots and navigators feared killed

The Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday UKRAINE REFUGEE APPEAL Readers of Mail Newspapers have always shown immense generosity at times of crisis. Calling upon that human spirit, we are now launching an appeal to raise money for refugees from Ukraine. For, surely, no one can fail to be moved by the heartbreaking images and stories of families  mostly women, children, the infirm and elderly  fleeing from Russia's invading armed forces. As this tally of misery increases over the coming days and months, these innocent victims of a tyrant will require accommodation, schools and medical support. All donations to the Mail Ukraine Appeal will be distributed to charities and aid organisations providing such essential services. In the name of charity and compassion, we urge all our readers to give swiftly and generously. TO MAKE A DONATION ONLINE Via bank transfer, please use these details: Account name: Associated Newspapers Account number: 20769512 Sort code: 50-00-00 TO MAKE A DONATION VIA CHEQUE Make your cheque payable to 'Mail Newspapers  Ukraine Appeal' and post it to: Mail Newspapers Ukraine Appeal, GFM, 42 Phoenix Court, Hawkins Road, Colchester, Essex CO2 8JY TO MAKE A DONATION FROM THE US US readers can donate to the appeal via a bank transfer to Associated Newspapers or by sending checks to dailymail.com HQ at 51 Astor Place (9th floor), New York, NY 10003 Advertisement

Andrey Chuvatarevsky, a soldier who served on a contract basis in the Moscow region, said: 'Russians, do everything possible to stop this war. Neither Ukraine nor Russia needs this war. Only Putin needs this war.

'Try to inform the President, drive the military away from the equipment so that they don't drive and bomb the civilian population. If you take to the streets, the President will decide to withdraw the troops. Then there will be no war.'

Fellow captured soldier Mikhail Kulikov warned that Ukrainian children were suffering: 'People of Russia, stand up. Your children are here. Children of the Ukrainian people are also suffering here. There is no need to be afraid.

'The Ukrainian people are not afraid of anyone. They will stand up for their land to the last. I also have two small children at home, to whom I do not know if I will get. Parents, block the roads, do not let your children go, do everything to make the Russian troops turn back.'

The two men were among ten soldiers who spoke at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine yesterday. They had voluntarily surrendered and each noted that they had received good treatment and the chance to contact their relatives.

It comes as new figures from the UN have confirmed that more than 1.5million refugees have now fled war-torn Ukraine since Russia invaded.

Many Ukrainian war refugees have taken a long and perilous journey to flee the destruction brought about by President Vladimir Putin - with 1.5 million crossing into neighbouring countries in 10 days.

It comes as the UN High Commissioner for Refugee Agency, Filippo Grandi, called it the 'fastest growing crisis in Europe since World War II', as it was revealed mostly women and children are arriving at the borders.

Mr Grandi tweeted yesterday morning: 'More than 1.5 million refugees from Ukraine have crossed into neighbouring countries in 10 days  the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.'

UNCHR communications chief Joung-ah Ghedini-Williams added: 'The rate of this exodus is quite phenomenal. We know that there are many more on the move. Also there are possibly equal numbers inside the country that are internally displaced.'

Meanwhile, the number of war refugees who have travelled to Poland from Ukraine is set to reach one million today as Polish border guards revealed there have been record arrivals.

They cleared as many as 129,000 people at border crossings on Saturday in a single day - taking their total to 922,400.

A nation of some 38 million people, Poland is receiving the largest number of refugees among Ukraine's neighbors. Some who entered Poland have continued to other countries.

The head of the United Nations' refugee agency said Sunday that more than 1.5 million refugees have crossed from Ukraine into neighboring countries since Russia invaded.

Romania's border police say more than 227,000 Ukrainian citizens have entered Romania in total since the crisis began and more than 155,000 of them have already left the country.

During a visit on Saturday to Romania's northern border at Siret, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said that 'no Ukrainian will be denied entry into Romania.'

He said Romanian authorities believe that the situation 'will continue for a long time, and the complications will worsen.'

The president added: 'We believe that this humanitarian catastrophe will spread, that a lot of help will be needed here, but also in Ukraine.'
New faces could be coming to school boards in the Omaha metro area, where 71 people have filed to run for the May 10 primary election.

More than half of those candidates have launched their campaigns in four suburban school districts, creating unusually high numbers that havent been seen in at least a decade.

The candidate numbers in the Bennington, Elkhorn, Gretna and Papillion La Vista school districts have each increased by at least five people since their last election in 2020.

Bennington has 12 people running for its school board, according to the Douglas County Election Commission.

Gretna and Elkhorn both have 10, while Papillion La Vista has nine candidates. Three seats are up for election on all four boards.

The districts havent seen such high numbers in at least 10 years.

In the 2012 primary, Bennington, Elkhorn and Gretna only had three candidates and Papillion La Vista had five. In 2014, Gretna and Papillion La Vista had five candidates. Bennington had four and Elkhorn had six.

Jason Holling-Karas, a candidate for the Bennington school board, said the thought of running didnt cross his mind until after the pandemic hit.

He has a daughter at Anchor Pointe Elementary School and is involved in the parent teacher organization but has never held an elected position in the district. He said he wants to address challenges teachers are facing and help the districts expansion.

Sitting back during the pandemic was a time to sit and reflect on what else I can do to help the community, or what things I could get involved in, he said.

Holling-Karas said when he filed, he thought there might be a handful of candidates to run against. But he watched the list jump from three to 12 in a few weeks.

I have heard a lot from parents who have frustration with the boards transparency, the superintendent and accountability, he said. I think that some of that helped drive some of the interest in the positions.

Kara Neuverth, a Bennington board member whose position is not up for election, said shes never seen this many candidates since she was appointed in 2015.

Candidate filings in other Omaha-area districts are closer to previous years.

Bellevue has eight people running and Millard has six, according to local election commissions. Ralston has three, Springfield Platteview has five and Douglas County West has four.

Westside Community Schools originally had nine candidates running for its February caucus. Five candidates dropped out after a text message circulated on social media linking some of them to a desire to get critical race theory out of the schools.

The Omaha Public Schools have a total of 11 candidates who are vying for a seat in four separate subdistricts. The district had 13 candidates in 2012 and 12 candidates in 2020 and 2010.

John Spatz, executive director of the Nebraska Association of School Boards, said some specific districts are seeing slight increases in interest, but numbers arent out of the ordinary across the state.

The Kearney and Grand Island public school districts have higher candidate numbers than they did in 2020, according to their local election commissions.

This year might be different to a slight degree, but generally it feels somewhat routine, Spatz said.

Routine has rarely applied throughout much of the COVID-19 pandemic, which coincided with  and in some cases inspired  an apparent increase in parental involvement in school issues.

In 2021, local school board races emerged as an intense political battleground in states across the country, with parents and advocates galvanized by a range of different issues, the Associated Press reported. In some instances, board members resigned as meetings that were once orderly turned ugly.

It doesnt appear interest in education issues has waned.

For some candidates, both nationally and in Nebraska, the response to COVID-19 is a primary motivator.

Lisa Pitts, a parent and candidate for the Elkhorn school board, said she filed largely because of the districts COVID-19 mask policy.

Masks were optional most of this school year at Elkhorn, except in the case of a specific classroom outbreak. The district did have a temporary mask requirement when a mandate was issued for the city of Omaha in January.

Pitts is accused of engaging in disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace, according to a criminal complaint filed on Jan. 3. The complaint stems from a Sept. 28 incident involving Brittany Sidders, principal at West Dodge Elementary School.

Pitts declined to describe the incident but said it was one of several in which she voiced her opposition to the mask policies on school grounds or at school board meetings.

Citing the pending criminal complaint, Elkhorn Public Schools spokeswoman Kara Perchal said the district couldnt comment.

No matter the reason why people are filing to run, the pandemic appears to have connected people to schools more than before  and some candidates say theyre running because they are dissatisfied with what they have seen.

Lance Molina, a candidate for Gretnas school board, has lived in the district for 32 years and has two children attending the public school. He said he started to think about filing after he was disappointed with how the districts 2020 bond issue was handled.

Molina said he doesnt think the district is spending money efficiently. He said the current school board dismisses parent concerns.

The board itself is not receptive to issues parents bring to the table, he said.

In Elkhorn, the districts high candidate count isnt unprecedented, according to Chuck Burney, a current Elkhorn board member who is not seeking reelection. He said the 2008 primary election, which was his first time running for the Elkhorn school board, had nine candidates.

I just think there are some years that more people decide to run than others, Burney said. I had a couple of people who are running (this year) talk to me and discussions were great. They said they want to help give back and serve the community on the school board, which is what you want.

Any time a local school board can attract enough interest from community members seeking to become more involved, its a good thing, Spatz said. Every two years NASB staff get a little nervous about elections, knowing how a school board members job is often not easy.

We want people to run for school board and its not always the most fun thing to do, he said. We are a strong local control state. To keep that, we need unpaid volunteers at the local level to step up and who are willing to serve on a school board.

World-Herald Staff Writer Joe Dejka contributed to this report.
Butte, Anaconda and Deer Lodge parents can rest a little easier knowing schools in their area have complied with or are in the process of complying with the state rule change that requires accredited K-12 schools to test their waters for lead.

Qualifying schools are required to test all fixtures, drinking fountains and sinks that people drink from, used in preparing food, or could potentially be used for drinking or preparing food, such as bathroom sinks or classroom sinks.

Any fixture that children might use, said Greg Montgomery, the rule manager for the lead in schools testing project at the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. He added schools arent required to test janitorial or utility sinks.

Even low levels of lead in childrens blood is linked to adverse effects on intellect, concentration and academic achievement, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Lead is also harmful to adults, but experts have found it affects children more because their developing bodies absorb more lead, and their brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to its damaging effects.

Because children spend so much time at school, its important that they arent being exposed to unsafe levels there, Montgomery said.

The rule change, enacted in January 2020, requires schools to test their water levels for lead every three years or on an alternate schedule approved by the DEQ through a waiver process. The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services made the amendment to the Administrative Rules of Montana related to school health after reviewing them and noticing what Montgomery called a glaring omission in policy not requiring schools to test their drinking water for lead. This was the first update to this policy since the federal Safe Drinking Water Act was amended in 1986.

Montana was one of around two dozen states that required schools to test their water for lead after lead levels in drinking water came under increased scrutiny in 2014 following the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, Montgomery said.

The water lead concentration levels in Flint homes ranged from 27 to 13,000 ppb, according to reports. The Environmental Protection Agency classifies any water with over 5,000 parts per billion of lead as hazardous waste.

Butte School Districts Director of Maintenance Jeremey Whitlock said that testing all nine schools in the district took about six months. Of those nine schools, the results from six are on the EQuIS database, set up and updated by the Montana DEQ. The district is still waiting to hear back on the results from Butte High School, Kennedy Elementary and East Middle School.

The results are separated into three bins. The first bin is for samples testing over 15 parts per billion, and requires the fixture in question to be immediately shut off and then removed. The second is for water samples testing between five to 15 parts per billion and requires the fixture to be either fixed, replaced, or flushed every 24 hours. The last is for water samples testing under five parts per billion and requires no action to be taken on the fixture the water comes from.

Out of all the faucets with results available in Butte School District, only 14 tested for elevated levels of lead, according to the EQuIS database. I was actually pretty happy, Whitlock said of the results. He said the next steps are to flush the faucets that tested into bin two and re-test after 24 hours. If the lead levels are still showing up as being over 5 parts per billion, the faucet will need to be replaced.

Whitlock said in an email that he will do the second round of sampling after he gets the results in from the rest of the schools, and has plans to replace fountains or faucets during spring break or possibly in the summer.

Two fixtures in the district showed up as being in bin one, the classroom sink in room four in the Butte High Career Center and the drinking fountain in 100 hallway north in West Elementary, which tested at 99 and 60 ppb, respectively.

Schools in the district enacted strict protocols keeping students and staff from using drinking fountains after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While these levels are high, they seem to be lower than fixtures in other Montana schools. West Billings High School had more than 40 fixtures out of 139 test into bin one, according to the EQuIS database, with one faucet testing at 5,800 ppb, the highest in the state so far. Over 100 schools in the state have had faucets that tested into bin one.

The deadline for testing was Dec. 31, but some schools, such as Anaconda Junior/Senior High School, sampled after that date.

We tested all our schools, said John Sullivan, superintendent of Anaconda School District 10.

The EQuIS online database doesnt currently show any samples from Fred Moodry Intermediate School or Lincoln Elementary in Anaconda, and three out of 12 of the fixtures tested at Anaconda Jr./Sr. High School and the Memorial Gym in Anaconda fell into bin two.

Montgomery said this delay in uploading results to the database can happen for myriad reasons, including incorrect result formats from the lab a school chooses.

COVID has played a part in delaying schools abilities to test. Because the Dec. 31 deadline was set before the onset of the pandemic, the DPHHS is being flexible with the deadline, said Jon Ebelt, public information officer at the Montana DPHHS.

In an email sent Feb. 28, Ebelt said that since the previous Friday, 13 schools have submitted results and eight started the process, bringing the number of Montana schools that started the process to 308 out of 589 and the number the DPHHS has results from to 293.

The Deer Lodge School District is in the process of testing and has communicated that to the state, said Deer Lodge School Superintendent Rodney Simpson in an email. They didnt meet the Dec. 31 deadline because of a change of the maintenance director, he said.

Mike Meagher, the new transportation and maintenance director for Deer Lodge School District, said the testing for all schools should be completed within the next couple of months.

The process of testing the samples includes making an inventory of every faucet that falls under the rule and sending it to the DEQ, then collecting samples from them all once the inventory is approved.

Sounds easy but it is more involved than that, such as mapping, flush plans, etc., Meagher said in an email. Whitlock agreed that taking the inventory was an intense process, and definitely the part of the sampling that was the most time consuming.

The money for the testing comes from an EPA grant, and tests are $20 each.

While the testing costs are covered under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act, there hasnt been a grant to cover remediation costs until recently. In partnership with the Montana Office of Public Instruction, there is up to $1,000 available for reimbursements for the cost of remediation on a first come, first serve basis to schools, which is almost depleted now, Montgomery said.

He also said the Federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation passed in November, recently had the language amended to allocate for remediation funding.

I would encourage schools that havent sampled yet to please do so, Montgomery said.

The CDCs blood reference level to determine children who have high blood levels is 3.5 micrograms per deciliter (35 ppb), and although the DEQs database classifies any water lead concentrations under 5 ppb as requiring no action, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the water lead levels in school drinking fountain water be no more than 1 ppb, according to a 2016 policy statement.

There is no known safe level of lead in a child's blood, according to the EPAs website.

Butte Central Schools was one of several Butte schools that had soil testing done by the Atlantic Richfield Company as part of Butte-Silver Bows Residential Metals Abatement Program. All the lead levels in Butte Centrals soil were under the programs acceptable threshold, according to Don Peoples Jr., president of Butte Central Schools.

Butte Central Schools are in the process of reaching out to engineering firms to conduct water testing, Peoples said.
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She's only just landed in Paris, but Kim Kardashian looked like she was ready to be shipped straight back to Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon.

The TV personality inevitably caught the eye as she attended the Balenciaga catwalk show in the French capital during her first appearance at the city's biannual Fashion Week.

Opting for a distinctive skintight catsuit from the Spanish label, Kim, 41, drew attention to her famous curves while posing for photos before making her way inside.

Questionable: She's only just landed in Paris, but Kim Kardashian looked like she was ready to be shipped straight back to Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon

But the heavily branded yellow and black outfit conjured images of industrial shipping tape and gave her the unwanted appearance of a tightly bound parcel.

Kim's head-to-toe look was accentuated with a matching handbag, while heavily tinted sunglasses completed the outlandish ensemble.

Luxury fashion house Balenciaga invited guests to their latest fashion show by sending them personalised broken iPhones.

Rather than the traditional paper invites, the French label opted to send out personalised mobiles engraved with the date and time of its Fall/Winter 2022 show at Paris Fashion Week.

Here she comes: The TV personality inevitably caught the eye as she attended the Balenciaga catwalk show in the French capital during her first appearance at the city's Fashion Week

Curious: The heavily branded yellow and black outfit conjured images of industrial shipping tape and gave her the unwanted appearance of a tightly bound parcel

Unlikely inspiration: Packaging tape appeared to get the Balenciaga creative juices flowing as they put together their latest collection (stock image)

Special appearance: Hollywood actress Salma Hayek was also in attendance at the Balenciaga show on Sunday afternoon

In good company: Salma was joined by step-daughter Mathilde Pinault (left) and daughter Valentina Paloma Pinault (centre) as the Paris Fashion Week event

Described as a 'genuine artifact from the year 2022', the phone - and the damage caused to it - is real, but is not functioning and should be used 'for display purposes only'.

The invitation read: 'Please find personalized information on the back of this phone. This is a genuine artifact from the year 2022.

'It is nonfunctional and to be used for display purposes only. This document certifies that this device is, to the best of our knowledge, not artificially manufactured but made from years of use and later, neglect.'

Say cheese: (L-R) Mathilde Pinault, Valentina Paloma Pinault, Salma Hayek, and Francois-Henri Pinault pose for a family photo

Hello there! Salma greeted onlookers with a polite wave as she made her way inside for the fashion preview on Sunday

Close friends: She later shared a shot of herself and Kim as they prepared to take their seats at the biannual event

Here she comes: Kim was seen leaving the Ritz hotel in Paris earlier that day as she made her way to the exclusive event

Best foot forward: The voluptuous TV personality showed off her figure in a striking black catsuit, a look she rounded off with a pair of distinctive thigh-high boots

New arrival: Kim - who was announced as ambassador for the luxe brand last month - was shielded by a navy umbrella as she arrived for the runway show

Entrance: The star was shielded by a navy umbrella as she arrived for the runway shenanigans, looking classically chic in a white coat and black shades

Arrival: She was surrounded by an ensemble as she made her stunning entrance

Farewell: Kim was later seen leaving France as her whistlestop tour of Paris Fashion Week, which lasted no longer than a day, came to an end

Your chariot awaits: Kim's private jet waited on the tarmac as the TV personality prepared to get onboard

Kim - who was announced as ambassador for the luxe brand last month - was shielded by a navy umbrella as she arrived for the runway show earlier that day looking classically chic in a white coat and black shades.

The now legally-single star, who is reportedly 'furious' over ex Kanye West 's Eazy music video, which shows the rapper seemingly burying her beau Pete Davidson alive, slicked back her raven tresses for the luxury fashion show.

On Tuesday, Kanye, 44, shared the bizarre new music video, where a clay-animated version of Kanye kidnapped a claymation Pete and threw a bag over his head before tying him up and throwing him on the back of an all-terrain vehicle.

Disturbing: On Tuesday, Kanye, 44, shared the bizarre new music video, where a clay-animated version of Kanye kidnapped a claymation Pete

The cartoon Kanye then buried Pete alive, keeping his head above the dirt and growing roses on it.

The Gold Digger hitmaker ended the clip with a direct message to the Saturday Night Live star: 'Everyone lived happily ever after, except Skete' before crossing out the name and writing, 'You know who.'

Kanye continually refers to Pete as 'Skete' as a disparaging nickname, though the meaning of moniker remains unclear.

A source told PEOPLE on Friday: 'She's really upset with Kanye that he'd do this. She's completely over all of this and she wants it to stop.'

PEOPLE's source also claimed that Kim cannot grasp how her estranged husband can create 'violent' content for all to see but make a fuss about their daughter North, eight, having a TikTok account.

Upset: '[Kim] thinks it's way too violent and is upset,' a source told PEOPLE on Friday, 'she's completely over all of this and she wants it to stop'

The source added: 'She is very angry about the violence and she just feels that it's inappropriate and wrong'

The source added: 'She is very angry about the violence and she just feels that it's inappropriate and wrong'

She's off: Bella Hadid carried a large bouquet of flowers as she left the Balenciaga event in Paris on Sunday afternoon

Shady: The American supermodel wore wraparound sunglasses while climbing into the rear of a waiting car

He previously voiced that North was on the app 'against [his] will.'

'[Kim] doesn't understand how Kanye can get upset about North being on TikTok yet he can put out these kinds of videos. It makes no sense to her,' the source explained.

Regardless of the drama, the insider stressed that the SKIMS founder's 'No. 1 concern right now is making sure that her children are protected from the situation because everything plays out in the public eye and that's very difficult when there are children involved.

Make it make sense: PEOPLE's source also claimed that Kim cannot grasp how her estranged husband can create 'violent' content for all to see but make a fuss about their daughter North, eight, (pictured) having a TikTok account

Focused: Regardless of the drama, the insider stressed that the SKIMS founder's 'No. 1 concern right now is making sure that her children are protected from the situation'

'She is very angry about the violence and she just feels that it's inappropriate and wrong.'

She shares North, as well as Chicago, four, Saint, six, and Psalm, two, with Kanye.

Kim subtly supported her beau Pete soon after the release of West's disturbing music video by liking a post made by filmmaker James Gunn.

Keep up! James Gunn, 55, who directed Pete in Suicide Squad, tweeted Thursday that Pete Davidson was 'one of the nicest, sweetest guys' and Kim proceeded to click 'like'

Supporting! Apropos of nothing, Gunn tweeted out kind words about Kim's boyfriend Pete following a disturbing music video from Kanye

The 55-year-old The Suicide Squad director, who directed Pete in the DC film released in 2021, seemingly injected himself into the fray with a tweet calling the SNL star 'one of the nicest, sweetest guy'.

Kim proceeded to click like on the complimentary social media post which added that the Staten Island native was a respectful and 'truly generous, tender & funny spirit.'

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star began dating Pete after she hosted SNL on October 9.

Just one day after Kanye released Eazy, Kim was declared legally single by a judge - a move vehemently opposed by the rapper - on Wednesday.

Single lady! Just one day after Kanye released Eazy, Kim was declared legally single by a judge - a move vehemently opposed by the rapper - on Wednesday

Starting fresh: Kim has since removed 'West' from all of her social media handles, including her Instagram account that boasts nearly 290million followers

Judge Steve Cochran also granted her request to have her maiden name restored, and he denied West's motion to prevent Kim from transferring assets out of trusts set up during the marriage.

The feuding couple, both billionaires, had their high powered attorneys in court Wednesday: Laura Wasser for Kim and Samantha Spector for Kanye. Spector was only appointed Tuesday night after West fired his previous lawyer which was his fourth.

Kim has since removed 'West' from all of her social media handles, including her Instagram account that boasts nearly 290million followers.
If you are married or in a common-law partnership with a Canadian, here is an overview of the spousal sponsorship process.

How your Canadian spouse can sponsor you for immigration

How your Canadian spouse can sponsor you for immigration If you are married or in a common-law partnership with a Canadian, here is an overview of the spousal sponsorship process.

How your Canadian spouse can sponsor you for immigration If you are married or in a common-law partnership with a Canadian, here is an overview of the spousal sponsorship process.

How your Canadian spouse can sponsor you for immigration If you are married or in a common-law partnership with a Canadian, here is an overview of the spousal sponsorship process. Shelby Thevenot Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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Spousal sponsorship is a priority for Canada. Under its Immigration Levels Plan 2022-2024, the government aims to welcome some 80,000 new immigrants through its Spousal, Partner, and Children category per year. Most of these immigrants will arrive as the spouses and partners of Canadians.

The processing standard for spousal sponsorship applications is one year. After the pandemic caused delays, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser recently stated that IRCC is once again able to process new spousal applications in 12 months. Canada also launched a tracker for spousal sponsorship applicants to monitor their applications status.

If your spouse, common-law, or conjugal partner is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, here is an overview on how they can sponsor you for Canadian immigration.

Sponsor your spouse for Canadian immigration

Canadas spousal sponsorship process

Both you and your partner will have to meet eligibility criteria. You will have to demonstrate that you are in an ongoing genuine relationship with your partner, and you are not in a relationship with them for the sole purpose of getting Canadian permanent residency.

Spouses and common-law partners do not necessarily have to be in Canada to be sponsored. Canadian citizens can apply to sponsor from abroad as long as they demonstrate to IRCC that they will live in Canada once the application is processed. Permanent residents can only sponsor their spouses from Canada, even if their partner is living abroad.

Eligibility criteria for your Canadian partner

Canadian citizens and permanent residents may be eligible to sponsor if they:

are at least 18 years old;

are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, or they are an Indigenous person registered under the Canadian Indian Act;

demonstrate they are not receiving social assistance unless they have a disability; and

can provide for the financial needs of the sponsored person.

Eligibility criteria for you as the person being sponsored

One of these three relationship categories must describe your relationship with your Canadian partner:

Spouses : You and your Canadian citizen or permanent resident partner were legally married at an in-person ceremony.

: You and your Canadian citizen or permanent resident partner were legally married at an in-person ceremony. Common-law partners : If you are not legally married to your Canadian partner, you must have been living together for at least 12 consecutive months.

: If you are not legally married to your Canadian partner, you must have been living together for at least 12 consecutive months. Conjugal partner: If you are not legally married to your Canadian partner, but have been in a relationship with them for at least one year, reside outside of Canada, and are unable to marry them, IRCC may recognize the relationship as a conjugal partnership. Some of the reasons preventing marriage may include cultural, religious, or legal reasons.

You must be at least 18 years old to be sponsored under any of these categories.

Also, you must pass a health, security, and criminality screening and therefore be considered admissible to Canada.

How to apply for spousal sponsorship

Once you establish that you and your partner are eligible for sponsorship, you can then get IRCCs application package on the government web page. After that you have to pay the necessary fees on IRCCs website, which include a processing fee, a right of permanent residence fee, and a biometrics fee. You have to submit two applications together at the same time: a sponsorship application and a permanent residence application.

After IRCC approves the application

Once you get permanent residency, you and your partner still have to uphold some of the conditions of spousal sponsorship. Your Canadian partner is still financially responsible for you for three years. So if you ask the government for financial assistance in that time, your partner may be forced to repay the government.

You as the sponsored person may not sponsor another partner for five years after having been sponsored.

Sponsor your spouse for Canadian immigration

 CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options.
Adam Woodyatt has allegedly grown close to a BBC beautician.

A new report has claimed that the EastEnders legend has been entertaining Claire Martignetti in his campervan, which is parked up in Dartford, Kent.

In 2020, the Ian Beale actor, 53, confirmed he'd split from his wife of 22 years Beverley Sharp and bought a mobile home.

Budding romance? EastEnders star Adam Woodyatt has allegedly grown close to a BBC beautician who has been staying in his campervan (pictured February 2022)

A caravan owner on the site where Adam lives told The Sun: 'Whatever the cause of his marriage break-up, Adam certainly seems to have moved on now.

'He has been staying in his caravan with his new partner. She has been seen going in, and coming out the next morning, heading to the shower blocks.

The publication also reports that she takes him to the local Orchard Theatre, where he is appearing in thriller Looking Good Dead.

Separated: In 2020, the Ian Beale actor, 53, confirmed he'd split from his wife of 22 years Beverley Sharp and bought a mobile home (the pair pictured November 2017)

The source added: 'Clare and Adam seem to be very close. They are often seen arm in arm and appear very relaxed in each other's company.'

It is not known how makeup artist Clare met the actor.

MailOnline has reached out to Adam's representatives for comment.

A caravan owner on the site where Adam lives told The Sun: 'Whatever the cause of his marriage break-up, Adam certainly seems to have moved on now' (pictured January 2021 on EastEnders with Gillian Taylforth as Kathy Beale)

In January, Adam said he was ready for a dramatic return to EastEnders, 12 months after quitting the show to star in a nationwide play.

The actor is still the show's longest serving cast-member, having starred as Ian Beale since its launch in February 1985.

But he surprised fans by leaving the fictional London soap last January in order to tread the boards in a theatrical production of Peter James' novel Looking Good Dead.

Hint: In January, Adam said he was ready for a dramatic return to EastEnders , 12-months after quitting the show to star in a nationwide play

The actor has since insisted he's open for a return to Albert Square, after rounding off 2021 with an appearance on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!

Adam reportedly left Beverley furious when he was paid a six figure sum to take part in the show.

The actor is yet to finalise his divorce from his spouse, with whom he shares two children, and allegedly signed on the dotted line to receive 250,000 for his appearance on the ITV reality show.

Ventures: The actor has since insisted he's open for a return to Albert Square, after rounding off 2021 with an appearance on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! (pictured)

And Bev was said to not be impressed with the deal according to The Sun which claims she's struggling to make ends meet.

An insider claimed that it was 'maddening' for Bev that the TV star decided to 'traipse off to Wales' for I'm A Celebrity before their divorce is even finalised.

While a friend of Bev reportedly added to The Sun: 'She has really struggled financially' and claimed Bev, would 'get Adam back' by consistently having the voting number for him to do Bushtucker trials on 'speed dial'.

The went on: 'I think it's inevitable he'll end up getting picked for lots of trials and I wouldn't blame Bev if she had his number on speed dial after all the pain and upset he's put her through.'
Amritsar: Family members of one of the BSF personnel after 4 jawans allegedly killed by a colleague constable due to overworked schedule, at the BSF mess in Amritsar on Sunday, March 06, 2022. The shooter constable also killed himself. (Photo: Pawan Image Source: IANS News

Amritsar: BSF personnel stand guard after 4 jawans allegedly killed by a colleague constable due to overworked schedule, at the BSF mess in Amritsar on Sunday, March 06, 2022. The shooter constable also killed himself. (Photo:Pawan sharma/IANS) Image Source: IANS News

Amritsar, March 6 : In a shocking incident of fratricide, five Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were killed on Sunday as one of them opened fire indiscriminately from his service weapon at his colleagues in a fit of rage at the paramilitary camp responsible for manning the India-Pakistan check joint post near Amritsar in Punjab.

The shooter, identified as constable Satteppa SK, was among those who died in the incident.

Officials said the incident was reported at the barracks of the 114 Battalion in Khasa, some 20 km from the Attari-Wagah border.

Sateppa, hailing from Karnataka, allegedly fired at five of his colleagues before shooting himself.

One trooper, who was critically wounded, is undergoing treatment at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital in Amritsar.

The deceased have been identified as Rattan Singh of Jammu and Kashmir, Baljinder Kumar of Panipat in Haryana, Toraskar DS from Maharastra and Ram Binod from Bihar, all head constables.

Preliminary investigations said Sateppa shot his colleagues as he was upset with his long duty hours and he had an argument with a senior BSF officer a day earlier.

A court of inquiry has been ordered into the incident.

In a statement, BSF said, "In an unfortunate incident, 5 BSF troops were injured on March 6, due to fratricide committed by Ct Satteppa SK at HQ 144 Bn Khasa, Amritsar. Satteppa SK was also injured in the incident. Out of the six injured, five, including Satteppa, have lost their lives. One of the injured is critical. A court of inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the facts."
UFC 272 went down Saturday night in Las Vegas, and while there was no title on the line, the card seemed to capture widespread fan attention nonetheless.

Much of the buzz can be attributed to the main event, which pitted former training partners Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal against each other in a heated welterweight grudge match. Covington won the fight with a clear-cut unanimous decision, reaffirming himself as one of the best fighters in his division in the process.

In the co-main event, former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos picked up a decision win over short-notice replacement opponent Renato Moicano in a 160-pound catchweight bout. The former champ might well have earned a stoppage had it not been for the astounding leniency of referee Marc Goddard.

Elsewhere on the card, we witnessed impressive wins from Bryce Mitchell, Kevin Holland and Marina Rodriguez. It was the kind of event that opened the door to a plethora of exciting matchups.

Keep scrolling for the scraps we're hoping to see going forward.

Colby Covington backed up all his talk versus his former training partner and roommate Jorge Masvidal. He was dropped by a punch in the fourth round, but beyond that, it was as effortless-looking as victories come.

Unfortunately, the win won't do much to improve his station at welterweight. While Covington is clearly one of the division's best fighters, he already has two losses to its reigning king Kamaru Usmanone of which was just a few months agoand likely has more work to do before earning a third opportunity.

Thankfully, he has made things easier for the UFC's matchmakers. After his win over Masvidal, he called out another former stablemate in Dustin Poirier.

Having just lost to lightweight champion Charles Oliveira, Poirier finds himself in a similar position to Covington. He's also expressed his willingness to move up to welterweight and has made no secret of his desire to put hands on Covington.

Story continues

Under normal circumstances, it would make no sense, but these aren't normal circumstances. Why not let them settle their differences?

This loss is going to sting worse than any other in Jorge Masvidal's career. That's not just because it came against his archnemesis, but because it's his third setback in a row after a pair of decisive losses to reigning champion Kamaru Usman.

However, the 37-year-old welterweight veteran seems determined to return to the drawing board and ultimately the cage.

When he's healthy, we're hoping to see him take on Neil Magny, the UFC's No. 8-ranked welterweight. Magny will need to get by Max Griffin on March 26, but if he does, this will be the fight to makenot just because it will make sense from a rankings standpoint, but because the two fighters have some history.

Despite sharing the welterweight division for the better part of a decade, they've never shared the Octagon. The time is now.

Former lightweight champ Rafael dos Anjos dominated Renato Moicano from pillar to post in the UFC 272 co-main event, ultimately winning a unanimous decision. He probably would have won by TKO if not for referee Marc Goddard, who inexplicably let Moicano suffer through an inhumane amount of punishment, but that's MMA.

It was an impressive victory, but Dos Anjos is unlikely to gain too much ground given that Moicano took the fight on just a few days' notice. From here, we'd like to see the former champ matched up with the man he was originally supposed to fight at UFC 272, once-beaten Kyrgyz striker Rafael Fiziev, who was forced off the card because of a COVID-19 diagnosis.

The fight still makes sense, and as MMA reporter John Hyon Ko pointed out, it would be a great addition to the UFC's planned return to Singapore. Dos Anjos has trained extensively at Singapore's Evolve MMA and knows the city well, while Fiziev trains a short flight away amid the palm trees at Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket, Thailand.

The fact that the fight would probably be a barnburner is the cherry on top.

Camo-covered Arkansas native Bryce Mitchell picked up the biggest win of his career in the middle bout of the UFC 272 main card, wrestling former lightweight star Edson Barboza to a dominant unanimous-decision win at featherweight. Actually, "dominant" might not do it justice. The scores were 30-27, 30-26 and 30-25.

After his lopsided win over Barboza, who entered the cage as the UFC's No. 10-ranked featherweight, Mitchell deserves a big step up in competition. Our vote is for a fight with former featherweight title challenger Brian Ortega.

Even after his win over Barboza, Mitchell will likely be some distance behind the No. 2-ranked Ortega. But Ortega is one of the few fighters on the featherweight roster with the skills to match Mitchell on the mat. After a grueling decision loss to featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski, he could probably use a step down in competition anyway.

Kevin Holland needed to make a statement, and he did exactly that.

Holland was back in action in the second bout of the event's main card, taking on skidding Brazilian Alex "Cowboy" Oliveira at welterweight. He previously competed at middleweight, but after going 0-2 with one no contest in his last three fights in the division, he headed south in search of greener pastures.

Holland dealt with some adversity in the first round, surviving both big shots and submission attempts. In the second, however, he added to his already expansive highlight reel, stapling his foe to the canvas with a procession of vicious elbows.

In his post-fight interview, Holland set his sights on another "Cowboy": fan-favorite veteran Donald Cerrone. It was a clever callout, but let's not subject a legend like Cerrone to that kind of late-career cruelty.

Instead, let's match Holland up with Brazilian berserker Michel Pereira. Pereira is one of the few fighters on the UFC roster who can match Holland in excitement and unpredictability, and now they're fighting in the same weight class. The Brazilian is probably a few steps ahead in the welterweight pecking order, but who cares.

It wasn't easy, but Marina Rodriguez got the win.

The Brazilian strawweight, already ranked No. 3 in her division, took on China's Yan Xiaonan, ranked No. 4, in the penultimate bout of the undercard. Both women were more deserving of a main card spot than Greg Hardy, Sergey Spivak, Kevin Holland and Alex Oliveira combined, but that's beside the point.

Rodriguez used her trademark striking to beat Xiaonan by split decision. It was her fourth win in a row, and it would be enough to earn her a crack at strawweight champion Rose Namajunas under even slightly different circumstances.

Unfortunately for Rodriguez, No. 2 contender Carla Esparza has a stronger argument for a title shot from every conceivable angle. She's on a longer win streak that includes a more decisive win over Yan. She has a win over Namajunas. And most importantly, she also has a fairly recent win over Rodriguez.

All that to say, Rodriguez will need to wait for a yet unscheduled Namajunas-Esparza fight to happen before she gets her title shot. But provided she's willing to wait, that's what should be next for her.

Umar Nurmagomedova cousin and protege of the great Khabib Nurmagomedoventered his UFC 272 undercard fight with Brian Kelleher as the biggest betting favorite of the night. To say he proved the oddsmakers right would be an understatement.

After wowing commentators Joe Rogan and Michael Bisping with his slick kicking game for a little over half a round, Nurmagomedov was able to get the fight to the mat, where he locked up a fight-ending rear-naked choke.

The win pushed the bantamweight prospect to an impressive 14-0 overall. From here, we're hoping to see him take another step up in competition against gritty Brazilian veteran Douglas Silva de Andrade, who dazzled fans with a comeback submission win over Sergey Morozov at UFC 271 last month.

Nurmagomedov made it clear post-fight that he hopes to compete again soon, so hopefully the UFC can make it happen sometime before summer.
Dana Balter, a Syracuse Democrat who has been the party's nominee for Congress in the last two elections, was not planning to make an endorsement in the newly drawn 22nd Congressional District. But one of the seven Democrats running for the seat impressed her enough that she decided to weigh in.

Balter told The Citizen on Saturday that she is endorsing Josh Riley in the Democratic primary. Riley, an Endicott native and attorney, announced in February that he would join the crowded field vying for the nomination.

"I spent some time getting to know the candidates, looking at their campaigns, looking at their positions, hearing from them about what they've done and what they want to do in Congress, and how they would approach it and what their priorities are," Balter said in a phone interview.

"It became clear to me that, from my perspective, Josh is the person in the field that I really want to be my representative. I think that he brings the right combination of values and experience, of progressivism and pragmatism, that we need."

While praising the other Democrats seeking the nomination  Balter said it's great "to have this kind of talent and choice in central New York"  Riley's resume stood out as she learned more about the candidates.

As an attorney, Riley has worked in the private and public sectors. For Balter, it Riley's work as a U.S. Senate aide that sets him apart from the other candidates.

Riley had a fellowship on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee chaired by the late U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy. Balter noted that he worked to raise the minimum wage and protected the Family Medical Leave Act from Republican efforts to weaken the law.

Later in his career, Riley was general counsel to U.S. Sen. Al Franken on the Senate Judiciary Committee. He led an effort to pass two bills that were signed into law  legislation that protects domestic violence survivors from homelessness and another bill that set up a new funding stream for addiction treatment and mental health programs.

Outside of his Senate work, Balter said the first thing that got her attention was the brief Riley filed in a U.S. Supreme Court case challenging former President Donald Trump's Muslim ban. Previously, he worked with the American Academy of Pediatrics on a lawsuit in Florida in which he argued that the state's Medicaid program wasn't providing enough health care services for children.

"(Riley) holds strong progressive values about creating a community and a society where everyone can thrive, where everyone gets a fair shake," Balter said. "And he is pragmatic in his approach to getting those things done. He's got a lot of experience fighting for a lot of things that we care about."

The endorsement could give Riley a boost, especially among progressives. Balter is a leader in the central New York progressive movement. She also knows what it takes to win a Democratic primary.

In 2018, Balter defeated Juanita Perez Williams to secure the Democratic nomination. Two years later, she scored a 25-point win over fellow Democrat Francis Conole. Conole is one of the seven Democrats running for the 22nd district seat this year.

The Democratic primary could decide who is the district's next representative. Democrats outnumber Republicans by more than 57,000 in the new district, which includes all of Onondaga and Tompkins counties and parts of Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Ontario, Schuyler and Seneca counties.

Along with Conole and Riley, Vanessa Fajans-Turner, Steven Holden, Sarah Klee Hood, Chol Majok and Sam Roberts are seeking the Democratic nod.

Riley welcomed Balter's support in what promises to be a competitive Democratic primary.

"Dana is a proven fighter for working families, a champion for progressive causes, and a true leader among the grassroots community," he said. "I admire Dana's dedication to public service, her expertise in public policy, and the bold, ambitious vision she has offered for upstate New York and the country. Together, we're going to make that vision a reality."

Candidates are circulating petitions and must collect 1,250 valid signatures to qualify for the primary election ballot. The primary election is June 28.
Gurugram, March 6 : A mobile ATM of a leading private bank allegedly caught fire on the Iffco Chowk flyover along the Delhi-Jaipur expressway on Sunday at 2.15 p.m, Gurugram police said.

According to the police, prima facie, it seems that the engine of the van caught fire due to a short circuit that quickly spread all over the van and burnt down the vehicle.

Some parts of the ATM machine which were installed inside the van also sustained damage.

"We suspect that the van's engine caught fire which spread all over the van. Whether the ATM was containing cash or not will be known after the bank official will open the machine, and if anything is burnt it will also be known after checking the transaction amount," Sudhir Kumar, Station House Officer of Gurugram Sector-17/18 police station, told IANS.

"After seeing the condition of the ATM cash van we could expect that the cash would be safe as the machine's technical parts got burnt and not the inner area of the machine," he said.

However, it was reportedly said that the ATM van contained Rs 13 lakh.

The fire spread quickly which burnt the ATM cash van completely in the incident.

A Fire Officer said a security guard and a driver were present inside the cash van when the incident took place but the duo escaped the vehicle unhurt.
Chennai, March 6 : Debt marketplace CredAvenue on Sunday announced that it is India's fastest fintech to join the unicorn club with a Series B fundraising round of $137 million.

The fundraising round was led by New York-based global private equity and venture capital firm Insight Partners, B Capital Group, and Dragoneer, with participation from existing investors.

As a result, the company's post-money valuation has grown to $1.3 billion.

"I would like to extend a warm welcome to our new investor partners as we embark on this mission to deepen the Indian debt market," Gaurav Kumar, Founder and CEO, CredAvenue, said in a statement.

"We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform the global debt and collections market through a combination of the marketplace, operating system, and fulfilment," he added.

The Series B round of capital raise was preceded by India's largest Series A round (equity), led by Sequoia Capital, Lightspeed Ventures, TVS Capital, and Lightrock.

CredAvenue is adding some of the biggest names in technology investment from across the world to its capital table, the company said.

These partnerships are expected to improve the strength, depth, and scale of India's largest debt platform, providing enormous value for all stakeholders, it added.

CredAvenue intends to use the funds to expand the business in India along with key global markets, organically and inorganically, by acquiring diverse companies for the forward and backward services and products integration.

The company said it will also use the funds to enhance its technological capabilities by investing in deep technology innovations, AI, ML, and data analytics.
DIPLOMATIC TIES: In this file photo, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his wife, Susan Pompeo, arrive at Blaise Diagne International Airport in Senegal on Feb. 15, 2020. Pompeo, in a speech on Friday, March 4, 2022, said he wants the U.S. to recognize Taiwan as a sovereign country. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/POOL/AFP via Getty Images/Tribune News Service
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More than 3,500 people in cities across Russia have been detained while taking part in anti-war protests against the country's invasion of Ukraine, figures show, more than a week after the assault began.

Images from Russia's largest cities of Moscow and Saint Petersburg showed riot officers manhandling both men and women on Sunday as Russia continued its attacks on cities across Ukraine.

Video footage also showed police officers stopping people in the streets and demanding to see their phones, reading their messages and arresting anybody who refused to comply, while other activists were filmed being battered by officers armed with batons.

Russia's interior ministry said earlier that police had detained around 3,500 people, including 1,700 in Moscow, 750 in St Petersburg and 1,061 in other cities.

The interior ministry said 5,200 people had taken part in the protests.

The protest monitoring group OVD-Info said it had documented the detention of at least 4,366 people in 56 different cities.

Thousands of protesters chanted 'No to war!' and 'Shame on you!', according to videos posted on social media by opposition activists and bloggers.

Svetlana Gannushkina, a veteran rights campaigner who has been tipped as a potential Nobel Prize winner, was detained in Moscow on her 80th birthday.

Dozens of protesters in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg were shown being detained.

One protester there was shown being beaten on the ground by police in riot gear. A mural in the city showing President Vladimir Putin was defaced.

Memorial, Russia's most prominent rights group, said that one of its leading activists, Oleg Orlov, was detained on Moscow's Manezhnaya Ploshchad square as he held a placard.

'The screws are being fully tightened - essentially we are witnessing military censorship,' Maria Kuznetsova, OVD-Info's spokeswoman, said by telephone from Tbilisi.

'We are seeing rather big protests today, even in Siberian cities where we only rarely saw such numbers of arrests.'

Russian shops have been ordered to start rationing essential foodstuffs amid fears of hoarding.

The measure is designed to limit black marketeers and 'ensure affordability', the Kremlin said as sanctions imposed over Putin's attack on Ukraine began to bite.

It comes as Russian authorities continued to block independent news outlets in an effort to tighten control over what information its domestic audience sees about the invasion of Ukraine.

Several prominent independent online outlets were blocked on Sunday, on top of dozens of others that were blocked last week.

Others decided to halt operation in Russia because of new repressive laws or refused to cover the invasion at all because of the pressure.

Some Russian state-controlled media carried short reports about Sunday's protests but they did not feature high in news bulletins.

Russia's RIA news agency said the Manezhnaya Square in Moscow, adjoining the Kremlin, had been 'liberated' by police, who had arrested some participants of an unsanctioned protest against the military operation in Ukraine.

MOSCOW: A woman shouts as two officers detain her for taking part in an anti-war protest in Moscow on Sunday afternoon

MOSCOW: Four police officers are seen carrying a masked protester who was rallying against Russia's invasion of Ukraine

SAINT PETERSBURG: Two protesters are detained by riot police after taking part in a demonstration against Russia's invasion of Ukraine

YEKATERINBURG: A person is detained during an anti-war protest, in Yekaterinburg, Russia, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine

MOSCOW: A man is detained by armed officers - one of the more than 10,000 Russians to have been arrested since Russia's invasion of Ukraine

MOSCOW: Russian police officers patrolling the streets of Moscow ahead of the planned demonstration against the invasion of Ukraine

MOSCOW: Two police officers manhandle a protester in Moscow - one of 1,754 people to have been detained across 44 Russian cities on Sunday

YEKATERINBURG: Law enforcement officers seen during an anti-war protest on Sunday following Russia's invasion of Ukraine

YEKATERINBURG: People pictured on a bus having been detained by police for taking part in anti-war protests in Russia

YEKATERINBURG: An elderly gentleman speaks to an officer during an anti-war protest in Yekaterinburg, Russia, on Sunday

Ukraine war latest: at a glance Boris Johnson has drawn up a six-point plan to defeat Vladimir Putin as he moves to assume leadership of global efforts to end the horror of war in Ukraine.

A second attempt to evacuate Mariupol failed today after Ukraine accused the Russians of shelling the city as citizens attempted to flee through a 'humanitarian corridor'.

More than 1.5million refugees have now fled Ukraine for neighbouring countries since Vladimir Putin invaded, United Nations figures have shown.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says missiles have struck and completely destroyed Vinnytsia regional airport, and urges NATO to close the airspace and make a no-fly zone.

The Pope deplored 'rivers of blood' in Ukraine as he demanded humanitarian corridors.

Elon Musk held a video call with Volodymyr Zelensky as he promised to bolster his Starlink satellite support for the war-torn country, as he tweeted: 'Hold strong Ukraine.'

A Ukrainian peace negotiator is reported to have been shot dead amid claims he might have been a spy for the Russians. The reports are unconfirmed.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday held new telephone talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Elysee said.

More than 1,700 people in cities across Russia have been detained while taking part in anti-war protests against the country's invasion of Ukraine, a monitor said, more than a week after the assault began.

Russian pilots have been filmed saying they were 'following orders' after their aircraft was shot down over Ukraine.

The deputy minister of defence for Belarus has submitted his resignation and claimed he cannot support the current Russian invasion of Ukraine.

BBC World News has been taken OFF AIR in Russia  two days after Putin approved law that could lock up journalists for 15 years for spreading 'fake information'. Advertisement

Russian police on Friday had warned that all attempts to hold illegal demonstrations on Sunday would be 'immediately suppressed' and organisers and participants would face charges.

The total number of Russian demonstrators held since February 24, when President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into Ukraine to carry out a 'special operation', has now risen to almost 10,000.

Despite the official crackdown on demonstrations, and protesters facing jail terms, there have been daily protests since the invasion.

The new additions to the list of blocked media included Mediazona, a news site that covers Russia's police and justice system and has been an indispensable source of information about political arrests and high-profile court cases; the 7x7 site covering regional news; the Troitsky Variant popular science newspaper that has published an open letter decrying the invasion; and two regional news sites that also spoke out against the attack.

US-funded broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty announced on Sunday it was suspending its operation in Russia after it said the country intensified pressure on its journalists and tax authorities initiated bankruptcy proceedings against it.

'(Russian communications and media agency) Roskomnadzor demanded we delete our entire website. Yes, we received this demand from the agency - to block ourselves. Because we incorrectly cover Russia's attack on Ukraine and call the war a war,' Mediazona said in a statement.

'We were prepared for this. In recent days, military censorship has been effectively introduced in Russia, and there are almost no independent media left in the country.

'We understand all our risks, but we continue to work - this is our duty to our readers and to ourselves,' the outlet said and listed several ways Russian readers can get around the block.

RFE/RL, which has been physically present in Russia since 1991, was planning to continue reporting on Russia and its war in Ukraine from abroad.

'We will continue to expand our reporting for Russian audiences and will use every platform possible to reach them at a time when they need our journalism more than ever,' chief executive Jamie Fly said.

Earlier this week, jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny urged Russians to stage daily demonstrations, saying the country should not be a 'nation of frightened cowards'.

'I am urging everyone to take to the streets and fight for peace,' he said in a statement posted on Facebook, calling on Russians not to be afraid of going to prison.

'If, to prevent war, we need to fill up the jails and police vans, we will fill up the jails and police vans.'

'Everything has a price and now, in the spring of 2022, we should pay that price.'

MOSCOW: Another protester, held by two police officers, is taken away from the demonstration held in Moscow on Sunday afternoon

MOSCOW: Hundreds of Russian police officers were deployed onto the streets of Moscow on Sunday morning ahead of a planned demonstration against the invasion of Ukraine

YEKATERINBURG: Two police officers grab hold of an anti-war protester before loading him onto a bus with other detainees

MOSCOW: Memorial, Russia's most prominent rights group, said that one of its leading activists, Oleg Orlov, was detained on Moscow's Manezhnaya Ploshchad square as he held a placard

SAINT PETERSBURG: Four police officers grab hold of a protester and take him away from the streets after he took part in a protest on Sunday afternoon

MOSCOW: Today's arrests come after Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny called on Russians to protest against Putin's invasion of Ukraine

SAINT PETERSBURG: OVD-Info, which monitors detentions at opposition protests, said that by around 2.20pm Moscow time (11.20am GMT) on Sunday, 1,754 people had been detained across 44 Russian cities. That figure has now risen to more than 3,500

YEKATERINBURG: Law enforcement officers line up during an anti-war protest, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine

YEKATERINBURG: Three police officers detain a man who was taking part in an anti-war demonstration in Russia on Sunday

YEKATERINBURG: Another man is detained by multiple police officers in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg on a day when more than 3,500 people were arrested

MOSCOW: Russian policemen talk with a delivery man as they stand guard prior to a protest against the Russian military aggression in Ukraine

MOSCOW: A Russian policeman standing guard close to St Basil's Cathedral, in Moscow, ahead of a planned demonstration

YEKATERINBURG: On Friday, Putin signed into law a bill introducing jail terms of up to 15 years for publishing 'fake news' about the Russian army

YEKATERINBURG: Russian authorities have repeatedly and falsely decried reports of Russian military setbacks or civilian deaths in Ukraine as 'fake' news, as well as reports calling the offensive a war or an invasion

YEKATERINBURG: State media outlets and government officials refer to Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a 'special military operation' and insist the Russian forces only target military facilities

YEKATERINBURG: Despite the efforts to tightly control the narrative, Russians all across the country have spoken out against the war

YEKATERINBURG: A man looks out the window of a bus he was forced to board after being detained during an anti-war demonstration

YEKATERINBURG: A young boy is detained by two officers, wearing body armour and riot helmets, during a protest on Sunday

YEKATERINBURG: Tens of thousands have signed open letters and online petitions demanding to stop the Ukraine invasion, and street protests in dozens of Russian cities have been happening almost daily since the attack began on February 24 - always followed by mass detentions

YEKATERINBURG: An officer speaks to two people attending a protest against Russia's invasion of Ukraine

The 45-year-old, who led the biggest protests in Russia against Putin in recent years and survived a poisoning with Novichok nerve agent in 2020, is now serving a prison sentence on old fraud charges outside Moscow.

Thousands of Russians have taken to the streets to protest the invasion since it began, and more than 6,800 demonstrators have been arrested, according to OVD-Info, an independent monitor.

Navalny urged the people of Russia and Belarus - which allowed Russian troops passage to attack Ukraine - to demonstrate in main squares at 7:00 pm every weekday and at 2:00 pm on weekends and during holidays.

'You cannot wait another day,' he said, adding that Russia should not become a 'nation of frightened cowards' who are pretending not to see an 'aggressive war unleashed by our clearly insane little tsar.'

On Friday, Putin signed into law a bill introducing jail terms of up to 15 years for publishing 'fake news' about the Russian army.

Russian authorities have repeatedly and falsely decried reports of Russian military setbacks or civilian deaths in Ukraine as 'fake' news, as well as reports calling the offensive a war or an invasion.

State media outlets and government officials refer to Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a 'special military operation' and insist the Russian forces only target military facilities.

Despite the efforts to tightly control the narrative, Russians all across the country have spoken out against the war.

Tens of thousands have signed open letters and online petitions demanding to stop it, and street protests in dozens of Russian cities have been happening almost daily since the attack began on February 24 - always followed by mass detentions.
Hubballi : , March 6 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai reiterated on Sunday, his resolve to repatriate students of the state stranded in war-ravaged Ukraine.

"All measures are being taken to bring state students back home safely from Ukraine," the chief minister told the media after welcoming Chaitra Gangadhar, a medical student from Yaraguppi village of Kundagol taluk in Dharwad district, who returned safely from Ukraine.

Chaitra was studying medicine in Kharkiv province of Ukraine. Many Indian students are stranded in the war zone of Ukraine. Recalling her ordeal in Ukraine, Chaitra said she took shelter in a bunker for 7 days and had to walk 9 km to cross the border to enter Poland. She returned home with assistance from the Indian Embassy. Parents of Chaitra said that the efforts of the Union government and Almighty's blessings enabled Chaitra to reach home safely.

"There were 4 students from Dharwad in Ukraine. Of them 2 have returned home safely and we are confident of bringing back the remaining 2 as well. We have received information about them crossing the Ukraine border. About 200 students from Karnataka are stranded in Kharkiv and taking shelter in bunkers. The Indian Embassy is trying to bring them back. We are in touch with the Union External Affairs Minister in this regard. Prime Minister Modi himself is monitoring it. A huge operation to airlift the students is on. It is being made possible due to the cordial relations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with various countries," Bommai said.

Speaking on the efforts to retrieve the mortal remains of Naveen Gyanagoudar, Bommai said, "Information is being obtained about the mortuary where his body has been kept. Efforts are on to bring his mortal remains with assistance from the Indian Embassy." Replying to a question about the academic future of the medical students who have returned from Ukraine, Bommai said, a suitable decision would be taken in consultation with the Union government.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
London, March 6 : British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a career journalist and former editor of The Spectator magazine, in an opinion piece in The New York Times published on Sunday, described Russia as a great nation and a great world power.

He wrote: "We have no hostility toward the Russian people, and we have no desire to impugn a great nation and a great world power." He also penned: "The truth is that Ukraine had no serious prospect of NATO (NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANISATION, the western military alliance) membership in the near future - and we were ready to respond to Russia's stated security concerns through negotiation." He added: "This (the current invasion of Ukraine by Russia) is not a NATO conflict, and it will not become one." However, he affirmed: "(Russian President) Vladimir Putin's act of aggression must fail and be seen to fail." Incremental pressure on the Russian economic activity was applied on Sunday with Mastercard and Visa either suspending services in Russia or being on the verge of doing so.

Meanwhile, the Russian news agency TASS reported Putin claimed at least 13,000 civilians have been killed in the pro-Russian breakaway Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Lugansk since 2014.

"The Donbass people (of the Donetsk and Lugansk areas) are not stray dogs. Yet, 13,000-14,000 of them have been killed there over years. More than 500 children have been killed or crippled." A response to this charge from the Ukrainian government was awaited.

On Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron and Putin started speaking (at 6 p.m. IST) on the phone for the fourth time in 10 days, sources at the Elysee Palace said. A briefing on the outcome of this conversation was awaited.

On Monday, a third round of peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials are scheduled to take place. As war rages, diplomatic efforts continue to try and find a solution and thereby arrive at a truce. Western governments, though, were not optimistic.

Johnson suggested in its article that an agreement will not be imposed on Ukraine against its will. The US and Russia, though, have reportedly been speaking to each other directly, the Kremlin maintained.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
At least two people died as result of missile attack on residential high-rise buildings in Kramatorsk  local authorities

Head of Donetsk regional military administration Pavlo Kyrylenko, says that at least two people were killed as a result of missile fire on residential high-rise buildings in Kramatorsk.

"At least two dead and a large number of wounded, the Russians fired on residential high-rise buildings in Kramatorsk," he said on Facebook.

According to him, law enforcement officers and experts are working on the spot, establishing the exact number of dead and wounded, and doctors are helping injured people.

"Specialists have not yet given a final conclusion on what kind of weapon was used. Tentatively, we are talking about a cruise missile, like the one that our air defense forces shot down near Kramatorsk yesterday," Kyrylenko said.
Chennai, March 6 : Actress Bhavana has said that she was devastated and wanted to get her dignity back after she was sexually assualted five years ago.

In a live interview to a private YouTube channel, 'The Mojo Story', the noted actress spoke up, ending her five-year silence, and declared that she would give a strong fight without thinking about the outcome.

The actress, who had essayed prominent roles in Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada and Telugu movies, said her family, including her husband, close relatives, friends and the general public had supported her during her traumatic period.

Bhavna said: "My dignity has been shredded to a million pieces." It was sheer willpower that kept her going, she added. The actress said she felt lonely despite the strong support extended to her by her family and friends.

She recalled how she was in the courtroom for 15 days in 2020 from morning till evening. Each time a lawyer cross-examined her -- and she was quizzed by a battery of seven lawyers -- she had to prove that she was innocent.

Bhavana said the perpetrators were insulting her on social media after the traumatic incident and added that after the incident she was denied acting jobs in the Malayalam film industry. The notable exceptions were directors such as Ashik Abu and Shaji Kailas, actor-turned-director Prithviraj, and actor Jayasurya.

The actress was kidnapped in 2017 when she was returning home from a shooting location and was subjected to sexual assault by a gang of men.

The incident snowballed into a major controversy after the main accused, Pulsar Sunil, revealed that popular Malayalam actor Dileep was behind the assault. Dileep was arrested and is now on bail.
Pune, March 6 : Underscoring the importance of rivers in the life of urban areas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged various cities to organise annual 'River Festivals' and create awareness among the masses.

Such river festivals - common in some European, African and South American nations - could create a new awareness about the importance and preservation of these important lifelines and inculcate the value of each drop of water on human beings, he said at the foundation stone ceremony for the ambitious Rejuvenation and Pollution Abatement of Mula-Mutha River projects in Pune, taken up under the Centre's National River Conservation Plan and the development of a River Front on the lines of Sabarmati River Front in Ahmedabad.

The project is being implemented on the concept of 'One City, One Operator' at a cost of Rs 1,470 crore including construction, operation and maintenance for 15 years.

The rejuvenation of the Mula-Mutha River shall be carried out along a 9-km stretch with major works like river edge protection, interception sewage network, public amenities, boating activity, etc.

A total of 11 sewage treatment plants will be constructed with a capacity of around 396 MLD with a 55 km long sewage carrier pipeline, while the Pune Municipal Corporation will implement a River Front Development Project.

The project is funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with a completion target deadline of 3 years by a JV comprising Enviro Control Pvt Ltd of India and Japan's Toshiba Water Solutions Pvt Ltd.

Japanese Ambassador to India Suzuki Satosi, and JICA Chief Representative in India Saito Mitsunori attended the event.

Pune Mayor Murlidhar Mohol said that the project would improve the water quality in three Pune rivers - the Mula, Mutha, and Mula-Mutha - by augmenting sewage collection systems and sewage treatment facilities in the civic jurisdiction, before the rivers flow into the Bhima River.

It would also include other pollution control measures like improved sanitation and living conditions of the people in Pune and in the watershed of the downstream area, he said.

In 2014, Pune generated 728 MLD of sewage while the total treated sewage was barely 476 MLD, with over 250 MLD discharged directly in the Mula, Mutha and Mula-Mutha Rivers, resulting in severe pollution.

The three Pune rivers earned the dubious distinction of being among the 35 most polluted in the country by the Central Pollution Control Board, but with the new rejuvenation project launched today, the situation would improve, said officials.
Revenue officers haves seized almost 2.8kgs of ecstasy with an estimated value of 93,000.

They found the drugs after examining parcels at a premises in Athlone.

Man pleads not guilty to interfering with car in Longford A Longford man has pleaded not guilty to allegedly interfering with a car outside an apartment block in the county town earlier this year.

The illegal drugs were discovered in parcels labelled as childrens toys that originated in the Netherlands and were destined for an address in Dublin.

Separately, on March 3, Revenue officers seized approximately 13,000 litres of beer, 225 litres of Asti Martina and 7 litres of Polish Mead at Rosslare Europort, following the search of an Irish registered truck that had disembarked a ferry from Dunkirk, France.

The smuggled alcohol has an estimated retail value of more than 55,000, representing a potential loss to the Exchequer of over 26,000.

Investigations into both seizures are ongoing.

Revenue says these seizures are part of their ongoing operations targeting the smuggling of illegal goods.

If businesses, or members of the public, have any information regarding smuggling, they are urged to contact Revenue in confidence on Confidential Phone Number 1800 295 295.
New Delhi, March 6 : Russian President Vladimir Putin drew the attention of his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the futility of any attempts by Kiev to delay the negotiation process.

In a conversation with Erdogan, Putin noted that the delay in negotiations is used by the Ukrainian security forces to regroup their forces and means.

"In this regard, it was emphasized that the suspension of the special operation is possible only if Kiev ceases hostilities and fulfills the well-known requirements of Russia," the Kremlin said, RT reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed hope that at the next round of negotiations between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations, Kiev would show a more constructive approach.

He said this in a conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"Hope was expressed that during the planned next round of negotiations, representatives of Ukraine will show a more constructive approach that fully takes into account the emerging realities," the Kremlin's press service said.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett spoke with Vladimir Zelensky for the third time in a day, Anna Jonathan-Leus, Bennett's press secretary, told RIA Novosti.

On March 5, Putin discussed the situation around Ukraine with the Israeli Prime Minister in Moscow.

Following this, Bennett met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin.
JERUSALEM, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Israeli President Isaac Herzog will travel to Turkey next week for a state visit, the office of the presidency announced Saturday.

At the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Herzog will be in Ankara and Istanbul for two days. It would be the first Israeli president to visit Turkey since 2003.

Erdogan is a vocal critic of Israel. The two countries' relations began to sour in 2010 when a Turkish-led flotilla attempting to break Israel's blockade on the Gaza Strip clashed with Israeli forces, killing 10 Turks on board.

When Herzog entered office in July 2021, Erdogan phoned to congratulate him. The conversation "led to a resumption of dialogue between Israel and Turkey after a disconnect lasting several years," read the Israeli presidency statement.

According to the statement, the two leaders will "discuss various bilateral issues ... and the potential for expanding cooperation" during the planned visit. 
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Hundreds joined a rally held in Kazakhstan's biggest city, Almaty, on March 6 to protest Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Addressing the rally, journalist Bakytzhan Bukharbai urged Kazakhstan to leave two Russian-led regional bodies -- the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU).
The Media Institute for Southern Africa is calling on the Zimbabwe government to ensure peace ahead of March 26 elections, following opposition rallies that have been marred by violence claiming two lives and leaving dozens injured. Journalists also have lost valuable equipment during the melees.

Tabani Moyo, director of the Media Institute for Southern Africa, said in an interview that his organization is deeply worried by violence at Zimbabwes opposition campaign rallies.

We therefore urge the police to enforce the law and ensure that perpetrators of violations against the journalists are brought to book. Secondly, we call upon politicians to desist from inciting their supporters or making inflammatory statements that risk putting journalists on the line of fire. This exposes journalists to possible harm from their supporters. By the same call, we call upon journalists to desist from taking part in political processes if they are still to practice their craft, he said.

Zimbabwe is to hold by-elections March 26 to fill parliamentary and local authority seats that have become vacant since the countrys 2018 general elections.

Thandiwe Garusa is a freelance journalist who lost her phone and other equipment she was using to stream the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change rally about 300 kilometers southwest of Zimbabwes capital, Harrare, last week live.

Its also the phone I was using for pictures and stories, now that has affected my work because I cant do that anymore," she said. "I no longer have a phone with good picture quality, the phone I am using right now is a 2016 model, it cant even install some applications that I need to use like photoshop, I cant even use Word, it doesnt have a good battery and replacing the phone is now a challenge because I dont have the money.

Police arrested 16 suspected ruling ZANU-PF supporters who are accused of causing the violence and who now face murder charges in connection with the deaths at the rally.

Ndabaningi Nick Mangwana is the Zimbabwe information ministry permanent secretary.

Investigations are already in place, there is a wanted man, there are people in custody, he said. "What happens in situations where a crime has been committed? There is commitment from law enforcement agents to enforce the law and thats exactly what is happening.

Zimbabwes pre-election season has been marred by violence that has claimed lives and left thousands injured since 2000 after a strong opposition party emerged.
On March 8, all the Zonta clubs worldwide will observe two important events: International Womens Day and Zonta Rose Day. The significance of this is quoted below from the Zonta International Foundation website:

International Women's Day is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women, who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities. Celebrated alongside IWD, Zonta Rose Day gives people an opportunity to reflect on past achievements and honor the current efforts of champions for gender equality.

For over 100 years, the members of the Zonta clubs have forged new paths and swam upstream in order to create new opportunities for women and protect their human rights. Due to their ongoing advocacy and work in the areas of gender based equality, education, preventing domestic violence and ending child marriage, etc., women now have more opportunities to reach their full potential and live safe, healthy and productive lives.

This work has enabled the modern woman to decide her own path and opened doors regarding lifestyle, career path and education. In the past, women were basically restricted to certain careers. However, now they have access to any career they want, and have made major inroads in the fields of law, politics, medicine, space travel, military service, corporate administration, finance, etc.

In conjunction with International Womens Day, the Zonta clubs will also observe Yellow Rose Day, as a time to reflect and pay tribute to women who have empowered them.

The Zonta Club of Auburn would like to honor one of its members, Julie Liccion. Julie is a career technical education instructor in the area of family and consumer sciences and work-based learning coordinator at Auburn High School. She is also faculty advisor for the Auburn Z-Club. She has played a key role in the creation of the club and is responsible for overseeing its day-to-day operations.

The Z-Club consists of 45 highly motivated, service-oriented ninth through 12th grade students. With Julies guidance, the Z-Club has completed international and local service projects. These projects have had a positive impact on the lives of women and children globally, in addition to helping serve the needs of women and children within our community in Cayuga County.

Julies dedication as a mentor and leader has helped the Z-Club members build strong foundations and promote personal growth. As a result of this empowerment, several of her former Z-Club students have gone on to Cornell University, where they are blazing groundbreaking trails of their own.

Ashley Reilly, a former Z-Club member at Auburn High School, is now attending Cornell. She initiated the effort to start a Golden Z-Club at Cornell, and is working with the District 2 governor, Theresa Harris, and the Zonta Club of Auburn to complete this process. Once the Golden Z-Club has received its charter, Ashley will serve as the first president.

The Golden Z-Club will follow the Zonta International guidelines, and will be dedicated to the same mission of the Zonta clubs worldwide: Empowering Women through Service and Advocacy." The Zonta Club of Auburn will be the first Zonta Club to have both a Z-Club and Golden Z-Club established under its charter.

If you would like more information on how you can become a member of the Zonta Club of Auburn, please email us at auburn@zontadistric2.org. For information regarding the Zonta Club of Auburn, please visit our website at zontadistrict2.org/auburn or email us at auburn@zontadistrict2.org.

Together, we can make a difference in the lives of women and children.
"Opposition will face 'embarrassment'. Seats on the Opposition benches would remain empty on the day of the motion," said Khattak, addressing a rally in Nowshera, reported Geo News.

Speaking about the ongoing PPP's "Awami March" and the upcoming Pakistan Democratic Movement's (PDM) long march, he said that no matter how many meetings, processions, long marches the Opposition holds, "Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) doesn't care," reported Geo News.

Last month, the Opposition had announced that it would move a no-confidence motion against the incumbent PTI government.

Since the announcement, the Opposition has started contacting the allies of the PTI government and disgruntled members of the ruling party.

Three main Opposition leaders Asif Ali Zardari, Fazlur Rehman, and Shahbaz Sharif have also held multiple meetings to develop a strategy on the motion.

Talking to party members in the National Assembly on Saturday, Imran Khan reportedly said that the Opposition should go ahead with its plan of the no-confidence motion since all coalition partners are with him. He maintained that the government has done its homework.

Both the Government and the Opposition are confident of having the requisite numbers in the National Assembly in the run-up to the no-confidence motion, The News International said citing reports. (ANI)
Hyderabad, March 6 : The makers of Ram Charan and Jr NTR-starrer 'RRR' are planning to hold a massive pre-release event in either of the Telugu states.

As S.S. Rajamouli's directorial is inching towards its release date, the makers have been waiting to organizse a grand event.

It is reported that the producers have roped in a big team to organize the pre-release event, which will involve most of the movie's technicians and stars. A couple of dances and other promotional events will be held for the pre-release event as well.

'RRR - Rise, Roar, Revolt' is undoubtedly one of the most awaited pan-Indian movies, which is slated for its worldwide release on March 25.

'RRR' promises to deliver a visual grandeur, depicting the fictional lives of Indian revolutionaries, Seetharamaraju and Komaram Bheem. The multilingual magnum opus is gearing up for its grand release globally and will be released in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi.

'RRR' features an ensemble cast of Jr NTR, Ram Charan, Ajay Devgn, Alia Bhatt, Olivia Morris, Samuthirakani, Alison Doody, and Ray Stevenson. M.M. Keeravani is the music composer for this upcoming fictional drama.
The Biden administration is discussing how to supply Polish Soviet-era fighter jets to Ukraine, American officials say, after President Volodymyr Zelensky made a passionate plea to American legislators on Saturday for assistance in obtaining more lethal military aid, especially Russian-made jets that Ukrainian pilots know how to fly.

The White House said a deal with Poland was being discussed that would replace Polands planes with American F-16s, but Polish officials seemed less than enthusiastic. After President Andrzej Duda said last week that Poland would not supply planes, the office of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki wrote on Twitter on Sunday: Poland wont send its fighter jets to #Ukraine as well as allow to use its airports. We significantly help in many areas.

A jet-supply arrangement would require congressional approval and is being discussed with other NATO countries. But any such supply would be a sovereign decision of the country involved, not a NATO decision, because NATO wants to avoid any direct conflict with the Russian military in Ukraine or over its airspace.
The second attempt to provide a green corridor for the evacuation of civilians from Mariupol, Donetsk region, ended again on Sunday with shelling from the Russians, Anton Gerashchenko, adviser to the interior minister, has said.

"You need to understand that because of the killing of civilian security guarantees by the occupying forces, there can be no green corridors, because only the sick brain of the Russians decides when to start shooting and at whom," Gerashchenko wrote on Telegram on Sunday.

According to him, the fighters of the special forces unit of the National Guard of Ukraine, the police and other units informed citizens about the danger of such road corridors. The adviser to the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs also urged citizens to remain in shelters if complete ceasefire is not ensured.

"Fighters of the National Guard of Ukraine call on all of Ukraine to support and defend Mariupol!" Gerashchenko said.
After the shelling of Vinnitsa by Russia, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called on the world to provide Ukraine with anti-aircraft and anti-missile defense, military aviation.

"Eight Russian cruise missiles hit Vinnytsia, a large city far from the frontline. Putin continues his cowardly and barbaric missile strikes, air bombardment of civilians. Help us close the sky and save lives! Provide air and missile defense, combat aircraft! Stop Russian terrorism!" Kuleba said on Twitter on Sunday.
Ukraine has applied to the UN Security Council regarding the introduction of a peacekeeping contingent to guard critical industrial infrastructure, Deputy Head of the President's Office Andriy Sybiha said.

"Work is also underway to deprive the aggressor country, which is a member of the UN Security Council, of the right to vote. Considering the threat to critical infrastructure facilities in Ukraine [nuclear power plants, chemical industry facilities], we appealed to the UN Security Council regarding the introduction of a peacekeeping contingent to protect these facilities. The aggressor country cannot block this," Sybiha said on the air of the Ukraine 24 TV channel.

He also added that today the President of Ukraine signed a decree on the creation of a special legal group that will ensure Ukraine's claims in international jurisdictions regarding war crimes of the Russian Federation and their qualification as genocide of the Ukrainian people.

According to Sybiha, this group has already been formed.

"Corresponding lawsuits are being prepared. The group has already begun legal procedures. Therefore, there will definitely be punishment for the Russian Federation," he said.
JERUSALEM, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Sunday that his country will continue to mediate between Moscow and Kiev even if the prospects for success are slim.

"We will continue to assist as needed," Bennett said in broadcast remarks at the start of his weekly cabinet meeting. "Even if the chance is not great -- as soon as there is even a small opening, and we have access to all sides and the capability."

The remarks were made a day after Bennett's three-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin, after which he flew to Berlin for consultations with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. He also talked over the phone with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.

On early Sunday, Bennett and Zelensky held their third phone call within 24 hours, Bennett's office said in a statement, without providing further details.

The talks came after Israel offered to mediate between Ukraine and Russia last week. 
Ignoring what in Asia is generally seen as a US / European conflict, both India and Pakistan are finding ways to develop bilateral trade with Russia. Both are keen to continue Free Trade negotiations with the Eurasian Economic Union, which includes Russia as well as Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.

India is actively looking at non-US dollar payments for continuing and developing Russian trade, including mechanisms it uses to trade and settle payments with Iran. Third country banks are used for this purpose. Another option under consideration is the mechanism used to repay Russian debt through a rupee auction held by the Russian central bank. The repayment is made through the export of identified commodities and services.

The United States has threatened to sanction India, which has caused uproar in certain Indian political circles who see as it an infringement on a sovereign, elected democratic independent right to choose with whom it wishes to trade.

Russia-India bilateral trade is currently about US$10 billion with plans to increase this to US$30 billion by 2025.

Pakistan meanwhile has signed a major agreement with Russia on the import of natural gas and wheat, according to Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, who met with Putin in Moscow ten days ago.

Khan reportedly said that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had great discussions during his visit to Moscow last week, where the leaders signed a bilateral agreement. He noted that Pakistan plans to import some two million tons of wheat from Russia in the near future.

The two leaders reportedly also discussed the long-delayed Pakistan Stream gas pipeline, which is to be built in collaboration with Russian companies.

Both countries are eager to launch the project at the earliest, according to Pakistans Energy Ministry. The 1,100km (683-mile) pipeline connecting Russia and Pakistan was agreed in 2015. It is to be financed by both Moscow and Islamabad, and to be constructed by Russian contractors.

Russia-Pakistan trade is relatively small, with Pakistan exporting US$277 million of goods in 2019, and Russia exporting US$178 million to Pakistan. Most Russian trade is in lentils, newsprint, and carbon, while Pakistan exports citrus and leather.

India, Pakistan, and Russia are all members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, which also includes China and several other Central Asian nations. The SCOs main function is as a regional security body, however it also has a trade facilitation remit and encourages regional multilateral trade as part of its agenda.

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Editor's note: This story is part of the Lee Enterprises series "Grizzlies and Us." The project examines the many issues surrounding the uneasy coexistence of grizzly bears and humans in the Lower 48, which have come more into focus in recent years as the federally-protected animal pushes farther into human-occupied areas. The 10-part series, comprised of more than 20 stories, was produced by reporters and photojournalists across the Rocky Mountain West.

For tens of thousands of years, likely as long as grizzly bears occupied North America, they have coexisted with humans.

Tribes ranging from the far northern tip of Alaska to central Mexico, the coast of California to the banks of the Missouri River, found ways to live alongside the massive omnivores.

That all ended with Europeans.

The Spanish came first, pillaging their way up the California coast. Grizzly bears there numbered in the thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, feasting on rich coastal ecosystems, grasses, insects, berries, deer and nearly anything else edible.

Accounts from Spanish explorer Sabastian Vizcaino tell of a group of bears feeding on a whale carcass in 1602, according to naturalist and bear advocate Doug Peacocks book Grizzly Years.

Extermination of the California brown bear began as quickly as the Spaniards settled the area. Grizzlies in the rest of the U.S. would have another couple hundred years.

The Lewis and Clark expedition first ran into grizzlies in North Dakota in 1804. It was verry large and a turrible looking animal, William Clark wrote, and extreemly hard to kill.

Voyage of Discovery members reported killing 43 grizzlies and wounding several others during their cross-country odyssey. A majority of those encounters occurred in what is now Montana along the Missouri River.

In his journal entry on June 28, 1805, Lewis wrote that after portaging around the Great Falls of the Missouri River, The White Bear have become so troublesome to us that I do not think it prudent to send one man alone on an errand of any kind, particularly where he has to pass through the brush.

Another Euro-American mention of grizzlies near the Beartooth Mountains appears in Osborne Russells book, Journal of a Trapper. During his visit to the Yellowstone River valley in 1837-38 Russell wrote that grizzlies were more numerous than in any other part of the mountains, owing to the vast quantities of cherries, plums and other wild fruits which this section of country affords. When going to set his traps in the morning, he would often see seven to eight bears along the 3- to 4-mile ride.

In 1872, Yellowstone National Park was created in part to protect wildlife from being hunted to extinction by Euro-Americans migrating westward, as well as unregulated trophy and meat hunting. The U.S. Army was called in to provide enforcement.

Yellowstone created a 3,400-square mile refuge for what was left of once numerous species like grizzly bears and bison. It seems hard to believe that only 70 years earlier they had flourished on the Great Plains.

By the early 1900s, grizzlies proved no match for modern guns, white settlers, government bounties and the sheer determination of Europeans interested in reshaping the West as quickly as possible.

Starting in 1914, the federal governments Predatory Animal and Rodent Control program sent agents to spread poisoned bait across 30 million acres of the West. The effort nearly eliminated wolves, mountain lions and especially grizzly bears between Canada and Mexico.

The bears near extermination in the Lower 48 States is also in part explained in Malcolm Mackays 1925 book, Cow Range and Hunting Trail  unrestricted hunting. Mackay, a Wall Street stockbroker, created the Lazy E-L Ranch along the Beartooth Face in 1901.

He was also an avid hunter, and in the book he writes about traveling from the region in the early 1900s to hunt grizzly bears because there were none along the Front. On one hunting trip to Canada he killed eight bears, two of them grizzlies.

Like many other once-abundant species, grizzly bear history becomes a tally of the last ones recorded or killed. In California, it was 1922. In Oregon, 1931. In Arizona, 1935; and in Colorado, 1979.

What had once been a creature accustomed to moseying through the plains, grasslands and foothills feeding on carcasses or blueberries or laying underneath plum trees on the banks of meandering rivers, became a mountain species hiding out in a small fraction of its historic range. And in Yellowstone, it was a mountain species living off garbage dumps.

Massive open-pit garbage dumps held up to 7,000 tons of edible garbage a year from tourists flooding the countrys first national park. The dumps themselves became tourist attractions, visitors lined up to take pictures of bears feasting, wrote Mary Meagher, a former wildlife researcher for the National Park Service.

But researchers and managers decided the best path for long-term grizzly survival would not be dependence on humans discarded lunches, so park officials closed the dumps in 1970  against guidance from famed ecologists Frank and John Craighead  covered the pits, and bear numbers plunged as those used to feasting on human food scraps were viewed as a hazard.

In 1975, grizzly bears were placed on the endangered species list. Their numbers began, slowly, to climb back up. In the Yellowstone Park area, just 210 grizzlies were estimated to persist. Perhaps 600 were left in the Lower 48 States.

Today, that population has grown to an estimated 2,000 grizzlies, based on newly revised counting methods. Each female grizzly requires about 50 to 300 square miles of habitat, 200 to 500 square miles for males.

Although grizzlies can be long-lived, females arent sexually mature until they are at least 4 years old. Litter sizes average about two cubs, and mothers often keep family groups for two or three years before breeding again. So replacing bears on the landscape can be a slow process.

In 1982, the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee formed to link together all the federal, state, tribal and local efforts trying to recover grizzly bears. A decade later, the IGBC designated six recovery areas in four states: the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem surrounding Yellowstone National Park in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho; the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem in the Montana Rocky Mountains; the Cabinet-Yaak Ecosystem in northwest Montana and Idaho; the Selkirk Ecosystem in northern Idaho and Washington; the Bitterroot Ecosystem along the Montana-Idaho border; and the North Cascades Ecosystem in Washington.

Of those, only the Greater Yellowstone and Northern Continental Divide have seen success, with an estimated 750 and 1,000 grizzlies respectively. The Cabinet-Yaak and Selkirk ecosystems have about 50 bears each, and depend largely on transplants from the bigger ecosystems. The Bitterroot and North Cascades have no confirmed resident grizzlies, although both historically were prime grizzly habitat.
When my daughter, Teresa Van Horn-Berry, was about 6 years old, she met an elderly gentleman who attended our church with his wife. Teresa enjoyed talking with him and would often take his hand as they walked out of church. Their friendship made a lasting impression upon her.

She realized she loved older people and often asked her dad and me to visit a nursing home after church on Sunday. She wasnt intimidated with the unfamiliar chairs on wheels or health equipment on poles, and certainly not with the residents. She walked up to patients sitting in the hall and started conversations. She may have wondered, but she never asked why they sometimes held baby dolls.

The residents fell in love with her immediately. They admired her long curly hair and took turns brushing it. Teresa would stand quietly while a patient played with her hair and probably slipped back many years to the days when she brushed her own daughters hair.

Neither Teresa nor the patients seemed to ever tire of her visits. The rest of the family, however, would want to go to lunch or home after some time had passed.

This love Teresa had for the elderly never went away. She became a CNA at the age of 18 and began to work in a nursing home. She became an LPN while she was pregnant with her second child. Later, she returned to school and became an RN.

She took her duties and her patients seriously and earned positions of authority. For years, she was assistant director of a nursing home. Any of the staff who had a problem or question went to Teresa. She had a greater knowledge of and interest in the patients than the director of the large 100-bed, family-owned nursing home.

Teresa gained respect from her patients, the staff and doctors she had to interact with. The work was very demanding. After years, she took another position. She is now a hospice nurse who works long hours, caring for her patients in their homes, nursing homes and hospitals.

For the last two years, Teresa has not only had patients with familiar terminal health problems, but many who have COVID. As her mother, I have been concerned with the danger she has faced due to her close proximity to contagious coronavirus patients. I felt a giant sense of relief when a vaccine was made available to health care workers and the general public. This relief has been squelched again and again as many people cannot for medical reasons or will not protect themselves or their loved ones by getting the vaccines waiting for them. If all would wear masks, the pandemic might be over by now.

In late February, I asked Teresa, who lives near Carrollton, Georgia, and often has patients at Tanner Hospital, to tell me how the coronavirus pandemic has affected her for the last two years.

The pandemic has been emotionally exhausting for everyone, but especially for health care workers, she said. We take great pride in caring for the sick, and its always our goal to cure illness. Unfortunately, once you test positive for COVID-19, we have no way of knowing if you will make a full recovery, or if you will need to be hospitalized and placed on a ventilator.

Our local hospital has exceeded maximum occupancy, with the majority of patients being COVID positive. All rooms are full, and there are patients in the hallways. Patients are having to be diverted to other hospitals.

She elaborated on the stresses she is experiencing.

There is a shortage of nursing staff, so nurses are caring for larger numbers of patients, all while wearing full personal protective equipment, which consists of a full length plastic gown, N-95 face mask, face shield, cap, gloves and shoe covers, she said. Wearing this PPE for 12 hours causes us to be hot, sweaty and often short of breath, which only intensifies our exhaustion.

I have lost three nursing friends that were very dear to me during this pandemic, who died from COVID after caring for patients on the COVID unit. They were all under the age of 53. I have also lost many patients to COVID, held their hands with tears running down my face, and felt helpless as I watched them struggling to breathe until they took their last breath. Many of my nursing friends have had to receive grief counseling, and some have left the nursing profession all together due to the extreme amount of stress and grief they have endured over the past two years.

She urged everyone to keep following the proper safety protocols.

Our best defense against this virus is to be vaccinated and to wear our masks in public, not only to protect ourselves, but also to protect our family, friends and neighbors, especially ones that are elderly or immunocompromised, she said. I am thankful for the ones who do their part in helping us fight this pandemic. Together, we can win this battle.

Many feel the pandemic is over, but according to Teresas very recent account, it definitely is not. If we will show the compassion and love that Teresa has expressed, I know we will be victorious over the pandemic. May we all develop the heart of a caring nurse.
Antony Blinken said Sunday there is intelligence that Russia is engaging in 'war crimes' against Ukrainian people as Vladimir Putin continues his assault on the country, targeting military and civilians alike.

'We've seen very credible reports of deliberate attacks on civilians, which would constitute a war crime,' the Secretary of State told CNN's State of the Union.

'What we're doing right now is documenting all of this, putting it all together, looking at it and making sure that as  people and the appropriate organizations and institutions investigate whether war crimes have been or are being committed,' Blinken added.

He reiterated that the reports are 'very credible.'

The State Department head also detailed Sunday morning that the U.S. is in discussions with Poland to send warplanes to Ukraine in order to bolster their defenses without directly sending troops into the country.

'It seems that we're close  this idea of essentially US fighter jets to Poland, in exchange Poland sends Russian made jets to Ukraine. Is that going to happen?' NBC Meet the Press host Chuck Todd asked Blinken.

He replied by saying Biden spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday about sending planes.

'Yes, we're talking very actively about this, looking at what we could do to backfill Poland, if it chooses to send the MiGs and the SU planes that it has to Ukraine, how we can help by backfilling what they're giving to the Ukrainians,' Blinken said.

'So that's in very active discussion as we speak.'

The Biden administration is considering more involvement in Eastern Europe, but is still stopping short of sending U.S. forces itno Ukraine. Pictured: Army soldiers waits to greet Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley upon his arrival at the Training Range in Pabrade, Lithuania on Sunday

U.S. soldiers stationed at the Mihail Kogalniceanu base in Romania participate in the official visit of Romanian President Klaus Iohannis and France's Defense Minister Florence Parly on Sunday, March 6, 2022

The U.S. says there is 'very credible reports' that Russia is engaging in 'war crimes' against Ukrainian people as it continues its assault on civilian areas on Sunday, March 6, 2022. Pictured: Irpin, Ukraine wreckage from blasts near civilian evacuations

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday that the U.S. is in discussions with Poland to send warplanes to Ukraine

Blinken said during a meeting with Molodvan leaders on Sunday that he supports the country's aspirations to join the European Union (EU). He reassured the ex-Soviet country's leaders that the U.S. will rally international opposition to Russian aggression 'whenever and wherever' it occurs.

Moldova Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita asked the U.S. to help with the refugee crisis in their country as it accepts hundreds of thousands of people fleeing Ukraine after coming under attack from Russia.

Blinken said the U.S. is providing $18 million over the next few years to 'strengthen and diversify' Moldova's energy sector as the nation relies heavily on Russian gas.

'(Energy) independence and energy security is actually critical to maintaining one's sovereignty and independence,' Blinken told Moldovan President Maia Sandu on a tour through eastern Europe in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Moldova, like Ukraine, is a former Soviet bloc country that is not part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and therefore does not have the same protections that ally countries hold for each other.

'As of this morning, we had more than 230,000 people who have crossed the border from Ukraine and 120,000 stayed in Moldova; 96,000 of them are Ukrainian citizens,' Gavrilita told Blinken during remarks ahead of their closed-door meeting.

U.S. soldiers attend a presentation of NATO response force on Sunday, March 6 at the military airbase of Mihail Kogalniceanu, Romania, which is near the Black Sea shore

Hundreds of thousands of people fled Ukraine and other Eastern European nations into Moldova and other surrounding countries after Russia invaded Ukraine late last month. Pictured: People fleeing Ukraine board a bus after crossing the border into Palanca Village, Moldova on March 4, 2022

Blinken (left) met with Moldova's President Maia Sandu (right) on Sunday to discuss Russian aggression in Eastern Europe and the U.S. commitment to supporting the former Soviet nation

Ukrainian refugees rest inside a facilities in Chisinau, Moldova on Saturday, March 5, 2022 as millions of Ukrainians flee to neighboring countries seeking humanitarian assistance

Blinken, during his tour thorough Eastern Europe, met Sunday with Moldovan Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita (right) where she said Moldova needs assistance in dealing with the more than 120,000 refugees still in Moldova, 96,000 of which are Ukrainian citizens

'For a small country like Moldova, proportionately this is a very large number,' she added of the number of crossings since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

Moldova has a population of about 2.5 million people.

While praising her country's ability to come together to deal with the massive flow of refugees from Ukraine and other Eastern-European nations, Gavrilita admitted: '[W]e will need assistance to deal with this influx, and we need this quickly and through flexible instruments.'

'You can count on that support across the board,' Blinken said after Gavrilita's remarks.

Speaking alongside Sandu, Blinken said the U.S. supported Moldova's aspirations to join the EU but that the process would be decided by the body itself.

Moldova on Thursday formally applied to join the European Union.

The move is likely to rile Moscow, which has an estimated 1,500 troops based in the breakaway region of Transnistria in Moldova's east.

Moldova says more than 230,000 people have crossed the border from Ukraine since Russia attacked the country on February 24 and claims 120,000 are still in Moldova. Pictured: Ukrainian refugees fleeing war wait hours to cross the Reni border crossing between Ukraine and Moldova on Saturday, March 5

Blinken said during a joint press conference with Sandu that the U.S. supports Moldova in its aspirations to join the European Union

Sandu is a former World Bank economist who came to power in 2019 and won a larger mandate in elections in July promising closer ties with the West.

When Sandu asked what assurances Washington could give Moldova in light of Russia's aggression toward Ukraine, Blinken pointed to U.S. efforts to mobilize the international response that is isolating Russia and hurting its economy.

'Whenever and wherever that aggression might appear, we'll do the same thing,' he said.

The United States is not officially committed by treaty to defending Moldova since the former Soviet Republic, like its neighbor Ukraine, is not a member of NATO.
Mike Faist. Remember the name. He plays Riff in Steven Spielbergs remake of West Side Story and hell be a big star someday.

For now, hes one of those should have been nominated people in the cast. His Riff, leader of the Jets, is riveting and key to the films plot. All arms and legs, he hardly seems like a gang leader. Yet once he mobilizes his forces, West Side Story is entirely new  a film we didnt realize was lurking.

Ariana DeBose (who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress) helps him in making this more than just a stroll down familiar turf. As Anita, Marias best friend and Bernardos girlfriend, she faces toxic masculinity head on and pulls the tale as old as time into contemporary headspace.

Spielberg, too, is trying things here he hasnt done before.

The reason it works (and some stage productions dont) is because he wasnt afraid to mix things up  move songs, create characters and change the choreography.

The result is much more than a Romeo and Juliet ballet. Its a look at race relations, gentrification and immigration. Its also a masterpiece of cinematography, thanks to Janusz Kaminiski. Scenes move and rarely settle down. That creates tension and makes the films resolution impossible to predict.

Is it better than the original film? Yes. Does it cover new ground? Again, yes. But at the heart of the musical is a simple love story complicated by the lovers extended families.

Maria (Rachel Zegler) meets Tony (Ansel Elgort) at a dance and, quickly, theyre smitten. She, however, is Puerto Rican; hes Polish and theyre in 1957 New York, where turf wars are just as obvious as they are today.

While Tony and Maria come together the bleachers, the others are battling on the gym floor. Plans spill out for a showdown and, soon, the wheels are in motion for one of those oh-so-familiar rumbles.

But Spielberg doesnt make any of this familiar. Rita Moreno, who played Anita in the original film, turns up here as Valentina (a character who wasnt in the original), the owner of a drug store and sounding board for Tony. As someone who has seen these struggles for years, Valentina becomes the last best hope for everyone.

Toss in a jaw-dropping set (that duplicates blocks of New York that were bulldozed for Lincoln Center), dances by Justin Peck (that pay homage to the Jerome Robbins originals) and a screenplay by Tony Kushner (thats gritty and heartfelt) and this West Side Story towers over the other.

Credit Spielberg, too, for not shying away from something that had seemingly been frozen in amber. The Jurassic West Side Story was merely a jumping off point for this superior one. Its one of the years best films and an excellent showcase for Faist and DeBose.
due to its being adjacent to such a large expanse of low flat land in California's Central Valley, its viewshed ranking as one of the largest in western United States, including not only the entire San Francisco Bay Area and also the whole of the Central Valley as well

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Mount Diablo, about 40 miles inland from San Francisco, CA, is not a very high peak, with an elevation under 4000 ft., more than 10,000 ft. shorter than the tallest peaks in California, but, clear across to the Sierra Nevada mountains on the eastern side of the state.A) due to its being adjacent to such a large expanse of low flat land in California's Central Valley, its viewshed ranking as one of the largest in western United States, including not only the entire San Francisco Bay Area and also the whole of the Central Valley as wellB) due to its being adjacent to such a large expanse of low flat land in California's Central Valley, its viewshed ranks as one of the largest in western United States, including not only the entire San Francisco Bay Area but also the whole of the Central Valley as wellC) because it is adjacent to such a large expanse of low flat land in California's Central Valley, its viewshed ranks as one of the largest in western United States, including not only the entire San Francisco Bay Area but also the whole of the Central ValleyD) because it is adjacent to such a large expanse of low flat land in California's Central Valley, its viewshed ranking as one of the largest in western United States, including not only the entire San Francisco Bay Area and the whole of the Central Valley tooE) because it is adjacent to such a large expanse of low flat land in California's Central Valley, its viewshed would rank as one of the largest in western United States, including not only the entire San Francisco Bay Area also with the whole of the Central Valley_________________
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, March 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- American Jewish Committee (AJC ) officially opened its first office in an Arab country, AJC Abu Dhabi: The Sidney Lerner Center for Arab-Jewish Understanding, on March 2, with a reception and ribbon-cutting ceremony in the UAE capital.

(L to R): AJC Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer Jason Isaacson; Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Defense, Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee of the UAE Federal National Council; AJC CEO David Harris; and AJC Abu Dhabi Director Ambassador Marc Sievers cut the ribbon at the entrance to AJC Abu Dhabi: The Sidney Lerner Center for Arab-Jewish Understanding.

"AJC played an essential role over the years in laying the foundation for the Abraham Accords. I cannot overstate the significance of its contribution, which makes its new office here so natural and also so necessary, as we work together to expand regional peace and understanding," said Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Defense, Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee of the UAE Federal National Council. He joined with AJC CEO David Harris, AJC Abu Dhabi Director Ambassador Marc Sievers, and AJC Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer Jason Isaacson to cut the ribbon at the entrance to the new office.

"The opening of AJC Abu Dhabi is the culmination of a process of trust-building and cooperation in pursuit of common goals that began years, in fact decades, before the Abraham Accords," said Isaacson, who has led AJC consultations in Bahrain, the UAE, and other Arab states for more than 25 years. "In a region and a world that has known too much war, it manifests our commitment, in concert with partners in the Arab world and Israel, to wage peace."

At a reception celebrating the opening of AJC Abu Dhabi, AJC CEO David Harris addressed the diplomats, business leaders, Emirati and Israeli diplomats-in-training, and Gulf Jewish community representatives who filled the Four Seasons Hotel ballroom. Diplomats from 12 countries -- Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Poland, Bahrain, the UAE, and the United States -- attended the reception.

"We are the answer to war -- all of us in this room. In whatever language we speak, we are pursuers of peace. Real peace -- not just signed pieces of paper, but the actualization of peace, mutual respect, mutual understanding, friendship, cooperation, coexistence, standing up for one another. Those are the elements of peace," Harris declared.

The AJC Abu Dhabi opening reception came during a weeklong visit to the Gulf, first to Bahrain and then to the UAE. In Manama, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa received the AJC delegation at the Royal Palace and spoke of the importance of U.S.-Bahrani friendship and partnership, and the need for greater regional cooperation in the Middle East. AJC honored the King of Bahrain with its Architect of Peace Award in 2019.

In Bahrain the AJC group also met with Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohamed Al Khalifa, Advisor to His Majesty the King for Diplomatic Affairs; Shaikh Mohamed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister; Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Undersecretary for Political Affairs; and Ambassador Houda Nonoo, a leader in Bahrain's Jewish community who served as the country's ambassador to the U.S. (2008-2013). They also met with U.S. Charge d'Affaires Maggie Nardie, Israeli Ambassador to Bahrain Eitan Na'eh, and French Deputy Chief of Mission Emmanuel Mayer, and visited the newly restored House of Ten Commandments synagogue -- the only working synagogue in the Gulf.

Following the one-day visit to Bahrain, the AJC delegation arrived in the UAE, where they met in Abu Dhabi with Dr. Al Nuaimi, Minister of Education Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, and Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary-General of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity.

The group also met with U.S. Embassy Charge d'Affaires Sean Murphy and Israeli Ambassador Amir Hayek.

At the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA) AJC CEO David Harris and Nickolay Mladenov, AGDA Acting Director General and Director of Research and Analysis, who formerly served as UN Coordinator of the Middle East Peace Process, engaged in a conversation with Emirati and Israeli diplomatic cadets studying at the UAE institution.

Based in Abu Dhabi, AGDA is the principal training center for Emiratis pursuing a career in diplomacy and continuing education for UAE diplomats. Last September, on the first anniversary of the Abraham Accords signing, AGDA and AJC launched an educational cooperation that aims to explore the multidimensional components of emerging Emirati-Israeli relations by engaging the next generation of American, Israeli, and Emirati leaders in political, economic, scientific, and diplomatic discussions on the future of the Middle East.

The AJC delegation also visited Dubai Expo 2020, including the Israeli Pavilion -- the presence of which was announced by UAE authorities even before the historic Abraham Accords normalization of relations with Israel in 2020.

SOURCE American Jewish Committee
The United States is in talks with on a deal to provide fighter jets to Ukraine, a spokesperson confirmed.

The spokesperson also said that they are figuring out the logistics as to how the aircraft would be transferred from to Ukraine. US is determining what "capabilities we could provide to backfill if it decided to transfer planes to Ukraine," added the spokesperson, reported CNN News.

The spokesperson did not clear what 'backfill' options were under consideration and noted that sending fighter jets into Ukraine is a "sovereign decision for any country to make".

Moreover, Two US lawmakers participated in a Zoom call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday said Zelenskyy indicated Poland had signalled it is prepared to send MiG fighter jets but "they are only waiting for you [the US] to allow it."

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday praised Warsaw for playing a "vital" role in the Ukraine crisis, by stating that the United States has deployed doubled the number of military personnel in Poland.

In a meeting with the Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau, Blinken said expressed the United States' admiration and appreciation for Poland's solidarity and support for Ukraine.

"Poland is doing vital work to respond to this (Ukraine) crisis. It has done a great deal to facilitate security assistance to Ukraine. Since January 30, the US has more than doubled the number of military personnel deployed in Poland to now more than 10,000," Blinken said.

Speaking about the humanitarian crisis, Poland Foreign Minister said: "Everything possible must be done to ensure evacuation. Russia's aggression in Ukraine causes a humanitarian crisis of an unimaginable scale. Our priority is organising effective aid for millions of refugees. Poland has already received up to 700,000 refugees."

Earlier Blinken met with Charles Michel, President of the European Council in Brussels as the two discussed their "support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity." Moreover, Blinken on Wednesday said the United States, in coordination with its allies and partners, is imposing additional economic costs on Russia and Belarus in response to military operations against Ukraine.

Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities.

(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 omicron surge subsiding, many business leaders are again planning to urge  and even demand  that their employees return to their pre-pandemic offices. Its understandable: U.S. businesses are paying for countless thousands of square feet of expensive office space across the country, much of which is now vacant.

But theyd be wise not to rush the office return. Most people who worked in offices prior to the pandemic are conflicted right now. They miss their colleagues and the amenities available at work  the coffee bar, access to high-speed copying machines and knowledgeable IT trouble-shooters  but they dont miss the commute and theyre loving the freedom and flexibility remote and asynchronous work offers them.

Thats why business leaders should pay close attention to the recently released Winter 2021-22 Future Forum Pulse survey, part of a series the consortium has been conducting quarterly since June 2020.

The new survey captures the views of 10,737 knowledge workers from the United States, Australia, France, Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom who were surveyed last November, before omicron went wild. At the time, many of those surveyed probably were contemplating or getting ready to return to their offices  planning when and how often they would.

The survey findings should give business leaders pause:

78% of respondents said they want location flexibility  that is, the option to regularly work from home, a co-working space close to home or some other location of their own choosing.

95% said they want schedule flexibility. This means getting rid of the rigid (9 to 5, 8 to 6, or whatever) workday schedule that existed pre-pandemic.

One of the advantages of flexible work, as we learned these last two years, is being able to set your own pace and schedule, at least on certain projects, and being able to do other things (laundry, shopping, cooking, tutoring the kids, exercising, or just chilling) in between.

The Future Forum data tell me that business leaders pushing employees to return to the office could be creating huge problems for themselves  problems few businesses are prepared to handle in todays tight labor market, with record numbers of employee resignations in recent months.

If you dont think things can get much worse, consider another stat from the Future Forum survey: 72% of the respondents who said theyre dissatisfied with the current level of flexibility they enjoy at work said theyll likely be looking for a new job this year. Telling them to hightail it back to the office likely will hasten their exit.

Theres more to consider as well, especially for business leaders concerned with building a more diverse and inclusive workforce. Significant percentages of Black and Hispanic respondents said remote work has increased both their sense of belonging and their sense of being treated fairly at work. Since May 2021, Future Forum found, sense of belonging at work increased 24% for Black respondents and 32% for Hispanics, compared with only 5% for whites. Those are important gains business leaders shouldnt want to lose.

The Future Forum survey also showed something else: that flex work enjoys its highest support among non-white workers, with 86% of Hispanics and 81% of Blacks, Asian-Americans and U.S. residents of Asian descent favoring remote and hybrid work. Theyre sending the bosses a message.

Theres already a clear disconnect between executive preferences and employee desires for flexible work. Many executives want to return to the way things were. Among workers, remote and hybrid work is strongly preferred.

The omicron surge delayed plans for getting back together with colleagues, families and friends. The only silver lining is that it bought us more time to figure out who needs to return to the office, when and how.

Theres a lot at stake. Business leaders shouldnt rush things or push too hard. Their employees appear ready to push back.
British Prime Minister on Sunday outlined a six-point plan to resolve the Russia- crisis, calling for renewed efforts to bring an end to the conflict.

Writing in 'The New York Times' ahead of hosting world leaders at 10 Downing Street in London next week, Johnson reiterated that Russian President Vladimir Putin must fail in his attempt to rewrite the rules of order "by military force".

His six-point plan of how the community should work towards resolving the crisis covers humanitarian and military support, economic sanctions, an attempt to find a diplomatic solution, and a renewed effort to strengthen security across Europe.

"Putin must fail and must be seen to fail in this act of aggression. It is not enough to express our support for the rules-based international order we must defend it against a sustained attempt to rewrite the rules by military force, writes Johnson.

"The world is watching. It is not future historians but the people of who will be our judge," he said.

The six points covered in his strategy include:



i. World leaders should mobilise an "international humanitarian coalition" for Ukraine



ii. They should also support "in its efforts to provide for its own self-defence"



iii. Economic pressure on should be ratcheted up



iv. The international community must resist Russia's "creeping normalisation" of its actions in Ukraine



v. Diplomatic resolutions to the war must be pursued, but only with the full participation of Ukraine's legitimate government



vi. There should be a "rapid campaign to strengthen security and resilience" among North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) countries



Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Dutch PM Mark Rutte will visit him for talks on Monday, followed by leaders of the V4 group of central European nations the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia on Tuesday.

The Opposition Labour Party is calling on Johnson to bring forward new legislation to block Russian oligarchs from pursuing high-cost legal claims through British courts to avoid sanctions.

The so-called Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation have previously been used to censor and threaten journalists and activists.

"We are already behind the rest of the world in enforcing sanctions against oligarchs funding Putin's murderous invasion of Ukraine, said Labour Leader Keir Starmer.

"We can't then also give room for them to sue their way out of sanctions, while gagging the UK's media. Lawfare is not the way we do things in this country. The freedom of the British press is to be cherished, respected, and protected," he said.

Meanwhile, UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has warned President Putin not to underestimate the West as he said if allies stuck together and refused to be intimidated, he was sure the Russian leader would fail in his invasion of Ukraine.

In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph', Wallace said the West "must not be afraid of Putin", who he said was "acting irrationally and inflicting horrors on Ukraine".

In the latest UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) assessment of the ongoing conflict, the scale and strength of Ukrainian resistance to Russian attacks has been lauded.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 6 (ANI): Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Sunday hit out at the Centre amid the ongoing Operation Ganga, and said that the students remain stranded in Ukraine amid the Russia-Ukraine crisis because "the Central government was asleep".

Addressing a press conference here, Patole said, "The Central government was asleep, which is why the students were stranded in Ukraine."

Also Read | PM Narendra Modi Urges Students to Take Advantage of India Being Third-Largest Startup Ecosystem in World.

Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for conducting election rallies amid the ongoing crisis in Ukraine involving the Indian nationals, the state Congress chief said that he remained "busy in campaigning".

"PM Modi is a campaigner. He remained busy in campaigning. The foreign policy of the government has failed," he added.

Also Read | Jammu and Kashmir: One Dead, 21 Injured in Grenade Attack in Srinagar.

Speaking about the inauguration of the 12 km stretch of the Pune Metro Rail Project by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, Patole said that the BJP is taking credit for the Metro while its foundation of all the projects was laid by the Congress.

"BJP is doing politics by taking the credit of Metro in the city but Congress has laid the foundation of all these projects," he said.

Patole also alleged that the turban that PM Modi was to be presented during the unveiling ceremony of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue at the Pune Municipal Corporation premises, had 'Rajmudra', the diamond used by Maharajas, and said that the BJP has insulted the Maratha warrior.

However, the Pune Mayor, Murlidhar Mohol on Saturday had shared the picture of the turban which did not have any such diamond attached to the turban.

Patole also accused the former chief minister of the state Devendra Fadnavis of a "Rs 800 crore scam" in Asia's largest slum Dharavi Redevelopment project. He also demanded a probe against the BJP leader from the state government. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Locky Gilbert received massive backlash this week after he bragged of 'not working in a decade' on SAS Australia.

But the full-time reality star may soon be forced to join the 'boring' workforce, as an insider has revealed Locky is running out of paid TV gigs.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, the well-place source said Locky's bratty on-screen behaviour on SAS Australia will repel casting agents looking for talent in future.

Dose of reality: Locky Gilbert, 32 (pictured) - who mocked 'boring' Aussies working 9-5 - is running out of paid TV jobs and will be 'lucky to end up as an extra in an ad' due to his bratty antics, according to an insider

'He thinks he will jump from show to show. He thinks he is hugely famous and tells everyone he knows,' they said.

'His aim is to get onto another show after this, but at this rate he will be lucky to end up as an extra in an ad.'

Locky raised eyebrows on Tuesday's SAS Australia after he bragged of 'not working in a decade', before denouncing people who live a 'mundane', 'boring' life of 9-5 employment.

'His aim is to get onto another show after this, but at this rate he will be lucky to end up as an extra in an ad': Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, the well-place source said Locky's bratty on-screen behaviour on SAS Australia will repel casting agents looking for talent in future

Since finding fame on Australian Survivor in 2017, Locky has been earning money by bouncing from one reality show to the next, while pocketing extra cash as an influencer - sharing sponsored posts for vitamin brand Optimum Nutrition on Instagram.

In 2020, he returned to Australian Survivor for the All Stars season, before appearing on The Bachelor in 2021 and SAS Australia in 2022.

He was reportedly paid $30,000 to appear on SAS Australia.

Fame game: Since finding fame on Australian Survivor in 2017, Locky has been earning money by bouncing from one reality show to the next, while pocketing extra cash as an influencer - sharing sponsored posts for vitamin brand Optimum Nutrition on Instagram

He also owns an adventure tourism company in Bali that has been closed for the past few years due to Covid.

'In the last 10 years, I mean, I really haven't worked,' he told SAS Australia producers.

'It blows my mind people get up, they go to work every single day, living a mundane and boring life. I've just done whatever I wanted to do, and it's got me this far,' he added with a cocky smile.

Arrogant: On Tuesday's episode of SAS Australia, Locky couldn't resist boasting about undemanding lifestyle, telling producers he hasn't 'really worked in a decade'

Twitter promptly erupted with snarky responses, with one viewer tweeting: 'Locky is brain dead.. honestly.'

'It continues to blow my mind that smart/beautiful women purposely competed to be Locky's girlfriend in real life,' added another.

A third viewer meanwhile lashed out at Locky's 'white male privilege' for insulting someone's way of life while 'he has had luxuries that majority of people don't have'.

The f**king audacity,' they wrote.

Ouch: Twitter quickly erupted with snarky comments

On Wednesday, Locky issued a grovelling apology on Instagram, blaming bad editing' for his behaviour and insisting he knows the value of hard work.

'I just want to clear things up with the comment I made last night,' he began.

'I never meant it in the way it was edited. What I meant was that I am so lucky that I get to do what I love each and every day.

'I said I haven't worked a day in the last 10 years because "when you do what you love, you don't work a day in your life".

Apology: On Wednesday, Locky issued a grovelling apology on Instagram, blaming bad editing' for his bad behaviour and insisting he knows the value of hard work

'When I said I don't know how people go to work every day, they left out the part where I said to a job they hate. Unfortunately this came across the wrong way.'

The Perth-based Australian Survivor star went on to say that he has 'done the 12 hour days, seven days a week, working my a** off in the last 10 years of my life'.

'I am just doing what I love, so I don't see it as work,' he said.

'Don't get me wrong, I have done the hard yards and I respect everyone else that does the same.

What would Irena say? Locky's on-camera comments about the drudgery of work may also have left his own own girlfriend Irena Srbinovska, 32, (right) feeling offended

'I pinch myself everyday and I am so grateful that I have the life that I have.'

He then drew attention to his 'beautiful partner' Irena Srbinovska and her mother, who also works in healthcare, adding: 'They are both so passionate about their jobs.

'I love that they get to do what they love. I never meant for it to come across the way it did and I am deeply sorry if my comments offended anyone.'

Giving back: Irena, who won Locky's heart on The Bachelor two years ago, is a registered nurse who has dedicated her life to helping those in need

Irena, who won Locky's heart on The Bachelor two years ago, is a registered nurse who has dedicated over 10 years of her life to helping those in need.

While Locky may describe working as 'mundane', Irena believes that wearing scrubs every day is 'rewarding and inspiring'.

'Life as a nurse is messy, challenging and an endless cycle of shift work but it's also the most rewarding and inspiring job,' she wrote on Instagram in 2017.

'I am so proud to call myself a nurse and I am so blessed to be surrounded by such incredible nurses everyday.'

Speaking to Who magazine in 2020, Irena said she felt 'so guilty about being away from work' while filming The Bachelor amid the global pandemic.

Back on the tools: Irena's dedication to nursing was so strong that she returned to work after returning home during The Bachelor temporary filming break

Irena's dedication to nursing was so strong that she returned to work after returning home during The Bachelor temporary filming break.

'When I came back to Melbourne after we had to leave the mansion and I went back to work, the first day felt amazing; I was finally able to do my part,' she said.

'Being a nurse is a huge part of my life. It's my way of giving back to the community and helps me feel fulfilled.'

Irena returned to nursing last month after relocating back home to Melbourne from Perth.

Small screen career: Locky has been a professional reality star ever since appearing on Australian Survivor in 2017. He returned for the All Stars season in 2020

'Going back to work has been a challenge, adjusting to a new hospital, new staff and going back to shift work has been a little hard than I thought but going back to work has given purpose, routine and it's filled my heart with warmth again,' she wrote to Instagram at the time.

It comes after Daily Mail Australia revealed Locky was so desperate to stay in the spotlight he was willing to take part in Seven's SAS Australia free of charge.

A source revealed: 'He was desperate to go on SAS Australia. It is so on-brand for him because he sees himself as a manly tough guy.

'He loves being famous and really gets off on people recognising him in public and coming up for selfies.'
reported 71 COVID-19 cases on Sunday, which increased the tally to 12,23,262, while one death in Surat took the toll to 10,935, an official said.

So far, 12,11,413 people have been discharged post recovery, including 140 during the day, leaving the state with an active tally of 914, he said.

Ahmedabad reported 31 new cases, Vadodara 16, Tapi four, Banaskantha three, Rajkot two and Surat one, among others, he added.

A government release said 36,843 people were vaccinated against COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of doses administered so far in to 10.34 crore.

The tally and recovery count in adjoining Dadra Nagar Havel and Daman and Diu stood unchanged at 11,410 and 11,404, leaving the Union Territory, which has seen four deaths so far, with an active caseload of two.

Gujarat's COVID-19 figures are as follows: Positive cases 12,23,262, new cases 71, death toll 10,935, discharged 12,11,413, active cases 914, people tested so far - figures not released.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A cache of deleted tweets have laid bare the tensions inside Network Ten's Canberra bureau amid a bitter legal battle between a female reporter and her bosses.

Political reporter Tegan George, 37, is suing Ten in the Federal Court over the 'toxic bullying culture' she claims to have endured while in Canberra working with The Project's Peter van Onselen.

Daily Mail Australia can exclusively reveal tweets Ms George fired off about the time of the alleged incidents which appear to show the journalist was apparently taking swipes at her co-workers on social media.

In her lawsuit, filed in the Federal Court recently, Ms George accused political editor van Onselen, 46, of sabotaging her career and trying to make a star out of rival reporter Stela Todorovic to 'get back' at her.

Political reporter Tegan George, 37, is suing Ten in the Federal Court over the 'toxic bullying culture' she claims she endured in Canberra.

She's accused The Project's Peter van Onselen, 46, of sabotaging her career and trying to make a star out of rival reporter Stela Todorovic to 'get back' at her

The tensions came to a head after George claimed to overhear sexist remarks by two men about a female colleague, understood to be Todorovic, that she reported internally.

However, she texted bosses at Ten on May 10 to tell them she did not want to make a formal statement about the incident.

She allegedly told her bureau chief: 'Hey, just so you know, I told HR I will not be giving a statement, speaking to them or participating in their "investigation" in any way.'

George alleges she soon came under intense pressure to take part in the investigation and claims she was threatened with disciplinary action if she refused.

At the height of the internal row, George appeared to have mocked Todorovic in a tweet to her 25,000 followers - before she later axed her account.

'I have now nominated Stela Todorovic for an internal 10NewsFirst award for her bravery and commitment to the truth,' she wrote on May 19, 2021.

Later that day, she tweeted a pic of her pet dog Lil Smoosh and added: 'When I tell her about my day, sometimes we connect over our pure dislike of ignorant people.'

Newly resurfaced tweets (pictured) from the time of the incident seem to show Ms George was also taking swipes at her co-workers on social media

Two days earlier, she posted another tweet, apparently in reply to criticism of the way she phrased a story on TV that day but was felt by some to be an attack on van Onselen.

It followed his public defence of his longtime friend Christian Porter over historical allegations of rape against the former attorney-general, which he denies.

'For those upset about the "respected pharmacist" line (in her story)... I personally feel it is important,' she tweeted on May 17.

'I think a lot of women are sick of hearing "respected" men in their lives say they don't associate with "those kinds of men" who commit DV crimes.'

The previous week, the Queensland born-and-bred reporter rued leaving Ten's Brisbane office where she was allowed to bring her dog to work.

'Workplaces are just so much better with dogs. I miss my Brisbane boss who used to let me bring Lil Smoosh into the newsroom,' she tweeted with dog and heart emojis.

Ms George posted a tweet, apparently in reply to criticism of the way she had phrased a story on TV that day, but which was felt by some to be an attack on Peter van Onselen (pictured)

The tweet followed Ten's political editor's public defence of his long-time friend Christian Porter over historical allegations of rape against the former attorney-general, which he denied

The previous week, the Queensland born-and-bred reporter had rued leaving Ten's Brisbane office where she had been allowed to bring her dog into work

She followed up the tweet with a shout out to all her '10 family', name-checking network stars including Sandra Sully and Angela Bishop, but missing Ms Todorovic and van Onselen

She followed up the tweet with a rollcall shoutout to all her '10 family', name-checking network stars including Sandra Sully and Angela Bishop.

But Todorovic and van Onselen are conspicuously absent from the list of names.

Just a few weeks later, George went on leave, claiming the row left her 'vomiting, unable to sleep and stressed to incapacity' and has not returned to work since.

The following month, she tweeted a story on the sexism row over claims Olympics chief John Coates ordered Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to attend the Tokyo Games opening ceremony.

Ms George tweeted a story on the sexism row over Olympics chief John Coates ordering Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to attend the Tokyo Games opening ceremony

Reuters framed the story as 'Coates pulls rank' on Palaszczuk, while other outlets attacked the Australian Olympic Committee president for his alleged condescending disrespect.

Ms George tweeted the link with the caption: 'Ahh that's your take? Given those I've worked with though... perhaps not that surprising.'

The tensions came to a head after Ms George overheard sexist remarks by two men about a female colleague, understood to be Ms Todorovic, which she reported internally

Labor activist Vanessa Badham replied: 'SERIOUSLY?' and Ms George snapped back: 'You have no idea...' with a sad face emoji.

The lawsuit also claims her script of a federal government scoop was sent to Health Minister Greg Hunt's office behind her back, prompting him to demand changes and ruining her exclusive.

But another tweet from earlier in May showed George letting rip at the minister on Twitter.

Retweeting another tweet about a media statement from the minister's office, George tweeted: 'This release came through after midnight. Utter bulls**t.'

She tagged in the minister's personal Twitter account in the tweet.

Another tweet from earlier in May shows Tegan George letting rip at health minister Greg Hunt on Twitter

She raged at an unnamed political staffer in another tweet from 2020

Another tweet from 2020 about an unnamed political staffer raged: 'Oh and to the advisor who just text me - if you had bothered to establish a relationship with me, you would know I don't give a s*** about what party you're from.

'I was simply trying to ascertain facts - which you claimed you didn't know.'

The tweets emerged as Ten lodged its defence to George's legal claim. She had alleged in court documents that:

She was told to apologise to van Onselen for complaining about having to write his stories

Van Onselen refused to talk to her and communicated by text message

She was made to move desks so van Onselen could prove he was the boss

She accused him of being 'rude, intemperate, condescending and patronising'

She was snubbed for invites to van Onselen's coffee meetings with other staff and felt her Kennedy award nomination for her bushfire coverage was overlooked

George's lawsuit claims she was also told by TV executives that van Onselen was 'bats**t crazy' and 'didn't give a s**t how she was feeling'.

The lawsuit alleged the 'toxic', 'bullying' culture at Ten's Canberra bureau between 2019 and 2021 'reduced Ms Georges standing and reputation as a journalist'.

Tegan George's legal action claims she was also told by TV executives that van Onselen was 'bats*** crazy' and 'didn't give a s*** how she was feeling'

'Ms George was subjected to workplace gossip, Ms Georges standing in the workplace was reduced and Ms George was denied the quiet enjoyment of her profession,' the statement of claim alleged.

Van Onselen is one of several senior employees named in the lawsuit, which claims Ten failed to provide a safe working environment for her at the Canberra bureau.

Ten denies the allegations and its defence documents, seen by Daily Mail Australia, called many of her claims 'vague and embarrassing and liable to be struck out'.

Key to Ten's defence is the text message she allegedly sent on May 10, 2021, to Canberra bureau chief Achim Bormann.

'Hey, just so you know, I told HR I will not be giving a statement, speaking to them or participating in their "investigation" in any way,' George is alleged to have texted.

'If it was something I wanted to take further, I would have said something in the moment.

'Or even in the week after. I need to do what I expect others would afford me in the same situation. See you tomorrow'

Peter Van Onselen (pictured) is one of several senior employees named in the lawsuit, which alleges Ten failed to provide a safe working environment for her at the Canberra bureau

Ten insists van Onselen was rarely in Canberra while George was working there and she was only asked to write 10 of his 200 reports during that time as part of her duties.

The company claimed the desks were only swapped to improve the bureau's running and her new desk was not inferior.

Van Onselen simply did not know about George's award nomination, Ten's defence documents claimed.

They also explained George reported to Ten's executive editor Anthony Murdoch, not van Onselen.

George's lawyers declined to comment on the latest tweets, but previously rejected suggestions she did not report the sexual harassment comments.

Josh Bornstein, of Maurice Blackburn lawyers, said: 'Any suggestion that Ms George refused or failed to report an incident of sexual harassment is false.'

The case continues.
Pune, March 6: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged the students to take full advantage of the opening of various sectors as India is the third-largest startup ecosystem of the world and the present generation is fortunate enough as it has not suffered the damaging impact of the earlier defensive and dependent psychology.

Inaugurating the Golden Jubilee celebration of Symbiosis University in Pune, PM Modi underscored the changed mood of the country, and said "your generation is fortunate in a way that it has not suffered the damaging impact of the earlier defensive and dependent psychology. If this change has come in the country, then the first credit of it also goes to all of you, goes to our youth." PM Narendra Modi Says This Decade Is Being Called As Techade of India.

The Prime minister underlined the confidence of New India and mentioned that India is among the largest economies of the world and maintains the third largest start up ecosystem of the world.

"Missions like Startup India, Stand Up India, Make in India and Aatmnirbhar Bharat are representing your aspirations. Today's India is innovating, improving, and influencing the whole world", he said. The Prime Minister said that Punekars know very well how India showed its prowess to the world in the context of Corona vaccination," he added.

He also inaugurated Symbiosis Arogya Dham. Governor Maharashtra Bhagat Singh Koshiyari was among those present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said, "India has emerged as a global leader in the sectors which were previously considered out of reach.

India has become the second-largest mobile manufacturer in the world. Seven years ago, there were only two mobile manufacturing companies in India. Today more than 200 manufacturing units are engaged in this work."

Even in the defence sector, the Prime Minister said, "India, which was recognized as the world's largest importer country, is now becoming a defence exporter. Today, two major defence corridors are coming up, where the biggest modern weapons will be made to meet the defence needs of the country."

The Prime minister called upon the students to take full advantage of the opening of various sectors. Mentioning the recent reforms in the sectors of the Geo-spatial Systems, drones, semi-conductors and space technology, the Prime minister said, "the government in the country today trusts the strength of the youth of the country. That's why we are opening sectors one after the other for you".

"Whatever field you are in, the way you set goals for your career, in the same way you should have some goals for the country", said PM Modi. He asked them to find solutions for the local problems. He asked them to maintain their fitness and stay happy and vibrant.

"When our goals go from personal growth to national growth, then the feeling of being a participant in nation-building takes over", PM Modi said.

He also highlighted India's influence and said that India is safely bringing out its citizens from the war zone through Operation Ganga during the Ukraine crisis. "Big countries of the world are finding it difficult to do so. But it is the growing influence of India that we have brought thousands of students back to our homeland", he said

The Prime Minister also asked the student to select themes to work on every year and select these themes keeping in mind the national and global needs. He said that results and ideas can be shared with the Prime Minister's office also.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Alessandra Ambrosio showed off her supermodel looks as she stepped out for lunch sans makeup on Saturday.

The former Victoria's Secret Angel, 40, put her famous visage on full display as she pulled her brunette locks into a messy bun.

The 5ft10in stunner rocked a pair of short, cutoff denim shorts and added a faded graphic tea while out in Malibu.

Gorgeous: Alessandra Ambrosio showed off her above average looks as she stepped out for lunch sans makeup on Saturday

The GAL Floripa founder tucked her oversized t-shirt into her fraying bottoms, which boasted a button fly.

She slipped her feet into a pair of casual beige slides and wore golden drop earrings.

Alessandra carried a large pastel beige and blue bag over one shoulder and carried her phone with a strap that draped diagonally across her torso.

The mom-of-two made use of her shirt as she used it to wipe her sunglasses clean.

Effortless: The former Victoria's Secret Angel, 40, put her famous visage on full display as she pulled her brunette locks into a messy bun

Earlier this week Ambrosio slid her enviably svelte frame into an aquamarine jumpsuit as she attended an event for the fashion line Revolve.

The fashion-forward star's look had a plunging neckline that flashed her perky cleavage.

'Ale,' as she is known affectionately to her fans, emphasized her slender waistline by cinching a belt around the glinting outfit.

Night out: Earlier this week Ambrosio slid her enviably svelte frame into an aquamarine jumpsuit as she attended an event for the fashion line Revolve

Accentuating her screen siren features with makeup, the Brazilian-born bombshell let her dark hair cascade freely in waves over her shoulders.

Alessandra balanced expertly in a pair of stilettos for her latest big event, accessorizing with a small black handbag.

The event was quite the celebrity-strewn affair, with Euphoria star Angus Cloud and Kim Kardashian both showing up.

Sensual: Accentuating her screen siren features with makeup, the Brazilian-born bombshell let her dark hair cascade freely in waves over her shoulders

Alessandra recently covered the 'Women's Issue' of Harper's Bazaar Mexico, glamming up in a Gucci dress that was perfectly fitted to her knockout figure.

For over a year she has been involved with her smoldering fellow model Richard Lee, whom she was seen holidaying with in Florianopolis, Brazil to ring in the new year.

Although she was born in Erechim she clearly has a special place in her heart for Florianopolis where both of her children were born.

GAL Floripa, the swimwear line she started with her sister Aline and their pal Gisele Coria, takes the second part of its title from a nickname for Florianopolis.
Medicine Park is a small town located in Comanche County in the US State of Oklahoma. Medicine Park forms a part of the Lawton Metropolitan Statistical Area. Many of the original structures in the area are made of naturally formed red granite cobblestones unique to the Wichita Mountains.

Geography And Climate Of Medicine Park

Stone gate to Medicine Park in Comanche County, Oklahoma. Editorial credit: RaksyBH / Shutterstock.com

Situated in the Wichita Mountains, Medicine Park is located close to the cities of Lawton and Fort Sill and serves as the entrance to the Wichita Mountain Refuge. According to the United States Census Bureau, Medicine Park covers a total area of 4.4 sq. km, of which 4.4 sq. km is occupied by land, and 0.26 sq. km is covered by water.

Medicine Park in fall, Lawton, Oklahoma.

According to the Koppen Climate Classification, Medicine Park experiences a humid subtropical climate, with high temperatures and uniformly distributed precipitation throughout the year. The average temperature for the year in Medicine Park is 16.7C. July is the warmest month, with an average temperature of 28.3C, whereas the coldest month is January, having an average temperature of 3.9C.

The Population Of Medicine Park

In 2020, Medicine Park was home to a population of 488 people with a median age of 60.4 and a population density of 86 people per square kilometer. The towns population has increased by 27.5% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 382 people in 2010. The majority of the residents in Medicine Park are non-Hispanic White. There were 56.4 times more non-Hispanic White residents in the town than any other race or ethnicity in 2019. The largest ethnic groups in Medicine Park are non-Hispanic White representing 94.31% of the towns population, Two or more races at 2.34%, Black or African American at 1 %, and Asian at 1%. All the residents of Medicine Park are U.S. citizens, and all households speak English at home as their primary language.

The Economy Of Medicine Park

Between 2018 and 2019, the median household income in Medicine Park has declined from $62,083 to $53,438, a -13.9% decrease. However, the town is currently growing at a rate of 2.52% annually. The economy of Medicine Park employs around 51% of the town's population in different industries such as Manufacturing, Health Care & Social Assistance, and Construction. The highest paying industries in Medicine Park are Wholesale Trade, followed by Manufacturing and Agriculture & Fishing & Hunting.

Brief History Of Medicine Park

A jail in Medicine Park, Oklahoma.

In 1908, Medicine Park was established as the first resort town of Oklahoma. The towns founder, John William Elmer Thomas, was attracted to the unique cobblestone deposits and the mountains and plains that surrounded the town. He bought land and began constructing the Medicine Park Summer Resort and Health Spa. The simple resort he built quickly became a vacation area for miscreants, outlaws, and bootleggers. The town also attracted people from different backgrounds. Medicine Park was a gateway to President Roosevelt and Al Capone, Jack Abernathy and Pretty Boy Floyd, Will Rogers, Bonnie, and Clyde. After being elected as a US Senator, Thomas sold the park to a corporation in 1926. Along with the Great Depression and WWII, this purchase brought financial hardship, and the population declined. By 1984, the towns population had decreased drastically, but it still held its charm. The remaining resident of Medicine Park partnered with students from OU and the Association for South Central Oklahoma Governments (ASCOG) and won a grant which allowed them to restore the towns cobblestone walls. Soon, the walls got repaired, and the town began to flourish again. Cobblestone cabins were renovated, and businesses started attracting visitors escaping the heat.

Tourist Attractions In Medicine Park

Bath Lake

Wide shot of the scenic bath lake with waterfalls at Medicine Park, Oklahoma.

Medicine Park is famous for its laid-back vintage atmosphere and unique red cobblestone. Visitors enjoy swimming in Bath Lake, located in the center of the town. Visitors go swimming in a natural swimming hole surrounded by the areas unique red stone cobbles. The town also has several interesting one-off shops to visit as well as many picnic areas and hiking trails.

Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

A scenic view while descending the twisting road from Mt. Scott, Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma.

The town is also a few hours from the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, where visitors can enjoy rock climbing, camping, hiking, and wildlife watching. The refuge spans over 9,100 ha and is home to many animals, including bison and longhorns.
More than 275 grave markers were vandalized at a Texas cemetery in the suburbs of Dallas, most of them more than 100 years old and one belonging to one of the city's first settlers.

The extensive damage at Waxahachie City Cemetery - about 30 miles south of Dallas - was discovered around 9 a.m. on Monday, local police wrote in a Facebook post.

The cemetery was established in 1852 and contains about 10,000 graves.

Among those toppled and broken was the tombstone of Emory Rogers, who is considered by many the founder of the Texas town. A plaque near his gravestone reads 'First Settler in Waxahachie.'

'This is by far the worst case of vandalism we have seen in the City Cemetery,' Gumaro Martinez, executive director of the citys Parks and Leisure Services, said in a statement. 'Many of the markers that were affected are very old, and repairs will be difficult and costly.'

A vandal or vandals toppled over 275 grave markers at Waxahachie City Cemetary in Texas, about 30 miles south of Dallas

Among the tombstones destroyed at Waxahachie cemetary was that of Emory Rogers (pictured), who is considered by many the founder of the Texas town, which is marked with a plaque that reads 'First Settler in Waxahachie.'

Significant damage was done to historically significant and recent grave sites alike - the town is urging residents not to attempt to right the stones of their loved ones themselves, but to wait for the city to hire a contractor who can repair the markers safely

The Waxahachie Police Department is looking to the public for tips that will lead to the culprit, and are offering a cash reward through Crime Stoppers of Ellis County

The cemetery was established in 1852, and contains about 10,000 graves

The Waxahachie Police Department is offering a cash reward through Crime Stoppers of Ellis County for help in finding the culprits.

Waxahachie City Councilmember Travis Smith wrote on Facebook that the city's Cemetery Board met earlier this week to organize volunteer cleanup days for the extensive damage, and that the town will be 'leaning on the experts' to repair the fragile stones.

'My gut tells me it was a group of high school-aged kids who didnt realize the gravity of their action,' he wrote.

'For what its worth, it didnt appear any of the headstones were struck with an object, mostly pushed over. My gut also suggests the vandals are more than aware now and well have answers sooner, not later.'

Significant damage was done to historically significant and more recent grave sites. The town is urging residents not to attempt to right the stones themselves, but to wait for the city to hire a contractor who can repair the markers safely.

Families of those buried at the graveyard were furious about the destruction.

The city's promise to right the damage hasn't stopped effected families' gripes. Marlena Hernandez posted the damage to her father's headstone on Facebook

Waxahachie City Council member Travis Smith wrote on Facebook that the city's Cemetery Board met earlier this week to organize volunteer cleanup days for the extensive damage, and that the town will be 'leaning on the experts' to repair the fragile stones

'To whoever decided to damage the Waxahachie City Cemetery, and destroy every single thing my dad had on his grave, I hope my dad pulls y'alls feet at night,' wrote Marlena Hernandez on Facebook.

'There was no reason to do such things to someones resting place and a police report has been made. If anyone knows anything or saw anything please contact Waxahachie Police Department.'

Paul Yarborough, whose family moved from Alabama to the area in 1853, has found about 200 relatives buried at the site on Hawkins Street. He told FOX 4 that, although the vandals 'will eventually get caught... the damage is done.'

'We heard about the damage so we came out today and luckily we only have one headstone there that was turned over,' he told the station.

Paul Yarborough (pictured), told FOX 4 that, although the vandals 'will eventually get caught... the damage is done'

'We've had a tremendous outpouring of support for the community,' Amy Borders (pictured), a spokesperson for Waxahachie, told FOX 4 . 'We will get everything repaired, we just want to make sure we do everything right and safely'

'Grave sites for the living, to come find history... They are just stones, but there's a history and a story behind all of these families. To me, this is all that's left of their lives, the story on these markers, and you have just destroyed some of that.'

Councilman David Hill told FOX 4 that the markers were 'irreplaceable.'

'You just look at it and wonder, "Why?"'

A fund has been established to pay for repairs - DailyMail.com could not reach Waxahachie Town Hall to determine how much money has been raised thus far.

'We've had a tremendous outpouring of support for the community,' Amy Borders, a spokesperson for Waxahachie, told FOX 4. 'We will get everything repaired, we just want to make sure we do everything right and safely.'
Lesley Lowes book Autumn Gold will warm your heart  and break your heart.

Its heartwarming not least because of the inexhaustible courage Vashti shows in her fight against multiple myeloma, an incurable, but treatable, bone marrow cancer. Vashti is Lowes daughter and the books tragic central figure.

The book is, in part, a love story. Vashti reunites with the love of her life, Jeff. The two had been together years before, but broke up. Surprisingly, and to their delight, he comes back into her life and they make plans to marry.

Because Vashti demonstrates a deep empathy despite her physical pain and uncertain future, she reaches out to offer hope to others dealing with the disease as they, too, face uncertainty. Her joie de vivre resonates with everyone who comes in contact with her.

In the end, Autumn Gold is a heartbreaking story. After chemotherapy and radiation treatments, and two bone marrow transplants  one from a live donor in Germany  Vashti loses her 18-month battle with cancer at the age of 34. She died in April 2015.

Vashti, Lowe said, wanted to write a book on bone marrow transplantation particularly for younger people if her cancer had gone into remission. It never did.

Lowe, of Albuquerque, said she promised her daughter she would write a book about the procedure if Vashti couldnt. Lowes book is more about her daughters life, but includes information on the bone marrow transplantation procedure.

She calls what she wrote an historical biography. Remembrances provided by Vashtis friends are grafted on. Those parts  wrote themselves, Lowe said. Her husband, Russell, also contributed a story about Vashtis attempts to get to places on time.

Lowe waited until 2019 to start writing the book because it would have been too emotionally difficult for her to have begun it sooner.

An oncologist explains to Vashti that multiple myeloma is a cancer that develops in the plasma cells, a type of white blood cell important to the bodys immune system. Myeloma cells collect in the bone marrow, forming tumors in the bones; the disease occurs mostly in older men.

The source of the title Autumn Gold comes from what Lowe said Vashti had told her about a session she had with a psychiatrist.

Lowe writes that her daughter discussed two things about the session: One was that she told the psychiatrist her soul had been shattered when she learned about her cancer diagnosis; the other was that, while looking out of the psychiatrists window and seeing the autumn leaves, Vashti told her that she had wondered why, in their natural progression toward imminent death, they displayed such vibrant colors as vivid, exquisite gold.

Lowe realized that Vashti had mirrored that mystery by turning her fear and disappointment into a seemingly golden aura of love and compassion for others and gratitude for the life she had lived.

Vashtis thoughts about nature was but one striking example of her ability to make a connection to the spirit world. At one point, June silently thanked the Divine Presence for getting the family through Vashtis first transplant procedure. She then prayed that the strongest force in the universe  love  would surround her daughter and kill any cancer cells in her blood.

In the final chapter, Lowe unexpectedly finds Vashtis journal while cleaning out her late daughters North Valley home. The find, Lowe writes, awakened a sense of her daughters continued presence in her life. The book is subtitled A Rendezvous with Cancer, Knowing Death Is Not Final.

Vashti graduated from La Cueva High School, and received undergraduate and law school degrees from the University of New Mexico. She was an Albuquerque attorney.

Lowe said March is Multiple Myeloma Awareness Month and that bethematch.org is the website of the organization handling all bone marrow testing for donations for transplants. The National Marrow Donor Program maintains a national registry for people willing to donate their bone marrow.

BOOK OF THE WEEK
Fourteen people trapped in a coal mine that collapsed in southwest China's Guizhou province last month have died, local officials said on Sunday.

The workers were trapped after the roof of a shaft at Sanhe Shunxun coal mine in Zhenfeng County, Bouyei-Miao Autonomous Prefecture of Qianxinan, collapsed on February 25.

Rescue work finished on Sunday noon as the bodies of the trapped workers were retrieved.

Further investigation into the cause of the accident is underway, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Mining accidents are common in China. However, the number of deaths has reduced in recent years. China is the world's largest producer and consumer of coal.

China's mining industry has long been among the world's deadliest with frequent mine accidents. The safety crackdown was ordered in 2020 after two accidents in mountainous southwestern Chongqing killed 39 miners.

Despite the crackdown, 10 workers were killed at a gold mine in the northern province of Shandong in January last year after a cave-in caused by the improper storage and use of explosives.

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TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

A Bahrain court upheld a three-year jail term awarded to a person found guilty of selling cars taken on rent using forged ownership certificates and registration. The latest ruling came from the High Criminal Court of Appeal, which rejected a challenge against the verdict of the First Instance Court.

The Court passed the judgement in a case filed in November 2019 at the Muharraq Governorate, where police charged the suspect with forging registration and insurance documents. Incidents leading to the case occurred with a victim filing a cheating case against the suspect. The victim said he fell into the trap attracted by an advertisement on a social media platform offering a car for sale for BD3,700.

So, I contacted the advertiser, who told me that he already sold the car but had another, which also is of the same model and specification. I then met the seller, inspected the car and decided to go for it. I also asked for the ownership papers and cars registration and insurance.

Next day, he sent me the papers on WhatsApp and agreed to meet again to go to the General Directorate of Traffic to legalise the sale. Based on the discussion, I met the seller again. However, while checking the documents, I felt something was wrong. The texture of the documents was abnormal and did not look very original. So, I logged on to the website of the General Traffic Department to cross-check the registration details. And, it turned out that the number plate belonged to another person and other documents were also fake.

However, I kept my calm and pretended to be convinced with the documents and told him to go to the traffic directorate to complete the sale. But, as soon as we reached the traffic directorate, the seller jumped out of the car and ran away. Further investigation revealed that the car belonged to a rental company and suspect had taken the car on rent from them.

Police later found that the suspect earlier received a six-month prison term in a similar case. The Public Prosecution charged him with stealing rented vehicles, forging registration and ownership documents of vehicles and cheating people. Police also confiscated the computer and a printer used by the suspect for creating forged documents.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  A Northern California woman whose disappearance and mysterious reappearance set off a frantic three-week search more than five years ago was arrested Thursday on charges of lying to federal agents about being kidnapped and defrauding the state's victim compensation board of $30,000.

Sherri Papini, 39, of Redding, was found on Thanksgiving Day in 2016 after weeks of searching in California and several nearby states, with bindings on her body and injuries including a broken nose and a "brand" on her right shoulder.

She had been reported missing Nov. 2. She told authorities at the time that she had been kidnapped at gunpoint by two Hispanic women, even providing descriptions to an FBI sketch artist.

In reality, authorities said, she was staying with a former boyfriend nearly 600 miles (966 kilometers) away from her home in Orange County, in Southern California, and hurt herself to back up her false statements.

"When a young mother went missing in broad daylight, a community was filled with fear and concern," U.S. Attorney Phillip Talbert said in a statement. "Ultimately, the investigation revealed that there was no kidnapping and that time and resources that could have been used to investigate actual crime, protect the community, and provide resources to victims were wasted."

Papini does not yet have an attorney because she was just arrested, Talbert's office said. Her first court appearance has not yet been set.

She was still lying about the kidnapping in August 2020 when she was interviewed by a federal agent and a Shasta County sheriff's detective, the charges allege. They showed her evidence indicating she had not been abducted and warned her that it was a crime to lie to a federal agent.

But she still made false statements, the charges allege.

She also was reimbursed more than $30,000 by the California Victim's Compensation Board based on the false story, the charges said. They included money for visits to her therapist and for the ambulance ride to the hospital after she surfaced near Sacramento.

She faces a mail fraud charge related to the reimbursement requests that carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, while lying to a federal officer has a maximum five-year sentence.

"Everyone involved in this investigation had one common goal: to find the truth about what happened on Nov. 2, 2016, with Sherri Papini and who was responsible," said Shasta County Sheriff Michael Johnson.

That 22-day search and five-year investigation not only cost money and time, he said, "but caused the general public to be fearful of their own safety, a fear that they should not have had to endure."

Before she disappeared, Papini had gone jogging near her home about 215 miles (350 kilometers) north of San Francisco. Her husband, Keith Papini, found only her cellphone and earphones when he went searching after she failed to pick up their children at day care.

Investigators said he passed a lie detector test. They also cleared a Detroit man they said Papini had texted and planned to meet shortly before her disappearance.

Papini's nose was broken and she was wearing a chain restraint around her waist when she was found alongside Interstate 5 about 100 miles from her home. Her blonde hair had been cut to shoulder length and she had a "brand" burned into her right shoulder, authorities said at the time.

She had both male and female DNA on her body and clothing. But the DNA eventually led to the former boyfriend, according to a court filing.

At the time she was a stay-at-home mom and her husband worked at Best Buy. There was never a ransom demand and the family wasn't wealthy, officials said at the time.

In retrospect, "we are relieved that the community is not endangered by unknown, violent kidnappers," said Sean Ragan, special agent in charge of the FBI's Sacramento Field Office.
One of the oldest hydroelectric power plants in the countrylocated at Bhivpuri in the Raigad district of Maharashtra, which is run by the Tata Power Companyhas marked its century.

The Bhivpuri plant, along with the Khopoli and Bhira, is among the first hydroelectric plants in the region that harnesses the major water resources of the Western Ghats in Maharashtra.

These three plants make up Mumbais islanding system, the backup power source that kicks in in case the metropoliss power supply gets impactedakin to an inverter system installed inside households.

The plant, one of the oldest in India, produces around 300 MUs of electricity annually and has provided clean energy for over 100 years to the nation.

The water released from Bhivpuri plant along with the Khopoli and Bhira hydel plants meets the Ulhas, Patalganga and Kundalika rivers in the Konkan region. This water has enabled rapid industrialisation, urbanisation, irrigation development and commercial trades in the downstream areas of Karjat, Ambernath, Ulhasnagar, Thane, Badlapur, Mira-Bhayander and Vasai in the Mumbai metropolitan region.

This remarkable achievement also coincides with the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, India@75 and demonstrates Tata Power's efforts to 'Power India and Empower Bharat' for over 100 years.

The company started building the Bhivpuri Powerhouse in 1916.

The project was commissioned in 1922, with installed capacity of 48 MW, which was subsequently upgraded to 75 MW including a 72 MW new powerhouse, with three units of 24 MW.

It also includes a 3 MW tailrace powerhouse comprising two units of 1.5 MW each.

The plant now transmits power over 110 kV transmission lines to industries and licensees in the Mumbai metropolis.

The clean and cheap power generated at Bhivpuri Hydro Power Plant has helped curb pollution in Mumbai, one of the worlds busiest and densely populated cities.

For the past 100 years, Tata Power has been involved in a variety of economic and community development projects around the Bhivpuri Hydro plant. This includes the establishment of Dhaaga centers to support the livelihood of under-privileged community women, training rural women for producing herbal healthcare products, education excellence schemes for teachers and students to improve their academic performance, training teachers on biodiversity and environment, water and renewable energy schemes.

Plants like Bhivpuri Hydro Power Station are important contributors to the companys journey to promote clean and green power and to achieve carbon neutrality before 2045, a Tata Power statement said.
About 400 people from Volnovakha, heading to Volyn region, come under fire near Vynnytsia  Pohulyaiko

About 400 people from Volnovakha and nearby territories, who were heading to Volyn region, came under fire near Vinnytsia, Head of Volyn regional civil administration Yuriy Pohulyaiko said.

"About 400 people from Volnovakha and nearby territories, who were expected in Volyn today, came under fire near Vinnytsia. Organized safe rail travel disrupted. The evacuated Ukrainians will travel in groups to Volyn. Information about their logistics and meeting is being specified," he said in the Telegram channel.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said efforts are on to airlift nearly 200 students from Karnataka who are stranded in the bunkers in Kharkiv in war-torn Ukraine.

"There are 200 students from Karnataka stuck in the bunkers in Kharkiv. The Indian Embassy in Ukraine is working hard to bring them to India. We are also in constant touch with the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is personally monitoring the rescue operation and efforts are on to bring students to India," Bommai told reporters here.

The Chief Minister welcomed Chaithra Gangadhar Saunshi from village Yaraguppi in Kundakol in Dharwad district, who returned from Kharkiv.

Read | Embassy did everything possible in Ukraine: Student

According to the Chief Minister's office, Saunshi was studying in Kharkiv Ukraine when the war broke out between Russia and Ukraine and Kharkiv was among the worst affected places. The CMO said Saunshi was holed up in a bunker for a week and then she walked for nine kilometres and reached Poland. After crossing the Ukraine border the Indian embassy authorities helped her fly to India. After reaching New Delhi she arrived in Karnataka.

Saunshi's parents have thanked the Indian government for bringing their daughter back to the country. The Chief Minister said there were four people from Dharwad stranded in Ukraine, of which two have returned while the remaining two have crossed the Ukraine border. Regarding bringing back S G Naveen's body, a fourth year medical student in Kharkiv who died in the shelling in Kharkiv on March 1, Bommai said the Indian Embassy in Ukraine has been working there.

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According to Mohsini's family, he and a relative of his were on their way to participate in a TV program in the capital city of Kabul on Friday afternoon when they disappeared, reported Tolo News.

His relatives said that they have contacted several security departments but have yet to get a response.

"His (Mohsini) phones have been switched off since yesterday afternoon. We have looked for him today too but didn't find anything," said Sayed Ahmad Hashimi, a relative of Mohsini, reported Tolo News.

Citizens on social media are claiming that Mohsini has been detained by the Taliban, but no official has yet to make any official comment in this regard.

Sayed Baqir Mohsini is a university professor and a political analyst who appeared in many TV programs and expressed criticism toward the Taliban's policies.

"The Islamic Emirate should have patience and flexibility. I hope they don't disturb him more than this and release him soon," said Sayed Ishaq Gailani, leader of the National Solidarity Movement of Afghanistan.

"Arbitrary detentions spread worries among the public... I don't think these detentions will have positive consequences," said Waheed Adalat Jow, head of Nuhzat-e-Bidari Islami Zanan Afghanistan. (ANI)
Pope Francis on Sunday deplored the "rivers of blood and tears" flowing in Ukraine following the Russian invasion and demanded the creation of humanitarian corridors for refugees.

"Rivers of blood and tears are flowing in Ukraine. It is not merely a military operation but a war which is sowing death, destruction and misery," the pope told the crowd gathered in Saint Peter's Square, Rome, many of whom carried Ukrainian flags.

Moscow describes the war as a "special military operation".

Follow live Ukraine-Russia crisis updates here

The pope said the need for aid to Ukraine was "growing dramatically by the hour" as the number of victims and refugees soared.

He issued a "heartfelt appeal for humanitarian corridors to be genuinely secured... for aid to be guaranteed and access facilitated to the besieged areas".

"I implore that the armed attacks cease and that negotiation  and common sense  prevail. And that international law be respected once again."

The Argentine pontiff has repeatedly called for an end to the war and has dispatched two cardinals to Ukraine.

He thanked people who were taking in Ukrainian refugees, as well as journalists who "put their lives at risk to provide information", saying their work "enables us to assess the cruelty of a war".

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Eight rockets launched by Russia destroyed Vinnytsia airport located in Central Ukraine, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday, reported The Kyiv Independent. Zelenskyy called on the western nations and said, "The world has the power to close our skies for Russian rockets and aircraft." He adds that Ukraine requires aircraft, to make Ukrainian skies safe. ..https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1500461868229533698--- Vinnytsia airport is located 7.5 kilometres east of the railway station of Vinnytsia and 1 kilometre southwest of the village of Gavryshivka. It is located in the centre of Ukraine and had convenient transportation for passengers and cargo both in Ukraine and abroad. The aerodrome was founded in the early '50s. For more than half a century it worked as an important transport system of Ukraine. Zelenskyy slammed NATO's decision not to implement a no-fly zone over Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict with Russia. "A NATO summit took place today. It was a weak summit, a confused summit, a summit that shows that not everyone considers the fight for freedom in Europe the number one goal," Zelenskyy said in a video message, as quoted by Russia's Sputnik. Zelenskyy accused the members of the military alliance of giving Russia "the green light to start shelling Ukrainian cities and villages." He said that NATO countries have created a narrative that closing the skies over Ukraine would provoke Russia's direct aggression against NATO. "This is the self-hypnosis of those who are weak, insecure inside, despite the fact they possess weapons many times stronger than we have," the Ukrainian President was quoted as saying by CNN. This reaction comes after NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Friday outrightly rejected to police a no-fly zone over Ukraine, and warned that such a move could provoke widespread war in Europe with Russia. The remarks came during the extraordinary meeting of the NATO Foreign Ministers in Brussels on Friday. Stoltenberg made clear that NATO would not impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine saying, allies have agreed NATO should not have planes operating over Ukraine. Earlier in a video message, Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba had called for NATO to act before it's too late."If you don't (help us), I am afraid you (NATO) will have to share responsibility for the lives and suffering of the Ukrainian civilians who die because of ruthless Russian pilots dropping bombs on them," said Kuleba. Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. (ANI)
Bahrain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it is in constant communication with the Bahraini citizens in Ukraine to ensure their safety and guide them to ways to facilitate their departure from Ukrainian territory.

The number of Bahraini citizens and residents in Ukraine at the start of the military operations was 32 and the ministry has been able to facilitate the exit of nine of them through safe ports in cooperation and coordination with embassies in the capital Kyiv, a Bahrain News Agency report said.

Responding to media reports, the ministry explained that on February 27, the Consular Services Sector received a request from a citizen for a transit ticket for his son currently with his mother in Ukraine, the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry coordinated with the Bahrain embassy in Berlin to grant the child a ticket to facilitate his return to Bahrain with his guardian in an exception to the conditions and criteria guiding such cases, given the circumstances which citizens stranded in Ukraine are going through.

The embassy in Germany issued the necessary tickets, and contacted the child's parents to ensure that they received the required documents, the ministry said.

The embassy also contacted the child's mother who is in Ukraine to inform her on the available means of travel in the current circumstances - a train from within Ukraine to the border crossings. However, the mother refused to travel by train and preferred to stay with her Ukrainian family for now.

In the case of the family of eight, the ministry stressed that it is in constant communication with the family and that it asked them to leave before the security situation in Ukraine intensifies for the sake of their safety.

On March 4, the family requested a special permit to leave Ukraine through the Russian border, as the distance is only 60 km from their residence. Bahrain's embassy in Moscow submitted the request to the Russian Foreign Ministry, and it is is still waiting for the approval of the concerned Russian authorities.

Bahrain's Honorary Consul to Belarus is in constant contact with the family to guide and urge them to exit through safe roads and corridors, the ministry said.

The ministry added it is also in constant contact with the family to follow up on facilitating their exit through the train stations provided by the Ukrainian government free of charge to transport civilians. Unfortunately, the family has rejected the proposal and insists on providing a private bus or travelling through the Russian borders, it said.

The ministry said it would continue, through diplomatic means, to follow up on the situation of the family, and will make all possible efforts to facilitate their departure from Ukraine in light of the tense security conditions there, said the report.
The Daily Beast

KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty ImagesVladimir Putins defense minister sent a clear message to the people of Russia on Wednesday: Their country is at war not just with Ukraine, but with the entirety of the West.I cannot but emphasize the fact that today, we are at war not so much with Ukraine and the Ukrainian army as with the collective West, Sergei Shoigu said in a televised speech, according to TASS.At this point, we are really at war with the collective West, with NATO, Shoigu added.Sh
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain has participated in a meeting with the Communications Working Group of the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh in London.

The Bahraini delegation was headed by Nancy Abdullah Jamal.

In her speech, she underscored the new activities of terrorist groups formed according to global events.

Physically attending the meeting of the Group offers an opportunity in time and place to reflect on global developments to assess our position as a unified alliance, in order to be able to coordinate efforts with partners in a better way to face the challenges posed by Daesh or its affiliated groups or other similar groups, she said.

She said that at the beginning of the emergence of the dangers of Daesh, the whole world faced a malicious ideology that spreads extremism and hatred with hostile messages that seek to exploit weak communities.

Jamal said that the Coalition was able to confront radical ideas and combat them by paying attention to minor details in each culture, region and space in societies prone to extremism, through working together as partners to build and protect a global immunity.

She added that the challenge drastically escalated when the capabilities of the terrorist groups developed, their numbers increased, and their sources diversified, with the aim of causing harm to others.

However, the Coalition continued its efforts, kept pace with developments, and raised the collective ability to confront challenges thanks to the commitment of its member states.

She stressed that the challenge today has become even more complex, whereas the competing ideologies work more harmoniously with one another.

She noted that it has become necessary to re-examine the geopolitics of global events, and analyze their impact on the work of the Coalition, including the situation in Afghanistan and counter-terrorism policies on the African continent, the increasing Daesh attacks, the re-emergence of Al-Qaeda, the expansion of Hezbollahs influence, and other factors affecting international stability.

We can protect ourselves from these threats only through concerted and coordinated efforts, she said.

Jamal stressed the Kingdoms keen interest in combating global terrorism and said that the relevant national institutions are closely following terrorist networks operating in the region and abroad, all of which affect our national and regional security.

She said that Bahrain renews its commitment to combating terrorism through its partnership in this Coalition and by combating other ideologies that aim to threaten peace and stability in the region and across the world.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Tripadvisor, a popular online travel website, has named Ahmed Al-Fateh Islamic Centre as the most prominent landmark in Bahrain to visit for the sixth consecutive year in a row.

The rating is as per user reviews and ratings gathered on the interactive website. One of the biggest mosques in the world. Here, well gain a deeper insight into the Arabic culture and admire the beautiful Kufic calligraphy and fibreglass dome that stand testimony of its greatness, writes Tripadvisor about the mosque. One of the more than 1000 reviews on the website reads: An excellent and welcoming insight into Islam, I was afforded kindness and generosity by everyone I came into contact with.

Lovely architecture of the Mosque. Its an icon of Bahrain. its one of the must-see places in Manama, so don't miss it, reads another review.

97,000 virtual visits in 2021

Official statistics say the centre in 2021 received more than 3,000 visitors from all over the world.

In line with the directives of the Ministry and the recommendations of the National Medial Taskforce for addressing the Coronavirus pandemic, the religious guidance group at the centre carried out virtual visits for pilgrims during 2021, following cancellations of in-person visits. Last year, the centre carried out 97,0000 virtual visits for travellers from countries around the world.

On the progress of the study of Holy Quran Sciences, the centre said it currently has 550 students. In 2021, classes were through Microsoft teams and Zoom programmes. The Ahmed Al-Fateh Mosque is the largest in Bahrain and one of the largest and most luxurious mosques around the world for its Islamic architectural style.

It can accommodate more than 7,000 worshipers. The mosque consists of three main sections: the mens chapel, the womens chapel, and the great courtyard. It has a dome built of pure fibreglass, weighing more than 60 tons, and is among the largest made of fibreglass. Illuminations and chandeliers give the main prayer hall a distinctive shape. The doors are of Indian teak. Inscriptions on the walls are in Kufic Arabic calligraphy. The centre has a religious institute and a school for memorizing and teaching Holy Quran.
Tunisian justice has sentenced sixteen jihadists to death for their involvement in the terrorist attacks which in 2016 left dozens dead and others injured in the Ben Guerdane region, near Libyas borders.

According to a press release from the Court of First Instance of Tunis, the criminal chamber specializing in terrorism cases also pronounced judgments ranging from 4 years to life imprisonment against 80 other defendants.

Thus, fifteen defendants received life imprisonment, two were sentenced to 30 years in prison, two to 27 years in prison, seven to 24 years in prison and three to 20 years behind bars.

For the remaining defendants, the court handed sentences of four to 15 years in prison, while others, whose number was not specified, were acquitted.

The prosecution has announced that it is appealing all of these judgments.

The city of Ben Guerdane (560 km south of Tunis) was, between March 2 and 10, 2016, the scene of a violent armed attack led by terrorist groups who tried to take control of the city. The decisive battle between the armed forces and the terrorists took place on March 7.

The clashes left 19 dead, including seven civilians while 36 terrorists were eliminated.

Twenty-seven sustained injuries among the armed forces and civilians and several armed terrorists were arrested.

The terrorist threat has dropped considerably in Tunisia since the bloody attacks and the major offensive against the city of Ben Guerdane in March 2016, thanks to the dismantling of dozens of sleeper cells and preventive operations in extremist circles.

The activity of armed groups is currently confined to mountainous areas near the Algerian border, where incidents are reported from time to time.

The mountains neighboring the Algerian borders have been the scene since 2012 of clashes between the Tunisian army and armed groups, in particular the Okba Ibn Nafie phalanx, a local branch of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQMI), held responsible for several attacks in the country.
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday (local time) said that close to 6,200 students have been evacuated from Ukraine till today including the 889 students who will be landing in India on Sunday. He further said that efforts are underway to evacuate Indian students from Sumy's Ukraine and arrangements are being made. Speaking to ANI, the Union Minister said, "I think after the 5 flights today the figure will be close to 6,200 but you can never be absolutely precise because some people who came to Hungary registered others we have to issue an advisory that last flight is going out. Approximately 5,200 Indian nationals were returned home country yesterday. Today around 889 are returning to their home country. We are operating the last leg of Operation Ganga flights today." Puri said that when the evacuation process is on large scale, there are many anticipated and unanticipated challenges. "When you carry out at evacuation process on such a large scale there will be challenges which you anticipate like those challenges many of our youngsters may have a valid document and many may not have. Some don't have visas. So, we have to persuade Soviet countries to allow them in coming without visas because of the extraordinary circumstances. These days you can't even enter a restaurant without a COVID certificate but insist on entering without a COVID certificate, all those were anticipated challenges but there are some unanticipated challenges things which crop up because of the nature of the mission. For insane this mission is being carried out of a war zone and there were apprehensions that there would be an exaggeration of tensions, therefore, advisories were issued requesting people to move to safer places and some moved that's why 6,000 are out and some stayed there," he said. The Indian Embassy on Sunday said that the last leg of 'Operation Ganga' has begun, asking the stranded students to reach the Hungarian City Center in Budapest. Separately Indian Embassy in Kyiv also urged its nationals who are still in Ukraine to register themselves for the evacuation process under 'Operation Ganga'. Meanwhile, the MEA yesterday informed that almost all Indians have left Kharkiv city of Ukraine and the main focus of the government is to evacuate citizens from Sumy as it is challenging amid ongoing violence and lack of transportation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sent four special envoys to Ukraine's neighbouring countries from where Indians are being evacuated. Four cabinet ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia, Kiran Rijiju, General (Retd) VK Singh, and Hardeep Singh Puri have been on the job for the last many days. A former diplomat Hardeep Puri has been stationed in Hungary to coordinate their efforts to evacuate Indian students here. Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk -as independent entities. Several countries including the UK, the US, Canada, and the European Union have condemned Russia's military operations in Ukraine and imposed sanctions on Moscow. (ANI)
Former head of Carlsberg in Ukraine and Vice President of Carlsberg Group in seven countries of Eastern Europe Peter Chernyshov called on the Danish concern to stop business in Russia due to military aggression in Ukraine.

"I came across an internal letter to Calsberg employees from the current CEO [he's Dutch]. It contains interesting information about 'events between Russia and Ukraine.' They write that they are not going to stop doing business in Russia. They will just stop investing additional money in Russia. And then another letter where they want to simply donate EUR 10 million to Ukraine and buy their way out of any responsibility. This is small amount for Carlsberg," he said on Facebook.

In his opinion, in connection with the invasion of Russian troops in Ukraine, Carlsberg should completely stop its business in the Russian Federation, putting its factories up for sale.

"Obviously, I will not only post it to Facebook  but will write to Carlsberg Foundation, Wall Street Journal and main Danish paper Berlingske  they all be very curious to learn this information!" he said.

As reported, the Danish brewing concern Carlsberg Group on February 4 decided to stop new investments in Russia and export shipments to its Russian subsidiary  the brewing company Baltika. Carlsberg noted that it would continue to assess the situation from the point of view of its Russian business.
Mathematicians from the University of Nottingham have found that renewable energy sources can potentially cause power failures. The study was published in the journal, 'Science Advances'. Mathematicians used data from smart meters to track how grid composition changes over time and found resilience varies over the course of a day and that high uptake of solar panels can leave the grid more susceptible to failure. Domestic renewable energy generation is growing rapidly with just over one million small-scale solar Photo-Voltaic(PV) systems in the UK. These small-scale, renewable generators are low-output and intermittent and often distributed across and embedded within power grids in large numbers. Household generation forms a key component of the integration of renewable and includes the 'feed-in tariff' which pays the producer for supplying their stored power back upstream to the grid. This supply of power was unpredictable with generators coming on and offline intermittently and households adopting the role of consumers or producers as daily and seasonal usage and meteorological conditions vary. These fluctuations can put the grid at risk of system failures. Oliver Smith, a researcher at the University of Nottingham who led the study, explained, "The increasing proliferation of small, intermittent renewable power sources is causing a rapid change in the structure and composition of the power grid. Indeed, the grid's effective structure can change over the course of a day as consumers and small-scale generators come on- and off-line. Using data from smart meters in UK households we tracked how grid composition varies over time. We then used a dynamical model to assess how these changes impact the resilience of power grids to catastrophic failures. We found that resilience varies over the course of a day and that a high uptake of solar panels can leave the grid more susceptible to failure." The first part of the research investigated the theory around changing the proportion and size of generators by modelling a system using many small-scale generators and in all cases it showed that the grid should be more robust than if using one power source. However, when the real-world smart meter data was incorporated the researchers found that the reality for a network with many small-scale generators operating at different times means the grid doesn't reach optimum levels for this resilience to be achieved leaving it susceptible to failures. The researchers found that renewable energy stored in household batteries is used only to minimise household power costs and does little to minimise the risk of network failure. They recommended that the supply of power from these batteries should be scheduled to also optimise for power grid resilience. Oliver continued, "The main problem is the amount of fluctuation there is in small-scale renewable energy supply. A cost-effective way to overcome this would be to intelligently schedule the release of stored PV energy from household batteries at specified times. This would provide much greater control and reduce the risk of system failures." (ANI)
Hundreds of people attended a vigil in Dundalk on Saturday afternoon to show their solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

The event, which took place outside the courthouse on Market Square in town on Saturday at 3pm, saw members of the local Ukrainian community and local people join together to call for an end to the Russian invasion.

People carried Ukrainian flags and poster with a variety of messages including Stop the War.

Julia Kreyzkova, wrapped in the Ukrainian flag, spoke to the large gathered crowd, saying: I am originally from Ukraine but I have been living here for four years and am so lucky to be here surrounded by amazing people showing such love and support.

It is my time to stand up and speak for the people of Ukraine who want peace, want love and don't want war.

There are people in my home town and all over the country standing up and trying to save us, trying to save Ukraine.

She concluded: Thank you for caring and supporting us. We really want to live in peace.

Ukrainian Tanya Kay, whose parents and friends are in Ukraine, said: The school in my home town has been bombed to the ground.

The maternity hospital with newborn babies, women and children has been bombed.

There are Ukrainian people dying every single second.

My first thought every morning is are my parents still alive, are my friends still alive.

I jump every time the phone rings. I watch the news and see the devastation and horror.

I appeal to the Government to do something. I appeal to the UN and NATO to stop talking and start taking action.

Ukrainian Lana Dullaghan, who has lived in Dundalk for 13 years, speaking to the crowd, said: Ireland is my home, but I have never felt so Ukrainian as I have since the horrific attack.

I can't believe something like this could happen in the 21st century.

The people of Ukraine have so much strength, they are fighting back.

I never felt so much support and love in my whole life, and I want to thank each and every one of you for that.

Fr Noel Kehoe, from the Redemptorist Church and one of the organisers Oliver Morgan spoke of the local communities support and solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

People lit candles and a five minute silence was held before the Ukrainian national anthem was played and people signed books of condolences and support for the people of Ukraine.
The party has nominated Dr Suniti Mund as its candidate for the post.

"I am thankful to BJP, who has selected me for the post of Mayor in Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation. If I become Mayor, I will work for benefit of the people of the capital city under BMC jurisdiction," Mund said.

"I will complete the metro line, which is delayed for years in the city. I will solve the drainage system, which creates obstacles on road during rainy days. I will also try to complete several delayed projects and make Bhubaneswar a crime-free city," Mund added.

As announced earlier by the State Election Commission (SEC), scrutiny of nomination papers will be held on March 9. While polling is scheduled to be held on March 24, counting of votes and declaration of results will be done on March 26. (ANI)
A group of 44 Indians who began their journey from Pisochyn in Ukraine are on their way to the Polish border from Lviv while over 150 proceeded to the Romanian border amid an escalating fight between Russia and Ukraine. Indian Embassy in Ukraine in a tweet shared the information and asked everyone to be strong in these difficult times. "Bringing our Indians back home group of 44 Indians who began their journey from Pisochyn are on their way to the Polish border from Lviv. Another group of 150+ have made their way to the Romanian border. Our efforts are ongoing. Be Safe Be Strong," the Embassy wrote in the tweet. The Indian Embassy in Kyiv on Saturday said that they will not leave any stone unturned to ensure the safe evacuation of Indian students from the Ukrainian city of Sumy and requested them to keep some more hours of strength. In a fresh advisory on Saturday, the Indian Embassy said, "The last two weeks have been extremely harrowing and challenging for all of us. Hardly anyone would have ever witnessed such pain and disruption in our lives. Nonetheless, I am proud of the maturity and fortitude displayed by our Indian Nationals, especially young Indian students, in continuing to stay brave during these difficult times." It further said that over the past week, more than 10,000 Indian students have been evacuated from Ukraine barring Kharkiv and Sumy, almost all Indians from the remaining regions of Ukraine have been evacuated. The Embassy said that despite shelling, roadblocks, diversions and other major adversities, food and water continued to be delivered to Pisochyn, in whatever quantities and means available. Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. (ANI)
Donald Trump suggested the United States military disguise its aircraft as Chinese property and then use those planes to 'bomb the s*** out of Russia' in order to foment a war.

Speaking to a crowd of wealthy donors at the Republican National Committee's New Orleans retreat on Saturday night, the former president joked that one way to end Russia's invasion of Ukraine was to distract it with a conflict with China.

He suggested taking American F-22 jets, putting 'the Chinese flag on them and bomb the s*** out of Russia,' according to CBS News.

'And then we say, China did it,' Trump added as the crowd laughed.

'Then they start fighting with each other, and we sit back and watch.'

The former president also called Russian leader Vladimir Putin's unprovoked and unjustified attack on Ukraine a 'massive crime against humanity' and criticized the west's NATO alliance as a 'paper tiger.'

'Paper tiger' is used to describe something that appears threatening but is significantly weaker in reality.

During his time in office Trump had repeatedly disparaged NATO, forcing aides to scramble to keep him from pulling the US out of the defensive treaty.

The former president criticized both Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the western NATO alliance on Saturday night

Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) is an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin (right)

He suggested using American F-22 jets (pictured) disguised as Chinese planes to start a war

It comes as Russian airstrikes and shellfire continue to bombard Ukraine's cities, with hundreds of civilians believed to be dead. Its President Volodymyr Zelensky warned on Sunday morning that Moscow's troops may bomb the port city of Odessa.

Trump asked on Saturday night, 'At what point, do we cannot take this massive crime against humanity?'

'We can't let it happen. We can't let it continue to happen.'

The former president ratcheted up his rhetoric around Russia's strongman ruler after being criticized for calling the autocrat's plan to invade a sovereign nation 'genius' and 'savvy.'

Then Trump voiced his support for Ukraine at last week's CPAC event, where he said he was 'praying for the proud people of Ukraine' and expressed admiration for 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.

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.

A member of the Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces Lesia Ivashchenko is accompanied by a deputy commander of her battalion at her wedding with Valerii Fylymonov during Ukraine-Russia conflict, at a checkpoint in Kyiv, Ukraine March 6

People cross on an improvised path under a bridge that was destroyed by a Russian airstrike, while fleeing the town of Irpin, Ukraine, on Saturday

People place a man in a wheelchair in the back of an SUV after crossing on an improvised path under a bridge that was destroyed by a Russian airstrike, as people flee the town of Irpin, Ukraine, on Saturday

On Saturday, Putin escalated his rhetoric in his confrontation with the West, saying that sanctions against Russia are tantamount to a declaration of war and threatening to treat any country that declares a no-fly zone over Ukraine as part of the conflict.

Meanwhile Zelensky has been urging NATO's leaders to impose such a restriction on its skies. Western leaders have thus far been hesitant.

The threats came as Moscow's brutal assault on Ukraine saw a mass civilian evacuation from the city of Mariupol derailed when Russian forces ignored a promised humanitarian ceasefire and continued shelling the southern city.

The number of Ukrainians forced from their country grew to 1.4 million.

The United Nations says more than 350 civilians have been killed since Russia's invasion last week, while Ukrainian officials have said that at least 2,000 have perished.

On Saturday, Zelensky repeated his plea for NATO to establish a no-fly zone in a meeting with the US Congress -- but the idea faces strong bipartisan opposition in America, and NATO leaders have rejected it, pointing out that it would draw the alliance into direct military confrontations with nuclear-armed Russia.

A no-fly zone could only be enforced by shooting down Russian aircraft, and Putin on Saturday made clear that he would view such a move as joining the conflict.

'We'll instantly view them as participants in a military conflict,' the Russian leader told a group of female employees of Russian airlines, according to Russian state media.

'We'll view any movement in this direction as involvement in an armed conflict by the country from whose territory threats to our military service members are posed.'

At the same meeting, Putin issued bellicose threats in response to the punishing economic sanctions leveled against his country by the US and Europe.

'These sanctions that are being imposed are like the declaration of war,' said Putin.

'A lot of what is happening now, of what we now see and what we face is undoubtedly a means of fighting against Russia.'
https://sputniknews.com/20220306/us-ready-to-back-polands-decision-to-provide-ukraine-with-fighter-jets--blinken-1093636545.html

US Ready to Back Polands Decision to Provide Ukraine With Fighter Jets  Blinken

US Ready to Back Polands Decision to Provide Ukraine With Fighter Jets  Blinken

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Washington is ready to continue to provide Kiev with military aid, and is considering assistance to Poland if it decides to hand over... 06.03.2022, Sputnik International

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We are looking actively now at the question of airplanes that Poland may provide to Ukraine, and looking at how we might be able to backfill it should Poland decide to supply those planes, he told a briefing in Chisinau.Blinken added that he cannot speak on the timeline of this question.Earlier in the day, media reported that the United States was looking into a deal under which Poland could supply Ukraine with Soviet-made MiG-29 fighter jets in return for US-made F-16s.On February 24, Russia began a special operation to demilitarize and "denazify" Ukraine, responding to calls for help from the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics in countering the aggression of Ukrainian troops. The Russian Defence Ministry said the special operation is targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure only and the civilian population is not in danger. Moscow has repeatedly stressed that it has no plans to occupy Ukraine.

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Amid escalating conflict between Ukraine and Russia, the Ukrainian city of Lviv has covered all its statues to protect its historical heritage against possible attacks. Speaking with ANI a Ukrainian citizen Vlad said, "All the sculptures, statues have historical value and that's why people want to protect them. Some sculptors are more than 100 years old. They have historical importance hence people are protecting them from the damage." "It's better to protect them before something happens to them," added Vlad. When asked whether Ukraine is covering all the statues across the nation, Vlad said, "I don't know about whole Ukraine, but definitely, Lviv is protecting them." All the statues in the city of Lviv have been covered so that if there is an attack then there will be no damage to the historical statues and heritage. Four statues around Rynok square in Lviv were covered, including the "Statue of Neptune" considered as the protector of seas. He also shared his experience regarding the escape from Kyiv. He said, "I came yesterday from Kyiv, I had to pass my family through the borders and then I came back to Kyiv. The situation in Kyiv is complicated, it's a battlefield, fortunately, Kyiv is still protected." When asked about the shortage of gas supply and food supplies, Vlad said, " They (Russians) are targeting civilian residential complexes and it's pretty dangerous around Kyiv. Yes, there is a shortage of gas supply, but we are getting food supplies." Sharing his train journey from Kyiv to Lviv, Vlad said, "I came to Lviv by train and now it's safe and pretty fast. You board the train in the evening in Kyiv and in the morning, you are in Lviv. Also, there is no rush for the trains." (ANI)
Afghan police officers take part in a graduation ceremony in Kabul, Afghanistan, March 5, 2022. A total of 377 recruits graduated as police officers from the Afghan National Police Academy at a ceremony held here on Saturday. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

KABUL, March 5 (Xinhua) -- A total of 377 recruits graduated as police officers from the Afghan National Police Academy at a ceremony held here on Saturday.

"All qualified graduates will begin their careers in the armed forces to serve the nation," said Sheikh Mohammad Nazar Shinwari, commander of the academy.

Among the high-ranking officials who attended the ceremony were Deputy Prime Minister Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi and acting Minister of Interior Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani.

The Taliban-led caretaker government has been working to establish a 350,000-strong security forces, Hanafi said in his address to the ceremony, adding that the members of the proposed army and police would be well-trained and disciplined.

In addition, Haqqani told the ceremony that efforts were underway to improve the professionalism of the national police and build the capacity of police personnel since the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban in August 2021.

Haqqani also called on security forces members who have left the country after the Taliban's takeover to return, saying that there would be no threat to them under the amnesty announced by the caretaker government.

The recruits also held a parade during the ceremony, showing their abilities to combat drug trafficking, kidnapping and crimes. 

Acting Minister of Interior of the Taliban-led caretaker government Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani (front R) attends a graduation ceremony in Kabul, Afghanistan, March 5, 2022. A total of 377 recruits graduated as police officers from the Afghan National Police Academy at a ceremony held here on Saturday. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)
Yaseen, a local resident in his 20's was gunned down and another one wounded by Taliban affiliates in the Shigal district of eastern Kunar province.

According to the local residents, the outside mirror of Yaseen's car mistakenly hit the Taliban affiliate at a checkpost and in retaliation, Yaseen was gunned by the very Taliban affiliate at the checkpost, reported Khaama Press.

Yaseen was hanging out with his friends after celebrating his brother's wedding when the incident took place. Following this incident on Thursday, Yaseen succumbed to his wounds while the other is still in a hospital in the neighbouring Nangarhar province.

The family members of the slain Yaseen asked the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to do justice and punish the perpetrators, reported the news agency.

The local officials of the Kunar province said that they have arrested the culprits. They pledged that justice will be served by holding the culprits accountable for the crime they committed.

There is nothing new in this killing, as the Taliban have shot over five people in different provinces in the past six months. (ANI)
BLOOMINGTON  Many area residents mistakenly assume that the steel tower standing alone near the southwest end of Lake Bloomington is an abandoned fire watch platform erected by the U.S. Forest Service or another government agency, presumably in the distant past. It has even become a local urban legend of sorts.

In truth, the towers purpose involved not terra firma but rather the wild blue yonder. Some 83 years ago, the federal government erected the tower to support a revolving beacon used to help passing aircraft navigate the nighttime skies. This beacon, as well as others in Central Illinois and beyond, offered solace to pre-radio-era pilots who sometimes found themselves hurtling through the inky blackness on a wing and a prayer.

Located off McLean County Highway 31 just north of East 2450 North Road, the tower stands along the west side of Lake Bloomingtons slender southwest finger.

The Lake Bloomington beacon was one of a series installed along the St. Louis-to-Chicago air route in 1939 and 1940. In Logan County, there was a tower on the T.C. Green farm north of Lincoln, and another one on Everett Bocks farm southeast of Elkhart. In McLean County, there was a tower in or near the tiny hamlet of Covell, southwest of Bloomington.

Lake Bloomingtons tower beacon carried the designation 14, SL-C Airway, meaning it was the 14th such beacon between St. Louis and Chicago.

On Sept. 22, 1939, the Bloomington City Council agreed to lease a patch of Lake Bloomington ground less than one-quarter acre in size to the Civil Aeronautics Authority (later Administration) for $1 per year. Federal officials then saw to the erection of the tower and installation of the beacon by years end.

The idea to employ a series of beacons to mark air routes dates to an earlier generation of aviation enthusiasts and promoters. By the mid 1920s, to cite one early and ambitious scheme, there was a string of steel towers topped by searchlights spaced every 25 miles along the airmail route between Cleveland, Ohio, and Rock Springs, Wyo., the combined 2 billion in candlepower courtesy of General Electrics Illuminating Engineering Laboratories. What the lighthouse is to the ocean navigator, these beacons are to the conquerors of the air, declared GE.

The same could be said some 15 years later for the Lake Bloomington beacon, which by early 1940 burned bright each and every night like clockwork.

On occasion, this beacon tower would make local news. For instance, during an August 1942 areawide blackout drill (this being World War II), the beacon drew complaints from some local residents, as did the lights from the WJBC radio tower (though for civilian defense officials, the most galling lapse involved a Bloomington beauty shop and its neon sign left brightly buzzing for all but two minutes of the blackout).

Although the Lake Bloomington tower has been a familiar, if lonely, sentinel for area residents over the better part of a century, it served as a beacon platform for a mere one short decade.

In the fall of 1950, the Civil Aeronautics Administration removed the Lake Bloomington beacon as well as all others along the St. Louis-Chicago route. Art Carnahan, manager of what was then Bloomington Municipal Airport, explained to The Pantagraph that the beacons had become too expensive to maintain, especially since most nighttime aircraft were now equipped with radio, making these inland lighthouses mostly obsolete.

According to one account, the Lake Bloomington beacon ended up at Bloomington Municipal Airport (now Central Illinois Regional Airport, or CIRA), though how it was used and for how long is unknown.

The Civil Aeronautics Administration canceled its Lake Bloomington lease and the city took possession of the now-beaconless steel tower on June 30, 1952. There was talk of moving or even repurposing the tower, but with a cost estimate for such a job running upward of $1,500, city officials instead decided to leave the tower as is, at least for the time being.

As yet no one has come up with a use for the tower, noted The Pantagraph on June 29, 1952, but city officials are confident they will find something better to do with it than letting it remain a bird roost. Yet more than 60 years later, the tower has remained little more than a bird roost  albeit one with an interesting story, whether real or imagined!

Local folks interested in seeing a revolving beacon firsthand are in luck. The Prairie Aviation Museum, located on Route 9 next to Image Air and CIRA, includes an outdoor working display of one such beacon on its Chuck Schumacher Aviation Airpark.

In September 2013, volunteers completed the beacons installation atop an ingenious miniature tower. This beacon, though, is newer than the one that for the better part of a decade promised safe passage to pilots coursing through the dark skies above Lake Bloomington.
Washington has seen "very credible reports" that Russia has committed war crimes during its invasion of Ukraine, particularly in attacking civilians, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday.

But President Joe Biden's top diplomat also hailed the resilience of the Ukrainian people and said Russian leader Vladimir Putin was "destined to lose" the war that has already claimed hundreds of lives, including civilians.

"We've seen very credible reports of deliberate attacks on civilians, which would constitute a war crime," Blinken told CNN talk show "State of the Union."

Blinken was speaking from Moldova, where he was expected to provide reassurances for the small country, and where he earlier said the United States was "working actively" with Poland on a deal that would supply Ukraine with fighter jets to battle Moscow's invading forces.

Russia has come under intense criticism for its assault on Ukrainian cities, in operations that Kyiv and Western governments say have included attacks on schools, hospitals and residential blocks.

On Thursday, Putin's forces attacked the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe's largest, triggering fears of a catastrophic atomic accident.

The US embassy in Ukraine the next day called the attack attributed to Russian forces a possible war crime.

The State Department was more cautious, saying it was assessing the circumstances of the operation but adding that intentional targeting of civilians or civilian objects including nuclear power plants "is a war crime."

With Russia laying siege to several Ukrainian cities, Blinken on Sunday warned of a protracted war and "terrible" suffering.

"I think we have to be prepared for this to last for some time. But just winning a battle is not winning the war. Taking a city does not mean he's taking the hearts and minds of the Ukrainian people," Blinken said.

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'Dancing with the Stars' alum Peta Murgatroyd has penned an emotional note after her husband-dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy returned to the US from Ukraine. According to People Magazine, on Wednesday, the couple were photographed embracing at Los Angeles International Airport. Three days later, Murgatroyd, 35, shared her relief in being reunited with her husband, whom she wed in 2017, in an emotional Instagram post featuring photos of Chmerkovskiy, 42, with their family. "I never thought our family would be directly affected by this in our lifetime," Murgatroyd wrote on Saturday. "I never thought what we are seeing on our TVs was a reality in 2022. I have never hugged him so tight. Shaking and forever grateful." "Now it's time to heal," she continued. "We cannot go back to our normal. Our lives are forever changed. We have a new normal, and that's ok." Though Chmerkovskiy is back in the US, Murgatroyd promised that she and her husband will continue their "efforts to provide assistance to the Ukrainian refugees" moving forward. "Thank you from the depths of my soul for all the support and constant outpouring of love. I see everything and I am forever thankful. Xo," she added. For the unversed, on February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin 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." (ANI)
Two university professors are asking for $728,400 from a Corvallis neurologist/landlord, alleging contaminated drinking water with toxic levels of nitrate led to pregnancy and delivery complications for their child.

In a lawsuit filed in Benton County Circuit Court, Vasiliki Touhouliotis and Houssam Abbas allege they consumed contaminated water while living at and renting a two-bedroom bungalow owned by Dr. Sydney Camille Piercey.

Abbas is an electrical and computer engineering professor at Oregon State University, and Touhouliotis was a visiting professor at OSU up until the spring of 2021. She will start teaching at Portland State University later this month. The pair left Corvallis last summer and now live in Portland.

Court documents allege Touhouliotis drank the toxic water all throughout her pregnancy and while nursing her daughter. She experienced emergency complications with the delivery of her daughter, who was immediately taken to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit following birth, according to the legal paperwork.

Portland-based attorney Zack Duffly is representing Touhouliotis and Abbas.

Portland-based attorneys Daniel Peterson and Chester Hill are representing the defendants. They say their client denies all the accusations and is looking forward to being vindicated in court.

Along with Piercey, the lawsuit lists B Street Bldg. LLC as defendants. The latter managed the unit the couple was renting on Pierceys behalf, according to the complaint.

On Nov. 14, 2018, the pair signed a rental agreement with Piercey. A month later, they moved into the unit. According to the complaint, the unit was part of a compound owned by Piercey with several homes on it, and Piercey herself lived on the property.

After Pierceys agent, Amy Carrier, moved to Massachusetts in the summer of 2020, the tenants began communicating directly with Piercey when they had tenant-type questions and concerns. According to the complaint, the parties usually communicated via email or text.

An unpredictable pregnancy

In spring of 2020, the couple became pregnant with their first child. Touhouliotis gave birth in October 2020. According to the complaint, the delivery was beset by emergency complications affecting both mother and daughter.

A court document signed by Touhouliotis describes her pregnancy complications in greater detail. She said she developed severe anemia during her pregnancy. Her daughters heart rate reportedly dropped precipitously during labor, causing doctors to rush Touhouliotis to the emergency room for an emergency cesarean section.

The babys heart rate was low for an extended period of time, and nurses immediately took the baby to the NICU team because she was only breathing at 85% capacity, according to the document.

Doctors reportedly gave the baby continuous positive airway pressure for 40 minutes to aid in breathing functions.

The delivery experience caused my family and I extreme distress and apprehension about the survival of our newborn as well as my own physical health, Touhouliotis said in the court document.

After the complicated delivery, the couples pediatrician recommended they test their drinking water.

The pair then reportedly contacted Corvallis-based Edge Analytical, which took a sample of the units water on April 20. When the results came back a week later, they showed a level of nitrate that exceeded the Environmental Protection Agencys standard for safe drinking water. According to the complaint, the safe level of nitrate in drinking water is 10 milligrams per liter, or 10 mg/L. The water test results came back with a nitrate level of 10.7 mg/L.

The source of drinking water on the property was a private well that was registered with the Oregon Water Resources Department and owned, operated and maintained by Piercey, according to the lawsuit.

The well was the primary source of drinking water for the couple and their baby for more than 2 1/2 years, including all nine months of the pregnancy.

On information and belief, consumption of the drinking water resulted in the symptoms, injuries, disease and disabilities that mother and daughter experienced during delivery, the complaint said.

Toxic water

The complaint alleges the following medical conditions are associated with consumption of water contaminated with toxic levels of nitrate:

Colorectal, bladder and breast cancers

Thyroid disease

Birth defects and adverse reproductive outcomes

Infants may be especially at risk of falling ill or even dying as the result of consumption of contaminated water. Infants may also develop methemoglobinemia, commonly known as blue baby syndrome.

After finding out about the toxic levels of nitrate in their drinking water, the couple reached out to Piercey that same day and requested substitute water. In this correspondence, the plaintiffs asked if Piercey had tested the water at any time while the couple had lived there. According to the complaint, Piercey never responded.

On May 6, the tenants again asked Piercey for safe drinking water, but Piercey allegedly never responded, according to the suit.

Although Piercey seemingly ignored her tenants emails, the complaint says she did email Scott Kruger of the Benton County Health Department and a different tenant, known only by the first name of Erin, regarding the contaminated water. According to the complaint, Piercey told Erin the well water had not been tested since at least the beginning of the pandemic and warned her not to drink any.

The plaintiffs say they reached out cross country to Carrier, who admitted the well water had not been tested when she was overseeing the property. The complaint alleges test results from the state Domestic Well Safety Program shows this particular well had a nitrate level of 10 mg/L as early as 2014.

My clients would love nothing more than to learn that Dr. Piercey tested her well (before this lawsuit) and that the well water wasn't contaminated with nitrate, Duffly said in an email. Short of that, we'd like to know why Dr. Piercey ignored my clients' requests for help at the same time she was calling the county to ask about nitrate and warning others not to drink the well water."

Violations and negligence

The lawsuit alleges Piercey violated the rental agreement between the parties in multiple ways, including failing to ensure the unit was habitable and failing to ensure safe drinking water was available. It also alleges Piercey didnt sufficiently maintain the well water.

In addition, the complaint asserts Piercey violated the Oregon Residential Landlord-Tenant Act for the same reasons mentioned above.

The lawsuit says negligence also played a role. The complaint alleges Piercey failed to exercise care in regards to maintaining the propertys source of drinking water and protecting its occupants from risk of harm.

In total, the plaintiffs are seeking $728,400, which includes damages connected to the breach in the rental agreement, the violation of Oregon law and to provide for future expenses.

The response

In a response to the complaint, Piercey denies that the private well on the property ever contained toxic levels of nitrate.

Our client vigorously denies the allegations in the complaint, Hill said in an email. The facts will speak for themselves, and Dr. Piercey looks forward to the opportunity to fully defend this matter in court.

Piercey also denies that drinking the water caused any damage  physical or emotional  to the plaintiffs.

Furthermore, she denies telling the other tenant, Erin, that the well water had not been tested since the beginning of the pandemic. She also denies that Carrier admitted the well water had not been tested for nitrate when Carrier was managing the property.

In the response, Piercey denies breaching the rental agreement between the parties, violating state law or acting with negligence. Instead, she puts the blame on the plaintiffs, saying they acted without reasonable care and are responsible for any damages they experienced.

Alleged malpractice

Piercey isnt a stranger to legal issues, but previous entanglements arose from her medical practice.

In 2014, a Corvallis woman sued Piercey for medical malpractice, alleging a chronic migraine treatment led to her developing fibromyalgia. The complaint said Piercey injected the woman with Xeomin, a Botox-like substance that is allegedly not approved by the FDA for migraine treatment.

According to Oregon Medical Board records, Piercey settled that case for $750,000.

In 2018, fellow physician Gina Anderson sued Piercey for malpractice, alleging a 2013 treatment done by Piercey left Andersons face disfigured and in pain.

That lawsuit alleged Piercey gave Anderson filler injections to smooth out facial wrinkles, but used silicone instead of a medically approved substance. According to the complaint, the silicone filler caused tumor-like growths in Andersons cheek that impaired her vision.

The $17 million lawsuit was settled outside of court. In an interview with Mid-Valley Media at the time of the settlement, Andersons attorney James Huegli said the case was settled to his clients satisfaction. According to Oregon Medical Board records, that case was settled for $1 million.

Sometime after treating Anderson, Piercey moved to Ogden, Utah where she practices at the Ogden Clinic. She sees patients at her Corvallis clinic, Piercey Neurology, periodically.

The next court hearing for the current lawsuit is scheduled for April 26.
Property Finder, Bahrains No.1 property portal, has joined forces with the Gulf Property Show in promoting Bahrains boutique real estate showcase.

The Gulf Property Show, taking place from March 22 to 24 at the Bahrain International Exhibitions Centre, is highly respected as the premier real estate exhibition in the country, attracting the most prominent real estate firms and developers under one roof, providing a one-stop destination for investors and property seekers.

Property Finder, the Property Portal Partner of the show, is the fastest growing online real estate portal. In 2021, Property Finder recorded an increase of over 40% in impressions.

Property Finder KSA and Bahrain Country Manager Khaled Al-Saeh commented: As a company, Property Finder has always put users at the forefront of its innovation and strategy. We strive to ensure that we solve the pain points that are sometimes associated with the real estate experience. The driving force behind our innovation and strategy are our partners of real estate developers, brokers, and together, we continue to make the house hunting journey more enjoyable for end users.

Both Property Finder and the Gulf Property Show have aligned goals in that our customers property needs are the priority, says Jubran Abdulrahaman, Managing Director of Hilal Conferences and Exhibitions (HCE), the organisers of the show. Property Finder was one of the first exhibitors at the very first Gulf Property Show. They are partnering with us as major players in the promotion of the real estate sector. Their success in 2021 is proof that there is still a strong appetite to invest in the property market, concludes Abdulrahaman.

The Gulf Property Shows strategic partners are Diyar Al Muharraq, Bahrain Real Estate Investment (Edamah) and Bahrain Harbour, the Diamond sponsors are Naseej and the Gold Sponsors are Al Yal Real Estate. The show will take place alongside the Gulf Construction Expo and Interiors Expo, ensuring the strongest integrated business-to-business showcase for the construction, interiors and property sectors ever to be staged in the Northern GCC. - TradeArabia News Service
Vice President Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has said it is his prayer that Ghanaians continue to live in peace, unified for political and economic growth and solidify our common heritage.

We are one people, one nation, with a common destiny Dr Bawumia said in his 65th Independence Day message to Ghanaians.

He noted that it is his wish that the 65th Independence Day and the future be filled with happiness, cohesion and positive transformation.

Ghana marks her 65th Independence anniversary celebration today, 6 March 2022.

This years Independence Day parade was held at the Cape Coast Stadium in the Central Region.

The parade featured selected school children and the security services.

The last time the parade was held was in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ghana became the first sub-Saharan African country to attain independence from the United Kingdom (UK).

The day, therefore, marks the declaration of independence from the UK on 6 March 1957 by the Prime Minister Kwame Nkrumah.

This years celebration is on the theme: Working together; Bouncing Back Better.

The celebration is dubbed: Cape Coast, 2022.

The Special Guest for the celebration is the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Amor Mottley.

Source: Classfmonline.com
The US has been granted official partner status in the Bahrain Global Sea-to-Air Hub, it was revealed at a high level meeting in Washington.

This was announced at a meeting between the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism Zayed bin Rashid Al Zayani and Don Graves, the US Deputy Secretary of Commerce. The meetng was attended by a number of senior officials from both sides, said a report in Bahrain News Agency.

The minister highlighted that Bahrain and the United States share a long history of collaboration, developed through agreements, memoranda, and mutual visits.

He stressed that this new point of cooperation reflects a shared interest in continuing to develop bilateral ties. He explained that official partner status provides benefiting countries with a set of privileges.

Al Zayani also highlighted the recent establishment of the US Trade Zone (USTZ) in Bahrain, at Salman Industrial City, as a testament of the strong economic relations between the two nations and one which plays an important role in achieving the objectives of the Industrial Sector Strategy (2022-2026), part of the Economic Recovery Plan.
Police officers from Burr Ridge and Oak Brook respond in March 2017 to a robbery at Razny Jewelers in Hinsdale to help the Hinsdale police. (Kimberly Fornek / Pioneer Press)

Two men who robbed a Hinsdale jewelry store at gunpoint five years ago and assaulted two employees before fleeing with $400,000 in expensive watches and other jewelry have been sentenced to Federal prison, authorities said Friday.

Tobias Diggs, 28, of Chicago, and Joshua McClellan, 32, of Oak Lawn, were convicted by a jury in 2020 of robbing Razny Jewelers at 37 S Washington Street in Hinsdale, in March of 2017 and were also found guilty of firearms offenses in the crime, said authorities.

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District Judge Gary S. Feinerman Thursday sentenced Diggs to 11 years in federal prison, and McClellan to 8 years.

Authorities said two other individuals allegedly participated in the robbery, and that one of them, Marvon Hamberlin, of Chicago, was indicted and is a fugitive. A warrant has been issued for Hamberlins arrest and the fourth individual has not been identified, said authorities.

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According to evidence presented at trial, the robbers planned in advance to rob Razny Jewelers, and on the day of the heist, McClellan drove the getaway car, a Lexus sport utility vehicle, while Diggs and the other robbers entered the store and pointed a gun at a female employee.

After the unidentified robber tackled a store security guard, Diggs hit the female employee with the gun and dragged her by her hair to a backroom, while he and the others gained accessed to the stores safe and stole jewelry, including watches by Frederique Constant, Patek Phillipe, and Tudor, authorities said. They said the defendants later sold, attempted to sell, or disposed of some of the stolen items in the Chicago area and Atlanta, Ga.

Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Hinsdale police department, Oak Lawn police department, and the FBI Chicago Field Offices Cellular Analysis Survey Team (CAST) and the Felony Investigation Assistance Team (FIAT), a multi-jurisdictional law enforcement task force in the western suburbs of Chicago, said authorities.

Brian L. Cox is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
06.03.2022 LISTEN

I have heard with my ears and read about the incredible stories of Ghana. Ghana, a nation birthed in riches and great human resources. From time in memorial, we have been at the forefront of liberation.

The spirit of boldness and courage flow at the shores of Ghana. This was proven in the era of slave trade when our forefathers carried away into a foreign land.

It is said that one of the earliest slave revolts in North America conquered the Danish-owned island of St. John were Akans, an African people from modern-day Ghana. Plagued by widespread illness, droughts, and harsh slave codes, in November 1733, a group of high-ranking Akans began to plot against their Danish masters.

One of the founding fathers of Guyana was a Ghanaian called Kofi, who led a revolt of 2500 slaves against their masters in 1763, and he is a great icon in Guyana today. Also, in Jamaica, we have great people like Queen Nanny and Acheampong who fought to free many slaves.

It is not surprising that Ghana was the first sub-Saharan country to gain independence.

We have the fighting spirit, and we represent a beacon of hope to nations dealing with the shackles of colonialism and to people of African descents in great nations like the USA and Australia battlling with racial segregation and injustice.

Our annual celebration of independence is losing its relevance because we have failed to carry on the fight of freedom.

The devils we fought have come back to us today in the name of religion, financial aid, and partisan ideologies.

The fundamental values in our society that propelled us to defeat our enemies today have been broken down. We have willingly surrendered ourselves to them by dumping our culture to the extent that today's generation have no confidence even in their own languages.

We have seen children being raised in Ghana but cannot even speak their language. We have lost control of our resources and continue to embrace foreign cultures at the detriment of ours. Where is our freedom, and what are we celebrating?

As much as we celebrate the legacy of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah today, it seems like our struggles have been rendered useless by our unpatriotic corrupt leaders and citizens who have sold their own people for a ransom.

We are deeply divided by tribes, politics, and religion, and these pose a threat to our quest for total freedom. If there is anything we can do to bring back colonial resistance, it starts by change of attitude and mindset.

We must fight corruption by abhorring egocentrism, ethnicity, and partisan ideologies, which have been deeply rooted in our society today. You cannot fight the evils outside when there are cracks within.

Why are we more partisan than being nationalistic and why do we defend politicians and their corrupt practices instead of defending our nation? We have come to a crossroads where our attitude today will determine the destiny of our nation.

If we are indeed free, then freedom must reflect in every facet of our lives. Arise Ama Ghana and bear the torch of freedom. If our Fathers did it, we can also lean on their strength to fight ahead.

Ghana the weak, and Africa looks up to you for total freedom. May God bless our nation and watch over our walls from the hands of oppressors. Happy Independence Day, Ghana! Ayekoo.

By: Richard Tawiah
Arab Financial Services (AFS), a leading digital payment solutions provider and fintech enabler in the Middle East and Africa, and Aafaq Islamic Finance, a regional Islamic financial products and services provider, have entered a strategic partnership to support aspiring Fintech startups to launch their products and services in the UAE.

The partnership is integral to AFSs Regional Partner Program, a programme committed to providing a platform for new and existing Fintechs to launch, expand and scale their products across the region, said a statement.

This forms part of AFSs ongoing regional drive as a leading payments processor and trusted advisor for market expansion to support the payments landscape and provide opportunities to Fintechs to grow exponentially through new and innovative business models.

Samer Soliman, AFS Chief Executive Officer, said: Technology and innovation have become an imperative in todays modern payments system. AFS recognizes the importance of new-age technology and continues to create shared initiatives and platforms that support the development and growth of the fintech ecosystem. In this collaboration, we are combining expertise and knowledge that provides a framework of BIN sponsorship, Technology, Operation & Distribution to all Fintechs and startups in the UAE.

Rashid Mahboob Al Qubaisi, CEO of Aafaq Islamic Finance, said: Our partnership with AFS aligns with our commitment to support the UAEs growing fintech ecosystem, and enhance the inclusive digital business environment. Over the past years, there has been significant growth in financial technology and digital services. We aim to reach a new segment of customers, in order to keep pace with the rapidly growing market. We are excited to work with AFS - being one of our trusted partners, to bring innovative products to the market.

Qubaisi added: "Through the partnership, we provide a seamless product that demonstrates digital solutions that are fully secure and financially sound."

Regulated by the Central Bank of Bahrain, and majority-owned by Bank ABC, AFS boasts numerous ground-breaking end-to-end digital payment services and solutions. These span debit, credit, and Islamic card processing, merchant acquiring, fintech, and a suite of state-of-the-art value-added services. Its dedication to innovation has positioned AFS as a driving market force delivering a rich portfolio of payment solutions including popular digital mobile wallets, market-leading merchant acquiring services, Bahrains leading digital payroll solution, global contact centres and more. Providing the highest quality payments solutions that are trusted by businesses, AFS has offices and data centres in Bahrain, the UAE, and Oman.

Aafaq Islamic Finance is a private joint stock company established in 2006 as a financing company operating in accordance with the provisions of Islamic Sharia. Headquartered in Dubai, it offers a wide range of financing and investment programs that are compatible with Islamic Sharia; in addition to providing various financial services and products that are based on the highest levels of quality and efficiency, through its branches located in different parts of the country.  TradeArabia News Service
06.03.2022 LISTEN

Friends, is there anyone who can tell me he or she does not have enemies? That is impossible, especially if you are successful. Marilyn Monroe has this to say: "Success makes so many people hate you. I wish it wasn't that way. It would be wonderful to enjoy success without seeing envy in the eyes of those around you."

You will be hated no matter how hard you try to please people. I'm, therefore, not surprised at all about the bad things some people say about President John Dramani Mahama. For example how on earth can anybody in his or her right senses tag him as incompetent, when prominent world leaders were falling over themselves to tap his expertise.

Among all the leaders in Africa, President Mahama was the only leader who was appointed to serve on a group of sixteen eminent personalities, not just as an ordinary member, but a Co-Chair of the prestigious Sustainable Development Goals, an arm of the United Nations; the other Co-Chair was the Prime Minsister of Norway, Ms. Erna Solberg.

Ghana under President Mahama was good, and was not as bad as some people thought or think, and I'm going to prove it. Nigerian lawmaker and business magnate, Ben Murray-Bruce, challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to follow the good footsteps of President John Dramani Mahama in prioritising education and other sectors of the Nigerian economy.

He stressed, Nigerian parents spend $1 billion educating their children in Ghana. The reason for that is because we are not investing in our education sector to keep pace with our population growth. I spend time in Ghana; I have employees and businesses there; I have friends there, and so I know what I'm talking about."

Ghana under President Mahama was ranked the seventh best country in governance in Africa according to the Mo Ibrahim Foundation. The report which assessed 54 countries on the continent, gave Ghana a score of 63.9 percent in the overall Governance Indicator.

Another interesting development which confirmed that the Ghanaian economy improved was the drop of prices in some major commodities. For example the price of cement dropped significantly due to the relative stability of the cedi. 50kg bag of cement dropped from GHC31 to GHC29 in September, 2016. Today, a 50kg bag of cement sells at GHC50.

People who vilified and are still vilifying President Mahama are those who do not know him, or hate him. The young man from Bole is a friend, and a true friend is the one who encourages and brings the best out of his or her friend. I don't easily believe in things or people, but when I do, I do it with passion!

The South African songstress, Yvonne Chaka Chaka in her song, "This is from me to you", says that it is now time to share to one another and show some care, and that there is the need to live together in our world, and find the world we all once knew.

On this note, friends, join me to show some love to President John Dramani Mahama because it is hard to find someone who is kind. Some people may loathe him, but there are many more who love and believe in him; and I'm one of them. The time has, therefore, come for me to sing this special plea to him to continue with his humility and good works.

This is from me to him, and all we have to do as a country is to give him the maximum support to push him to the presidency in January 2025, so that we can find the world we all once knew and live together in our world in true harmony.

Anthony Obeng Afrane
Haji Ali was teaching English at a high school in northern Iraq when the United States launched an invasion in 2003.

Like hundreds of other Yazidis living in the region who had been targeted by the regime of Saddam Hussein, Ali became an interpreter for the U.S. Army, a service that earned his family a special visa to emigrate to America.

When he arrived July 25, 2012  he recalls the exact day  Ali continued interpreting, first at the Center for People in Need and in various roles as other Yazidis settled into their new home in Lincoln, the largest community for the religious minority in the U.S.

I havent done any other job since, he said in a phone interview in February.

More recently, following a new influx of Yazidi immigrants to Lincoln after the so-called Islamic State launched a genocide in 2014, Ali has taken on more specialized work as an interpreter.

He helps Yazidis who suffered tragedy and trauma connect with mental and behavioral health professionals, bridging language and culture gaps, and establishing trust between doctor and patient.

Meaning can be lost in translation if the wrong words are used, and a patient who is already having a difficult time navigating everyday life amid trauma and grief can begin to spiral.

Its important to have someone they feel safe with in the room, said Mark Hankla, a licensed independent mental health practitioner who often works with members of Lincolns Yazidi population.

But since January, Alis work has been put on hold.

Last fall, Nebraska Optum Behavioral Health, a subsidiary of UnitedHealthCare, notified providers it was no longer reimbursing in-person language interpretation services through Medicaid, the last of the plans offered through Nebraska Medicaid to do so.

The change has interrupted mental and behavioral health services for dozens of Yazidis, as well as other individuals in Lincoln who have limited English language proficiency.

It just came out of nowhere, said Megan Watson, a licensed psychologist whose caseload includes as many as 30 patients requiring interpreting services from a stable of four interpreters, including members of Lincolns Yazidi population.

Nobody said anything to us, there was no communication that this was going to happen, she added.

The change in service was discovered in early January when the billing company Watson uses reached out to Nebraska Optum Behavioral Health after the billing code for interpreters  T1013  was still listed but wasnt being paid.

Are you certain this is accurate  that T1013 is not covered? the billing company wrote to Optum on Jan. 3, according to an email shared with the Journal Star.

(T)he State of Nebraska notified us in October that T1013 is not covered, the provider relations advocate responded the next day. So it was removed from the covered list, the fee schedule you received did not have the code removed yet. It will be taken off the fee schedule so there is no further confusion.

Hankla said the reimbursements for the interpreters he relies upon to work with his clients stopped temporarily in 2021, but were later resolved  something he chalked up to a bureaucratic snafu.

Then, in October, the reimbursement requests from the interpreters he used stopped being paid out once more.

Our accounts person would be calling and trying to find out why they werent paying, Hankla said. First, they were talking about the codes being wrong. Then, a few weeks ago, said Were not responsible for paying interpreters.

The explanation Hankla received pointed to a 2017 bulletin from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services to providers participating in the Nebraska Medicaid program.

The bulletin said while providers who receive federal funds are obligated to make language services available to those with limited English language proficiency, (n)either the Heritage Health plans nor Medicaid is responsible for providing or reimbursing this service for provider interaction.

The Heritage Health plans may choose to provide interpretation services for a member to interact with a provider, but that service would be a value-added service offered solely at the individual health plans discretion, the bulletin said.

A senior director of external communications for UnitedHealthCare directed questions to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

In response to questions from the Journal Star, a spokeswoman for DHHS said while Nebraska Medicaid does not pay claims for interpretation services, the managed care plans available under Medicaid do offer those services.

Each of the plans have different resources available in this area, so we would recommend looking into each one if you have particular questions on what a specific health plan covers, wrote Barb Tyler, a marketing and communications specialist at DHHS.

Dr. Les Spry, a kidney specialist and board member of the Nebraska Medical Association, said the U.S. Justice Departments Office of Civil Rights requires any contractor receiving federal funds to provide translation services.

Theres no federal dollars tied to that requirement, he explained, making it an unfunded mandate.

The federal government is usually willing to cost-share reimbursing interpreter services with states  often a 60% federal-40% state split  but has been unwilling to increase that share, Spry said.

There are real-world problems we feel we have to pay for, but the federal government is providing us with no sympathy in this regard, he said.

Medicaid has provided reimbursement for interpreters until recently, said James Goddard, a program senior director at Nebraska Appleseed, a nonprofit based in Lincoln that advocates for affordable health care and programs for immigrants.

The state could, if it chose to, cover these services under Medicaid so it is not just borne by the provider, Goddard said.

But, the state and DHHS have chosen not to do so, he said.

I think its ill-advised to not cover interpretation services for behavioral health, as thats going to further erode access to these services for a population that already has severely limited access, Goddard said. It would put the burden on providers to pay for interpretation, or not provide the service for those with limited English proficiency.

Providers such as Hankla and Watson say the uncertainty of whether or not interpreting services will be covered has put them  and their patients  in a difficult situation.

Hankla continued to see his patients needing interpreter services after he was told Medicaid was no longer reimbursing the service, believing the issue would be smoothed out once more.

The interpreters he works with racked up thousands of dollars in unpaid bills, until he was forced to suspend working with them.

Its a mess, he said. Above all, I feel like the worst thing is these people who were brought here and want to function as productive citizens and good neighbors but were so traumatized they have a tough time dealing with the stresses of everyday life.

I feel terrible, I feel like Im abandoning these people, but we cant afford to pay an interpreter out of what they pay us and keep our lights on.

Watson said she has seen some patients on an emergency basis and has paid interpreters out of her own pocket.

Its very worrisome to me, she said. A lot of my clients, when they arent getting the treatments and the medications they need, end up in hospitals. Its just a matter of time.

Ali said patients he has interpreted for have called him angry about not being able to access services.

One man in particular who was held captive by Islamic militants and has since dealt with anxiety and depression took out his frustration on the interpreter, his only connection to the services he desperately needs.

Its not your fault, or our fault, Ali told him. A promise made to the men and women that gave aid to the U.S. military at great risk to themselves and their families was broken, he said.

They are not keeping their promise to their friends.
The recent solar flare which sent 40 newly-launched satellites plunging back to earth has had quite a bit of press. People are beginning to worry about the thousands of human-made objects orbiting the planet, all of which (unless they escape the earths pull) will eventually fall.

Of course, with 196,900,000 square miles of the Earths surface to choose from, the odds against a satellite landing on anyone may be even higher than winning the lottery, particularly since most will probably burn up in the earths atmosphere.

All of which reminded me of something Id seen years ago in an old newspaper. Luckily, Id added it to my trivia file under kites.

In 1895, the Anaconda Standard published a report that the National Weather Bureau planned to send up 10 giant kites, all on one string, to the height of two miles. The object was to conduct systematic studies of the upper atmosphere in order to make a map for the use of balloonists. Another proposed use for this project was to harness lightning. They probably should have checked with Benjamin Franklin.

There were a couple of other gems in that file.

In 1897, Professor Libbey from Princeton University planned to explore a mesa in New Mexico that was rumored to have been inhabited centuries before. It was inaccessible by climbing. His initial plan was to send up kites to take a line to the top and bring up heavier lines. I cant picture how that would have worked, however he ended up using a cannon to fire a rope over the end of the butte and then using a pulley to pull himself up in a marine life-saving chair. How the rope was secured was not reported.

In any event, he claimed he had found no ruins, rudely stating Romantic Indian legend can never stand the acid test of scientific investigation. Later that year, another archeologist explored the mesa and found arrow points, stone tools, beads and pottery fragments  and hopefully Libbeys shattered ego.

George Dewey was admiral of the Navy, best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American war, but as a boy he was known for flying his kites higher than the other boys.

The most successful and best documented story in my Kite file tells of an 1847 contest with a $5 prize to the first person who could fly a kite across the Niagara Gorge, near the falls. A young American boy, Homan Walsh, won on the second day, flying his kite from the Canadian side.

The string was fastened to a tree and a light cord was pulled across by it, then a heavier cord and finally a wire cable. The ultimate purpose was to enable a bridge to be built across the 800-foot gap and 225-foot cliffs. The kite was named the Union. For a moment I wondered why an American boy flew his kite from the Canadian side, but the obvious answer is that you cant fly a kite against the wind.

Theres probably a moral there.


Minister of Foreign Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris and the Sri Lanka delegation had high level bilateral meetings on 28 February, 2022, with the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), on the side lines of the High-Level Segment of the 49th session of the Human Rights Council which commenced 28 February, 2022.

During his meeting with Minister of State of the United Kingdom for South and Central Asia, UN and the Commonwealth Lord Tariq Ahmed, the Minister of Foreign Affairs discussed bilateral cooperation, and progress achieved by Sri Lanka in advancing reconciliation as well as the Governments comprehensive efforts at fostering unity and harmony. The Minister emphasized the need for understanding and recognition of Sri Lankas efforts.

At the Meeting with Secretary General of the Commonwealth Baroness Patricia Scotland, the Minister discussed avenues of furthering Sri Lankas cooperation with the Commonwealth including on the economic front, tourism, and opportunities for youth such as vocational training. The Commonwealth Secretary General commended Sri Lankas lead role on the Blue Economy and requested enhanced engagement in this area.

The Minister and the delegation also had a constructive meeting with Permanent Observer of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Geneva Ambassador Nassima Baghli, where Sri Lankas longstanding friendly relations with members of the OIC, the multi-ethnic and multi-religious nature of the Sri Lankan society, the significant contribution from its Muslim community and matters relating to advancing their interests, were discussed.

The Minister also had a productive meeting with Director General of WIPO Daren Tang and exchanged ideas on further advancing technical cooperation in intellectual property in the areas of policy development, digitization, geographical indications, and empowerment of youth in the use of IP for research and development.

The Minister was accompanied by Minister of Justice Ali Sabry, State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Channa Jayasumana, Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage, Additional Solicitor General Nerin Pulle,and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva C.A. Chandraprema.





Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Colombo

02 March, 2022



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Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Secretary General of the Commonwealth hold discussions on the sidelines of the 49th session of the HRC





Permanent Observer of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Geneva meets with Foreign Minister





Director General of WIPO and the Sri Lanka delegation led by the Foreign Minister discuss cooperation on intellectual property
Beijing might maintain high tension in the Taiwan Strait to test the U.S. and allies.

Ukraine supporters living in Taiwan display placards during a protest against Russia's military invasion outside the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei, March 6, 2022.

On Feb. 24, in a day that will be remembered forever, Russias Vladimir Putin started a war with Ukraine. Though he avoided officially declaring war and opted instead to call it a special military operation, at any rate, he launched a premeditated invasion.

Even before the war, when the world turned its focus on the Ukraine crisis, the standoff in the Taiwan Strait was not forgotten.

Dan Blumenthal, director of the Asian Studies program at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), warned that Beijing could use the Russian strategy in Ukraine in its playbook against Taiwan to orchestrate a political-military crisis to coerce Taiwan into submission.

If the United States does not want to be caught off guard, it should start preparing for such a scenario today, the former Pentagon official wrote in Foreign Policy a week before the invasion.

This association is of deep and pragmatic significance, and Blumenthals call resonated not only in the U.S. but in Europe as well.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that 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.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told Nikkei Asia in a written interview that a key part of the important economic, environmental, and geopolitical balance of the 21st century is playing out in the Indo-Pacific region.

Security in the Taiwan Strait is of utmost importance to the security of the Indo-Pacific region. France is "very keen to act to prevent any conflict." Meanwhile, We condemn any attempt to undermine the status quo, any action likely to cause an incident that would lead to an escalation. This is a concern we share with our European partners."

This is the first time that two major European countries have publicly supported Taiwan in security issues. From the Russian invasion of Ukraine to the tension and standoffs in the Taiwan Strait, though the conditions may be different, the aggression is in essence the same. They should be condemned and stopped by the international community.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice suggested last October in an online symposium hosted by a British think tank that China will not launch a full-scale attack on Taiwan.

Instead, Beijing could use paramilitary forces to infiltrate Taiwan and create various kinds of disruptions within Taiwan, such as on social media, cutting off underwater cables, creating cybersecurity threats, and nurturing and controlling pro-Beijing camps to subvert Taiwan, just like what Putin is doing in Ukraine, Rice said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and Chinese President Xi Jinping arrive to pose for a photograph during their meeting in Beijing, Feb. 4, 2022. Credit: Sputnik via AFP Now that Putin has launched the attack on Ukraine and his troops are pushing ever closer to Kyiv, faster than Rice anticipated, the West may have to realign and restudy what they know about Putin.

Putin once said that China does not need to unify Taiwan through military might; the goal of unification can be achieved through mighty economic power.

What will Xi Jinping do next? It would not be easy to launch a full-fledged war against Taiwan. Xis short-term goals is likely to be to maintain high tension in the Taiwan Strait with military means to deter Taiwan from leaning towards the U.S., declaring independence, or making any changes in U.S.-Taiwan relations (towards formal diplomatic ties or a formal alliance).

In the medium-to-long term, it is within Xi Jinpings goals to bring about change in the world order to make China an emerging superpower. It is also his intention to complete Beijings proclaimed mission of unification with Taiwan by following the path of modernization in the middle of this century.

How Xi can accomplish these goals will depend on how he deals with the Taiwan issue. Forcing negotiations through war is one possible way. The United States is a key factor. If the United States does not want to be caught off-guard, it should preemptively begin to prepare for such a day.

Qi Leyi, a veteran observer of China-Taiwan relations and Indo-Pacific security affairs, is the host of RFA's program "Military: No Restricted Areas. This commentary reflects his personal views.

Translated by Min Eu.
A jury convicted a Gary man Thursday of killing his stepsons two teenage friends in a Calumet Township basement over a missing handgun. The lead detective described their deaths as execution-style murders.

Alvino Vino Amaya, 36, was convicted of two counts of murder and a firearms enhancement in the Oct. 16, 2020, deaths of Elijah J. Robinson, 18, and Max Kroll, 17. At his April 8 sentencing, he could face up to 150 years in prison.

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Amayas girlfriend, Dawn Carden, faces her own double murder trial May 16.

Carden also has been charged with two counts of dealing narcotics and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

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According to a probable cause affidavit, Carden, 43  a known drug dealer who goes by Mama D  told Lake County Sheriffs police that Elijah J. Robinson, who was a friend of her sons, never returned the gun she gave him.

Another teen, Elijah D. Robinson, 18, no relation, was also charged, but cut a deal with prosecutors, pleading guilty to residential entry, rather than murder, in exchange for his testimony. His sentencing is March 15.

At the four-day trial, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jacquelyn Altpeter painted Amaya as a coldblooded killer who murdered both teens to make an example of them.

Both teen boys were naive and caught up in a world that they should never be a part of, she said, with drugs, firearms and dangerous people.

Two weeks before the murders, Carden had a party for Elijah J. Robinson at her house that he, girlfriend Destiny Solich, his sister Natalie Robinson, Kroll and Cardens son, the teen boys co-worker and friend, and Amaya all attended.

Witnesses said the teens were drinking, smoking marijuana and taking ecstasy. There were guns everywhere; the teens handled them and were taking pictures that were later posted on Snapchat, according to testimony.

Defense lawyer Steven Mullins poked holes in the states case, questioning the credibility of witnesses including Solich, who had FaceTime running with boyfriend Elijah J. Robinson the night of the murders and co-defendant Elijah D. Robinson, saying his deal with prosecutors that cut decades off a potential prison sentence made him less believable. He also questioned the lead detectives police work, saying the scope of evidence failed to examine every lead.

On the night of the murders, Solich, now 18, had her best friend Natalie Robinson, her boyfriends sister, over and left FaceTime on after Elijah J. Robinson fell asleep on the other line.

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She overheard Amaya there demanding a Glock 19 handgun back, saying Carden left it with him.

Robinson was crying and saying he didnt have it, according to court records. She told police she continued to listen in but didnt hear anything and thought that Robinson went into Maxwell Krolls room, so she fell asleep again, according to the affidavit.

She and Natalie Robinson talked, deciding not to call the police, not wanting to risk getting the boys in trouble, she said. She did not hear any gunshots and didnt think Amaya would go as far as to kill them, she testified.

I have to live with that guilt forever, Solich said in testimony.

The next morning, Solichs mother took her and Natalie Robinson to Krolls grandparents house, where the boys lived, on the 3900 block of W. 51st Avenue in Calumet Township. The girls found both boys bodies in the basement and ran out of the home screaming, they testified. Her mother called 911.

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Several trial witnesses pointed to Amaya as the assailant, Altpeter said. On the 911 call, Solich is heard identifying him, the prosecutor said.

From day one, the girls knew who it was, Altpeter said.

Both teen boys died of a gunshot wound to the head, she said. One also was wounded in his right hand from another bullet, as if he tried to block it.

DNA from the Taurus 9 mm handguns trigger swab was traced to Amaya, Carden and Kroll with other evidence pointing to Amaya who was there that night, she said.

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The murder weapon was later found in a storage locker at a Gary facility near 29th Avenue and Calhoun Street, Lake County Sheriffs Department Detective Cory House said. Shortly after the murders, Carden and her father had gone there to open a new unit, he said.

Co-defendant Elijah D. Robinson testified Wednesday afternoon he was in the basement when Amaya pulled the trigger, prosecutors said. He described where the teens bodies were found and did not see the crime scene photos prior to the trial, Altpeter said.

Mullins questioned how Solich and Elijah D. Robinsons accounts matched, as he said the shootings happened within 5-10 minutes, but Solich said she didnt hear any gunshots on her end.

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The states case was not even close, he said.
Demonstrators denounced Russian President Vladimir Putin as a delusional lunatic and a bully as hundreds gathered in central London to protest his invasion of Ukraine.

Some members of the crowd, including expats from Russia, Poland and Lithuania, wept as they voiced support for people affected by the war.

Campaigners gathered outside the BBCs Broadcasting House to wave signs saying Russian troops out and No Nato Expansion.

People take part in a demonstration in Trafalgar Square, London, to denounce the Russian invasion of Ukraine (Kirsty OConnor/PA)

The march was held by the Stop the War Coalition, as well as the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), the No to Nato network, and CODEPINK.

Stop the War has caused controversy in recent months for its Nato-critical stance.

It has described itself as opposed to the British Governments aggressive posturing and Natos eastward expansion.

But it has repeatedly been accused of harbouring anti-Western sentiments.

One male protester, who did not give his name, said Nato countries were provok[ing] Putin.

However, some marchers voiced differing opinions on the bloc.

(PA Graphics)

Monika Lichomska, a Polish warehouse worker, said she was there to show her support for Ukrainians and believes Nato support can offer security.

In Poland, we are secure because of Nato. But if were not stopping (Russia) now they will come after our country, the 37-year-old, who described Mr Putin as a delusional lunatic, said.

Zoja, an NHS worker whose parents are Russian, wiped away tears as she said she felt the need to apologise for Mr Putins actions.

Russia does not represent Russian people. We are not standing with him, we are standing against him, she said.

He declared war in our name but I didnt ask him to do it.

Continue fighting and I believe we will win. Russian soldiers have nothing to fight for.

Jane Calvert, an NHS worker, 61, said Britain should not bait a bear and should instead pursue de-escalation.

(Mr Putin) is not a leader. Hes a bully and a dictator, she said.

Andrew McCann, another NHS worker, said the protest appeared to have hijacked by those with other agendas.

Ive seen people here who want a Socialist Workers Party and ones that dont want a Socialist Workers Party and that route can tend hijack these things.

Theyre entitled to be here but there seems to be a bit too much nowadays of, Youre wrong and Im right.

Cant we have a common argument against violence towards innocent people?

Mr McCann, who supports Stop the War and CND, said he is concerned about young people online being exposed to anti-Ukrainian propaganda.

Theres a big push to make people believe that, in Ukraine, the whole country is racist, for example, and we need to do more to make people question that, he said.

Protesters chanted Stop the war and Russian troops out now as they began their march through the centre of the capital.

Speakers were due to address the crowd at Trafalgar Square on Sunday afternoon.
Ellen Saint knows she isnt wrong, but then how could she be right? After all, the man she just spotted, Kieran Watts, cant possibly be alive. Thats because two years ago she killed him.

And so begins "The Heights," the latest page-turner by bestselling author Louise Candlish, whose previous book, "Our House" won the Crime & Thriller Book of the Year at the 2019 British Book Awards,

Saint, a grieving mother, blames Watts for the death of her teenage son. The two teens were best friends and Watts, with all of his charm and deviousness, had corrupted her son and then been with him in the car when he perished. Though its been several years since Lucas died, Ellen isnt ready to forgive. Indeed, whatever happened the first time she set out to destroy Kieran, she doesnt intend to let that happen again.

The following is a question and answer between Candlish and Times of Northwest Indiana correspondent Jane Ammeson.

JA: "The Heights" is a revenge novel  and ultimately a very fulfilling one. What inspired it?

LC: I had wanted to explore revenge for a while, and had the idea of constructing that dynamic around a feud. I love feuds! Reaching for a fresh angle, I became intrigued by the dynamic between an overprotective tiger mother and her teenage son's "bad influence" best friend. It feels quite primal  having your golden boy stolen from you right under your nose.

JA: How do you plot your novels, and how do you keep track of all the twists and turns?

LC: I always plot the main thriller story, the mechanics of the crime, before I start, and I loosely think through the structure and the order of the revelations. Because "The Heights" is a book within a book, I had a natural framework, which helped me keep my thoughts straight.

JA: Ultimately Ellen became a very likeable character and her pain was so palpable  did you base her character on someone you knew?

LC: That is good to hear, as I was a little wary of readers reacting negatively to her because she is clearly neurotic and  how can I put it?  an over-reactor. But she is grieving the loss of a child and I think we all understand that could take us to the brink of human endurance. Even so, Im surprised by how many people have said to me, Id do exactly the same if that were my child. I hope not! Shes not based on anyone in particular, though some of the details of her overly involved behavior are taken from my observations of fellow parents. Shes actually kind of how I would be if I allowed every catastrophic thought to grow, if I acted on every knee-jerk emotion.

JA: What made you decide to write a book within a book like the way Ellen is telling the story in her writing class?

LC: I love this device, which appears in some of my favorite books, like Margaret Atwoods "The Blind Assassin." I think the conditions of the COVID lockdown, during which "The Heights" was written, had an impact on the structure. By writing a book within a book I was almost doubling my sense of control over the project, imposing order in the only way I could during a chaotic, uncertain time.

For more information, visit LouiseCandlish.com or connect with her on Twitter @Louise_Candlish.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has urged the Ministry of Education (MoE) to make provisions for textbooks and other teacher-learning materials in schools to boost teaching and learning.

This is contained in a press release issued by GNAT to mark Ghanas 65th Independence Day Anniversary Celebration.

As we mark 65 years of Ghanas Independence, GNAT proposes the following;

The Ministry of Education through its collaborative agencies ensure textbooks and other teacher-learning resources are provided in schools, following their absence, three clear years into the implementation of the New Education Curriculum.

Foster greater collaboration among the Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Service and all Local Assemblies to address poor school infrastructure in rural communities, parts of the GNAT release signed by General Secretary Thomas T. Musah has said.

In addition, GNAT also calls for the government to set the roadmap for the start of the 10,000 Housing Scheme promised by the President of the Republic during the launch of the 6th Quadrennial Conference of GNAT early this year.

Read the full press release from GNAT below:

GNAT HQ  Accra

Date: 6th March, 2022

PRESS RELEASE

GNAT AND THE INDEPENDENCE STRUGGLE

The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) wishes all Ghanaians, especially the tens of thousands of teachers who are toiling despite the odds to contribute to Ghanas development.

Indeed, teachers from all walks of life, in every part of the then Gold Coast, took part in the struggle to achieve independence.

It suffices to say a lot has been acheived as GNAT and as a country but the teacher continues to work in conditions that make it seem like the struggle for independence is still on.

Teachers, though arguably one of the key backbones of Ghanas development, are still lacking many fundamental resources to work with not to talk about the welfare concerns within the current times.

As we mark 65 years of Ghanas Independence, GNAT proposes the following;

The Ministry of Education through its collaborative agencies ensure textbooks and other teacher-learning resources are provided in schools, following their absence, three clear years into the implementation of the New Education Curriculum.

Foster greater collaboration among the Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Service and all Local Assemblies to address poor school infrastructure in rural communities.

For Government to set the roadmap for the start of the 10,000 Housing Scheme promised by the President of the Republic during the launch of 6th Quadrennial Conference of GNAT early this year.

In this time of Ghanas development, GNAT asks all Ghanaians to rally around the main objectives around which indepedence was achieved on 6th March, 1957.

God bless GNAT, God bless Ghana.

SIGNED

Thomas T. Musah

General Secretary

GNAT
06.03.2022 LISTEN

Many people are amazed at the recent economic reports of Ghana and shocked that Ghanas revenues are not matching expenses. The Debt to GDP ratio is reported to be close to 80%, meaning payments of our debt principal and interests are almost as much as moneys generated by revenues, leaving little room to even pay workers!

That is reckless management. It is more than reckless! Many people believe there is corruption and public theft and malfeasance that are not being prosecuted and punished. Discipline must be restored before Ghana is sold to some foreigners! Those responsible must pay the ultimate price!

In Ghana nothing seems to scare people more than death. Should Ghana then restore the death penalty after 65 years of political independence and 56 years after the overthrow of Kwame Nkrumah?

Nobody is saying that we should use Biblical means to manage a modern nation. However wisdom has not changed since the beginning of time. The Bible has some interesting passages of wisdom. Among my favorites are these:

A fool and his money are soon parted. The rich ruleth over the poor and the borrower is servant to the lender. (Prov.22:7) Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate. (Proverbs 22:22).

Ghana was one of the First Nations to emerge from Colonial rule in 1957 exactly 65 years ago today March 6. Smaller less endowed nations in other cultures and continents such as Singapore and Korea and Malaysia are doing far better socially, economically and in human development- despite about the same opportunities for higher education from Western as well as Eastern-bloc nations like Russia and Poland.

So what was the difference?

The difference in the socio-economic and human development outcomes or expected performance, as revealed in a 3 year PhD dissertation study (Danso, K.A., 2006), lay in the cultural differences and not intelligence or education.

Ghana was blessed after independence with the goodwill from all nations. Thousands of scholarships were provided to our most brilliant students but the leadership was beset with so much strife and hatred towards the first winner. There were many assassination attempts on Nkrumahs life.

After the 1966 coup, those who took over tried everything to justify the coup and demonize Nkrumah with false accusations and fake tales. In fact reports after the 1966 coup accused Nkrumah of many things including finding a human head in a refrigerator in the Flagstaff House! Accusing a popular President highly regarded around Africa and the world of cannibalism and false unproven charges, did major damage to the image of Ghana and that of Africa and the black race.

After the 1966 Coup:

The lack of discipline that followed the coup can only be described as worse than that of children! Workers in rural areas were being paid for years without much productivity. Ghost names started at that time as love for country turned to what can you steal from Government or Broni-Adwuma. Selfishness and greed began a new level that has escalated to today when borrowed moneys end up in the pockets of politicians as rural schools and clinics are left with not even buildings and supplies! Today, as world Bank and IMF loans are being sought, our President has the wickedness to order private Jets and also charter them at a reported $5,000 to $9,000 per hour.

The lack of sensitivity of our leadership to the plight of the people, coupled with the greed of the elected and appointed politicians, must be noted! These have led to a situation where frustration has led to many including the Dean of the Ghana Law School, to caution the nation about a ripe atmosphere and hence potential for military coup! What a sad state of the nation of Ghana after 65 years!

The FUTURE of GHANA:

The massive loans incurred by our political leadership, mostly without open accountability, and using Ghanas minerals and oil as collateral, threatens the very existence of the nation. With the recent leadership opening the doors widely for unlimited and uncontrolled Chinese immigrant population doing surface mining and ruining lands and rivers, the fear deepens. Many are afraid of the Chinese taking over as soon as Ghana defaults on the loans. So who is to blame?

When the time comes, will Akufo Addo, Ken Ofori Atta, and their family members wielding power today be around to pay the price? Will the family of ex-President John Mahama be around Ghana?

Why should the nation of Ghana be so highly mortgaged and almost about to be sold, but the perpetrators of the crimes against the state be allowed to flee the nation?

This is the most serious question we as a nation must think about! What is an appropriate deterrent from these public crimes that threatens our very nations survival?

Some of us have been blessed to reach a ripe age exceeding the Biblical three score and ten. We could not have been that foolish as the good book said, to part with our moneys.

So why are those in power trying to borrow so much and spend so much and put our people into servitude as the good book said?

To try to use technology to cover the poor financial planning and to tax the poor suffering Ghanaians as e-LEVY has been described by a writer as e-FRAUD!

Conclusion:

It is this writers suggestion that those who try to rob a nation like Ghana and impoverish everybody, ruin the lands and rivers without any sense of respect and dignity, deserve not to live. No! We need to use laws and rules to deal with the greed and selfishness in public service. We cannot rely on military intervention. Soldiers have not been proven to be any smarter or more honest that civilians.

I am strongly proposing the death penalty for anybody who in our public service jobs, is found to have caused massive financial losses to the nation, or jeopardized the nation and her people with fraudulent contracts or dealings for self gain.

We are 65 years old and those who are not

honest, mature and dedicated enough to provide public service should stay private and earn their money! For those who enter public service either as elected, appointed or hired, the people expect public service, or we demand the death penalty.

May Good Bless Ghana and her people and give us wisdom and bless us with honest leaders!

Kwaku A. Danso, M.Eng., PhD

Intnl President - Ghana Leadership Union (GLU)

(Mar.6, 2022)
The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin has proposed a more constructive bilateral dialogue and strengthened partnership between Ghana and Russia to develop the ties between the two countries.

This is contained in a message to Ghana on the occasion of the countrys 65th Independence Day Anniversary celebration.

Please accept my sincere congratulations on the occasion of the National Holiday of the Republic of Ghana- the Independence Day!

The relations between Russia and Ghana are traditionally of a friendly nature. I am convinced that further development of a constructive bilateral dialogue and partnership meets the interests of our peoples, contributing to the peace and security on the African continent, part of a letter from Vladimir Putin posted by the Russian Embassy in Ghana reads.

Ghana, a country that gained independence from the British colony on 6 March 1957, is today, Sunday, March 6, 2022, officially 65 years old.

As part of an annual tradition, several parades are being held in all regions with the national event being staged at the Cape Coast Stadium.
Thousands of homes that were wrecked by floods in last week's storms could be submerged a second time with heavy rain on the way.

Several areas across NSW's Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley had torrential downpours overnight and are forecast for more on Sunday.

The Bureau of Meteorology said heavy rainfall and thunderstorms on Sunday had the potential to cause renewed river level rises to areas already hit by flooding.

Areas along the Hawkesbury River have been issued flood warnings following floods on Thursday

Western Sydney was hit by heavy rainfall on Sunday following floodwaters inundating residential areas on Thursday

These included regions along the Hunter, Paterson, Williams, Gloucester, and Manning rivers.

'The focus of the heaviest rainfall, and rivers at greatest risk, are those extending from greater Sydney to the Hunter and Manning Rivers, where moderate to major flooding is possible,' the BoM's flood watch said on Sunday.

A Bureau spokesperson said flood levels could reach those of last week's floods.

'The Bureau of Meteorology has issued numerous flood warnings for New South Wales including moderate to major flood warnings for Wollombi Brook, Richmond, Hawkesbury-Nepean, Colo and Weir rivers,' they said.

'These rivers may reach flood levels recorded during last week's flood event.'

The spokesperson also said the Northern Rivers region - including flood-stricken Lismore - is forecast to see heavy to intense rainfall and possibly damaging winds and hail.

The bureau also issued a severe thunderstorm warning for areas of northern NSW including Armidale, Glen Innes, Dorrigo, Guyra, and Emmaville.

Richmond recorded 116.4mm on rain on Saturday following Friday's floods that blocked major roads

Richmond residents are on high alert for the second time in three days following heavy rainfall on Saturday and flooding on Friday

Western Sydney residents are still recovering from flooding on Thursday that inundated several homes

Western Sydney suburbs took the brunt of the storm on Saturday with 116.4mm recorded in Richmond between 9am on Saturday and 7.30am on Sunday.

Penrith and Horsley Park received close to 80mm in the same time frame.

The BoM said Sunday's storms could also lead to flooding in coastal areas.

SES volunteers rescued a llama from a flooded western Sydney farmhouse on Thursday

Floodwater along the Hawkesbury River near Windsor Bridge submerged roads on Friday

'The weather system may also cause minor to moderate flooding along coastal rivers from the Bellinger to Myall Rivers along the NSW Mid North Coast. Minor to moderate flooding is possible along the NSW South Coast from the Illawarra to Bega,' it said.

A severe weather warning has been issued for residents in Illawarra and parts of the Hunter, Sydney metropolitan, South Coast, Central Tablelands and Southern Tablelands.

The storm is expected to move south over the South Coast on Sunday afternoon.

'Heavy rainfall will then likely extend throughout the warning area by early Monday morning,' the BOM said.

Southeast Queensland is also forecast for severe thunderstorms with damaging winds, large hail and heavy rainfall from midday Sunday.

Atmospheric Scientist Brooke Pagel told Courier Mail the system could affect areas in central Queensland down to southeast Queensland.

'At the moment, we're looking at around the Gladstone area, potentially even Rockhampton all the way down to Dalby and Toowoomba and then down to Stanthorpe and then back to the Gold Coast,' she said.

'So all South East Queensland, most of the Wide Bay Burnett and then parts of the Capricornia as well and then your Darling Downs and Granite Belt including Toowoomba.'

Five Day Forecast Adelaide Sunday: Max 24, partly cloudy

Monday: Min 14, max 25, partly cloudy Tuesday: Min 15, max 24, partly cloudy Wednesday: Min 14, max 24, partly cloudy Thursday: Min 14, max 26, mostly sunny Brisbane Sunday: Max 32, showers, storm likely, possible rainfall: 15 to 50 mm Monday: Min 21, max 31, partly cloudy, possible rainfall: 0 to 6 mm Tuesday: Min 22, max 33, sunny Wednesday: Min 23, max 31, shower or two, possible rainfall: 1 to 8 mm Thursday: Min 22, max 28, shower or two, possible rainfall: 0 to 5 mm Canberra Sunday: Max 25, shower or two, possible rainfall: 8 to 15 mm Monda: Min 14, max 22, possible shower, possible rainfall: 0 to 3 mm Tuesday: Min 13, max 21, possible shower, possible rainfall: 0 to 6 mm Wednesday: Min 11, max 22, partly cloudy Thursday: Min 8, max 23, partly cloudy Darwin Sunday: Max 33, possible shower or storm, possible rainfall: 0 to 5 mm Monday: Min 27, max 33, shower or two, possible storm, possible rainfall: 0 to 3 mm Tuesday: Min 27, max 33, shower or two, possible storm, possible rainfall: 0 to 3 mm Wednesday: Min 27, max 33, shower or two, possible storm, possible rainfall: 0 to 4 mm Thursday: Min 27, max 32, shower or two, possible storm, possible rainfall: 1 to 6 mm Hobart Sunday: Max 17, cloudy Monday: Min 10, max 22, partly cloudy Tuesday: Min 13, max 17, cloudy Wednesday: Min 11, max 18, cloudy Thursday: Min 11, max 19, partly cloudy Melbourne Sunday: Max 20, shower or two, possible rainfall: 0 to 1 mm Monday: Min 15, max 24, partly cloudy Tuesday: Min 16, max 22, cloudy, possible rainfall: 0 to 0.4 mm Wednesday: Min 15, max 22, partly cloudy Thursday: Min 13, max 22, partly cloudy Perth Sunday: Max 34, sunny Monday: Min 20, max 34, sunny Tuesday: Min 19, max 34, sunny Wednesday: Min 21, max 35, mostly sunny Thursday: Min 22, max 37, mostly sunny Sydney Sunday: Max 23, rain, possible heavy falls, possible rainfall: 35 to 60 mm Monday: Min 21, max 23, rain, possible rainfall: 25 to 45 mm Tuesday: Min 20, max 22, rain, possible heavy falls, possible rainfall: 45 to 80 mm Wednesday: Min 17, max 24, shower or two, possible rainfall: 0 to 3 mm Thursday: Min 17, max 23, shower or two, possible rainfall: 0 to 2 mm Advertisement
Hayden Brass learnt about Tasmania's 'best kept natural secret', the Kunzea plant, while working at his parent's market stall when 13 years old.

Flash forward 15 years and his wellness brand Zea is turning over millions of dollars a year, with its 'hero product' being a natural pain relief cream containing the therapeutic plant.

The 29-year-old, who grew up in Launceston but now lives in Melbourne, told Daily Mail Australia that while his parents sold many health products at the Saturday market, customers kept asking for Kunzea.

The ingredient is a little-known Australian plant with therapeutic properties and is considered one of nature's most effective multi-use oils.

Hayden Brass (pictured) launched Zea in 2016 and in the last financial year the company has turned over $3.2million selling natural products containing Kunzea - a plant with therapeutic properties

Kunzea (pictured left) is a little-known Australian plant with therapeutic properties and can be identified as one of nature's most effective multi-use oils. Zea sells a range of products containing Kunzea, but the most popular signature item is undoubtedly the pain relief cream

Soon after finishing university, Hayden launched Zea - a natural personal care range based solely on Kunzea.

Working from his share house bedroom, Hayden started the company in 2016 with help from his dad, though the products were developed in conjunction with the country's leading botanical scientists in Kunzea research.

Unfortunately, Hayden's dad passed away a few months after the launch, and while it was a difficult time, he became motivated 'more than ever' to continue its growth.

In the first year alone the brand turned over $70,000 compared to $600,000 in 2018-2019 and $3.2million last financial year.

Kunzea has also been described by many as the 'natural alternative' to Voltaren or Deep Heat.

'Kunzea is a cousin of tea tree oil, but we believe it has the potential to be even bigger on the global stage. The plant flourishes in Tasmania's north east and the islands of Bass Strait, such as Flinders Island,' Hayden said.

What is Kunzea? Kunzea is a rare genus of plant that is endemic to Australasia and is native to the cooler coastal areas of Australia (Southern New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania) Kunzea ambigua, also known as 'White Cloud', 'Tasmanian Kunzea', 'Zea Oil' and 'Tick Bush', is a tall shrub that grows up to three metres in height. Australian Kunzea is the signature ingredient at Zea. In fact, the name Zea (pronounced zee-ah) Source: Zea Advertisement

Happy customer Geoff Surtees said the cream works to instantly relieve his pain as it quickly absorbs into the skin

Today the brand sells a range of products containing Kunzea, from essential oils to honey, but the most popular item is the pain relief cream.

Customer Geoff Surtees said the cream quickly relieves his pain thanks to its fast absorption.

The 63-year-old stumbled across the brand at the Sydney Easter Show four years ago after suffering from agonising knee pain and has used it ever since.

'It's absolutely phenomenal - I can climb the stairs now and don't need to always check where the lift is. I carry a tube with me wherever I go now,' Geoff told Daily Mail Australia.

'Before I started I had tried all the other similar products on the market but after trying the Zea cream I haven't looked back.

'It has made such a difference as I was struggling to get out of bed each day, walking and stairs were not an option.'

Geoff said only a pea-sized amount of cream is required.

The anti-inflammatory product contains 100 per cent natural active ingredients, as well as Vitamin E for muscle, joint and mild nerve pain.

'Kunzea is a cousin of tea tree oil, but we believe it has the potential to be even bigger on the global stage. The plant flourishes in Tasmania's north east and the islands of Bass Strait, such as Flinders Island,' Hayden said

Zea's most recent focus has been on sustainability and being a profit-for-purpose business

'We have an ambitious goal of improving the quality of life of 10 million people worldwide by 2030,' Hayden said.

Zea's most recent focus has been on sustainability and being a profit-for-purpose business.

The company donates 1 per cent of all sales to environmental causes, and recently became a Certified B Corporation.

This means Zea has met the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.

All products are available on the Zea website and selected pharmacies around Australia.
CHISINAU, Moldova (AP)  U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday pledged Americas support to the small, Western-leaning former Soviet republic of Moldova that is coping with an influx of refugees from Ukraine and warily watching Russias intensifying war with its neighbor.

Blinken met with senior Moldovan officials who are appealing for international assistance in dealing with more than 120,000 refugees from Ukraine that it is now hosting while also seeking security reassurances against potential Russian aggression.

More than 230,000 people have fled into or passed through Moldova from Ukraine since the war began 11 days ago. Blinken said Moldovas welcoming of refugees is an inspiration to the world.

We admire the generosity of hospitality, the willingness to be such good friends to people who are in distress, and, indeed, I want to do everything we can to help you deal with the burden that this has imposed, he said.

Russia has troops in Moldova, a country of 2.6 million, stationed in the disputed territory of Transnistria, and they are being closely watched as Russian President Vladimir Putin presses ahead with the invasion of Ukraine.

This is a subject of high vulnerability and we watch it carefully," Moldovan President Maia Sandu said. She said there had not yet been any indication that the roughly 1,500 Russian soldiers based in Transnistria had changed posture but stressed that it was a concern given what is happening in Ukraine.

In this region now there is no possibility for us to feel safe," Sandu said.

Although it is neutral militarily and has no plans to try to become a member of NATO, Moldova formally applied to join the European Union just three days ago in a fast-track bid to bolster its ties with the West.

While we are facing this unprecedented circumstances, we are firmly committed to our path for European integration, Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita said. We believe that this is an agenda to transform Moldova into a modern, prosperous European state based on the fundamental values of human rights and the rule of law.

Blinken praised Moldovas European aspirations and said Moldova could count on U.S. support.

Moldova has chosen the path to democracy, a more inclusive economy, a closer relationship with the countries and institutions of Europe, and the United States supports Moldova in those efforts grounded in our respect for the neutrality thats enshrined in the constitution, he said.

Moldova is a powerful example of a democracy rising to the moment with vision and with determination," Blinken said.
RTHK: US working with Poland on jet fighters for Ukraine

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday that the United States was "working actively" on a deal with Poland to supply Ukraine with jets.

"Can't speak to a timeline but I can just say we're looking at it very, very actively," he told reporters during a visit to Moldova. (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2022-03-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
A case charging Joseph Thompson with motor vehicular homicide by negligent operation started in the district court in North Adams, but it won't end there. The case was moved to Pittsfield District Court to avoid a potential conflict of interest or the appearance of one.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy addresses the 76th Session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York City on Sept. 22, 2021. (Eduardo Munoz/Pool via Reuters)

Aussie PM Speaks With Ukraine President

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has told Prime Minister Scott Morrison in a phone call he deeply appreciates Australias military and humanitarian assistance after his country was invaded by Russian forces.

Mr Zelenskiy tweeted on Saturday night that he had updated Mr Morrison on the course of the war as well as risks to people and the environment due to the threat to Ukrainian nuclear and chemical facilities.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne had earlier expressed Australias concerns over shelling and a fire at a building near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant on Friday.

The fire was extinguished and international nuclear experts later said the facility was safe, with no radiation spikes reported.

Mr Zelenskiy said he deeply appreciated the military and humanitarian support from Australia, according to an official readout of the call, while Mr Morrison told him Australia stood with Ukraine against Russias aggression and unprovoked assault.

The prime minister also praised Ukraines incredible courage and condemned Russias actions on behalf of all Australians.

Australia is also supporting resolutions in the United Nations and backing International Criminal Court action in support of Ukraine.

The government has told superannuation funds it has a strong expectation they would review their investment portfolios and divest any holdings of Russian assets.

Liberal senator James Paterson, who chairs the parliamentary joint committee and intelligence and security, is currently on an official trip to the US where he was briefed in Washington and the United Nations.

He says there is some cautious optimism at the remarkable united response that the global community has presented Russia and President Putin.

There has been incredible resolve about enacting the highest possible costs on Putin and his cronies to deter and and deflate him from this course of action and hopefully get them to rethink the course of action they have embarked upon, Senator Paterson told Sky News Sunday Agenda program.

Federal Labors defence spokesman Brendan OConnor also told the program the Australian government has done the right thing in joining the condemnation and appropriate action and that includes lethal and non-lethal aid to Ukraine.

Our hopes of course that through such action well see an end to this violence and this conflict, and until we see anything like that, we need to ratchet up the pressure, Mr OConnor said.

If the government has any other options in so far as increased sanctions, whether it is targeting the oligarchs or is providing lethal aid through NATO, Labor supports that.
New License Plate to Boost Striped Bass Conservation

BOSTON  The Baker-Polito Administration announced Massachusetts is now offering a new specialty license plate available through the Registry of Motor Vehicles to promote conservation of striped bass.

The plate was custom designed by Cape Cod artist, Janet Biondi, and depicts a striped bass in pursuit of alewives, one of its favorite forage species. The striped bass license plate is now available to all motorists who are registering a vehicle in the Commonwealth. For motorists who already have a vehicle registered and want this new plate, they can visit Mass.Gov/myRMV to order one.

"Striped bass is the premier game fish in Massachusetts marine waters and an important component of our commercial fishery," said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides. "The purchase of these specialty license plates will enhance efforts to conserve and restore striped bass, river herring, and other marine fisheries that are vital to the Commonwealth's coastal ecology, economy, and culture."

After a campaign by the Massachusetts Environmental Trust (MET) and Department of Fish and Game's (DFG) Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) to gather support for the plate through pre-registrations, the plates are now being issued to approximately 900 pre-registrants. Like all specialty plates, the cost to the motorist is $40 every two years, in addition to the cost of a standard passenger plate every two years. This is the fourth specialty plate in Massachusetts that is offered by the MET including the right whale plate, the brook trout plate, and the Blackstone Valley plate.

"I want to thank the Registry of Motor Vehicles, the Massachusetts Environmental Trust, the Division of Marine Fisheries, and the many members of the public who supported this initiative from the beginning," said DFG Commissioner Ron Amidon. "We look forward to the visibility the license plate will provide for striped bass and river herring, and the enhanced programming for marine fisheries conservation."

The disbursement of the funds for the striped bass plate will be overseen by a review panel that includes striped bass experts from DMF, academia, a conservation organization, and recreational and commercial fishermen. Additionally, funds will be used for new grants and programming that supports studies and conservation initiatives, including studies of striped bass populations, stock structure, movements, and local ecology; habitat improvements to enhance passage of diadromous fish (e.g., river herring, eels), thereby enhancing forage for striped bass; studies of angler practices to improve hook-and-release survival; and angler education to improve the conservation of marine fisheries resources.

"The RMV is pleased to add this new plate type to the Commonwealth's inventory of special plates," said Registrar Colleen Ogilvie. "We have made it easy to get the striped bass license plate as it can be ordered online and then will be mailed to the customer."
PANAMA CITY BEACH  A pedestrian was killed early Sunday when she was hit by a vehicle on Front Beach Road, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The pedestrian, a 49-year-old woman from Fall River, Massachusetts, was struck by a SUV about 1:10 a.m. Sunday, just west of Joan Avenue, while crossing the road. The SUV was being driven by a 42-year-old man from Panama City Beach.

The woman was transported to Ascension Sacred Heart/Bay Medical Center where she died from her injuries, FHP reported.

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Pedestrian from Massachusetts hit, killed in Panama City Beach Florida
The basic pension is not paid one after another... I need to get a loan to pay for my living expenses.
TAYLORSVILLE  Catawba Valley Community Colleges Alexander Center for Education unveiled a new Industrial Systems Lab on Thursday designed to provide workforce valued credentials and grow the local workforce.

This is a great day, said CVCC President Garrett Hinshaw. This is one of those things that we started envisioning with the county commissioners many years ago. Weve talked about the commitments that we would need to make, and those commitments have come to reality.

The Industrial Systems Lab was equipped through several community grants, including a $460,000 grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation, whose mission is to support rural economic development with a main focus on workforce development and projects that support it. The grant was received directly by CVCC with support of CVCC Foundation, Inc.

The Golden LEAF grant is part of the Golden LEAF Foundationss Community-Based Grants Initiative (CBGI).

Golden LEAF is dedicated to the long-term economic advancement of North Carolina, said Scott T. Hamilton, Golden LEAF President, Chief Executive Officer. Golden LEAF is pleased to support the Industrial Systems Program at Catawba Valley Community Colleges Alexander County campus. This project will help train high school students, traditional college age students, and incumbent workers in Alexander County for careers with advanced manufacturing companies in the area.

The main goal for this Industrial Systems Lab, which is approximately 4,000 square feet, will be to train future talent for business and industry in Alexander County.

We dont have a feeder for CVCC unless our students from Alexander County are coming into our programs and moving into the workforce, Hinshaw said. Thats our ultimate goal with this center is to be a workforce innovation area that we can continue to build upon and grow and really set Alexander County up to do economic development and enhance its community and citizenry, but most of all provide the opportunities for young people because without them we dont have business, industries and workers. Weve got to work together to continue to encourage our young people to look at these opportunities. The wages they can make in these fields are amazing. We want them to stay here in this region above all else.

The first classes at the Industrial Systems Lab are already underway with 11 students enrolling for the initial wave.

This has been a long-term project here in the county, said Roy Bearden, senior vice president of Craftmaster Furniture. We found out a long time ago that if youre going to have quality employees youve got to grow them. Youve got to recruit people and the facilities to train them. We are absolutely blessed here in Alexander County to have this facility located here. You dont have to drive to Hickory or another location to train. You can do it right here.

Part of the grant also involves the Alexander County School System for career college promise (CCP) students  continuing to build the pipeline for skilled workers in Alexander County.

We are excited about this lab, said Brett Fansler, executive director for the Alexander Center. There is a school system connection and an industry connection. Thats the main thing. We want to get people trained in this line of work because theres a huge demand in not only Alexander County, but in this region.

For more information about CVCCs Alexander Center for Education, visit https://bit.ly/3IphEHo or contact Fansler at 828-632-8221 ext 302 or email bfansler065@cvcc.edu.
Madhya Pradesh Crisis LIVE: Jyotiraditya Scindia is likely to be sent to the Rajya Sabha and he may get a berth in the Union cabinet if his rebellion against the Congress leads to the collapse of the Madhya Pradesh government, as the BJP assumes. (Photo Credit: Facebook)

New Delhi:

Political instability continues to emerge from Madhya Pradesh where the resignation of Jyotiraditya Scindia has plunged the state into chaos. Scindia quit the Congress after a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and may join the BJP as the saffron party set in wave its strategy to tumble the Kamal Nath government to seize power there. Scindia, a leading Congress member for years, drove to the house of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The two leaders then went to the prime minister's residence where they held discussions for over an hour. Soon after his consultation with Modi, the former Congress Leader gave his resignation to partys interim president Sonia Gandhi, stating it was now time for him to move on.

Scindia is likely to be sent to the Rajya Sabha and he may get a berth in the Union cabinet if his rebellion against the Congress leads to the collapse of the Madhya Pradesh government, as the BJP assumes.

Here are the highlights

17:48 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In We are waiting to see what happens in Madhya Pradesh. People have faith in Kamal Nath Ji's abilities: NCP Chief Sharad Pawar

16:08 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In MadhyaPradesh Congress MLAs reach Buena Vista Resort in Jaipur.



Imarti Devi, recently resigned Congress MLA from Madhya Pradesh: All 22 MLAs are here (in Bengaluru) on their own will. We're happy Scindia ji has taken this decision. I'll always stay with him even if I had to jump in a well. When we were in Congress,Kamal Nath ji never heard us pic.twitter.com/rz8hqIJSgj

 ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2020



16:03 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Very happy today. Govt will be formed under Shivraj Singh Chouhan's leadership. We're happy as I've worked under him&I know what wonderful schemes we had for people & today we don't have those. Best wishes to my nephew, hope we'll have a good aunt-nephew combination: Yashodhara Scindia

16:02 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In If there was anyone in Congress who was popular, it was 'Maharaj' (Jyotiraditya Scindia) so we used to say 'Maaf Karo Maharaj'. Ab Maharaj aur Shivraj ek hain, BJP mein: Shivraj Singh Chouhan, BJP on party's slogan Hamara neta Shivraj, Maaf karo Maharaj during state election.

16:01 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In It's a joyous day for BJP & me personally. Today, I remember Rajmata Scindia ji. Jyotiraditya Scindia has become a member of BJP family. Yashodhara ji is here with us. Entire family is with BJP. They have a tradition where politics is a medium to serve people: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

15:19 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Madhya Pradesh MLAs arrive at Jaipur airport Over 80 Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh arrived at the Jaipur airport around 2.30 pm in a special flight from Bhopal.

15:12 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Jyotiraditya Scindia: I can say with confidence that the aim of public service is not being fulfilled by that party (Congress). Besides this, the present condition of the party indicates that it is not what it used to be.

15:08 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Jyotiraditya Scindia: There have been 2 life changing events for me - one, the day I lost my father and the second, yesterday when I decided to choose a new path for my life...The Congress party is not anymore the party that it was earlier.

15:08 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Jyotiraditya Scindia: I would like to thank JP Nadda ji, PM Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah that they invited me to their family and gave me a place in it.

15:00 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In

BJP president JP Nadda tells Jyotiraditya Scindia: "BJP is a very democratic party and everyone has a say in the party. I want to assure you that you will be given a prominent role with us."



14:39 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Jyotiraditya Scindia reaches BJP headquarters. To join party shortly.

13:54 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Delhi: BJP leader Zafar Islam arrives at Jyotiraditya Scindia's residence.

13:47 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Congress leader DK Shivakumar in Bengaluru: No one can destroy Congress. Leaders may come, leaders may go, that doesn't make any difference. All the MLAs (Madhya Pradesh) who are here don't want to lose their membership. I am sure they will understand, go back and save the govt.

13:09 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In 95 Congress MLAs reach Bhopal airport, to leave for Jaipur: Madhya Pradesh Minister

13:00 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Over 80 Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh to arrive in Jaipur soon: Sources Amid the political crisis in Madhya Pradesh, over 80 Congress MLAs from the state are expected to arrive in Rajasthan on Wednesday afternoon, sources said.

12:57 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In 'Madhya Pradesh virus won't enter Maharashtraa: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut Taking a dig at political developments in Madhya Pradesh, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday his party-led Maharashtra government is safe and that the virus will not enter the western state... Read Here

12:15 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Senior Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Sajjan Singh Verma on his meeting with 19 party MLAs who tendered their resignations: Nobody is ready to go with Scindia ji. They said they were misled and taken to Bengaluru, most of them said they are not ready to join BJP.

12:14 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh arrives at Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath's residence in Bhopal.

12:14 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Congress MP Nakul Nath (son of Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath): MLAs who have gone to Karnataka will soon return to the Congress fold. I am very confident the government will survive.

10:32 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In 'Most will return': DK Shivakumar says in touch with rebel Congress MLAs.

10:30 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Madhya Pradesh Home Minister, Bala Bachchan: Congress is in a safe & strong position. Everybody is in touch with Chief Minister, everything will be alright soon. We will prove majority on the floor of the assembly and our government will continue till 2023.

09:15 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Digvijaya Singh says nothing in Chambal division moved without Jyotiraditya Scindia's consent in the last 16 months. "No question he was not at all sidelined. In fact, please ask any Congress Leader from MP particularly from Gwalior Chambal Division and you would come to know nothing moved in this area without his consent in the last 16 months. Sad. But I wish him well under ModiShah Tutelage (sic)!" he tweeted.

09:03 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Madhya Pradesh Congress MLA Arjun Singh: Congress and Kamal Nath's government will remain. You will see on 16th, numbers (of MLAs) will stay the same. Him (Jyotiraditya Scindia) leaving doesn't affect anything, days of Rajas-Maharajas are long gone.

09:02 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Jyotiraditya Scindia was not at all sidelined, says Congress leader Digvijaya Singh.

08:55 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Congress tasks senior leaders for crisis management in Madhya Pradesh.





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New Delhi:

The tally of those infected by COVID-19 disease has gone up to 62 in India. Fresh cases have been reported from Kerala and Maharashtra. Amid confusion over latest visa rules, the government has clarified that those who are already in India need not worry. The government say that the tourists staying in India can extend their visa after contact authorities concerned. The officials have clarified that the amended visa rules are meant for fresh arrivals only. Worldwide, over 4,000 deaths have been reported due to the coronavirus outbreak. While the rate of deaths in China has gone down significantly, situation remains tense in Italy and Iran. As the world grapples to contain the impact of the coronavirus outbreak, here are all latest updates on coronavirus outbreak:

22:06 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Class 10th examination is going on right now. So wait for two days, all schools and colleges will be closed if needed: Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray.

22:06 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Union Home Secretary being Chairman of National Executive Committee delegates its power under clauses of Disaster Management Act, 2005 to Secretary Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to enhance preparedness and containment of Coronavirus.

22:05 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In All existing visas, except diplomatic, official, UN/International Organizations, employment, project visas, stand suspended till 15th Apr. This will come into effect from 1200 GMT on 13th Mar 2020 at the port of departure: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India

20:05 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The Jammu and Kashmir administration has ordered closure of all educational institutes across the union territory till March 31 as a precautionary measure amid the coronavirus scare.

19:55 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Two Goa-based persons- a man who had travelled to Italy and Finland, and a woman who returned to the state from Dubai, were quarantined here on Wednesday for possible novel coronavirus exposure as they complained of cough and fever on their arrival.

19:55 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Singapore confirmed 12 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, including eight persons who tested positive after coming from abroad, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases in the island-nation to 178.

19:28 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Two persons in Mumbai have tested positive for coronavirus, health officials said on Wednesday.

17:48 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In 3 suspected coronavirus cases are under observation in a hospital. Their test results are awaited.: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee

16:16 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Delhi government calls special Assembly session on March 13 to discuss NRC-NPR issue, coronavirus situation.

16:13 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Two employees working with IT companies Dell and Mindtree have been tested positive for coronavirus, according to company statements.

16:12 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In States/UTs asked to ensure sanitation of public transport vehicles as part of coronavirus control and containment measures: Government

14:41 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The health condition of an 85-year old woman being treated for COVID-19 at the isolation ward of the government medical college hospital is serious, health officials said on Wednesday. In view of her chronic health condition like heart disease, she is serious while her 96-year old husband is stable, they said. They are the parents of a coronavirus affected man who returned from Italy on February 29 along with his wife and 24-year old son.

14:10 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In An Air India pilots' grouping has urged civil aviation regulator DGCA to exempt pilots from the mandatory pre and post-flight alcohol tests, amid coronavirus scare.

14:09 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The Kerala state government has sent at least 45 people who returned from COVID-19 hit Italy to various health facilities, official sources say.

14:09 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Sri Lanka announces its first coronavirus case, a 52-year-old tour guide who had come in contact with a group of Italian tourists.

14:08 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In China reports 22 new coronavirus deaths, taking the death toll to 3,158, health officials say.

13:39 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday clarified that no tweet has been posted by his office on closure of educational institutions in the state in view of the coronavirus scare. The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) posted a screenshot of the 'fake' tweet, attributed to Sawant's personal Twitter account, about the education department directing for closure of all schools and colleges in the coastal state.

13:03 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The Government of India says 10 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed. Eight cases are from Kerala and 1 each from Rajasthan and Delhi. Total cases rise to 60 across the country.

12:52 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The coronavirus death count in the US increased to 31, while the infected cases surged past 1,000 as the country grappled to contain the virus that has spread to over 30 states with many declaring a state of emergency. A total of 1,037 people have been confirmed COVID-19 positive in the country, according to a tally by the John Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

12:13 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In German automaker BMW does not see any impact of supply chain disruption on its India operations till June due to the coronavirus outbreak, a top company official said. The company said it will have to assess the impact of the outbreak on the products coming in after June.

11:43 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Uber may suspend the accounts of riders and drivers who have contracted COVID-19 or have been exposed to it.

11:40 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Delhi High Court asks Central Government and Delhi Government to file response on the plea seeking proper preventive measures to control coronavirus.

11:14 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Air India AI-138 from Milan to Delhi has been taken to isolation bay at Delhi Airport; at present, all passengers are going through screening at the airport, reports ANI.

10:14 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Panama's health minister has confirmed eight cases of the new coronavirus in the country, including one death, the first virus-linked death in Central America.

09:02 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Massachusetts Institute of Technology cancels all classes from March 16 till March 20. Undergraduates should not return to campus after spring break, the MIT circular said.

08:41 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Pakistan has witnessed a sudden increase in coronavirus cases with the number of patients rising to 19 on Tuesday, officials said. All but one of the new 19 cases were reported from Sindh province.

08:40 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In New York has deployed National Guard troops for the first time in the coronavirus crisis to help contain the spread of the disease from an infection-hit suburb of New York City.

08:39 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Air Canada announced Tuesday it was suspending daily flights to Italy after the Mediterranean country banned public gatherings and restricted travel to help fight the spread of the novel coronavirus.

08:38 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Turkey has announced its first coronavirus case, a man who had recently travelled to Europe and is in good health. "The test of a patient suspected of carrying the coronavirus returned positive," Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said in a television broadcast.

08:38 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In A Times of India report says that an Indian-origin man has died due to coronavirus in the UK. The man has been identified as one Manohar Krishna Prabhu. He was in his late 80s.

08:35 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In With number of confirmed cases going in double digit, Kerala has decided to impose partial shutdown across states. Schools, cinemas are being close. People are being told to avoid mass gatherings.

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By every measure, Carlos Gonzales is the perfect example of academic success at the University of Wyoming.

Gonzales is the universitys top graduating male in 2021. Hailing from Buffalo, he is now in the process of obtaining his Ph.D. in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at Penn State. He was prepared to succeed in his doctoral program thanks to the rigor and expectations of his major: gender and womens studies at Wyomings lone four-year university.

But for a time, it appeared the gender studies department might lose its funding.

The Wyoming Senate passed a Feb. 25 budget amendment that would have defunded the department. The amendment threatened three degree programs, dozens of courses, research ventures and multiple faculty jobs at one of the oldest gender studies departments in the nation.

On Friday, a compromise hatched in a legislative committee spared the program for the time being. But the Senates vote reverberated beyond the department itself, sparking a broader conversation about the future of education in Wyoming and the Legislatures role in deciding what should be taught in the states classrooms.

Senate action

The budget amendment to strip UWs gender studies program of its funding appeared on the Senate floor at the end of a grueling week of legislation, with lawmakers working to develop the states fiscal plan while contending with dozens of other bills. It was about 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 25, when Sen. Cheri Steinmetz, R-Lingle, rose to explain her amendment.

Framed as an effort to stop teaching UW students to be activists, Steinmetzs amendment succeeded in a 16 to 14 vote. The amendment barred any general funds, federal funds or other funds under the control of the university for the purpose of gender studies courses, academic 8 programs, co-curricular programs or extracurricular programs.

Steinmetz portrayed the department as out of step with the values of the state that supports and funds the university. Learning what was being taught in the department caused her to lose sleep, she said.

The lawmaker highlighted some phrases on the departments website and in its learning outcomes that she took particular issue with. You will learn how to articulate the history, strategies, and goals of interconnected movements for social justice, one states. Steinmetz noted another one that lists, Translate feminist and social justice theories into service or activism in its learning objectives.

I dont believe its an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars, she said.

The departments top official says senators focused on certain words but missed the larger picture of what the program actually entails.

We obviously teach social movements because many social movements have organized around gender and sexuality, said Dr. Michelle Jarman, director of gender and womens studies at UW. The bringers of this amendment are focusing on one word in the syllabus.

Critics of the move, meanwhile, say the Senate was unnecessarily meddling in the universitys curriculum without taking the time to understand the department.

This is a Senate that has decided that it wants to run full bore down the culture war road without acknowledging the consequences, said Sabrina King, lobbyist for the ACLU. They dont have any clue what theyve even done because all they care about is the culture war.

The department

The gender and womens studies department resides within the University of Wyomings School of Culture, Gender and Social Justice. The program consists of one major and two minors across the undergraduate and graduate schools.

In the last five years, the gender and womens studies department graduated 81 students. In the 2021 fall semester, there were roughly 450 students enrolled in gender and womens studies classes, including those that are cross-listed with other departments.

The advent of the womens studies program started in the late 1970s with a few classes, and it was formalized into a major in the 1990s. The gender studies department also includes a queer studies minor, which began in 2007.

The department has raised eyebrows before, Jarman said, but nothing as direct as the budget amendment.

Leaders of the program say the budget revision would have completely wiped out all funding for the department if it had been enacted. Jarman said that would have been devastating.

Jacquelyn Bridgeman, a law professor and the director of the Culture, Gender and Social Justice program, said that no one from the Legislature reached out to the department ahead of the Senate vote.

It would appear that they have no idea what the content of the courses is, Bridgeman said after the Senates vote, but before the legislative compromise. They made assumptions, they didnt talk with us to understand how courses are actually taught.

University reaction

Santi Murrilo, a former UW student who minored in gender and womens studies, said she didnt understand why Steinmetz took issue with the department.

I think theyre so afraid that people will stand against what they believe in and shut them down, she said. Ive taken classes where I didnt 100% agree with what was being taught, but thats the point of university, you have to be open to other ideas. Were in the Equality State, where women were first given the right to vote, are we not allowed to talk about that anymore?

Gonzales, the 2021 winner of the Tobin Memorial Award as the University of Wyomings outstanding graduating male, pushed back on the idea that students were being forced to think a certain way.

The professors were not actively pursuing any political ends, Gonzales said. We were never indoctrinated into some way or thinking or way of doing. What I did with those tools is beyond the control of those professors.

UW student Riley Skorcz, who is majoring in speech, language and hearing sciences and has taken courses in the gender studies program, thinks legislators who supported the Senate amendment were disconnected from their constituency and disconnected from the university.

I just wish that legislators would interact with the population that theyre affecting, she said.

Actions like those in the Senate exacerbate the problem of young people leaving the state for opportunities elsewhere, advocates for the program say. Skorcz said she plans to leave as soon as she graduates, while Gonzales already has.

I consider myself almost proudly part of this exodus, where I took the courses I wanted in order to meet my own needs, and as soon as I was presented the opportunity, I left to an environment where I dont really feel threatened or that the topics are going to be controlled by some political motivations, Gonzales said.

University of Wyoming President Ed Seidel and Executive Vice President Kevin Carman sent out a statement to the UW community following the Senate vote. In it, they said they disagreed with the Senate position and had serious concerns of both practice and principle with the amendment.

History

Steinmetz has spoken out before concerning the department. She expressed her opposition to the coursework at a Joint Appropriations Committee meeting in the fall, but had not formally taken action before the Senate amendment.

During the Feb. 25 discussion, she shared a handout with lawmakers that highlighted a number of department learning objectives that she took issue with, such as understanding historical and contemporary context in which women, queer, and gender non-conforming individuals have exercised their agency and connecting crip, queer, critical race and ethnic studies approaches to place, environments, and the land.

Steinmetz is known as one of the Legislatures more prominent social conservatives, often weighing in on issues pertaining to the LGBTQ community.

In 2014, a municipal court judge in Sublette County made a statement to a local news outlet about her unwillingness to perform a same-sex marriage due to her religious beliefs. The Wyoming Supreme Court ultimately censured the judge for violating the states judicial code. Steinmetz was a vocal advocate of the judge and wrote a blog post for the Wyoming Pastors Network voicing her support in the context of religious freedom and free speech.

In the 2017 general session, she was the prime sponsor on a bill that would have allowed people to sue employers if their workplaces policies about LGBTQ workers conflicted with their religious or moral convictions. At the time, the American Civil Liberties Union said the bill would legalize discrimination against same-sex couples and transgender people.

The bill was eventually withdrawn by its sponsors.

In 2018, she also wrote that some proposed transgender protection policies conflict with the overwhelming main stream majority of Goshen County and Wyoming Citizens around the time that the Eastern Wyoming College Board of Trustees was voting on the measures.

Critics of the amendment saw it as representative of animosity toward the LGBTQ community.

The [amendment] stands for something larger, Gonzales said. The bill signifies ... Wyomings continual hatred against LGBTQ people.

Steinmetz, however, denied that the amendment was about anything beyond addressing how taxpayer dollars are spent.

This is an issue of the proper use of public funds, she said in a brief comment to the Star-Tribune via text. Nothing more.

A relative rarity

Lawmakers have criticized university programs before. In 2017, Sen. Anthony Bouchard, R-Cheyenne, got into an argument with students over an academic project related to guns. The students said the senator threatened to end funding for their program, which he denied.

But university representatives say the Legislature hasnt gone so far as to actually attempt to remove funding from programs it disagreed with until last month.

I dont remember seeing anything quite like this, said Bridgeman, whos in her 20th year at the school. To do that kind of targeted legislation...that is pretty unprecedented.

UW spokesperson Chad Baldwin also said that he couldnt think of a specific example that matches the Senates actions, although he said that, over the years, there have been some concerns in the Legislature about certain activities at UW.

That said, the amendment used similar language to another gender-related amendment to the universitys budget dating back to the 2020 session.

Like Steinmetzs amendment says, the 2020 amendment barred the school from using general funds, federal funds or other funds, but in that case the money was blocked from going towards elective abortions or group health insurance that provides coverage for students elective abortions.

Academic freedom

This session, lawmakers have pursued multiple measures that attempt to influence whats being taught in Wyoming. The others have sought to bar the teaching of critical race theory in the states K-12 schools or require the disclosure of teaching materials on a website.

But some legislators see a difference between getting involved in the teaching of younger children and university students.

When we send them to the university, youre turning them loose. Theyre adults, said Sen. Drew Perkins, R-Casper, during the debate on the Senate floor. You turn them out to be ready for an adult world, and you dont have to agree with the point of view to learn about it.

The amendment prompted a larger discussion about the Legislatures role in the states academics system. Some legislators say their purview extends into the universitys instruction.

Academic freedoms been hijacked folks, said Sen. Larry Hicks, R-Baggs. It was never the intention that nobody else gets to weigh in on what we teach at the university, but it seems to be present that academic freedom means that if youre not smart enough or intellectual enough and work for a university then you dont get a say so in the process. Is that what intellectual freedom actually means?

Steinmetz referred to the handout she shared with lawmakers before the Senate vote and pointed to Sen. Charlie Scotts testimony on the floor. The Natrona County Republican characterized the department as extremely biased and ideologically driven.

I think well hear complaints about how were interfering in the internals of the university, but I think what were really doing is sending them a message that they need to clean up their act in terms of the quality of the instruction thats being given, Scott said.

Perkins, who chairs the committee that drafts the budget bill, pushed back.

That was the hue and cry just a couple years ago about what was happening on college campuses around the nation about providing safe spaces so people didnt have to be exposed to certain points of view, he said. We were incensed at that. I was incensed at that. Well, this is just the other side of that coin.

Perkins noted that lawmakers could wade into these waters. But he questioned whether they should.

I still believe in limited government, he said. This is too much government for me. This is too much overreach.

A compromise

The Senate doesnt make budget decisions by itself. It must pass a state budget with the involvement of two other parties: the House of Representatives and the governor.

Because the House did not pass the same budget amendment, the matter  along with other differences  was sent to a committee of both senators and representatives.

That committee, of which both Perkins and Steinmetz are members, met Friday afternoon at the Capitol. Rather than pursing the Senate amendment, the panel decided on a compromise. The funding would stay.

Instead of removing the money, the committee voted to require the university to provide a report to two legislative panels on the schools general education requirements, as well as any policies or regulations that incentivize or disincentivize students to take certain coursework outside of their majors.

We reviewed it, discussed it, arm wrestled over it. We dont want to blow up a $2.5 billion budget over a few words, said Rep. Tom Walters, R-Casper, in a reference to the entire state budget.

While the program will keep its funding, the committees desire for the report suggests that at least some lawmakers are still curious, if not skeptical, about whats being taught at the university.

The students in the program, meanwhile, remain on the sidelines.

Skorcz said she has been working on her class registration for next semester and is interested in signing up for several upper division classes that involve studying gender and social justice. As she registered, she wondered if she was signing up for classes that ultimately wouldnt exist.
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Bhubaneswar, March 6 : Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik on Sunday sought urgent intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for continuance of studies of medical students who have returned from Ukraine to India.

In his letter to the Prime Minister, Patnaik said a large number of medical students from Odisha and other parts of India had to return back home due to war in Ukraine.

The disruption in their studies is likely to continue until cessation of the hostilities and restoration of normalcy in their universities in Ukraine, he said.

"This is an unprecedented crisis that has the potential of disrupting the careers of several thousands of young men and women who have already gone through the trauma of being in the war zone," the Chief Minister pointed out.

The Odisha CM sought urgent intervention of the Prime Minister with the National Medical Commission (NMC) and the ministries concerned to enable and facilitate continuance of their studies in the medical colleges in India from the stage from where their studies in Ukraine got disrupted.

Patnaik assured the Prime Minister full support from his government for implementing a workable solution for this purpose.

According to sources about 500 students from Odisha had gone to Ukraine to study medical courses. Many of them have returned to India in the middle of their courses following the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
A man from Phoenix was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison by a U.S. District Court judge on Friday after robbing six banks and stealing more than $28,000 in 2021.

Jeffrey Patterson, 46, was sentenced to 155 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Steven P. Logan.

According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Arizona, in early 2021, Patterson robbed six banks in Arizona. He was arrested in March 2021 by an FBI task force.

In each robbery, he approached a teller and produced a note demanding money. During his last robbery, Patterson's note also included a threat to shoot up the bank, the news release stated.

After the bank teller handed him money, Patterson pointed the handgun at the teller and demanded more. He stole more than $28,000, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Arizona said.

Patterson robbed a total of three Chase banks, two Wells Fargo locations and one National Bank of Arizona location. The banks were located in Phoenix, Chandler, Tucson, Tempe and Scottsdale.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Arizona, Patterson pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery, one count of armed robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.

Reach breaking news reporter Haleigh Kochanski at hkochanski@arizonarepublic.com or on Twitter @HaleighKochans.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Jeffrey Patterson gets 12 years for stealing $28K from Arizona banks
By Trend

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held telephone talks with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda today, reports the Office of the Presidential Administration of Turkey on Saturday, Trend reports.

According to the information, the situation in Ukraine was discussed during the talks.

The President of Turkey noted that he would continue to make every effort to restore peace between Russia and Ukraine.

During the talks, the parties exchanged views on the latest developments in the region.
The Bold and the Beautiful is famous for its unexpected plot twists. Since 1987, the fashion soap opera has entertained audiences with its drama, romance, glitz, and glam. Although the show often draws criticism, it knows how to bring the wow factor. Heres a look at a few of the most shocking plot twists in the shows history.

Karla Mosley I Cliff Lipson/CBS via Getty Images

Maya Avant is transgender was an unexpected The Bold and the Beautiful plot twist

Maya Avant (Karla Mosley) was part of one of the biggest The Bold and the Beautiful plot twists. The model became the new girlfriend of Rick Forrester (Jacob Young). She lived a luxurious life in the Forrester mansion until her sister Nicole Avants (Reign Edwards) unexpected arrival.

It was evident Maya was keeping a secret, and speculation was she was Nicoles mother. However, fans were shocked when Nicole revealed Maya was her brother Myron. The revelation Maya is transgender sparked a lot of media attention, and the show was applauded for the storyline, which taught love and acceptance.

RELATED: The Bold and the Beautiful: Jacob Young Disagreed Over Ending Rick and Maya

In a March 2015 interview with TV Line, Mosley said that she and the executive producer kept Mayas storyline a secret. I had to keep it from the rest of the cast and crew for a month. Reign Edwards, who plays Nicole, didnt know until the day before we got our scripts. Even then, on the day we were shooting it, some of the cameramen didnt know, Mosley explained.

Ridge Forresters real father was revealed

The Bold and the Beautiful couple Eric and Stephanie Forrester (John McCook and Susan Flannery) married when she became pregnant with Ridge Forrester (Thorsten Kaye). As the eldest of the Forrester children, Ridge has been included in many front-burner storylines. In 2001, Ridge had an accident that called his paternity into question.

Ridges blood work revealed Massimo Marone (Joseph Mascolo) as Ridges biological father, which stunned Stephanie. Despite his promise to keep her secret, Massimo yearned to become close with his son and offered Ridge a job at Marone Industries. Ridge took Massimos job offer, and the two grew closer; later, Ridge would learn the truth about his paternity.

Although Ridge bonded with Massimo, he remained close to Eric, considered his real dad.

Brooke Logan sleeps with Deacon Sharpe

Brooke Logan (Katherine Kelly Lang) had many romances over the decades, but none more shocking than Deacon Sharpe (Sean Kanan). Their relationship was shocking because Deacon was Brookes son-in-law.

RELATED: The Bold and the Beautiful Speculation: Will Brooke and Deacon Reignite Their Affair?

Their torrid affair began one night when Brooke was upset over losing Ridge, and Deacons marriage to Bridget Forrester (Ashley Jones) was on the verge of divorce. One thing led to another, and the two fell into bed together. Although they knew it was wrong, the two continued their affair, which resulted in Hope Logans (Annika Noelle) conception.

Taylor Hayes returns from the dead in a The Bold and the Beautiful twist

Returns from the dead are a common The Bold and the Beautiful twist. Its something Taylor Hayes (Krista Allen) has experienced twice. In 1994, she was presumed dead in a plane crash but, in actuality, was knocked out by a mugger who took her place. Prince Omar (Kabir Bedi) rescued an amnesic Taylor and held her captive in Morocco.

Eventually, an amnesiac Taylor regains her memory and returns to Los Angeles. She and Ridge reunite and go on to have a family. However, in 2002, tragedy struck the couple.

Sheila Carter (Kimberlin Brown) shoots Taylor, and she later dies in Ridges arms. But in 2005, Ridge notices a mystery woman he believes is Taylor. After digging up her grave, Ridge discovers a dummy in the coffin. Prince Omar then explains he kidnapped Taylor from the hospital and kept her in a coma for the past few years. Taylor then emerges from the shadows and to reunite with Ridge.

Quinn Fuller and Eric Forrester are a couple

Eric and Quinn Fuller (Rena Sofer) know how to create shockwaves. The couples recent marital problems generated a lot of attention, yet it couldnt compare to the early days of their relationship. In 2016, Quinn earned herself the title of The Bold and the Beautifuls newest villain. Her kidnapping of Liam Spencer (Scott Clifton) led many people to vilify her.

? It had to be you ? #BoldandBeautiful pic.twitter.com/IURJnSBoGz  Bold & The Beautiful (@BandB_CBS) November 16, 2021

Even Quinns son Wyatt Spencer (Darin Brooks) and daughter-in-law Steffy Forrester (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) didnt want anything to do with her. But a lonely Quinn found comfort with an unexpected beau. Viewers were stunned when Quinn arrived home to her mystery boyfriend, who turned out to be Eric.

Quinn and Eric quickly became a favorite couple as they fought against his familys disapproval. Its been over five years since their love story began, and despite their issues, theyve stayed together through thick and thin.

RELATED: The Bold and the Beautiful: Fans Loved This Sweet Moment With Quinn and Eric
On Monday, I had to undertake one of the hardest, most grueling assignments of my career  judging a coloring contest for the Food Bank of Wyoming.

Thick stacks of pages saturated with marker and crayon were plopped in front of me, Bob Breck of Breck Media Group and Mike Stepp from Donells Candies. We took the judging seriously, falling silent as we sifted through the works of art.

Some depicted a girl sitting down for a meal, or another sitting at a big dining table. Others colored Heatry, the food banks ambassador who teaches kids about food insecurity.

I hemmed and hawed over submissions from Cheyenne, Big Piney and everywhere in between. I tended to favor the kids who used the most colors, and the ones who embellished their pictures with words like Be kind! and Share and Yum! My favorite was probably a page done by Lucy, a third grader in Uinta County, who gave the girl in her drawing a glass of water, a plate full of green veggies and a thought bubble that reads I love food.

Victoria Ziton, the food banks community relations manager, said that the earlier you can teach children about food insecurity, the more easily theyll be able to identify it among their own friends and classmates and the more comfortable they will be asking for help. That also destigmatizes the issue, which is often much more common than those with stable access to food realize.

The food bank serves as a central distribution facility where other nonprofits or government-funded programs can get fresh produce, frozen and dry foods. They also send out mobile pantries across the state, mostly to smaller, rural communities that lack access to good groceries. It takes about a week for the entire stock (were talking two big warehouses with freezers the size of my apartment and shelves of cans to rival Sams Club) to be distributed, they said.

We got a tour of the food banks facilities after the judging was done, my first time taking a look at its inner workings. They were stocked up with a big shipment of pears, strawberries, lots of vegetable boxes and any canned good you could think of. If youre looking to pick up some food, theres a list of their partners who distribute it directly to people at wyomingfoodbank.org/find-food.

If youre looking to help out at the food bank, they said they can always use volunteers and donations. In particular, they said theyre looking for someone with a few hours a week to help out with some administrative office work. Those interested in volunteering can email wyominginfo@foodbankrockies.org or call the food bank at (307) 265-2172.

Are there any other organizations I should check out in Casper, or are you looking for places to get involved? Drop me a line at ellen.gerst@trib.com or give me a call at (307) 266-0544.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky is ready for direct negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin to secure peace, according to his officials.

The president's deputy chief of staff Andriy Sibiga made the announcement as other world leaders continue to mediate with Russia in a bid to halt its widely condemned invasion.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appealed for an urgent general ceasefire in Ukraine as he spoke with Russian leader Vladimir Putin by telephone today, his office said.

The two heads of state spoke several days ahead of a diplomatic forum which is due to take place in the southern Turkish city of Antalya from March 11 to 13 that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is due to attend.

In a statement after their one-hour phone call, Erdogan's spokesman said he told Putin that Turkey was ready to contribute to a peaceful resolution of the conflict, adding that a ceasefire would ease concerns over the humanitarian situation.

'President Erdogan renewed his call of "let's pave the way for peace together,"' his spokesman said .

Zelensky says he is willing to negotiate with Putin directly as he implored western leaders to impose a no fly zone over the country

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appealed for an urgent general ceasefire in Ukraine when he spoke with Russian leader Vladimir Putin by telephone today

'Erdogan emphasised the importance of taking urgent steps to achieve a ceasefire, open humanitarian corridors and sign a peace agreement.'

The two leaders also discussed bilateral ties.

Elsewhere, Israel's Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said today that his country had a 'moral obligation' to help stem fighting in Ukraine even if chances of success were 'not great', after shuttle diplomacy that saw him visit the Kremlin.

Bennett met for three hours with Putin at the Kremlin on Saturday, before flying to Berlin to meet Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

The Israeli premier, acting after Kyiv requested him to launch a dialogue with Moscow in the wake of Russia's invasion, has also held three phone calls in 24 hours with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Speaking before his weekly cabinet meeting, Bennett said he could 'not expand further' on his talks but that Israel would press on with its diplomatic efforts 'as needed.'

Israel's Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met for three hours with Putin at the Kremlin on Saturday, before flying to Berlin to meet Chancellor Olaf Scholz

'Even if the chance is not great - as soon as there is even a small opening, and we have access to all sides and the capability - I see this as our moral obligation to make every effort,' he said.

Bennett has so far walked a cautious line on the Ukraine conflict, seeking to preserve delicate security cooperation with Russia, which has a large military presence in Israel's northern neighbour, Syria.

Bennett has not joined Western leaders - notably its key ally the United States - in forcefully condemning the Russian invasion, instead stressing Israel's strong relations with Moscow and Kyiv.

His sit-down with Putin was the first by a foreign leader since the day Russian forces invaded Ukraine last week.

Bennett and Putin also discussed ongoing talks in Vienna aimed at reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, according to an Israeli official. Israel staunchly opposes that agreement.

Bennett's sit-down with Putin was the first by a foreign leader since the day Russian forces invaded Ukraine last week

On Saturday, Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog said they had agreed an approach for resolving issues crucial to restoring the nuclear pact, which began to unravel after the US unilaterally withdrew in 2018 and then ramped up sanctions on Tehran.

Those issues centred on outstanding questions the International Atomic Energy Agency has about the past presence of nuclear material at undeclared sites in Iran.

Shortly before news of Bennett's Moscow trip emerged, Russia said it would seek guarantees from the US before it backs a renewed Iran deal, potentially scuppering hopes of an imminent agreement.

There has been no comment by Israel on any link between Bennett's Russia-Ukraine diplomacy and any efforts by the Jewish state to oppose a new Iran deal.
New Delhi:

Paras Chhabra, who is currently seen in Mujhse Shaadi Karoge, revealed in an interview that his ex-girlfriend Akanksha Puri tried to get in touch with him post-Bigg Boss 13. However, he was busy with his next show so he couldnt meet her. In an interview with News 18, Paras revealed, ''Akanksha tried to contact me after I came out of Bigg Boss, but I have been busy from the very next day with my new show Mujhse Shaadi Karoge. Also, there is no point in clarifying anything now so it is better that we break up. I want to remove the tattoo of her name on my hand but have been busy with the show.''

Paras further revealed that his relationship with Akanksha hit a rough patch even before he entered the show. However, he did not break up with her then as he did not want to enter the Bigg Boss house on a bad note. ''My relationship with Akanksha was going through a rough phase and it would have ended anytime. When I was offered the show, during a fight she told me that now that you have got this show, so you will leave me. As I was coming for the show I did not want to do anything negative (break-up) in my life so I left it on hold. Also, I told her that if I get a girl on the show, I will move on,'' he said.

Recently, when Akanksha was asked about their relationship status, she had told Pinkvilla, ''I moved out way before..the day he disrespected me and lied about things in our relationship..for me it was over ..but I am not someone who will ever talk s**t about someone I have been with for so long because for me relationships doesnt happen everyday. I give my heart and soul and value every relationship in my life.'' She claimed of having no regrets and would cherish all the time they have spent together. She expressed happiness over his achievements and wished him all the best for his future endeavours.

Also Read: Akanksha Puri Modifies Tattoo Of Paras Chhabra's Name, Gets One That Reads Being Me Instead

Akanksha recently also removed the tattoo on her wrist with Paras' name on it. Akanksha shared pictures from her tattoo modification session on her Insta story. The tattoo, which earlier used to be Paras' name, is now a barcode with 'BEING ME' written along with it. Talking to TOI Akanksha explained her new tattoo, ''It's my time. I am dating my work and loving myself like never before. I am just #beingme in a world where everyone is trying to be fake and something else. Because you can never fail at being yourself so I am #beingme. I have got my name with the bar code. The below that I have written being me has been my hashtag for years.''

When Paras was asked about Akanksha's reowrk on her tattoo, he had told Pinkvilla, "Very good, even I wanted to do it and had thought I will get it done the next day after Bigg Boss but I haven't been getting the time to get it done."

Also Read: Our Relationship Was Over The Day He Disrespected Me: Akanksha Puri On Breakup With Paras Chhabra

On the professional front, Paras is currently seen in the reality show, Mujhse Shaadi Karoge where he will be looking for a suitable match for himself along with Shehnaaz Gill. However, he made it clear that even if he likes a girl on the show, the final decision will be taken by his mother.
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Denmarks daily newspaper Berlingske on Saturday published a special 16-page issue of Opinion dedicated to the war in Ukraine. We offer our readers one of the editorial columns of the special issue - from Ukrinform Director General Oleksandr Kharchenko.

Since February 24, the Ukrainian nation has been resisting Russias criminal invasion of their country. The resistance of Ukrainians to superior enemy forces came as a shocker for the whole of Europe and the rest of the world. While sending their wives, mothers, and children abroad, the remaining men join the Army and territorial defense forces, giving the occupying forces a rebufff not seen since the Second World War. Unarmed civilians are blocking enemy convoys of armored hardware on the streets of villages and towns, while some are throwing Molotov cocktails at Russian tanks.

Despite the fact that the Kremlin declaratively builds its foreign policy based on anti-fascism rhetoric, in fact, every year it plunges more and more into the swamp of neo-Nazism, supporting the far right around the world and turning the concept of the infamous Russian world into an analogue of the Nazi ideology of a dominant race. Russian chauvinism, intolerance, and transformation of authoritarianism into a dictatorship have created in Europe over the past 20 years a prototype of the Third Reich, threatening democracies in the region.

The invasion of Ukraine is unfolding in line with Hitler's patterns, including propaganda-ridden justification for the causes of aggression. The denial of the right of nations that have liberated themselves from communist dictatorship to gain independence and sovereignty pushes the Kremlin regime to destroy the states that gained sovereignty after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Faced with fierce resistance from the Ukrainians, Vladimir Putin, realizing the collapse of his blitzkrieg, resorted to a tactic that the Russians had worked out over the years of supporting the Assad regime in Syria: the annihilation of large cities. This tactic is aimed at forcing the population to flee the cities, which reduces the level of resistance of territorial defense forces.

On the third day of war, Russian troops launched Iskander ballistic systems, as well as Grad and Hurricane rockets to attack large cities: Kyiv, Kharkiv, Zhytomyr, Chernihiv, and Odesa. Residential blocks, schools, kindergartens, maternity hospitals were hit as well. Moscows occupying troops are in fact committing an act of genocide in Ukraine, along with other war crimes. Several cases were reported where social infrastructure facilities were mined and children's toys with IEDs inside were left lying on the streets. As people are resisting in their local communities, the Russians open fire to kill, while in a number of regions they even take hostage members of families of Ukrainian servicemen in order to force troops to lay down their arms. However, despite the fact that Russias military potential is much greater than that of Ukraines defense forces, the latter inflict crushing blows on the occupying troops. Twenty-nine Russian warplanes and as many helicopters, over 800 armored vehicles, nearly 200 tanks, and 6,000 KIAs  these are the figures testifying is to the Ukrainians resolve to defend their independence and their European choice.

History repeats itself, and 83 years later, Europe is once again witnessing a massive war unleashed by a dictator, in which civilians are suffering and crimes against humanity are being committed. The Ukrainians have already branded this Ruscism - mixing the words Russia and fascism.

The European community is now faced with a choice: priority of democratic values, respect for international law and freedoms, or flirting with the aggressor. We had once already faced that choice back in 1939. And opting for the latter path led the world to a global disaster. Today, Russian aggression in Ukraine makes us see what our grandparents saw in World War 2: carpet bombing of cities, killings of civilians, propaganda and total lies on the part of the aggressor. As we remember, appeasing Hitler in the 1930s never led him to abandoning his desire for world hegemony.

Will we stop Putin today, together, or, having swallowed Ukraine, like Hitler once had Czechoslovakia and Poland, will we enter the Third World War with all its horrors and sufferings?

Theres still a choice to make.

Oleksandr Kharchenko, Director General of the Ukrainian National News Agency Ukrinform
Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia today said that nearly 16,000 Indian nationals have been evacuated out of Ukraine under "Operation Ganga" so far.

On Sunday, 2,135 Indian citizens returned back home on Sunday through 11 special civilian flights from Ukraine`s neighbouring countries. Among the special civilian flights on Sunday, nine landed in New Delhi while two in Mumbai. There were six flights from Budapest, two from Bucharest, two from Rzeszow and one from Kosice.

"The number of Indians airlifted by 66 special civilian flights goes up to 13,852. Till date, the IAF has flown 10 sorties to bring back 2,056 passengers while taking 26 tonnes of relief load to these countries as part of Operation Ganga," Union Ministry of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia said in a statement on Sunday.

On Monday, eight special flights are expected to operate from Budapest (5), Suceva (2) and Bucharest (1), evacuating more than 1,500 Indians back home.

Live TV
New Delhi, March 6 : An Indian student, who was left injured after being allegedly shot with a bullet in Ukraine's capital Kiev, is set to return to India on Monday, Union Minister V.K. Singh said on Sunday.

The Minister shared information about injured Indian student, Harjot Singh.

V.K. Singh is currently in Poland to ensure the safe return of Indian nationals trapped amid the Ukraine-Russia war.

The Union Minister in a tweet said, "Harjot Singh is an Indian student who was allegedly shot during the war in Kiev. He also lost his passport during the firing. I am glad to inform you that he will return to India with me on Monday. Hope he has a speedy recovery soon with home made food and care." Harjot Singh, a Delhi resident, was trying to return to India along with his friends during the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia. Due to lack of space in the train, he booked a cab to reach the Poland border, but on his way he was suddenly stopped and asked to return back to Ukraine.

As soon as the cab driver took a u-turn, shelling started. Amid this firing, Harjot Singh was shot and was left injured. He lost his passport during the incident.

The Indian government acted swiftly as soon as they received information about the incident. Following this, immediate arrangements were made for his treatment by the Indian embassy.

The Indian government has started 'Operation Ganga' programme to rescue the Indians nationals stranded in Ukraine.
Gurugram, March 6 : Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday interacted with students who returned from Ukraine, and their parents. He assured them that he will convey the suggestions received from them (students) to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Haryana government will ensure that maximum help is extended to these students pursuing medicine in Ukraine, Khattar said.

Nearly 76 out of 91 students from Gurugram district have returned from Ukraine so far.

The Chief Minister interacted with these students during his stay in Gurugram.

He said a complicated situation has arisen before students due to the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, where nearly 18,000 to 19,000 Indian students were stranded, though most of them have come back now.

Khattar informed that there were nearly 1,800 students from Haryana in Ukraine, of which 1,234 have returned home till Saturday. Several students are still stranded at the border and are being evacuated while some have reached the Delhi and Mumbai airports.

"The Union government is in touch with them (students) and is concerned about them. When all the students will return from Ukraine, their future will be a matter of concern for the Indian government and the Indian Medical Council and we will abide by their decisions. We will convey the suggestions given by these students to the Prime Minister so that maximum help can be provided," he told the media.

While interacting with the students, Khattar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured that students whose courses have been completed, will be given internship. After completing their internship, they will have to pass the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination as per the rules.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has cut sod for work to begin on the first of planned nationwide construction of model STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)-based Junior High Schools at Essikado in the Western Region.

Known as the 21st Century schools, they are designed to equip the youth at their formative stages with the necessary foundation on which to acquire the skills and knowledge - at the Free SHS or Free TVET level and beyond - required to hold their own and properly compete for excellence in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is underpinned by science.

The Model STEM JHS form part of a broad, ongoing effort designed to reform Ghanas educational system and make it more responsive to the development needs of the nation and produce the critical mass of human resource necessary to drive the national development agenda.

When fully completed, the Essikado Model JHS and all subsequent ones will have five laboratories to provide practical training in Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science, and Robotics and Artificial Intelligence. It would also have facilities to train hundreds of pupils, dormitories, recreational and accommodation facilities for both students and teachers.

Speaking ahead of the sod cutting ceremony on Saturday, 5th March 2022, which was also attended by the Omanhene of Essikado, Nana Kobina Nketsiah V, MP for Essikado Ketan, Hon Joe Ghartey, Deputy Minister for Education, Hon Rev John Ntim Fordjuor, Vice President Bawumia insisted that Ghana cannot afford to be left behind in the Fourth Industrial revolution, hence the decision by the Akufo-Addo Government to reform the education sector and invest heavily in STEM education.

We were left behind in the earlier Industrial revolutions. What we cannot afford to do is to be left behind in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is underpinned by science, and therefore it is very important that we put in place all the building blocks that will allow Ghana to fully participate in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

But full participation means building the strong foundations. Yes, weve got to get our children in school and this is why we are putting in place Free Senior High School and Free TVET. But we also need to make sure that the foundations of science are there right from the beginning of the Second Cycle, at the Junior High School level.

So the Ministry of Education as part of its vision of re-imaging education is re-positioning the entire educational system to produce a critical mass of assertive and empowered Ghanaian students with essential skills for socio-economic transformation.

The skills that we need to inculcate in our students include critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, communication, collaboration, data literacy and digital and computer science which have been drawn from the broad pillars of foundational literacies, competencies and character qualities of the 21st century.

STEM education goes beyond school subjects; it gives a skill set that governs the way we think and behave, he explained. Merging science, technology, engineering and mathematics education would help students solve challenges the country faces today.

The STEM approach we are promoting to education fosters creativity and divergent thinking alongside fundamental disciplines and motivates and inspires young people to generate new technologies and ideas.

Ultimately Ghanas economic development and stability are dependent on our ability to invent and develop new products. This requires technological innovation which is obtainable through the expertise of specialists with knowledgeable science, technology, engineering and mathematics research, he emphasized.

Fijai @ 70

Earlier in the day, Vice President Bawumia, who was Guest of Honour at the 70th Anniversary celebration of Fijai Senior High School, Sekondi, reiterated Governments renewed focus on STEM education and skills acquisition, which he said, would help inculcate the can do spirit in Ghanaian youth.

Government is not only looking to the Free Senior High School policy as its developmental tool. Government is also looking to the introduction of the Technical Vocational Education and Training (T VET) as a powerful pathway to equip people with the technical and professional skills needed for socioeconomic and industrial development of the country.

To back this vision, Government is spending the equivalent of $500m to retool 54 TVET institutions, most of which are about 70% complete.

It is expected that the TVET would help improve productivity and competitiveness of the skilled workforce and to raise the income earning capabilities of people especially women and low income groups, through the provision of QualityOriented, IndustryFocused, CompetencyBased and Lifelong Learning training.

He challenged the students to develop a mindset of possibilities, with the belief that the Ghanaian is as mentally and physically capable as anyone in the world irrespective of race or location.

We have beaten them, and we can continue to beat them if we put our minds to it. I believe Ghana has the best talent in the world.
Kolkata: In an unprecedented step, the West Bengal government has decided to temporarily suspend internet services on the days of class 10 state board examination starting from Monday in some areas of the state to stop cheating, an official said.

The move was necessitated in the wake of reports of purported leak of question papers via social media platforms from some exam centres in several districts including Malda and Murshidabad within an hour of commencement of exams in 2019 and 2020, an official of West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) told PTI on Sunday.

The WBBSE conducts the examination which was not held last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The notice said intelligence reports have been received that internet transmission and voice over internet telephony may be used for "unlawful activities in certain areas over the next few days".

As assessment of the inputs "gives reason to believe that such unlawful activities are likely to occur in the absence of preventive measures", the administration has made the decision, it said.

Though the order did not specifically mention 'Madhyamik' examination, the area-specific clamp on the transmission of texts, images and videos will be in force from 11 am to 3:15 pm on March 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16 - the time and dates of the class 10 board exam.

The notification did not name the areas where the curb will be in force. The official said the places will be decided as per requirement. However, phone calls and SMS services will not be curbed anywhere.

According to a source, internet services were suspended on exam days earlier also but it was not announced.

WBBSE President Kalyanmoy Ganguly told PTI: "The board has no role in this issue. It is purely an administrative decision taken by the state secretariat."

Ganguly, however, said no question paper leak had taken place in 2019 and 2020 Madhyamik examinations as the "leaked" papers did not tally with the original ones.

"It was an act of mischief which failed to disrupt the process and we request all to bring to our notice any such act in future," he said.

Several other steps have also been taken to stop students from using unfair means in the examinations.

In a fresh guideline, the WBBSE stated that the candidates cannot go to the washroom till the first one hour and 15 minutes into the exam. Earlier, an examinee was permitted to leave the exam hall after 45 minutes.

There were allegations that examinees keep textbooks or written answers ready in toilets. Many exam centres will be under CCTV surveillance. Ganguly said these steps are being taken to prevent malpractices during the exams.

An estimated 6,21,931 girls and 4,96,890 boys will appear for the Madhyamik examination this year.

In 2021 when the class 10 board exam was not held, candidates were awarded marks based on evaluation criteria formulated by an expert committee constituted by the board.

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Hyderabad, March 6 : Telangana state Cabinet met on Sunday and approved the state budget for 2022-23.

The Cabinet meeting, presided over by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, was held at his official residence Pragati Bhavan. It approved the budget which will be presented in the Assembly by Finance Minister Harish Rao on Monday.

The Budget session of the state legislature will be beginning without the customary address by Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan.

The state government has defended the move on the ground that it is not a new session but a continuation of the earlier session.

However, the Governor has taken exception to this. "The House is meeting after five months. Under normal circumstances, when the House is convened after such a long interval, it is a new session, but the government has chosen to continue the earlier session," she said in a statement on Saturday.

The Governor expressed her displeasure over the government scrapping her address.

She, however, stated that she has given her recommendation for the presentation of the Budget as her primary intention is people's welfare.

"I, however, respecting the constitutional convention and going beyond political considerations and keeping up with the spirit of cooperative federalism, have conveyed my recommendation for the introduction of the Financial Bill. I had the liberty to take my time to give my recommendation. But knowing well that people's welfare is involved, and giving primacy to people's welfare, I gave my recommendation without any time lag," the Governor said.
New Delhi, March 6 : Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday said that media should not mix news with views and maintain objectivity in bringing facts to the people.

Naidu observed that people take the content of the news and broadcast media to be credible and media organisations should live up to their expectations. "Journalism should be treated as a mission," the Vice President said.

Releasing a collection of editorials titled 'Mutnuri Krishna Rao Sampadakeeyalu' in Hyderabad, Naidu highlighted the critical role of media as the 'fourth pillar of democracy' in protecting and preserving democracy. "Media is the vital channel of communication that can take the issues of the people to the government and the schemes and policies of the government to the people," he said.

Naidu stressed that the media has the right and responsibility to question and criticise the government and suggest alternative solutions. At the same time, he observed, media organisations should not rake up trivial issues and spread panic among the people.

Observing the tremendous impact the media has on people, the Vice President said that journalists should weigh the consequences on society of each word they print and broadcast. "They must remember that they are a part of society too", he added.

Naidu lauded journalists for their resilience and courage during the pandemic and said they have shown great grit and resolve in bringing out reports from the ground.

Naidu paid rich tributes to Shri Mutnuri Krishna Rao, the pioneering Telugu journalist and editor of the nationalist newspaper 'Krishna Patrika' from 1907 to 1945. He noted the lasting impact of both Shri Krishna Rao's work and Krishna Patrika in inculcating patriotism in the Telugu youth and in setting high standards in journalism during that time.

The Vice President appreciated Sri Marumamula Dattatreya Sharma for bringing out the book and hoped that it would make the present generation aware of the high standards of journalistic values set by Shri Krishna Rao.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has invited Tesla Founder and CEO Elon Musk to visit his country after the war.

A video of the meeting was posted on Zelensky's Instagram.

"Talked to @elonmusk. I'm grateful to him for supporting Ukraine with words and deeds. Next week we will receive another batch of Starlink systems for destroyed cities. Discussed possible space projects. But I'll talk about this after the war," Zelensky posted on Twitter.

Musk on Saturday said that Starlink, the satellite internet division of his rocket company SpaceX, will not block Russian news sources.

Musk on Twitter wrote that it will not do so unless at gunpoint.

"Starlink has been told by some governments (not Ukraine) to block Russian news sources. We will not do so unless at gunpoint," Musk wrote.

"Sorry to be a free speech absolutist," he added.

Meanwhile, tech giants including Apple, Google, Microsoft, Twitter, YouTube, Meta and several other tech platforms have already banned RT and Sputnik in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
New Delhi, March 6 : The Subject Expert Committee of India's apex drugs authority Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has recommended permission for vaccine manufacturer Serum Institute of India to conducting Phase 3 trial of Covovax as booster dose in adults, said a source familiar with the development.

The Pune-based SII had sought the permission from the DCGI to conduct Phase 3 study to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of Covovax as booster dose on those who have received primary vaccination either with Covishield or Covaxin at least three months back.

Earlier, the Subject Expert Committee of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) on Friday recommended granting the Emergency Use Authorisation for SII's Covid-19 vaccine Covovax among 12-17 year age bracket.

The apex drug regulatory body had already approved Covovax for restricted use on December 28. However, this vaccine has not been included in national vaccination programme yet.

India on Sunday reported further decline in fresh Covid cases at 5,476 in the last 24 hours. The active Covid cases have also further reduced to 59,442 which constitute 0.14 per cent of the country's total positive cases, as per the ministry report on Sunday.

With the administration of over 26.19 lakhs covid vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India's Covid inoculation coverage has reached 178.83 crore as of Sunday morning.
by Misbah Saba Malik

ISLAMABAD, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Hussain Ali, a local journalist in Peshawar city of Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, was offering usual Friday prayers when he received a phone call about a blast in a mosque in the downtown city.

"I rushed to the site for coverage. I saw gruesome images...," Ali told Xinhua.

Suddenly, among the rescue workers and people who reached the mosque to find their relatives, "I saw my cousin hysterically sifting through the dead bodies and screaming in panic, and he also caught a glance of me and rushed to me to break the news that my uncle, also his father, came to offer prayer in the mosque and went missing after the explosion."

A few minutes after a failed search, they decided to go to Lady Reading Hospital where the bodies and the injured were being shifted and found out that the 55-year-old, was among the death toll which stood at over 30 at that time.

"He was a gentleman, always smiling and forthcoming in helping others. Everyone in the family and community liked him. I wonder why he and other innocent people like him were attacked? We are so panicked that even our own shadow scares us and we don't want to leave our houses in the fear of more attacks," Ali told Xinhua.

According to a spokesperson of the Lady Reading Hospital, 57 bodies were handed over to relatives on Friday, and six more succumbed to injuries at the hospital, raising the death toll to 63.

The spokesperson added that about 200 injured were also shifted to the facility, out of which 37 are still being treated, while others were discharged after treatment.

The Islamic State (IS) terror group has claimed the attack in a Twitter post.

In a press briefing on Saturday, Capital City Police Officer of Peshawar Muhammad Ijaz told media that a "well-trained" suicide bomber entered the mosque after shooting one policeman dead deployed on the security of the mosque and injuring the other, and blew himself up among the people who were gathering inside the prayer hall.

Security has been beefed up in the province and across the country, following the attack and an additional police force has been deployed at religious places.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned the attack and said that he had been personally monitoring operations and coordinating with the counter-terrorism department in the wake of the terrorist attack.

"We now have all info regarding origins of where the terrorists came from and are going after them with full force," he added.

The country's Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad also said in a video message on Saturday that the handlers of the suicide bomber have been identified and the law enforcement agencies will be able to apprehend them.

Peshawar used to be a hotbed of militancy as it is located next to formerly restive tribal areas along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, but the security situation remarkably improved after military operations in the tribal districts to eradicate militancy.

The attack also brought back the gory memories of past attacks to the rescue workers.

Sher Gul from the non-governmental rescue organization Edhi Foundation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said "This level of havoc was wrecked after years in Peshawar. The terrorism was defeated and people were living in peace. The shadow of the painful past during which we lost thousands of people to terrorism was almost removed, but this fresh attack has once again sent shockwaves to the whole country and this wound will take a lot of time to heal." 
Dr. Jacqueline Lazu is an associate professor in the department of modern languages, affiliated faculty member of the Department of Criminology, and an associate dean at DePaul University. She is a Public Voices Fellow through The OpEd Project.
You cant tell by the actions of the Wyoming Legislature, but the majority of residents here support expanding Medicaid. The program has been batted down for more than a decade by state lawmakers, whove depicted it as expensive and wasteful. But a survey last year found that nearly two out of three Wyomingites said theyd back a proposal that extends health coverage to low-income residents.

Youd think that a program thats backed by two-thirds of residents would be an easy sell in the statehouse. The program has received support on both sides of the aisle, including from Speaker of the House Eric Barlow, former speaker Steve Harshman and former Gov. Matt Mead  all Republicans. But it didnt have the votes for introduction last month, and attempts to pass it through a budget amendment were quickly rejected. Thats hardly the only example of the growing disconnect between the Legislature and the people that body serves. Time after time this session, weve seen lawmakers embrace polarizing legislation, often for issues of little practical consequence in the state, instead of addressing what the majority of citizens actually want.

Lawmakers, for example, brought three bills to Cheyenne to combat critical race theory, even though the theory isnt taught in schools here. But nowhere to be found was enthusiasm to address early childhood intervention needs, the persistent wage gap or Wyomingites who work hard in low-wage jobs that dont offer health care. Wyoming suffers from the nations highest suicide rate, but weve seen little attempt to protect our young people from that scourge this session. Why bother, when you can protect them from a theory that doesnt exist in our schools.

At the same time, lawmakers have overlooked many of the political values that were once cherished here. They tout local control, but have sought to impose top-down solutions, deciding that they know better than school boards and local parents. They tout personal freedom, but want to limit how Wyomingites can participate in the political process. They sing the virtues of free enterprise, but continue to meddle with the free market. They talk about leaving medical choices between a person and their doctor, and yet ignore criticism that a bill banning chemical abortions would keep medicines from women who require them after a miscarriage or for non-abortive purposes.

In short, our legislators have shown little interest in representing all Wyomingites, choosing instead to cater to their most polarized constituents. In the process, weve lost something that made Wyoming special: our past focus on pragmatism over ideology, of results over Facebook engagement.

To be clear, there are notable exceptions. Weve seen lawmakers on both sides of the aisle whove pointed out, for example, that their colleagues are straying from small government solutions. Weve seen them advocate for local solutions that dont need to be tossed away for a statewide edict. But in almost every instance this session, those voices have come out on the losing end.

Weve spoken before about our concern over the bubbles that social media increasingly leaves us in. Its clear that many Wyoming politicians are existing within their own bubbles. Inside those walls, they see Wyoming beset by problems that dont exist here, all the while ignoring the very real struggles facing their constituents.

There is a solution, and a simple one at that. Listen. Not just to the loud voices on Facebook, but the people you dont typically engage with. Listen to the people who will be affected by the legislation youre writing, not just those who are advocating for it. Listen to not just the most passionate partisans, but the people who are too busy working and staying afloat to attend political functions. In other words, live the Code of the West: Talk less, but say more.

What do average Wyoming people really want? What are they concerned about? What keeps them up at night? If lawmakers can answer those questions, our state will be better for it.
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Martin Roberts broke down in tears outside Costco on Saturday after trying to buy Calpol for Ukrainian children.

The Homes Under The Hammer presenter, 58, went to the big-box retail store to purchase supplies for kids in the war-torn country.

However, the TV property expert was allegedly only allowed to buy two bottles of Calpol and took to Instagram to share a video expressing his frustration.

Crying: Martin Roberts broke down in tears outside Costco on Saturday after trying to buy Calpol for Ukrainian children

Alongside the two minute clip, Martin wrote: 'I wonder if @costco_uk had some collection bins that people could just put donations in it would avoid this situation. Help me try to make it happen.'

In the video filmed in a Costco car park, Martin became emotional after explaining how other shoppers came to his aid.

He said: 'So listen, like you, Im properly just really at a loss in terms of what I can do to help with whats going on in Ukraine.

'So Ive come to Costco and Ive just been buying lots of things like Pampers, kids stuff, Tampax and other bits and pieces.

Property expert: The Homes Under The Hammer presenter, 58, went to the big-box retail store to purchase supplies for kids in the war-torn country (pictured with co-presenters Martel Maxwell and Dion Dublin)

'You know, things for kids because its the kids, you know, [theyre] everything,' as he showed his followers a view of his shopping trolley and the things he had bought.

Holding up the Calpol bottles, Martin continued: 'So Ive been trying to buy some Calpol and Im only allowed to buy two, right?

'And I know theres some sort of sicko limit or some limit that theyve put on that stops under normal circumstances people buying lots of Calpol.'

Emotional: However, the TV property expert was allegedly only allowed to buy two bottles of Calpol and took to Instagram to share a video expressing his frustration

Plea: Alongside the two minute clip, Martin wrote: 'I wonder if @costco_uk had some collection bins that people could just put donations in it would avoid this situation. Help me try to make it happen'

Supplies: In the video filmed in a Costco car park, Martin became emotional after explaining how other shoppers came to his aid

He then explained: 'So some people in the queue behind me and some people in the queue at the side of me both bought four bottles for me so I managed to get more.

'And I offered them the money, it was about ten quid for four, and they wouldnt take it.

'So there are such good people out there and everybodys trying to do their bit and if you just give them a route to do it.

'Because weve got to do what we can, right?' he added as he started to cry.

Trolley: 'You know, things for kids because its the kids, you know, [theyre] everything,' as he showed his followers a view of his shopping trolley and the things he had bought

He said: 'So whatever small step you can take to do your bit, just do it. Because even a couple of bottles of these might help.

'So do that for me alright. Not for me obviously. Do it for them. Because this is actually, if you think about it, going hopefully into the mouth of a child that needs it.

'A homeless child whos now wondering what the hells going on in some refugee camp somewhere.'

'Anyway, you get the idea. Sorry,' apologised Martin before signing off.

Tears: 'Because weve got to do what we can, right?' he added as he started to cry
Several videos of the crash have surfaced on Twitter. The fate of the pilot is still unknown. (Photo Credit: Twitter)

New Delhi:

An F-16 fighter jet of the Pakistan Air Force crashed during the Pakistan Day parade rehearsals near Islamabad on Wednesday. Latest reports say that the rescue teams have been rushed to crash site of Shakarparian. A board of inquiry has been ordered by the Air Headquarters to determine the cause of accident, the PAF spokesperson said. Several videos of the crash have surfaced on Twitter. According to reports by Pakistani media, Wing Commander Nauman Akram lost his life in the F-16 aircraft crash.

PAF Plane has been crashed in islamabad while rehearsal of 23March #F16 Very sad news pic.twitter.com/vdAg76RaR5  Arqum Shahid Jarral..Y (@Engineer__Elect) March 11, 2020

Last month, a Mirage combat jet of the Pakistan Air Force had crashed minutes after takeoff from the Shorkot Air base in Punjab province on February 7. The pilot managed to eject safely and no loss of property was reported from the air base that is located nearly 100 km away from Multan. It was a routine sortie. Pakistani media reports said that a board of inquiry was ordered by the Pakistan Air Force Headquarters to determine the exact reason of the crash. According to a Dawn report, a similar crash was reported last month. A PAF aircraft crashed while it was on a routine training mission crashed near Mianwali. In that crash, both pilots aboard the PAF FT-7 aircraft lost their lives. They were identified as Squadron Leader Haris bin Khalid and Flying Officer Ibaadur Rehman.

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https://riddimsghana.com/major-top-stories/ukraine-transgender-women-weep-as-authorities-classify-them-as-men-who-must-stay-and-fight/



Thoughts? Did anyone come across stories like this related to trans folks in Ukraine?Thoughts?

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I imagine that LGBTQkrainians are either a: wanting to get as far away from Russia's anti-LGBTQ policies as possible, or b: fighting like hell to keep it the hell outta Ukraine.

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I mean Ukraine is under invasion but that doesnt change the fact it wasnt some progressive bubble before it started. We should support them against putins violence but we should still call out transphobia and racism against non white refugees. It doesnt have to be one or the other.

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Same as the reports on racism, this is horrifying. And the alternative is even worse: things would only get worse for any minorities under Russian rule.

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Going to watch this after I eat dinner. Russia obviously could ultimately win this, but I'm just astounded at how poorly they thought through the logistics of this, especially in the beginning.

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I watched a great video about a guyvwho was trying to bring efficiency to the Russian military, but the oligarchs and Putin's cronies were missing out on lining their pockets, so he was fired.



Leading to where we are now.

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Florida's senators doing their worst job as usual, so embarrassing.





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And Daines (MT), who has never had an organic thought manifest in his head 

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Sad he had to leave his cats. EU countries let you come through with your pets even without their documents.

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the Ukrainian Ambassador very intentionally asked Congress to NOT share anything on social media during the meeting to protect the security of President Zelenskyy. Sen Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Sen Steve Daines (R-MT) promptly tweeted a photo of their Zoom screen because they are traitorous heaps of trash. Separately, Zelenskyy had to ask Sen Rick Scott (R-FL) to mute his mic.



this is so embarrassing omg.



Edited at 2022-03-06 12:19 am (UTC)

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Florida is not sending their best...

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we never do!!

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Florida has a "best"?

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gosh, the tweeting out of the call was really bad.

they know he's had 3 assassination attempts recently right?

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Pretty sure Rubio knew exactly what he was doing too.

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they did it on purpose. i refuse to believe otherwise.

they know what's happening. they SHOULD know even more than we do.



i don't know all of who were/are supporting trump but those same people and more will be siding with the enemy and continuing to do these horrendous things that go against Ukraine as well as their own country. they are puppets for whatever reason and it's clear they can not be trusted, it's been clear since before 1/6/21.



Rubio said it wasn't an insurrection and Daines helped someone back into the country involved in the insurrection, also claimed nothing he said had play in the terrorist attack. they're both traitors and they want to be a part of Zelenskyy's death.



I don't know how we can be helping Ukraine and allowing these people to do these things at the same time. It's not embarrassing tbh, it's enraging. These people are actively going against any efforts to help President Zelenskyy and his people.

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i was reading the thread on that tweet of the pictures and went down a rabbit hole of tweets about rubio. a lot of ppl think he's an informant for russia, since he accepted money from them . and apparently a bunch of republicans went to russia this past july?







florida, ya'll better vote this trash bag out, along with the Governor when their names pop up on a ballot!

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Fucking Rick Voldemort and Marco Rubles. You know why they act the ass, they gotta get Uncle Vlad's bag for their campaigns.

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I really, really hope they don't catch Zelenskyy. But if they do kill him, who will take over? He's a true leader and motivates his people to fight for their country. I can only see the Klischkos taking his spot.

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Jamie Hyneman has something to say and he asked us to share it with all of you pic.twitter.com/XKrK8J7P83  Ukraine /  (@Ukraine) March 4, 2022

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today I learned Jamie Hyneman has a degree in Russian linguistics.

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I'm Polish, live in Poland. Majority of my coworkers are Ukrainian. And my heart breaks for them, it really does. At least a dozen of my male friends left for Ukraine to fight. Two of them stopped responding recently. I don't know what's happening to them, and even though I'm not religious, I pray everyday. I just want them to be safe. They have families here and they left everything behind. If you can, please, donate to funds helping civilians unable to leave. I beg you.

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i'm so sorry. I pray your friends are as safe as they can be and that you will see them soon again... i'm not religious either but i hope someone listens

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I'm donating as much as I can. Sending my thoughts to your friends <3

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Ukrainians crowd under a destroyed bridge as they try to flee crossing the Irpin river in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, March 5, 2022. pic.twitter.com/4OUFbemLXJ  Emilio Morenatti (@EmilioMorenatti) March 5, 2022

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The people coming out to protest in Kherson are really courageous.

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Given the civilian resistance to occupation, I think holding the city is going to be much harder than Russia anticipated.

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Yep. Russia definitely thought that Ukrainians would be so happy to be taken over that they would have put up no resistance. But, that's what you get for surrounding yourself only with yes men.

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Ukraine's security service has reportedly shot & killed Denis Kireev, a member of the Ukrainian negotiating team, pictured far back on the right in the photo. He was apparently killed while resisting arrest on suspicion of treason, @ukrpravda_news reports. https://t.co/B0kOhWxMmI pic.twitter.com/pFWfXIEFzK  Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) March 5, 2022 This is really interesting.

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Woah is there more info on this?

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I'm not really seeing anything concrete as both Ukraine and Russia have posted about it.

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Been seeing so much conflicting stuff on this, I wonder if he was giving up important tactical info, I wonder if the Russians gave him up 

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Woah

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He was shot in the head, I've seen photos. SBU does not work that sloppy if they want to catch someone alive.

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So.... i haven't been coming to these posts, so idk if y'all talk about this. but since LJ is russian, do you think they're gonna block ONTD?

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Theres been talks of maybe movie to another platform like Reddit.

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I think Dreamwidth would be the better platform. Someone in the other post said its still running. Its familiar and I personally prefer how posts and comments work on journaling sites like this. Reddit would be nuts.

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Someone should make an ONTD sub!

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I use ONTD as one of my sources for political news so I would absolutely follow. Some of the people here are informed and well-spoken about issues in posts like this.

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I don't even know what to say at this point except thanks to OP for your work in putting together all those links and summaries. I can't even follow the news anymore without falling into a pit of anxiousness but these nightly summary posts mixed with pop culture stuff from other makes it easier.

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Its interesting that the Israeli PMs efforts to make peace arent listed here. Im no fan of Israels apartheid bullshit but it is indubitably a good thing that Naftali Bennet is making these moves. OP, why isnt that included?

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3 reasons



1 I usually rely on AP who does have their own reporters but are also a journalistic consolidator of other outlets. I hadnt seen it mentioned when I did this post.



2 Afaik Zelenskyy talked to Israeli PM and then tweeted about it at 622 PM when I was already preparing this post so I didnt see it until later



3 If something material comes from third party country diplomacy efforts then sure Ill include it but as yet, whether it was Macron previously or now Bennett, theres nothing material to say except they talked



All diplomacy efforts are helpful and important but I probably wouldnt add a main point unless something substantial came of it. Example, I think I only mentioned the Russia Ukraine negotiations once just to say they agreed to safe corridor (which of course Russia violated immediately as expected).

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Yep. There were years I'd wake up and panic and look out the window worried I'd see a mushroom cloud

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I don't know what other ending this could result in except a long drawn out thing between Ukraine and Russia and Russia ultimately successful in invading Ukraine :/ Nato is not going to step in, China looks like it's going to mind its own business, I doubt there will be a Russian Revolution or Putin's regime being overthrown. So, what other result could there be?

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Ukraine is going to prove to be very difficult to hold, imo. There is a lot of resistance against the occupation and it's not a tiny country. I don't really know how it is going to end either though. Part of me thinks that eventually NATO will get involved, but idk idk...

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Yeah, that's true. I feel like this is going to be verrrry long and drawn out with no decisive ending in sight.

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I don't know. Apparently, some people at the FSB tipped Ukrainians off about the 3 assassination attempts on Zelensky. I feel that at some point, the oligarchs or rich military generals will have enough and take Putin out. But, how long will that take? Who knows.

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A lot of military blogs Ive seen are giving Ukraine more of a chance than people thought, partly because Russia was extremely fucking stupid and incompetent in their early planning. Its 10 days in and they still havent established control of the sky, that huge convoy hasnt moved in days, the country is getting muddier so movement is generally going to be only over roads and that hasnt gone well for them at all. Plus the Ukrainians are being resupplied by the west.



Obviously Russia still has a big numbers advantage and at the end of the day theyre going to fuck a lot of shit up, but its not the foregone conclusion everyone thought it would be.



I guess Im more hopeful today

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Putin cannot afford a long war, he doesn't have the military for it tbh especially as sanctions tighten up.



Also, Chechnya was a disaster for him, because like with Ukraine, he thought they would just give up after he bombed them a few times. The conflict lasted 10 years and cost Russia a fuck ton.



Edited at 2022-03-06 01:35 am (UTC)

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More than 90,000 people, of which 31,628 are Ukrainian citizens - an increase of 12pct from the previous day - have entered Romania through the border crossings in the last 24 hours.

11,055 Ukrainian citizens entered through the border between Romania and Ukraine (an increase of 16.9pct), and 18,369 entered through the border between Romania and the Republic of Moldova (an increase of 8.5pct).

On the way out of Romania, 98,138 people completed the formalities, of which 23,180 were Ukrainian citizens (an increase of 1.6pct).

Since the beginning of this crisis, until March 5, at 12.00 am, 227,476 Ukrainian citizens entered Romania and 155,680 left, according to the General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police, informs Agerpres.
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting in Moscow on March 2, 2022, as the U.S. and its allies step up sweeping sanctions on Russia in response to the Kremlins invasion of Ukraine. (Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images)

Putin Tells Ukraine to Stop Fighting Amid Ceasefire Calls

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Sunday that the invasion of Ukraine will only stop if Ukraines military ceases hostilities and fulfills Russias well-known requirement, according to a Kremlin statement.

The readiness of the Russian side for dialogue with Ukrainian authorities and with foreign partners to resolve the conflict was confirmed, the Kremlin quoted Putin as saying in a call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to state media.

In a call with his counterpart, Putin alleged Kyiv is stalling the negotiations process between the two countries and asserted that the suspension of the special operation is possible only if Kyiv ceases hostilities and fulfills Russias well-known requirements such as the demilitarization of Ukraine, according to the Kremlin statement.

Putins comments came after Erdogan called on the Russian leader to carry out an urgent general ceasefire to deal with mounting humanitarian concerns in the region.

Erdogan said that Turkey stood ready to make all kinds of contributions for the Ukraine problem to be resolved as soon as possible by peaceful means, according to a statement from his office.

Authorities in Mariupol had said on Sunday they would make a second attempt to evacuate some of the 400,000 residents, after the Ukrainian coastal city endured days of shelling that has trapped people in without heat, power, and water. But the ceasefire plan collapsed, as it had on Saturday, with each side blaming the other for the failure.

A damaged administrative building of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in Enerhodar, the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, on March 4, 2022. (Press service of National Nuclear Energy Generating Company Energoatom/Handout via Reuters)

Kyiv renewed its appeal to the West to toughen sanctions beyond existing efforts that have hammered Russias economy. It also requested more weapons, including a plea for Russian-made planes, to help it repel Russian forces.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) wrote Sunday that evacuation attempts in certain Ukrainian areas, including in Mariupol, have failed.

The ICRC said on Twitter: People are living in terror in Mariupol, desperate for safety. Todays attempt to start evacuating an estimated 200,000 people has failed. The failed attempts underscore the absence of a detailed and functioning agreement between parties to the conflict.

People in Mariupol and in other places across Ukraine are living in desperate situations, the ICRC continued to say. They must be protected at all times. They are not a target. People urgently need water, food, shelter. The basics of life. We need safety guarantees to be able to bring them aid.

Also on Sunday, the United Nations refugee agency confirmed that at least 1.5 million refugees from Ukraine have crossed into neighboring countries in recent days since the war started on Feb. 24.

U.N. refugee agency commissioner Filippo Grandi, in a Twitter post, noted that it is the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.

Reuters contributed to this report.
La Russie accuse l'Ukraine de vouloir fabriquer la bombe atomique

Ce dimanche, la Russie a accuse lUkraine de vouloir fabriquer une bombe nucleaire. Selon les agences de presse russes TASS, RIA et Interfax, qui se basent sur une source gouvernementale - dont lidentite na pas ete revelee - le pays serait en train de developper une bombe sale faite du plutonium radioactif de Tchernobyl.





Ces accusations a lencontre du pays envahi par les troupes russes sont assez frequentes mais ne sont pas prises au serieux par lOccident. Par ailleurs, elles sont dementies par le gouvernement ukrainien, qui a affirme a plusieurs reprises ne pas avoir lintention de developper larme atomique. En 1994, le pays a renonce a ses ambitions nucleaires militaires a la suite de leclatement de lUnion sovietique.





Ils fabriqueront larme nucleaire, avec laide de ceux doutre-Atlantique (les Etats-Unis, ndlr), a declare le president russe Vladimir Poutine samedi lors dune reunion avec des employees des compagnies aeriennes russes. Et ensuite, ils diront: Nous ne reconnaissons pas le statut nucleaire, ils lont fait tout seuls. Et a partir de la, le destin de la Russie sera tres different. Alors, notre ennemi strategique naura meme pas besoin de missiles balistiques intercontinentaux. Comment pouvons-nous ignorer cela?, a poursuivi le president russe.





Statut neutre et non nucleaire

Lors de son discours accusant lUkraine de nazisme, Poutine avait deja affirme que lUkraine developpait larme nucleaire. Selon lui, du fait de son heritage sovietique la seule chose qui manque cest un systeme denrichissement duranium. Mais cest une question technique, et pour lUkraine pas un probleme insoluble. Kiev peut, selon lui, developper des armes nucleaires tactiques en augmentant la portee de leurs missiles a 500 km: et voila Moscou dans la zone de destruction, cest pour nous une menace strategique.




An exhibitor makes coffee during a coffee festival in Cairo, Egypt, on March 5, 2022. The fascinating coffee fragrance filled a fancy hotel in Egypt's capital Cairo during the third edition of the country's annual coffee festival. Dubbed Coffestival, the three-day event which already concluded on Saturday, has brought together professionals, local speciality coffee brands, cafes, distributors and caffeine lovers. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

CAIRO, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The fascinating coffee fragrance filled a fancy hotel in Egypt's capital Cairo during the third edition of the country's annual coffee festival.

Dubbed Coffestival, the three-day event which already concluded on Saturday, has brought together professionals, local speciality coffee brands, cafes, distributors and caffeine lovers.

With live jazz music playing at the gala, visitors have explored many different coffee specialities, preparation methods as well as coffee-making and grinding machines.

"We aim to develop the culture of coffee in Egypt and market our new products to coffee lovers," Mohammed Amir, a manager of a local coffee brand, told Xinhua.

"It is a celebration of coffee and it is important for Egyptians who love coffee," Amir added.

According to the coffee division of the Cairo Chamber of Commerce, Egypt imports about 70,000 tons of coffee annually, and the most populous Arab country imports all its coffee consumptions because of its unsuitable climate for coffee cultivation.

Coffee is the second main popular drink after tea in Egypt, said the chamber.

"We care about the customers' taste. That is why we work to develop our coffee products and serve the greatest value of coffee," Khater Abdul-Mohsen, an employee from a Yemeni company working in Egypt, told Xinhua.

Abdul-Mohsen said his company uses high-quality coffee beans grown in Yemen, and their brand is working to attract more Egyptian coffee lovers by serving delicious and affordable coffee.

For a newly established company in Egypt, the festival is a great chance for the company to market its products and let coffee lovers watch the art of coffee making with their own eyes, he noted.

"We can also meet industry professionals from other Egyptian companies to exchange expertise and make business deals," Abdul-Mohsen revealed.

For coffee lovers, the festival gives them a glimpse of the best speciality roasters and coffee shops to enjoy a unique coffee culture.

"I'm a coffee addict, and I want to learn more about coffee. That is why I'm here," Abdul-Aziz al-Fiqi, a doctor from Cairo, told Xinhua during his tour through the festival's booths.

"Seeing so many coffee brands helps me choose the best taste and the highest quality ... The festival allows lovers to pick their favorite coffee from a large variety of products," said Al-Fiqi, who visited the festival for the first time. 

People attend a coffee festival in Cairo, Egypt, on March 5, 2022. The fascinating coffee fragrance filled a fancy hotel in Egypt's capital Cairo during the third edition of the country's annual coffee festival. Dubbed Coffestival, the three-day event which already concluded on Saturday, has brought together professionals, local speciality coffee brands, cafes, distributors and caffeine lovers. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

A woman tastes coffee during a coffee festival in Cairo, Egypt, on March 5, 2022. The fascinating coffee fragrance filled a fancy hotel in Egypt's capital Cairo during the third edition of the country's annual coffee festival. Dubbed Coffestival, the three-day event which already concluded on Saturday, has brought together professionals, local speciality coffee brands, cafes, distributors and caffeine lovers. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

An exhibitor makes coffee during a coffee festival in Cairo, Egypt, on March 5, 2022. The fascinating coffee fragrance filled a fancy hotel in Egypt's capital Cairo during the third edition of the country's annual coffee festival. Dubbed Coffestival, the three-day event which already concluded on Saturday, has brought together professionals, local speciality coffee brands, cafes, distributors and caffeine lovers. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)
An airport in central Ukraine was 'completely destroyed' by eight Russian missiles, the Ukrainian president confirmed in an address as he urged the West to send more aircraft.

Shocking footage shared online appears to show an airfield in Vinnytsia destroyed by the attack.

In a translation of the impassioned address, which was shared on social media, Volodymyr Zelensky said the 'peaceful Vinnytsia just was bombed'.

He added: 'We repeat every day: close the sky over Ukraine. Close for all Russian missiles, for Russian combat aircraft, for all their terrorists.

The Ukrainian president has urged the West to send more aircraft following reports that an airport in central Ukraine was 'completely destroyed' by eight Russian missiles

In a translation of the impassioned address, which was shared on social media, Volodymyr Zelensky said the 'peaceful Vinnytsia just was bombed'

'If you don't, if you don't give us at least planes so we can protect ourselves, there's only one thing to conclude; you want us to be killed very slowly.'

The barraged airport, which is roughly a four-hour drive away from Kyiv according to Google Maps, has been pictured in videos and photos online.

Thick black some can be seen in the distance of footage shared, said to be coming from the wrecked airport in the distance.

Kyiv Independent defence reporter Illia Ponomarenko shared a photo of the airfield being destroyed on Twitter, saying it has been 'completely destroyed'.

European Union leader Charles Michel said closing Ukraine's airspace could spark a world war.

Zelensky has repeatedly called on Nato countries to stop the Russian onslaught on his country by imposing a no-fly zone.

Western leaders have refused for fear of triggering a wider war in Europe.

Deploying fighter jets over Ukraine could 'in current circumstances' be considered as 'Nato's entry into the war and therefore risk World War III,' Mr Michel said in an interview with the public broadcaster France Inter.

Mr Michel denied that economic sanctions against Russia constitute 'a war of the EU or Nato against Russia'.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has linked the West's economic punishment for his invasion of Ukraine to 'declaring war' on Moscow.

Mr Michel said European and American allies imposed sanctions 'to create pressure and hurt the (Russian) regime', not the people.

The barraged airport, which is roughly a four-hour drive away from Kyiv according to Google Maps, has been pictured in videos and photos online

This comes following a second consecutive day of a ceasefire being broken as civilian safe passage from Ukraine's besieged eastern port city of Mariupol was 'halted', the International Committee of the Red Cross said.

It added: 'Amid devastating scenes of human suffering in Mariupol, a second attempt today to start evacuating an estimated 200,000 people out of the city came to a halt.

'The failed attempts yesterday and today underscore the absence of a detailed and functioning agreement between the parties to the conflict.'

Zelensky today also warned that Russian forces are preparing to shell Odessa - a historic port city on the Black Sea coast.

Russia has made progress in southern Ukraine since its invasion 11 days ago, overrunning the city of Kherson and shelling the port of Mariupol, but Odessa has so far been largely spared.

Thick smoke seen in the distance following reports that missiles hit the airport, amid the eleventh day of conflict

The barraged airport, which is roughly a four-hour drive away from Kyiv according to Google Maps, has been pictured in videos and photos online

Pictures on social media have been shared to show the damage done to the airfield, by Russian missiles

The Ukrainian leader has consistently called on the West for more support from Russian attacks in the air.

In a defiant address yesterday morning, he urged Ukrainians to continue fighting Putin's forces.

The comic-turned-wartime president then thundered 'what more is needed' to convince Joe Biden to enforce a no-fly zone  an action which could widen the war and suck in NATO  after he accused the West of cowardice in the face of Russian aggression.
Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below.

Ms B.S. writes: I was to receive 71 per cent of my ex-husband's pension from the Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Fund, awarded by the court in 2019 as he also has another pension.

I expected to receive about 646 a month, but the pension administrators Mercer did not pay me a penny for a year, and then paid 448 a month. My ex-husband and I both spoke to a financial adviser, who said there were always problems dealing with Mercer.

I asked where the payment arrears were, and Mercer is now paying me the missing money at 20 a month, which I reckon will take about 25 years. I have come close to a breakdown through all this. Mercer eventually offered me 1,000 if I signed a 'gagging order'. I refused.

Adrift: Mercer has struggled to pay a pension from the Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Fund

Tony Hetherington replies: Since I first wrote about the serious problems at Mercer last November, complaints have never stopped. And this is no corner shop operation. Mercer is a huge company, running the retirement schemes of major businesses such as Morrisons and Whitbread. Yet when pensioners complain, this huge company behaves like a Big Unfriendly Giant.

I asked Mercer to comment on what you told me and I offered to get your signature to a legally binding letter to authorise it to discuss your pension with me. Mercer simply refused point blank.

And you are not alone in being badly treated. Other Mail on Sunday readers face similar problems. Steve told me: 'Mercer administered my two pension funds with Express Newspapers. In September 2020, I accepted a retirement benefit statement from Mercer, but I have received no payment at all. Instead, they say they made a mistake and the funds are not there. My health, physical and mental, is suffering under the immense strain Mercer's error has put on me.'

Gary wrote: 'I have a pension with Britvic. I contacted Mercer last September for a pension quote and received an automated acknowledgement. In October, Mercer said the scheme was on hold due to an actuarial review.

'In November, I telephoned Mercer and was told to wait four weeks for a response. I am still waiting. I cannot believe Mercer can continue trading with such poor service.' Geoff complained: 'I first requested transfer values for my Aga Rangemaster pension back in January 2019. Mercer's procrastination for 15 months led them finally to tell me that during this period my pension plan had lost 34,000. I have contacted the Pensions Ombudsman but have warned that getting any information from Mercer will be an onerous task.'

And Nick told me: 'I have been owed my Smiths Industries pension since December 2. It is administered by Mercer. I am beside myself with worry and sleepless nights as all I get from them is avoidance and delay. I have received no pension, no apology and no explanation.'

Even when a pension is being paid, Mercer still manages to create big problems. British Energy Generation Group pensioner Kenneth received a shock letter. He told me: 'It says my pension has been overpaid by 14,748. They are not seeking to reclaim this, but they are cutting my pension from 14,148 a year to 12,570. They are robbing my pension to cover up their mistake.'

I put every one of these complaints to Mercer. It replied: 'As per our company policy, we do not comment on individual members or client matters.'

I was told that every reader mentioned here would be contacted directly by Mercer with answers. And Mercer added that it had already contacted every pensioner whose complaints had already been published.

So, if your problem with the Big Unfriendly Giant appears here, or has already been in The Mail on Sunday, let me know when Mercer gives its answers. Its current conduct is simply not acceptable.

Sued for 198...when I have never even received the bill

A.C. writes: I switched from Together Energy (owned by Total Energy) to a different supplier, and it told me it would cancel my direct debit.

Now I have received an email from solicitors AJJB Law, threatening to sue me for failing to pay 198.

Shock: Solicitors AJJB Law are threatening to sue over a 198 Together Energy bill

Tony Hetherington replies: You told me that the lawyer's letter came out of the blue, and you had received no previous bill. And AJJB Law's letter  headed Pending Legal Action  began by saying, 'We have not received payment of the overdue balance', reinforcing the idea that you ignored demands. I asked Leonard James, the solicitor behind AJJB Law, for proof that you were in debt, including copies of demands already issued.

He offered no evidence, but told me he would be 'liaising with my client on these issues'. Together Energy told me it had definitely written to you and it has sent a copy of its final bill for 198. But this says payment would be collected from your bank account, yet Together Energy had scrapped your direct debit.

The company admitted: 'The customer should have been billed within ten working days. However, due to a systems error on that date it was not automatically collected and we apologise for this error.' You have accepted the apology and as you had never intended to sidestep a genuine bill, you have paid the 198.

If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TS or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned.
By Trend

The Rosselkhoznadzor lifted earlier restrictions on the import of vegetable products from Uzbekistan, Trend reports citing Uzdaily.

From 5 March, the Rosselkhoznadzor has allowed the supply of vegetable products from a number of countries.

In particular, the Rosselkhoznadzor lifted earlier restrictions on the supply of tomatoes and peppers from Uzbekistan.

The decision was made based on the analysis of information on regionalization provided by the national organizations for quarantine and plant protection of these countries, as well as on the measures taken to prevent violations of the phytosanitary requirements of the Russian Federation and the EAEU member countries, the agency notes.
ON THE DNIESTER RIVER  Just eight miles from the Ukrainian border, the mayor of a village in Moldova watched rolling television coverage of the Russian invasion next door. He fiddled with a pen, removing and replacing its lid, staring at the screen as it showed the Russian advance toward Odessa, the nearest big city on the Ukrainian side.

I cant stop watching, Mayor Alexander Nikitenko said. If they take Odessa, its clear theyll come here next.

And if the Russians do get this far, Mr. Nikitenko wondered, would they necessarily stop?

Such questions are being asked all across Eastern Europe in former Communist republics like Moldova. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has shattered assumptions about the post-Cold War order, providing clear evidence that President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia sees Europes borders as open to being redrawn by force.
For all its successes, and theyve been coming fast and furious the last five years, the Montana Connections Business Development Park is still its own little island in a way.

A lot of Butte residents can tell you its that industrial park out by the drive-in theater, and some can name two or three companies operating out there  maybe FedEx, REC Silicon, SeaCast or Montana Precision Products.

But how many know the park is Buttes hottest economic driver of late? That its tax-increment tool has worked precisely as it was intended from the get-go years ago? That the tool comes to an end in less than four months at a time the park is really flying high?

I think its probably one of the best-kept secrets in Butte and it shouldnt be because there are a lot of positive things happening out there, said Mick Ringsak, a longtime member of the board that oversees the Tax Increment Finance Industrial District, or TIFID.

Todd Tregidga, associate professor and head of the Department of Business at Montana Technological University who has chaired the TIFID board for 15 years, said the park pays big dividends to all of Butte-Silver Bow County.

Not only are there close to 1,000 jobs in Montana Connections Park, the funding for those payrolls come from products being sold mostly out of state, he said. So this is essentially new money being imported into our community, which will circulate in our economy multiple times and create even more jobs.

Those businesses source some of their products and services locally, too. And when the district sunsets on June 30, the millions of dollars in new property tax revenue it has generated and previously captured will start flowing to local government and schools.

That will benefit taxpayers in the form of lower taxes or increased and improved services, Tregidga said.

Under Montana law, the district cannot be extended past June 30. But the county can establish a new Targeted Economic Development District, or TEDD, with the same taxing tool that grew the business park.

Kristen Rosa, who oversees the TIFID for Butte-Silver Bow, said officials have passed around the idea of creating a new TEDD in the area and will likely discuss the possibility more in the coming weeks.

Its a very public process, she said, and worth pursuing if it could help keep a good thing going.

We have momentum, we see interest and we would like to make sure we dont turn anybody away that would be a good fit for the park, Rosa said.

FROM THEN TO NOW

The TFID in Butte really goes back to 1989, when Buttes Evan Barrett and Janet Cornish and Butte native Dennis Winters drafted a bill the Montana Legislature passed putting the concept of tax-increment financing (TIF) for industrial areas into state law.

Like other TIFs, TIFIDs capture property taxes from new developments in designated areas so they can be spent on new infrastructure or improvements in those same areas. Only revenue from the increased tax values, called increments, is captured for reinvestment.

The improvements  in many cases new roads, sewer and water lines, broadband, rail expansions, steel warehouses with space to lease  can in turn lure new industries and businesses and help existing ones expand.

Like other TIFs, only taxes from new property developments or improvements is captured, so it can take years for the increment to build up. Some TIFs in Montana struggle to gain momentum.

County officials say there was very little, including roads or water or sewer services, in a large area west of town before the TIFID was established in the early 1990s. It was an ideal place for an industrial park since it boasts two major railroads and is at the crossroads of two major interstates.

It helped land REC and is now home to several manufacturers and businesses, including Montana Precision Products, SeaCast, FedEx, Scouler Grain and Old Dominion Freight Line Inc.

The areas base value has stayed the same at $1.7 million. Property taxes from it go to local government and schools, like they do from most areas in Butte.

But in just the past 12 years, it has generated $57 million in property tax revenue from its increment taxable value and will bring in another $3.7 million this fiscal year, according to Butte-Silver Bow Budget Director Danette Gleason.

THE BIG BOOM

The TIFID has reinvested $27 million over the past five years alone. The money has hooked the park to drinking water and paid for a bridge realignment and upgrades to gas service. New buildings have been constructed, including a large warehouse built last year.

An $8 million rail expansion at the adjacent Port of Montana and the business park was completed late last year and now more businesses can load products and materials. It brought direct rail service to Montana Craft Malt and Ergon Asphalt.

The project was financed with TIFID dollars, Port of Montana reserves, a Montana Rail Freight loan and a $2.9 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration.

The park has a new Sugar Loaf Loop that includes more development sites with a new a road and lines to bring in gas, electricity, potable water, industrial water and fiber optic systems. They will serve a Murdochs Warehouse and a planned National Guard Readiness Center.

Foothold, a Bozeman-based modular home manufacturer, has new operations at the park and recent land-purchase agreements could result in more businesses locating there. Among them are a proposed refrigerated warehouse and distribution center and a large modular housing manufacturing facility.

Tregidga says there are several reasons the park is getting so much attention late in its life.

All infrastructure is now complete and we are told by site selectors across the country that we have one of the most mature and shovel-ready industrial parks in the country, he said.

Additionally, a lot of focus lately has been on improving the efficiency of the supply chain, he said. Being at the intersection of two transcontinental interstates and railways helps developers achieve that objective.

Ringsak said the adjacent Port of Montana has played a big role in the parks success. The Port is a transloading facility for Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific railroads that allows direct transfer of goods from rail to truck.

It also provides storage and inventory control and is a Foreign Trade Zone, meaning a company doesnt have import duties assessed until after the products leave the zone. That allows them to be held until the best price can be obtained in the U.S. market.

Weve had a really good relationship with the Port of Montana and its been a major driver of whats happened out there, Ringsak said. So the two together have a lot of synergy.

Like Tregidga, Ringsak noted that Interstates 15 and 90 intersect just outside the park.

Theres a lot of Canadian traffic coming from Calgary that goes through, which is why there are three trucking firms out there, Ringsak said. The last several (TIFID) actions that have been done have to do with warehouses and regional distribution and Butte is a really good location for distribution throughout the Northwest.

Theres been another big selling point: Silver Lake.

Butte-Silver Bow owns rights to some water in the lake northwest of Anaconda and pumps millions of gallons of it into town each day for industrial uses, a lot of it going to the business park.

It was a big, big reason why late Butte businessman Ron Ueland and other investors chose the park as home to Montana Craft Malt, a $15 million facility that produces malt for craft brewers in and outside of Montana.

There is a story that needs to be told beyond just our project, Ueland said in April 2017 when announcing plans for the malt plant. The Connections Park has a hidden-value secret that doesnt need to be a secret  shouldnt be a secret  and that is the water supply out there.

When you are processing  in our case malt  water is such an important factor, and the water coming off of the Pintlers in Silver Lake and the water line that goes to the business park is very valuable, he said. We couldnt find that any place else in Montana. There is pristine mountain water here, and plenty of it.

Ueland died in May 2018 but his daughter, Jennifer OBrien, saw the project through and a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to mark the facilitys opening in January 2020.

WHATS NEXT

Although the current tax-increment tool expires soon, the TIFID still had $5.7 million in cash as of mid-February. The plan is to spend or commit all of that money on remaining projects prior to June 30. If contracts are in place by then, the work can go past that date.

The projects include infrastructure for a Murdochs expansion, additional road and sewer work, improvements to the Silver Lake system and more rail projects in partnership with the Port of Montana.

There are 180 acres still available for sale as well as four parcels under contract that haven't been closed as developers work on remaining details, Rosa said.

Theres an effort in motion now by the state to get 350 acres of non-zoned land it owns just south of the business park zoned as rural industrial, meaning it can be used for heavy industry and transportation-oriented purposes. The TIFID is zoned that way.

The state would continue to own the land regardless of zoning changes and any future leases for development would go through the state. But certain permits would go through Butte-Silver Bow and the county could advocate on behalf of developers.

Several residents who live in largely rural areas near the 350 acres spoke against the zoning change at a recent meeting of the Butte-Silver Bow Planning Board. They said there was already too much truck traffic and light pollution from the business park.

Planning Board members sympathized, to a point, but still recommended the Council of Commissioners OK the zone change. As it stands, they said, the state could allow anyone to locate in the area because it isnt zoned at all.

The request is now before commissioners and people should have weeks more to weigh in. Rosa said she respects the concerns of opponents and the TIFID has worked to restrict lighting, but hopes the park keeps growing.

We have less land available than we did 10 years ago (but) I think seeing additional development in this area is a good thing for the economy, she said.

There is no mechanism in state law left to simply extend the life of the TIFID, she said, but the county can create a TEDD with a tax-increment tool. It could include the 350 acres owned by the state.

We would look at modified boundaries for the (new) district and look where we havent seen development and where we could put additional infrastructure to assist with industrial development, Rosa said.

Ringsak and Tregidga like the idea.

No new taxes will be available for further infrastructure development until new development is sited in the new district, but it will be a lot less costly to extend existing infrastructure than it was to bring them to the park initially, Tregidga said.

Ringsak said the TIFID has been great for Butte and he would like to see that continue.

It really raises the recognition that this city is an ideal place for distribution and it has a good workforce and a good atmosphere, he said.

Rosa summed it up this way:

We talk a lot about job creation and economic diversification, she said. If you look at the way we have guided all of this development at Montana Connections, the two underlying themes are growing our economy and diversifying our economy.
Southeast Asian nations relatively strong responses to Russias invasion of Ukraine indicate damage to Moscows standing in the region and shows the states have serious concerns over the violation of international law and norms by a major power, analysts said.

While international ramifications of the Ukraine conflict are still unfolding, some experts believe it could also affect United States-China geopolitical rivalry in Asia, to the possible detriment of Beijing, VOA Khmer was told in recent days.

On March 2, a United Nations General Assembly vote saw 141 countries out of 193 supporting a resolution that condemned Moscow. Supporters included most Southeast Asian nations, while some, such as Singapore, Indonesia and Cambodia, also co-sponsored the resolution. Vietnam and Laos, Cold War-era allies of the Soviet-Union who remain dependent on Russian defense support, abstained.

A carefully worded Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) statement on March 3 called for a ceasefire and dialogue, though stopped short of calling the conflict a Russian invasion. Singapore offered the strongest response, initiating unilateral sanctions against Russia.Across Asia, U.S. allies, like Japan and Taiwan, have come out in support of Western sanctions, while India and China abstained in the vote.

Bilahari Kausikan, former Permanent Secretary at Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Southeast Asias diplomatic responses should primarily be viewed as a rejection of Moscows breach of another nations sovereignty.

Those ASEAN countries who voted for the resolution did so in support of international law and the U.N. Charter, and not against Russia, Kausikan told VOA Khmer, adding, This is Putins war not Russias war.

Relations between the bloc and Moscow were damaged, but how significant remains to be seen.

Russia-ASEAN relations are still only beginning to gain substance, Kausikan said. Moscow will have to balance its immediate annoyance against its long-term interests.

In December, while the U.S. already issued warnings over Russias troop build-up on Ukraines borders, a top Russian official, National Security Adviser Nikolay Patrushev, discussed international security issues with Indonesia and Cambodia. His visit was timed to coincide with U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinkens visit to the region. The Russian visit appeared to have done little to stem the diplomatic fall out of its invasion.

The [UN] voting indicates that Russia has lost political, economic and military influence in Southeast Asia, said Po Sovinda, an international relations PhD candidate at Australias Griffith University. He noted, though, that Moscows influence in Southeast Asia was limited to begin with.

The security concern that most Southeast Asian states have is the breach of the international law and norms that have protected small countries since the end of the Cold War, Po Sovinda said.

Possible implications for US-China rivalry in Asia

The Ukraine conflict should worry ASEAN policymakers as it shows that international law, economic interdependence and confidence-building norms are not enough to prevent inter-state conflict, said Evan Laksmana, a political scientist at National University of Singapore.

The [Russian] invasion also tells us that gray zone tactics that major powers usewhether in Ukraine or South China Seamay be a prelude to an outright war, rather than an alternative to it, Laksmana told VOA Khmer.

In the past 15 years or so, China has laid claim to the South China Sea and unilaterally expanded its security presence and infrastructure on islands and reefs in the maritime region. This has raised tensions with some Southeast Asian nations, like Vietnam, as well as Taiwan. U.S. allies naval forces have tried to assert their rights to pass through the region, also heightening tensions.

Laksmana said to what extent the Ukraine conflict could affect U.S.-China rivalry in Southeast Asia depends on Beijings evolving diplomatic position on it, though the overwhelming international response to the Russian invasion could benefit the U.S. in Asia.

Given the united response of American allies and partners, and the strengthening resolve of Germany and other European powers to push back, the war may actually strengthen Washingtons hand in dealing with China in the Indo-Pacific, he said.

A disunited Europe was a boon for China and a bane for the US. That equation has now changed.
UTAH

Legislators pass media restrictions for House floor

SALT LAKE CITY  The Utah House of Representatives approved new rules on Feb. 28 that limit where members of the press can film and interview lawmakers, following similar action taken by the Utah Senate two weeks earlier.

The rules extend pandemic-era restrictions on when journalists can report from the floors of state legislative chambers.

Journalists covering the Utah Legislature must now ask for permission to interview lawmakers on the floor of the House of Representatives and other restricted areas. TV reporters must ask committee chairs for permission to film speakers and crowds from behind the dais where lawmakers sit in committee hearings.

"I know that sometimes committee members get a little bit nervous from the cameras right behind them because they can see their screens," Republican Rep. Timothy Hawkes said in a committee hearing about the measure.

Media organizations and journalists covering the Statehouse opposed the rules changes in the Utah House and Senate, arguing that restricting media movements would make it more difficult to cover fast-paced action and make it easier for lawmakers to dodge the press. They said the move reduced transparency  a claim that lawmakers denied.

Utah Media Coalition lobbyist Renae Cowley Laub proposed an alternative, telling lawmakers that credentialed members of the media were working on establishing a formal press corps that could work with lawmakers to refine the rules in a mutually satisfactory way.

She proposed creating a commission with two members of the press and designees from the House, Senate and state legislative officials to govern press rules, similar to the method used in Utah courthouses.

WYOMING

Helicopter goat shoot fells 50 invasive animals

JACKSON  Contractors hired by Grand Teton National Park have killed 50 invasive mountain goats this week in a campaign to protect the park's herd of native bighorn sheep.

Jeremy Barnum, the park's chief of staff, told The Jackson Hole News&Guide on Feb. 24 that an "overwhelming majority" of the goats have been removed from the Teton Range. The helicopter shooting operation will continue for several more days.

The goats migrated from Idaho into the Tetons. They are considered a risk to a small herd of native, isolated sheep in the range because they compete for limited high-altitude habitat and carry disease that can threaten the bighorns. The park estimates the bighorn population at about 125.

"The potential risk to the bighorn sheep herd has been dramatically reduced," Barnum said. "And that's the end goal."

Park officials have posted signs at trailheads to alert backcountry skiers about the operation. Helicopter crews are instructed to avoid areas used by skiers or after spotting ski tracks.

Grand Teton park first used helicopter crews in 2020 to shoot the goats but stopped after Gov. Mark Gordon and others asked park officials to let hunters do the job. The mountain goat population was estimated at 100 before removal operations started in 2020.

NEW MEXICO

Rape victim sues city over rape kit backlog

ALBUQUERQUE  A rape survivor is suing the city of Albuquerque over its backlog of untested rape kits, alleging a nearly decade-long delay allowed her rapist to freely attack other women.

The Albuquerque Journal reported Sunday that the victim is asking for unspecified damages in the lawsuit, which was filed in 2nd Judicial District Court.

In the suit, the victim says Albuquerque police discriminated against women and girls by treating violent rapes as a low priority.

When asked to comment on the suit, police spokeswoman Rebecca Atkins pointed to Mayor Tim Keller signing an executive order in 2018 ordering police to make a plan for clearing the backlog.

The victim gave a rape kit in 2010 after reporting being kidnapped, bound and raped at knifepoint. Her kit was not tested until 2018. The evidence linked her rape to Victor Gonzales, 44.

Gonzales was arrested in 2020 on kidnapping and two counts of criminal sexual penetration. He is scheduled to go on trial in June. He was previously charged with multiple attacks on women that occurred between 2010 and 2012.

Raymond Maestas and Sean Beherec, who are representing Gonzales, said there are discrepancies in the lawsuit.

"In this lawsuit, we see big differences in the accuser's story from what she reported to police initially, and the jury needs to hear this change in story," the attorneys said in a written statement.

Regulators approve plan to keep coal plant open

ALBUQUERQUE  New Mexico regulators on Feb. 23 approved a plan by the state's largest electric utility to keep open part of a coal-fired power plant for an extra three months as a way to keep air conditioners humming this summer and reduce the risk of blackouts.

Public Service Co. of New Mexico will keep one unit at the San Juan Generating Station running through September, rather than closing it this summer as planned.

Developers have blamed supply chain problems and the pandemic for delays in the construction of the solar farms and battery storage stations that were supposed to replace the lost capacity once the coal plant shut down.

As PNM tries to avoid a shortage this summer, the utility said challenges remain on ensuring customer needs are met in the summer of 2023 due to regulatory delays related to another case that involves the upcoming expiration of leases for power generated by the Palo Verde nuclear plant in Arizona.

Environmentalists said during a Feb. 23 briefing that no one could have predicted that the closure of the San Juan power plant and construction of the replacement power would be disrupted by a pandemic. They argued that the delays are short term and should not derail public confidence in New Mexico's mandates for emissions-free electricity generation within the next two decades.

"Renewable energy plus storage is a solution. It works. There's nothing that we're seeing that changes that, said Jason Marks, a former member of the Public Regulation Commission and an attorney who works with the Sierra Club.

ARIZONA

House OKs GOP bill backing gun businesses

PHOENIX  The Arizona House voted on Feb. 23 to penalize businesses that refuse to do business with firearms companies by barring them from state contracts.

The proposal that passed with only support from majority Republicans drew strong opposition from the banking industry but backing from gun groups and the firearms industry.

The proposal from GOP Rep. Frank Carroll would require companies signing contracts worth more than $100,000 with the state or local governments to certify they won't refuse to work with firearms-related companies.

Carroll and firearms industry lobbyists said some banks are refusing to do business with firms involved with the firearms industry. They framed it as an issue of banks preventing people from exercising their Second Amendment rights.

But bankers resisted the bill, calling it government overreach for lawmakers to try to force businesses to deal with other companies against their will. Industry lobbyists who testified against the bill also said lawmakers are politicizing an issue that is not present in Arizona.

The 31-28 party-line vote sends the measure to the Senate for consideration.

The legislation follows the shutdown of social media sites popular with extremists, including Gab and Parler, when their web hosts, banks or payment processors refused to continue doing business.

The Arizona bill stands in contrast to efforts in more liberal states to target gun manufacturers.
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A Russian attack helicopter makes a menacing low pass over a rural village in Ukraine, its gunship fully equipped with missiles and machine guns.

But, unknown to the crew of the state-of-the-art Mi-24 Hind aircraft, Ukrainian soldiers are waiting unseen in the line of trees below.

Dramatic footage emerged yesterday of the final moments of the helicopter, christened the 'flying tank' by Russian air crews.

As it makes its approach, the defending troops fire a rocket skywards from a frost-covered field about 25 miles outside the capital Kyiv.

The warhead fizzes, leaving a trail of white smoke in its wake. It locks on to its target before the crew can engage their infrared jammers and flare dispensers.

Dramatic footage emerged yesterday of the final moments of a helicopter, christened the 'flying tank' by Russian air crews, after it was hit by Ukrainian soldiers

The invaders receive a brutal and direct hit; the helicopter explodes instantly, sending brilliant orange flames bursting from the engine.

The stricken Mi-24 plummets to the earth, hitting the ground nose-first, with all her pilots and navigators feared killed.

Their deaths came on a day when Russian aerial forces lost as many as eight aircraft, as well as multi-role, strike and close air support aircraft and a drone.

Their losses, claimed by Ukrainian military sources, provide further evidence of Russia's failure to gain air superiority  a tactical advantage that Vladimir Putin thought would be achieved on the first day of the war.

But, ten days later, the Russian President's much-vaunted air force is still being picked off in ambushes by highly mobile Ukrainian air defence units equipped with the latest shoulder-fired rocket launchers.

In the incident pictured above, the Ukrainians are thought to have used a specialist short-range weapon system, the Polish PPZR Piorun, which is ideal for targeting low-flying helicopters.

The video is believed to have been recorded by a drone, with Western sources confirming the location as Kozarovychi in the Kyiv region.

In another remarkable development yesterday, Putin came under pressure from his own soldiers to stop the war. At a press conference in Kyiv, captured Russian troops condemned the mission and called on their fellow citizens to rally against the conflict.

The stricken Mi-24 plummets to the earth, hitting the ground nose-first, with all her pilots and navigators feared killed

Andrey Chuvatarevsky, a soldier who served on a contract basis in the Moscow region, said: 'Russians, do everything possible to stop this war. Neither Ukraine nor Russia needs this war. Only Putin needs this war.

'Try to inform the President, drive the military away from the equipment so that they don't drive and bomb the civilian population. If you take to the streets, the President will decide to withdraw the troops. Then there will be no war.'

Fellow captured soldier Mikhail Kulikov warned that Ukrainian children were suffering: 'People of Russia, stand up. Your children are here. Children of the Ukrainian people are also suffering here. There is no need to be afraid.

'The Ukrainian people are not afraid of anyone. They will stand up for their land to the last. I also have two small children at home, to whom I do not know if I will get. Parents, block the roads, do not let your children go, do everything to make the Russian troops turn back.'

The two men were among ten soldiers who spoke at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine yesterday. They had voluntarily surrendered and each noted that they had received good treatment and the chance to contact their relatives.

Prisoner Dmitry Gagarin told relatives and friends in Russia not to listen to Russian propaganda. 'I would like all the people of Russia to hear that here everything is not like they say on Russian television,' he said.

'There are no Nazis. Here are ordinary peaceful people who have rallied against one person  Putin, who wanted to be a conqueror.'

Yesterday footage also emerged of a Russian pilot wearing a blue jumpsuit and a bloodstained T-shirt being treated for a head wound after he crashed in a field.

With a bandage around his head, he nodded wearily as Ukrainian troops asked him questions.

Ukrainian forces were last night holding key cities in central and south-eastern Ukraine, while the Russians are trying to keep Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv and Sumy encircled, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

At least 351 civilians have been confirmed dead since Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, but the true number is probably much higher, the UN human rights office has said.

President Zelensky claimed yesterday that 10,000 Russian troops had died in the war, a claim that could not be independently verified. 'We're inflicting losses on the occupants they could not see in their worst nightmare,' he added.

The Russian military, which does not offer regular updates on casualties, said on Wednesday that 498 of its troops had died in the conflict. Ukraine's military might is vastly outmatched by Russia's, but its military and volunteer forces have fought back with fierce tenacity since the invasion.

Last night, a vast Russian armoured column threatening Ukraine's capital remained stalled outside Kyiv and there was heavy fighting to the north-west of the capital around the key Hostomel airport.

However, there have also been warnings that the vulnerability of Russian jets may lead Putin's commanders to rely on artillery to bombard civilian infrastructure. This is likely to lead to further innocent lives being lost because artillery is less accurate than air strikes.

Western officials have confirmed Russia has been forced to resort to indiscriminate aerial and artillery assaults on densely populated urban areas because its military campaign is floundering.

At a press conference in Kyiv, captured Russian troops condemned the mission and called on their fellow citizens to rally against the conflict

An official told The Mail on Sunday: 'The original plan was a rapid assault on Kyiv from the north and a sweeping up from the south using combined units and arms. But they are having to resort to pounding areas with massed artillery. The impact is likely to result in increased civilian casualties.'

Artillery is expected to be the weapon of choice for the Kremlin as it continues to hit the cities of Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Sumy and Mariupol. The UK's Ministry of Defence confirmed that these cities have been encircled by Russian troops.

Evidence has also emerged to suggest that Russian jets have been downed near Chernihiv in northern Ukraine. The bombing has been so extensive there that local officials have likened it to the German Army's bombardment of Stalingrad during the Second World War.

On Friday at least 47 people were killed and hundreds more injured when Russian jets fired missiles into high-rise apartments in the city, reducing them to piles of blazing rubble, with residents trapped underneath.

Yesterday heartbreaking pictures emerged of men, women and children hiding under a destroyed bridge to escape Russian air strikes on Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv.

Hundreds of residents sheltered in the darkness beneath the bridge which had been blown up by the Russians. They were forced to seek refuge there  even though the bridge could collapse  because Russian warplanes were circling overhead.

President Zelensky has been calling for the 'complete closure of the sky for Russian missiles, aircraft and helicopters'.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 06/03/2022 (201 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

LONDON  As Olivia Milton and her husband packed up their four-year-year son up for trips to their Kyiv neighbourhood bomb shelter, they crafted a narrative to explain the flurry of activity to him.

With the Russian war on Ukraine underway, Milton, 33, said they told him there was a crazy man who was kind of sick who was coming to take their land with his warplanes and tanks.

Hey mom, you know, I had a dream today, Milton recalled her son later telling her later. I was dreaming while I was sleeping, and I had a dream that I have a police tank thats protected the city.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets with people from the Ukrainian community as Russia has launched a devastating attack and war on Ukraine in Toronto on Friday, March 4, 2022. Trudeau is set to depart for Europe today to meet with allies about Russias invasion of Ukraine. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Milton reflected on the war in an interview with The Canadian Press from her familys Kyiv apartment a few days before Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrived in London Sunday night for the start of a four-country Europe tour. It offered a subtle human snapshot of Ukraines strife as 1.5 million citizens have fled across Europe in an unprecedented refugee crisis.

Trudeau is planning to meet with several allies to discuss responses to Russias attack and the humanitarian crisis it has now spawned.

Milton said she and her family were staying put, in part because they were not sure they would actually be able to safely flee Kyiv.

Trudeau arrived in Britain as plans to evacuate civilians from a Ukrainian port city collapsed for the second time.

Residents expected to leave Mariupol during the 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. local ceasefire, Ukrainian military authorities said earlier in the day, but Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko later said the planned evacuations were halted because of an ongoing assault by Russian troops.

It is not possible to know the exact number of people killed so far since the Feb. 24 invasion. The United Nations human rights office said 364 civilians have been confirmed killed, but the true number is likely much higher. Russian and Ukrainian officials have not provided information on military causalities.

The British defence ministry said Sunday in an intelligence update that Russias tactics in Ukraine were comparable to their previous pummelling of cities in Chechnya in 1999 and Syria in 2016 with airstrikes and artillery, after Russian forces faced unexpected resistance. The intelligence report said the strength of Ukrainian fighters continues to surprise the Russians, and that the bombing of cities, including Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Mariupol represented an effort to break Ukrainian morale.

In a one-hour conversation on Sunday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to cease the fighting in an attempt to address humanitarian concerns and try to find a political solution.

The Kremlin said Putin replied that Russias military action in Ukraine could be halted only if Kyiv ceases hostilities and fulfills the well-known demands of Russia.

With a third round of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia set for Monday, the Kremlin said Putin said he hoped Ukraine would fully consider emerging realities.

On Monday, Trudeau will compare notes with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in London, where they will be joined by their Dutch counterpart, Mark Rutte.

In the following days, Trudeau is to meet with other leaders in Riga, Latvia, Berlin and Warsaw, Poland.

He is to meet NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and visit the Latvian military base where hundreds of Canadian Forces are contributing to Canadas leadership in that country of NATOs long-standing deterrence mission to bolster its eastern European flank against Russia.

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly has been in Europe over the past few days in meetings with NATO and European Commission officials about ongoing efforts to sanction Russia. International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan will also travel to Geneva and then join Trudeau in eastern Europe to meet with the United Nations and others for talks on Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy renewed his plea on Sunday for a no-fly zone over his country, saying in a video address that the world is strong enough to close our skies.

Canada and its NATO allies have ruled out a no-fly zone, saying it would essentially lead to an all-out air war between NATO forces and Russia. Putin has made clear hed consider such a move a hostile act.

Deploying fighter jets over Ukraine could in current circumstances be considered as NATOs entry into the war and therefore risk World War III, European Union leader Charles Michel said Sunday in an AP interview.

Instead, the alliance of western nations has opted to send weapons and defensive equipment to Ukraine while attacking Russias economy with a series of unprecedented moves to isolate it.

Before departing Canada on Friday, Trudeau said he wanted to join partners in finding ways to counter disinformation and misinformation that he said was a particularly strong facet of this conflict, this war in Ukraine.

In Kyiv, Milton said she and her husband were working in what she called an information army as part of Ukraines resistance.

She said the group is comprised of hundreds of technology workers, public relations, marketing and advertising specialists who have been sending information to Western media, bombarding social media platforms and trying to penetrate into Russia itself to show its population that its young soldiers are needlessly dying.

This includes photos, videos, digital information and other testimonials to back what they are seeing and hearing.

Milton and her husband have told their son that his parents have joined forces with this information army informing the world to explain to him why he must go back and forth between a bomb shelter and can no longer play outside with other children.

Her young son, she said, seems to be accepting of the situation, as he told her of his dream of owning a very large tank.

Hes behaving like a young man, she said. He says, mom, I will protect you.'

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 6, 2022.

 with files from the Associated Press.
March 6, 2022 marks 65 years of the birth of Ghana after gaining independence from British rule.

Ghana is an amalgam of the Crown Colony: Ashanti Protectorate; Northern Territories and Trans-Volta-Togoland, crafted to suit the purposes and convenience of the British, who were ruling the country before independence on 6th March 1957, when Dr Kwame Nkrumah took over.

It is important to note this fact, as the sages say: "If one does not know where one is coming from it would be unlikely that one would know where he or she is going."

This saying is obvious because for Ghana at 65, some of her citizens still wonder over what the future holds for them.

It, therefore, calls for a sober reflection on the gains and burdens of a nation at 65. This is the time to take stock of this long and arduous journey to appreciate where the journey takes the nation.

The big question analysts would ask is: Has the dream of Osagyefo Dr Nkrumah unfolded today? Does it express the just hopes of the people? Is it a good chariot for the journey?

These and many more questions should be constantly raised even if answers cannot be found for all of them. Every citizen of this country has reason to be thankful to the Almighty God for the ability of this fragile and artificially crafted nation to endure.

While other nations like the Czech Republic and former Yugoslavia had succumbed to the artificiality of their creation and torn apart along their seams due to pressures exerted by creed, ethnicity, and inefficient administration, Ghana has held together and has endured to the threshold of 65 years of nationhood.

The country could have lived the Nkrumah dream much more realistically but be it as it may it is still grappling with potable water supply to some areas, occasional chieftaincy disputes, labour issues, human rights and freedom of speech. An elixir that can help propel the nation towards its speedy development is most welcomed.

The Upper west Region

As the country celebrates its 65th birthday, it is significant to limit the conversation to the Upper West Region and to identify relevant historical documentation worth celebrating.

Tourism

This year, the Upper West Region is celebrating the 65th Independence Day at the Nadowli/Kaleo District. This is refreshing news because shifting the celebration to the districts would surely project those areas to attract investors.

The region is indeed endowed with tourists' attraction sites, namely the the Wa Na Palace, the Jaripa Dubai and the Gwollu Anti-Slavery Defence Wall.

Mr Mohammed A. Sukparu, the Member of Parliament for Sissalla West, had course to make a case in Parliament a fortnight ago, cataloging the tourism potential of the area and the revenue it can generate for the country.

Tourism is one of the largest contributors to Ghana's GDP, contributing up to 3.3 billion dollars in 2019. This figure dropped by almost half in 2020 with the sector contributing only 1.9 billion dollars according to statistics from the Ghana Tourism Authority; a decline highly attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent reduction in the number of foreign tourists who visit the country,'' he said.

He said the decline in revenues from this sector partly due to the pandemic is a wakeup call to encourage domestic tourism by improving and marketing tourists' attractions in the country to attract more Ghanaians to participate.

The Sissala West District, Mr Supkaru said, possessed tremendous tourism potentials, which must be urgently harnessed to generate revenue for government, provide employment for the citizenry and enhance general development in those areas.

He mentioned the Gbele Forest Reserve as the fourth largest in Ghana, housing some of the rarest wild animal and bird species, ranging from antelopes, baboons, green monkeys, elephants, violet turacos, yellow-billed oxpeckers and warthogs. These natural endowments and scene of wonders are, however, being left untapped due to lack of investment to make the reserve attractive.

It is high time the Government, through the Ministry of Tourism, put the Gbele Reserve on the radar.

Other tourist attractions include the Kalgbe Crocodile Pond, home to hundreds of crocodiles in Gwollu, the Gwollu Slave Defence Wall and the Worugu Slave Escape Rocky Mountains, which are magnificent works of art.

The slave wall could be Ghana's own version of the Great Wall of China; both built for same reason. Just as the Great Wall of China is branded to remain a colossal tourist attraction to this century, we can also brand and improve the remnants of the Gwollu Slave Defence wall to attract both local and foreign tourists.

The tomb of Dr Hilla Limann, the former President of the Third Republic, also lies in Gwollu and its tourist potentials must be explored.

The Sissala West District is a very traditional one, upholding cultural practices from many generations, which are showcased during festivals in various communities all year long.

A visit to Gwollu would be inconclusive without visiting the Gwollu Bone Setting and Fertility Centre. The centre is notable for its ability to cure impotence in men and improve sexual health and longevity without any known side effect.

In other jurisdictions like China, Mexico and Russia, ancient herbal medicinal practices are still very attractive to the citizens. It can be replicated in Ghana with little push from government. Gratefully, Gwollu is endowed with such a centre, which renders the most desired of herbal medications anywhere on the planet earth.

The residents of Jefisi in Wa are renowned for their mastery of the cure for leprosy and have been in the practice of these traditional medicines for centuries, which are capable of healing fractured bones and disabilities.

Mr Supkaru said the tourism potential of the Sissala West District was enormous and called on government, corporate Ghana, foreign investors and individuals to invest there to contribute to both government and private revenue generation, reduce unemployment and promote the development of the area.

Road Network

Kuoro Kuri-Buktie Limann IV, the Paramount Chief of the Gwollu Traditional Area, emphasised the need to develop all tourist sites in the Region. He bemoaned the deplorable road network from Wa to Gwollu and those in the Gwollu town, saying they have nothing to write home about.

The abandoning of Dr Hilla Limann's tomb was another major concern the Chief expressed and appealed to the government to rehabiltate it and tar all roads leading to Gwollu to serve as an honour in memory of Dr Limann.

Kuoro Limann appealed to Ghanaians to remain patriotic, maintain the peace, and desist from acts with the tendency to divide the nation as she celebrates the 65th Anniversary.

Conclusion

In unity lies our strength. And as the bells ring to remind us of the birth of Ghana, our beloved country, it is significant to reflect soberly on the gains and failures. We must remain bold, fearless and defend the good name of Ghana, our motherland.

The year 2022 should, therefore, mark a beginning and a milestone for Ghanaians to rise up to the occasion and make poverty, hunger, disease, ignorance and misery things of the past.

This way, the nation would begin its triumphant march for progress. Ghana must succeed. It cannot be left behind. The future of Ghana is bright and hopeful. The celebration of the 65 years, as a nation, is justified.

GNA
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McDonald's and PepsiCo, along with many others, are being urged to end their business in Russia.

New York's state comptroller wrote to several companies calling for action, Reuters reported.

John Mann, a British politician, has made similar requests.

McDonald's and PepsiCo are among the food and drink companies facing increased pressure to cut business ties with Russia, following its invasion of Ukraine.

In letters sent on Friday, Thomas DiNapoli, New York's state comptroller, urged companies to rethink their Russian business operations because they face "significant and growing legal, compliance, operational, human rights and personnel, and reputational risks," Reuters reported.

McDonald's is facing scrutiny over its business dealings in Russia. Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

DiNapoli said that suspending or ending business in Russia "would address various investment risks associated with the Russian market." It would also play a key role in "condemning Russia's role in fundamentally undermining the international order," he added.

McDonald's and PepsiCo did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment made outside normal working hours.

Other companies, including Estee Lauder, Kimberly-Clark Corp., Coty Inc., Mondelez International Inc., Fortinet Inc., Bunge Ltd., Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc., and Trimble Inc., were also asked in letters to boycott business in Russia, Reuters reported.

Since Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine in an unprovoked attack, scores of companies have taken action by ending or limiting their commercial dealings with Russia.

Ikea, Spotify, and Nike were among the major companies that recently severed business ties with Russia. Some retail brands, including Publix and Kroger, also showed their solidarity with Ukraine by removing Russian vodka from store shelves.

John Mann, a British politician, called for similar action to DiNapoli. He tweeted: "If Mcdonalds and Starbucks continue to sell in Russia then an international boycott of their products should" be instigated.

Story continues

Social-media users have also called for company boycotts, with McDonald's facing particular scrutiny.

One user who posted a photo of open McDonald's stores in Russia said: "Guess who is doing business as normal in #Russia no surprise #BoycottMcDonalds."

Another said: "@McDonalds Leave #Russia or lose loyal customers, the choice is yours. #BoycottMcDonalds."

Read the original article on Business Insider
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BANGKOK (AP)  The official global death toll from COVID-19 is on the verge of eclipsing 6 million  underscoring that the pandemic, now entering its third year, is far from over.

The milestone is the latest tragic reminder of the unrelenting nature of the pandemic even as people are shedding masks, travel is resuming and businesses are reopening around the globe. The death toll, compiled by Johns Hopkins University, stood at 5,999,158 as of Monday midday.

Remote Pacific islands, whose isolation had protected them for more than two years, are just now grappling with their first outbreaks and deaths, fueled by the highly contagious omicron variant.

FILE - Registered nurse Rachel Chamberlin steps out of an isolation room where Fred Rutherford recovers from COVID-19 at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, in Lebanon, N.H., Monday, Jan. 3, 2022. The official global death toll from COVID-19 is on the verge of eclipsing 6 million  underscoring that the pandemic, now in its third year, is far from over. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

Hong Kong, which is seeing deaths soar, is testing its entire population of 7.5 million three times this month as it clings to mainland Chinas zero-COVID strategy.

As death rates remain high in Poland, Hungary, Romania and other Eastern European countries, the region has seen more than 1 million refugees arrive from war-torn Ukraine, a country with poor vaccination coverage and high rates of cases and deaths.

And despite its wealth and vaccine availability, the United States is nearing 1 million reported deaths on its own.

Death rates worldwide are still highest among people unvaccinated against the virus, said Tikki Pang, a visiting professor at the National University of Singapores medical school and co-Chair of the Asia Pacific Immunization Coalition.

This is a disease of the unvaccinated  look what is happening in Hong Kong right now, the health system is being overwhelmed, said Pang, the former director of research policy and cooperation with the World Health Organization. The large majority of the deaths and the severe cases are in the unvaccinated, vulnerable segment of the population.

It took the world seven months to record its first million deaths from the virus after the pandemic began in early 2020. Four months later another million people had died, and 1 million have died every three months since, until the death toll hit 5 million at the end of October. Now it has reached 6 million  more than the populations of Berlin and Brussels combined, or the entire state of Maryland.

But despite the enormity of the figure, the world undoubtedly hit its 6 millionth death some time ago. Poor record-keeping and testing in many parts of the world has led to an undercount in coronavirus deaths, in addition to excess deaths related to the pandemic but not from actual COVID-19 infections, like people who died from preventable causes but could not receive treatment because hospitals were full.

Edouard Mathieu, head of data for the Our World in Data portal, said that  when countries excess mortality figures are studied  as many as nearly four times the reported death toll have likely died because of the pandemic.

FILE - A man runs out of the heat emitting from the multiple funeral pyres of COVID-19 victims at a crematorium in the outskirts of New Delhi, India, Thursday, April 29, 2021. The official global death toll from COVID-19 is on the verge of eclipsing 6 million  underscoring that the pandemic, now in its third year, is far from over. (AP Photo/Amit Sharma, FILE)

An analysis of excess deaths by a team at The Economist estimates that the number of COVID-19 deaths is between 14 million and 23.5 million.

Confirmed deaths represent a fraction of the true number of deaths due to COVID, mostly because of limited testing, and challenges in the attribution of the cause of death, Mathieu told The Associated Press. In some, mostly rich, countries that fraction is high and the official tally can be considered to be fairly accurate, but in others it is highly underestimated.

The United States has the biggest official death toll in the world, but the numbers have been trending downward over the last month.

Lonnie Bailey lost his 17-year-old nephew, Carlos Nunez Jr., who contracted COVID-19 last April  the same month Kentucky opened his age group to vaccinations. The Louisville resident said the family is still suffering, including Carlos younger sibling, who had to be hospitalized himself and still has lingering symptoms. The aggressive reopening of the country has been jarring for them to witness.

For us it is hard to let our guard down; its going to take a while for us to adjust, Bailey said.

The world has seen more than 445 million confirmed COVID-19 cases, and new weekly cases have been declining recently in all regions except for the Western Pacific, which includes China, Japan and South Korea, among others, the World Health Organization reported this week.

Although the overall figures in the Pacific islands seeing their first outbreaks are small compared to larger countries, they are significant among their tiny populations and threaten to overwhelm fragile health care systems.

FILE - A worker handles a coronavirus test sample at a private testing site in Beijing, Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022. The official global death toll from COVID-19 is on the verge of eclipsing 6 million  underscoring that the pandemic, now in its third year, is far from over. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

Given what we know about COVID  its likely to hit them for the next year or so at least, said Katie Greenwood, head of the Red Cross Pacific delegation.

Tonga reported its first outbreak after the virus arrived with international aid vessels following the Jan. 15 eruption of a massive volcano, followed by a tsunami. It now has several hundred cases, but  with 66% of its population fully vaccinated  it has so far reported people suffering mostly mild symptoms and no deaths.

The Solomon Islands saw the first outbreak in January and now has thousands of cases and more than 100 deaths. The actual death toll is likely much higher, with the capitals hospital overwhelmed and many dying at home, Greenwood said.

Only 12% of Solomon Islanders are fully vaccinated, though the outbreak has provided new impetus to the countrys vaccination campaign and 29% now have at least one shot.

Global vaccine disparity continues, with only 6.95% of people in low-income countries fully vaccinated, compared to more than 73% in high-income nations, according to Our World in Data.

In a good sign, at the end of last month Africa surpassed Europe in the number of doses administered daily, but only about 12.5% of its population has received two shots.

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is still pressing for more vaccines, though it has been a challenge. Some shipments arrive with little warning for countries health systems and others near the expiration date  forcing doses to be destroyed.

Eastern Europe has been particularly hard hit by the omicron variant, and with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a new risk has emerged as hundreds of thousands of people flee to places like Poland on crowded trains. Health officials there have been offering free vaccinations to all refugees, but have not been making them test upon arrival or quarantine.

FILE - In this photo taken by drone, cars wait in long lines at a drive-up coronavirus testing center at the Tropical Park, Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2021, in Miami. The official global death toll from COVID-19 is on the verge of eclipsing 6 million  underscoring that the pandemic, now in its third year, is far from over. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File)

This is really tragic because great stress has a very negative effect on natural immunity and increases the risk of infections, said Anna Boron-Kaczmarska, a Polish infectious disease specialist. They are in very high stress, being afraid for their lives, the lives of their children, they family members.

Mexico has reported 300,000 deaths, but with little testing, a government analysis of death certificates puts the real number closer to 500,000. Still, four weeks of falling infection rates have left health officials optimistic.

In India, where the world was shocked by images of open-air pyres of bodies burned as crematoria were overwhelmed, the scars are fading as the number of new cases and deaths has slowed.

India has recorded more than 500,000 deaths, but experts believe its true toll is in the millions, primarily from the delta variant. Migrants from Indias vast hinterland are now returning to its megacities in search of jobs, and the streets are packed with traffic. Shopping malls have customers, albeit still masked, while schools and universities are welcoming students after a months-long gap.

In Britain, infections have fallen since an omicron-driven surge in December, but remain high. England has now lifted all restrictions, including mask mandates and the requirement that all who test positive isolate at home.

With about 250,000 reported deaths, the African continents smaller death toll is thought to stem from underreporting, as well as a generally younger and less mobile population.

Africa is a big question mark for me, because it has been relatively spared from the worst so far, but it could just be a time bomb, Pang said, noting its low vaccination rates.

FILE - A patient infected with the coronavirus sits on a bed in the intensive care unit of the Afghan Japan Communicable Disease Hospital, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Feb. 7, 2022. The official global death toll from COVID-19 is on the verge of eclipsing 6 million  underscoring that the pandemic, now in its third year, is far from over. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File)

In South Africa, Soweto resident Thoko Dube said she received news of the deaths of two family members on the same day in January 2021  a month before the country received its first vaccines.

It has been difficult, but the family is coping, she said. We have accepted it because it has been happening to other families.

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AP journalists Jill Lawless in London, Aniruddha Ghosal in New Delhi, Cara Anna in Nairobi, Mogomotsi Magome in Johannesburg, Monika Scislowska in Warsaw, Fabiola Sanchez in Mexico City, and Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kansas, contributed to this story.
ARCADIA, Calif. (AP)  Forbidden Kingdom romped to a 5 3/4-length victory in the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes on Saturday, beating a pair of 3-year-old colts from the barn of embattled trainer Bob Baffert.

Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Forbidden Kingdom ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.98 on a showery, 55-degree day at Santa Anita.

Trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, Forbidden Kingdom took the lead out of the gate on the way to his third win in five career starts. Hes a son of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, who was trained by Baffert.

He was just unbelievable. Hes just so fast and he kept going faster, Baffert said about Forbidden Kingdom. (Flavien) Prat said he thought at the quarter-pole that he was going to get him, but he took off again. I said his dad did the same thing. Its a great day for Pharoah. Hell always be dear to my heart.

It was Forbidden Kingdom's first try going two turns.

I was very anxious. You just don't know if a horse like this will get two turns, but hell, he looked better, Mandella said.

In four of his wins, the colt has led all the way.

He's really fast, Hernandez said A couple jumps after we break, he was in front already and I just let him run. I threw him loose on the lead and he never stopped. He showed how good he is.

Sent off as the even-money favorite in the field of seven, Forbidden Kingdom paid $4, $2.40 and $2.20. The chestnut colt earned 50 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby on May 7.

It's been 18 years since Mandella had a starter in the Kentucky Derby, where he's 0 for 6. His last trip to Louisville ended in heartbreak when morning-line favorite Omaha Beach was scratched days before the 2019 race because of a throat issue.

Omaha was a great horse. This guy is turning that way, Mandella said. We just hope we keep him as good as he is today.

Trained by Baffert, Doppelganger returned $2.60 and $2.40 in bouncing back from a fourth-place finish in his last start in the San Vicente. He was beaten by Forbidden Kingdom in that race on Jan. 25.

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He's still learning how to run and he was chasing a really fast horse, Baffert said. I think he'll move forward off of that.

Bafferts other entry, 9-2 shot Armagnac, finished sixth.

Happy Jack was another 4 3/4 lengths back in third and paid $5 to show.

Baffert's day at Santa Anita began promisingly enough. He finished 1-2 in the second race on the card and won the $200,000 San Carlos Stakes with 3-5 favorite Cezanne.

He also saddled 1-5 favorite As Time Goes By to a 2 1/4-length victory in the $500,000 Beholder Mile for fillies and mares. His other entry, Varda, was third.

At New York's Aqueduct, Baffert's entry, Rockefeller, finished last in the 10-horse field for the Gotham Stakes. The $300,000 race awarded Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top four finishers, with Morello the winner.

When he stumbled and fell back, I didn't like that because I wanted him up near the lead, Baffert said. Once he stumbled, he never got into it. I'm going to ship him to Kentucky and give him a little break."

Baffert was allowed to run in New York while he awaits a final ruling in the New York Racing Association's case to ban him from its tracks.

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission denied Bafferts request for a stay of his 90-day suspension on Friday. His suspension came after a ruling last month by Kentucky stewards that disqualified the late Medina Spirit from his victory in the 2021 Kentucky Derby after he failed a postrace drug test.

Were fighting for that horse, Baffert said. To me, I still think he shouldnt have been disqualified.

The suspension was originally scheduled to begin on Tuesday. Instead, a Kentucky judge will hear the case on March 17 to decide if a stay should be issued.

It's a long process. It's been tough, but we're going to deal with it, fight the good fight, Baffert said. We have the truth and the facts on our side. You're just hoping for cooler heads to prevail.

In a separate issue, Baffert has been banned by Churchill Downs for two years as a result of Medina Spirit's failed test. The trainer filed a federal lawsuit this week to try and reverse that ban and force the track to allow his horses to earn qualifying points for the Derby. As a result, Doppelganger didn't receive the 20 points available for finishing second in the San Felipe.

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A medical assistant prepares a dose of AstraZeneca's Evusheld. The drug is supposed to give immunocompromised patients who can't make their own virus-fighters some protection against COVID-19 for six months. (Ted S. Warren / Associated Press)

Leanne Cook was glum but unsurprised when the tests confirmed what she and her doctors had expected: Even after three shots of a vaccine, she had no antibodies to protect her against COVID-19.

Her immune system had been hampered by the drugs she takes for her condition, a rare disease affecting her kidneys. As other vaccinated people began to let down their guard last year, Cook continued to minimize trips outside her home in Mission Viejo.

Then Cook heard about something that could plug those missing antibodies into her system  a preventive pair of injections called Evusheld. But health officials cautioned that there was only so much to go around.

Cook said that one medical provider told her, "'We didn't get any of this,'" she recalled. "And I'm like, 'No, no, you guys got doses  I can see it on this website.' "

Cook ultimately secured the treatment in January, which finally gave her some antibodies to combat COVID-19  and enough peace of mind to chance her first trip to a hair salon since the pandemic began. But it took networking, internet savvy and a costly consultation that landed her with an unexpected bill.

"I felt I was at their mercy to get a dose," Cook said.

Evusheld has been heralded as a way to armor people who remain highly vulnerable to COVID-19 even after vaccination. As government officials loosen masking requirements that have helped shield the immunocompromised, the preventive treatment has gained even more urgency for people who do not generate enough antibodies to gain protection from the COVID-19 vaccines.

The new treatment can "give them the antibodies that they essentially need in order to avoid getting admitted to the hospital" for COVID-19, said Dr. Krist Azizian, chief pharmacy officer for Keck Medicine of USC. "This could truly be lifesaving."

But immunocompromised people and their advocates complain that scant awareness and a complicated process for allocating the limited supply have hampered the rollout of Evusheld, which is far from a household name even among the immunocompromised.

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Many people who need it "don't even know that it exists," said Janet Handal, president and cofounder of the Transplant Recipients and Immunocompromised Patient Advocacy Group.

Because the antibody treatment has been sent to a limited number of medical providers, patients in the group have closely monitored a federal database that shows where Evusheld has gone. In Pasadena, Karol Franks said she spotted doses that had been sent to nearby hospitals and reached out to doctors to ask about getting it for her 36-year-old daughter.

"I said, 'Hey, I see there's Evusheld.' And they're like, 'What's Evusheld?'" Franks recalled.

One physician told her the treatment was still not available. Another said that her daughter  a kidney transplant patient who had no antibodies despite being vaccinated and boosted  was nowhere near the front of the line at his hospital. Franks persisted and her daughter Jenna eventually got the antibody shots elsewhere.

"If you're a patient, you really need to stay on top of things," Jenna Franks said. "You can't just wait for the doctor to tell you what to do."

So far, the federal government has agreed to buy 1.7 million courses of the treatment from AstraZeneca. As of late February, it had delivered nearly 600,000 doses for free to states and territories, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Patient advocates have raised alarms about that number, pointing out that at least 7 million adults across the United States are estimated to be immunocompromised.

"It's insane that there's such a small amount for so many people," said Michele Nadeem-Baker, who has chronic lymphocytic leukemia and is an advocate for people with blood cancers. She said she had become discouraged after discovering how few doses had been sent to the Boston institute where she is a patient.

"If you're going to drop the mask mandate, please have enough Evusheld to go around for all the immunocompromised," Nadeem-Baker said. If not, "I will continue to be locked up and missing life."

Those worries mounted late in February, when the FDA started recommending twice as high a dosage to combat new sub-variants  a change that sent patients like Cook in search of another round of the shots. Physicians were already expecting to give eligible patients a second round of the treatment after six months.

Health and Human Services said it was working with health departments to "optimize their inventory" but added that, so far, states and territories had reported that only 20% of the allocated doses were being used.

In Los Angeles, several medical centers said that despite the limited supply, they had enough Evusheld to meet the demand they had seen so far, even with patients being referred from other providers.

"We really thought that the demand would be higher than it's been," said Dr. Caroline Goldzweig, chief medical officer for Cedars-Sinai Medical Network. More eligible patients are probably out there, "but doctors don't necessarily know, 'How do I look at my practice and find all the patients who are eligible for Evusheld?' "

Goldzweig said that, at first, Cedars-Sinai was limiting Evusheld to a group of especially vulnerable patients but soon made it available it to anyone who met federal criteria.

Heart transplant recipient Tania Daniels, who is a Cedars-Sinai patient, said that when she first began asking about the new treatment, "there was very little communication about Evusheld and its availability."

Daniels said she was eager to get the shots after learning, through a study, that she had no antibodies or T-cells. In January, Daniels said, a nurse she knew told her that "it did not look good at that time."

Then in February, she phoned to change an appointment, asked again about Evusheld, and finally heard that she could receive the shots, she said. Daniels, who retired from a corporate job to become a patient advocate, said that getting the antibodies had given her "tremendous relief."

But "each state handles it differently. Each county handles it differently. Each institution handles it differently. And then you add on the fact that there's not enough supply?" Daniels said. "It's a mess."

Dr. Brian Koffman, a retired family physician and cofounder of the CLL Society, which serves patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, said there should have been broad and proactive efforts to inform people that "this is how you get it. This is what to expect," similar to the public education around COVID vaccines. Instead, "it was an afterthought."

That lack of information has been compounded, he said, by a "haphazard" system in which different institutions have set different criteria for who is first in line for the treatment.

"You shouldn't have to have a doctoral degree to get this stuff," Koffman said.

Handal said some members of her group had scouted out centers where the treatment is more readily available and driven as many as 10 hours to get it for themselves or their children. Travel can be risky for immunocompromised people, she said, but "this is, for people, a life-or-death decision."

Federal officials granted emergency use authorization for the drug in December, after a clinical trial found that Evusheld recipients had a 77% reduced risk of getting COVID-19. Under the federal approval, it can be given to people whose immune systems are compromised or who are medically unable to get the COVID vaccine  and who are not infected with or recently exposed to the virus.

Among the immunocompromised are people who have gotten organ transplants, who take medicine to suppress their immune systems. Last year, researchers found that transplant patients who were vaccinated were 485 times more likely than other vaccinated people to be hospitalized or die from breakthrough infections.

"We've got great vaccines," said Dr. Dorry Segev, a transplant surgeon at NYU Langone Health who led that study. "But they're not great for some people."

Many patient advocates worry that the obstacles to getting Evusheld could disadvantage patients who do not use the internet or have little time to phone physicians or to bird-dog a government database.

Researchers have found that other forms of COVID monoclonal antibody treatments  those for people already infected or exposed  have been given less often to Black, Asian and Hispanic patients than white and non-Hispanic ones, according to a report recently released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"I had to figure out everything on my own," said Michael Stubbs, a retiree in Santa Barbara who has rheumatoid arthritis and other immune conditions.

"I'm white. I'm educated. I'm affluent. I have connections. My doctor has connections. ... That's a privileged position to be in," said Stubbs, who was among the first patients in Santa Barbara County to get the preventive antibody treatment. "My God, what about the folks ... who don't have the resources I do?"

There can also be costs: Federal officials say the drug is free to eligible patients, but "there may be an associated administration fee." Some patients have encountered significant charges from medical providers for administering the injections or vetting recipients for eligibility. Cook, in Mission Viejo, said she ultimately paid more than $1,100, the bulk of it for a brief consultation with a UC Irvine oncologist.

The bills came as a surprise, but "luckily for me ... my family is in the position where we can pay," Cook said.

A UCI Health spokesman said its patients had not been billed for Evusheld itself, but providers "are permitted to charge for the handling and clinical administration related to the treatment" and that patients who are referred by outside physicians are evaluated by a UCI Health specialist to ensure the therapy is appropriate for them.

The mobile medical provider Concierge MD, which is based in Los Angeles, has been advertising Evusheld for $999. The cost includes screening by a medical provider, giving the patient the injections in their home, and monitoring them afterward for any allergic reactions, said Dr. Abe Malkin, owner of the company.

Malkin was unsure how much of that cost might ultimately be covered by health insurers. So far, "it's not super popular," Malkin said. "I just don't think people know about it."

In California, health officials aimed to address possible disparities through the allocation process: The antibody treatment was initially divvied up by region, then by county, with amounts tied to how much of the population was considered to be disadvantaged under a state metric, according to its public health department.

Los Angeles County, in turn, surveyed acute care hospitals in November to find out how many eligible patients they served, said Dr. Seira Kurian, who heads the COVID therapeutics effort at the county Department of Public Health. Kurian said that to decide how much goes to a hospital, the county also gauges inventory at each facility, checks in on its latest needs, and ensures that access points are spread across the county.

And at Cedars-Sinai, Goldzweig said an algorithm had been designed to prioritize patients from disadvantaged areas among those who were referred. But the demand has been so limited, so far, that the hospital system hasn't used it.

HHS said it was "committed to doing everything we can to protect the health and wellbeing of all Americans, including immunocompromised people, which is why weve purchased as much product as the manufacturer can supply."

An AstraZeneca spokesperson said, however, that the company still had additional doses available for purchase this year and was "committed to providing supply to all countries as quickly as possible where we have firm agreements."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
VINELAND  Visiting Angels of Cape May and Cumberland Counties received the 2022 Best of Home Care Top 100 Leader in Experience Award from Home Care Pulse, the leading firm in experience management for home care. The Top 100 Leader in Experience Award is the highest recognition awarded by Home Care Pulse and is only awarded to 100 home care businesses in North America. Recipients must consistently rank among the very highest in 10 or more quality metrics. As a Top 100 Leader in Experience Award recipient, Visiting Angels is recognized among the very best home care providers participating in the nationwide Home Care Pulse Experience Management Program.

The accomplishment demonstrates Visiting Angels long-term dedication to excellent care and quality improvement. To qualify for this award, 10% of Visiting Angels clients and caregivers were interviewed each month by Home Care Pulse. Over a 12-month period, Visiting Angels of Cape May and Cumberland received high client and caregiver satisfaction ratings in areas such as caregiver training, compassion of caregivers, communication, scheduling, client/caregiver compatibility, and more. Using feedback from clients and employees, as well as quality benchmarks from Home Care Pulse, the Visiting Angels management team set goals to reach the highest level of Experience possible.

We are truly honored to receive this award and I couldnt be prouder of my team, says Debbe Bourgoin, owner of Visiting Angels. This award demonstrates our dedication to providing excellent in-home care from the moment a client picks up the phone to call us. We have a smooth and quick start-up process, which allows us to get care in place when families need it most. And I have to especially thank our caregivers, for they are all skilled, kind and compassionate individuals who really do treat their clients like family, and to me, that makes all the difference.

The Best of Home Care Top 100 Leader in Experience Award highlights the top-performing home care businesses in the nation. Home Care Pulse believes that by honoring these providers, families looking for in-home care for a loved one will be able to recognize and choose a trusted home care provider.

At Home Care Pulse, our mission is to help home care businesses create an experience that goes beyond client and caregiver expectations, says Todd Austin, president of Home Care Pulse. When we see agencies like Visiting Angels of Cape May and Cumberland that have so effectively provided outstanding care and employment experiences, we know were on the right track. They have worked extremely hard to prioritize high-quality care and employment, and their work hasnt gone unnoticed. This award allows them to show proof of quality to potential clients and caregivers.

To find out more about Visiting Angels of Cape May and Cumberland, visit visitingangels.com/capemay/ or call 609-545-8258.
Kristen Allen Wilson is the Illinois Distributed Museum coordinator at the University of Illinois Archives in the UI Library. She can be reached at klallen3@illinois.edu.
A Ukrainian woman living in the Midlands has spoken of how her daughter was among the last people to escape from the war-torn country as it faced up to a full-scale Russian invasion.

Mother of three Mila Yevtushenko who lives in Longford described the harrowing moment her 18-year-old daughter Valerie believed she would not make it back to Ireland after cutting short a holiday in the midst of an unyielding Russian onslaught.

She is in bits, said Mila, speaking on Monday evening.

She was on the last plane to come back from Kyiv and I can still remember her saying to me: 'Mummy, I don't want to die'.

A resident of Ireland for almost the past two decades, Mia who now resides in Longford, said despite her daughter's safe passage home, her unease at watching events unfold in her homeland have continued unabated.

My parents live in Cherkasy which is about 160km from Kyiv and my sister, Valentina and her husband live in Kyiv. It's just been so, so worrying.

Those fears have taken their toll, with Mia revealing she has lost three kilos in the space of a week amid the spectre of her home country coming under ever-increasing attack.

Mia's neighbour Natalia Bumblauskienie, who also hails from Ukraine also spoke to this newspaper and how the ensuing conflict was leading to mass hysteria and untold upset.

Everthing we know, we know from the internet, she said, adding her own family resided in a town which had so far escaped Russian insurgence forces.

In my town, there are many volunteers who are ready to go to defend Ukraine.

It comes after Russia's offensive into its eastern European neighbour.

Russian forces attempted to overcome what has been a more protracted invasion than it had originally envisaged.

International criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown little sign of easing with calls this week for Kremlin and its head of state to face war crimes in the face of ongoing indiscriminate shelling.

And like much of that transnational condemnation, Mia said the Russian premier would, in time, have little or nowhere to hide.

For me, I can't understand it, she said.

He is a father and had a wife. You just don't do this kind of thing to people.

There are so many lies being told too when you look at the Russian news, I just don't understand it.

That said, Mia waxed lyrical at the fortitude which had been shown by her fellow countrymen and women back home and issued a public thank you to the local Longford community for the level of solidarity which had been shown to her native country in recent days.

We will never give up, she said.

They (Ukrainians) are a very spiritual people and we have a very strong belief inside ourselves, she said.

And I am so happy with the response (of the public).

Just looking at Facebook and all the things like sleeping bags, food and other items that people have donated, it really has shown the inner quality of people and makes me so proud to say that I have lived here for the last 19 years.




A no-fly zone would not help to defend Ukraine, the head of the UKs armed forces has said.

Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said the invasion in Ukraine is not going well for the Kremlin, with Russias military might not proving as strong as expected in the face of the Ukrainian resistance.

However, he said the key call of Kyiv  a no-fly zone  would not help those on the ground.

On Sunday, Ukrainian newspaper The Kyiv Independent reported the countrys President Volodymyr Zelensky had reiterated his demand as he said: The world has the power to close our skies for Russian rockets and aircraft.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv (Peter Nicholls/PA)

Sir Tony told the BBCs Sunday Morning programme: The advice that we as senior military professionals are giving our politicians is to avoid doing things that are tactically ineffective and definitely to avoid doing things that tactically might lead to miscalculation or escalation.

The no-fly zone would not help.

Most of the shelling is coming from artillery, most of the destruction is coming from artillery, its not coming from Russian aircraft.

If we were to police a no-fly zone, it means that we probably have to take out Russian defence systems and we would have Nato aircraft in the air alongside Russian aircraft, and then the potential of shooting them down and then that leads to an escalation.

The view was echoed by Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab, who said it would be very difficult, very challenging, but added we will do everything short of that to support Ukrainians.

Were not going to get ourselves into a direct military conflict with Putin because that would be a massive escalation, but also that feeds Putins narrative, he told Trevor Phillips On Sunday on Sky News.

Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary Dominic Raab on the BBC One current affairs programme, Sunday Morning (Jeff Overs/BBC)

Putin wants to say that hes actually in a struggle with the West  hes not.

Labours shadow defence secretary John Healey also said the implementation of a no-fly zone would give the Russian president a get-out-of-jail-free card.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer told ITV News: Everybody understands why we cant have a no-fly zone, why direct military assistance is not possible. That means sanctions have to be the strongest we have ever seen, the most effective weve ever seen.

Ukrainian leaders have repeatedly called for a no-fly zone but Vladimir Putin warned that imposing one would be considered participation in the armed conflict.

Nato has ruled it out as the alliance fears it would spark a wider conflict.

General Philip Breedlove, a former Nato Supreme Allied Commander Europe, told Times Radio allies should enforce a humanitarian no-fly zone, with different rules of engagement than a military one whereby we talk to our enemy, and we say, we are not going to fire on you unless you fire on us.

But Mr Raab said he did not think Mr Putin would agree to such a move.

He told Times Radio: I think its interesting, I just cant see why Russia would agree to that and what weve been clear on is were not going to get into direct military conflict between the UK or Nato and Russia.

He added: Weve had ongoing discussions with all of our allies and, indeed, with the Russians, and if we thought that there was an easier or credible route to provide that humanitarian support, of course, wed want to look at it more seriously.
I love you, my beautifully carved goddess statue! She deserves all of the money.



I want to know what new things she has cooking up.

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good for her (or possibly oh no, not sure whether this is good or bad?)

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Good for ha.

Remember to pay the taxman

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Hopefully she doesn't feel the same way as Adele lol

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But she worked hard for that money etc. Etc. Comment about socialists and bootstraps and talent.

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Get that cash!

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Hell yes she's super talented



But also I had to read that one sentence four times and now "Michaela Coel has raked in 3million since starring in the drama I May Destroy You" stuck in my head

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mte omg

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I can't wait for ner next projects tho

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I miss Bubble Gum 



Actually chewing gum, right



Edited at 2022-03-06 03:14 pm (UTC)

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I refuse to watch bc I dont forgive her. Good for her but 

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She never addressed her somalis look mixed race but like something went wrong line in Chewing Gum. It was def. a punching down moment.

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GO on

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I'm adding to the pile of people who want to know.

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don't keep your secrets!

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What did she do?

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didn't she have some pro maggie thatcher tweets?

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good for ha



and fuck netflix

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Say rake again.

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Smart, talented and beautiful. We are not worthy. I do miss Chewing Gum tho ngl I rewatched it and completely forgot Jonathan Bailey made an appearance lol.

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Good for her

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Yes!!! Well deserved! Get money talented queen!

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Does creditors in this case mean taxes?





Edited at 2022-03-06 04:31 pm (UTC)

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I assumed it was whoever funded her since she turned down Netflix?

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Outstanding bills in general; can be anything from credit cards and student loans to project funding, but I assume HBO picked up the cost for that.

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Student loans over here would only be, like, 60k at the absolute max (idk how old she is so not sure what level of tuition fee she'd pay but even a 4 year degree at the max cost would be less than 40k) so God know what the rest of the debt was.

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Nah, if she still lives in the UK she will have to pay 50%

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John Frayne hosts Classics of the Phonograph on Saturdays at WILL-FM and, in retirement, teaches at the UI. He can be reached at frayne@illinois.edu.
Post reporters answered your questions about the lawsuit which alleges $250 million fraud, and seeks to bar the Trumps from serving as executives of any company operating in New York
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) speaks to a reporter before heading to the Senate Chamber for a vote regarding a nomination on Thursday, December 2, 2021.





Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) during an interview on Sunday said "the Russians never keep their word," pointing to a failed cease-fire in Mariupol that was meant to help evacuate citizens from the besieged Ukrainian city.

Rubio emphasized the importance of moving civilians and innocent individuals out of Ukrainian cities that are Russian targets, before taking a shot at Moscow's integrity.

"Mariupol this morning, an example of how the Russians never keep their word," Rubio told co-anchor Jake Tapper on CNN's "State of the Union."

Ukraine and Russia made another attempt to evacuate civilians from Mariupol on Sunday through a cease-fire, which ultimately failed for the second day in a row. The Mariupol mayor's office said Russian forces violated the cease-fire with "intense shelling," according to The New York Times.

Rubio also said on CNN that he is worried that Russia is agreeing to humanitarian corridors as a way to set up false-flag situations and justify its offensive.

"They're never gonna allow any of this. And in fact, to the extent they do allow humanitarian corridors, I worry that they're doing it to set up false flags where they can then attack that and argue that Ukrainians did it," Rubio said.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine entered its eleventh day on Sunday.

On Saturday, civilian evacuations in Mariupol also stopped after Ukrainian and Russian forces said the other side had violated the cease-fire agreement.
SAO PAULO (AP)  A Brazilian muralist and graffiti artist joined with the Sao Paulo Philharmonic Orchestra to make a plea, using colors and sound, for the end of war in Ukraine.

What we want here is peace, tolerance, respect and we're going to bring some of this message through the composers, the conductor, the paintings, artist Eduardo Kobra said before the performance Saturday night at the city's municipal theater.

To the sound of violins, cellos and the voice of the soprano interpreting compositions by Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, Kobra retouched three murals featuring his characteristic style of colorful shapes overlaid on images. One was a take on Rio de Janeiro's Christ the Redeemer statue.

I myself have relatives in Ukraine who may come to Brazil, and Brazil will welcome them with open arms, as will this symbol of our country, Christ the Redeemer, Maestro Roberto Minczuk said.

Minczuk also expressed solidarity with Russian artists who have been barred from participating at cultural events around the world after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro expressed solidarity with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on a recent visit, and has said Brazil will retain a neutral stance in the conflict. At the same time, Brazil voted to condemn the invasion at the United Nations.

On Friday, Brazils government said it will issue temporary humanitarian visas and residency permits for Ukrainian nationals and other individuals who have been affected or displaced by the conflict. ___

Alvares reported from Brasilia.
Before Volodymyr Zelensky became president of Ukraine, he played one on TV. Since the Russian invasion, Zelensky has become a president whom actors across the world would rush to portray.

Against Russian claims he'd fled his country, Zelensky was defiant:

"We are all here, defending our Independence, our state! It will continue to be so. Glory to our defenders! Glory to Ukraine!"

   :"   -   ,  !    .     !  !" pic.twitter.com/hojX94ONDI

 Defence of Ukraine (@DefenceU) February 25, 2022

Targeted for assassination, he refused a U.S. offer of escape. "I need ammunition, not a ride," he said.

"This may be the last time you see me," he told the leaders of the European Union.

His appeal for support was so moving, they increased their sanctions on Russia significantly.

His commitment to a nation that has been free for just 30 years refreshed the resolution of democracies that as much older. It is a hero story. But it wouldn't have a very long run without an audience. Leaders are made by followers who get a say in what they are being led to. And Ukrainians echoed the certain trumpet.

Ukrainians stood before tanks.

Ukrainians mobbed Russian vehicles.

Ukrainians returned to their country to take up arms. We are watching what Viktor Frankl identified the last time evil burned Europe. A Nazi concentration camp survivor, he wrote: "Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms  to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances. To choose one's own way."

What Vladimir Putin has tried to snuff out, Zelensky has instead illuminated on the world stage.

Ukrainians are not squatters on some stray Soviet scrap. They are human. And we are watching them, and their leader, make the basic choice that defines what it means to be human.

Story continues

Story produced by Young Kim. Editor: Carol Ross.

Russian tank column refuels east of Kyiv ahead of expected push toward capital

Ukrainian civilians in "desperate need" of help as Russian shelling continues

Open: This is "Face the Nation," March 6
Follow more recent coverage of the deadly weekend weather here.

The National Weather Service is predicting a variety of weather hazards across much of the nation over the weekend. The weather agency warns of tornadoes, thunderstorms and large hail across portions of the western and central U.S. in addition to record-breaking warm temperatures in the east.

"A storm system pushing across the central U.S. today will produce numerous weather hazards from the Intermountain West to the Upper Great Lakes," the National Weather Service Prediction Center said Saturday morning.

A storm system pushing across the central U.S. today will produce numerous weather hazards from the Intermountain West to the Upper Great Lakes. For latest National Forecast Chart, visit: https://t.co/W0tJTyStnB pic.twitter.com/onTAPVrXhD

 NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC) March 5, 2022

Portions of the Midwest, Northern Plains and Upper Great Lakes had already begun feeling the impacts from the weather system Saturday afternoon as they were hit with wintry weather, the National Weather Service said. The weather agency issued winter weather advisories for multiple states Saturday, including Nebraska, Michigan, Colorado, South Dakota and Wyoming.

Areas in Nebraska are forecast to see snow accumulation of up to five inches, accompanied by 40 mph wind gusts, the NWS said. Portions of Colorado could be in for up to eight inches of snow with 55 mph wind gusts, while parts of South Dakota could see mixed precipitation and 35 mph winds.

In Michigan and Wisconsin, "pockets of significant freezing rain will remain a concern into early Sunday," the NWS said. Ice storm warnings are in effect for parts of Michigan and Minnesota through the weekend.

The NWS warned residents in impacted areas to plan on slippery road conditions and reduced visibility while outside due to patchy blowing snow. Sizable ice accumulation in certain areas could lead to power outages and tree damage, according to the NWS.

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"A few inches of snow falling quickly and after sunset can make travel treacherous at times," the NWS said.

There are scattered snow showers across northeast Colorado this morning with a few lightning strikes being reported. The coverage of snow showers will stay low today with light accumulations. The bulk of the snow shown in the graphic will fall during the day Sunday. #COwx pic.twitter.com/uMDzZsQp1a

 NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) March 5, 2022

Meanwhile, the warm side of the weather system could spark thunderstorms across the Midwest. Parts of Nebraska are under severe thunderstorm warnings, with the weather service predicting 60 mph wind gusts and quarter-sized hail. The NWS said several severe storms across south-central Iowa and northern Missouri are possible as well.

"Damaging wind gusts associated with these thunderstorms are the most likely hazard, but isolated tornadoes and large hail are also possible," the NWS said.

Multiple areas in Iowa, Missouri and Oklahoma are currently under tornado watches, and multiple tornadoes were confirmed throughout Iowa and Nebraska on Saturday afternoon. At least six people were killed in Iowa after tornadoes touched down, according to Madison County's emergency management office. Two of those killed were children, officials aid.

The NWS said it has also identified a severe thunderstorm that has the potential to create a tornado in Mercer county Missouri. A tornado warning has been issued there.

A tornado watch has been issued for parts of Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska until 8 PM CST pic.twitter.com/zb6Kvt7nhV

 NWS Tornado (@NWStornado) March 5, 2022

Residents in the area are encouraged to move to a basement or a room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building, avoid windows and to protect themselves from flying debris.

The storm system is also forecast to bring record-breaking warm temperatures across the eastern U.S. on Sunday and Monday, the NWS said. New Jersey and Pennsylvania could see temperatures into the 70s while Northern Virginia could experience temperatures into the 80s on Monday. According to the NWS, these temperatures are around 20 to 30 degrees above average.

Commemorating "Bloody Sunday" 57 years later

Russia's space agency severs ties with the U.S. and its European partners

U.S. sees progress in COVID fight as restrictions ease
As Ukrainian leaders plead with the West for help against Russias attacks on their country, theyre meeting staunch resistance on one key request: a no-fly zone.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine has pleaded with Western powers for protection of the countrys airspace, but there is a strong bipartisan consensus in the U.S. and among its European allies that implementing a no-fly zone could be disastrous. On Sunday, American leaders on the right and left argued that taking this action would unleash a wider war, with multiple lawmakers invoking fears that it could lead to World War III.

Though U.S. lawmakers were largely unwavering in their warnings against the no-fly zone, theyve warmed to many of Ukraines requests. There is growing support on both sides of the aisle for a ban on oil imports from Moscow, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday indicated that the U.S. was working on the prospect with European allies. Aid to Ukraine, too, is swelling, after the Biden administration revamped its emergency funding request last week to ask for more assistance for the country. But even as military aid and harsh sanctions enjoy broad bipartisan support among U.S. lawmakers, the establishment of a no-fly zone has not gained traction in Congress.

Leaders in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, have been insistent that this measure is necessary to protect the country from the aggression unleashed by President Vladimir Putin of Russia. The Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S. continued her countrys calls for the implementation of a no-fly zone on Sunday, saying of the Kremlin, This is a terrorist state and we should treat it as a terrorist state.

The ambassador, Oksana Markarova, appeared on Fox News Sunday as the humanitarian situation worsened in her country. The same morning, Zelenskyy took to social media to call on Western leaders to do more.

If you do not do that, if you do not at least give us aircraft to protect ourselves, there can only be one conclusion: You also want us to be slowly killed, he said in a video message shared on Twitter.

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The Ukrainian leader has regularly used social media since the attack began in full force, communicating with his nation and the international community as Russia wages not just a physical war, but also a messaging war of disinformation, on the country. Zelenskyy hasnt held back in asking Western nations for more help as Ukrainians fight back. Before the invasion, he accused them of appeasement of Putin, and he met with members of Congress on Saturday to appeal for more weapons and measures against the Kremlin, including a no-fly zone.

Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraines foreign minister, said his nations greatest weakness militarily was in the air. Stressing the urgency of the situation on Fareed Zakaria GPS on CNN, he said: As we speak, Russian planes continue to bomb Ukrainian cities, kill Ukrainian civilians, including women and children. Its a disaster here. And we need to protect the skies.

Asked about no-fly-zones, Blinken said on Sunday morning on NBCs Meet the Press that President Joe Biden had been clear that he would not put the U.S. in a direct armed conflict with Russia.

Because for everything were doing for Ukraine, the president also has a responsibility to not get us into a direct conflict, a direct war with Russia, a nuclear power, and risk a war that expands even beyond Ukraine to Europe, Blinken said. Thats clearly not our interest. What were trying to do is end this war in Ukraine, not start a larger one.

A no-fly zone would not only create the possibility that Russian planes would be shot down, but could also lead to Western planes firing on anti-aircraft sites within Russia itself.

I think we need to be clear that we are not going to go to war with Russia, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said on Fox News Sunday.

Murphy later reinforced his message, making clear on Twitter that World War III was not an option: One thing is certainly true: shooting down Russian planes would require a declaration of war from Congress  which isnt happening.

Murphys comments were echoed on the right, with Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) saying, It would be World War III, on Fox News Sunday. Nikki Haley, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and a vocal Republican critic of the Biden administration, told NBCs Meet the Press that she, too, opposed the no-fly zone  instead calling on the White House to take actions such as sanctioning Russian energy companies and coordinating intelligence with Ukraine.

Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a centrist Democrat, struck a different tone than many of his fellow senators. Asked by NBCs Chuck Todd whether hed support a no-fly zone, Manchin said,  I would take nothing off the table, but I would let  be very clear that were going to support the Ukrainian people, the Ukrainian president and his government in every way humanly possible.

As they have called for aid to Ukraine and sanctions on Russian oil, lawmakers have been effusive in their praise of Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian leaders who are defending their country. They also noted that Ukraine had put up a strong defense against Kremlin forces so far, with multiple reports that Russia is frustrated by the resistance it has met already. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said Putin has found himself in a conflict he cant win, and Blinken said the Russian leader was destined to lose, though he added that we have to be prepared for this to last for some time.

Now, as U.S. and European leaders consider their next steps in helping Ukraine to defend itself against Russia, Markarova, the Ukrainian ambassador, emphasized that this was a full-fledged war with implications beyond Ukraine.

Markarova said the attacks of the last 11 days showed that all of us must step up against the Kremlin.

Lets all remember that Ukraine did nothing to provoke this attack, she said, adding: Were not a threat to Russia unless being a democracy and living peacefully in your own country is a threat.

If this situation happened to Ukraine, who is safe? the ambassador said. What democracy can feel safe now?


By Julio-Cesar Chavez

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Hundreds of trucks, recreational vehicles and cars circled the outskirts of Washington on Sunday, aiming to slow traffic around the capital as part of a protest against pandemic restrictions.

The so-called "People's Convoy," which originated in California and has drawn participants from around the country, is calling for an end to all pandemic-related restrictions. It was inspired by demonstrations last month that paralyzed Ottawa, Canada's capital city.

Leaders of the convoy said that on Monday they will again slowly drive the Beltway, a 64-mile highway that encircles the city, though details of when the action would take place were not known.

Hundreds of vehicles gathered on Friday and Saturday at the Hagerstown Speedway, a racetrack in Maryland about 80 miles (129 km) northwest of downtown Washington.

On Sunday morning, many left in convoy to drive two slow laps on the Beltway. They honked their horns as they set off, while onlookers waved American flags, according to a Reuters witness.

The convoy, more than 2 miles long, slowed traffic at points along the Beltway by late Sunday morning, but did not bring it to a standstill. It returned to the Hagerstown Speedway in the afternoon, according to messages on the convoy's Telegram channel.

The convoy's protest against vaccine requirements and other pandemic restrictions has been undercut in recent weeks as major U.S. cities have rolled back mask mandates and other measures against COVID-19 with infections and hospitalizations declining dramatically.

President Joe Biden, a Democrat, signaled in his State of the Union speech on Tuesday that the country was entering a new, phase of the pandemic without business lockdowns, school closures or other daily disruptions.

At the racetrack on Friday night, one participant who described himself as the lead trucker told a cheering crowd he would drive his truck into the heart of the American capital.

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"D.C., the government, whomever, can claim that they have all this opposition for us waiting in D.C.," the man said. "But that flag on the back of my truck will go down to Constitution Avenue between the White House and the Washington Monument."

U.S. federal law enforcement agencies have been coordinating with state and local authorities for weeks in preparation for the possible arrival of the convoy, according to one U.S. official who requested anonymity to discuss internal operations.

A Feb. 26 U.S. Department of Homeland Security bulletin to law enforcement reviewed by Reuters said trucker convoys could hinder emergency responders depending on the size of the protest.

(Reporting by Julio-Cesar Chavez, Gabriella Borter and Ted Hesson; Additional reporting by Brad Brooks in Lubbock, Texas; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Bill Berkrot)
Egyptian female judges are seen at the State Council in Giza, Egypt, on March 6, 2022. Nearly 100 female judges assumed office at Egypt's State Council for the first time in the country's history, the Egyptian judiciary body announced Sunday. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

CAIRO, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 100 female judges assumed office at Egypt's State Council for the first time in the country's history, the Egyptian judiciary body announced Sunday.

The 98 judges, who were sworn in on Saturday, were appointed last year under a presidential decree to work in the circuits of the State Commissioners' Authority, Mohamed Mahmoud Hossameldin, the council's president, said in a statement.

"They would examine lawsuits and prepare legal opinion reports," he said, adding that all the female judges have undergone intensive training on judicial traditions and skills, file examination, session management, and relevant issues of national security and anti-corruption.

The move was applauded by advocacy groups, government officials, and female legal workers.

"I'm very honored and proud to be among the first group of female judges in Egypt," Hend Ahmed, a newly appointed judge, told Xinhua on her second day of work at the State Council in Cairo.

She noted that the Egyptian women have the capabilities to work in many fields, adding that the fellow female judges will prove that they deserved to be appointed.

"We have many responsibilities ahead and will cooperate with our colleagues to ensure justice in Egypt," she said.

The State Council was founded under Egypt's constitution of 2014 as an independent judicial body with authority on administrative disputes, disciplinary cases, and appeals, as well as disputes about its decisions.

It is also competent to issue opinions on certain legal issues, review and draft legislative bills and resolutions, and review draft contracts to which the state or any public entity is a party.

Hossameldin said a follow-up on the newly appointed judges had made sure they would quickly integrate into the work and serve with efficiency and distinction.

Since the follow-up "proven their accuracy in examining the cases, preparing the legal reports, and participating in the deliberation and cooperation with their colleagues," all the female judges were put to attain their positions on the bench from Saturday, he noted.

The move means that they have obtained all the powers and jurisdictions of fellow judges in the council through sitting on the bench in a judge's capacity, he added.

Their duty includes presiding over sessions of cases preparation, completing the documents necessary to adjudicate and prepare them for the proceedings, and explaining the code of the judicial traditions, Hossameldin said. 

An Egyptian female judge is seen during her first court hearing at the State Council in Giza, Egypt, on March 6, 2022. Nearly 100 female judges assumed office at Egypt's State Council for the first time in the country's history, the Egyptian judiciary body announced Sunday. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

An Egyptian female judge (Rear) is seen during her first court hearing at the State Council in Giza, Egypt, on March 6, 2022. Nearly 100 female judges assumed office at Egypt's State Council for the first time in the country's history, the Egyptian judiciary body announced Sunday. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

Egyptian female judges are seen at the State Council in Giza, Egypt, on March 6, 2022. Nearly 100 female judges assumed office at Egypt's State Council for the first time in the country's history, the Egyptian judiciary body announced Sunday. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

Egyptian female judges are seen at the State Council in Giza, Egypt, on March 6, 2022. Nearly 100 female judges assumed office at Egypt's State Council for the first time in the country's history, the Egyptian judiciary body announced Sunday. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)
Median house prices have topped the $2 million mark in more than a quarter of Sydney suburbs, with areas such as Eastwood, Matraville and Caringbah South among the latest to join the club.

Buoyed by Sydneys booming property market, prices across dozens of suburbs hit and surpassed a $2 million median house price last year, Domain figures show.

Median house prices in Croydon and more than a dozen other suburbs topped the $2 million mark late last year. Credit:Peter Rae

Cherrybrook and Glenhaven in the citys north-west, Blakehurst and Woolooware in the south, and Croydon and Five Dock in the inner west were among the suburbs that made it into the growing cohort last quarter after their median prices increased by hundreds of thousands of dollars in 2021.

They follow the likes of Byron Bay, West Pennant Hills, Cromer and Mona Vale, where typical house prices crossed the $2 million threshold earlier last year.
Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark has paid tribute to the Ukrainian people after visiting the country's embassy in Copenhagen, alongside his two youngest children.

The 53-year-old heir to the Danish throne stopped at the building during his school run with his twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, 11, on Friday, with pictures of the visit later shared by the royal household on their website and on Instagram.

The father-of-four looked on as his daughter laid a bouquet of flowers with the candles, gifts and words of kindness others had left on the steps of the embassy before them.

In a statement showing his family's support for Ukraine in the wake of the Russian invasion, Frederik said the attack was 'infinitely sad' and praised the world community and Europe for their 'unity'.

Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark (pictured right) has paid tribute to the Ukrainian people after visiting the country's embassy in Copenhagen, alongside his two youngest children

In the pictures, Frederik, who was wearing a winter coat over red trousers, looked on with Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, who were both wearing jeans, trainers and similar winter jackets.

Princess Josephine was seen laying a bouquet of flowers with the ones that were already covering the pavement.

In a statement posted to Instagram along with the images, Frederik said: 'It is infinitely sad what we are experiencing in Europe right now, and it is heartbreaking to follow the situation in Ukraine.

'My family and I are deeply touched by the images and stories we witness daily. It makes a very big impression.

'Fortunately, we can also tell our children about the unity that the rest of Europe and the world community are showing the Ukrainian people, and about the great relief work that is going on.

'It is important that we maintain hope and share the good that also happens in the midst of all the cruel.

The 53-year-old heir to the Danish throne stopped at the building during his school run with his twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, 11, on Friday, with pictures (above) of the visit later shared by the royal household on their website and on Instagram

'Before starting school this morning, my youngest children and I made our way past the Ukrainian embassy. On behalf of my family, I send the warmest thoughts to the Ukrainian people.'

Last week, another European royal showed their support.

Queen Letizia of Spain sent a supportive message to the people of Ukraine as she sported one of the country's traditional blouses to chair an event for the Mutua Madrilena Foundation in Madrid.

The mother-of-two, 49, paired the white blouse with simple black cigarette-style trousers, black stilettos, a wide black snakeskin belt, and a black patent clutch bag thought to be designed by Carolina Herrera.

Her folk blouse, known as the 'vyshyvanka' is a national Ukrainian embroidered shirt.

Every stitch and decoration on the blouses have their own meaning, with the decoration traditionally considered to be a talisman against bad luck.

The father-of-four looked on as his daughter laid a bouquet of flowers with the candles, gifts and words of kindness others had left on the steps of the embassy before them

Spanish media has praised the royal for her outfit, with Estilo y Vida saying the queen showed 'great sensitivity' in opting to wear the traditional Slavic blouse.

Her appearance was to chair the 10th Annual Call for Grants for Social Projects of the Mutua Madrilena Foundation, a Spanish non-profit organization created by insurance company Mutua Madrilena to donate some of its profits to promote health-related scientific research.

Since its launch in 2004, the foundation has granted more than 1,000,000 to more than 36 social projects from a range of non-profit organisations.

Projects which receive the grants, should demonstrate that they are supporting vulnerable groups of people, including children suffering from health problems, people with disabilities, and those at risk of gender-based violence.
President Nana Akufo-Addo has served notice to protect the peace and stability of the country at all times.

Speaking at the 65th Independence day celebration in Cape Coast on Sunday March 6, he said Let us guard jealously the peace and stability we are enjoying. There are some restless spirits amongst us who, seeking to exploit the current difficulties confronting the nation, claim to have lost confidence in our democratic system.

Either the absence of faith in the prospect of democratic alternative to the current government or their impatience to wield executive authority are the factors driving their appetite for the short cut of military intervention.

Whatever be the case, they seem ready to jeopardise the hard won reputation of our country as beacon of democracy and stability in Africa and indeed, in the world, in order to gratify their personal ambition, ambitions which show little or no respect for the capacity of the Ghanaian people to change when necessary their government peacefully through the ballot box, something we have done on three separate occasions in the 29 year life of the fourth republic.

The great majority of us who are committed to democratic values and institutions will continue to resist the claims of these adventurers and deploy all legitimate means in our democracy to maintain our free open system of governance which has respect for human rights, the rule of law and the principles of democratic accountability.

His comments come after the Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Ghana , Professor Raymond Atuguba who was Executive Secretary to Former President John Dramani Mahama , said that Ghana is currently a fertile place for coup due to the bad economic situation.

Prof Atuguba asked the government to acknowledge the economic mess and try to deal with it.

We do not want coup in this country but if we do not act quickly we may have one in our hands. There is one thing to do now, prevent coup in Ghana since the climate and the environment, national and immediate international, are conducive for one. We must compel the government to acknowledge the current economic mess, they mostly, and previous governments, to a larger extent.

Ghana's economic problems started before Covid-19. On balance, Covid-19 was a good thing for Africa and Ghana. he said at a forum held by Solidare Ghana.

Prof Atuguba received flak for this comment from a section of the Ghanaian public.

Senior Advisor at the Africa Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption, Professor David Abdulai said, contextually, the conditions that gave rise to the overthrow of constitutionally-elected governments in some West African countries recently are not the same as those in Ghana.

Professor Abdulai said on the Key Point on TV3 Saturday March 5 that I think if the inference is to to support what happened in Mali, in Guinea , Burkina Faso, I won't think it is right because each country has its context and culture.

So if you infer that in the case of Ghana I don't think contextually it is right. One must also look at the fact that if you look at the developmental stages of coups of these countries, I can tell you Ghana is way beyond that.

Nobody really wants a coup d'etat because first of all, in the current digital and globalized environment we are, it is going to impact our economy heavily, it will take years to recover because once some of the businesses leave they are not going to come back. Also the brand Ghana is going to be damaged. But in a democracy such talks or the warnings should be listened to.

A civil society activist who is the chairman of the Civil Society Platform on Oil Gas, Dr Steve Manteaw, had also said earlier that one of the causes of coups in most countries is the absence of an alternative to the governing party.

He explained that the people must have no other opportunity for changing the government before they will think of taking the law into their own hands.

But, he said, that is not the case in Ghana.

In a Facebook post, Dr Manteaw said Professor Atuguba was candid and brutally frank. No malice. However, he omitted one precondition for coups i.e. the people must have no other opportunity for changing the gov't, which is not the case in Ghana.

Adansi Asokwa Member of Parliament Kobina Tahir (KT) Hammond also took a swipe at Professor Atuguba following the coup comment he made.

KT Hammond questioned why, in his view, all the time some members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) who he described as irresponsible call for the Military intervention in the administration of the country when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is governing.

Responding to him at a press conference in Parliament on Wednesday March 2, KT Hammond said Why is it that in the course of NPP administration every opportunity that the NDC get, not all of them to be fair, but the irresponsible ones are calling for intervention of the military?

What is it about the Military?

Let me tell Professor Atuguba that he doesn't have the liberty to take leave of his brain, he does not have the liberty to take even half of his brain.

He owes it to his students and he owes it to the constitution that everybody including him has no reason to say the kind of things he has said. He is a Professor and of no other thing but of law, he understands the constitution.

This is the constitution that has made it very clear, anybody who attempts to subvert it commits the offence that he knows, he goes to make a statement like this.

He added The Military knows what they are up to, they are a professional institution, their responsibility is to guide the territorial integrity of this country, period, they know it, they are not interested in dabbling in politics. The group before them had dabbled in politics and we are all witnesses to these happenings. They are not interested, the officers are professionals, the rank and file, they are professionals they know their duties. It is not the likes of Atuguba to invite them to hold the country to ransom.

Clearly, he is NDC sympathizer and indeed, I do know that at a point in time he worked with the office of the president , he is an NDC sympathizer but no problem with that but the constitution allows for the people of Ghana to speak at periodic times.

The last one was 2020, we had the election, four more years, we have spent almost one and a half years thereafter, we will go for election.

If the people do not like the NPP administration because they feel that we messed up it is for the people of the country to pass their judgement, it is not for the person who thinks he knows the law and who thinks he has studied the law to go about and brandishing foolishness like that.

I will be surprised if they have not already invited him. Clear foolishness.

3news.com
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) speaks before signing a bill to fund the U.S. government avoiding a federal shutdown at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Sept. 30, 2021. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

RussiaUkraine (March 6): US Congress to Explore Russian Oil Ban, Enact $10 Billion in Aid for Ukraine This Week: Pelosi

The latest on the RussiaUkraine crisis, March 6. Click here for updates from March 5.

US Congress to Explore Russian Oil Ban, Enact $10 Billion in Aid for Ukraine This Week: Pelosi

U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Sunday said the chamber is exploring legislation to ban imports of Russian oil and that Congress intends to enact this week $10 billion in aid for Ukraine in response to Russias military invasion of its neighbor.

The House is currently exploring strong legislation that will further isolate Russia from the global economy, Pelosi said in a letter.

Our bill would ban the import of Russian oil and energy products into the United States, repeal normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus, and take the first step to deny Russia access to the World Trade Organization.

Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a special operation.

By Katanga Johnson

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Russian Forces Increase Shelling, Ukraine Says

Russian forces stepped up their shelling of Ukrainian cities in the center, north and south of the country late Sunday, presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovich said.

The latest wave of missile strikes came as darkness fell, he said on Ukrainian television.

He said the areas that came under heavy shelling include the outskirts of Kyiv, Chernihiv in the north, Mykolaiv in the south, and Kharkiv, the countrys second-largest city.

Kharkiv officials said the shelling damaged a television tower and heavy artillery was hitting residential areas.

In Chernihiv, officials said all regions of the city were coming under missile attack.

Arestovich described a catastrophic situation in the Kyiv suburbs of Bucha, Hostomel, and Irpin, where efforts to evacuate residents on Sunday failed. He said the government was doing all it could to resume evacuations.

Evacuations also failed in Mariupol in the south and Volnovakha in the east because of the shelling.

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Zelensky Says Russia Sanctions Not Sufficient

As Russian forces increased their shelling of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to the West to strengthen sanctions.

In a video statement Sunday evening, Zelensky heaped criticism on Western leaders for not responding to the Russian Defense Ministrys announcement that it would strike Ukraines military-industrial complex, while telling employees of these defense plants not to go to work.

I didnt hear even a single world leader react to this, Zelensky said. The audacity of the aggressor is a clear signal to the West that the sanctions imposed on Russia are not sufficient.

Zelensky called for organizing a tribunal to bring to justice those who order and carry out such crimes.

Think about the sense of impunity of the occupiers that they can announce such planned atrocities, he said.

The Russian Defense Ministry announced Sunday that its forces intend to strike Ukraines military-industrial complex with what it said were precision weapons.

We urge all personnel of Ukrainian defense industry plants  to leave the territory of their enterprises, ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement carried by the state news agency Tass.

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US, Poland in Discussion to Provide Ukraine With Fighter Jets, Biden Admin Says

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed on Sunday that Washington is discussing with Warsaw a proposal that would allow Ukraine to obtain warplanes from Poland to defend its skies from Russian assault.

Under the proposed three-way deal, Poland would provide Ukraine with its aging Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter jets and in return, have its hangars refilled by the United States with American-made F-16s.

We are looking actively now at the question of airplanes that Poland may provide to Ukraine and looking at how we might be able to backfill should Poland decided to use thoseto supply those planes, said Blinken during a press conference with Moldovan President Maia Sandu. I cant speak to a timeline, but I can just tell you were looking at it very, very actively.

Read the full article here

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US, Europeans Discussing Banning Russian Oil Imports, Blinken Says

The United States and European allies are exploring banning imports of Russian oil, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday, and the White House coordinated with key Congressional committees moving forward with their own ban.

We are now in very active discussions with our European partners about banning the import of Russian oil to our countries, while of course, at the same time, maintaining a steady global supply of oil, Blinken said in an interview on NBCs Meet the Press show.

Blinken, who is on a trip across Europe to coordinate with allies the response to Russias invasion of Ukraine, also said he discussed oil imports with President Joe Biden and his cabinet on Saturday.

Oil prices have soared over the past week after the United States and its allies sanctioned Russia over the invasion.

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More Than 4,300 Detained at Anti-War Protests in Russia

Police detained more than 4,300 people on Sunday at Russia-wide protests against President Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine, according to an independent protest monitoring group.

Thousands of protesters chanted No to war! and Shame on you! according to videos posted on social media by opposition activists and bloggers.

Dozens of protesters in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg were shown being detained. One protester there was shown being beaten on the ground by police in riot gear. A mural in the city showing President Vladimir Putin was defaced.

The footage and photographs on social media could not be independently verified. Russias interior ministry said earlier that police had detained around 3,500 people, including 1,700 in Moscow, 750 in St Petersburg, and 1,061 in other cities.

The interior ministry said 5,200 people had taken part in the protests. The OVD-Info protest monitoring group said it had documented the detention of at least 4,366 people in 56 different cities.

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Ukraine Says Over 11,000 Russian Troops Killed in War

More than 11,000 Russian troops have been killed since Moscow launched an invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, the Ukrainian armed forces general staff said on Sunday.

A day earlier, it put Russian casualties at over 10,000. It did not report Ukrainian casualties.

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UNHCR: More Than 1.5 Million Refugees Have Fled Ukraine

The head of the United Nations refugee agency said Sunday that more than 1.5 million refugees have crossed from Ukraine into neighboring countries since Russia invaded.

Filippo Grandi spoke to reporters at the UkrainePoland border crossing in Medyka, southeastern Poland.

Grandi stressed that wide international assistance is needed for Poland and other countries receiving refugees from Ukraine.

Predictions are difficult to make, we know that hundreds of thousands are on the move inside Ukraine, including just across the border here. It is very likely that we will see a large influx continue in the next few days, he said.

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Ukraine Health Centers Have Been Attacked, WHO Chief Says

The World Health Organization has confirmed several attacks on health care centers in Ukraine and is investigating others, the agencys chief said on Sunday.

The attacks caused multiple deaths and injuries, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus added in a Twitter message.

Attacks on healthcare facilities or workers breach medical neutrality and are violations of international humanitarian law, he said.

In his brief post, Tedros did not mention Russia, which invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

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Russia Interfering at Nuclear Plant, IAEA Says

The International Atomic Energy Agency has said Russian forces are tightening their grip on the Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant, Ukraines largest, that they seized last week.

The director general of the agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi, said Sunday Ukrainian staff members are now required to seek approval for any operation, even maintenance, from the Russians, and that they have impeded normal communications by switching off some mobile networks and internet at the site.

Ukraines regulatory authority said that phone lines, as well as e-mails and fax, are no longer working. Grossi said he is extremely concerned about these developments, adding that for the plant to operate safely, staff must be allowed to carry out their vital duties in stable conditions, without undue external interference or pressure.

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Russia: Countries Allowing Ukraine to Use Their Airfields May Be Regarded as Entering Conflict

Russias Defense Ministry on Sunday warned that any country that offers the use of its airfields to Ukraines military for attacks on Russian assets could be considered as having entered the conflict.

The use of the airfield networks of these countries to base Ukrainian military aircraft and their subsequent use against the Russian armed forces may be regarded as the involvement of these states in an armed conflict, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov told the Interfax news agency on Sunday evening local time.

Konashenkov said Russian officials are aware of Ukrainian combat plans which earlier flew to Romania and other neighboring countries, without elaborating.

Read the full article here

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Zelensky: Russia Attacked Airport With 8 Cruise Missiles

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba alleged Sunday that Russian forces attacked the Vinnytsia airport with eight cruise missiles.

Against our city, against our peaceful Vinnytsia which never posed a threat to Russia in any way, Zelensky said in a video on Twitter. A brutal, cynical missile strike has completely destroyed the airport.

Eight Russian cruise missiles hit Vinnytsia, a large city far from the frontline, said Kuleba on Twitter. Russian President Vladimir Putin continues his cowardly & barbaric missile strikes, air bombardment of civilians. Help us close the sky and save lives! Provide air and missile defense, combat aircraft! Stop Russian terrorism! he added.

Read the full article here

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Ukraine Official Says Assault Halts Evacuations for 2nd Time

Plans to evacuate civilians from a besieged port city in Ukraine collapsed Sunday for the second time along with an expected Russian cease-fire, Ukrainian officials said as they tried to persuade Russia to agree on terms for safely getting residents out of areas under fire near Ukraines capital.

Residents expected to leave the port city of Mariupol during a 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. local ceasefire, Ukrainian military authorities said earlier in the day. Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko said the planned evacuations were halted because of an ongoing assault by Russian troops.

There can be no green corridors because only the sick brain of the Russians decides when to start shooting and at whom, Gerashchenko said on Telegram.

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UN: 364 Civilian Deaths Confirmed so far

The U.N. human rights office says it has confirmed the deaths of 364 civilians in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began on Feb. 24.

The Geneva-based office said that another 759 civilians had been injured as of midnight Saturday.

The rights office uses strict methodology and only reports casualties it has confirmed.

It says it believes the real figures are considerably higher, especially in government-controlled territory and especially in recent days. Thats because the flow of information has been delayed amid the fighting and many reports still need to be corroborated.

Ukrainian officials have presented far higher numbers.

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Blinken Tells China World Is Watching Its Response to Russias Invasion of Ukraine

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken put pressure on China over the Ukraine crisis on March 5, telling his Chinese counterpart that the world is watching amid Beijings continued refusal to condemn Russia over its military aggression against its neighbor.

Blinken made the remark during a phone call with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. According to a statement, the two discussed what the State Department called Moscows premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified war against Ukraine.

The Secretary noted the world is watching to see which nations stand up for the basic principles of freedom, self-determination and sovereignty, said Ned Price, the State Department spokesperson.

Read the full article here

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Denis Kireev, a Member of Ukraines Negotiation Team, Has Been Killed: Reports

A member of the Ukrainian negotiation team in talks with Russia, Denis Kireev, has been killed, according to reports.

Ukraines military intelligence confirmed his death in a Facebook post on Saturday. It said that Kireev was an intelligence operative who was killed on Saturday in the line of duty while defending Ukraine.

They died, defending Ukraine, and their act brought us closer to victory! On behalf of the Chief Management of Intelligence, we express our sincere condolences to the families of the deceased, the statement said. Heroes dont die! They live until we remember them! Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the Heroes!

Read the full article here

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Israels Prime Minister Has Returned From a Surprise Trip to Russia

Israels prime minister has returned from a surprise trip to Russia where he met President Vladimir Putin and discussed the war in Ukraine.

Naftali Bennett flew to Moscow on Saturday, where he met the Russian leader for three hours. The trip was made in coordination and with the blessing of the Biden administration, according to Bennetts office.

Bennett spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after his meeting with Putin. He then flew to Germany to meet Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Bennett landed in Israel on Sunday morning and is expected to convene his Cabinet for its weekly meeting later in the day.

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Blinken Pledging Support to Moldova

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Moldova pledging Americas support to the small Western-leaning former Soviet republic that is coping with an influx of refugees from Ukraine and warily watching Russias intensifying war with its neighbor.

Blinken was meeting on Sunday with senior Moldovan officials who are appealing for international assistance in dealing with more than 120,000 refugees from Ukraine that it is now hosting while also seeking security reassurances against potential Russian aggression. More than 230,000 people have fled into Moldova from Ukraine since the war began 11 days ago.

Blinken said Moldovas welcoming of refugees is an inspiration to the world.

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US WNBA All-Star Detained in Russia

U.S. basketball officials said on Saturday they were closely monitoring the situation regarding seven-time WNBA All-Star player Brittney Griner after Russia said it had detained a U.S. player last month for possession of vape cartridges containing hash oil.

Without identifying Griner, a center for the female leagues Phoenix Mercury, the Russian Customs Service said a player was detained in February after arriving at Moscows Sheremetyevo airport on a flight from New York.

Russian news agency TASS identified the player as Griner, citing a source. The Phoenix Mercury team, without elaborating, said: We are aware of and are closely monitoring the situation with Brittney Griner in Russia.

Frank Fang, Mimi Nguyen Ly, Jack Phillips, Bill Pan, Reuters, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
There are 7 flights scheduled over the next 24 hours. Of these, one would be IAF C-17 flight from Rzeszow, Poland. In terms of departure points, there will be 5 flights from Budapest, one each from Rzeszow and Suceava.

In all, over 21000 Indians came out of Ukraine since the issuance of the advisory in January 2022. Out of these, 19920 Indians have already reached India. Six tranches of humanitarian aid were sent earlier and today one more tranche weighing 6 tons was dispatched by IAF flight to Poland.

The MEA Control Room, as well as the Control Centers operated by our Embassies, continue to operate on a 24x7 basis. The MEA Control Room has attended to 12435 calls and 9026 emails till today afternoon.

The government has also deployed "special envoys" to four neighbouring countries bordering Ukraine to coordinate and oversee the evacuation process of the Indian nationals.

Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24; three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. (ANI)
Russian President Vladimir Putin told French President Emmanuel Macron over the phone on Sunday that he was not against a trilateral meeting among Russia, Ukraine and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in a third country or via teleconference, but not in Chernobyl in Ukraine, the Kremlin said. "Commenting on the proposal by the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency to hold a trilateral (IAEA-Russia-Ukraine) meeting in the Chernobyl zone to work out a mechanism for ensuring the safety of nuclear facilities in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin said that this idea could be useful in general, but it would be worth considering holding such a meeting via teleconference or in a third country," the statement read. Putin also told his French counterpart that Kyiv does not comply with the agreements reached with Moscow on the evacuation of civilians from combat areas, the Kremlin said, reported Sputnik. "They discussed the issue of evacuation of civilians from combat areas. Vladimir Putin drew [Macron's] attention to the fact that Kyiv is still not implementing the negotiated agreements on such a pressing humanitarian issue," the Kremlin said in a statement. The recent clashes at the administrative buildings near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) could be a result of Ukraine storing documents on perspective developments of nuclear weapons there, a news report said citing Russian sources. "Certain documentation was also available at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. Clashes with Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups in administrative buildings adjacent to the NPP were apparently related to this fact," the source reportedly told Sputnik, adding that Ukrainian authorities have partially destroyed and evacuated the majority of documents on the issue from Kyiv and Kharkiv to Lviv. The Russian source also accused Ukraine of trying to conceal nuclear weapons program, saying that the Ukrainian authorities used the Chernobyl NPP for making a "dirty bomb" and for the work on plutonium separation. A "dirty bomb" is a type of "radiological dispersal device" that combines a conventional explosive, such as dynamite, with radioactive material according to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC). "According to the available information, the work on both the dirty bomb production and the plutonium extraction were conducted there. The elevated radiation background in the Chernobyl zone concealed such work," the source said. He further accused Ukraine of destroying the evidence of its nuclear program saying, "In the realms of increasing tension in relations with Russia, the Ukrainian leadership decided to destroy all valuable documentation stored in the scientific centres in Kyiv and Kharkiv or evacuate it to Lviv Polytechnic National University." The development comes a couple of days after clashes erupted between Russian and Ukrainian troops near the Zaporizhzhia NPP facility, followed by a Russian shelling near the nuclear facility which resulted in a fire in a training facility adjacent to the reactors. The Russian troops eventually occupied the nuclear facility. The Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi in a press conference on Friday informed that the nuclear reactors in the facility were safe, and no radiation occurred."It is important to say that all the safety systems of the six reactors at the plant were not affected at all and that there has been no release of radioactive material ... importantly, in this regard, is the radiation monitoring systems ... are fully functional as well," Grossi said. Earlier, IAEA had put its Incident and Emergency Centre (IAEAIEC) in full 24X7 response mode due to the serious situation.IAEA informed in a statement on Saturday that Ukraine has confirmed that two out of 6 reactors of Zaporizhhzhya NPP are working, and the radiation levels are normal."Ukraine's nuclear regulator told the IAEA today it had been able to maintain communications with staff at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) where two out of six reactors were now operating, a day after Russian forces took control of the site in the country's south-east," the statement by IAEA Director-General read. (ANI)
Republican strategist Roger Stone (L), Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner (R). Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images (L), Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images (R)

Roger Stone fumed at Jared Kushner for not helping him secure a list of pardons from outgoing President Trump.

Stone said Trump's son-in-law should be "punished in the most brutal possible way."

The Washington Post report was based on hours of documentary footage of Stone filmed by Danish filmmakers.

Longtime GOP strategist Roger Stone made threatening comments about Donald Trump's son-in-law and aide Jared Kushner in previously unheard recordings, The Washington Post reported.

The Washington Post reviewed 20 hours of footage from Danish filmmakers who recorded Stone over the course of two years for an upcoming documentary titled "A Storm Foretold."

In the recordings, Stone raged against Kushner for failing to help secure pardons for himself and other allies from outgoing President Trump.

Stone said Kushner needed to be "punished in the most brutal possible way" and would be "brain dead when I get finished with him," The Post reported.

Video: Jared Kushner nominated for Nobel Peace Prize for 2nd time

The Danish filmmakers followed Stone as he lobbied for Trump to issue a blanket pardon to protect himself and other allies.

Stone had also created a "pardon wish list" of various other felons, and in October 2020 told one prisoner's representative that Jared Kushner would help him secure them.

They included Michael Sessa and Victor Orena, according to the Washington Post, reported to be the former acting boss and a captain of the Colombo crime family in New York. They are serving life sentences for murder and racketeering convictions in the 1990s.

"I've got to know that Jared's got the paperwork and he 'gets it,' " Stone said, according to The Washington Post.

However, when his plan failed to come to fruition, an angry Stone railed against Kushner and the outgoing president Trump.

The day of Joe Biden's inauguration, Stone was wearing a microphone but out of view as he complained to staffer Enrique Alejandro about Kushner, The Post said.

Story continues

"In two weeks he's moving to Miami," Stone told Alejandro, referring to a $32 million lot in Miami purchased by Kushner and his wife Ivanka Trump.

"He's going to get a beating. He needs to have a beating. And needs to be told, 'This time we're just beating you. Next time we're killing you,'" Stone reportedly said to Alejandro.

Alejandra urged Stone to say he was joking, aware that filmmakers were nearby, but Stone refused.

"No, no, it isn't joking. Not joking. It's not a joke," Stone reportedly replied.

Stone continued on his tirade against Kushner later in the day while speaking on the phone to a friend in front of the filmmakers.

During the call, Stone said Kushner needed to be "punished in the most brutal possible way" and would be "brain dead when I get finished with him," The Post reported.

Stone also lashed out against his old friend and ally Donald Trump, who he said had "betrayed" his friends, and said that his presidency was "greatest single mistake in American history," the paper said.

In an email to The Washington Post, Stone accused the paper of employing "a clever blend of 'guilt by association,' insinuations, half truths, anonymous claims, falsehoods and out of context trick questions," but did not provide specific examples.

Insider reached out to Roger Stone for comment but had not heard back at the time of publishing.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A journalist, Noorulhaq Haidar was arrested by the Taliban due to unclear reasons during media activity in Kabul in Afghanistan. Afghanistan media outlet, Payk Media said, "Noorulhaq Haidar, a former reporter for Wisa newspaper, was arrested this morning by the #Taliban during media activity in PD8 of #Kabul city due to unclear reasons, sources confirmed." Earlier, Senior Correspondent at Iran International News, Tajuden Soroush, said the journalists from Ariana TV, an Afghanistani media network, confirmed the arrest of two of their journalists, Wares Hasrat and Aslam Hejab, by the Taliban. Taking to Twitter, Tajuden Soroush said, "Ariana TV journalists confirmed me that today Taliban arrested Wares Hasrat and Aslam Hejab, two @ArianaNews_ journalists. Taliban didn't say why they arrested them but last night in one of the Ariana TV's programs, a guest criticised the Taliban and their behaver." Notably, The Free Speech Hub, an organization supporting open media in Afghanistan, in a statement said that the two reporters--Aslam Hejab and Waris Hasrat--were arrested by the Taliban on Monday and so far the reasons for their arrest remain unknown. Furthermore, the European Union, Amnesty International and UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) have called upon the Taliban to provide information about the case of two Ariana News reporters. On Tuesday, Amnesty International said that the arrest of the two journalists was "unjustifiable" and called on the Islamic Emirate to release them. "Such escalating attacks on media freedom are a grave threat to the right to freedom of expression. The Taliban must unconditionally and immediately release them," Amnesty International said in a tweet. The EU ambassador to Afghanistan, Andreas von Brandt, also reacted to the arrest of the journalists. "Still hard to grasp why those you claim to work for justice and better governance don't respect journalists working to improve transparency, governance and justice in Afghanistan," he tweeted. (ANI)
Hamilton Middle School held its Science Fair last week and the project displays will be up for viewing during the first day of parent/teacher conferences in the multi-purpose room on March 8.

HMS Principal Marlin Lewis said the Science Fair was pared down this year due to difficulty in finding judges.

He said the process this year was that all eighth-grade students selected science topics, researched, and presented their findings in their classes. Teachers chose the top 20 and then a panel of six expert judges selected the top five.

The event was small, just taking up one side of the top floor in the gym, compared to previous years which have had the entire gym floor filled with displays, close to 200 eighth-grade students, some seventh-grade students (lead by educator Jeremy Barcus) and 25-30 judges.

Lewis said hosting a science fair is good for education.

It is still good to go through the scientific process, they pick their question, research it, carry out their experiments and come to their conclusions, he said. The student-scientists go through the whole process with the judges and defend their research at that time. They say what they learned, what they would have done differently and other variables they should have considered.

It is just a great scientific process and it is important, Lewis said.

HMS eighth-grade earth science educator Mary Roberts organized the event and guided judges through the process.

I believe Science Fair gives students the proper introduction to be able to choose an experiment that they are passionate about, work through a problem, find a result and share their hard work with the community that will benefit everyone, Roberts said. [Judges] are members from both our labs here in Hamilton, people in the field.

She said that overall students did an excellent job.

I believe the students hard work definitely showed through the process, Roberts said. It was a good learning experience for myself and the students. We are grateful for the community that donated prizes for our eighth graders.

The top five selected by local scientists and awarded at an assembly were 1st  Rhain Hollingsworth, 2nd - Jackson Kirkbride, 3rd  Bryn Cianflone, 4th  Mia Faulk and 5th  Kiera Judy.
06.03.2022 LISTEN

The Managing Director (MD) of Yenyeya Mining Company Limited in the Upper East Region, Mr Charles Taleog Ndanbon, has observed that in this era of global crisis, Ghanaians need to emulate the leadership qualities of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, the First President of Ghana.

The 47-year old MD whose birthday coincided with the celebration of Ghanas Independence Day on Sunday, mentioned that Dr Nkrumah visionary leadership and sense of patriotism during his tenure of office led him to execute remarkable and beneficial development projects which are of still relevance to the country today.

He stressed that Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumahs sense of patriotism did not only lead him to provide good leadership but also adopted prudent economic measures to develop the country but also mitigated corruption.

Nkrumah left behind very good legacies for the country and he will ever be remembered by generations upon generations . All of us Ghanaians especially leaders need to emulate his examples to help develop this country, he stressed.

The MD who is also an Assemblyman for Zoliba -Tindongo in the Nabdam District explained that already governments over the years have been battling in addressing the numerous challenges of Ghanaians and noted that with the upsurge of the COVID-19 global crisis coupled with the Russian and Ukraine war many countries economies across the globe including Ghana are suffering and making development partners not able to support developing countries.

He stressed that there was the need for all Ghanaians especially those entrusted with leadership positions to emulate Dr Nkrumahs leadership qualities to complement governments efforts at addressing the economic challenges.

Established in 2003 at the Gbane mining community, the Yenyeya Mining Company Limited which was then a registered small scale small entities lobbied and brought into the country the Shaanxi Mining Ghana Ltd.

Through that about seven hundred and seventy -nine have been created in the Gbane community in the Talensi District and beyond. Economic activities in the area have boomed with lot women and the youth in the area going into petty businesses and building houses and other properties. .

The MD effort also led the Shaanxi Mining Ghana Ltd to construct a bridge over the local river Oun to ease movement of people especially students from the eastern mining communities (Tarkwa, Zalwore, Tarkwa , Digare and Datuku) to the schools in the western part (Obuasi and Kejetia).

Apart from resurfacing and reshaping of the 6.5km road from Sheaga to the Gbane Mining Site in the Talensi District, the Shaanxi Mining Ghana Ltd also constructed internal feeder roads at Gaare, Tindongo and Gbane communities and rehabilitated the Winkogo, Sipaat, Gorogo feeder roads. It also reshaped and surfaced the 8km Zuarungu-Namoaligo road.

On Water, the MD also initiated that the Shaanxi Mining Ghana Ltd to drill boreholes in the mining Communities to serve the communities.

Additionally, the Yenyeya Mining Company Limited , the Ghanaian entity managed to persuade the Shaanxi Mining Ghana Ltd to make donation of Knapsack sprayers, fertilizer and wellington boot to the Talensi District Assembly yearly to award the gallant farmers on the Annual Farmers Day celebrations as part of its policy.

He called on government to be mindful of signing business agreements with foreign companies and to protect Ghanaian business from being exploited by foreigners.

While commending others for also complementing governments efforts in development, Mr Ndanbon urged the leadership in the private sector and corporate enties to support the government in this times of difficulties.

Mr Charles Taleog Ndanbon Aka Champion Man was born on March 6, 1975 to Mama Nwohiba Ndanbon Yenyeya at ZolIba Tindongo in the Nabdam District of the Upper East Region
Thousands of Canadians Join Coast-to-Coast Freedom Chain to Defend Freedom

Canadians in different parts of the country gathered together at various rallies on March 5 to uphold freedom in an event dubbed the Freedom Chain.

On March 5, participants rendezvoused along the Trans-Canada Highway, which spans 7,476 km, in an effort to reach across the entirety of the country starting from British Columbia to Newfoundland and Labrador.

Demonstrators take part in Freedom Chain near Peterborough, Ont., on March 5, 2022. (Caleb Shipman)

Many local gatherings were also organized in different cities across the country as part of the event, which is calling for unity and for Canadians charter rights and freedoms to be upheld. Participants had a variety of personal reasons for joining as well.

Chris Vee, who took part in the Freedom Chain in Vancouver, said he was there to fight for Canadians freedoms in the face of COVID-19 policies.

Its not even about a vaccine at this point. To me, its simply about control, and it seems to me that they dont want to let that control go, Vee said.

Melanie, another Vancouver participant who only gave her first name, said she was protesting against the COVID-19 mandates and defending the freedom of all Canadians.

I care about freedom for all Canadians, she told The Epoch Times. In British Columbia,  [the government] has not lifted the mandates for anyone in this province yet, and as an unvaccinated person, its really hard for me to find work, to feed my family, and  to live my life.

Melanie added that I am here for everybody thats unvaccinated, and everybody thats vaccinated and frustrated with the government and with the way that everything is going in our world right now.

In Levis, Quebec, a video shared on Twitter shows an extensive Freedom Chain being formed, with participants cheering and waving Canadian flags. Honking of horns is continuously heard throughout the protest.

In Levis, Quebec, over a thousand Canadians create a human chain for freedom, receiving honking support from the cars that pass by  pic.twitter.com/4T0BIyS6Sl  The Vigilant Fox  (@VigilantFox) March 5, 2022

Dozens of private and public Facebook groups as well as event notices have been created for local coordination of the event in different provinces and cities.

One of the individuals working with others in the Freedom Chain collaborative effort, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told The Epoch Times that the purpose of the event is for Canadians to come together in unity, love, and freedom.

Its about unifying our country, the source said. Its about unifying our people in love. Its about showing that it doesnt matter what you throw at us, we are stronger in love together and in unity in the freedom movement.

Many other events were held on March 5 to ask for freedoms across the country. Some were associated with the Freedom Chain, and others were independent events. But many shared the theme of asking for upholding freedoms.

In Ottawa, several hundred people gathered in the Parliament Hill area calling for the upholding of freedoms in Canada.

A man waves a Canadian flag as hundreds gather to demonstrate against COVID-19 restrictions in the Parliament Hill area in Ottawa on March 5, 2022. (Jonathan Ren/The Epoch Times)

Demonstrators protesting against COVID-19 mandates and restrictions gather in front of the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa on March 5, 2022. (Jonathan Ren/The Epoch Times)

Rojer Dube, an entrepreneur participating in the demonstration in Ottawa, said he wants to save the future of my children and our freedoms from the governments overreach policies.

[The government] wants to force us to do the thing that they want us to do. And we dont want that. We want our freedoms, and thats very important for us, he said.

I dont want them to know what I have in my bank account, and all my disease record in the hospital. They dont have to know that, Dube said, adding that he also doesnt want the government to force citizens to be vaccinated.

The Ottawa event comes following the federal governments invocation and subsequent revocation of the Emergencies Act in mid-February to oust the Freedom Convoy protesters who had parked trucks and other vehicles in downtown Ottawa for some three weeks.

The convoy began as a protest by truck drivers opposed to the feds COVID-19 vaccination mandate that was imposed on cross-border truckers in mid-January. It soon expanded into a much larger movement with many Canadians joining from across the country demanding an end to all pandemic restrictions and mandates.

With the additional powers under the Emergencies Act, authorities cleared the protesters through the use of riot police wielding batons and pepper spray, with some officers carrying heavy weapons. Police made close to 200 arrests.

Under the public emergency order, financial institutions were also authorized, without requiring a court order, to freeze the accounts of individuals and corporations suspected of being involved in the convoy protest.

On Saturday, another group of several hundred people gathered at a rally at Queens Park in Toronto and marched across the citys downtown area to ask for upholding of freedoms.

A protester carries a large Canadian flag at a rally at Queens Park in downtown Toronto as part of a nationwide Freedom Chain movement stretching across Canada on March 5, 2022. (Annika Wang/The Epoch Times)

Jonathan Ren, Annika Wang, Melodie Feng, and Kathy Liu contributed to this report.
SHENZHEN, March 6 (Xinhua) -- The construction of an emergency hospital, aided by central authorities, began on Sunday in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to help control the surge in coronavirus cases.

Around 6 a.m., more than 200 administrative staff and more than 1,700 workers from China State Construction Engineering Corporation arrived at Lok Ma Chau Loop area, where the hospital with 1,000 beds will be built. 
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Maryland State Police on Sunday warned commuters they may face massive traffic delays on their way to work Monday morning as more than 1,000 large trucks, recreational vehicles and cars prepare to once again protest on a major highway surrounding Washington, D.C. - just one day after bringing traffic to a standstill.

In a statement posted to Twitter on Sunday night, the Maryland State Police urged drivers to anticipate 'higher volumes of traffic' as they try to get to work on Monday, when the so-called People's Convoy protesting 'unconstitutional' coronavirus restrictions plans to once again loop the 64-mile Beltway.

'While public safety remains a priority and we work to fulfill our statewide law enforcement responsibilities, the Maryland State Police respects the public's First Amendment rights,' the police said in the statement.

The thousands of individuals protesting the country's vaccine and mask mandates plan to leave Hagerstown Speedway in , their staging ground for the past few nights, at around 9:30 a.m. and make their way to the Capitol early Monday morning, according to The Washington Post.

They then plan to loop around the Beltway just once on Monday, after circling the city twice on Sunday, organizer Brian Brase said. But this time, he said, they will occupy two lanes instead of one as an 'escalation' as they drive the minimum legal speed limit.

Brase noted that the group is coordinating with local law enforcement, while also acknowledging that 'obviously there's a natural disturbance.

'We're hoping one lap by two lanes, so we get back here sooner before rush hour or anything like that,' he said, adding: 'We do not want to impede traffic any more than necessary to get our message across.'

Troopers from the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, Automotive Safety Enforcement Division and barracks statewide 'will address any violations of the law,' Maryland State Police said, as they urged residents to follow any updates at www.roads.maryland.gov.

WASHINGTON DC - MARCH 6: Members of the 1,000-vehicle-strong People's Convoy plan to once again protest on the Washington D.C. Beltway Monday morning, after bringing traffic to a standstill on Sunday

WASHINGTON DC - MARCH 6: The group, which is protesting 'unconstitutional' coronavirus restrictions, made two laps around the Beltway on Sunday

WASHINGTON DC - MARCH 6: Even some motorcyclists joined in on the protest against mask and vaccine mandates

WASHINGTON DC - MARCH 6: One truck was decked out with American and 'Don't Tread on Me' flags

The Maryland State Police warned residents on Sunday that there may be a 'higher volume of traffic' during the Monday morning commute, when the People's Convoy plans to once again travel at slow speeds down the Beltway

The People's Convoy - a spinoff from a protest in Canada started by truckers upset at vaccine requirements to cross the Canadian border - traveled from southern California nearly 2,500 miles to D.C. on an 11-day journey. The group stopped in major U.S. cities and rural towns along they way, holding rallies and meeting with their supporters.

Brase told the Washington Post on Sunday that the group plans to stay at the Hagerstown Speedway until 'at least' Saturday, adding: 'Hopefully this is all over by Wednesday.'

He mentioned meeting with 'members of both the House and the Senate,' but declined to answer questions about whether those meetings were actually confirmed and who they would meet with.

All as he said, according to the Washington Post, was: 'Im hopeful that we have successful dialogue with congressmen and women and senators that help get what were looking for pushed through in a timely fashion.

'If they dont come to the table to meet with us or they ignore us, then every day it will escalate,' said Brase, a 37-year-old truck driver from Ohio.

He had previously told the Post that the group would continue its route around the Beltway each day this week, clogging one of the main arteries into DC until the group's demands are met. However, as of Saturday morning, he indicated that plans will be determined day-by-day.

Another organizer did not rule out the trucks honking their horns along Pennsylvania Avenue.

'I can tell you now that there will be select trucks going to the White House,' organizer Dan Fitzgerald revealed on his Friday morning livestream. 'I don't want people thinking we are invading D.C. This is not the convoy going into D.C. commons. This is a few select drivers.'

WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 6: Supporters drive by the New Design Road bridge over I-270 in Frederick County as the People's Convoy passed through the county

WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 6: The self-styled People's Convoy, estimated to span 30 miles, left traffic in a standstill along the 64-mile Beltway for five miles Sunday after it departed from the Hagerstown Speedway in Maryland

WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 6: A group of semi-tractors led the convoy, followed by trucks with trailers, campers and then cars. According to DailyMail.com reporters trailing the group, traffic crawled for a while, hit a jam and then reached a 'comfortable speed' of travel

WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 6: The People's Convoy planned to make two complete loops around the Beltway, which they estimated would take four to five hours. However, given the impacts on traffic the route could take longer. Although the group did not follow a route into D.C. proper during Sunday's journey, organizer Brian Brase said 'it does not mean it won't happen' in the future

The People's Convoy departed from the Hagerstown Speedway in Maryland on Sunday morning to convoy around the D.C. metropolitan area. The group is taking two loops around the Beltway, a 64-mile highway surrounding the capital city

On Sunday, the group circled the interstate twice at the minimum speed limit, to slow traffic and get their message across to lawmakers - leaving traffic around the Capital in a standstill by 3pm.

Brase had instructed the group to 'hold the line' before they embarked on their journey at around noon, cautioning them: 'I beg of you to stay with the convoy. I beg of you to stay with the convoy and then come back down here, meet again and talk about our next plan,

A group of semi-tractors led the convoy, followed by trucks with trailers, campers and then cars. According to DailyMail.com reporters trailing the group, traffic crawled for a while - traveling at speeds of about 10 to 20 miles per hour - and reached a 'comfortable speed' of travel, before causing a standstill on the entire beltway.

After completing the loop, the group was scheduled to return to Hagerstown for a rally - the third in a row held at the speedway. Sunday's rally featured speeches from doctors, convoy organizers and members of the U.S. Freedom Flyers, a volunteer group of transportation officials that fight for medical freedom.

Although the group did not follow a route into D.C. proper during Sunday's journey, Brase said 'it does not mean it won't happen' in the future.

'We are not going to sit idly by,' he told the convoy Sunday morning. 'We are going to continue to press forward with our mission, but we are also going to do so with some diplomacy to show that we are not unreasonable and willing to talk, but also flex our muscle if you do not hear us.'

WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 6: A cavalcade of more than 1,000 large trucks, recreational vehicles and cars clogged the Beltway surrounding Washington D.C. on Sunday for five miles in an effort to protest 'unconstitutional' coronavirus restrictions

WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 6: The now 30-mile-long People's Convoy circled the Washington DC Beltway in protest of 'unconstitutional' coronavirus restrictions, such as mask and vaccine mandates

WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 6: The People's Convoy has been met with cheering, flag-waving supporters throughout its entire cross-country trek

HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 6: People cheer from a bridge as hundreds of vehicles including 18-wheeler trucks, RVs and other cars drive towards Washington D.C.

WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 6: Supporters have lined the interstate to show their support for the People's Convoy. Organizer Brian Brase (not pictured) has warned the truckers 'are not going to sit idly by' and will continue to press forward with its mission diplomatically

WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 6: Heavy traffic ensures on 494 South as the People's Convoy traveled towards D.C.

'Today, we decided that we are going to go on to the Beltway,' Brase said to the crowd of cheering supporters Sunday morning in Hagerstown.

'We are going to do this peacefully, we're going to do this with some class. We're going to do this the way that we've done it coming all the way across the country. We're not going to shut anything down today. We're just going to do a convoy so that they can see that we're in their backyard and that we are huge. '

Brase, speaking Sunday, acknowledged their successes but said the group still has a long way to go to achieve its mission: 'We still have a long way to go in this, but I am seeing light. I am seeing people that are willing to sit down and meet in D.C. I'm seeing people willing to come to the table.'

'It doesn't mean they're going to do anything, but at least we're starting that conversation. At least the people are staring to be heard, whether they do anything with that, is yet to be determined,' he added. 'But at least we're started to get invited to the table finally, instead of their lobbyist.'

He instructed supporters to keep their hotels, suggesting the group may continue the protest throughout the week. Brase also reminded the group of their mission, noting it was not to cause chaos but to remind U.S. leaders that they serve the American people.

'We're doing this to let them know that we are very serious,' he reiterated. 'We're doing this to let them know we will not give in. We will not bend the knee to them and to remind them that they work for us.'

The trucker convoy is departing Hagerstown now



They plan to drive twice around the beltway around DC then return for the day, with potentially more beltway driving tomorrow pic.twitter.com/99AbxFSezz  Julio-Cesar Chavez (@JulioCesrChavez) March 6, 2022

The People's Convoy - which has raised more than $1.6 million in donations made through its own website - is demanding that President Joe Biden end the national emergency originally declared at the start of the pandemic, as well as scrap any remaining coronavirus mandates.

The truckers allege the government has infringed upon their constitutional rights with the mandates.

However, their protest comes as nearly every state in America has either lifted or relaxed indoor mask mandates, or has set a date to do so in the near future. The lone holdout is Hawaii, the island state that has had the strictest mandates of anywhere in the country throughout the pandemic.

Additionally, only 19 states currently have vaccine mandates in effect, according to the National Academy for State Health Policy - but the mandates do not apply to all individuals and their requirements vary by state.

Some political analysts allege the group is also calling for over-arching federal accountability and addressing additional political issues such as the alleged 'fraudulent' 2020 election and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 6: The self-styled freedom convoy departed from the speedway in Hagerstown, Maryland Sunday morning on a journey to parade the 64-mile highway surrounding the capital city

HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 6: The group planned to circle the Beltway twice - a route that should take about four to five hours - in peaceful protest before returning to the Hagerstown Speedway

HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 6: The convoy was met with cheers from supporters stationed on Beltway overpasses as the group traveled along the 64-mile highway

HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 6: Supporters cheered as hundreds of vehicles including 18-wheeler trucks, RVs and other cars drive towards Washington D.C.

HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 6: 'Hold the line,' organizer Brian Brase told the crowd of drivers before they headed out, instructing them to stay with the protest

HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 6: Several supporters were seen holding signs, including one that read 'thank you'

HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 6: Brase (not pictured) said the convoy is cooperating with state and local law enforcement and does not plan to cause havoc in the area

HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 6: Organizers said Friday night that the group would continue its route around the Beltway each day this week, clogging one of the main arteries into DC until the group's demands are met

HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 6: However, as of Saturday morning, Brase (not pictured) told DailyMail.com's on-site reporter that plans will be determined day-by-day

HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 6: Another organizer did not rule out the trucks honking their horns along Pennsylvania Avenue, saying Friday: 'I can tell you now that there will be select trucks going to the White House. I don't want people thinking we are invading D.C. This is not the convoy going into D.C. commons. This is a few select drivers'

HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 6: The People's Convoy - a spinoff from a protest in Canada started by truckers upset at vaccine requirements to cross the Canadian border - is demanding that President Joe Biden end the national emergency originally declared at the start of the pandemic, as well as scrap any remaining coronavirus mandates

The People's Convoy - a spinoff from a protest in Canada started by truckers upset at vaccine requirements to cross the Canadian border - traveled from southern California nearly 2,500 miles to D.C. on an 11-day journey

The group's arrival to the greater D.C. area prompted security concerns and placed authorities on high-alert.

D.C. and Capitol Police have called on agencies from Maryland and Virginia, as well as the National Guard, to monitor the group.

Photographs from Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency showed National Guard troops fanned out across the region on Saturday.

Officials had reinstalled the fencing around the Capitol 'out of an abundance of caution' ahead of Biden's State of the Union address. Authorities had previously indicated the fencing would remain for the trucker protest, however it was taken down the day after the speech. The fencing was last erected after the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

Meanwhile, D.C. police spokesperson Dustin Sternback has called the convoy a 'fluid situation' and noted Friday: 'Any sort of response strategies will be implemented in real time.'

However, convoy leaders say they plan to cooperate with police and hope there are any disruptions, besides the planned interruption to Beltway traffic. But, organizers are prepared in case any negativity was to occur.

Brase, speaking to the crowd Sunday, reiterated that the group will not be going into the capital city 'at this time' and said the last thing he wants is a recreation of the Canadian trucker protest.

'We are not going into D.C. proper at this time,' Brase announced Sunday.

'It does not mean it won't happen. It means we are doing it diplomatically. We are working through the process and giving them time to come to the table.'

He added: 'The last thing we want to happen is what happened in Ottawa - and if you don't think it won't happen here, you are dead wrong.'

Canada's self-styled Freedom Convoy saw hundreds of trucks eventually occupy the streets around Parliament Hill in Ottawa, shutting down key parts of the capital city for more than three weeks.

For almost a week the busiest U.S.-Canada border crossing, the Ambassador Bridge between Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, was blocked. There were also blockades at a handful of other Canada-U.S. border posts.

The protest ended after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked never-before-used emergency powers authorizes the Canadian government to utilize broad powers and tools to respond to crisis. Ottawa protesters were chased away by officers sporting riot gear in what was the biggest police operation in Canada's history. Nearly 200 people had been arrested and at least 115 vehicles were towed.

HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 6: The truckers allege the government has infringed upon their constitutional rights with the pandemic-era mandates

HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 6: However, their protest comes as nearly every state in America has either lifted or relaxed indoor mask mandates, or has set a date to do so in the near future. The lone holdout is Hawaii, the island state that has had the strictest mandates of anywhere in the country throughout the pandemic. Additionally, only 19 states currently have vaccine mandates in effect

HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 6: Some political analysts allege the group is also calling for over-arching federal accountability and addressing additional political issues such as the alleged 'fraudulent' 2020 election and Russia's invasion of Ukraine

HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 6: The truckers have received wide-spread support as they've convoyed across the U.S.

HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 6: All along their route, including in Hagerstown on Sunday, they were met by flag-waving Americans often touting anti-Biden messages

HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 6: The group's arrival to the greater D.C. area prompted security concerns and placed authorities on high-alert. D.C. and Capitol Police have called on agencies from Maryland and Virginia, as well as the National Guard, to monitor the group

HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 6: However, convoy leaders say they plan to cooperate with police and hope there are any disruptions, besides the planned interruption to Beltway traffic. But, organizers are prepared in case any negativity was to occur

WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 5: Photographs from Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency showed National Guard troops fanned out across the region on Saturday

WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 5: Officials had reinstalled the fencing around the Capitol 'out of an abundance of caution' ahead of Biden's State of the Union address. Authorities had previously indicated the fencing would remain for the trucker protest, however it was taken down the day after the speech

The People's Convoy held a rally attended by 1,000 vehicles at the Hagerstown Speedway Saturday night ahead of their big convoy around the Beltway.

Fireworks lit up the sky Saturday night and a giant American flag was unfurled, illuminated by the lights of dozens of trucks, as thousands of demonstrators joined the truckers at the speedway.

Although the group had been holding rallies across the nation to connect with their supporters and raise awareness about their mission, Saturday was the first time the People's Convoy announced plans to circle the Beltway.

Other convoys - including some that have since disbanded - had mentioned it, but the People's Convoy had routinely sworn not to disrupt roads or bridges like their Canadian counterparts did.

'We don't want to shut D.C. down,' Brase told rally-goers Saturday night, the Post reported. 'We're not anti-vaxxers. We're not. We just want freedom, freedom. We want to choose. We just want the choice. So tomorrow is a basically a show of just how big we are and how serious we are.'

Brase and the other convoy leaders have promised a '100% safe, lawful and peaceful journey' that will 'terminate in the vicinity of the D.C. area, but will NOT be going into D.C. proper.'

HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 5: The People's Convoy held a rally attended by 1,000 vehicles at the Hagerstown Speedway Saturday night ahead of their big convoy around the Beltway

HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 5: Large American flag is unfurled in front of People's Convoy trucks as thousands of spectators shout and cheer at speedway in Maryland on Saturday night

HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 5: Fireworks explode over parked trucks from People's Convoy at speedway in Hagerstown, Maryland on Saturday night

HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 5: Rally-goers were spotted waving signs (left) and were invited to hold up a giant American flag (right) while hundreds of vehicles including 18-wheeler trucks, RVs and other cars are parked as part of the gathering at Hagerstown Speedway

WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 5: As the truckers protested COVID mandates in Hagerstown, a group of veterans gathered at the Freedom Plaza in D.C. on Saturday in opposition of the convoy

WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 5: The rally was organized by veteran group Continue to Serve and sought to demonstrate against the convoys of truckers and other protestors headed to D.C.

WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 5: The rally featured veterans and other Americans arguing that they don't agree with the message the convoy is pushing

Another People's Convoy participant, who has described himself as a lead trucker in the protest, told Reuters Friday night that he would drive his truck into the heart of the American capital.

'D.C., the government, whomever, can claim that they have all this opposition for us waiting in D.C.,' the unnamed man said. 'But that flag on the back of my truck will go down to Constitution Avenue between the White House and the Washington Monument.'

Meanwhile, as the truckers protested COVID mandates in Hagerstown, a group of veterans gathered at the Freedom Plaza in D.C. on Saturday in opposition of the convoy.

The rally, organized by veterans group Continue to Serve, featured veterans and other Americans arguing that they don't agree with the message the convoy is pushing.

'I believe that a patriot is someone who puts the nation before themselves and that is what we're a striving to do here,' Linsay Rousseau, of Continue to Serve, told WJLA.

'Theres this misunderstanding that because theyre so loud they speak for the majority of the population, and thats just not true,' she added. 'They absolutely do not speak for us. They do not speak for the majority of Americans when it comes to fact-based science, when it comes to COVID and the fact that they're claiming, "This is about COVID mandates" is an absolute misnomer.'

They were also joined by representatives from other unions, including groups that represent truckers, who opposed the convoy's protest.
Ukrainian Red Cross in coordination with the Indian World Forum on Sunday provided humanitarian assistance to stranded students of all nationalities in Sumy city of Ukraine as the ongoing military operation by Russia in Ukraine entered the eleventh day on Sunday. The students are being provided with water and essential supplies. Indian World Forum (IWF) President Puneet Singh Chandhok said Ihor Shapoval, RedCross coordinator has visited the university campus in Sumy and interacted with students coordinators and liaised for their early evacuation subject to a green corridor. IWF President also shared the images of the assistance being provided to the students on his Twitter handle. Chandhok spoke with Maksym Dotsenko Director-General of RedCross Ukraine and Ihor Shapoval who are on the ground in Sumy and said, "They visited Indian Students there and coordinated with the university officials. Water is being provided now & efforts are being made by them for their early evacuation." Moreover, he remarked that more aid will be provided as the situation eases. More than 15,900 Indians have been brought back since the special flights under Operation Ganga began on February 22 to rescue the stranded Indian citizens in Ukraine. To rescue Indian citizens, 2135 Indians have been brought back on Sunday by 11 special civilian flights from Ukraine's neighbouring countries. The number of Indians airlifted by 66 special civilian flights goes up to 13852, said the Ministry of Civil Aviation. To date, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has flown 10 sorties to bring back 2056 passengers, while taking 26 tonnes of relief load to these countries, as part of Operation Ganga," it added. Among the special Civilian flights today, 9 landed in New Delhi while 2 reached Mumbai. There were 6 flights from Budapest, 2 from Bucharest, 2 from Rzeszow, and 1 from Kosice. On Monday, 8 special flights are expected to operate from Budapest (5), Suceava (2) and Bucharest (1), bringing in more than 1500 Indians back home. The government has also deployed "special envoys" to four neighbouring countries bordering Ukraine to coordinate and oversee the evacuation process of the Indian nationals. Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. (ANI)
Thousands of residents poured into to the streets of Kherson, Ukraine, on Saturday and protested against Russian troops and demonstrated incredible bravery and defiance in the face of an invading army.

Residents who had filled the main square of the Black Sea port to wave blue and yellow flags and chant at Vladimir Putin's forces, cheered as a brave man was seen clamoring up a moving Russian armored vehicle.

The man, who has not been identified, stood proudly on the vehicle as it moved down the street, waving a giant blue and yellow Ukrainian flag, drawing cheers from the crowd below.

The crowd stayed until Russian combatants reportedly responded by firing automatic weapons into the air to disperse the crowd, before leaving the city centre themselves.

In Kherson, the only major city to have fallen to Russian forces so far, 2,000 people took to the streets as demonstrators chanted 'Glory to Ukraine' and 'Death to the enemy'.

There had earlier been signs of defiance from the population of Melitopol, which was taken over by the Russians this week.

Locals shouted 'Go home!' and 'Melitopol us Ukraine', and demonstrators have been saying 'out with the orcs' at Russians - comparing them to the malevolent invaders of JRR Tolein's The Lord of the Rings.

Kherson was the first major city to fall to Russian forces, with the mayor estimating as many as 300 people killed, with many of the bodies rendered unrecognizable because of the power of the invaders weapons.

Residents who took to the streets in Kherson to protest Russian troops cheered as a brave man was seen clamoring up a moving Russian armored vehicle and waving a Ukrainian flag

The man, who has not been identified, stood proudly on the vehicle as it moved down the street, waving a giant blue and yellow Ukrainian flag, drawing cheers from the crowd below

In Kherson, the only major city to have fallen to Russian forces so far, 2,000 people took to the streets as demonstrators chanted 'Glory to Ukraine' and 'Death to the enemy'

The show of defiance came after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Saturday that Ukrainian statehood is in jeopardy and likened the West's sanctions on Russia to 'declaring war,' while a promised cease-fire in the besieged port city of Mariupol collapsed amid scenes of terror.

With the Kremlin's rhetoric growing fiercer and a reprieve from fighting dissolving, Russian troops continued to shell encircled cities and the number of Ukrainians forced from their country grew to 1.4 million.

By Saturday night Russian forces had intensified their shelling of Mariupol, while dropping powerful bombs on residential areas of Chernihiv, a city north of Kyiv, Ukrainian officials said.

Bereft mothers mourned slain children, wounded soldiers were fitted with tourniquets and doctors worked by the light of their cellphones as bleakness and desperation pervaded.

Putin continued to pin the blame for all of it squarely on the Ukrainian leadership and slammed their resistance to the invasion.

'If they continue to do what they are doing, they are calling into question the future of Ukrainian statehood,' he said. 'And if this happens, it will be entirely on their conscience.'

He also hit out at Western sanctions that have crippled Russia's economy and sent the value of its currency tumbling.

'These sanctions that are being imposed, they are akin to declaring war,' he said during a televised meeting with flight attendants from Russian airline Aeroflot. 'But thank God, we haven't got there yet.'

Russia's financial system suffered yet another blow as Mastercard and Visa announced they were suspending operations in the country.

In Kherson, the only major city to have fallen to Russian forces so far, 2,000 people took to the streets as demonstrators chanted 'Glory to Ukraine' and 'Death to the enemy'. One protester was seen climbing on top of a Russian armoured vehicle while holding the blue and yellow flag of Ukraine

Ten days after Russian forces invaded, the struggle to enforce the temporary cease-fires in Mariupol and the eastern city of Volnovakha showed the fragility of efforts to stop the fighting across Ukraine.

Ukrainian officials said Russian artillery fire and airstrikes had prevented residents from leaving before the agreed-to evacuations got underway. Putin accused Ukraine of sabotaging the effort.

A third round of talks between Russia and Ukraine will take place Monday, according to Davyd Arakhamia, a member of the Ukrainian delegation. He gave no additional details, including where they would take place.

Previous meetings were held in Belarus and led to the failed cease-fire agreement to create humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of children, women and older people from besieged cities, where pharmacies have run bare, hundreds of thousands face food and water shortages, and the injured have been succumbing to their wounds.

In comments carried on Ukrainian television, Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko said thousands of residents had gathered for safe passage out of the city of 430,000 when shelling began and the evacuation was stopped. Later in the day, he said the attack had escalated further.

Thousands of Ukrainians protested against Russian troops in occupied Kherson (left) and demonstrated incredible bravery and defiance in the face of an invading army. There had earlier been signs of defiance from the population of Melitopol (right), which was taken over by the Russians this week. Locals shouted 'Melitopol us Ukraine', and demonstrators have been shouting 'out with the orcs' at Russians - comparing them to the malevolent invaders of JRR Tolein's The Lord of the Rings

'The city is in a very, very difficult state of siege,' Boychenko told Ukrainian TV. 'Relentless shelling of residential blocks is ongoing, airplanes have been dropping bombs on residential areas. The Russian occupants are using heavy artillery, including Grad multiple rocket launchers.'

Russia has made significant advances in the south, seeking to cut off Ukraine's access to the sea. Capturing Mariupol could allow Russia to establish a land corridor to Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.

Meanwhile the head of the Chernihiv region said Russia has dropped powerful bombs on residential areas of the city of the same name, which has a population of 290,000. Vyacheslav Chaus posted a photo online of what he said was an undetonated FAB-500, a 1,100-pound (500-kilogram) bomb.

'Usually this weapon is used against military-industrial facilities and fortified structures,' Chaus said. 'But in Chernihiv, against residential areas.'

In a speech to Ukrainians on Saturday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pointed to 'the 500-kilogram bombs that were dropped on the houses of Ukrainians. Look at Borodyanka, at the destroyed schools, at the blown-up kindergartens. At the damaged Kharkiv Assumption Cathedral. Look what Russia has done.'

The West has broadly backed Ukraine, offering aid and weapons and slapping Russia with vast sanctions. But the fight itself has been left to Ukrainians, who have expressed a mixture of courageous resolve and despondency.

'Ukraine is bleeding,' Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in a video released Saturday, 'but Ukraine has not fallen.'

Russian troops advanced on a third nuclear power plant, having already taken control of one of the four operating in the country and the closed plant in Chernobyl, Zelenskyy told U.S. lawmakers.

Zelenskyy pleaded with the lawmakers for additional help, specifically fighter planes to help secure the skies over Ukraine, even as he insisted Russia was being defeated.

'We're inflicting losses on the occupants they could not see in their worst nightmare,' Zelenskyy said.

Russian troops took control of the southern port city of Kherson this week. Although they have encircled Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv and Sumy, Ukrainian forces have managed to keep control of key cities in central and southeastern Ukraine, Zelenskyy said.

The Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday and MailOnline UKRAINE REFUGEE APPEAL Readers of Mail Newspapers and MailOnline have always shown immense generosity at times of crisis. Calling upon that human spirit, we are now launching an appeal to raise money for refugees from Ukraine. For, surely, no one can fail to be moved by the heartbreaking images and stories of families  mostly women, children, the infirm and elderly  fleeing from Russia's invading armed forces. As this tally of misery increases over the coming days and months, these innocent victims of a tyrant will require accommodation, schools and medical support. All donations to the Mail Ukraine Appeal will be distributed to charities and aid organisations providing such essential services. In the name of charity and compassion, we urge all our readers to give swiftly and generously. TO MAKE A DONATION ONLINE Donate at www.mailforcecharity.co.uk/donate To add Gift Aid to a donation  even one already made  complete an online form found here: mymail.co.uk/ukraine Via bank transfer, please use these details: Account name: Mail Force Charity Account number: 48867365 Sort code: 60-00-01 TO MAKE A DONATION VIA CHEQUE Make your cheque payable to 'Mail Force' and post it to: Mail Newspapers Ukraine Appeal, GFM, 42 Phoenix Court, Hawkins Road, Colchester, Essex CO2 8JY TO MAKE A DONATION FROM THE US US readers can donate to the appeal via a bank transfer to Associated Newspapers or by sending checks to dailymail.com HQ at 51 Astor Place (9th floor), New York, NY 10003 Advertisement

Diplomatic efforts continued as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Poland to meet with the prime minister and foreign minister, a day after attending a NATO meeting in Brussels in which the alliance pledged to step up support for eastern flank members.

In Moscow, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met with Putin at the Kremlin. Israel maintains good relations with both Russia and Ukraine, and Bennett has offered to act as an intermediary in the conflict, but no details of the meeting emerged immediately.

However, Bennett's office said he spoke twice with Zelenskyy afterward. Bennett also had a conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron.

In the wake of Western sanctions, Aeroflot, Russia's flagship state-owned airline, announced that it plans to halt all international flights except to Belarus, starting Tuesday.

The death toll of the conflict was difficult to measure. The U.N. human rights office said at least 351 civilians have been confirmed killed since Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, but the true number is probably much higher. The Russian military, which doesn't offer regular updates on casualties, said Wednesday that 498 of its troops had been killed.

Ukraine's military is vastly outmatched by Russia's, but its professional and volunteer forces have fought back with fierce tenacity. Even in cities that have fallen, there were signs of resistance.

Onlookers in Chernihiv cheered as they watched a Russian military plane fall from the sky and crash, according to video released by the Ukrainian government. In Kherson, hundreds of protesters waved blue and yellow Ukrainian flag sand shouted, 'Go home.'

A vast Russian armored column threatening Ukraine's capital remained stalled outside Kyiv. Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovich said Saturday afternoon that the military situation was quieter overall and that Russian forces hadn't 'taken active actions since the morning.'

Zelenskyy has pleaded for a no-fly zone over his country and lashed out at NATO for refusing to impose one, warning that 'all the people who die from this day forward will also die because of you.'

Putin warned that a no-fly zone would be considered a hostile act, and NATO has said it has no plans to implement one. Western officials have said a main reason is a desire to not widen the war beyond Ukraine.

The U.S. Congress is considering a request for $10 billion in emergency funding for humanitarian aid and security needs. The U.N. said it would increase its humanitarian operations both inside and outside Ukraine, and the Security Council scheduled a meeting for Monday on the worsening situation.

As Russia cracks down on independent media reporting on the war, more major international news outlets said they were pausing their work in that country. Putin said nothing warrants imposing martial law at this point.

And in a warning of an impending hunger crisis yet to come, the U.N. World Food Program has said millions of people inside Ukraine, a major global wheat supplier, will need food aid 'immediately.'

Kyiv's central train station remained crowded with people desperate to flee. 'People just want to live,' one woman, Ksenia, said.
Emergency services personnel work following a missile strike on the Vinnytsia International Airport building in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, on March 6, 2022, in a still from a video. (Courtesy of Serhiy Borzov via Reuters/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

Zelensky: Russia Attacked Airport With 8 Cruise Missiles

Moscow says airport was being used by Ukrainian military

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba alleged Sunday that Russian forces attacked the Vinnytsia airport with eight cruise missiles.

Against our city, against our peaceful Vinnytsia which never posed a threat to Russia in any way, Zelensky said in a video on Twitter. A brutal, cynical missile strike has completely destroyed the airport.

The airport was destroyed in the attack, Zelensky said, according to a translation.

Eight Russian cruise missiles hit Vinnytsia, a large city far from the frontline, said Kuleba on Twitter. Russian President Vladimir Putin continues his cowardly & barbaric missile strikes, air bombardment of civilians. Help us close the sky and save lives! Provide air and missile defense, combat aircraft! Stop Russian terrorism! he added.

Unconfirmed video footage uploaded online by Ukraines Parliament and other accounts appeared to show black smoke rising in the vicinity of the airport. Kuleba posted a clip that appeared to show the cruise missiles heading in the direction of the airport. The Epoch Times could not verify the authenticity of the footage or the veracity of Zelenskys or Kulebas claims.

 Urgent appeal by President @ZelenskyyUa: a missile strike on #Vinnytsia consisted of eight missiles; the airport is completely destroyed.

The President called on the world to close the skies over #Ukraine and provide Ukraine with aircraft. pic.twitter.com/0s8nUneRZP  Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (@ua_parliament) March 6, 2022

The chief of the Vinnytsia regional military administration, Serhiy Borzov, first reported the strikes on social media.

The Russian embassy in Israel disputed the reports that the Vinnytsia airport was only used for civilian purposes. The airport, it said, is dual-purpose and serves as a base of operations for the Ukrainian armed forces.

 Vinnytsia Airport is not civilian, it is a dual-purpose object, where the 456th separate mixed aviation brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces is based. The satellite map shows An-26 aircrafts, including those in camouflage and a Mi-8 helicopter.

 https://t.co/pS4auCc2Ez https://t.co/Ldcp2uJP2W pic.twitter.com/DxQxd9XGNe  Russia in Israel (@israel_mid_ru) March 6, 2022

The airport also is where the 456th separate mixed aviation brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces is based, according to a Twitter post from the Russian embassy. It posted a satellite map that allegedly showed An-26 aircraft, including those in camouflage and a Mi-8 helicopter.

With the latest incident, Zelensky and the Ukrainian Parliament again called for NATO and the United States to enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine.

Last week, the head of NATO and top White House officials repeatedly insisted that there would not be a no-fly zone, saying that such a move would most likely escalate the conflict and lead to a wider European war, or even a third world war.

On Sunday, Putin told Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Russias invasion of Ukraine could be halted only if Kyiv ceases hostilities and fulfills the well-known demands of Russia, according to state-run media.

Hope was expressed that during the planned next round of negotiations, the representatives of Ukraine would show a more constructive approach, fully taking into account the emerging realities, said his statement.
Masks have been widely considered an important first-line defence against airborne transmission of the disease. But is every mask effective against the airborne virus? A recent study opened up about this. The study was published in 'Physics of Fluids' by AIP Publishing. Like many other viruses, COVID-19 too is transmitted primarily via particles carried in the air. An infected person breathes out particles containing the virus into the air, which can then be inhaled by another person, who then becomes infected. Fuelled by the omicron variant, the latest wave of the pandemic prompted public health officials to recommend more protective face coverings because not all masks are created equal. In the study, researchers from England, Germany, and France focussed their expertise -- and their microscopes -- on examining the efficacy of particle filtration by woven fabric, which, unlike material used in standard air filters and masks, consists of fibers twisted together into yarns. There are, therefore, two length scales: the diameters of the fiber and the yarn. Using 3D imagery produced by confocal microscopy to see the airflow channels, the scientists simulated the airflow through these channels and calculated filtration efficiency for particles a micrometer and larger in diameter. The study concluded that, for particles in this size range, the filtration efficiency is low. "Masks are air filters, and woven fabrics, such as cotton, make for good jeans, shirts, and other apparel, but they are lousy air filters," said co-author Richard Sear, from the University of Surrey. "So, use woven fabric for clothing, and N95s or FFP2s or KF94s for masks." Indeed, the flow simulations suggested that when a person breathed through cloth, most of the air flows through the gaps between the yarns in the woven fabric, bringing with it more than 90 per cent of the particles. "In other words, these relatively large gaps are responsible for cloth being a bad material to make air filters from," said Sear. "In contrast, the filtering layer of an N95 mask is made from much smaller, 5-micrometer fibers with gaps that are 10 times smaller, making it much better for filtering nasty particles from the air, such as those containing virus." While earlier research revealed similar findings, this study represented the first one to simulate particles going directly through the gaps in woven fabric. Sear added that good masks should feature the "two Fs: good filtration and good fit." "Surgical masks fit badly, so a lot of air goes unfiltered past the edges of the mask by the cheeks and nose," said Sear. (ANI)
Jim Nowlan is the lead author of Illinois Politics (University of Illinois Press, 2010) and Fixing Illinois (UI Press, 2014), and a former chairman of the Illinois Executive Ethics Commission.
PARIS (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to end Russia's military operations in Ukraine and to ensure the protection and security of Ukraine's nuclear sites, said an official from Macron's office.

The French official confirmed that Macron had held a phone exchange of nearly two hours on Sunday with Putin.

Russian media had earlier reported the latest talks between Putin and Macron. Macron has stayed in regular contact with Putin but, as with other international efforts, has yet to persuade Moscow to call off a campaign now into an 11th day.

Putin said on Sunday that his campaign in Ukraine was going according to plan and would not end until Kyiv stopped fighting, as efforts to evacuate the heavily bombarded city of Mariupol failed for a second day in a row.

Putin made those comments in a phone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who appealed for a ceasefire in the conflict that the United Nations says has created the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War Two.

(Reporting by Elizabeth Pineau; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta)
"Operation Ganga Update: We have successfully evacuated over 15920 students via 76 flights. Breakup - Romania - 6680 (31 flights), Poland - 2822 (13 flights), Hungary - 5300 (26 flights), Slovakia - 1118 (6 flights)," Scindia said in a tweet.

Earlier in the day, the Indian Embassy had said that the last leg of 'Operation Ganga' has begun, asking the stranded students to reach the Hungarian City Center in Budapest.

Separately Indian Embassy in Kyiv also urged its nationals who are still in Ukraine to register themselves for the evacuation process under 'Operation Ganga'.

Meanwhile, the MEA yesterday informed that almost all Indians have left Kharkiv city of Ukraine and the main focus of the government is to evacuate citizens from Sumy as it is challenging amid ongoing violence and lack of transportation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sent four special envoys to Ukraine's neighbouring countries from where Indians are being evacuated.

Four cabinet ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia, Kiran Rijiju, General (Retd) VK Singh, and Hardeep Singh Puri have been on the job for the last many days. A former diplomat Hardeep Puri has been stationed in Hungary to coordinate their efforts to evacuate Indian students here.

Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk -as independent entities. Several countries including the UK, the US, Canada, and the European Union have condemned Russia's military operations in Ukraine and imposed sanctions on Moscow. (ANI)
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention with the National Medical Commission and ministries concerned to enable the continuation of the education of medical students returning from Ukraine in medical colleges across India. The Chief Minister mentioned that this is an unprecedented crisis that has the potential of disrupting the careers of thousands of young men and women who have already gone through the trauma of being in the "war zone". In the letter, Patnaik wrote, "In view of the situation in Ukraine, a large number of medical students from Odisha and other parts of India had to return back home. The disruption in their studies is likely to continue until the cessation of the hostilities and restoration of normalcy in their universities in Ukraine." "This is an unprecedented crisis that has the potential of disrupting the careers of several thousands of young men and women who have already gone through the trauma of being in the war zone," the letter read. The letter read, "I would, therefore request for your urgent intervention with the National Medical Commission and the ministries concerned to enable and facilitate continuance of their studies in the medical colleges in India from the stage from which their studies in Ukraine have been disrupted on account of the war. I assure you of our full support of the Government of Odisha for implementing a workable solution for this purpose." The Indian Embassy on Sunday said that the last leg of 'Operation Ganga' has begun, asking the stranded students to reach the Hungarian City Center in Budapest. Separately Indian Embassy in Kyiv also urged its nationals who are still in Ukraine to register themselves for the evacuation process under 'Operation Ganga'. Meanwhile, the MEA yesterday informed that almost all Indians have left Kharkiv city of Ukraine and the main focus of the government is to evacuate citizens from Sumy as it is challenging amid ongoing violence and lack of transportation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sent four special envoys to Ukraine's neighbouring countries from where Indians are being evacuated. Four cabinet ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia, Kiran Rijiju, General (Retd) VK Singh, and Hardeep Singh Puri have been on the job for the last many days. A former diplomat Hardeep Puri has been stationed in Hungary to coordinate their efforts to evacuate Indian students here. Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk -as independent entities. Several countries including the UK, the US, Canada, and the European Union have condemned Russia's military operations in Ukraine and imposed sanctions on Moscow. (ANI)
Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], March 6 (ANI): Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention with the National Medical Commission and ministries concerned to enable the continuation of the education of medical students returning from Ukraine in medical colleges across India.

The Chief Minister mentioned that this is an unprecedented crisis that has the potential of disrupting the careers of thousands of young men and women who have already gone through the trauma of being in the "war zone".

Also Read | Mumbai: Man Takes Shirt Off in Front of Women Cops, Jailed For 10 Days.

In the letter, Patnaik wrote, "In view of the situation in Ukraine, a large number of medical students from Odisha and other parts of India had to return back home. The disruption in their studies is likely to continue until the cessation of the hostilities and restoration of normalcy in their universities in Ukraine."

"This is an unprecedented crisis that has the potential of disrupting the careers of several thousands of young men and women who have already gone through the trauma of being in the war zone," the letter read.

Also Read | Ajit Pawar Attacks Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari Over His Remark on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

The letter read, "I would, therefore request for your urgent intervention with the National Medical Commission and the ministries concerned to enable and facilitate continuance of their studies in the medical colleges in India from the stage from which their studies in Ukraine have been disrupted on account of the war. I assure you of our full support of the Government of Odisha for implementing a workable solution for this purpose."

The Indian Embassy on Sunday said that the last leg of 'Operation Ganga' has begun, asking the stranded students to reach the Hungarian City Center in Budapest.

Separately Indian Embassy in Kyiv also urged its nationals who are still in Ukraine to register themselves for the evacuation process under 'Operation Ganga'.

Meanwhile, the MEA yesterday informed that almost all Indians have left Kharkiv city of Ukraine and the main focus of the government is to evacuate citizens from Sumy as it is challenging amid ongoing violence and lack of transportation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sent four special envoys to Ukraine's neighbouring countries from where Indians are being evacuated.

Four cabinet ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia, Kiran Rijiju, General (Retd) VK Singh, and Hardeep Singh Puri have been on the job for the last many days. A former diplomat Hardeep Puri has been stationed in Hungary to coordinate their efforts to evacuate Indian students here.

Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk -as independent entities.

Several countries including the UK, the US, Canada, and the European Union have condemned Russia's military operations in Ukraine and imposed sanctions on Moscow. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
All measures are being taken to bring Karnataka students back home safely from Ukraine amid the Russian military operations, said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday. The Chief Minister was speaking to media persons after welcoming Chaitra Gangadhar, a medical student from Yaraguppi village of Kundagol taluk in Dharwad district who returned safely from Ukraine. Bommai said, "There were four students from Dharwad in Ukraine. Of them, two have returned home safely and we are confident of bringing back the remaining two as well. We have received information about them crossing the Ukrainian border. About 200 students from Karnataka are stranded in Kharkiv and taking shelter in bunkers." "The Indian Embassy is trying to bring them back. We are in touch with the Union External Affairs minister in this regard. PM Modi himself is monitoring the situation. A huge operation to airlift the students is on. It is being made possible due to the cordial relations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with various countries," he added. As for getting the mortal remains of Naveen Gyanagoudar who died due to shelling in Ukraine, information is being obtained about the mortuary where his body has been kept. Efforts are on to bring his mortal remains with assistance from the Indian Embassy, Bommai said. Replying to a question about the academic future of the medical students who have returned from Ukraine, Bommai said, "a suitable decision would be taken in consultation with the Union government." (ANI)
Veteran Chicago police narcotics Sgt. Cassandra Williams said the backlash she faced was almost immediate after she told several colleagues that her commanding officer had her and other officers guard his block in the Bridgeport neighborhood during the civil unrest in Chicago in May 2020.

For starters, Williams said she was taken off active investigations and put on desk duty before her boss, Jason Brown, reassigned her to be a relief sergeant, meaning she would fill in for sick or vacationing sergeants in the unit, despite having the second-most seniority in the unit.

In a civil lawsuit filed earlier this week in U.S. District Court, the 31-year police veteran said she has endured a toxic workplace, being either ignored or openly mocked since she filed a formal complaint with the city inspector generals office and spoke with the Tribune in June 2021.

Since confirming to Brown that she had spoken with other officers about her detail to his block, Williams has endured a death of a thousand cuts form of retaliation, she said in the suit filed by attorney Thomas Needham. The suit seeks unspecified damages and attorneys fees.

Since being made a relief sergeant, she hasnt been sent to brief Superintendent David Brown on the units cases, according to the suit. She was switched from a day shift to nights. Her office space was taken away, leaving her with no desk and files she has to store in the trunk of her car, the suit said.

She received a written reprimand for being absent without permission  a disciplinary move that was later overturned by a deputy chief, according to the suit.

There were also other smaller incidents in which she felt targeted. Several times, routine paperwork Williams turned in would mysteriously vanish, requiring her to complete the paperwork a second time.

Its been going on ever since the (Tribune) article came out. It will make me second-guess myself, Williams told the Tribune after the suit was filed Tuesday.

Story continues

Brown and the city are named as defendants in the suit that asks a court to find that Brown violated Williams right to speak about the detail and unfairly punished her, and that the city violated whistleblower laws by turning a blind eye to Browns treatment of Williams.

The 20-page suit calls Browns alleged actions a textbook example of internal retaliation, making numerous references to the so-called code of silence, the unwritten rule whereby police officers defend one another and ostracize those who speak out. The suit quotes a 2015 speech by former Mayor Rahm Emanuel acknowledging the existence of a thin blue line that has the tendency to ignore, deny or in some cases cover up the bad actions of a colleague or colleagues.

The City has not yet been served with a complaint and will have no further comment as the matter is now in litigation, a spokeswoman with the citys Law Department told the Tribune in an email.

Williams suit arose out of months of ill-treatment after Williams filed a complaint with the citys inspector general and publicly alleged to the Tribune that Brown  then a narcotics lieutenant but acting commander of the unit  assigned her and a team of officers to his street after a neighbor had reported seeing two men who had gotten out of their car and appeared to be taking video or photographs of Browns house, she said.

That article noted Williams conflicted view on protecting a boss home on a quiet block for several days while Black and brown neighborhoods were looted in a round of unrest that broke out in Chicago and several other cities following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Williams said things began to change between her and Brown, now the commander, in October 2020 after he confronted her about telling other officers about her detail to his block and told her to stop telling people.

From there, Williams said she found herself an outcast within the unit, with Brown either ignoring her at staff meetings, or allowing colleagues to use vulgar language referring to her.

Such public treatment, Williams said, can be detrimental in a tight-knit unit where respect and camaraderie are essential. She recalled an incident at a staff meeting where she said Brown turned his head away from her while she was speaking and wouldnt talk directly to her.

He just looked away. He didnt even look at me, Williams recalled. That kind of stuff breeds ... and if people see him treating other officers  and if the lieutenants see him treating me this way  then how do you expect them to treat me?

Williams suit is the third to be filed alleging retaliation by Brown against subordinate officers. In November 2021, Xavier Chism sued Brown and another officer who did an improper background check on Chism, and said his career was thwarted after he complained to Internal Affairs.

In September 2021, Marc Vanek filed a suit claiming Brown retaliated against him after he similarly complained to the inspector generals office. Vanek was removed as head of the departments Internet Narcotics Enforcement Team and instead detailed to working midnight shifts as a patrol sergeant in the Harrison police district on the West Side.

Williams said she was left no choice but to file a suit after more than a year as a relief sergeant and continued hits to her reputation as she entered her 19th year as a sergeant.

After this lawsuit is filed, I hope the way we treat each other on the inside should change, she said. At the same time, the department is directing officers to go out into the community (to) engage and build partnerships. How can we go out and successfully build partnerships on the outside if the inside is where the problem is not being addressed?

wlee@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @Midnoircowboy
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As the war in Ukraine continues into an 11th day, reports of military equipment losses have flooded social media with Russian forces said to losing huge numbers of tanks, aircraft, helicopters and armoured transports.

Despite initial fears of a quick Ukrainian capitulation, Ukraine has inflicted heavy losses on Russian invaders, managing to take 750 pieces of advanced military equipment off of the battlefield.

Staunch resistance has seen 108 Russian tanks destroyed, captured or abandoned with 50 ending up in Ukrainian hands.

Ukrainian media has also reported over 11,000 Russian death since the beginning of the invasion - over 1,000 deaths each day.

Vladimir Putin's desire to occupy Ukraine with a swift victory has been scuppered by the losses with a massive 40km convoy of military vehicles meant to overwhelm Kyiv being stopped by embarrassing logistical failures.

Smoke rises from a Russian tank destroyed by the Ukrainian forces on the side of a road in Luhansk region of east Ukraine

A Russian Ka-52 'Alligator' helicopter gunship is seen in a field near Kyiv after a forced landing on the first day of the invasion

A Russian armored personnel carrier burns amid damaged and abandoned light utility vehicles after fighting in Kharkiv

Russian pilots were filmed pleading they were 'following orders' as they were captured after nine aircraft were shot down over Ukraine yesterday

Destroyed Russian Army multiple rocket launchers with the letter "Z" painted on their sides in Kharkiv

Destroyed Russian armoured vehicles in the city of Bucha, west of Kyiv, on March 4

Western nations have been providing equipment to Ukraine since Russia invaded on February 24 with manned portable air defence systems (MANPADS) proving particularly successfully in downing aircraft and preventing Putin's forces from establishing air superiority.

The Ukrainian Army has reportedly downed 10 Russian helicopters and 8 planes in 11 days.

Saturday saw heavy losses for Russian aerial forces with as many as eight aircraft, as well as multi-role, strike and close air support aircraft and a drone taken down.

Experts have suggested that Russian air forces are struggling due to a lack of precision guided munitions on their aircraft means that planes and helicopters have to fly lower to attack using less advanced weapons - leaving them vulnerable to anti-air attacks.

Their losses, claimed by Ukrainian military sources, provide further evidence of Russia's failure to gain the air superiority that Vladimir Putin thought would be achieved on the first day of the war.

The Russian President's much-vaunted air force is still being picked off in ambushes by highly mobile Ukrainian air defence units equipped with the latest shoulder-fired rocket launchers.

Footage of a Russian Mi-24 or Mi-35 attack helicopter being shot down using a shoulder-mounted Polish PPZR Piorun missile in Kozarovychi in the Kyiv region went viral on social media on Saturday.

Ukrainian volunteer forces stand atop an abandoned T-90A Russian tank

Another Russian T-90A tank had ended up in a river as Ukrainian resistance against Putin's invasion force intensified

The burning wrecks of Russian aircraft shot down in Ukraine. The pilots were detained by soldiers and civilians

A Mi-24/35 'flying tank' attack helicopter was downed yesterday in the Kyiv Oblast by a shoulder-mounted MANPADS

Experts have suggested that Russian air forces are struggling due to a lack of precision guided munitions on their aircraft means that planes and helicopters have to fly lower to attack using less advanced weapons - making them more vulnerable to ground defences

A man walks by a destroyed Russian military multiple rocket launcher vehicle on the outskirts of Kharkiv

Russian infantry mobility vehicles like this GAZ Tigr destroyed as a result of fight in Kharkiv are in short supply in Ukraine

The defensive move killed the onboard Russian crew and Ukrainian cheers could be heard after they downed the attack vehicle.

In the incident pictured above, the Ukrainians are thought to have used a specialist short-range weapon system, the MANPADS, which is ideal for targeting low-flying helicopters.

It is not just advanced equipment that Russian forces are losing. The invading army has lost 42 personnel carriers and 224 troop carriers since entering Ukraine and is now reportedly drafting in civilian vehicles to bolster their transports.

As Russian troops massed on the Ukrainian border in the first months of 2022, President Zelensky asked Ukraine's citizens to prepare for guerrilla warfare by learning to make and throw Molotov cocktails - makeshift firebombs which are adept at destroying vehicles.

A Su-25 attack aircraft bearing the Ukrainian insignia was downed in the conflict which started on February 24

The Ukrainian weapon of choice so far have been Man-Portable Air Defence Systems (MANPADS) - seen here in the hands of Russian troops

Footage also emerged of a Russian pilot wearing a blue jumpsuit and a bloodstained T-shirt being treated for a head wound after he crashed in a field.

With a bandage around his head, he nodded wearily as Ukrainian troops asked him questions.

Vladimir Putin came under pressure from his own soldiers to stop the war yesterday.

At a press conference in Kyiv, captured Russian troops condemned the mission and called on their fellow citizens to rally against the conflict.

It comes after footage showed two pilots ejecting from an aircraft - thought to be an Su-30 - after it was shot down over the Ukrainian city of Chernihiv on Saturday.

Ukrainian forces have also seen losses with 41 tanks, 8 aircraft, 60 vehicles and 29 anti-tank missiles being lost from their arsenal.

Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the chief of defence staff, told BBC Sunday Morning it's not inevitable that Russia will win war in Ukraine.

'I think we've seen a Russian invasion that is not going well. We're also seeing a resistance by Ukraine, both its armed forces and its people'
Two people lost their lives to the infection during the last 24 hours and 27 deaths were added as per new guidelines of the Central government. With this, the death toll from the infection in the state has gone up to 66,180.

According to the Kerala health bulletin, the state presently has 14,153 active cases including 189 people undergoing treatment for the infection at various hospitals.

As per the state health bulletin, 3,033 people recovered from the infection in the last 24 hours.

The state tested 25,325 samples in the last 24 hours. (ANI)
Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways and Civil Aviation VK Singh on Sunday informed that Harjot Singh, the Indian student who had sustained bullet injuries in Ukraine's Kyiv will reach India on Monday. Vijay Kumar Singh tweeted, "Harjot Singh, the Indian student who was shot at during the conflict in Kyiv and had lost his passport in the chaos, will be reaching India with us tomorrow. Wish him a speedy recovery with home food and care." Speaking from his hospital bed in Kyiv on Friday, Harjot Singh urged the Indian embassy in Ukraine to evacuate him and help him with documentation. Harjot Singh told ANI that he sustained multiple injuries due to bullets fired at the car in which he was travelling. "This is February 27 incident. We were three people in a cab on our way to the third checkpoint where we were told to return due to security reasons. While coming back, multiple bullets were fired at our car due to which I sustained multiple bullet injuries," Harjot Singh said. The Indian student said he regained consciousness at 10 pm on March 2 night. The Indian student said that he has got a new life. Harjot Singh was pursuing studies in Information Technology. Tensions have escalated following Russia's military action in Ukraine and the government has arranged flights from countries neighbouring Ukraine for the evacuation of Indian students. (ANI)
06.03.2022 LISTEN

President of the Artisanal Palm Oil Millers and Outgrowers Association of Ghana, Mr.Paul-Kwabena-Amaning,has said the oil palm industry is a tropical perennial crop native to Africa with excellent benefits. Per hectare, it is the most productive oil crop in the world, being 10 times more productive than soybean and other oil bearing seeds. Of the 17 major vegetable oils traded on the international market, palm oil is the most important and accounts for more than half of global import and export trade.

He further stressed that, Oil palm plantations on the other hand are as effective as rain forests in reducing carbon dioxide, a critical contributor to global warming hence an oil palm plantation ensures better climatic conditions and in addition provides more employment than forest. The World Bank explains it provides more jobs per hectare than other large scale farming (employing about 1 person per acre), and the jobs are year-round rather than seasonal. These features of the crop are being harnessed on large and efficient scale by countries in the Asian tropics (Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, etc) reflected by their lead roles in oil palm products like the crude palm oil (CPO).

However, since the cultivation of Oil palm in Africa, the share of Africa in global commercial palm oil production has not fared well. West Africa dominates palm oil production in Africa but currently production is insufficient to cater for the growing domestic demand in Africa and most African countries are net importers of palm oil.

Nevertheless, Paul Amanining said ,"today palm oil, which comes from oil palm trees, feeds more than three billion people worldwide in more than 150 countries. Its increased consumption is attributed to its high versatility. It can be found in more than 40% of packaged products in an average supermarket, including edible items such as cooking oils, margarine, mayonnaise, ice cream, cookies, and chocolates; and non-edible items such as soaps, detergents, and cosmetics."

"Palm oil is also used as an emollient in both the metal and leather industries as well as palm kernel meal is used as fertilizer and livestock feed. More recently, in response to growing global demand for renewable energy, biodiesel manufacturing now also uses palm oil,"Paul Amanining exclusively told Accra-based Kingdom FM 107.7

He reiterated that Palm oil is an important part of our lives; hence the time has come to rejuvenate our muscles and ideas to get back to the fields tilling the lands to produce the right product beneficial to our health.

Source: Richard Obeng Bediako
TEHRAN, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Iran's supreme leader on Sunday called for the development of renewable and clean energy resources, such as civilian nuclear energy, in the country to substitute fossil fuels.

Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei made the remarks after he planted saplings to mark Iran's National Arbor Day and Natural Resources Week, according to the leader's official website.

The leader described the development of non-fossil fuels, such as nuclear energy, as a growing trend around the globe, saying regional countries are also working toward the goal.

He urged for paying serious attention to the development of renewable energy resources such as solar and wind power, which are more environmentally friendly, calling on the Energy Ministry and other related organizations to play their roles in this regard.

On Arbor Day, which fell on March 6 this year, Iranian officials, individuals, groups and environmental activists plant trees and encourage others to do so.

Iran claims it has been working on a peaceful nuclear program over the past years, with a focus on electricity generation and medicinal applications. The United States and some countries have blocked Iran's efforts by imposing sanctions and accusing Tehran of seeking nuclear weapons.

Iran has repeatedly denied these accusations, claiming that it has no intention of exploiting nuclear power for military purposes. 
The role of businesses in society has become a huge debate, particularly in the two years since I took over as chairman of the John Lewis Partnership.

The public are demanding more of business - they want business to be more active on social and environmental issues.

But there also needs to be a recognition that companies are set up to make money. Only when they have done this can those profits be invested in doing good. Making a profit is a passport to doing good.

Sharon White is chair of the John Lewis Partnership

The demands on business are coming particularly from younger generations. A recent report by PwC found that almost 90 per cent of Millennials want to work with companies whose values they share.

Companies in every sector are making declarations about social purpose. Shell wants to power progress together with more and cleaner energy solutions. Nestle is aspiring to unlock the power of food to enhance the quality of life for everyone.

Funds that invest in activities that are viewed as being positive for the environment or society are growing 30% a year and could exceed conventional funds by 2025.

The public are looking to business to walk the talk. Trust in business is at its lowest ever level according to Edelmans latest barometer.

But, as I said in my speech at the Resolution Foundation last week, the role of business in society has got caught up in the culture wars. Business taking on social missions has been dubbed as woke capitalism and virtue signalling.

Critics argue that companies should focus on maximising shareholder returns, creating wealth and growing jobs rather than getting embroiled in societys big debates.

Proponents - and I count myself as one of them - argue that doing good and doing well can and do go hand in hand.

Business has long played a role in society. From the Roman and Medieval times when wealthy landowners provided housing, security and food for their workers.

To the co-operative movement in the 1800s which started off providing affordable food and necessities and expanded into education and other social activities.

Many notable companies started out in the nineteenth century with a strong social outlook - Macys funded orphanages and Cadburys famously provided housing and education to their employees in Bournville.

The John Lewis Partnership represents an evolution in the history of socially minded business, combining employee ownership with strong social purpose.

'You cannot have profit without purpose. And you cannot have purpose without profit', Sharon White says

The Partnership is today the UKs biggest co-owned business, with two main brands (John Lewis and Waitrose), nearly 80,000 employees (we call them Partners), 20 million customers and sales of 10bn.

It started life as a private family business. John Lewis began his eponymous shop in 1864. The Jeff Bezos of the day. He created the department store - a one stop shop where you could buy everything you needed under one roof at competitive prices.

He was cunning and ruthless. Paid his workers as little as he could get away with. In 1920, workers threatened to go on strike because of the poor conditions. And in the end, 400 of the 500 staff left the business.

It was his son John Spedan Lewis who had the vision for a Partnership. He felt it was wrong that the workers who made the profits saw so little benefit from it.

He had a vision which would take him 35 years to achieve - to gift the company to its workers, who would be known as Partners. It is sometimes referred to as social capitalism. Profits would go to everyone, not a select few.

He wanted Partners to have the same opportunities as the professional middle classes.

He introduced health care before the NHS; social clubs and subsidised hotels; and housing.

He set up democratic channels so that Partners could have a direct say in the running of the business. He saw the Partnership as an alternative to communism. If people could have a good life at work, why would they be tempted to turn to communism?

Remember, this was just after the second world war, before the Beveridge Report and the modern welfare state.

Profits were initially paid out to Partners as paper shares - IOUs. Cash bonuses didnt become a regular feature until 1970.

Spedan wasnt running a charity. He was a highly astute retailer. He understood that if workers were happy, customers would be happy and profits would be higher.

Today, our business model as a mutually owned partnership means that we need to make sure profit and doing the right thing go hand in hand.

We believe if people are happier - our Partners, customers and suppliers - that makes for a happier business and ultimately a happier world because we can play a bigger role in our communities.

It is the reason that we invest 20 per cent more in our Partners than our competitors; last year introducing six months paid parental leave and paid leave for pregnancy loss.

It is the reason that brilliant customer service, quality, value and sustainability are at the heart of the offer to customers.

It is the reason that were supporting young people experienced in the care system to find jobs in the Partnership.

Our Partners give more because they own the business, and have a say in how it is run. Were not perfect. But we try hard. We dont set ourselves on a pedestal. But we do think our model offers something unique.

For public companies, this can become more difficult. External shareholders are now pressing companies to prioritise everything from addressing climate change to a string of wider societal issues.

We support efforts in all these areas. But it can put bosses in a bind. Do they prioritise the societal problems of tomorrow and potentially sacrifice todays performance? Some have even called for firms fiduciary duties to be extended beyond shareholders to workers and the wider society.

To my mind, a change in law is unnecessary. Companies are already responding to the demands of their shareholders and customers to be more socially aware.

But to really deliver on this agenda companies need to turn a profit. You need to do well to do good. Profit is what gives business the firepower and resources to address the issues that are bigger than one business or even one country.

You cannot have profit without purpose. And you cannot have purpose without profit. This is what I call Common Sense Capitalism. Amidst all the noise, we should not lose sight of the fact that the most successful companies create jobs and wealth as well as giving back to society.
A number of 3,092 new cases of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 have been registered in the last 24 hours in Romania, by 1,745 less than the previous day, being performed over 25,000 tests RT-PCR and antigenic rapid, the Strategic Communication Group informed on Sunday.

Of the new cases, 318 are in reinfected patients who test positive for more than 180 days after the first infection.

The most new cases of infection compared to the last report are in Bucharest - 1,143 and in the counties of Ilfov - 203, Constanta - 165, Timis - 159, Dolj - 153.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, a total of 2,768,261 cases of infection with the new coronavirus have been registered in Romania, of which 114,137 are in reinfected patients, tested positive at a period of more than 180 days after the first passage through the disease.

- Hospitalizations -

There are 4,944 people infected with SARS-CoV-2 in hospitals across the country, by 48 more than the day before, of whom 308 are children.

777 patients are hospitalized in the ICU wards, by 17 less than the previous day. Of the 777 patients admitted to ATI, 697 are unvaccinated.

According to the GCS, 1,899,522 patients were declared cured.

- Deaths -

According to data published by GCS, 30 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours in patients infected with the new coronavirus - 16 men and 14 women, aged between 50 and over 80 years. 29 of the deaths were recorded among patients with comorbidities, and no comorbidities were reported in the case of one patient.

Out of a total of 30 patients who died, 22 were unvaccinated and 8 were vaccinated.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, 63,961 people diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection have died in Romania, Agerpres informs.
By Humeyra Pamuk and Jarrett Renshaw

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States and European allies are exploring banning imports of Russian oil, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday, and the White House coordinated with key Congressional committees moving forward with their own ban.

Europe relies on Russia for crude oil and natural gas but has become more open to the idea of banning Russian products in the past 24 hours, a source familiar with the discussions told Reuters on Sunday.

Meanwhile, U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi also said in a Sunday letter that the chamber is "exploring" legislation to ban the import of Russian oil and that Congress intends to enact this week $10 billion in aid for Ukraine in response to Moscow's military invasion of its neighbour.

The White House is also talking with the Senate Finance Committee and House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee about a potential ban, the source said.

Still, Blinken also stressed the importance of maintaining steady oil supplies globally.

"We are now in very active discussions with our European partners about banning the import of Russian oil to our countries, while of course, at the same time, maintaining a steady global supply of oil," Blinken said in an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press" show.

Blinken, who is on a trip across Europe to coordinate with allies the response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, also said he discussed oil imports with President Joe Biden and his cabinet on Saturday.

Japan, which counts Russia as its fifth-biggest supplier of crude oil, is also in discussion with the United States and European countries about possibly banning Russian oil imports, Kyodo News reported on Monday.

Asked about a potential embargo on Russian oil imports at a regular news conference on Monday, Japan's top government spokesperson Hirokazu Matsuno declined to comment on its communication with the United States.

Story continues

Oil prices have soared over the past week after the United States and its allies sanctioned Russia over the invasion.

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced a bill on Thursday to ban U.S. imports of Russian oil. The bill is getting fast-tracked and could ultimately become the vehicle for the sanctions.

After Russia invaded Ukraine, the White House slapped sanctions on exports of technologies to Russia's refineries and the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which has never launched.

So far, it has stopped short of targeting Russia's oil and gas exports as the Biden administration weighs the impacts on global oil markets and U.S. energy prices.

Asked if the United States has ruled out banning Russian oil imports unilaterally, Blinken said: "I'm not going to rule out taking action one way or another, irrespective of what they do, but everything we've done, the approach starts with coordinating with allies and partners," Blinken said.

He said there were a series of additional measures that the United States was looking at to increase the pressure on Russia, but he did not provide any details on what the new measures would be.

Americans are by far the world's heaviest consumers of gasoline, thanks to big cars, long driving distances and little public transportation in many areas. Rising gas prices have traditionally been political poison for U.S. leaders.

The U.S. national average for a gallon of gasoline hit $4.009 on Sunday, the highest level since July 2008, according to AAA. Consumers are on average paying 40 cents more than a week ago, and 57 cents more than a month ago.

The United States imported more than 20.4 million barrels of crude and refined products a month on average in 2021 from Russia, about 8% of U.S. liquid fuel imports, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk and Jarrett Renshaw; Additional reporting by Ju-min Park in Tokyo; Editing by Lisa Shumaker, Mark Porter and Diane Craft)
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian (R) shakes hands with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi in Tehran, Iran, on March 5, 2022. Abdollahian highlighted on Saturday the need for an independent, professional and impartial approach by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to Iran, according to the foreign ministry website. (Iranian Foreign Ministry/Handout via Xinhua)

TEHRAN, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian highlighted on Saturday the need for an independent, professional and impartial approach by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to Iran, according to the foreign ministry website.

Abdollahian made the remarks during his meeting with visiting Rafael Grossi, director general of the UN nuclear watchdog, where he also stressed the importance of strengthening the agency's relations and cooperation with Iran in areas beyond oversight and inspection of nuclear facilities, including supporting Iran's peaceful nuclear industry.

During the meeting, the two sides described the cooperation between the IAEA and the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) as positive and successful.

In his earlier press conference with Mohammad Eslami, head of the AEOI, Grossi said they have "decided to try a practical, pragmatic approach" to the remaining specific issues that need to be resolved.

The Vienna talks and the Iran-IAEA cooperation are interrelated, he noted, adding it will be difficult to reach an agreement in the Austrian capital if Iran and the IAEA do not agree on safeguards issues.

Iran and the remaining parties to the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the JCPOA, are currently involved in negotiations in Vienna seeking to settle disputes on the revival of the JCPOA.

Iran signed the JCPOA with world powers in July 2015. However, former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the accord 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 program. 

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian (3rd L) meets with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi (2nd R) in Tehran, Iran, on March 5, 2022. Abdollahian highlighted on Saturday the need for an independent, professional and impartial approach by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to Iran, according to the foreign ministry website. (Iranian Foreign Ministry/Handout via Xinhua)
Huntington Beach to Vote on Cannabis Tax

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif.Surf City could be moving toward legalizing cannabis businesses after the city council voted in favor of a ballot measure that would regulate cannabis in the city.

The city council voted 52 on March 2 to allow voters to decide in June for an up to 6 percent tax on commercial cannabis sales and a 1 percent tax on non-retail, including indoor cultivation and distribution.

Huntington Beach currently has a ban on retail cannabis. Though this ballot initiative would not lift the ban, it would put in place regulations if the city were to lift the ban in the future.

Councilman Dan Kalmick said how residents vote on this measure in June will indicate their position on legalizing the commercial sale of cannabis in the city.

It gives us basically real polling information. It tells that our voters will vote if they want the tax and I think implicitly if they want cannabis and retail cannabis in our city, Kalmick said during a March 2 council meeting.

Pro-cannabis groups have filed petitions to get measures including marijuana legalization, taxation, and regulation of cannabis businesses in Huntington Beach on the ballot, causing the city to want to get ahead and create its own measure, according to Grace Yoon-Taylor, the citys senior administrative analyst.

Since the measure would create a special tax, the June 7 election will require a two-thirds vote in order to pass.

The Orange County Registrar of Voters estimates the cost to put the measure on the ballot will be $317,000 to $450,000, Yoon-Taylor said.

Yoon-Taylor said cannabis sales would generate around $300,000 to $600,000 yearly in new taxes. The funds would go toward police services, public safety, and homeless services.

Mayor Pro Tem Mike Posey and Councilman Erik Petersen voted against the measure, citing concerns about just creating a ballot measure on taxes.

Right now youre saying, Its a tax. Its a tax on what? Petersen said during the meeting. What are the requirements to have this? How much of it are we going to have in our city? If those factors are in there, people might change their mind.

Supportive councilmembers liked the idea of the tax rate being flexible, given that they will be able to change it depending on economic conditions.

I like that it also has the flexibility of not setting the tax rate at this time, we have the flexibility to move that up or down depending on how market conditions are, Councilwoman Kim Carr said.
When Daniel Yoo thinks of diversity, equity and inclusion, many things come to mind.

The wave of anti-Asian hate that has swept the nation in the wake of COVID-19. Racial disparities in school suspensions. The basic responsibility to accept others regardless of race or background.

Voices of Change The LPS Scholar Equity Cadre has empowered diverse students to use their voice to advocate for others and inspire change. Throughout the school year, the Journal Star will share stories from diverse students in a series of profiles.

The Scott Middle School seventh grader also thinks of something so simple but yet so integral to the human experience: Food.

"Food is like who you are," he said. "Food is an important part of every culture."

Yoo had heard how teachers were incorporating multicultural cuisine into their family and consumer science classes in high schools across Lincoln. So he sent an email to Principal Marco Pedroza asking how Scott could do something similar.

Instead of the usual American fare cooked up in those classes  such as scrambled eggs  why not foods that represent a wide array of cultures?

Pedroza liked the idea; so much so that he forwarded it to his staff  and to LPS Superintendent Steve Joel.

"I thought, 'Man, this is so impactful,'" Pedroza said. "It was something that we were able to talk to our teachers about right away so they could look through their curriculum and find space for it."

That change in something so simple as food is just one example of how Yoo is helping enact change in the district as a member of the Lincoln Public Schools Scholar Equity Cadre, a coalition of diverse middle school and high school students that advises the district on how to advance equity in the classroom.

The 14-year-old first became invested in efforts when he joined Teens Influencing Equity, a club at Scott that organizes the school's annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day program and puts on other events, such as a multicultural potluck.

Then last August came an email from the club's sponsors, inviting Yoo to join the districtwide equity cadre.

"From the first time he walked through the door, he fit right in," said Pete Ferguson, a youth development coordinator at LPS who advises the cadre. "He immersed himself, he reflected on things, but he wasn't afraid to speak up."

Yoo is just one of six middle school students on the cadre, comprised mostly of students from all six LPS high schools and its various focus programs.

The cadre meets monthly and has hosted town halls with Joel on topics such as race and social justice after the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, and most recently held a forum with Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird and Police Chief Teresa Ewins.

Yoo's experiences on the cadre motivated him to message Pedroza about diversifying the family and consumer science curriculum and to inquire about disparities in the suspension rates in the district.

"I think everybody thinks change has got to be some momentous thing and it is, but it impacts individuals in such a (personal) way," Ferguson said. "The fact that he talked about just food ... that exposes people to something and then it opens up conversations, it opens up dialogue, it opens up the connection.

"We need more of that at the table."

The drive to enact the change he wants to see in the world has been with Yoo since he grew up in South Korea, aware of the geopolitical divides and social injustices of his home region.

He eventually moved with his parents and younger brother to the U.S. in 2018 so his father could pursue his studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Yoo attended Zeman Elementary School, where he learned English, before going to Cavett Elementary in fifth grade. Now, he's a seventh grader advocating for others at Scott and LPS.

The rise in anti-Asian sentiment during the pandemic troubles him. He says many people don't seem aware of attacks on Asians  like the shootings at three Atlanta spas last year that killed eight people, six of whom were Asian women.

"What makes this unknown?" he asked. "Is it because people are just not speaking up, or people are just not interested?"

Yoo believes equity boils down to being comfortable with people for who they are, regardless of race, socio-economic status or other factors.

And the cadre is helping advance that idea, to build a foundation for younger students who will follow them, he said. For Yoo, it's allowed him to enjoy a wider perspective of the world that he didn't realize existed.

Just last month, he was part of a student panel to meet with finalists for the LPS superintendent job. He asked the candidates how LPS would keep the district unified during a time of division in public education.

He believes it's important administrators listen to students because they are the ones that are most impacted by any decision.

But not every student is willing  or able  to speak out. One student summed it up perfectly, Ferguson said: Many students have a plan, they just don't have a platform.

"Daniel has plans," Ferguson said, "And so we need to provide Daniel and other scholars that platform to be engaged and to have their voice elevated and have action taken on it."
A light glaze of freezing rain is expected early Sunday morning in Montreal before temperatures soar to record-breaking highs in the low teens. A cold front will deliver strong winds and isolated thunderstorms this afternoon. On Monday, another area of low pressure will pass south of the city, with a period of wet snow likely.
Nearly 3,000 teachers in Oregon schools serving students with the highest needs could soon get paid to learn more about the science of reading.

Rep. Barbara Smith Warner, D-Portland, is asking her colleagues in the Joint Ways and Means Committee of the legislature to allocate $31 million of Oregons federal Covid relief funds for schools, as well as money from the states Student Investment Account, to bring teachers up to date in how to teach reading.

Introducing 16 Under 16 in STEM: We are looking for 16 of the most impressive students who are 16 years of age or younger who have shown extraordinary achievement in science, technology, engineering and math. Nominate a student here.

A portion of the funding would also pay for tutoring that can get struggling students up to grade level in reading. Both the teacher training and student tutoring would be administered online by Eastern Oregon University, and would be available to K-5 teachers and students in more than 60 school districts that have four-year graduation rates below 67% and that qualify for targeted support and improvement under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act.

We know that kids are further behind than ever in their learning, Smith Warner said. This just feels like such a smart, focused thing that we can do. Not only are you teaching teachers how to teach reading better, but it will always be with them no matter what school they go to.

Smith Warner has the support of several colleagues, including Reps. Brock Smith, R-Port Orford, and Bobby Levy, R-Echo, she said. She also has support from the non-profit literacy group Oregon Kids Read and the Oregon chapter of the nationwide advocacy group Decoding Dyslexia.

The primary reason students struggle to read is not because of any cognitive deficits or learning disabilities, but because they have not learned phonological skills  that is, how sounds connect with letters  according to the Journal of Educational Psychology.

Story continues

Yet students across the United States struggle with reading proficiency, in large part because their teachers were not instructed in how to teach reading in ways that line up with science and best practices, according to the Journal of Learning Disabilities. This is because of decades of political and ideological battles over reading science and how students should be taught, according to James Kim, an expert on literacy intervention at Harvard University.

Oregon is no exception to low reading proficiency among students. For years, schools in the state have struggled to increase reading proficiency among fourth and eighth graders.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress is often called the nations report card. It measures students grasp of math and reading.

In 2019, the most recent year for which data is available, just about one-third of Oregon fourth graders and eighth graders tested at or above proficient in reading. This mirrors nationwide scores for fourth and eighth graders, too.

Proficiency is defined as having competency and knowledge of subject matter and an ability to apply it to real world situations.

With the $31 million, Smith Warner wants to pay teachers to undertake training in a program called Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling, which was created by literacy expert Louisa Moates. The training involves learning the science of how the brain learns to read and how it develops phonological awareness  understanding how sounds connect with letters  learning how to identify students with dyslexia, and using research to come up with targeted instruction for students who are struggling.

Teachers in Portland, Beaverton and Lake Oswego have already been offered such training by their districts, and Smith Warner wants it available at schools statewide.

The training would be over six to 12 months, and would be administered online through Eastern Oregon University in LaGrande.

The training played a large role in helping Mississippi fourth and eighth graders make historic gains in reading during the last few years.

In 2013 the Mississippi Legislature mandated that new teachers pass an exam on reading science to be licensed to teach in elementary schools. The state had some of the lowest reading scores in the country.

At the urging of a Mississippi governors task force, college professors who taught education as well as elementary school teachers around the state began to undertake Language Essentials training. By 2019, the states fourth and eighth graders increased their reading scores by more than 10% over the previous year. That was the largest gain of any state.

In Oregon, the $31 million sought by Smith Warner would pay for substitute teachers to fill in for teachers taking time off for the training.

Funds would also go to paying for tutoring in the Ignite! Reading program, which involves individual instruction over Zoom for 15 minutes a day, five days a week, until a struggling student is caught up in reading. The tutoring would reach about 4,000 Oregon students with the greatest need, according to Smith Warner.

Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Les Zaitz for questions: info@oregoncapitalchronicle.com. Follow Oregon Capital Chronicle on Facebook and Twitter.

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Amid escalating conflict between and Russia, the Ukrainian city of Lviv has covered all its statues to protect its historical heritage against possible attacks.

Speaking with ANI a Ukrainian citizen Vlad said, "All the sculptures, statues have historical value and that's why people want to protect them. Some sculptors are more than 100 years old. They have historical importance hence people are protecting them from the damage."

"It's better to protect them before something happens to them," added Vlad.

When asked whether is covering all the statues across the nation, Vlad said, "I don't know about whole Ukraine, but definitely, Lviv is protecting them."

All the statues in the city of Lviv have been covered so that if there is an attack then there will be no damage to the historical statues and heritage.

Four statues around Rynok square in Lviv were covered, including the "Statue of Neptune" considered as the protector of seas.

He also shared his experience regarding the escape from Kyiv. He said, "I came yesterday from Kyiv, I had to pass my family through the borders and then I came back to Kyiv. The situation in Kyiv is complicated, it's a battlefield, fortunately, Kyiv is still protected."

When asked about the shortage of gas supply and food supplies, Vlad said, " They (Russians) are targeting civilian residential complexes and it's pretty dangerous around Kyiv. Yes, there is a shortage of gas supply, but we are getting food supplies."

Sharing his train journey from Kyiv to Lviv, Vlad said, "I came to Lviv by train and now it's safe and pretty fast. You board the train in the evening in Kyiv and in the morning, you are in Lviv. Also, there is no rush for the trains.

(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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Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home and Crematory is expanding into Rocky Mount. The Roanoke business will be opening a second location at 195 Maple Avenue in the near future.

The Town of Rocky Mount is happy to welcome Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home to town. As a well-established practice, they have decades of experience of providing quality care to families as they navigate difficult periods of life. We look forward to them providing those services for Rocky Mount families, Daniel Pinard, cultural and economic development director for the town, said.

Michael L. Hamlar, president and owner, said a Rocky Mount location has been on his mind for years. The decision to do so, he said, made sense given that a significant amount of the funeral homes business is generated out of Franklin County.

The search for a Franklin County location wasnt exactly easy for Hamlar. When he first looked at the Maple Avenue location, he passed on it. But the location kept coming back up in his search. He sensed divine inspiration was trying to tell him something.

Its a good central location for us in the county, he said.

The building previously housed a medical practice run by Drs. J. Francis Amos and Jack Bumgardner Jr. It was called Family Physicians, before becoming Carilion Family Medicine.

Hamlar said, Weve serviced Franklin County the last 70 years. Were just now giving people a more convenient option. They wont have to drive 30 minutes or more, depending on what part of the county theyre in.

While the new location will have multiple viewing rooms, Hamlar explained many of the services he handles in Franklin County take place at churches.

The chapel can accommodate a modest crowd. If a larger space is needed, the funeral home has an agreement to use the Pigg River Community Center. Additionally, a nearby building will be renovated for use as the L.H. Hamlar Event Center for funerals, repasts, weddings, conferences and gatherings.

The Rocky Mount location will have its own staff, but staff from Roanoke will provide assistance when needed.

The expansion comes as the business is celebrating its 70th anniversary. Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home and Crematory has been owned and operated by four generations of the same family.

Trish White-Boyd, Roanoke vice mayor, views the business as being a pillar of the greater Roanoke community.

The staff has always been wonderful to my family and their professionalism is outstanding, she said. One of the things that really stands out to me is their continued involvement in the community. This is much needed and so important. They have carried on the legacy of founders Lawrence Harrison Larry L.H. Hamlar and Harry C. Curtis, Jr. very well.

While based in Roanoke, the business regularly services families throughout the region. Hamlar explained that when the funeral home first opened in 1952, it had more business in Franklin County than in Roanoke.

Hamlar, 40, is the great-nephew of Lawrence L.H. Larry Harrison Hamlar. Larry, who died in 2003, was a prominent Roanoke civic leader and one of the founders of the funeral home.

We are very proud and honored to continue the Hamlar-Curtis legacy. We recognize the sacrifices our founders; Mr. Lawrence H. Hamlar, Mr. Cecil Curtis and Mrs. Marilyn Curtis, made for the community. They taught us that Hamlar-Curtis is more than just a funeral home, Hamlar said.

The Roanoke location at 1002 Moorman Avenue has been expanded twice. In 1972, a 300-seat chapel, three family rooms and an administrative suite were added. In 2019, the interior working space and facilities were updated.

The business is a member of the Roanoke Regional Chamber. Joyce Waugh, president/CEO, thinks of Hamlar-Curtis as being a community leader.

In todays world, businesses often come and go rather quickly. At 70 years, Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home has stood the test of time. That takes stamina, quality, leadership, strong staffing, excellent customer service and operations, and a number of other factors, she said.

Hamlar describes the industry he has worked in for the past 18 years as being very humbling due to the fact that he normally deals with families during difficult of times. They trust us with their loved ones. Were definitely grateful to the families, he said.

Hamlar knows what it feels like to grieve a loved one. He was a junior at Wake Forest University when his father passed away. Three weeks later, his uncle passed away. Ive been through all these trials and tribulations and understand what people are going through, but everybody grieves differently, he said.

Given the fact that the business has been around for so long, multiple generations of families have been serviced by Hamlar-Curtis. Hamlar describes the relationships he has with some of his clients as being like extended family.

Continuing the family tradition, Hamlars three children  Simone, Michal and Micah  are also involved in the business. Up until the COVID-19 pandemic started, they regularly worked at the Roanoke location. Their work duties ranged from working with flowers to washing vehicles.

Like most businesses, Hamlar-Curtis felt the impacts of the pandemic over the past two years. The biggest challenge the funeral home faced was acquiring personal protective equipment. Hamlar, who is the president of the Virginia Morticians Association, said it was a problem that nearly all funeral homes faced.

The pandemic also changed the way families said goodbye to their loved ones. Many services were either scrapped or sized down. Coincidentally, the business started offering free live steaming for services shortly before the pandemic started.

Fortunately, Hamlar said, services and visitations are now happening like they did before COVID-19. Masks are required at Hamlar-Curtis facilities.

Hamlar said, We believe weve been doing something right for the last 70 years and we look forward to 70 more.

Sherman Lea, Roanoke mayor, agrees that Hamlar-Curtis has been doing something right. Very professional and caring  takes time to explain all details and guides you through the process. In the passing of my wife, they assured our family that all of our wishes would be taken care of, he said. I recommend them highly.
Since Arizonas southern border reopened to tourists in November, there are some indicators Mexican tourists are returning to the region, bringing with them revenue that was sorely missed.

While the southern border was closed to all but essential travel for more than a year-and-a-half because of the pandemic, Tucson missed out on some of the $1 billion typically spent in the city by Mexican nationals every year, according to data from Visit Tucson.

The number of travelers coming into the state through U.S. customs is already on pace to surpass each of the last two years, nearing pre-pandemic levels. The vast majority of travelers come through a port of entry on the southern border, rather than fly in, with 7.2 million people already crossing this fiscal year, from October through January. Last year, that same time period saw only 4.6 million.

While there arent hard numbers on what that means for Tucson yet, there is anecdotal evidence Mexican tourists are returning to the region, said Felipe Garcia, president and CEO of Visit Tucson, the citys destination marketing organization. One indicator at these early stages is hotel occupancy.

For the months of October, November and December, hotel occupancy in Tucson was among the best compared to several cities in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas, Garcia said, based on a study done by a third party. And in January of this year, Tucson had the best occupancy compared to those other competitive cities.

Previously, Tucson was always trailing in the bottom three or four of 13 cities, he said.

Were blown away, to be honest, he said. Were happy. Were excited about it.

During the pandemic, Mexican shoppers started buying more online and shopping locally where they live. There was concern those new habits would stick. In response, Visit Tucson created a program where Mexican shoppers can buy products from Tucson stores online.

The city and county invested in marketing and advertising, even during the pandemic, rather than pulling money back like many other destinations, Garcia said.

The marketing organization is also promoting more events that might appeal to Mexican tourists, such as a concert by well-known Latin artist Ricardo Arjona, who is playing at the Tucson Music Hall at the end of the month.

We want to continue bringing artists that will draw the attention of visitors from Mexico, Garcia said.

Border cities like Nogales also felt effects of the border closure, as 60% to 70% of sales in Santa Cruz County typically come from Mexican shoppers, according to data from the Nogales Chamber of Commerce.

So far, Nogales has collected $1.26 million more in sales taxes over what it had collected last year at this time, seven months into the fiscal year. And since the border reopened to tourists, it collected nearly $3.6 million in sales taxes during November, December and January, $791,000 over those months in 2021.

Financially, Nogales is looking similar or even a bit better than in pre-COVID levels, said Mayor Arturo Garino.

I think were going to go into working with our new budget for this year with better numbers, and a lot of people in Nogales, especially in the downtown area  theyre very happy, he said. Their stores are opening and theres movement. Theres people coming across, so theres a lot of good things happening right now.

Getting more sales taxes into city coffers was really important, said Santa Cruz County Supervisor Bruce Bracker, adding that the revenue replacement in federal stimulus packages was critically important during the pandemic.

Bracker, who owns a shop in downtown Nogales, said the ports have run smoothly, with enough staff and open lanes to avoid the long lines of the past. But downtown Nogales is still not thriving like it could be, he said.

Downtown is still pretty tough, he said. Downtown needs a catalyst, something thats going to revive it.

For Bracker, that catalyst is refiguring the Dennis DeConcini Port of Entry. He has been pushing for upgrades to the port for years, but first there needs to be a feasibility study, which Bracker said will finally be funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, signed by President Biden last month.

I think that the infrastructure down there is insufficient, Bracker said. Weve thought that for a long time.  The money is in the infrastructure bill for a feasibility study. Were looking forward to getting that started as quickly as possible.

The U.S. General Services Administration has planned for funding and anticipates awarding a feasibility study for DeConcini in fiscal year 2023, said spokesperson Andra Higgs.

Photos: Nogales road trip in 1956 Roadtrip to Nogales Roadtrip to Nogales Roadtrip to Nogales Roadtrip to Nogales Roadtrip to Nogales Roadtrip to Nogales Roadtrip to Nogales Roadtrip to Nogales Roadtrip to Nogales Roadtrip to Nogales Roadtrip to Nogales Roadtrip to Nogales
Theres only one way for institutions of higher education to help eliminate equity gaps in education, wealth, and upward mobility. Thats by taking a hard look internally and following it up with intentional steps to undo harm, increase support for students of color, and build in new processes that look through an equity lens.

Winona State University has taken that responsibility seriously.

Last month, WSU took the opportunity to check in on the 15 goals outlined in 2020 as part of Minnesota States Equity 2030 initiative for increasing racial equity and eliminating racism.

Between creating internships that connect students of color with university higher leadership, organizing semester long conversations with faculty and staff around racism, requiring diversity statements for employment, and working toward an anti-racism graduation requirement, WSU has come a long way since the goals were written two years ago.

With the George Floyd scholarship, students of color get a financial award along with an internship that each year rotates through members of the university cabinet, including the university president, provost and vice presidents for finance and administration, advancement, enrollment management and student life, information technology and human resources. Connecting students to higher leadership creates relationships and opens doors to opportunities.

The goal is for the intern to understand the functional areas of that particular division and build relationships with those people, said Jonathan Locust, the associate vice president of Equity and Inclusive Excellence at WSU. And it gives access, since a lot of opportunities that students get are determined on whether theyre in the room when its handed out or if they know someone whos providing them.

As a way to continue cultivating an environment of learning for WSU staff and faculty, Locust has continued to organize semester-long conversations around racism that staff and faculty apply to be a part of. With more applicants than spots available in the groups, Locust and the groups meet every other week for in-depth conversations that are spurred by articles, videos, and content that participants read, listen or watch ahead of time.

Another big step was in requiring applicants for employment at WSU to fill out a diversity statement. Beginning last year, the statement asks applicants to include their personal or professional experiences in working with diverse populations as well as how the applicant would contribute toward a diverse and inclusive community and culture at WSU.

It goes to the job search committee as part of the applicant packet, said Lori Mikl, director of affirmative action, equity and legal affairs. Its part of how they evaluate the candidate and is one of the rating criteria for every search.

When it comes to impacting curriculum for students, WSU is working toward creating an anti-racism graduation requirement that would ensure students learn about racism within the United States from an anti-racism perspective.

But beyond the 15 goals outlined two years ago, Locust and the Office of Equity and Inclusive Excellence engage the campus in plenty of other ways.

That engagement includes events like the Wealth Building Series and the Expanding Perspective Series, which help bring awareness of non-dominant experiences and teach students, as well as the community, the skills they need to increase equity.

The Wealth Building Series, Locust explained, helps students and community members learn steps and actions they can take to build wealth. The series includes six sessions focused on the basics of wealth, credit, investing, paying off debt, budgeting and entrepreneurship.

Its valuable because theres equity gaps in wealth that exist between different demographics and were an office that helps close those gaps and educate others about those gaps, Locust said.

The Expanding Perspective Series on the other hand is more about learning from others experiences.

The goal of the Expanding Perspectives Series is to inspire campus dialogue, community engagement, and education and learning, said Nahla Lee, the intercultural completion coordinator who organizes the series. It makes space for non-dominant narratives and for folks to share their experiences and truths.

When it comes to equity, Locust said it has continued to be a topic at the front of mind for WSU.
Royal Expert Explains Why Kate Middleton Has Been Wearing Pants in Public More Often

Kate Middletons outfits always get a lot of attention every time she is photographed. The Duchess of Cambridge often wears dresses, but she has been seen wearing pants more often during recent public appearances. A royal commentator explained what this fashion choice could mean for Kate.

Kate Middleton | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

Kate Middleton has been a fashion icon for over a decade

When Kate married Prince William in 2011, she became one of the most famous women in the world. As such, she quickly became a fashion icon.

The duchess is known for her classic style. She wears many timeless fashion pieces, such as colorful coat dresses and elegant ball gowns. Kate also likes to wear affordable clothes as well from brands such as Zara and H&M.

Because of Kates popularity, anything she wears often gets sold out quickly from stores. This phenomenon has even been dubbed the Kate Effect.

A royal expert explains why Kate Middleton is favoring pants these days

RELATED: Kate Middleton Subtly Shows She Has Secret Plans Up Her Sleeve With 1 Pose, Body Language Expert Says

Kate frequently wears dresses when attending royal engagements. However, recently, during a trip to Denmark, Kate chose to wear more pants than dresses. According to royal commentator Jennie Bond, this could be her way of appearing more approachable to the public.

Kate is a practical princess and increasingly wears trousers to reflect that shes ready for business, whether that be kneeling down with kids or sliding down a slide, Bond said (via Express). She wants to appear approachable, one of the people, not an untouchable figure in the prim dress.

In Denmark, Kate went down a slide at the Lego Foundation PlayLab at University College Copenhagen. She also visited Stenurten Forest Kindergarten, an environmentally-focused school, where she participated in outdoor activities with students.

Prince William and Kate Middleton are reportedly trying to remain relevant with young people

Kate Middleton arrived at the world premiere of #NoTimeToDie in a dazzling gold gown alongside Prince William, who opted for a James Bond-esque tuxedo: https://t.co/VYOH2rEFe4 pic.twitter.com/JHRoW3KX7o  VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) September 29, 2021

The future of the monarchy relies on William and Kate, being popular among the next generations. According to royal correspondent Emily Nash, the couple is finding ways to remain relevant with young people.

William and Kate in particular I think have realised they have to remain relevant, Nash said. The monarchy has to remain relevant to the next generation. If that means them opening up more, finding new ways to communicate whether its on social media or appearing on TV documentaries. Theyre willing to embrace that.

Like other royals, William and Kate are active on social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, where fans can get updates on their work.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also champion causes that are important to young people, such as mental health. The couple created an initiative called Heads Together, which tries to encourage conversations about mental health among children and adults.

Both William and Kate have also opened up about some challenges they have facedsomething royals of the past did not do very often. For example, William has shared difficulties in dealing with the death of his mother, Princess Diana. Kate, whose work focuses on supporting parents and families, has opened up about some challenges of motherhood.

RELATED: Kate Middleton Once Had a Down-to-Earth Response When Being Called Prince Williams Assistant
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 6 (ANI): As many as 448 stranded students evacuated from conflict-ridden Ukraine under Operation Ganga have reached Karantaka while additional 236 are yet to return, said Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) Commissioner Dr Manoj Rajan.

He said that 76 students have reached Delhi through "Operation Ganga" today.

Also Read | Mumbai: Man Takes Shirt Off in Front of Women Cops, Jailed For 10 Days.

Speaking to ANI, Dr Rajan said, "Through Operation Ganga 448 students who were stranded in different parts of Ukraine came back in 47 batches. Among 47 batches, 40 batches reached Karnataka through New Delhi and 7 batches through Mumbai."

The Karnataka SDMA Commissioner said that around 70 per cent of the students have returned and the government is in constant touch with us with the remaining students.

Also Read | Ajit Pawar Attacks Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari Over His Remark on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

"We have another 236 students who have to be evacuated from Ukraine. Tomorrow 12 flights have been scheduled. In these last nine sleepless nights, I am happy that 448, around 70 per cent of students have returned and the remaining are in constant touch with us. I am sure that the majority of our students will return in the next couple of days, added Dr Rajan.

He further said they have developed an application that captures mandatory information that helps us track the student and their families and also the last known location of the individual.

"As far as why we developed the software, in the initial stages, the first few hours, we were getting incomplete information from stranded students/parents in our control room. Soon after, the Government of Karnataka appointed the Nodal officer. In less than 11 hours, we developed an app and released it by morning 9:00 am on February 25. The app captures mandatory information that helps us track the student and their families. It also captures their last known location. In cases, students can upload their exact latest GPS location. It helps in easy understanding of their location. On day one itself, we were able to have accurate information. Real-time information was periodically shared with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)," he said.

He said that the team culled out district-wise information by this information, and the Deputy Commissioners and their team personally reached out to parents of stranded students.

"It's a complete integration of information. We have used technology so that information is shared seamlessly to all concerned," he added.

This software will be made available to whoever wants to use it. Karnataka had made a simple tool; we would help any state if they want this tool. If not now at least for the future. Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) will share the entire source code to National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). In future disasters, they may adopt it, as required across the country, he added. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
I love his Stormlight Archive series! I need to read Mistborn, I hear that they are connected.

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He has a staggeringly large connected universe of novels/shorts/novellas. Its impressive.

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Stormlight Archive is one of my favourite series ever!



I liked the first Mistborn book but I found it read much younger than Stormlight and I have not read his other books in the trilogy yet.

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Yeah they're connected! So he's writing about a solar system where each planet has their own unique magic system. Mistborn is on one world, SA is on another. Warbreaker has its own world one with Elantris. The official name for the solar system is called The Cosmere.



There's more to it but I don't want to spoil things.



Edited to say that there are certain books of his that aren't in this universe. Like Skyward or the librarian books.



Edited at 2022-03-06 03:16 am (UTC)

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I love Brandons books he was my fave author but I kinda forgot about him when I stopped reading fantasy lol I have a couple of his hardcover ones signed.

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well fuck

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i was going to do the subscription boxes until i saw the cost with shipping 



there's a reason it's making so much money besides his books being good lol

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lol yeah. I was going to purchase the hardcover options, but then shipping was $140+. So I quickly said goodbye to that idea.

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just getting the hardcovers comes out to $50 per book. i know they're supposed to be "premium" but that's a hell of a lot of money for a book you know nothing about lol

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Yeah, I would have liked the hardcovers and ebooks just made far more sense financially.

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booktube loves him, but i could never really get into his books





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Hes like Stephen King imonot a stylist but a hardworking, structurally competent, and above all consistent novelist.

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Holy shit! I saw the $15M figure yesterday, but didn't realize it'd gotten to $30M. Seems like it would make a lot of sense for more authors to go this route, especially ones that fill a particular niche interest.

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It would be really sad if they did because its the sales of the big sellers that allow publishing companies to be able to give new authors a chance.

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https://twitter.com/NMamatas/status/1500203390403440643



Publishing has done a good job with megahits over the past few decades, and these decades have seen advances and print runs shrink, and tons of publishing workers laid off.



Publishers spend the profits from their megasellers buying ONE ANOTHER, not supporting small writers.  Nick "Spam" Mamatas  (@NMamatas) March 5, 2022



And the decreases can be seen all down the line: union warehouses replaced with Amazon workcamps, editors hustling on Reedsy to keep the lights on despite prestigious dayjobs, endless experiments with no-advance plays (e-first!), self-pub content floods ($1 for 10 books!)  Nick "Spam" Mamatas  (@NMamatas) March 5, 2022



The reason there are midlist writers is because megahits are unpredictable and hard to get, so publishers try to fill up as much shelf space as they can. No matter what you buy, you're buying from them!  Nick "Spam" Mamatas  (@NMamatas) March 5, 2022



A lot of the juicy contracts go to debuts! It's hard as a midlister to get an ok deal. I've had to fight like a wolverine for some of my contracts. I ended publishing one book with a tiny press (Untamed Shore) because no one else would bite. And my sales record wasn't bad!  Silvia Moreno-Garcia (@silviamg) March 5, 2022



Edited at 2022-03-06 12:01 am (UTC) there was a thread on this on twitter, sounds like that's misinformation

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there's some authors who I totally loved but seem to have stopped writing, I'd love for them to do this.



sadly money might not be why they stopped writing...

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Thirty million? Daaaaaamn.



million? Daaaaaamn.

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i'm curious how he's going to fulfill all of those orders... 4 books at like 300k+ copies per book, with the current supply chain interruptions? sounds difficult dude.

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I saw some article saying he probably wont make much of a profit. Or at least not as much if he had just done this traditionally. But I don't think he is in it for the money so that's good.



He better not give any money to his Mormon church -__-

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My friend is still holding out hope that hell get the call to wrap up ASOIAF as well. (She knows he wont, and that GRRM has instructed his estate to burn his notes and drafts, but.)



Ill have to give his books a try! I think I have one of them somewhere. Beyond that, I wish I had the drive to write four books in a year. What an achievement.

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"GRRM has instructed his estate to burn his notes and drafts"



....omg whyyy? Can't he just write in his will he forbids anyone from continuing his book, but he will leave the notes so that people can get a general outline of where he was going to finish his stories off? That just seems really harsh to burn everything and nobody gets closure. v_v Unless, we really can just go by the tv series ending, if that's how he had it planned.

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TL;DR is that no one knows for sure what will happen but the one certainty is that no one will be taking over for him once he dies.



Edited at 2022-03-06 12:16 am (UTC) I just circled back with her after seeing your reply (disclaimer: I dont read ASOIAF and I dont follow GRRM) and she sent this Reddit post TL;DR is that no one knows for sure what will happen but the one certainty is that no one will be taking over for him once he dies.

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GRRM has instructed his estate to burn his notes and drafts, but.)



WTF



does he hate his fans??????

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"GRRM has instructed his estate to burn his notes and drafts"



I mean...I get this in a way? Because I often wonder how Tolkien would have felt about every little bit of his stuff published.

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Brandon's work fits Robert Jordan's style far more than George RR Martin's.





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that implies he actually has notes and drafts, which I am beginning to doubt

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I love Brandon but I dont think he can write for GRRMs world. There would be no sex and rape scenes though so that would be an upgrade

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I think it would be waaaay too much detail for him /intricate storylines to track and wrap up imo but I guess better to have something than nothing

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I keep meaning to go back and finish the Mistborn books

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/sobs i'd have to pay over $200 just to get a physical book and not even looking at shipping.



happy for him though 

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Im confused - isnt that Mistborn series really popular? Why would he have to go the self-publish route, shouldnt he have publishers falling over themselves to get his new series?

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He has a publisher. This is something he wrote outside any commitments he has with them, and chose to publish through his own company, using Kickstarter to fund it.



As for the whys - eh. He's clearly been experimenting with self publishing for a while. Whether that interest is truly about being able to create an "experience" for his fans, as he says, or more about economics, is anyone's guess. The profits are now his to keep, not share with a publisher. But he also has to do all the expensive publishing work. There's definitely a point at which he could have made more money just taking an advance from his publisher. Perhaps now he is at the point he makes more money this way. Or not. Perhaps this whole thing is an experiment to determine what that threshold is. Or to finance his early steps into self publishing outside of the digital sphere. His last Kickstarter was to publish a nicer hardback of his older novel. He definitely seems to have a focus on being able to publish "fancier" editions of his works, which would be outside what publishing houses are typically going to offer. And there also does seem to be a genuine interest in building up more of a community around his books and releases (which can also be viewed as a financial move).



Ultimately, I would say that Kickstarter gives him greater control over the physical product and a more direct connection with his fans. And possibly higher profits, with lower risks trying to get there.

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Ohhhh, so its a case of wants to, not needs to. Thank you for explaining.

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Last year I backed a photo book of this really cool artist but it was delayed because of the pandemic, it was supposed to be a Halloween release but I'm still waiting for my copy  

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i backed a kickstarter early last summer that was supposed to ship out in sept. still waiting for it. sucks!

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i found his mistborn series pretty awful so the hype he gets baffles me, but good for him, i guess.

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Naturally, Sanderson and Morgan are pictured among banks of books. I am pictured in the toilet. https://t.co/AYQYuacluR  Joe Abercrombie (@LordGrimdark) December 24, 2021



This is one of the one star reviews he received, which he read out in a video: "I read fantasy for cool stuff, like dragons, epic worlds, and cool heroes. I honestly couldn't care less about this super gay version of Game of Thrones since that's basically what it was with all the talking and gaying around".



and then replied: "To which I can only say. I consider the matter closed". XD If we are talking about fantasy authors. My fave is Joe abercrombie.This is one of the one star reviews he received, which he read out in a video: "I read fantasy for cool stuff, like dragons, epic worlds, and cool heroes. I honestly couldn't care less about this super gay version of Game of Thrones since that's basically what it was with all the talking and gaying around".and then replied: "To which I can only say. I consider the matter closed". XD

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I've been wanting to read his work! I own The Knife Itself but I have not gotten a chance to read it yet

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you mean "The Blade Itself" :D

I've read all his books and love them so much. The characters are amazing (especially his female characters, which he writes more of later on) and man, he has a great sense of dark humour.



I hope you enjoy the books! The first one is very mixed for his fans, probably because it is his first published work. Some say it's the best, but I prefer the follow up trilogy "Age of Madness" and his stand alones, especially Best Served Cold.



I cried a lot when it was concluded. ;_; Very high stakes and so many twists, turns, character development.



I also love how hard his characters try to be good but they just can't be in their world.

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Wasn't he the guy complaining a few weeks ago about women writing gay male characters? (ETA: That's kind of off-topic. I just have a vague memory of him being involved in wank recently and got curious.)



Edited at 2022-03-06 01:29 am (UTC)

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Russia's invasion of Ukraine has set off the largest mass migration in Europe in decades, with more than 1.5 million people having crossed from Ukraine into neighbouring countries "the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II, the head of the UN refugee agency tweeted on Sunday.

Nearly all the refugees have gone to other countries in Europe, where they have generally encountered a warm welcome. But some may eventually need permanent resettlement in the if they are unable to return to Ukraine.

A look at the situation:



What has the US done to help Refugees so far?



The US has provided USD 54 million in food and other assistance to people inside Ukraine and has pledged to send more, according to Samantha Power, head of the US Agency for Development.

That aid is critical because conditions in Ukraine are horrific and growing worse. Food is scarce as millions of displaced people inside the country try to escape the Russian attack.

On Thursday, the Biden administration announced it would offer temporary protected status to Ukrainians already inside the .

Members of Congress and advocates welcomed the announcement, but the effects are modest.

The Department of Homeland Security estimates that about 75,000 people are eligible for the program and it's only good for 18 months unless extended.

Moreover, the program leaves people in immigration limbo because beneficiaries cannot necessarily convert their status into permanent legal residency or US citizenship.

Will the US be taking in UKranian refugees for resettlement?



It might. White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki says the US would accept Ukrainian refugees.

But the administration says that, for now at least, most of the refugees apparently want to stay in Europe. That's where many have families, they can work and then return home if that is possible at some point.

The administration previously said it would accept up to 125,000 refugees in the 2022 budget year. That annual cap had been cut to a record low 15,000 under President Donald Trump.

In setting the annual target for refugees, the Biden administration set aside 10,000 refugee visas for people from Europe, but it could expand that number to take in more Ukrainians if needed.

The White House has said it will work with the United Nations and European countries to determine whether people who have fled Europe will need permanent resettlement in the US or elsewhere.

The 125,000 does not include the 76,000 Afghans who came to the after the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in August.

One thing the US could do immediately to help Ukrainians would be to expedite the processing of several thousand members of religious minority groups, including Jews and evangelical Christians, who have family in the United States and have already applied to come under what's known as the Lautenberg program.

Can the US refugee system absorb a new wave of refugees?



Yes, although it won't be easy, according to refugee resettlement experts.

The Trump administration cuts to the refugee program forced resettlement agencies to lay off staff and close offices. They have been struggling for months to help the tens of thousands of Afghan refugees who came after their country fell to the Taliban, and a complex problem was made more so by high housing costs and the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite the difficulties, the US could handle the arrival of more refugees, says Mark Hetfield, president and CEO of HIAS, one of the nation's nine resettlement agencies.

There's so much interest in helping these people that the resources would be there, the volunteers would be there, Hetfield said. It would be a challenge because we are all stretched too thin. But we would definitely make it work.

(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.)
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has pledged Washington's support to Moldova, a small, Western-leaning former Soviet republic that is contending with an influx of refugees from neighboring Ukraine.

Moldova says that more than 230,000 refugees have crossed its border with Ukraine since the Russian invasion began on February 24. At least 120,000 of them remain in the country, officials said.

Moldova is appealing for international assistance in dealing with the refugees, while also seeking security reassurances against potential Russian aggression.

Speaking alongside Moldovan President Maia Sandu in Chisinau on March 6, Blinken said that the United States supported Moldova's aspirations to join the European Union but that the process would be decided by the EU.

Moldova formally applied to join the European Union on March 3. The move was likely to anger Russia, which has an estimated 1,500 troops based in the breakaway region of Transdniester in Moldovas east.

Sandu said that there had not yet been any indication that the Russian soldiers in Transdniester had changed posture but stressed that it was a concern given what is happening in Ukraine.

This is a subject of high vulnerability and we watch it carefully," Sandu said. In this region now there is no possibility for us to feel safe.

Blinken said the United States was providing $18 million over the next few years to "strengthen and diversify" Moldova's energy sector. Moldova depends heavily on Russian gas.

Information from AFP and AP was used in this report.
US Secretary of State says the United States and its allies are having a very active discussion about banning the import of Russian oil and natural gas in the latest escalation of their sanctions in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine.

Asked about oil and gas imports, Blinken told CNN on Sunday that President Joe Biden convened a meeting of his National Security Council on the subject the day before.

Biden and Western allies have until now held off on sanctions against Russia's lucrative energy industry to avoid blowback on their own economies.

We are now talking to our European partners and allies to look in a coordinated way at the prospect of banning the import of Russian oil while making sure that there is still an appropriate supply of oil on world market, said Blinken.

That's a very active discussion as we speak.

(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.)
New Delhi:

AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday described the Delhi violence as a pogrom and demanded a probe by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court or the High Court into it. Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Owaisi said: "To call it a communal riot will be a joke. It was a pogrom. This is not a question of Hindu or Muslim. This is about whether you (Govt) will rise up to your Constitutional duty or not."

"I demand an inquiry by a sitting Supreme Court or High Court judge," he said. At least 53 people were killed and more than 200 sustained injuries in the violence that rocked the national capital in February.

In a scathing attack on the Centre in Lok Sabha over the recent Delhi riots, Owaisi said there is a "tsunami of Hindutva hate" and called for an impartial probe to find the perpetrators of the violence.

Some of his remarks evoked sharp response from the Treasury benches, with at least two Union ministers -- Ravi Shankar Prasad and Kishan Reddy -- registering their protest. Speaker Om Birla also expunged certain remarks made by Owaisi.

Participating in a discussion in Lok Sabha on the Delhi violence, he urged Hindus to "save the soul" of the country and claimed that around 1,100 Muslims are under illegal detention.

Calling for an impartial probe, Owaisi said that "Ankit's life cannot have a premium over the life of Faisan, just because the latter was a muslim". These individuals were among those who died in the violence that happened last month.

"We will die saving the Constitution... we will not allow the carnage to continue," Owaisi said, adding that committee headed by a Supreme Court or a High Court judge should carry out an inquiry into the violence. An all-party team should also visit the violence-affected areas, he said.

Thanking Sikhs for helping Muslims during the violence, Owaisi said they are the "small lamps in the tsunami of Hindutva hate".

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that during such a discussion, Owaisi has made comments that would increase tensions. Hitting back at Owaisi, Minister of State for Home Affairs Kishan Reddy claimed that thousands of Hindu settlements were removed by Owaisi's party in Hyderabad. AAP member Bhagwant Mann claimed that people were brought from outside to incite violence and that it was a "sponsored riots".

(With PTI inputs)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Aaron Gibson serves on the Fairbanks City Council.

Aaron Lojewski serves on the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly.

Aino Welch serves on the North Pole City Council.

These are the opinions of the authors and not that of the elected bodies that they serve on.
Jon Caldara is president of the Independence Institute in Denver and hosts The Devils Advocate with Jon Caldara on Colorado Public Television Channel 12.
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A recent article in Smithsonian Magazine lauded a man in Indonesia for removing a motorcycle tire that had been stuck around a crocodiles neck for six years. Known by locals as buaya kalung ban, which means crocodile with a tire necklace, the reptile had successfully thwarted previous rescue attempts.

Though the outcome was considered a success  not once did anyone stop to consider whether the crocodile wanted the tire removed. While it is possible they could have eventually suffocated, perhaps they were not endangered and enjoyed their iconic status.

It is part of human nature to make assumptions about what others want or need, believing they want the same things we do. In this case, no one could ask the crocodile how they feltbut even if that were possible, would we?

In health care today, the answer is often no.

As a researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital, I interview lots of people about their experiences making medical decisions. I spoke to a young breast cancer patient that turned to many medical experts for advice. After answering a few questions, she realized it was the first time she was ever invited to share what mattered most in her lifeyet that seemed vitally important when selecting the best course of treatment.

Unfortunately, studies on medical decision-making find doctors are twice as likely to make recommendations without asking patients what they want. This statistic would be less troubling if doctors were good at guessing what their patients want, but other studies indicate doctors frequently get it wrong. Some might argue patients can challenge doctor recommendations, but patients are often scared to do so. We are conditioned to believe the doctor knows best.

We believe medical science will provide the right answers, and if we gather enough information (and pose the right question to the right expert) the solution will magically appear. However, the biggest secret of medical science is there are shockingly few situations with a single right answer. This is partly because scientific advances often bring new treatment options that could carry greater benefits or greater risks.

For example, doctors now have the option to treat appendicitis with antibiotics in hopes of avoiding surgery altogether. But, new treatment options require a complete shift in conventional thinking that once viewed appendicitis as an emergency that must be treated with surgery. Depending on which doctor a patient visits, they could receive a referral for surgery or an antibiotic prescription.

Patients are often advised to get a second opinion from another doctor. But in this scenario, a third opinion could break the tie and still not identify the right solution for the patient.

The right solution is the one that best achieves a patients objectives, which requires their input. To make the right choice, doctors need to do more than just determine what is the matter with them. They also need to be skilled at figuring out what matters to them. Doctors should use that information to guide their treatment recommendations, and patients should readily volunteer this information if they are not asked.

Too often in medicine, health care providers assume what patients want or need. Like the crocodile, we may assume all patients would want a tire removed in order to help extend their life  even if the cure meant losing the only thing that made their unique life worth living. The burden of changing health care should not rest on the shoulders of patients facing major medical decisions, suffering symptoms, worrying about their future, and struggling to advocate for themselves. It is important we help patients recognize just how important their opinions are.

Karen Sepucha is a research scientist.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
By Alessandra Prentice

(Reuters) - A few weeks ago, the mayor of Mariupol, Vadym Boichenko, was working on a plan to revitalise the Ukrainian port city, appearing at public meetings in shirt and tie to talk about new investment in tech, medicine and education.

On Saturday, he was speaking from a basement on a patchy phone line to anyone who would listen about Russia's siege of the city, a Ukrainian flag tacked to the wall behind him.

He wore a T-shirt and had dark circles under his eyes. Much of the city lay in ruins, he said.

"Theyre destroying us," he told Reuters in a video call during which he could hear the sound of explosions from outside. He said his main priority now is to help many of the 400,000 people stuck in the southeastern city to escape.

Most are sleeping in bomb shelters to escape over six days of near-constant bombardment by encircling Russian forces that has cut off food, water, power and heating supplies, according to the Ukrainian authorities.

"Theyve been working methodically to make sure the city is blockaded," 44-year-old Boichenko told Reuters in a video call from the basement room where his team is temporarily headquartered, lit dimly by a back-up generator.

"They will not even give us an opportunity to count the wounded and the killed because the shelling does not stop."

Russia has denied since it began the invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 that it has targeted civilians.

Like many residents, Boichenko has had no contact with loved ones in the city in recent days as most people can't charge their cellphones amid the blackout.

Boichenko's son is serving elsewhere on the front line, but his mother, two grandmothers, and his brother's young family are in basement shelters in Mariupol. "I cant even go there to see if theyre alive because the shelling wont stop," he said.

Many civilian residents are desperate to leave, but a planned evacuation had to be postponed on Saturday after a temporary ceasefire agreed by Moscow and Kyiv was not observed, with both sides trading blame.

Story continues

GLIMMER OF HOPE DASHED

Boichenko said Thursday's deal to establish an evacuation corridor for Mariupol had been the first time he felt any hope since Russia invaded.

Shelling from the Russian side destroyed half of a convoy of buses Boichenko's team had readied for the evacuation, he said.

"They lied to us, whats more, the moment when people were trying to get out to go to these corridors, the shelling started again," he said, describing residents' fear and anger at having to flee back to the shelters on Saturday.

The city council called off a second evacuation attempt on Sunday, saying Russian forces had again broken an agreement to suspend hostilities until the evening.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said the evacuations had failed partly because the two sides had not agreed a clear plan.

Both Boichenko and Ukrainian forces defending Mariupol have also called for military reinforcement, saying Russia will not back down from attempting to seize the city.

For Russia, capture of Mariupol would be a prize - a strategic link between the Russia-backed separatist territories to the north and the land route to the Crimean peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014.

Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a "special operation" that it says is not designed to occupy territory but to destroy its southern neighbour's military capabilities and capture what it regards as dangerous nationalists.

Evidence of the Russian onslaught pockmark Mariupol. Rocket and artillery fire has blown out windows in residential blocks, blasted holes in buildings and torn up roads, according to photos shared widely online, some of which Reuters has verified.

The destruction has dashed Boichenko's plan to revitalise the industrial town's economy and attract foreign investment.

After working his way up from locomotive engineer at the local steelworks to senior management, he became mayor in 2015, hoping to help modernise the city even as Ukraine's conflict with Russia-backed separatists simmered on its doorstep.

"We were creating the conditions for people to have a comfortable life and dream for the future. And now theyre taking this future from us," he said, as the video connection cut in and out.

"Right now I feel like theyre tearing away my heart and soul."

(Editing by Frances Kerry, William Maclean)
March 06, 2022 Ukraine Open Thread 2022-22 News & views related to Ukraine ... Posted by b on March 6, 2022 at 13:18 UTC | Permalink Comments next page  next page 
A boy from Zaporizhzhia in southeast Ukraine, was hailed "a hero of the night" by Slovakian authorities after they said he crossed Ukraine's border into Slovakia on his own, CNN reported.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Ukraine's envoy to the United States on Sunday called on President Joe Biden's administration to impose tougher sanctions on Moscow and to step up arms supplies to Kyiv, saying Russia should be treated "as a terrorist state."

Ambassador Oksana Markarova in an interview on Fox News Sunday repeated charges that Russia is committing war crimes by targeting civilians, hospitals and schools, and said Ukraine is working with the United States and other countries to collect evidence.

"This is a terrorist state and we should treat Russia as a terrorist state," Markarova said.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday said the United States has seen "very credible reports" of deliberate attacks on civilians.

Markarova spoke as Ukraine and Russia blamed each other for the collapse of the second attempt in as many days to evacuate civilians from the city of Mariupol, which has been under heavy Russian bombardment.

Markarova renewed a plea for the United States to intensify sanctions against Russia, including imposing a full embargo on imports of Russian oil and gas, and to increase shipments of anti-aircraft systems and other weaponry to Ukraine.

"We are thankful for the sanctions that have been implemented by the United States," she said. "But since Russia is not changing their behavior, they escalated actually, they are killing us more and more, the sanctions should toughen up."

The White House is weighing cutting imports of Russian oil and gas, but is wary about a spike in gasoline prices that would fuel decades-high inflation.

Halting Russia's invasion is vital to preventing the conflict from spreading beyond Ukraine, Markarova said.

"Every large war in the past started locally," she said. "We know from the past that all of them could have been stopped locally."

Ukraine, Markarova said, will respond "to any peace talks."

(Reporting by Jonathan Landay; Editing by Scott Malone, Lisa Shumaker and Mark Porter)
It is March 2022, two years since the coronavirus reared its ugly head upon the world. In March 2020 we were preparing to hold an 80th birthday celebration for my mother at Signatures in Winona. She and my sister were getting ready to depart from the Philippines to the U.S. when news of lockdowns all over the world started taking place. For fear of being stranded somewhere, we told them to stay put and not try to embark on that trip.

Then began the fear of contact with others which resulted in masking, social distancing and handwashing  but, more importantly, isolating. We decided to shelter in place in Chicago, where we at least had family to remain in contact with. The division of labor had our son-in-law doing the grocery shopping; our daughter doing the cooking and us doing the babysitting so that they could still do work and school from home. Meetings of Golden Key, Project FINE and the UW-L Foundation Board and socializing with friends at WSU and Winona were on Zoom.

Family gatherings with my mom and brother in Manila, sister in Australia and brother in New Jersey were on Facebook Messenger. I celebrated my 50th high school class reunion with more than 90 of us still living on Zoom. Even doctors appointments for Gabe and me were online visits. Needless to say, we spent a lot of time reading and watching TV. We emailed and texted family and friends we have not been in touch with for a long time. This went on for a year until a vaccine would be developed and made available to the larger population.

In the meantime, it was sad not to see more of our son and his family who were in Texas. A visit by our daughter-in-law and granddaughter Gaby in May 2020 had us in tears as we talked to them behind glass doors  we in our condo, they in our patio! In July they visited for Gabys birthday. We saw them outdoors for a short time with facemasks on. They were able to play with their cousins out in the courtyard with facemasks on. And for Christmas they came to visit, came into the condo for a short while to drop off gifts; took a walk to our daughters courtyard so the kids could play, but opened presents via Zoom, we in our condo, they in their hotel room. It was a sad Christmas!

Then the vaccine became available, but not widely. Thus began the wild search for the vaccine, which was not yet readily available. It took a few failed appointments, a trip from Chicago to Whitehall, Wis., before we could get our first shot in March 2021. The second jab was again in Whitehall in April. The booster was easier to schedule in Winona in November. Trips between Chicago and Winona became more frequent. Friends started to visit the condo in Chicago and the house in Winona for lunch or dinner. But the most daring thing we did was take our first plane ride to Disneyland with Patrick and his family who have been more daring about taking airplane trips. Despite the anxiety associated with such a trip, we survived and actually enjoyed ourselves being with family!

We can say that we are gradually easing ourselves out of pandemic mode but keeping in mind that quite recently we have had family and friends still succumb to the virus. We had to attend our nephews wedding on Zoom last week when in the past we had been physically present for our nieces weddings. And funerals have had the same fate as this week we mourn from a distance our sister-in-laws mother, who died of leukemia. Thus, we continue to be cautious still handwashing, social distancing and wearing facemasks despite many of these mandates being lifted. Because of our age and health status, we will continue to act judiciously because we care for your health and ours. We look forward to the day when we can see my mom and siblings face-to-face again without fear, anxiety and precautions.
West Bengal Congress led by party state chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury held a protest in Kolkata demanding justice for Aliah University former student leader Anis Khan who was found dead on February 18. Speaking to the reporters here, Chowdhury termed the death of the student leader a "murder" and further called it a "conspiracy" that involved the people from the "ruling party and West Bengal police". "Anis Khan's murder is nothing but a conspiracy. Big representatives of the ruling party, West Bengal police are involved in this conspiracy. Anis Khan was a meritorious student and a social activist. He stood in the front of the row in all the protests in Kolkata to fight against the Citizenship Amendment Act. Four police personnel barged into his house at night and took him to the rooftop and pushed him to death," he said. Questioning the "silence" of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the matter, the Congress state chief said that they are compelled to protest to get Khan justice. "A constable, a home guard and civic police who do not have any capability to catch anyone, they have been arrested. They themselves told that they had gone to his house upon somebody's instructions. But there is no information on the ones who had directed them to do so. The ruling party is silent. The Chief Minister of Bengal is also silent. So we are compelled to protest because we want justice," he said. Chowdhury further announced that the party will raise the issue in Parliament. "We will make every possible effort from Kolkata to Delhi. We will raise our voice at every available platform, be it on roads, courts, Rashtrapati Bhawan or Parliament," he said. Last month, Calcutta High Court ordered a second post mortem in the murder case of Aliah University student Anis Khan which will be monitored by the District Judge. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of West Bengal Police had arrested a Home Guard personnel and a civic volunteer from Amta, Howrah in connection with the murder of former student leader Anis Khan. West Bengal Police had constituted a three-member SIT to probe the death of a student at Aliah University. (ANI)
Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk appealed to the Georgian Parliament not to be silent in the situation of Russian aggression against Ukraine.

"Gamarjoba, Genacvale! That's how I always addressed my Georgian colleagues in the parliament. How did it happen, Genacvale, that today, in the midst of Russia's war against your fraternal Ukraine, you decided to develop trade with a country that attacked both us and you? Is Russia's decision to ease the sanctions pressure on Georgia by any chance not gratitude for the fact that official Tbilisi does not want to fully support Ukraine? Is the lifting of sanctions against 15 Georgian milk producers really worth our thousand-year friendship, our long-term joint struggle, and our common aspirations?" Stefanchuk said on his Facebook page.

He urged the Georgian parliament to listen to the opinion of the Georgian people, who massively take to the squares in support of Ukraine.

"Can't you see that the people of Georgia, coming out on the squares of Georgian cities, support Ukraine, and not your murky agreements? Have you forgotten the words of great Shota Rustaveli that 'of enemies, the worst enemy is the one who behaved like a friend'?" Stefanchuk noted.

"However, we know for sure that Georgia is not only a government. It is, first of all, proud, fearless and freedom-loving Georgian people who will never allow themselves to be silent when their brethren are in trouble. And you, dear parliamentarians, should not be silent. Because you are part of your people!" he concluded.
New Delhi, Mar 6 (PTI) A 45-year-old man was allegedly killed in the Samaypur badly area of Outer North Delhi by two of his acquaintances for his inability to return a paltry sum of around Rs 500 borrowed from one of them, police said on Sunday

Also Read | Mumbai: Man Takes Shirt Off in Front of Women Cops, Jailed For 10 Days.

The police, however, nabbed on Sunday two accused involved in the murder committed on late Friday night.

Police identified victim as Rajbeer, a ragpicker, living in a jhuggi by the GT Karnal Road in the Samayapur Badli area and the arrested accused as Bobby, 23, and Ramniwas, 27, both natives of Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh.

Also Read | Ajit Pawar Attacks Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari Over His Remark on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Police said it got the information about the murder late Friday night and on reaching the spot found a man lying dead by a jhuggi with his throat slit and an injury on his forehead.

It said during the investigation, it transpired that the victim had been consuming alcohol with the accused duo on Friday night when they pick up a quarrel over a sum of Rs 400 to Rs 500 money borrowed by him from Bobby.

As Rajbeer expressed his inability to return the money forthwith to Bobby, the duo left the place and returned shortly later and a fresh brawl ensued during which Bobby hit the ty Commissioner of Police Brijendra Kumar Yadav of Outer North Delhi said.

As Rajbeer fell unconscious on the ground, Bobby's accomplice Ramniwas slit his throat with a shaving blade and left the place, he said.

The police, however, managed to nab both of them on Sunday, he said.

Rajbeer is survived by his wife and two children, the DCP said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Ms. Tais views on trade were formed during her years as the World Trade Organization litigator and chief trade counsel for Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee, where she watched populist anger tank a giant free trade agreement that stretched from the Americas to Asia. Mike Froman, Barack Obamas trade representative, had spent years negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement behind closed doors. But when it came time to sell it to the American public and get it through Congress, many Democrats fought it tooth and nail.

If thats the first time you are thinking about how you are going to sell this to regular people, youve already lost. Its way too late, Ms. Tai told me. From our perspective, you start by asking at the front end, how is this going to be good for regular people?

Many saw it as a way for companies to send American jobs overseas, to countries where workers can be jailed for joining a union.

The sea change in Washingtons attitude about workers actually began under the Trump administration, with Bob Lighthizer, Mr. Trumps U.S. trade representative and a Republican populist who argued for worker focused trade.

Mr. Lighthizer is a true believer, too. His father once worked in a steel mill, and he spent his legal career filing anti-dumping cases to try to preserve American steel mills and other domestic industries. He spoke out about the dark side of free trade agreements back when few others would listen. He even tried to join forces with Ms. Lee at the A.F.L.-C.I.O. to try to enforce labor standards in free trade agreements.

On trade, Mr. Lighthizer had more in common with Democrats than he did with the G.O.P., until Mr. Trump was elected and nominated him to the job hed always dreamed of: renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement, which he blamed for the loss of hundreds of thousands of American jobs. Mr. Lighthizer worked with Democratic allies who used their leverage to achieve substantial protections for workers, including the right to join an independent union, which Mexican workers are now exercising for the first time. The Biden administration has enthusiastically enforced the labor provisions in that agreement. Ms. Tai has called it a touchstone for what a worker-centered trade deal could be. That makes worker-centrism one of the rare areas of agreement between some progressive Democrats and populist Trump Republicans.
The U.N. Refugee Agency, UNHCR, is appealing for $205 million for assistance to more than 1.6 million people displaced by conflict in northern Ethiopia.

The conflict, which began 16 months ago in northern Ethiopias Tigray region has spread to the neighboring Amhara and Afar regions. This has resulted in a humanitarian crisis for more than 2 million people forced to flee their homes.

The U.N. Refugee Agency says most of the victims are displaced inside Ethiopia, while nearly 60,000 have fled to neighboring Sudan. UNHCR spokeswoman Shabia Mantoo said all are in desperate need of support.

Civilians, including refugees and internally displaced people have been displaced, amid widespread reports of gender-based violence, human rights abuses, loss of shelter and access to basic services, and critical levels of food insecurity.  Several camps and settlements hosting Eritrean refugees have been attacked or destroyed, further displacing tens of thousands within Ethiopia, she said.

Ethiopia launched its military offensive in Tigray on November 4, 2020, to oust the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front from its northern stronghold. The U.N. says 40% of Tigrays population of 6 million suffers from acute hunger, with 400,000 on the verge of famine.

Eritrea, which supports the government, reportedly has attacked several camps in Tigray housing tens of thousands of Eritrean refugees.

Mantoo said funds from the appeal will help provide protection and humanitarian assistance to those affected by continuing violence inside Ethiopia.

At least 60,000 internally displaced households will be assisted with shelter and emergency relief items. We will establish additional protection desks, adding to the more than 60 that have already been set up, to identify people with specific needs and to refer survivors of gender-based violence to services. And we will support the reintegration of 75,000 displaced families, who wish to return to their homes," she said.

Mantoo said UNHCR will provide protection and assistance to the thousands of Ethiopian refugees who have fled to eastern Sudan. Critical aid, she said, includes construction of shelters and strengthening health care and education. She said the agency will scale up psychosocial and mental health support to the severely traumatized.

She adds $16 million is being set aside for any potential influx of Ethiopian refugees into neighboring Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia, and South Sudan.
Due to the ongoing Russia and Ukraine conflict, the city of Lviv in Ukraine has become the city of refugees. Many people have come to the city of Lviv from Kharkiv, Kyiv, Kherson and other places with their families to save their lives. Speaking with ANI, a Ukrainian citizen Andrey said, "Volunteers in Lviv provides us with an entire house. I am very grateful to them. It's peaceful here." On February 25th, I departed from Kyiv region. I took the evacuation train and I am safe, but, I hear news from my friend who are hiding right now in the Kyiv region. Some are sleeping at the Metro Stations. Some of my friends left Kyiv for Poland. Many people are afraid to come to Lviv right now. I left after the first rocket hit the city. My friends were afraid to leave as Russians encircled Kyiv city and there were fewer routes to escape. When we left, there was a huge crowd at the stations, it was overcrowded. Many Ukrainians and foreigners embarked on train. We were able to board the train as we have two babies and some people were kind to vacate seats for us." Meanwhile, an Indian Gagan Moga speaking to ANI said that he will not go back to India as his wife is Ukrainian and only Indians are evacuated under Operation Ganga. "I am an Indian citizen, can go to India but not my wife, who is a Ukrainian, I have been told that only Indians will be evacuated. I can't leave my family here. My wife is 8-months pregnant, will be moving to Poland. We are currently at a friend's place in Lviv," said Moga, who fled from Kyiv. Talking about the challenges people are facing due to the intense fight between Russia and Ukraine, he said, "You would know that people from Kyiv, Kharkiv, Kherson are leaving the cities. I can't express their pain, those who are capable are leaving and those who are not are stuck there." Sharing his experience about the escape from Kyiv, Moga said that he was helped throughout his journey to Lviv. I can't describe in words what difficulties I faced to reach Lviv. If you had witnessed the conflict, if you had witnessed the situation, you would know how horrific it was. I was in an area which is called Bucha (Kyiv Oblast). It was the fighting hub of the Russian Army with the Ukrainian Army. We heard every second, every minute, and every day the sound of the bombs, missiles, saw fighter planes. It was havoc and dangerous times for me. However, my friend and I were able to escape as we had a vehicle and arranged petrol somehow and came to Lviv after a two-day ordeal. Talking about his future plans, Moga said, "I am thinking to go to Poland as my wife is allowed to go there. I will leave with my family to Poland tomorrow. We are staying here with a friend of mine. They helped us a lot, even while escaping Kyiv, I was helped by Ukrainian people with free shelter and food. They even offered money when I tried to pay them," he said. He also urged India to try to stop this war and said that New Delhi should do whatever possible from them. Meanwhile, the famous Opera House of Ukraine in Lviv is closed and Mc Donald's staff were told to shut the outlets due to ongoing war in the region. (ANI)
1883 episode 10 showed a beautiful, heartwrenching finale for the Dutton family. But now that the finale has come and gone, fans are wondering whats to come for the cast and Taylor Sheridans other shows in the works. It seems Sheridan hopes to see Isabel May, who played Elsa Dutton, and Sam Elliott, who played Shea Brennan, again in the future.

[Spoiler alert: 1883 episode 10 spoilers ahead.]

Taylor Sheridan wants to work with Isabel May and Sam Elliott again after 1883

Taylor Sheridan and Sam Elliott | Greg Doherty/Getty Images for Wynn Las Vegas

Isabel May and Sam Elliott helped create the magic that was the 1883 episode 10 ending. May played Elsa Dutton, the narrator of the story from the beginning. When Elsa dies, May had to portray Elsas fears  and eventual acceptance  of her fate. As for Elliott, he played Shea Brennan. Shea helped the Dutton family make it to Montana while he ventured further to Oregon. Once in Oregon, he shot himself in the head to be with his dead wife and child.

Both Elsa and Shea died in 1883 episode 10. Paramount+ ordered more episodes of the limited series, so its clear neither May nor Elliott will appear in those episodes (except for possible flashbacks). With that said, it looks like creator Taylor Sheridan hopes to work with them in other shows.

Obviously, I would love that, Sheridan told Deadline regarding working with May and Elliott again. Shes a remarkable actor, a generational talent, and I would love to find other things to do. Same with Sam. Theres an icon, someone Ive admired my whole life, and to get a chance to work with him is a treat, just really special.

Sam Elliott and Isabel May said shooting 1883 was not an easy experience

Isabel May and Sam Elliott | Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Isabel May and Sam Elliott have talked highly of their experience working with Taylor Sheridan in 1883. But filming certainly wasnt easy. The 1883 cast had to take on the elements, and both Elliott and May had to say goodbye to their characters in brutal ways.

This was not an easy experience at all, May told Newsweek.   It was a dream come true, but it was extremely physically and emotionally taxing for everyone collectively. As for her future projects, she noted its hard to beat Elsa, but shed love to play someone real. I would love to play someone that no one really knows about, like Jessica Lange in Frances, she added. I would love, love, love that opportunity.

As for Elliott, he previously turned down a small part in Yellowstone. But when it comes to taking on work, he only wants to take on good art. Its not working for money, he told Esquire. Its working for work, doing the work, trying to do some artwork.

Taylor Sheridans shows in the works include more Dutton family tales, like 1932 and 6666

Taylor Sheridan Announces That Yellowstone Is Getting A 5th Season, 1883 Is Getting A 2nd Season, And He's Working On A Sequel Prequel Called 1932 https://t.co/8KyprI9LfD  Chief (@BarstoolChief) February 16, 2022

Taylor Sheridans shows in the work extend beyond more episodes of 1883 and Yellowstone. Wide Open Country reports Sheridans working two other spinoff series concerning the Dutton family titled 1932 and 6666. 1932 will likely follow the Duttons through the Great Depression. 6666 will likely focus on the 6666 Ranch in Texas, as seen in Yellowstone.

Aside from Dutton family sagas, Sheridan is also making another season of Mayor of Kingstown. Tulsa King, Lioness, Land Man, and Bass Reeves are other potential new shows.

We look forward to finding out if Isabel May or Sam Elliott happens to join the cast of any of these new Taylor Sheridan shows.

Check out Showbiz Cheat Sheet on Facebook!

RELATED: 1932: Yellowstone Spinoff Could Focus on Historic Presidential Election While Expanding the Dutton Family Story
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Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal signed an official appeal to the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Japan to terminate the membership of Russia and Belarus in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and all organizations of the World Bank.

"These two countries have violated their obligations and directed their policies towards war. In the letter, we present clear arguments and refer to numerous articles of the Agreement with the IMF and the charter of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which were rejected by Russia and Belarus. No action is more contrary to the obligation to maintain stability and orderly economic conditions than war. Therefore, the IMF gives member countries the right to provide an appropriate response to the situation and protect their mandate," he said on the Telegram channel.

Due to this, the Prime Minister said Ukraine is asking for support from the countries of the G7 in preparing and implementing the procedure for suspending operations of the IMF and the World Bank Group with Russia and Belarus and terminating their membership in these organizations.
The summers final Live on the Waterfront concert was held Wednesday evening at Prince Arthurs Landing. The popular series in Thunder Bay has completed nine weekly shows that began on July 13. Wednesdays concert was unique as it was held one hour later in the evening to mesh with the 10 p.
Bukayo Saka scored one goal and set up another as Arsenal moved into the top four with a hard-fought 3-2 win at Watford.

The Gunners ensured they did not lose any ground in the battle for a Champions League spot in a match full of high-quality finishing at Vicarage Road.

Martin Odegaard gave the visitors an early lead, dutifully responding after boss Mikel Arteta had called on the Norway captain to add more goals to his game.

Cucho Hernandez equalised for Watford with an overhead-kick  arguably the pick of the goals  before Saka restored Arsenals advantage.

Having already set up Odegaard for his strike, the England international fired home after a well-worked one-two with Alexandre Lacazette.

Gabriel Martinelli capped an impressive Arsenal performance as he curled the ball past Ben Foster to make it 3-1.

The Gunners looked to be cruising before Moussa Sissoko pulled one back in the 87th minute, but the Hornets were unable to find an equaliser.

Martin Odegaard opened the scoring (Adam Davy/PA)

The result lifts Arsenal one point above Manchester United ahead of Sundays Manchester derby, while Watford remain firmly in the bottom three, three points behind 17th-placed Everton.

Watford thought they had taken the lead inside the first 30 seconds when Emmanuel Dennis was played in behind the Arsenal defensive line and slotted home, but it was ruled out for offside.

However, at the other end it was Arsenal who took the lead in the fifth minute, Saka cutting the ball back to Odegaard who expertly slotted home for his fifth goal of the season.

The Gunners lead did not last long as Hernandez acrobatic volley equalised for Watford in the 11th minute.

Cucho Hernandez (left) celebrates his overhead-kick (Adam Davy/PA)

Kiko Femenia, on his return to the starting line-up, whipped in a cross and Hernandez found enough space for a bicycle-kick into the back of the net.

Story continues

Thomas Partey had a chance to restore Arsenals lead after a number of chances in the area had been blocked and the ball fell to the 28-year-old but his curling effort was wide of the target.

Arsenal went back in front just after the half-hour with a cleverly-crafted goal from Saka.

He dispossessed Tom Cleverley before passing to Lacazette, who held the ball up then back-heeled the ball back to Saka who fired in.

Arsenal extended their advantage after half-time with another well-worked strike. Saka took a quick throw to allow Cedric Soares to run behind the backline. The ball was then cleverly worked to Martinelli who curled it into the net.

Cleverley had a chance to pull one back for the hosts after linking up with Dennis, but his effort was straight at Aaron Ramsdale, but Watford did pull one back with three minutes remaining.

Sissoko chested the ball down and beat defender Ben White before tapping it past Ramsdale to set up a nervous finish for the Gunners.
Students studying to become licensed practical nurses (LPN) through Bitterroot College experienced hands-on medical simulation training last week to help them experience stress and learn the training lessons.

The Simulation in Motion - Montana (SIM-MT) vehicle was parked on Main Street next to the college. Inside, one end was set up as an Emergency Room in a rural hospital with a patient on a gurney and the basic tools medical responders need for diagnosis and treatment.

Lee Roberts, program manager for SIM-MT, described the scenario and what the nursing students could expect.

We try to create as realistic of a scenario as we can for you, Roberts said. We try to make it somewhat challenging to your scope, level, skills, knowledge and attitudes, everything that you bring with you as a caregiver.

The challenge was for the LPN students to work together as a team to treat the mannequin patient as a real human being and provide the best medical treatment they could.

This is a safe space, Roberts said. We trust each other, respect each others histories, knowledge, skills and behaviors because we all approach our patients a bit differently. Our basic assumption is that you are all capable, intelligent, care about doing your best and that you want to improve.

Roberts and Levi Meyer, Billings team leader for SIM-MT, worked in the control area in the middle of the vehicle to activate the technology.

The $10,000 mannequin John Smith, made with cell phone parts and mechanical drives, has an anatomically correct airway. His chest rises and falls to show breathing, he has lung sounds, pupillary responses, a heartbeat with the pulse felt in the neck, wrists and feet. His oxygen levels, heart rate and blood pressure readings show on the monitors of the automated vital check systems, which were controlled by Roberts and Meyer.

What wed like you to do is take the blood pressure cuff, put it on John and click the button up there to actually get the data, so it immerses you in the scenario, Meyer said.

Smith responded (voice provided by Meyer) to questions about his medical status how he felt and what prescriptions he was taking. A little sarcasm was thrown in for real-life simulation as he was an adult male, age 68, who lived in a nursing home, and he had blue lips, shortness of breath and wanted a cigarette.

Today is mostly about assessments and samples, Roberts said. If you need to call in a report or request resources, just pick up the phone and somebody will answer, it will sound a lot like me.

Meyer said the simulation is data-driven.

Youre going to take vital signs, ask him lots and lots of questions and get a real good patient history, he said. I recommend you assign roles.

The students gloved up, talked to John, asked him questions, patted his hand, raised his head, made him comfortable and assured him that he was getting the best of care.

The Bitterroot College LPN students are registered as students of Helena College, do hands-on skills labs and clinical work in Hamilton and will earn their license without leaving the Bitterroot Valley.

Bitterroot College Academic and Student Services Director Lea Guthrie said it is a great partnership, funded by a COVID grant, allowing students to earn their LPN locally. The medical tools purchased with the funding also benefit other Bitterroot College students.

We couldnt do it without Helena College, we can only offer an AA degree, Guthrie said. This is a way for us to meet needs. There is a cohort in Helena and our students are here. Our students can do their education here, take their test and get their LPN license.

The LPN instructors come from Helena College to teach at Bitterroot College through the University of Montana. During the SIM-MT simulation, the instructors served as guides, prompters and scribes.

After the simulation, there was a guided debrief to discuss what went right or could have been handled differently. Roberts said the process improves patient outcomes and builds confidence and team collaboration. A few of the students said they felt great about the experience, one said it made her nervous and that she was not as helpful as she felt she could be.

Instructor Susan Robinson, R.N., said the simulation experience helps to dispel anxiety.

This was a great experience for them, Robinson said. They knew what to do and had the skills but occasionally were hesitant.

Roberts said stepping back and observing before acting can also be good.

Theres a role for everybody, he said. Its based on who you are, what you know, how you were raised, and that unique perspective can help the patient as long as you embrace it and move strongly ahead.

He emphasized working as a team, supporting each other, talking to each other, and promoting awareness and ideas.

Simulation in Motion is a nonprofit that brings high-quality simulation training to emergency medical service agencies and critical care hospitals in rural areas. It has three mobile unit training vehicles, each set up to resemble a rural emergency room with the tools medical responders need and provide simulation training which reduces medical errors, improves patient outcomes, increases team performance, identifies latent patient care threats and more, the programs website says.

Bitterroot College Director Victoria Clark said the Simulation in Motion training was positively received.

Weve had multiple requests from students to have Simulation in Motion return and to sponsor additional similar activates in the future, Clark said. There is just no substitute for hands-on learning.
Two Republican senators have defended sharing photos of Volodymyr Zelensky during a Zoom call with lawmakers  despite being specifically asked not to amid fears for the Ukrainian presidents safety.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio and Montana Senator Steve Daines came under fire on Saturday when they both posted screen grabs of Mr Zelensky just minutes into the virtual meeting, where the president pleaded for the US for more help in defending Ukraine from Russias attack.

Both Democrats and Republicans blasted their actions for potentially risking the life of Mr Zelensky, who is said to have been the target of at least three failed assassination attempts by the Kremlin in the last week alone.

Mr Rubio fired back at the condemnation, claiming critics were just seeking clicks.

There were over 160 members of Congress on a widely reported Zoom call, a spokesperson for Mr Rubio said in a statement to Newsweek.

There was no identifying information of any kind. Anybody pretending this tweet is a security concern is a partisan seeking clicks.

Mr Daines also refused to admit his actions could have posed a security breach, arguing the call with the Ukrainian president was not a secure or classified briefing and that he had shared the photo before anyone had asked him not to.

It is not clear why he didnt then take the photo down after the instruction was made clear on the call.

This was a well reported call with over 250 people joining, and it was not a secure or classified briefing, a spokesperson said.

The photo was shared before it was requested not to and well into the call, and it had no identifying information. We should be focusing on whats important here and thats supporting Ukraine.

The only reason why anyone wants to make this an issue is partisan clickbait.

The Independent has reached out to both senators for comment.

Their responses came as social media users condemned their actions and called for Twitter to delete their posts.

Story continues

President Zelensky shared this photo on his Instagram page saying he had spoken with US members of Congress (Instagram/zelenskiy_official)

Hey, a@TwitterSafetya a@Twittera why have you not forced him to take this tweet down? one Twitter user asked.

It has been reported multiple times by many people. He put Zelenskyys life in jeopardy. I think Rubio needs a time out. A very long time out.

Another person tweeted: Why hasnt @Twitter removed Rubios tweet which puts a president in danger?

Several Twitter users also said they had reported the tweet to the social media platform.

Report Marco Rubios tweet: Abusive & Harmful, Contains Private Information , Other, Someone Else, Sign, Send, tweeted one person.

The Ukrainian Embassy had asked lawmakers not to post photos or information from the call while it was ongoing, congressional aides told NBC News.

But, just 15 minutes into the roughly hour-long call at 9.30am ET Saturday morning, Mr Rubio posted a screen grab on Twitter of Mr Zelensky to his 4.2m followers.

On zoom call now with President Zelensky of #Ukraine, he captioned the photo at 9.45am ET.

Rep Dean Phillips hits out at Senators Marco Rubio and Steve Daines (Twitter)

Minutes later, Mr Daines then also posted a photo from the meeting on his Twitter at 9.53am ET, with the caption: Currently on a zoom call with President Zelenskyy. #StandWithUkraine.

Democratic Rep Dean Phillips was the first to point out their failure to comply with the request from Ukrainian officials, slamming the two senators for what he called their appalling and reckless ignorance.

The congressman tweeted that all lawmakers had specifically been asked not to post anything online during the virtual meeting in order to protect the security of the Ukrainian president.

The Ukrainian Ambassador very intentionally asked each of us on the zoom to NOT share anything on social media during the meeting to protect the security of President Zelenskyy, he tweeted.

Appalling and reckless ignorance by two US Senators.

The Democrat shared a link to a social media post that revealed the tweets from the two senators.

Criticism continued to flood in along both party lines, with Democratic Rep Jason Crow of Colorado later tweeting: The lack of discipline in Congress is truly astounding.

If an embattled wartime leader asks you to keep quiet about a meeting, you better keep quiet about the meeting. Im not saying a damn thing. Lives are at stake.

The lack of discipline in Congress is truly astounding.



If an embattled wartime leader asks you to keep quiet about a meeting, you better keep quiet about the meeting.



Im not saying a damn thing. Lives are at stake.  Rep. Jason Crow (@RepJasonCrow) March 5, 2022

Democratic Florida State Representative Anna Eskamani accused Mr Rubio of posting the photo for clout.

You were told not to share screenshots and yet you did? For what reason? Clout? she tweeted.

Members of their own party also condemned the GOP senators with former chairman of the Republican National Committee Michael Steele questioning why Mr Rubio would risk Mr Zelenskys safety for a tweet.

Dude, what the hell is wrong with you? You are the Vice Chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence, and a Member of the Foreign Relations Committee, he tweeted.

You were specifically asked NOT to share this briefing with Zelensky. Why would you risk his safety for a tweet?

Olivia Troye, former homeland security adviser to then-Vice President Mike Pence, said Mr Rubios actions show a lack of concern for the Ukrainian presidents safety.

People like Marco Rubio dont actually care about their role in the national security apparatus & what it means to be concerned about the safety of others above ones own self she said.

Concerns for Mr Zelenskys safety have been growing after a report said that he had survived three foiled assassination attempts from Kremlin-backed groups in the week since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian president previously said that he is the number one target for Mr Putin but turned down an offer from the US to get him out of the country, vowing to stay in Ukraine and fight for his countrys freedom.

Dude, what the hell is wrong with you? You are the Vice Chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence, and a Member of the Foreign Relations Committee. You were specifically asked NOT to share this briefing with Zelensky. Why would you risk his safety for a tweet? https://t.co/EpgisRP3au  Michael Steele (@MichaelSteele) March 5, 2022

The instruction to lawmakers only appears to have been for the duration of the live call which Mr Zelensky made from an undisclosed location in Ukraines capital Kyiv.

After the meeting ended, other lawmakers and the Ukrainian president himself shared photos of the meeting and detailed what was discussed.

Mr Zelensky said in a statement that he had spoken with the lawmakers about war crimes being carried out by Russian forces and urged them to up the sanctions on Moscow.

Spoke online with representatives of both chambers and both parties of the US Congress. Told about the course of the fighting and war crimes of the Russian army in Ukraine: shelling, schools, residential buildings, kindergartens, churches, he wrote.

As well as the danger the occupants pose to chemical and nuclear facilities, Ukraine needs to close airspace to protect civilians and objects of critical infrastructure.

Urged congressmen to continue to increase sanction pressure on Russia. Appreciate the support!

On the call, Mr Zelensky pleaded with a bipartisan group of around 300 US senators and House members for the US to provide greater assistance to Ukraine.

He called on the US to set up a no-fly zone over Ukraine, to implement sanctions on Russias energy sector and to send more military assistance for Ukrainian forces.

President Zelensky shared this photo of some of the lawmakers who joined the call (Instagram/zelenskiy_official)

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement that the Ukrainian president specifically asked for the West to send more planes to help with the Ukrainian defence.

President Zelenskyy made a desperate plea for Eastern European countries to provide Russian-made planes to Ukraine. These planes are very much needed, he said.

And I will do all I can to help the administration to facilitate their transfer.

Mr Zelensky also urged the US to increase sanctions on Russia such as banning all commercial transactions like Visa and Mastercard.

Hours later, both companies announced they had suspended operations in the country.

The virtual meeting came after Mr Zelensky hit out at Nato for refusing to implement a no-fly zone over Ukraine in a video statement on Friday, saying that the decision has effectively given the green light for Russia to continue bombing cities across the country.

Knowing that new strikes and casualties are inevitable, NATO deliberately decided not to close the sky over Ukraine, he said.

Today the leadership of the alliance gave the green light for further bombing of Ukrainian cities and villages, refusing to make a no-fly zone.

He doubled down on this request in a video message on Sunday, saying: The world is strong enough to close our skies.

The Biden administration and Nato allies have repeatedly insisted that they will not establish a no-fly zone over Ukraine.

A no-fly zone would ban Russia from operating over the country but would require the US military to essentially start shooting down Russian planes.

Mr Putin issued a warning to the West on Saturday that any attempt to impose a no-fly zone would be taken as a declaration of war against Russia.

Despite the risks of implementing a no-fly zone, 74 per cent of Americans said they support a no-fly zone over Ukraine, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.

Pressure is also mounting on the US to ban imports of Russian oil and gas  a move that would hammer the Russian energy industry but could also lead to a spike in prices for Americans at the gas pump.
UNITED NATIONS, March 6 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Security Council on Sunday condemned Friday's terrorist attack inside a mosque in Peshawar, Pakistan that killed dozens of people.

In a press statement, the members of the Security Council "condemned in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly terrorist attack that took place at the Koocha Risaldar Mosque in Peshawar, Pakistan, on Friday, March 4, 2022."

The council members expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the victims' families and to the government of Pakistan and wished a speedy and full recovery to those injured.

They underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of terrorism to justice and urged all states to cooperate actively with the government of Pakistan.

They reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.

They reiterated that acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, and reaffirmed the need for all states to combat threats to international peace and security caused by terrorism.

The suicide bomb attack during Friday prayers left 63 people dead and about 200 others injured. 
If these bed linens dont hold the key to a deeper nights sleep, they should at least grant you a more luxurious one. Italian brand Pratesi has recently released a new fabric its calling Angel Luxe, loomed of Egyptian cotton. The percale sheets retain their crispness alongside a certain coziness that hints at the softest flannel (minus the overheating), making time spent between them that much more pleasurable.

While the embroidered name and pattern are notable flourishes, they speak to style rather than engineering. More important are the practical details: The top sheet drapes fully over the sides of the bed, so theres no wee-hours tug-of-war with your partner. And the bottom layer truly fits a deep mattress. I didnt break a sweat while stretching it to that final corner, nor did the edges gradually ride up during the course of a week. This is how bed linens should fit but rarely do, even the high-thread-count ones.

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Pratesi sheets displayed on a bed. - Credit: Courtesy of Pratesi

Courtesy of Pratesi

Throughout its 115 years in the business, Pratesi has excelled at making cotton percale both cool and cozy. The particular weave provides the matte crispness, while the raw materialpremium extra-long-staple cotton grown in Egyptplus a special nonchemical treatment that physically opens up the fibers, generates the soft handle. Similar care has been given to the sewn finishes, even the ones you cant see, such as the French seams inside the pillowcases and the mitered corners on the shams that contribute to longevity. Expect to drift off sighing in appreciation for a perfect expression of comfort. $3,170 for two king-size pillowcases, one flat and one fitted sheet in Treccia Moderno.

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One of the first bills passed by the Wyoming Legislature this budget session is one that has been in the works for months: the juvenile justice data collection measure.

Wyoming has one of the highest rates of juvenile incarceration in the nation. But a dearth of data makes it difficult to understand exactly whats happening. Advocate hope the problem will be addressed through the new legislation.

The Legislatures Joint Judiciary Committee sponsored the bill during the past interim session. Committee chairwoman Sen. Tara Nethercott, R-Cheyenne called the measure one of the most important bills that came out of interim.

The main goal of the bill is to allow for informed policy decisions, something that the committee was unable to do with so little data.

The group responsible for the most comprehensive data on the issue is the State Advisory Council on Juvenile Justice, which was formed in 1997, but only started collecting statistics on the topic in 2015. The council does not even have data from every county.

The bill moves the responsibility of data collection from the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation to the Department of Family Services. Officials with family services previously testified that theyre willing and able to take the task on.

Still, it will take time for the bill, should it become law, to offer a picture of Wyomings juvenile justice system.

The legislation also requires that data on juvenile offenders be kept beyond the age of 18 to allow for the longitudinal data analyses of recidivism.

Experts believe that when children are confined or taken out of their community at a young age, their likelihood of recidivism increases.

Korin Schmidt, director of the Department of Family Services, told the Senate Judiciary Committee recently that she is on board with building out community-based programs and for providing local programming via more data.

Data collection was already an expectation before the bill was passed, but it was not being done. Laramie Democrat Rep. Karlee Provenza, a member of the judiciary committee, thinks it will be different this time because of how much scrutiny the topic has received.

The public is aware that theres something going on, she said.

That said, the legislation contains no penalties or punishments for noncompliance.

The lack of data is about more that collection problems. There is not a standardized statewide manner in which juveniles enter the system, complicating the situation. Each county takes a slightly different approach because county attorneys have options as to how to proceed with each case.

Even with the success of the bill, Provenza holds on to some skepticism.

Theres a lot of good that can come out of this, but human nature is that we do not do well at policing ourselves, she said.

Looking to the future, Provenza hopes the Joint Judiciary Committee will take on the issue of solitary confinement of children in the system and examine the efficacy of penalizing juvenile offenders with fines and fees.

Gov. Mark Gordon must sign off on the legislation for it to become law. If he does not, the Legislature can overrule him with a two-thirds vote.
The Bishop of Husi, Ignatie, together with the president of the Association "Orthodox Philanthropy" Husi and collaborators from the Diocesan Centre, brought aid for Romanians and Ukrainians in the Chernivtsi region, the representatives of the Diocese informed on Sunday.

The campaign organized by the Husi Diocese with the support of several sponsors was initiated following requests received from the Romanian Orthodox priests in Ukraine.

In Chernivtsi, Bishop Ignatius was greeted by the Metropolitan of Chernivtsi and Bucovina, Meletie, who thanked him for all his efforts and hel, Agerpres informs.
Russian servicemen in Nova Kakhovka open fire on people to disperse protesters against occupation, five wounded  eyewitnesses

On Sunday Russian occupiers opened fire on people in Nova Kakhovka (Kherson region) in order to disperse protesters against the invaders, eyewitnesses tell Interfax-Ukraine.

According to them, the invaders are shooting at people and using stun grenades to disperse the demonstrators. According to the interlocutors of the agency, five people were injured.

Despite this, people refuse to leave the street. They are calling on Russian soldiers to leave Ukraine and go home.

As reported, on Sunday, a protest against the invaders started in Nova Kakhovka (Kherson region), occupied by Russian occupiers.
Gazprom continues supplying gas on schedule for transit via Ukraine; supplies remain at maximum on Sun

The Ukrainian gas transportation corridor on Sunday saw utilization ratio remaining on the same high level, corresponding to the volumes of the long-term contract of 40 billion cubic meters per year, or 109 million cubic meters per day.

European customers have increased bookings for supplies of Russian gas from Gazprom following the rise in prices owing to the sanctions being imposed against Russia. The current price of gas at the Dutch TTF gas hub has climbed to $2,150 per thousand cubic meters.

"Gazprom is supplying Russian gas for transit via Ukraine in the regular mode, in line with the bookings of European customers at 109.5 mcm on March 6," Gazprom spokesperson Sergei Kupriyanov told reporters.

According to the data of the Gas Transmission System (GTS) Operator of Ukraine, nomination for March 6 remained unchanged from March 5 at 109.5 mcm.
The official global death toll from COVID-19 is on the verge of eclipsing six million - underscoring that the pandemic, now in its third year, is far from over.

The milestone is the latest tragic reminder of the unrelenting nature of the pandemic even as people are shedding masks, travel is resuming and businesses are reopening around the globe.

The death toll, compiled by Johns Hopkins University, stood at 5,996,882 as of Sunday morning and was expected to pass the six million mark later in the day.

Remote Pacific islands, whose isolation had protected them for more than two years, are just now grappling with their first outbreaks and deaths, fueled by the highly contagious omicron variant.

Hong Kong, which is seeing deaths soar, is testing its entire population of 7.5 million three times this month as it clings to mainland China's 'zero-COVID' strategy.

As death rates remain high in Poland, Hungary, Romania and other Eastern European countries, the region has seen more than one million refugees arrive from war-torn Ukraine, a country with poor vaccination coverage and high rates of cases and deaths.

And despite its wealth and vaccine availability, the United States is nearing one million reported deaths on its own.

The official global death toll from COVID-19 is on the verge of eclipsing six million. Pictured: Crowds of masked people visit the Christmas market on its final day in Frankfurt, Germany

Death rates worldwide are still highest among people unvaccinated against the virus, said Tikki Pang, a visiting professor at the National University of Singapore's medical school and co-Chair of the Asia Pacific Immunization Coalition.

'This is a disease of the unvaccinated - look what is happening in Hong Kong right now, the health system is being overwhelmed,' said Pang, the former director of research policy and cooperation with the World Health Organization.

'The large majority of the deaths and the severe cases are in the unvaccinated, vulnerable segment of the population.'

It took the world seven months to record its first million deaths from the virus after the pandemic began in early 2020.

Four months later another million people had died, and one million have died every three months since, until the death toll hit five million at the end of October.

Now it has reached six million - more than the populations of Berlin and Brussels combined, or the entire state of Maryland.

But despite the enormity of the figure, the world undoubtedly hit its six millionth death some time ago.

A man runs out of the heat emitting from the multiple funeral pyres of COVID-19 victims at a crematorium in the outskirts of New Delhi, India

Poor record-keeping and testing in many parts of the world has led to an undercount in coronavirus deaths, in addition to excess deaths related to the pandemic but not from actual COVID-19 infections, like people who died from preventable causes but could not receive treatment because hospitals were full.

Edouard Mathieu, head of data for the Our World in Data portal, said that - when countries' excess mortality figures are studied - as many as nearly four times the reported death toll have likely died because of the pandemic.

An analysis of excess deaths by a team at The Economist estimates that the number of COVID-19 deaths is between 14 million and 23.5 million.

'Confirmed deaths represent a fraction of the true number of deaths due to COVID, mostly because of limited testing, and challenges in the attribution of the cause of death,' Mathieu told The Associated Press.

'In some, mostly rich, countries that fraction is high and the official tally can be considered to be fairly accurate, but in others it is highly underestimated.'

The United States has the biggest official death toll in the world, but the numbers have been trending downward over the last month.

Lonnie Bailey lost his 17-year-old nephew, Carlos Nunez Jr., after he contracted Covid last April - the same month Kentucky opened his age group to vaccinations.

The Louisville resident said the family is still suffering, including Carlos' younger sibling, who had to be taken to hospital himself and still has lingering symptoms.

They said the reopening of the country has been hard for them to witness.

'For us it is hard to let our guard down; it's going to take a while for us to adjust,' Bailey said.

The world has seen more than 445 million confirmed COVID-19 cases, and new weekly cases have been declining recently in all regions except for the Western Pacific, which includes China, Japan and South Korea, among others, the World Health Organization reported this week.

Patients lie on hospital beds waiting at a temporary holding area outside the Caritas Medical Centre in Hong Kong

Although the overall figures in the Pacific islands seeing their first outbreaks are small compared to larger countries, they are significant among their tiny populations and threaten to overwhelm fragile health care systems.

'Given what we know about COVID ... it's likely to hit them for the next year or so at least,' said Katie Greenwood, head of the Red Cross Pacific delegation.

Tonga reported its first outbreak after the virus arrived with international aid vessels following the January 15 eruption of a massive volcano, followed by a tsunami.

It now has several hundred cases, but - with 66 per cent of its population fully vaccinated - it has so far reported people suffering mostly mild symptoms and no deaths.

The Solomon Islands saw the first outbreak in January and now has thousands of cases and more than 100 deaths. The actual death toll is likely to be much higher, with the capital's hospital overwhelmed and many dying at home, Greenwood said.

Only 12 per cent of Solomon Islanders are fully vaccinated, though the outbreak has provided new impetus to the country's vaccination campaign and 29 per cent now have at least one shot.

Global vaccine disparity continues, with only 6.95 per cent of people in low-income countries fully vaccinated, compared to more than 73 per cent in high-income nations, according to Our World in Data.

Police confront protestors during a demonstration against Covid-19 measures in Brussels in January 2022

In a good sign, at the end of last month Africa surpassed Europe in the number of doses administered daily, but only about 12.5 per cent of its population has received two shots.

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is still pressing for more vaccines, though it has been a challenge.

Some shipments arrive with little warning for countries' health systems and others near the expiration date - forcing doses to be destroyed.

Eastern Europe has been particularly hard hit by the omicron variant, and with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a new risk has emerged as hundreds of thousands of people flee to places like Poland on crowded trains.

Health officials there have been offering free vaccinations to all refugees, but have not been making them test upon arrival or quarantine.

'This is really tragic because great stress has a very negative effect on natural immunity and increases the risk of infections,' said Anna Boron-Kaczmarska, a Polish infectious disease specialist.

'They are in very high stress, being afraid for their lives, the lives of their children, they family members.'

A worker handles a coronavirus test sample at a private testing site in Beijing in January this year

Mexico has reported 300,000 deaths, but with little testing, a government analysis of death certificates puts the real number closer to 500,000. Still, four weeks of falling infection rates have left health officials optimistic.

In India, where the world was shocked by images of open-air pyres of bodies burned as crematoria were overwhelmed, the scars are fading as the number of new cases and deaths has slowed.

India has recorded more than 500,000 deaths, but experts believe its true toll is in the millions, primarily from the delta variant.

Migrants from India's vast hinterland are now returning to its megacities in search of jobs, and the streets are packed with traffic.

Shopping malls have customers, albeit still masked, while schools and universities are welcoming students after a months-long gap.

Dr. Oleksandr Molchanov, second right, and another medical worker perform CPR on a patient at a hospital in Kakhovka, Ukraine, on October 29, 2021

In the UK, infections have fallen since an omicron-driven surge in December, but remain high.

England has now lifted all restrictions, including mask mandates and the requirement that all who test positive isolate at home.

With about 250,000 reported deaths, the African continent's smaller death toll is thought to stem from underreporting, as well as a generally younger and less mobile population.

'Africa is a big question mark for me, because it has been relatively spared from the worst so far, but it could just be a time bomb,' Pang said, noting its low vaccination rates.

In South Africa, Soweto resident Thoko Dube said she received news of the deaths of two family members on the same day in January 2021 - a month before the country received its first vaccines.

It has been difficult, but 'the family is coping,' she said. 'We have accepted it because it has been happening to other families.'
The SAS is planning a 'high-risk rescue' of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky with 70 elite British soldiers and 150 US Navy Seals in training for an 11th hour late night mission, but only if he requests it.

Soldiers at a remote base in Lithuania are understood to training with elite Ukrainian soldiers in preparation for the bold mission.

Zelensky, 44, claims to have survived at least three assassination attempts since Russia launched its invasion last week, with mercenaries from the Kremlin-backed Wagner group and Chechen special forces both allegedly sent to Ukraine.

The assassins were foiled by subversive anti-war members within Russias Federal Security Service (FSB) - Russia's successor to the KGB - who are believed to have alerted Ukraine officials.

The President turned down the offer of a rescue from the United States last month, instead defiantly stating 'the fight is here'.

However, it is understood that Russian special forces Spetsnaz are also on the hunt for the Ukrainian leader.

A rescue mission will only be launched on his request, though, The Sun reports.

A source said: 'The most likely sensible option could be to relocate Zelenskyy out of Kyiv where he could be picked up. We have aircraft but the distance is critical.'

It comes as the President today accused Russia of a war crime amid plans to bomb the port city of Odessa.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (pictured) claims he has survived three assassination attempts since the invasion was launched last week

Soldiers based at a remote base in Lithuania are understood to training with elite Ukrainian soldiers in preparation for the bold mission. Pictured: US Navy Seals training on a naval ship

In a video address, the Ukrainian leader said: 'They are preparing to bomb Odessa.

'Russians have always come to Odessa. They have always felt only warmth in Odessa. Only sincerity. And now what? Bombs against Odessa? Artillery against Odessa? Missiles against Odessa?

'It will be a war crime. It will be a historical crime.'

Almost a million people live in Odessa, a cosmopolitan harbour on Ukraine's southern coast with both Ukrainian and Russian speakers and Bulgarian and Jewish minorities.

Analysts have previously said that taking Odessa would be a huge strategic victory and would give Russia a chokehold on Ukraine's economy.

Russia has made progress in southern Ukraine since its invasion 11 days ago, overrunning the city of Kherson and shelling the port of Mariupol, but Odessa has so far been largely spared.

Meanwhile, a second attempt to evacuate civilians from Mariupol was scuppered again today after the city was shelled just minutes into an agreed ceasefire.

Refugees queue outside the station as they wait for trains to Poland following the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Ukrainian servicemen in a military checkpoint in Irpin, Ukraine, on Sunday as thousands attempt to flee the convict

Three civilians were killed and others were wounded as Russian mortar rounds landed between Irpin and Kyiv this morning

People wait in a bus to be evacuated from the conflict in Irpin on Sunday following a barrage of Russian shelling in the area

Some 400,000 residents were hoped to be evacuated from 12pm today, with an initial agreement in place until 9pm, but residents are now having to take cover in bomb shelters without electricity and water.

It followed similar attempts on Saturday when plans to evacuate refugees were halted when shelling recommenced 45 minutes into a ceasefire.

The International Committee of the Red Cross added: 'Amid devastating scenes of human suffering in Mariupol, a second attempt today to start evacuating an estimated 200,000 people out of the city came to a halt.

'The failed attempts yesterday and today underscore the absence of a detailed and functioning agreement between the parties to the conflict.'
Even sadder, very little of that money goes to Missouri businesses.

Every year, Missouri makes what it calls a feasible effort at spending 10% of state agencies expenditures with minority-owned businesses.

In the past three decades, the state has only reached that goal four times.

In fiscal year 2021, minority contractors earned 8.2% of the $1.5 billion that Missouri spent in contracts, according to an annual report from the Office of Equal Opportunity. Women-owned businesses accounted for 3.5%.

In order for Missouri to be able to mandate minority participation goals on contracts  as the cities of St. Louis and Kansas City do to varying degrees  the state must conduct a disparity study every five years to stave off court challenges.

But its been eight years since the last study was conducted.

Its imperative to keep track of what were doing, said Rep. Ashley Bland-Manlove, a Kansas City Democrat and president of the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus. This is money, so this is accounting. I need all the details filled in.

Bland-Manlove was among the Black legislators who pushed last session to secure $500,000 for the states third disparity study  which will investigate if Missouri is once again failing to equitably employ minority-owned and women-owned businesses.

On Jan. 31, the state announced that University of Missouri-Kansas City has been tasked with completing the study by June 30.

The 2014 study found extensive evidence that discrimination on the basis of race and gender continues to operate in Missouris markets.

It recommended the state make a number of changes, including paying minority contractors sooner, bidding out smaller contracts and conducting more outreach with minority and women business owners.

The upcoming disparity study came up during a recent hearing of the House Special Committee for Urban Issues, where Republican Rep. Rudy Veit of Wardsville said hes been watching the states inclusion efforts since the 1980s and the same issues seem to persist.

Has there been progress made or are we just reinventing the old wheel? Veit asked representatives from the states Office for Equal Opportunity.

The OEO representatives told Veit to look at their annual reports.

Corey Bolton, director of the Office of Equal Opportunity, declined an interview request. But a spokesman for the office said in an email that since the 2014 study the state has worked to improve overall support services as it relates to the applicant experience and certification processing times.

How we got here

Missouri first established minority participation goals on state construction projects in 1984, after the federal government passed its requirements on the Department of Transportation contracts in 1980.

But it wasnt difficult for white-owned businesses to get exemptions for the goals.

A 1989 St. Louis Post-Dispatch investigation found that 68% of state construction contracts between 1987 and 1988 were exempt from achieving the inclusion goals. And that year, minority businesses earned $3.7 million out of $352.8 million in construction contracts, and women-owned businesses earned $5.8 million.

In 1990, led by state Sens Phil B. Curls of Kansas City and J.B. Banks of St. Louis, the legislature passed a bill directing the Office of Administration to implement a plan aimed at increasing minority participation. It also ordered a study to look at potential disparities in how the state awards its contracts.

Four years later, then-Gov. Mel Carnahans administration analyzed how much MBEs and WBEs earned on agency contracts between 1989 and 1994 and found that less than 1% of those contract dollars went to MBEs and only 2.2% to WBEs.

And the study found the states minority- and women-owned businesses were capable of completing much more work than that.

So in 1998, Carnahan signed an executive order to remedy discrimination and require minority participation on contracts more than $100,000, with an overall goal of 10% MBE and 5% WBE participation for all purchases. The order also authorized state procurement officers to set a higher desired goal  20% MBE and 10% WBE  if the study found that a certain contract had more minorities available in that industry.

But that all came to a halt in 2004, after a white-owned business sued the state in federal court.

A Colorado-based corporation called Behavioral Interventions Inc. lost a state contract providing electronic monitoring services for correctional facilities because it couldnt find a minority subcontractor to meet the desired goal of 20% MBE.

The company sued, alleging the states inclusion program was unlawful because there was no current data showing a disparity in how the state awarded contracts. The last disparity study had been published in 1997, but the data cited in the study was 10-15 years old, according to the lawsuit.

The state settled with the corporation, after the judge said the program would not likely withstand an appeal with the studys outdated information.

Citing the judges opinion in the Behavioral Interventions case, then-Gov. Matt Blunt signed an executive order in 2005 that made those goals flexible, and Missouri has not made the goals mandatory since.

And without those mandates, we dont have a program, said Sen. Barbara Washington, D-Kansas City.

Kansas City has an annual goal of achieving 14.7% MBE and 14.4% WBE on all city contracts, but individual contracting goals are flexible and established on a case-by-case basis.

In the City of St. Louis, professional service contracts are set at 25% MBE and 5% WBE. For construction projects, its at least 21% African-American owned business, 2% Hispanic-American owned business, 0.5% Asian American-owned business, 0.5% Native American-owned business participation and 11% certified women-owned business participation.

Both cities goals were established based on the findings of disparity studies.

Yaphett El-Amin served as a state representative at the time of the 2004 lawsuit and fought to ensure that it didnt completely shut down all attempts at minority participation.

We knewit could eliminate diversity goals and cost minority contractors and female businesses millions of dollars, said El-Amin.

Since 2008, El-Amin has served as executive director of MOKAN Construction and Contractors Assistance Center, a non-profit that assists and advocates for minority- and women-owned firms.

We still continue to swim upstream relative to diversity and inclusion, she said. We continue to always have disparity studies show that there is still a disparity. The whole goal of the disparity programs is to eliminate the disparity and get to a point where you dont have goals anymore.

Heated debate for funds

Many local governments and public agencies started conducting disparity studies after the 1989 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the case of City of Richmond v. J.A. Croson Co.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the City of Richmonds minority participation program for municipal contracts was unconstitutional after finding that the city failed to identify a substantial need to level the playing field for minorities and women business owners.

Rep. LaKeySha Bosley, D-St. Louis City, said the debate in the House Budget committee meetings last session to secure the $500,000 for the disparity study was heated.

It got heavy for a momentbecause of us advocating for the data, Bosley said. You had individuals who didnt want to see that happen and called it cancel culture.

However, the data is necessary to pass legislation that will mandate participation goals, if the study shows that disparities still exist, Washington said.

We want to help our businesses and entities in Missouri be able to get a piece of that pie, so that things are fair, Washington said. It encourages people to come to our state.

According to the states announcement of the study, UMKC will be holding public meetings and inviting firms, stakeholders and organizations to attend. The first meeting is scheduled for March 16 at 10 a.m. at the Truman Building in Jefferson City, and people and companies can attend in person or via Zoom.

The UMKC team will be asking attendees to help identify barriers to earning state contracts.

Previous studies cited several challenges, including late payments, bonding and insurance issues, harassment and retaliation and the good ole boy network barrier.

Since the 2014 study was released, the Office of Equal Opportunity said it has created the ACCESS program, which connects certified MBEs and WBEs with information, resources and capital. The Up2$10K program encourages M/WBEs and departments to build procurement relationships through opportunities under $10,000.

This program allows M/WBEs the chance to increase their knowledge of state/department procurement practices which leads to better understanding and engagement, according to the offices spokesperson.

In their annual reports, the Office of Equal Opportunity includes the total amount that MBEs and WBEs earned on state contracts each year. However, the office doesnt track or report expenditures by company, a spokesman said.

The Independent found that in Missouri, more than 60% of the $123.2 million that state awarded to minority-owned enterprises, or MBEs, went to a corporation in New Jersey. In fact, several minority businesses that the state regularly contracts with arent based in Missouri, or even in the country.

For many years, a St. Louis-based and Black-owned business, World Wide Technology, had Missouris largest MBE contract. But in 2018, the state awarded the IT contract to SHI International Corp., an Asian-owned firm in New Jersey that is one of the countrys largest minority and women-owned businesses.

According to the states accountability portal, SHI International earned $74.8 million in fiscal year 2021.

We want to create a workforce that is here in Missouri, Bosley said. We are trying to put Missourians to work  no offense to New Jersey or Texas or any other out-of-state business.
A British adventurer has revealed why she decided to travel to Thailand with her Hinge match after only one date - and brushed off critics who say the couple won't last.

Summer Fox, 24, was bored in London and had just been made redundant from her job when she met with Canadian tourist Matt Giffen, who was due to travel back to his hometown a few days later.

The pair met on the dating app and hit it off right away, going on one date in the British capital, before deciding to travel to Manchester - and then the world together, the Londoner told the Daily Star.

After three weeks where they sorted out the details of their grand journey, the pair flew to Bangkok from their respective sides of the globe and reunited in Thailand, where they have been staying for a month.

Summer and Matt's love story has gone viral on TikTok, where she counts more than 118,500 followers. While most have been supportive of her romance, others have trolled the couple, saying their story won't last and even that Matt will cheat.

Summer Fox, 24, was bored in London and had just been made redundant from her job when she met with Canadian tourist Matt Giffen, who was due to travel back to his country a few days later. The pair met on the dating app Hinge, went for a date, and decided to travel to Thailand together shortly after

Summer said making spontaneous decisions like this is not out of character for her, and that her parents were not shocked when she decided to leave for Thailand

Summer revealed that the couple's bond has become stronger since moving to Southeast Asia.

'The way our relationship has developed throughout, we spend 24/7 together and instead of grating on each other, we fall more in love everyday. Its also just great to be in love again after four years of being single and picky,' she said.

Not everyone has taken kindly to Summer and Matt's whirlwind romance, and the London has had to deal with a few mean-spirited messages.

'[Ive got ] a couple of bitter comments saying they hope he cheats on me, saying it wont work out etc cause were from different countries,' she said.

Summer has been in Thailand with Matt for a month and the couple want to go to Cambodia, Vietnam and Bali next

The 24-year-old said the couple's bond has only grown stronger since spending 24 hours a day, seven days a week together

But the 24-year-old, who admitted she loves spontaneity and is a self-described thrill seeker, said her parents were not shocked with her decision, because she had been miserable and these sort of spontaneous plans were not out of her character.

She explained losing her job during a wave of redundancies had been a blessing in disguise, as she had been bored with her role, adding it had started to take a toll on her mental health.

She met Matt a day after losing her job and explained she couldn't have met him if she was still employed, because they met during what used to be her working hours.

The couple have been getting to know each other miles away from home in Thailand and have gathered thousands of fans on social media

She said she felt free when she lost her job, after years of thinking she was wasting the prime of her life in a job and city she didn't like.

Sparks flew when the couple met for their first date, and after a successful first meeting, they travelled to Manchester, where they spent a few days.

They talked about their wish to travel, and soon realise they did not want to part.

With Matt due to return to Canada a few days later, the pair had to work something out to see each other again.

Summer has been making an extra income with brand collaborations on social media, which have funded her travels

Summer and Matt shortly after arriving in Bangkok. They spent three weeks apart from each other while they planned their trip

That's when they decided to travel to Thailand, with the next few weeks turning into a race to sort out all their travelling details.

Sharing updates on her love story on TikTok, Summer soon caught the attention of brands like Shein.

The 24-year-old said she's funded her trip thanks to paid collaborations with brands and added she's now made more money thanks to the advertisement than what her travels cost.

The couple have been staying in Thailand for the past month, befriending other tourists and locals. The adventure is not over for Summer and Matt, who plan to travel to Cambodia, Vietnam and Bali.

Lovestruck Summer added she might end up following Matt to Canada after their travels.
Araceli Acosta was named the 2022 Youth of the Year representative at the annual Corvallis Boys and Girls Club luncheon Friday afternoon, March 4.

It was the first in-person event at the club since February of 2020, attended by more than 100 community members.

Each year, Corvallis teens apply to be the Youth of the Year  a long and arduous process which includes writing essays, conducting interviews, making speeches and learning to present oneself as a professional young adult.

Now a senior at College Hill High School, Acosta overcame many challenges in her childhood to reach this point.

My hard work and dedication to change is a big reason why I am able to stand up here today, she said during her speech. In a few months I am going to be graduating high school with a plan for my future  something that I never thought was possible for me.

Acostas first place scholarship earned her $6,000 from the Dr. Bob & Billie Holcomb fund at Benton Community Foundation.

The first runner up was Everardo Suarez-Perez, a Corvallis High School senior, who received $3,000 from the Mario & Alma Pastega Foundation. The second runner up was Yecenia Raya-Torres, a 2021 graduate of College Hill High School, who received $1,500 from the Corvallis Elks Club plus a $500 anonymous donation.

The event was sponsored by Duerksen & Associates. All three finalists received a laptop through a donation from Schupp, Plemmons, Cook Wealth Management Group of Well Fargo Advisors.

Acosta will now compete in the statewide virtual competition being hosted by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland on April 15. If she continues beyond the state competition, regionals are in California and nationals are in Washington D.C.
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Demonstrators denounced Russian President Vladimir Putin as a 'delusional lunatic' and a 'bully' as thousands of people gathered on the streets of central London today to demand an end to his invasion of Ukraine.

Protesters included migrants from Russia, Poland and Lithuania, many of whom wept as they described the experiences of those affected by the war.

Campaigners gathered outside the BBC's Broadcasting House to wave signs saying 'Russian troops out' and 'No Nato Expansion' before marching down Regent Street.

The march was organised by the Stop the War Coalition, as well as the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), the No to Nato network, and CODEPINK.

Stop the War has caused controversy in recent months for its critical stance towards Nato.

Protesters from a group named 'Freedom from Torture' also dropped a banner onto Westminster Bridge in central London, calling on the government to scrap its Nationality and Borders Bill.

They argued the bill could criminalise asylum seekers, including those who might come from Ukraine, without a visa.

Protesters from a group named 'Freedom from Torture' dropped a banner onto Westminster Bridge in central London, calling on the Government to scrap its Nationality and Borders Bill which could criminalise asylum seekers, including those who might come from Ukraine, without a visa

Protesters march on Trafalgar Square during a demonstration organised by the Stop the War Coalition against NATO and Russia's military operation Ukraine

Hundreds of people turned out in Parliament Square today to protest against Russia's invasion of Ukraine

It has described itself as opposed to the British Government's 'aggressive posturing' and Nato's 'eastward expansion'.

But it has repeatedly been accused of harbouring anti-Western sentiments.

One male protester, who did not give his name, said Nato countries were 'provok[ing] Putin'.

However, some marchers voiced differing opinions on the bloc.

Monika Lichomska, a Polish warehouse worker, said she was there to show her support for Ukrainians and believes Nato support can offer security.

'In Poland, we are secure because of Nato. But if we're not stopping (Russia) now they will come after our country,' said the 37-year-old, who described Mr Putin as a 'delusional lunatic'.

Zoja, an NHS worker whose parents are Russian, wiped away tears as she said she felt the 'need to apologise' for Mr Putin's actions. 'Russia does not represent Russian people, she said.

Anti-war protesters marched along Regent Street on a day which saw Russian troops shelled encircled cities, and it appeared that a second attempt to evacuate civilians from the besieged port city of Mariupol

People hold banners, flags and placards during the anti-war march in London, many of them imploring western leaders to prevent a nuclear war

'We are not standing with him, we are standing against him. He declared war in our name but I didn't ask him to do it.'

Jane Calvert, an NHS worker, 61, said Britain should not 'bait a bear' and should instead pursue de-escalation. '(Mr Putin) is not a leader. He's a bully and a dictator,' she said.

Andrew McCann, another NHS worker, said the protest appeared to have been 'hijacked' by those with other agendas.

'I've seen people here who want a Socialist Worker's Party and ones that don't want a Socialist Worker's Party and that route can tend hijack these things.

'They're entitled to be here but there seems to be a bit too much nowadays of, 'You're wrong and I'm right.'

'Can't we have a common argument against violence towards innocent people?'

Protestors waved brightly coloured banners calling on the British Government and NATO to take decisive action against Russia

Some demonstrators demanded a 'no-fly zone' be implemented over Ukraine, despite fears this could escalate the conflict further

A woman waves a banner saying 'refugees are welcome' in the UK

Mr McCann, who supports Stop the War and CND, said he is concerned about young people online being exposed to anti-Ukrainian propaganda.

'There's a big push to make people believe that, in Ukraine, the whole country is racist, for example, and we need to do more to make people question that,' he said.

Protesters chanted 'Stop the war' and 'Russian troops out now' as they began their march through the centre of the capital.

Elsewhere in the country, demonstrators gathered in Bristol town centre to protest against the invasion, many of them wearing the yellow and blue colours of the Ukrainian flag.

Andrew Warsley, 76, who attended with his band, said: 'I'm very concerned about what Putin is doing and where the consequences could be going.

'The UK could be doing more - we don't want to get into a war with Russia but we could do with putting Putin under a lot more pressure.

'I'd like to see us stopping all Russian oil and gas imports.'

Josh Pysanczyn, 26, a research scientist, has relatives in Ukraine and attended the protest with friends.

He said: 'My relatives are standing their ground - men, women and children are staying put. They are in Turka, which is close to Lviv on the Polish border and they are taking up arms.

'It is just a farming town, there is nothing there, but everyone has formed a militia, no one is planning on leaving.'
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A senior civil servant who said she loved working from home because it allowed her to use her posh exercise bike more often has been handed a 20,000 bonus.

Sarah Healey, permanent secretary at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, was among top mandarins who shared out 400,000, according to official documents.

The mother of three was already earning a 170,000 salary before the bonus - revealed by the Sun on Sunday newspaper.

Tory MP Philip Davies told the paper the payment was 'completely inappropriate' when so many were struggling to get by.

But the Government defended the payments, saying It is right that staff are rewarded for hard work when they demonstrate high-level performance.'

Sarah Healey, permanent secretary at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, was among top mandarins who shared out 400,000, according to official documents.

Last September, amid efforts by the PM to kickstart the economy, Ms Healey told a tech conference she only wants her staff to go into the office two days a week so could continue using her Peloton bike.

Tory MP Philip Davies told the paper the payment was 'completely inappropriate' when so many were struggling to get by.

Last September, amid efforts by the PM to kickstart the economy, Ms Healey told a tech conference she only wants her staff to go into the office two days a week so could continue using her Peloton bike.

The upmarket bikes allow users to follow classes online from home and can cost around 2,000.

She said: 'I have a Peloton and I can just get on my bike whenever I have a teeny bit of time.

'That has been a huge benefit to my well-being - the lack of travelling time eating into my day.'

She told the London Tech Week event that meetings would still be held over Zoom, even for those working in the office, in a bid to stop male employees asserting themselves over their female colleagues.

She had previously hailed working from home as a 'very, very good thing' in terms of spending more time with her family.
India on Sunday continued its efforts to evacuate over 700 Indian students from the embattled northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy but with little success as severe shelling and airstrikes continued.

Separately, the Indian embassy in Hungary said it is in the "last leg" of its evacuation mission and asked students who are staying in their own accommodations to reach Budapest for return to India.

India has brought back over 15,920 of its nationals in 76 flights under mission "Operation Ganga' which was launched on February 26 following Russia's military aggression against Ukraine, according to officials here.

On Indians stuck in Sumy, people familiar with the matter said there was no indication yet from the Russian and Ukrainian sides to create a "humanitarian corridor" or to put in place a ceasefire to evacuate them notwithstanding India's repeated calls for such an arrangement.

They said India has been stepping up efforts to ensure early evacuation of the students from the Sumy State University.

"There has been no real movement. But we are continuing with our efforts to evacuate them," said one of the people cited above.

India has been urging both Russian and Ukrainian authorities to create a safe passage for the students to either move to the Russian border or to western for their exit to Romania, Hungary or Poland.

On Saturday morning, the Indian students posted a video saying they have decided to leave for the Russian border and that the Indian government and the embassy in will be responsible if anything happens to them.

Following the video, the Indian embassy in requested them not to endanger their lives and conveyed that it will leave no stone unturned to safely evacuate them.

The students relented following the assurance.

Chief of Russia's Centre for State Defence Control Colonel Gen Mikhail Mizintsev claimed on Saturday that the Ukrainian side has refused to agree to a Russian proposal to open humanitarian corridors in Kharkiv and Sumy.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Saturday that almost all Indians have left Kharkiv and that evacuation from Pisochyn was nearing completion.

The Indian embassy in Hungary suggested that the evacuation mission from the country is nearing completion as it is beginning the last leg of flights under the operation.

India has been bringing back its nationals from Romania, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Moldova after they crossed over to these countries from Ukraine through land border transit points.

Ukraine had closed its airspace for civilian aircraft after Russia began the military operation.

According to officials, around 2,500 Indians were evacuated on 13 flights in the last 24 hours.

They said seven flights are scheduled over the next 24 hours to bring back stranded Indians from Hungary, Romania and Poland. There will be five flights from Budapest, one each from Rzeszow in Poland and Suceava in Romania.

"Under Operation Ganga, so far 76 flights have brought over 15,920 Indians back to India. Out of these 76 flights, 13 flights landed in the last 24 hours," said an official.

The Indian embassy in Hungary asked Indian students, who are still in that country, to report to designated contact points for return to India.

"Important Announcement: Embassy of India begins its last leg of Operation Ganga flights today. All those students staying in their OWN accommodation ( other than arranged by Embassy) are requested to reach @Hungariacitycentre, Rakoczi Ut 90, Budapest between 10 am-12 pm," it said.

Separately, the Indian embassy in Ukraine asked all Indian nationals who are still stuck in the conflict-stricken country to fill up an online form on an urgent basis.

"All Indian nationals who still remain in Ukraine are requested to fill up the details contained in the attached Google Form on an URGENT BASIS. Be Safe Be Strong," it tweeted.

The details sought in the Google form are name, email, phone number, address of current stay, passport details, gender and age.

The embassy also asked for indicating the current location of the Indians still stranded in Ukraine.

A list of locations has been provided in the form and an option has been given to select the location from the list.

The locations mentioned in the online form are Cherkassy, Chernihiv, Chernivtsi, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Khmelnytsky, Kirovograd, Kyiv, Luhansk, Lviv, Mykolaiv and Odessa.

The list also included Poltava, Rivne, Sumy, Ternopil, Vinnytsya, Volyn, Zakarpattya, Zaporozhzhya and Zhytomyr.

Officials said over 21,000 Indians came out of Ukraine since the issuance of advisory weeks before the conflict began.

Out of these, 19920 Indians have already reached India, they said.

Six tranches of humanitarian aid were sent earlier for Ukraine and on Sunday, one more tranche weighing six tonnes was dispatched by IAF flight to Poland.

The MEA control room, as well as the control centres operated by the Indian embassies, continue to operate on a 24x7 basis, the officials said.

The MEA control room has attended to 12435 calls and 9026 emails till Sunday afternoon, according to the officials.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visits national political advisors from the economic sector and joins a group discussion with them at the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Senior Chinese leaders Sunday joined national political advisors in different group discussions at the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

The leaders included Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji and Han Zheng, who are all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

Participating in a joint group meeting attended by national political advisors from the economic sector, Premier Li Keqiang said China will keep major economic indicators within the appropriate range, as it is of vital significance to long-term economic stability and progress.

He stressed making use of the crucial move of tax refund and cuts, and stabilizing employment and securing people's wellbeing through stabilizing market entities.

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, called on national political advisors from non-CPC political parties to continue working closely with the CPC.

He asked them to make good use of consultation among political parties to advance whole-process people's democracy, and to contribute their expertise and strengths to fulfilling the goals and tasks of economic and social development for 2022.

Wang Yang, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, said that the private economy is a key foundation of China's economic and social development, and serves as a vital part in the country's modernization drive.

In the face of complex and grim situation, the private sector should have more confidence in the Party's policies, he said, adding that China's private sector has a bright prospect despite current short-term difficulties.

Wang Huning, a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, called on political advisors to thoroughly study and comprehend Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and put it into action to greet the convening of the 20th National Congress of the CPC.

He also urged efforts to inspire the people to make new accomplishments on the new journey by launching extensive public awareness activities.

Zhao Leji, secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, encouraged national political advisors to focus on cutting-edge technologies, and share their constructive views on major issues including carbon emissions peaking and carbon neutrality, as well as digital economy.

Zhao also highlighted the importance of firmly strengthening Party self-governance, improving Party conduct and moral integrity, and combating corruption.

Vice Premier Han Zheng said the central authorities stand firm in safeguarding the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao.

In light of the serious COVID-19 outbreaks in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government should shoulder its primary responsibility and relevant departments of the central authorities and localities should render their full support, Han said, calling for efforts to ensure supplies, strengthen medical treatment and strictly implement prevention and control measures. 

Li Zhanshu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, visits national political advisors from the China Democratic League and the China Association for Promoting Democracy, and joins a group discussion with them at the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), visits national political advisors from the China National Democratic Construction Association and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and joins a group discussion with them at the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee in Beijing, capital of China, March 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)

Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, visits national political advisors from the Communist Youth League of China, the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, the All-China Women's Federation and the All-China Youth Federation, and joins a group discussion with them at the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

Zhao Leji, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, visits national political advisors from the Jiusan Society and those without party affiliation, and joins a group discussion with them at the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visits national political advisors from Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, and joins a group discussion with them at the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)
The sprawling 400-acre campus includes prairies, walking paths, fountains and wandering deer.

Nearby there are restaurants, hotels, apartments and, this being Wisconsin, a massive Kwik Trip convenience store.

Only the multiple buildings, which since the early 1990s have made up the national headquarters of American Family Insurance, are largely void of people.

The offices, conference rooms, desks, cubicles, atriums filled with natural light and hallways with colorful murals remain. But with the vast majority of its workforce hunkered down at home, the 1.3 million square feet of office space here is quiet.

Over the past two years, office work has undergone a radical transformation and its unclear what it will look like in the months and years to come. The advent of the Zoom meetings and now the metaverse, with its virtual reality capabilities, will likely only make working from home easier and more attractive to many, further challenging the norms of the past.

For American Family Insurance, which has another 805,838 square feet of office space in other locations around Dane County and more than 2,700 employees in the Madison area, that could mean leasing out unused space, selling some office buildings, not renewing leases and consolidating offices.

So far, however, it does not mean the radical shift that some futurists and technology experts say is coming via the metaverse  where employees could log into a virtual office from home to attend meetings and interact with co-workers.

But changes are in store.

A future look

On the third floor of American Familys Building C, an L-shaped structure tucked along a ridge just west of American Parkway, Elisabeth Pieper, a workplace environmental consultant, is charged with creating the workspace of the future, and it goes well beyond stand-up desks.

Here there are conference tables with only soft fabric dividers that serve as makeshift walls. Couches and soft chairs are grouped together in front of white boards while others are partially hidden behind metal screens with bi-fold doors that make up more private meeting space. Another room looks more like a small bar sans tap handles but equipped with stools and a video monitor with touch-screen technology and video conferencing capabilities.

Traditional work stations can be found but are not assigned to a specific person. Instead, they are grouped together in varying configurations to allow for collaborations ranging from two to five people. There are also private office spaces that can be reserved with an app while others are on a first-come, first-serve basis.

All of this in anticipation that when people return, it may be for only part of a week and involve primarily collaborative work.

Our focus now has been a lot more strategy in terms of what does the office mean to everybody, Pieper said. What is the office going to be for? Because its not going to be for assigned desks and assigned offices and conferences rooms only. Were trying to figure out what the offices value has in the whole hybrid big-picture.

Here to stay?

Prior to the pandemic, about 25% of the companys 13,200 employees around the country worked from home. That number increased to 95% during the pandemic, but its unlikely to return to the 25% level moving forward, according to Kari Grasee, American Familys vice president of business and workplace services. In all, the company has about 4.1 million square feet of office space throughout the country while many new employees for the national headquarters are not being required to move to Madison.

We are expecting well need less space, but theres still an incredible amount of uncertainty, said Grasee, who has been with the company for 25 years. Things are absolutely going to be different and we need to be very thoughtful and have a long-term plan.

And just like American Family is testing out new office configurations, Grasee says the company is also keeping an eye on emerging technology that could include the metaverse. However, there are no definitive plans to begin designing virtual meeting rooms and handing out special goggles.

We continue to monitor new capabilities and how it can enhance our digital workplace experience, Grasee said. Well likely experiment with it and see what it means and how it can enhance our digital experience for those people who are on site as well as those people who may be off site.

American Family is located adjacent to the 400-acre American Center Business Park, which includes a new UW Hospital and the corporate offices for Alliant Energy. Office buildings are scattered throughout the park, but for the first time residential housing is also part of the landscape. The Elevate Apartments along American Parkway feature 270 units while another development under construction behind the Kwik Trip will have 306 apartments.

Chuck Redjinski, a broker for Newmark Knight Frank, a commercial real estate services firm, is in the process of trying to lease or sell a 150,000-square-foot office building in the park that had been home to Baker Tilly, before it moved, prior to the pandemic, to a new building in the park. Redjinski is also working with American Family Insurance to sublet 30,000 square feet of unneeded space in the American Center and another 50,000 square feet of space outside the park on City View Drive in the High Crossing Office Park.

That is still kind of a conundrum, Redjinski said of office space demand. Were all trying to figure out whos going back to the office and whos going to work from home. I think a lot of companies are trying to figure that out but I think that picture will become much more clear this year.

The citys Downtown is home to about 52,000 workers and 4.5 million square-feet of office space for companies like Zendesk, Madison Gas & Electric, Eat Street and those in health care and state and local government.

Jason Illstrup, president of Downtown Madison Inc., estimates that 30% to 35% of the workforce has returned to the Downtown. However, more are needed to help support retailers, restaurants and bars, who also rely on tourists and those living in the area. Illstrup said special events and the vibe and energy of the Downtown are among the ways to draw workers back to Downtown offices but admits it may be in a modified format.

I think the days of people going to the office, five days a week, eight, nine, 10 hours a day per shift probably are gone, Illstrup said. Its going to look a little different for each company but youre still going to see the downtown offices be the base for many of these companies.
A New Jersey man has been convicted for the 2016 murder of two children and a college student after he broke into a house, tortured, stabbed the kids to death and fatally shot the student because he was angry over a Facebook post, prosecutors announced Saturday.

Jeremy Arrington, 31, was found guilty on a number of charges related to the Newark home invasion, where authorities said he tortured six people, killing three of them - two of which were children - and stabbing the three others, according to the Essex County prosecutor.

Arrington stabbed Aerial Little Whitehurst, 8, and Al-Jahon Whitehurst, 11 to death before shooting Syasia McBorroughs, 23, to death. McBorroughs was a college student who had been visiting the family at the time of the murders, authorities said.

Prosecutors said that Arrington was a suspect in an earlier shooting and sexual assault - and that one of the stabbing victims had shared an alert about Arrington on Facebook.

When he say it, he decided to attack them at home, reported CBS New York.

Jeremy Arrington, 31, pictured, was found guilty on a number of charges related to the Newark home invasion

Arrington stabbed Aerial Little Whitehurst, 8, and Al-Jahon Whitehurst, 11 to death before shooting Syasia McBorroughs, 23, to death

Two 13-year-old twins, a boy and a girl, were also stabbed during the brutal attacks, but survived, as did the family's mother, reports said.

Officials said Arrington became enraged after a former victim of his allegedly reposted a police alert on Facebook that named Arrington as a suspect in an earlier shooting and sexual assault, according to NJ.com.

'The attack was apparently prompted by a comment on Facebook,' Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II said in a statement.

In November 2016, Arrington broke into the Whitehurst residence with a loaded gun before tying up everyone in the home.

After bounding them and leaving them defenseless, he then tortured them with kitchen knives, according to prosecutors.

Al-Jahon Whitehurst, pictured, was stabbed and killed along with his sister back in 2016

Pictured: college student Syasia McBorroughs, 23, was allegedly shot to death by Arrington after he stabbed two children to death

At the time of the crimes, Arrington had also been wanted on charges of sexual assault and aggravated assault for an unrelated incident back in October 2016, a month before the murders, Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray said at a news conference shortly after the stabbings.

He was eventually apprehended after a standoff, police told CBS New York. Multiple SWAT team members responded after being told that Arrington was barricaded inside a building in Newark.

At the time, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka had called the attack 'one of the most tragic and savage' he's seen.

Police had offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to Arrington's arrest prior to his capture.
Celebrity relationships have long been a source of fascination and speculation. Leonardo DiCaprio has been a bona fide heartthrob since he was a teenager. That means his entire dating history  including his first date in eighth grade  has been of interest to the public.

Leonardo DiCaprio | Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

While DiCaprio has a storied dating history, there are some relationships along the way that stick out. DiCaprio once dated Blake Lively. Heres what we know about this brief romance, how it began, and when it ended.

Fresh from a split with prior girlfriend (and model) Bar Refaeli, DiCaprio made headlines back in May 2011 when he was spotted getting cozy with Lively on a yacht in Cannes. As E! Online reports, the pair had met during an event for potential cast members for The Great Gatsby.

Over the next few weeks, the pair was spotted in several locales across the globe including Italy, the French Riviera, and even Disneyland! By July, the gossip columns had suggested the two had split, but they put the rumors to rest by appearing together on a joint shopping trip in Santa Barbara. The next month, they were biking together in New York City. All of this could have been seen as pretty casual, but then Lively visited DiCaprio on set while he filmed in Australia, which suggested things might be getting more serious. That was their last public appearance together  in August 2011.

By October, their split was official news, and the short-lived romance came to an end just before Lively was publicly reported as spending time with Ryan Reynolds  the man who would eventually become her husband.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Blake Lively had a seemingly amicable split

Who can capture Leonardo DiCaprio, Hollywood's most eligible bachelor? https://t.co/CzNxJx34fn pic.twitter.com/dYqRn9TDUX  MSN UK Entertainment (@msnents) February 19, 2016

After their split, there was plenty of ink spilled analyzing what went wrong, but the answer may be quite simple: they may not have been looking for the same thing out of a relationship. As ScreenRant reports, there was rampant speculation that DiCaprio  who was said to be smitten with the captivating Lively  would finally settle down after a lifetime of leaping from romance to romance. Of course, we have hindsight to tell us that wasnt the case.

Lively, for her part, went on to a serious relationship and settled down into the role of wife and mother in addition to her thriving professional career. DiCaprio is still unmarried. Could it be simply that they werent on the same page about what they wanted out of the relationship? The two havent shared much about their fling, but they dont seem to harbor any ill will toward one another. They likely simply moved on to other relationships once they realized that their time together had run its course.

Blake Lively married while Leonardo DiCaprio remains a bachelor

So this is how Blake Lively won Ryan Reynolds' heart (and Leo's for that matter) https://t.co/uOx2oNM5Wo pic.twitter.com/aBSzrxWGbQ  Red Magazine (@RedMagDaily) June 10, 2016

Notably, Livelys very next relationship became a forever after kind of love. Lively and Ryan Reynolds began dating within weeks of her split from DiCaprio, and the two tied the knot about a year later in September 2012. Since then, theyve welcomed three daughters into the world and have delighted fans with their very public banter on social media.

For his part, DiCaprio has remained one of Hollywoods most eligible bachelors. Now nearing 50, DiCaprio has made it clear hes in no rush to get married. His tendency to date much younger women has also drawn headlines. As Cosmopolitan reports, DiCaprio has never dated a woman over 25, and his latest relationship is with 24-year-old Camila Morrone. Much has been made of their 22-year age gap, but DiCaprio and Morrone both insist its not anyone elses business.

Only time will tell if this relationship will be a longer-lasting one or not.

RELATED: Leonardo DiCaprio and Camila Morrone Once Revealed Why Their 22-Year Age Gap Doesnt Matter
Over 60,000 police personnel and 845 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) will be deployed during the seventh and final phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls on Monday, according to officials.

In the seventh phase, voting is proposed in 54 constituencies across nine districts -- Chandauli, Ghazipur, Jaunpur, Azamgarh, Mau, Mirzapur, Sonbhadra, Bhadohi and Varanasi, the Uttar Pradesh Police said in a statement.

Voting will be held at 12,205 polling stations and 23,535 polling booths in 177 police station areas, it said.

Of them, 28 assembly constituencies of Pindra, Rohaniya, Sewapuri, Shahganj, Malhani, Madiyahun, Kerakat, Machhlishahr, Badlapur, Mungarabadshahpur, Jaunpur Sadar, Jafrabad, Mohammadabad, Jamnian, Saidpur, Zahoorabad, Saidraja, Chakia, Azamgarh, Phulpur Powai, Didarganj, Mau Sadar, Gyanpur, Ajra, Shivpur, Varanasi North, Varanasi South, Varanasi Cantonment have been kept in the vulnerable category, the police said.

A total of 701 localities have been marked as vulnerable in the seventh phase, while 3,359 polling places have been considered as critical, the police said in a statement.

In the seventh phase, 78 Pink Booths (women booths) have been arranged to motivate women to vote, and 12 women inspectors or sub-inspectors and 216 women constables or head constables have been deployed, it said.

As per the instructions of the Election Commission, all 12,205 polling stations will be covered by the . For the seventh phase, Uttar Pradesh has received 845 companies of CAPF, it said.

According to officials, a company usually has an operational strength of around 70-80 personnel.

Out of these, 778 companies have been engaged for booth duty and six companies have been engaged for EVM security duty. The others have been assigned law and order duties, and postings on international and inter-state barriers, according to the statement.

Similarly, it said, duties of 6,662 inspectors or sub-inspectors and 53,424 head constables or constables of the Uttar Pradesh Police have been fixed, along with 19 companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary.

The Uttar Pradesh Police said 65,987 licensed weapons had been deposited with it in the run-up to the assembly polls. Another 34 licensed weapons have been seized and license of 169 arms have been cancelled since the day the code of conduct came into force in the nine poll-bound districts of the seventh phase, it added.

In view of the possibility of breach of peace during elections, 41,227 preventive actions have been taken against 4,20,389 people, it said.

Police said they also seized 1,010 illegal arms and 881 cartridges while busting three illegal arms factories.

Till now, a total of Rs 2.25 crore cash, illicit liquor worth Rs 4 crore, narcotics worth Rs 3.17 crore have been seized ahead of elections in the region, the police statement said.

So far, 71 cognizable offence and 68 non-cognizable offence cases have been registered for violating the code of conduct in these districts, while 17 cases have been registered regarding violation of the election-related guidelines, it read.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets with people from the Ukrainian community as Russia has launched a devastating attack and war on Ukraine in Toronto on March 4, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Nathan Denette)

Trudeau Departs for Europe to Meet With Allies on Ukraine Response

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau departed for Europe on Sunday to meet with allies about the intensifying situation in Ukraine.

Trudeau has meetings set for Monday in London with the prime ministers of Britain and the Netherlands.

In the days to come, Trudeau is to meet with other leaders in Riga, Latvia, Berlin and Warsaw, Poland.

Hes also due to meet with the secretary-general of NATO and with Canadian Armed Forces members during his trip.

Trudeau left Canada as plans to evacuate civilians from a Ukrainian port city collapsed for the second time.

Residents expected to leave Mariupol during the 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. local ceasefire, Ukrainian military authorities said earlier in the day, but Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko later said the planned evacuations were halted because of an ongoing assault by Russian troops.

The Canadian Prime Ministers Office says he will work with allies in Europe on responding to Russias military aggression and the humanitarian challenges stemming from the conflict, which has prompted more than a million people to flee Ukraine since late last month.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has pleaded for a no-fly zone over his country and lashed out at NATO for refusing to impose one, warning that all the people who die from this day forward will also die because of you.

But NATO has refused, as Russian President Vladimir Putin has made clear hed consider such a move a hostile act.

Instead, the alliance of western nations has opted to send weapons and defensive equipment to Ukraine while attacking Russias economy.

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly has been in Europe over the past few days in meetings with NATO and European Commission officials about ongoing efforts to sanction Russia.
Chennai, March 6 : A fresh controversy has erupted in Tamil Nadu with fringe Hindu groups coming out against first Dalit woman Mayor of Chennai, R. Priya meeting a controversial Bishop Ezra Sargunam, who in a speech earlier called upon Christians to punch Hindus hard in the face till they bleed.

He had also said that there was nothing called Hindu religion and had asked the Christian faithfuls to beat up anyone who says that Hinduism was a religion.

Hindu Makkal Katchi, a fringe Hindu group on its Twitter post said, "Mayor Of Chennai is a member of 'Ottery ECI Church'. She went to meet 'Bishop Ezra' to receive his blessings. Now, any doubt on Gopalapuram connection - Crypto. This is a total injustice to Dalit community." The controversial Bishop Ezra Sargunam had also come out strongly against Prime minister Narendra Modi in an earlier speech in 2020.

When contacted a senior leader of the BJP said, "We are studying the matter and will comment on the same." Chennai Mayor R. Priya was not available for comments even after repeated calls. DMK leaders also refrained from commenting on the matter.
New Delhi, March 6 : Two people were arrested on Sunday for allegedly killing a 45-year-old man in the outskirts of Delhi, police said.

The accused were identified as Bobby, 23, and Ramniwas, 27, both residents of UP's Aligarh.

DCP Brijendra Kumar Yadav said a call was received at SP Badli police station on Saturday afternoon regarding a dead body inside a shanty near lower GTK road.

"On receiving the information, the police reached the spot and found a dead body of a man whose throat was slit and bore injuries on forehead," he said, adding that after local enquiry, the identity of the deceased was revealed as Rajbeer.

Police registered a case of murder and launched investigations. Bobby and Ramniwas were identified as suspects and arrested after it came to be known that they had a heated argument with Rajbeer 5-6 days back.
Under heavy rain Saturday morning, supporters of a convoy of vehicles protesting COVID-19 vaccine and mask requirements, among other issues, waved American flags, held signs of support and cheered on the group as it passed through Madison.

About 20 people gathered on the Buckeye Road overpass of Interstate 39-90 as the American Truckers Freedom Convoy continued its route through Wisconsin after participants stayed in Portage Friday night. Semis, pickup trucks, cars and campers  many flying American, Gadsden and Donald Trump flags  passed underneath, honking out to those above.

Joe Shumate, whos lived in Madison about 30 years, said he believes the reaction to COVID-19 and related restrictions went a little overboard.

Shumate said he wasnt able to work from home when Wisconsin shuttered most businesses in the spring of 2020 and in the eyes of some he went from an essential worker to an anti-vaxxer, criminal worker in less than a year.

He said hes not downplaying how serious the coronavirus can be, as his brother spent 70 days in a hospital, including 12 days on a ventilator.

It almost killed him, so I understand the seriousness of it, Shumate said. But I also understand that you have to let the economy do what it does and not hamper business and society.

After truckers formed blockades and caused other disruptions in Canada to protest COVID-19 restrictions, similar convoys have cropped up in the U.S. According to the website for the American Truckers Freedom Convoy, which has several starting points and routes, the protesters are driving to Washington, D.C., on other issues such as energy, immigration, agricultural regulations and big tech/government censorship.

Authorities initially estimated potentially 500 vehicles could pass through Wisconsin this weekend as part of the convoy. It was unclear how many drove past Madison on Saturday, and there was no visible disruption of traffic flow.

Shortly after noon, the convoy had made its way out of Wisconsin and was stopped in Oglesby, Illinois, according to a livestream that was posted in the Facebook group for the Freedom Convoys Midwest group.

The protest comes as many states and local governments with mask mandates, including Dane County, lift the orders and other restrictions with the omicron surge subsiding.

In January, the Biden administration withdrew its vaccination-or-test requirement for large employers after the U.S. Supreme Court blocked implementation of the rule. A federal requirement for certain health care employees to be vaccinated, though, remains in place, and some private businesses have their own requirements for COVID-19 vaccines, which public health officials say continue to be effective at preventing serious illness and death.

Others supporting the convoy as it passed through Madison offered reasons beyond COVID-19 restrictions as to why they came out.

Jefferson County resident James Topel was waving an American flag as the sound of truck horns blared and rain soaked those without umbrellas.

He said he was protesting against government tyranny from the local to the federal level. Topel called COVID-19 measures one tool of the tyrannical government, theyve got so many more that so many people dont realize.

I did four years in the Army, so Ive seen more than most people have in their whole life, Ill tell ya, Topel said. You get into different countries and realize what we have, thats when you dont take it for granted. And thats what so many people in our country do right now, is taking everything for granted.

Heather Barrie drove with her son from Washington County  the first of two trips to Dane County planned on Saturday  to cheer on the convoy, which she said was a historical moment for the country.

Ive been watching this convoy and everything it represents, she said. I just felt it was my patriotic duty to be out here and support them.

Barrie, a School Board candidate in the Hartford Union High School District, said she had a candidate forum to attend later in the afternoon before a birthday celebration in Sun Prairie.

What motivated Barrie to make the Saturday morning drive, she said, was a desire to restore humankind, to restore our country, to restore our patriotism, to restore just our faith in being good people again. We have a lot of nastiness going on right now.
Chief Minister on Sunday said around 1,800 students from the state were stuck in the war-torn Ukraine, of which 1,234 have been evacuated.

The CM said this after interacting with students who returned from that country.

Of the remaining students, 80 are still stuck in Ukraine cities while the others have reached the country's borders, Khattar told mediapersons.

Khattar said the students who have completed their course in Ukraine will be given internship opportunities.

About the students who are yet to complete their studies there, Khattar said once the situation normalises, the government will talk to their colleges over the issue.

For now, our priority is to bring back all Indians stuck in Ukraine, the CM 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.)
Scores of lifestyle and concierge firms catering for oligarchs and wealthy property clients are facing a crime blitz, experts have warned.

The Governments proposed Economic Crime Bill will crack down on foreign buyers of UK property with a register of beneficial ownership dating back 20 years.

Russian oligarchs and other foreign buyers have so far been able to buy expensive properties in Britain while hiding ownership with a web of complex shell companies.

It is estimated by Transparency International that 1.5billion of property in London has been bought by Russians accused of corruption or with links to the Kremlin.

The Governments proposed Economic Crime Bill will crack down on foreign buyers of UK property with a register of beneficial ownership dating back 20 years. Many Russian buyers have bought properties Belgrave Square, pictured, in recent years

Many of the property deals are arranged by middlemen who operate illegally to take a commission from clients while turning a blind eye to current anti-money laundering laws, industry experts have told The Mail on Sunday.

Around 200 firms, including lifestyle and concierge companies, family offices and illegal property brokers are facing a crackdown once the new law is introduced.

The firms are said to largely operate in London and the surrounding area but have failed to legally register as estate agents under the government-backed insurance schemes.

Jonathan Hopper, former director on the board of the Property Ombudsman and CEO of Garrington property finders, said of the new bill: There has been a focus on property agents and advisers for many years and its going to make sure they double down on compliance and treat everything they need to do very seriously.

Its a small minority that fly under the radar and cause these problems.

Those that have been doing this as an additional lucrative revenue stream are going to come under quite a bit of scrutiny, theyll either get their house in order or shut down very quickly.

Pictured, One Hyde Park in Knightsbridge, London, which at one point was the home of wealthy Russian businessmen Vladislav Doronin and Rinat Akhmetov. Many of the property deals are arranged by middlemen who operate illegally to take a commission from clients while turning a blind eye to current anti-money laundering laws

London has always been attractive to a lot of international buyers because its been seen as a safe harbour to put wealth into and property in of itself has been seen as a stable asset class.

Timothy Douglas, of property agents trade body Property Mark, said: A key element of the bill is the overseas register and their beneficial owners and that will be about maintaining integrity in the housing market by allowing agents to check who the buyers are.

The Economic Crime Bill, first promised in 2016, was controversially shelved last month but revived following the outcry over the invasion of Ukraine.

The bill will also overhaul Unexplained Wealth Orders, allowing authorities to target those managing properties on behalf of rich individuals and protecting the government from crippling legal costs.

Around 200 firms, including lifestyle and concierge companies, family offices and illegal property brokers are facing a crackdown once the new law is introduced. Street signs for Chesham Place and Belgrave Square sit outside residential homes in London, where Russian oligarchs have properties

The National Crime Agency (NCA) estimates around 100billion of illicit finance is channelled through the UK each year.

But critics have warned the bill contains ambiguities which could allow wealthy individuals to still hide their identities with nominee agreements.

James Munro, of the National Trading Standards estate agency team, said: If agents are not members of an approved redress scheme, they risk heavy fines or potentially prohibition orders, which would prevent them from engaging in estate agency work.
President Muhammadu Buhari has dismissed the assertion that the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) lacks the capacity to conduct its national convention on March 26, saying the party will surprise its critics.

The president stated this when he fielded questions from State House correspondents shortly before departing the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, for London on Sunday.

President had initially planned to embark on the London trip from Nairobi, Kenya after attending the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) at 50 in that country on Friday.

The president said: Well, they (critics) should wait and see. How did we come as a party to take power from the ruling party who had been there before us for so many years?

So, we have the capacity, everything will be alright.

On the London trip, Mr Buhari said his absence from the country would not affect the running of government as the Vice-President, who would be assisted by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation as well as his Chief of Staff, would be in charge.

Well, I cannot claim to be doing the work alone. The government is fully represented  the Vice-President is there, constitutionally when Im away hes in charge; And the Secretary to the government and then the chief of staff. So, no problem.

The presidents spokesman, Femi Adesina, had on March 1, in a statement, said the presidents trip to London for routine medical checks, would last for a maximum of two weeks.

This newspaper had earlier reported that the President departed for London on Sunday for medical check-up after returning from a trip to Kenya.

Mr Buhari has been going to the United Kingdom for medical treatment since 2015 when he assumed power as a democratically-elected President on the platform of the APC.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday departed Abuja for routine medical check-up in London.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the president had initially planned to embark on the trip from Nairobi, Kenya after attending the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) at 50 in that country.

The presidents spokesman, Femi Adesina, had on March 1, in a statement, said the president would from Kenya proceed to London for routine medical checks that will last for a maximum of two weeks.

However, the president returned to Abuja on Friday at about 1.p.m before embarking on the London trip on Sunday.

READ ALSO:

Since his assumption of office as a democratically-elected President in 2015, Mr Buhari has been going to London for medical treatment over ailments that remain unknown to Nigerians.

(NAN)
President Muhammadu Buhari has said the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, will be in charge of governance in the country as he departed for London on Sunday.

The President disclosed this while speaking to State House Correspondents shortly before his trip to the UK for a medical check-up.

Mr Buhari said Mr Osinbajo would be assisted by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha and the Chief of Staff.

As of the time of filing this report there was no indication the President sent a letter to the Senate indicating the transfer of power to the VP in his absence in the country, which is the constitutional thing to do.

The President said his absence from the country would not affect the running of the government.

He said: Well, I cannot claim to be doing the work alone. The government is fully represented  the Vice President is there, constitutionally when I am away he is in charge; and the Secretary to the government and the chief of staff. So, no problem.

The President had initially planned to leave Kenya directly for London after attending a UNEP programme but made an abrupt return to the country before eventually departing Abuja for London on Sunday.

Despite criticisms, Mr Buhari has been going to London for medical treatments since he assumed office as a democratically-elected President in 2015.
EAST ST. LOUIS  East St. Louis City Manager Carlos Mayfield said rank-and-file members of the city's police department could expect to see 2% raises reflected in their first paychecks of 2022.

It's two months into the new year now, however, and the officers say they are still waiting on their pay increase.

It's been seven years since they've seen a raise; two years since representatives of the city and Fraternal Order of Police signed off on that new contract that guaranteed them a 2% annual hike retroactive to 2015; 31 months since a court-appointed arbitrator told the city the contract was legally binding; and six months past the arbitrator's deadline for the city to make good on its terms.

On Oct. 11, the East St. Louis City Council voted unanimously to implement the raises, prompting Mayfield's assurance that they would take effect with the new year. But he said the raises couldn't start until the city council approved the new fiscal budget, which was delayed until Feb. 15 due to the weather.

But the most recent paychecks, which were issued on Feb. 28, still did not include the 2% bump in pay.

President Robert Sallie and the other members of the Fraternal Order of Police East St. Louis Lodge No. 126 want to know: Where's the money?

"The arbitrator ruled in our favor. The ruling is legally binding. There is no way to undo it and do with it what you want to do," Sallie said. "No, we did not sign off on a different agreement. We are sticking with the arbitrator's ruling."

Repeated attempts over the last eight months to reach those most directly involved in the negotiations have gone unanswered. They include Robert Jones, attorney for the Fraternal Order of Police, the officers' union, and Ryan Olier, a field representative for the Fraternal Order of Police who negotiated the 2019 collective bargaining agreement that eventually became subject of the arbitrator's ruling.

When contacted, East St. Louis City Attorney C.J. Barecvic referred all questions to Mayfield.

Officers who have spoken to the BND have asked their names not be published out of fear of politically-motivated reprisal, including the loss of their jobs.

Arbitrator intervenes

The East St. Louis police officers' last collective bargaining agreement with the city expired on Dec. 31, 2015, but a new deal wasn't negotiated until 2019.

The contract provided 2% annual raises for all officers with a rank of sergeant and below, plus raises retroactive to the end of the previous contract to be paid as a lump sum. Anyone who worked as an officer during that time, including those now retired or deceased, would be afforded their prorated share.

Collective bargaining agreements with other East St. Louis workers also including so-called "me-to" clauses, which means whatever benefits one union negotiates must then be extended to the others. Workers with the fire and public works departments, therefore, also are past due for a 2% raise.

Jones, Baricevic and then-city manager Brooke Smith signed off on the contract. But Smith, who had just been hired to the job months before, later recommended to city council members that they not approve the contract, citing the city's on-going financial hardships.

According to the court documents, Smith said she felt obligated to sign off on the tentative agreement because it had been negotiated by her predecessor prior to her hiring earlier in 2019. She told the city council, however, that the contract threatened the ability of the police and fire departments to remain operational.

The same court documents said that Baricevic told the council that "it would constitute unfair labor practice under the (Illinois Labor Relations) Act should the Council not ratify it," because the city had already agreed to the terms of the contract.

The council acted on Smith's advice and voted the deal down.

Two years later, on Aug. 2, 2021, Jacalyn Zimmerman, an arbitrator appointed by the St. Clair County Court, ruled that the council members reneged on the agreement and gave the city 30 days to honor its terms.

In her ruling, Zimmerman recognized that East St. Louis' fiscal problems have been long-standing and well known, but "the fact that salary increases may be difficult to pay does not demonstrate an inability to pay."

By state law, her ruling is final and cannot be appealed.

"Settlement" rejected

The city and police union representatives, nevertheless, went back to the negotiating table and agreed to a "settlement" on Oct. 8. Its terms provide all the same compensation benefits outlined in the original contract, adding that the two sides have 90 days to negotiate the total amount of retroactive pay that is due the officers. The city has proposed a settlement amount of $148,830.52, which police officers who spoke to the BND believe is too low.

"We went back to the union after the arbitrator's ruling and asked them if we could negotiate more favorable terms," Mayfield said this week. "Their union agreed to negotiate in good faith."

Officers who spoke with the BND acknowledged the city's financial challenges. They have argued, however, that their median pay is lower than police departments in comparably sized metro-east communities even though their work is more dangerous due to the high rates of violent crime in East St. Louis.

A 2% raise isn't out of line, they say.

City council members voted unanimously to approve the settlement in a special meeting held three days after it was signed by Baricevic and Jones. Rank-and-file members of East St. Louis police union, however, issued a letter back to the city on Oct. 14 flatly rejecting the settlement, stating that they were not given the opportunity to vote on it and arguing that Zimmerman's ruling is final.

According to the letter, a digitally scanned copy of which was obtained by the Belleville News-Democrat, the officers confronted Jones and Olier with their dissatisfaction during an Oct. 13 union meeting.

"After further discussion, the members of FOP Lodge #126 expressed deep resentment for the nature and manner this signed agreement was introduced and handled," it reads. "The members of FOP Lodge #126 vote to reject the pay raises proposed in the signed agreement between Baricevic and Jones.

"On August 2, 2021, Jackie Zimmerman, a duly recognized and appointed arbitrator, found and ordered 2% raises to be paid to the members of the East St. Louis Department Bargaining Unit (FOP Lodge #126) represented by the Fraternal Order of Police, retroactive to the previously bargained for contract."

The letter further states that the officers consider the settlement "null and void," since a legally binding ruling already had been made by Zimmerman.

"The arbitrator's award is final and binding, therefore there are no more negotiations to be had or side agreements to be made in this matter. ... therefore the process going forward is litigation."

The letter was signed by Lodge 126 President Robert Sallie, Vice President Leland Cherry and Trustee Andre Henson, none of which provided the copy obtained by the BND.

East St. Louis Mayor Robert Eastern III said he could not comment on the negotiations, other than to confirm details spelled out in public records.
EIR LEAD EDITORIAL FOR SUNDAY, MARCH 6, 2022

When Did the United States Cease Being Democratic?

March 5, 2022 (EIRNS)On Thursday, March 3, the Russian international television network RT ran an hour-long documentary, Donbas: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, which had been produced in 2021, showing: the role of the neo-Nazi killers in the U.S. supported the 2014 Maidan coup against the elected government; the genocide in Odessa when the Nazis barricaded pro-government organizers in the Trade Union Building and burned 40-50 of them alive, shooting those who tried to jump out the windows; the outlawing of the use of the Russian language in numerous ways; the massive bombardment of the Donbas when the citizens there held a referendum declaring independence from the new pro-Nazi government imposed by the United States; the years of shelling from the Ukraine Army and the Nazi Azov Brigade over the past eight years, killing 14,000 men, women and children; and scenes from the past years as the NATO countries refused to put any pressure on Kiev to implement the Minsk 2 agreement, which would have ended the war.

The next day, the RT network was shut down in the United States, as it had already been in the U.K. and European Union. Americans will not be allowed to hear a view from Russia. In some European countries, it is considered a crime to defend Russia, while the U.S., U.K. and EU governments and media peddle massive lies about the events in Ukraine and Russia. Will U.S. news services which report the truth soon be banned, or even prosecuted, in the United States? Perhaps you should quickly watch and circulate Helga Zepp-LaRouches 24-minute video, Lies and Truth About Ukraine, in case it is censored by a government gone mad.

Recall that for the past several years, mass censorship of social media has been implemented in the U.S., under the guise of protecting the public from fake news. Even the President of the nation was canceled by Silicon Valley, with enthusiastic Congressional support, as tens of thousands of websites were shut down or restricted by the new national thought police.

Ah, but we can still vote, I hear you say, and, after all, voting, usually choosing between candidates carefully vetted by the same thought police, is the essence of democracy. Further participation in the affairs of state are discouraged, as wars are fought against innocent nations without public mandate or even Congressional approval, while the real economy is sacrificed to trillion-dollar bailouts of Wall Street without the need to even explain it to the citizenry. Now, as Wall Street has joined the City of London in the shutdown of the productive sector of the economy here and abroad, under the guise of the Green New Dealthe fake science claiming carbon causes climate changethe actual controllers of the nations economy in the City of London and Wall Street have declared that they will not allow Russia or China to develop either, by imposing financial nuclear sanctions on both, the danger of nuclear war be damned.

Reflect on the fact that there is only one way out of this onrushing descent into a new dark age and possible nuclear conflagration. The solution has been known for many years, and was most recently spelled out by the Schiller Institute President Helga Zepp-LaRouche in the petition Convoke an International Conference to Establish a New Security and Development Architecture for All Nations. The petition presents solutions formulated over the past decades by the late Lyndon H. LaRouche, insisting that only a New Bretton Woods agreement to put the Western financial system through bankruptcy reorganization, and the implementation of a new international cooperation agreement for the security and development of all nations, can reverse the onslaught of global depression and global war.

When did we lose our democracy? Reflect on the deployment of the entire power of government and Wall Street to silence Lyndon LaRouche in the 1980s and 1990s.

Consider the worlds of former Attorney General Ramsey Clark, in testimony given to an independent commission on Aug. 31, 1995 on the persecution of LaRouche:

In what was a complex and pervasive utilization of law enforcement, prosecution, media, and non-governmental organizations focussed on destroying an enemy, this case must be number one. There are some, where the government itself may have done more and more wrongfully over a period of time; but the very networking and combination of federal, state, and local agencies, of Executive and even some Legislative and Judicial branches, of major media and minor local media, and of influential lobbyist types, the ADL preeminently, this case takes the prize. The purpose can only be seen as destroyingmore than a political movement, more than a political figure, it is those twobut its a fertile engine of ideas, a common purpose of thinking and studying and analyzing to solve problems, regardless of the impact on the status quo, or on vested interests. It was a deliberate purpose to destroy that at any cost. ... In the LaRouche case, theyre book people.... They had publishing houses going on. Important publications. Non-profit stuff. This is what they were about: ideas, information, social change. Meeting the needs of human people all over the world, humanity all over the world. Were going to have a billion more people before the end of this millennium, century, decade, and the vast majority, 80%, are going to have beautiful, darker skin. And theyre going to live short lives, short lives of sickness, hunger, pain, ignorance, and violence, unless we act radically. And these books have ideas. Some will work, some wont work, but theyre ideas. They can be tested in the marketplace, as we used to say. And the government came in with a false bankruptcy claim, against a non-profit publishing house, and shut em down! Whats the First Amendment worth? Well silence you, youll have no books out there. 

Now is the moment in which the American people, and people around the world, can and must come together to right the wrong that was done to the citizens of the world by denying them access to LaRouches ideas. Now is the moment in which the world can and must recognize that the old system is broken and cannot be fixed, that a new system based on the security and development of all peoples can and must be designed through a new Peace of Westphalia, bringing all nations together to reverse the moral and economic decay, to build a new Renaissance based on the dignity of mankind.

Read and distribute the newly published 64-page pamphlet, Stop Global Britains Green War Drive.
Russia Bombing of Ukrainian Nuclear Power Plant, Hoax Of the Year?

March 5, 2022 (EIRNS)Serious analysts are raising serious doubts about the Ukraine-U.K.-U.S. narrative accusing Russias from bombing Ukraines Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, with six reactors, the largest nuclear compound in Europe.

The NATO narrative says that Russian troops took over the nuclear plant Friday morning March 4, after shelling it during the night. The local mayor of the city of Enerhodar claimed in a Telegram post that the plant was on fire due to continuous enemy shelling.

Then, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba lashed out on Twitter that Russia had attacked the power plant from all sides and warned that if the nuclear station blows up, it would be 10 times larger than Chernobyl. An unnamed Ukrainian official also reportedly told U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) that one reactor was hit, but added that a meltdown was unlikely.

Later that night, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of nuclear terrorism and discussed the situation with U.S. President Joe Biden. POTUS spoke with President Zelenskyy this evening to receive an update on the fire at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the White House tweeted. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm also said she was in touch with Kievs energy minister and so was U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who rushed into convening a UN Security Council meeting following a request from several countries. U.S. Republicans then followed with their calls to take out Putin.

The facts are totally different. Russian troops were in the area as early as Monday, Feb. 28, fully confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which stated, in its update No. 4 posted on its website that day: On 27 Feb., Ukraines Foreign Ministry informed the IAEA that Russian military forces were advancing close to the largest of the sitesthe Zaporizhzhia NPP in eastern Ukraine. Additional information received on 28 Feb. from the operator confirmed that the Russian forces were operational near the site but had not entered it at the time of reporting. On March 2, the IAEA reported:

Russia has informed the IAEA that its military forces have taken control of the territory around Ukraines Zaporizhzhia NPP, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said today. In an official letter to the Director General dated 1 March, the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the International Organizations in Vienna also said personnel at the plant continued their work on providing nuclear safety and monitoring radiation in normal mode of operation. The radiation levels remain normal. 

This was two days before the alleged shelling of the facility. Only lunatics could argue that Russian military would shell or bomb a nuclear power station controlled by the Russian forces themselves. An overall strategy of irradiating ones own battlefield seems also quite surrealistic. Earlier in the week, Chernobyl was taken over by the Russian army and was under joint control by both countries.

The Russian Defense Ministry later offered its own account. According to TASS,

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov issued an official statement Friday morning [March 4] on the shooting and fire that had taken place at Ukraines Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant earlier in the day. Last night, the nationalist regime in Kiev attempted to carry out a horrible provocation in the vicinity of the station, he announced, claiming that Russian troops patrolling the territory had been attacked by a Ukrainian sabotage group. According to the spokesman, Ukrainian forces had attacked the Russian soldiers at around 2 a.m. local time, opening heavy fire from the training facility next to the power station to provoke a retaliatory attack on the building. The Russian patrol had neutralized the groups firing points, but the saboteurs had set fire to the training facility as they retreated, Konashenkov said. The fire was put out by Ukrainian State Emergency Service firefighters.

The video footage taken from the surveillance cameras show that and nothing else. The bright light appearing on the footage, described as shells by the Western media, has been identified by a professional military sources as coming from a flare grenade (not a destructive weapon) and not from shelling or bombing. Western media hysterically describes the flares as shells, and causing a near nuclear disaster by the madman Putin.

Quoting from General Konashenkovs briefing, Antiwar.com wrote:  Zelenskyys prompt statements about the alleged threat to the nuclear power plant and his talks with Washington and London leave no doubt. The purpose of the provocation of the Kiev regime at a nuclear facility is an attempt to accuse Russia of creating a source of radioactive contamination, the ministry continued.

Antiwar.com also reports that Zaporizhzhia NPP has come under assault in the past, long before Russias invasion last week, citing British Independent coverage that the neo-Nazi Right Sector had been backed off by local police and plant security from an attack in May 2014.
PANAMA CITY, Fla. (AP)  Huge wildfires in the Florida Panhandle forced veterans in a nursing home to evacuate Sunday alongside residents of more than 1,000 homes in an area still recovering from a Category 5 hurricane three years ago.

Firefighters battled the 9,000-acre (about 3,642 hectare) Bertha Swamp Road fire and the 841-acre (340-hectare) Adkins Avenue fire, which have threatened homes and forced residents of at least 1,100 houses in Bay County, Florida to flee over the weekend. The Adkins Avenue fire destroyed two structures and damaged another 12 homes late Friday.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called the larger Bertha Swamp Road fire a big boy, at a news conference in Panama City on Sunday afternoon. Its moving very quickly.

On Sunday, a third fire developed, forcing the evacuation of a 120-bed, state-operated nursing home in Panama City. Public transit was being used to move the residents at the Clifford Chester Sims State Veterans Nursing Home. Buses also were on standby in case the 1,300 inmates at the nearby Bay County Jail needed to be evacuated to other facilities.

Hurricane Michael in 2018 left behind 72 million tons of destroyed trees that have provided fuel for the Bay County wildfires, according to the Florida Forest Service. The hurricane was directly responsible for 16 deaths and about $25 billion in damage in the U.S.

Local authorities say they don't know when residents will be able to return to their homes. The county opened a shelter at the Bay County Fairgrounds for displaced residents.

I know there has been frustration with people not being able to get back into their homes, said Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford. But we have had things that have popped up on a minute's notice and really caused problems. As soon as we can, we will let people go back.

The Adkins Avenue fire has been burning in Bay County since Friday, forcing the evacuation of at least 600 homes, and it was 35% contained Sunday. Fire officials initially said it was 1,400 acres (567 hectares) but adjusted the size downward Sunday afternoon.

Story continues

The much-larger Bertha Swamp Fire started in neighboring Gulf County on Friday but spread to Bay and Calhoun counties Saturday, forcing the evacuation of scores of more homes. It was 10% contained as of Sunday.

Its just hard to believe that something could be that big, said Brad Monroe, chief of Bay County Emergency Services. If you fly around it, its just incredible. Its hard to comprehend how big, strong and fierce this fire is.

Florida Forest Service helicopters had dropped more than 103,000 gallons (about 468,000 liters) of water on the Adkins Avenue fire since Friday, and 25 bulldozers had been deployed to plow fire lines. Firefighters from all over Florida were deployed to the county to battle the blazes.

Unfortunately what we have going on today is almost a carbon copy of yesterday's weather," Joe Zwierzchowski, a spokesman for the Florida Forest Service, said Sunday morning. We are looking at high, sustained winds of 10 to 15 (16 to 24 kilometers) miles per hour, gusting up to 20 to 25 miles (32 to 40 kilometers) per hour. So that's going to make it a very dynamic situation."

Currently, there are nearly 150 wildfires burning more than 12,100 acres (about 4,900 hectares) throughout Florida, and the state is only at the very beginning of its wildfire season.

It is incredibly dry throughout the state and typically we see this kind of activity in the months of April and May," Zwierzchowski said. Seeing it in early March really gives us an indication of what the fire season is going to be like."

___

Mike Schneider in Orlando, Florida, and Julie Walker in New York City contributed to this report.




European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday called for a "strong and clear investigation" into potential Russian war crimes during its invasion of Ukraine.

"I think there needs to be a strong and clear investigation on this question," von der Leyen said when asked by co-anchor Jake Tapper on CNN's "State of the Union" if she believes that Russia is committing war crimes in Ukraine.

"We need to make the case real clear and without any doubt. But whatever you are just describing has to be, there has to be looked into it and there needs to be an investigation on that," she added, after Tapper cited reports of Russian forces targeting border crossings and other areas that would be used as humanitarian corridors.

An International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor announced last week that he would open an investigation into potential war crimes. Karim A. A. Khan, the prosecutor, said "there is a reasonable basis to proceed with opening an investigation."

Ukraine and its allies have also called on the United Nations to investigate potential war crimes committed by Russia.

Last week, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) said he believes Russian shelling in Ukraine constitutes a war crime.

"We see the indiscriminate shelling of residential buildings of hospitals. This is not what a military exercise is supposed to be. These are in essence, from my perspective, war crimes," Menendez said during an interview.
Losses among civilians from 04:00 on February 24, 2022, when Russia started the war against Ukraine, until 00:00 on March 5, 2022 amounted to 1,123 civilians, including 364 dead, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said.

"OHCHR believes that the real figures are considerably higher, especially in Government-controlled territory and especially in recent days, as the receipt of information from some locations where intense hostilities have been going on has been delayed," the office said in the document.

According to it, this applies, for example, to Volnovakha, where hundreds of civilians were reportedly killed or wounded. They are subject to further verification and are not included in the above statistics.

"Most of the civilian casualties recorded were caused by the use of explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multi-launch rocket systems, and missile and air strikes," the office said in the statement.

According to confirmed UN data, some 74 men, 42 women, eight boys and four girls died, while the gender of 13 children and 223 adults has not yet been determined.

Among the 759 injured, 11 girls and 2 boys, as well as 28 children, whose gender is not yet unknown.

During the day, according to the UN, the number of dead children increased by three, injured  by five.

OHCHR says in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as of midnight March 5, there were 65 killed and 309 injured in government-controlled territory, and 23 killed and 106 injured in territory controlled by self-proclaimed "republics."

In other regions of Ukraine under government control (Kyiv, as well as in Zhytomyr, Zaporizhia, Kyiv, Sumy, Odesa, Kharkiv, Kherson, Cherkasy and Chernihiv regions), the UN recorded 276 killed and 374 wounded.

The summary also states that according to the Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights and Child Rehabilitation, as of 12:00 on March 6, 38 children were killed and 71 were injured in government-controlled territory.

OHCHR also said the report of the National Police of Kharkiv region, according to which, as of 10:00 on March 5, some 126 civilians were killed in the region, including five children, and 312 people were injured.

The increase in figures in this report compared to the figures in the previous report should not be attributed only to new cases that occurred on March 5, since OHCHR also verified a number of cases that occurred in previous days during the day, according to the document.
Russian President drew the attention of his Turkish counterpart Recep to the futility of any attempts by Kiev to delay the negotiation process.

In a conversation with Erdogan, Putin noted that the delay in negotiations is used by the Ukrainian security forces to regroup their forces and means.

"In this regard, it was emphasized that the suspension of the special operation is possible only if Kiev ceases hostilities and fulfills the well-known requirements of Russia," the Kremlin said, RT reported.

Russian President expressed hope that at the next round of negotiations between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations, Kiev would show a more constructive approach.

He said this in a conversation with Turkish President Recep .

"Hope was expressed that during the planned next round of negotiations, representatives of Ukraine will show a more constructive approach that fully takes into account the emerging realities," the Kremlin's press service said.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett spoke with Vladimir Zelensky for the third time in a day, Anna Jonathan-Leus, Bennett's press secretary, told RIA Novosti.

On March 5, Putin discussed the situation around Ukraine with the Israeli Prime Minister in Moscow.

Following this, Bennett met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin.

--IANS

san/skp/

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)




A worker monitors a production line of the Swire Coca-Cola Beverages Hubei Limited in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 24, 2020. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Major beverage producers in China registered double-digit growth in output last year, official data shows.

In 2021, major beverage producers saw their output rise 12 percent year on year to over 183 million tonnes, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

In December alone, the beverage output amounted to 13.59 million tonnes, up 8.3 percent year on year.

Major producers refer to companies with annual revenue of more than 20 million yuan (about 3.16 million U.S. dollars). 
BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday extended festive greetings and best wishes to the country's women of all ethnic groups and from all walks of life ahead of the International Women's Day, which falls on March 8.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, sent the greetings when he participated in a joint group meeting at the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the top political advisory body. 
Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits national political advisors from the sectors of agriculture and welfare and social security, who are attending the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), in Beijing, capital of China, March 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday stressed putting the improvement of comprehensive agricultural production capacity at a more prominent position, and continuing efforts on promoting the high-quality development of social security.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks when visiting national political advisors from the sectors of agriculture and welfare and social security, who are attending the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Xi participated in their joint group meeting, and listened to their comments and suggestions.

He underlined ensuring the supply of key agricultural products, especially grain, as the top priority in rural revitalization.

On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, Xi extended festive greetings and best wishes to the country's women of all ethnic groups and from all walks of life ahead of the International Women's Day.

Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, joined the visit and discussion.

CHINA'S STRATEGIC ADVANTAGES

Over the past year, various undertakings of the Party and the country have recorded new and major achievements, which are the result of the hard work of all Chinese. Political advisors have also made their contributions, Xi said.

The international situation is going through profound and complex changes and the world has entered a new period of turbulence, Xi said, adding that China faces arduous tasks of reform, development and stability domestically.

Still, China boasts multiple strategic advantages, including the strong leadership of the CPC, the institutional strength of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and a solid foundation accumulated in the country's sustained and rapid development, Xi said.

Thanks to China's large economic aggregate and huge domestic market, the long-term sound economic fundamentals will remain unchanged, he said, adding that the economy has strong resilience and vitality.

Xi also noted the long-term stability of the Chinese society and the confidence and resolve of the Chinese people to overcome difficulties.

"CHINESE RICE BOWL"

China has fed nearly one-fifth of the world population with 9 percent of the world's arable land and 6 percent of fresh water resources, Xi said, hailing this hard-won accomplishment while warning against a lapse of attention on the issue of food security.

It is wrong to think that food supply is no longer a problem in an industrialized society, or to count on the global market to solve the issue, he added.

Xi underscored keeping the annual grain output at over 650 million tonnes and "filling the rice bowl of Chinese people mainly with Chinese grain."

Xi said curbing food waste is a long-term task that requires unremitting efforts.

Calling farmland the foundation of ensuring sustainable development for the Chinese nation, Xi underscored cultivating 1 billion mu (about 66.67 million hectares) of high-standard farmland and ensuring the area of farmland remains above 120 million hectares.

The ultimate solution to safeguarding food security lies in enhancing science and technology, Xi said.

Germplasm resources security is closely related to national security, Xi said, adding that China must strengthen its seed industry to achieve self-reliance in the sci-tech development of the sector and keep the country's germplasm resources independent and controllable.

He stressed ensuring the effective supply of meat, vegetables, fruits and aquatic products and other kinds of food in addition to grain.

Efforts should be made to develop bio-technology and bio-industry, actively promote the agricultural supply-side structural reform and develop various food varieties, according to Xi.

CARING FOR THE VULNERABLE

Xi said rural revitalization involves more than economic development, urging ethical and moral education among farmers and law-based governance. He demanded continuous efforts to crack down on criminal gangs or clans in rural areas, calling for mechanisms to conduct such work on a regular basis.

Pornography, gambling and drug-related crime in rural areas, as well as illegal and criminal acts infringing upon the rights and interests of women and children should be punished, Xi said.

Noting that China has built the world's largest social security network, Xi called for efforts to develop a multi-tiered and multi-pillar old-age pension system to bring more people into the social security system.

He also called for a better social security system for workers in flexible employment, highlighting efforts to expand the coverage of unemployment insurance, work-related injury insurance and maternity insurance.

Extra attention and care should be given to vulnerable groups, Xi said, adding that the elderly and children in rural areas should be given more support.

Better work should be done in terms of the rehabilitation, education and employment of people with disabilities, Xi said, demanding efforts to ensure the personal safety and basic living necessities of vagrants and beggars, and support and care for people with mental disorders.

Illegal acts of bullying or abusing women, children, the elderly and the disabled must be rooted out, Xi said. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits national political advisors from the sectors of agriculture and welfare and social security, who are attending the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), in Beijing, capital of China, March 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits national political advisors from the sectors of agriculture and welfare and social security, who are attending the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), in Beijing, capital of China, March 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)
MOSCOW, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Russia has "practically" completed the mission of destroying Ukraine's main military infrastructure, including weapon warehouses, ammunition depots, aviation and air defense systems, President Vladimir Putin said Saturday.

Russian forces will fulfill all their assigned tasks and the operation in Ukraine is proceeding in accordance with the plan and schedule, Putin said at a meeting with women flight crews of Russian airlines.

Commenting on a new wave of Western sanctions, Putin said they are akin to a "declaration of war."

He stressed that there is no need to introduce a state of emergency in Russia.

It was "a difficult decision" to launch a special military operation in Ukraine, but there are "absolutely real threats" to Russia, the president said.

If Ukraine joins the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the whole military bloc is obliged to support Kiev militarily and Ukraine may get into Crimea, leading to direct clashes between Russia and NATO, Putin warned.

As Russia demands demilitarization of Ukraine, Putin said there are many different options on the negotiating table with Kiev. 
Mastercard has suspended operations in Russia, with Visa soon looking to do the same, according to multiple reports. The moves on the part of the financial services corporations are the latest to hit the countrys financial system, following its invasion of Ukraine.

We dont take this decision lightly, Mastercard said in a statement, noting that the company had come to it following conversations with customers, partners and government bodies.

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We are compelled to act following Russias unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, and the unacceptable events that we have witnessed, added Visa Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Al Kelly in a statement. This war and the ongoing threat to peace and stability demand we respond in line with our values.

The U.S. State Department also today put out an advisory that all U.S. citizens either living or traveling in Russia should depart the country immediately.

Do not travel to Russia due to the unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces in Ukraine, the potential for harassment against U.S. citizens by Russian government security officials, the Embassys limited ability to assist U.S. citizens in Russia, COVID-19 and related entry restrictions, terrorism, limited flights into and out of Russia, and the arbitrary enforcement of local law. U.S. citizens should depart Russia immediately, said the notice posted to the State Departments website. U.S. citizens residing or traveling in Russia should depart immediately. Limited commercial flight options are still available. Overland routes by car and bus are also still open. If you wish to depart Russia, you should make arrangements on your own as soon as possible. If you plan to stay in Russia, understand the U.S. Embassy has severe limitations on its ability to assist U.S. citizens, and conditions, including transportation options, may change suddenly.

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Russia launched its assault on Ukraine under the guidance of President Vladimir Putin on February 24. In the days since, its currency, the ruble, has dropped to a historic low, at a value of less than 1 U.S. cent, with the U.S. joining the UK and the EU, along with Switzerland, Japan, Canada and other countries in imposing various financial sanctions.

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On Day 11 of Russia's war on Ukraine, Russian troops shelled encircled cities, and it appeared that a second attempt to evacuate civilians from the besieged port city of Mariupol had failed due to continued violence.

Ukrainian officials said shelling disrupted what was supposed to be a cease-fire beginning at noon local time, when a a pro-Russian official said safe-passage corridors were to have opened.

The number of Ukrainians forced from their country increased to 1.5 million, and the Kremlin's rhetoric grew, with Russian President Vladimir Putin warning that Ukrainian statehood is in jeopardy. He likened the West's sanctions on to declaring war.

Here's a look at key things to know about the conflict Sunday:



VIOLENCE STOPS PLANNED CIVILIAN EVACUATIONS AGAIN



Ukrainian Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko blamed Russian artillery fire for halting a second attempt in as many days to evacuate civilians from Mariupol.

The plan agreed with Russian forces had been to allow people fleeing the combat and shelling to leave along designated humanitarian green corridors, but Gerashchenko said on Telegram that Russians had not respected the truce.

A day earlier, Ukrainian officials similarly said Russian artillery fire and airstrikes had prevented residents from leaving before the agreed-to evacuations got underway in Mariupol and the nearby city of Volnovakha. Then, Putin accused of sabotaging the effort.

has sought to cut off Ukraine's access to the Sea of Avrov in the south. Capturing Mariupol could allow to establish a land corridor to Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.

Eduard Basurin, spokesman for the military in separatist-held Donetsk territory, said safe passage corridors for residents would also be opened for residents of Volnovakha.

WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING ON THE GROUND?



Russian forces launched hundreds of missiles and artillery attacks across the country, including dropping powerful bombs on residential areas of Chernihiv, a city north of the capital of Kyiv, Ukrainian officials said. But a mileslong Russian armored column threatening the capital was still stalled outside Kyiv.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces were holding key cities in the central and southeastern part of the country, while the Russians were trying to block and keep encircled Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv and Sumy.

Ukrainian forces were also defending Odesa, Ukraine's biggest port city, from Russian ships, Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovich said.

Russian troops took control of the southern port city of Kherson last week. Ukrainian forces have managed to keep control of key cities in central and southeastern Ukraine, Zelenskyy said.

ZELENSKYY PUSHES CALL FOR NO-FLY ZONE



Zelenskyy pushed his call for foreign countries to impose a no-fly zone over . Establishing a no-fly zone would risk escalating the conflict by involving foreign militaries directly. Although the United States and many Western countries have backed with weapons shipments, they have sent no troops.

Zelenskyy said in a video address on Sunday that the world is strong enough to close our skies.

NATO countries have ruled out policing a no-fly zone, which would bar all unauthorized aircraft from flying over Ukraine. Putin said Saturday that Moscow would consider any third-party declaration of a no-fly zone over Ukraine as participation in the armed conflict.

DIRECTLY WITNESSED OR CONFIRMED BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS



Onlookers in Chernihiv cheered as they watched a Russian military plane fall from the sky and crash, according to video released by the Ukrainian government. In Kherson, hundreds of protesters waved blue and yellow Ukrainian flags and shouted, Go home.

In Mariupol, Associated Press journalists witnessed doctors make unsuccessful attempts to save the lives of wounded children, pharmacies ran bare and hundreds of thousands of people faced food and water shortages in freezing weather.

In Irpin, near Kyiv, a sea of people on foot and even in wheelbarrows trudged over the remains of a destroyed bridge to cross a river and leave the city. Assisted by Ukrainian soldiers, they lugged pets, infants, purses and flimsy bags stuffed with minimal possessions. Some of the weak and elderly were carried along the path in blankets and carts.

Kyiv's central train station remained crowded with people desperate to leave, and frequent shelling could be heard from the center of the capital city.

DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS



U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Moldova pledging America's support to the small Western-leaning former Soviet republic. The country is coping with an influx of refugees from Ukraine and keeping an eye on Russia's intensifying war with its neighbor.

A third round of talks between Russia and Ukraine will take place Monday, according to Davyd Arakhamia, a member of the Ukrainian delegation. He gave no additional details.

Previous meetings were held in Belarus and led to the failed cease-fire agreement to create humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians from besieged cities.

Putin continued to blame the war on the Ukrainian leadership and slammed their resistance to the invasion. He said if they continued to resist, They are calling into question the future of Ukrainian statehood. His comments came as Zelenskyy made a desperate plea on Saturday to the U.S. Congress for more planes as Russian forces continued to batter strategic locations.

Meanwhile, Israel's prime minister returned Sunday from a trip to Russia where he met Putin and discussed the war.

Naftali Bennett flew to Moscow on Saturday, where he met the Russian leader for three hours. Bennett spoke to Zelenskyy after his meeting with Putin.

Bennett's trip was the latest attempt at diplomacy in the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Israel is one of the few countries that has good working relations with both Russia and Ukraine.

THE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION



The death toll of the conflict has been difficult to measure. The U.N. human rights office said at least 351 civilians have been confirmed killed since the Feb. 24 invasion, but the true number is probably much higher.

The World Health Organization said it verified at least six attacks that have killed six health care workers and injured 11 .

Attacks on health care workers are a violation of humanitarian law, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Twitter.

The U.N. World Food Program says millions of people inside Ukraine, a major global wheat supplier, will need food aid immediately.

Ukrainian refugees continued to pour into neighboring countries, including Poland, Romania and Moldova. The number of people who have left since fighting began has now reached 1.5 million, according to U.N. refugee agency.

(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.)
New Delhi, March 6 : Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday informed his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron about taking control of the Zaporozhye and Chernobyl nuclear power plants, as well as about a provocation organised earlier by Ukrainian radicals in the Zaporozhye nuclear plant area, the Kremlin press service said.

Putin informed Macron about the provocation staged by Ukrainian radicals in the area of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant and stressed that attempts to shift responsibility for the incident to Russian military personnel were part of a propaganda campaign, RT reported.

"Russian troops, in cooperation with the Ukrainian security unit and personnel, continue to ensure the operation of the nuclear power plant in the normal mode," the Kremlin said.

The Russian armed forces also control the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in order to avoid potential provocations, fraught with catastrophic consequences, it added.

"The physical and nuclear safety of the station is well protected ... the radioactive background remains normal," the Kremlin said, RT reported.

On February 24, units of the Russian Airborne Forces took full control of the territory in the area if the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

On March 4, the Russian Ministry of Defence announced that at night the Kiev regime undertook a "monstrous provocation" at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant: first, a sabotage group opened heavy fire from small arms, and then set fire to the training building.
New Delhi, March 6 : The Russian Armed Forces have destroyed almost all combat-ready aircraft of the Ukrainian military, the official representative of the Russian Defence Ministry, Major General Igor Konashenkov, announced.

"Fighter aircraft and air defence of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down three more Ukrainian Su-27 fighters and three unmanned aerial vehicles in the air. In total, yesterday and incomplete today, the Ukrainian Air Force lost 11 combat aircraft and two helicopters," he said, RT reported.

The Russian army with high-precision long-range weapons disabled the airfield of the Ukrainian Air Force in Vinnitsa, he added.

Earlier, the Russian Ministry of Defence showed a video with a Su-34 front-line bomber, destroying a military facility of Ukrainian 'nationalists' with a high-precision air strike as part of a special operation in Ukraine.

On Sunday morning, Russian armed forces disabled the airfield of the Ukrainian Air Force in Starokonstantinov.

The Russian military continues to strike at the military infrastructure of Ukraine. On the evening of March 5, as a result of a massive attack, 61 military facilities on the territory of Ukraine were hit. Over the past day, bomber and attack aircraft hit three radar stations of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the missile forces destroyed the S-300 air defence system.
Joe Biden is in a bind.

Like everything else, he's blown it. Energy prices have gone through the roof, with gasoline prices at the pump pushing $6.00 a gallon in San Diego alone. They're expected to get higher, and each tic upward takes Joe down another notch in the polls. Biden has throttled U.S. capacity to produce its own energy by ending domestic drilling leases on federal lands. He's also scuppered the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada. In place of that domestic and Canadian energy, we now buy Russian oil, some 600,000 barrels a day -- which just happens to finance Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine. The idea of putting sanctions on Putin, while keeping his oil money stream open, is like putting a bath plug on the bottom of a boat and ignoring the huge gash on the side.

"Don't underestimate Joe's ability to f*** things up," as President Obama used to say.

What's an incompetent president to do? Not reverse his bad decisions on domestic energy production, of course. Joe's looking for a bailout -- from Venezuela.

His latest scheme is to turn to Nicolas Maduro, the odious Marxist dictator who turned oil-rich Venezuela into a Cuba-style ruin to replace Russian oil.

According to Reuters:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Senior U.S. officials traveled to Venezuela on Saturday for talks with President Nicolas Maduro's government, seeking to determine whether Caracas is prepared to distance itself from close ally Russia amid its invasion of Ukraine, according to a person familiar with the matter. The trip, the highest-level U.S. visit to Venezuela in years, came as part of a U.S. effort to isolate Russian President Vladimir Putin. Some analysts also see U.S.-sanctioned Venezuela as a potential alternate source of oil supplies should Washington attempt to restrict Moscow's energy shipments.

Unlike Putin, Maduro's been under sanctions for years. The U.S. buys no oil from him and has frozen Venezuela's assets in the states. Not that long ago, Venezuela was one of our biggest foreign suppliers. The big U.S. oil companies that partnered with Venezuela to ship it to the states have since cut their losses and pulled out. But now there are hopes from Joe to make nice with the Beast of Caracas in order to stop those news stories about the U.S. sending Putin his war-bucks.

Instead of buying Russian oil, we will buy Venezuelan oil. And we will keep our own oil and gas in the ground because under Biden, we're all about "going green." What's wrong with this picture?

U.S. sanctions are a multi-layered thing in Venezuela -- they've been slapped on for various reasons on many officials -- for corruption, running drug cartels, torturing dissidents, and other outrages, as well as the big one that President Trump laid on -- which was stealing an election and refusing to recognize the country's rightfully elected president, Juan Guaido.

None of this bothered Maduro much. Maduro had a big brother to look to for succor -- Vladimir Putin -- and he kept himself and his cronies in cash by selling oil to Russian, Chinese, and Iranian oil customers. Mostly, though his country's oilfields have gone fallow based on socialist mismanagement of resources, impossible investment conditions including the jailing of foreign oil executives, and the general looting and thievery so rampant in his socialist hellhole.

All the same, swapping Putin's oil for Maduro's oil is kind of skeezy stuff. The first issue, right off the bat, is that lifting the energy sanctions on Venezuela pretty well signals that Joe Biden is not bothered by election fraud which is why the sanctions are there.

Well, yeah. Memo to Joe: This calls attention to the election fraud both of you have gotten away with.

Two, Joe has already screwed up his bargaining power with Maduro in that he's partially lifted some of Trump's tough sanctions in July 2021, the one about prohibiting Venezuela to export natural gas -- which has left him with less bargaining power. Apparently, Biden did that for nothing, he just wanted to reflexively reverse Trump's actions. That leaves him with less to work with.

Three, dropping sanctions on Maduro as a means of sticking it to Putin is a tough proposition for Maduro, who likes Putin's strongman loyalty and is undoubtedly grateful for Putin's custom and security guarantees. If he drops Putin, he'll have to face Venezuela's voters. Not likely he'll bend on that one, especially since he's doing fine for himself even under sanctions.

Big Oil and Wall Street have been doing his work for him since February, calling for an end to sanctions, while Maduro himself has been issuing the siren call for foreign investment. Sure, he wants it. But he also wants the comforts of Putin, who has the money and muscle to keep him in power.

Biden being Biden, he may drop sanctions unilaterally on Maduro and ask nothing in return. But that will open a Pandora's box of hideous things -- drug dealing, terrorism, and a far more powerful Maduro who can harass and torture dissidents.

All he has to do is open the U.S. to energy production. It says something nefarious that he'd rather go begging Maduro for a bailout. That soft spot that Democrats have held for hardcore socialists over the years, always denied, is pretty soft and rotten indeed.

Image: Gage Skidmore, via Flickr // CC BY-SA 2.0
A Florida woman who vanished in late February after a night out with friends was found dead Saturday, submerged in a septic tank buried in her backyard.

Cynthia Cole, 57, was last seen on Feb. 24 at the Jammin Jensen event in Jensen Beach, about an hour north of West Palm Beach on the east coast of the state.

Police found security footage that showed Coles handyman, 34-year-old Keoki Hilo Demich, leaving her car on the night she went missing.

Cynthia Cole





Cynthia Cole

He made several statements that we know are false so he was charged with second-degree murder, Martin County Sheriff William Snyder told WPBF.

Demich has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder. More charges are possible as the investigation continues.

Keoki Hilo Demich





Keoki Hilo Demich

Coles cause of death has not yet been publicly released, but Snyder says she was likely murdered inside her Jensen Beach house and then taken out to the septic tank, buried 4 feet in the ground.

Ive been doing this 40-plus years. Ive never seen anything like it, Snyder told WPBF.
A special coffee fair was held this week in Yemen's capital Sanaa to celebrate the National Day for Coffee Planting.
Trafficking in pangolins continues to rise in Malawi as the country registers a drop in ordinary wildlife crime, such as trafficking in elephant tusks and rhino horns. Wildlife authorities say pangolin-related arrests in Malawi more than tripled between 2019 and 2020. Police in Malawi say a month rarely passes with no pangolin-related arrest. Authorities fear this may lead to extinction of the endangered mammals.

The latest is the arrest last Thursday of five people in Mangochi district, in the south of Malawi after they were found selling a live pangolin.

The four suspects are Malawian while their accomplice is a well-known businessman from Pakistan," said Ameena Tepani Daudi, who speaks for the police in the district. "The five were arrested at the Pakistan nationals house following a tip from members of the community. We found all of them in a bedroom while negotiating about selling price. And the pangolin was found hidden in a sack bag.

Daudi said via a messaging app that suspects are expected in court soon.

All suspects have been charged with illegal possession of specimens of listed species which contravenes section 110(b) of National Parks and Wildlife Act. And they will appear before court, possibly next week, she added.

Police say the incident is among many pangolin-trafficking arrests in recent years.

Last years report by Lilongwe Wildlife Trust says Malawi is a range state for the Temmincks ground pangolin, the only pangolin species found in southern Africa, now threatened with extinction.

Brighton Kumchedwa, the director of Malawis Department of National Parks and Wildlife, says the increase in pangolin trafficking is not surprising, considering recent research estimating that global pangolin populations have declined by 80% in the last 20 years.

For Malawi, we can speculate that a shift from ivory trafficking to pangolin is because, one, the size of a pangolin is so small, easy to conceal but also it is fetching a reasonable amount of money on a black market. But also the existence in the country of foreign nationals that eat pangolins as delicacy, but also use of scales in medicine, thats why an increase in pangolin trafficking, he said.

Kumchedwa says last weeks arrest of a Pakistani national in connection with pangolin trafficking confirms that the presence of some foreign nationals, particularly from Asia is fueling trafficking in pangolin.

Kumchdewa says strategies are in place to prevent possible extinction of the endangered mammals in Malawi and these include stiffer penalties to perpetrators.

According to the revised anti-wildlife-trafficking law in Malawi, perpetrators caught in possession of live pangolins or any of their derivatives face a prison sentence of up to 30 years, with no option for a fine.

But also we have our own investigation unit, which is helping quite a lot, because it is largely intelligence-led law enforcement. But also, more than that, is how the courts have indeed applied the law. They are giving custodial sentences. We are seeing people taken to jail for seven years, five years found in possession of a pangolin, he said.

Kumchedwa asked Malawians to be more patriotic and help the government by reporting to authorities about people involved in illegal pangolin trade, as well as in other protected animals.
3 churches with centuries of history inside

With travel increasingly back to normal now is the time to start making plans for where to go. Consider planning a trip around any of the following three historic churches.

Winnipeg

Just across the Red River from downtown Winnipeg is St. Boniface.

Home to one of Canadas largest Francophone communities outside Quebec, this former city in its own right is today the French Quarter of Manitobas capital city.

The historical heart of the community is its namesake, St. Boniface Cathedral-Basilica (Roman Catholic). The dedication is to Boniface, an English missionary known as the apostle to the Germans for his itinerant missionary work before his martyrdom in 754.

The cathedral consists of ruins  the west facade and parts of the north and south walls  after a fire in 1968 destroyed the once-monumental edifice designed by architect Jean-Omer Marchand at the turn of the last century.

The present cathedral, which is actually the sixth church or cathedral erected on the site since 1818, is unremarkable in the sense that its typical of post-Vatican II designs. If you didnt know better, it might be a suburban postwar Protestant church. The only notable feature is a striking resurrected Christ suspended above the altar in the apse on the east end.

St. Louis

Given its history as one of the oldest U.S. cities, St. Louis, Missouri, is full of notable churches from across the spectrum of denominations.

While the Roman Catholic cathedral is by far the most popular, Christ Church Cathedral (Episcopal) punches above its weight.

Home to a congregation that dates to 1819, the cathedral has exterior architecture typical of Gothic revival from the second half of the 19th century. The tower at the northwest corner, which was erected in the early 20th century, is perhaps the most striking element of the design, if only because the Indiana limestone contrasts with the originally used Illinois sandstone.

The real gem is inside.

Rising 35 feet above the high altar at the east end, the reredos or altar screen was sculpted by noted ecclesiastical artist Harry Hems using limestone imported from Caen, France. Inspired by a similar screen at St. Albans Cathedral in England, the masterpiece reredos prominently features Christ on the cross. Other details include panels depicting the annunciation, resurrection and presentation of Christ in the temple.

Melaka

Many visitors to the Malaysian city of Melaka (historically spelled Malacca) may be surprised to discover a church with a history dating back centuries.

Originally Dutch Reformed and Anglican since 1838, Christ Church was built a century after the Dutch acquired this part of present-day Malaysia from Portugal in 1641. This makes it the oldest continuous Protestant church in Malaysia and, likely, anywhere in southeast Asia.

The exterior with its distinctive red color stands out with its numerous Dutch colonial architectural details. Meanwhile, the meeting house-style interior is notable for numerous monuments on the walls to names long-forgotten and even tombstones laid in the floor.

Dennis Lennox writes a travel column for The Christian Post.
India has so far evacuated over 15,290 of its citizens from Ukraine, with nearly 2,500 of them being flown back home in the last 24 hours, although a few hundred still remained stranded in the warzones of the nation.

The Centre operated 76 flights from cities in Romania, Hungary, Slovak Republic and Poland to Mumbai and Delhi ever since it launched Operation Ganga to evacuate its citizens from Ukraine, which came under attack from Russia on February 24. Altogether 13 flights from Budapest, Bucharest, Kosice and Rzeszow arrived in Mumbai and Delhi with evacuees from Ukraine in the past 24 hours.

Also Read: PM Modi attributes Operation Ganga success to Indias growing influence

Two groups of Indians, mostly students, who had been moved out of from war-torn Kharkiv a few days back on short notice and gathered at nearby Pisochyn, safely reached Ukraines borders with Poland and Romania on Sunday, the Embassy of India in Kyiv informed. All Indians had moved out of Pisochyn by Saturday.

Delhi is in touch with both Russia and Ukraine to make arrangements for evacuating nearly 700 Indian citizens stranded in Sumy. The Red Cross Ukraine provided water and other essential supplies as humanitarian assistance to stranded Indian students at Sumy in coordination with Indian World Forum. A source in Delhi said that efforts were being made to evacuate them safely out of Sumy.

Also Read: Indian embassy in Hungary asks nationals to reach Hungaria City Centre

Seven more aircraft, including one C-17 of the Indian Air Force, are scheduled to fly from Budapest, Rzeszow and Suceava with evacuees from Ukraine and land in Mumbai and Delhi over the next 24 hours.

A source in Delhi said that over 21,000 Indians had come out of Ukraine since the issuance of the first advisory in January and 19,920 of them had already returned to the country.

The Embassy of India in Kyiv asked all Indians still left in Ukraine to register with it by filling up an online form.

The MEA control room, as well as the control centres operated by the Indian embassies, continue to operate on 24x7 basis, officials said.

The MEA control room has attended to 12,435 calls and 9026 e-mails till Sunday afternoon, according to the officials.

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Measuring a whopping 341 meters (1,118.8 feet) long, Disney Wish is 1.2 meters (3.9 feet) longer than the company's Dream-class cruisers, the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. The ship will have 1,250 staterooms and will accommodate 4,000 passengers.Granted, it's not as big as Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas (362 meters / 1,188 feet), but it's a sight to behold.Disney's most advanced cruise liner yet, it will house the first-ever Disney ride at sea (the AquaMouse), six pools, original theater productions, an adults-only Star Wars lounge, and a Marvel superhero academy for kids.It will also include three new family restaurants, a Pixar-inspired candy store, and several lounges.While Disney Wish is not yet finished (the float-out process is usually followed by the installation of furnishings), Disney has already opened online bookings for three- and four-night cruises to Disney's new private island, Castaway Cay, in the Bahamas. The ship's maiden voyage is set for July 14, 2022.Of course, a cruise on the Disney Wish won't be cheap. Three-night trips are priced from $1,745 and will cost as much as $4,313 with a concierge room. Four-night cruises are priced from $2,235 to $5,723.The most exclusive room onboard the ship is the 1,966-square-foot Wish Tower Suite. Set in the forward funnel of the ship, it includes two main bedrooms, a children's room, four bathrooms, a dining room, a bar, and a library.This new cruise liner is part of three Triton-class ships that Disney will put into service by 2025. The second ship is set to sail in July 2024, while the third one will take its maiden voyage in August 2025. The yet-unnamed ships will also be built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg.Watch the Disney Wish leave its shipyard for the first time in the video below. The float-out occurred in February 2022, but a full video of the entire process was released on March 5.
The protest was organized for the safe recovery of fellow student Hafeez Baloch and others who were missing, reported The Balochistan Post (TBP).

The protest is also being held in Islamabad. According to details, the protest camp of Baloch Students Council Islamabad continued in front of Islamabad National Press Club in which various student organizations, journalists and human rights activists participated.

They are protesting against enforced disappearances of Baloch students.

On the other hand, the Baloch Students Council in Lahore also organized a rally in which a large number of students and members of other political and human rights organizations participated, reported TBP.

They condemned the non-recovery of missing and forcibly disappeared students by state forces and the violence against Baloch students in Islamabad and the police FIR against them.

Earlier, Islamabad Police on Tuesday clashed with Baloch students protesting for the release of missing students.

According to students, plain-clothed officials snatched their mobile phones and dismantled the protest camp, reported local media.

Students activists claim that the peaceful protesters were unnecessarily manhandled and beaten by the Police.

Balochistan's Human Development Index (HDI) ranks below 0.40 as compared to the other provinces of Pakistan that lie above 0.50. Within Pakistan, Balochistan lags far behind other provinces and 15 out of Pakistan's least-developed districts are in Balochistan.

Meanwhile, enforced disappearances and arbitrary killings of Balochs have also become a new 'normal in the region'. (ANI)
Irish farmers will step up to the challenge of growing extra grain to help Ireland deal with supply line disruption from Ukraine, the Agriculture Minister has insisted.

Charlie McConalogue is convening a meeting with farming representatives on Tuesday to develop a plan to increase domestic production of grain.

Some senior figures within the industry have said they will engage positively with the minister but have stressed the need for added state support for farmers.

Ireland is heavily reliant on imported grain, with around 60% of the 5.5 million tonnes used in the country every year sourced from overseas. It is used both in products for human consumption and for animal feed.

Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue (Brian Lawless/PA)

Ukraine and Russia are both key international exporters of grain. Russian also supplies more than 20% of fertiliser used in Ireland.

Proposals at Tuesdays meeting will include asking all Irish farmers to commit to growing some crops this year. Such a plan would mirror measures introduced in Ireland during the Second World War.

Seeds will need to be sown in the coming weeks ahead of growing season.

Mr McConalogue has assembled a rapid response team within his department to develop plans to deal with the anticipated disruption to supply lines this year.

The minister said usually at this time of the year Ukrainian tillage farmers would be preparing to plant their crops.

Unfortunately, instead theyre facing this situation of an invasion and illegal war and the abominable act by President Putin, he told RTE Radio One.

And, as a result of that, many of them have gone to war and are involved in the war instead of planting crops.

Mr McConalogue said he was confident farmers would respond positively to the call.

Its really important we work in collaboration and as a team and Ive no doubt that farmers across the country  as theyve always done at times of challenge in the past  will step up in relation to responding to that, he said.

The minister indicated that any plan would be accompanied by government action to support farmers.

Across the board, at the moment, the Government is obviously assessing the challenge that is emerging as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he said.

Were very conscious of the need to respond to those challenges properly. We were working across Government on that.

Irish Farmers Association president Tim Cullinan stressed that the farming sector in 2022 is very different to the 1940s.

We are in very challenging times and farmers will certainly play our part in any national or European effort, he said.

However, it is far from certain that asking all farmers to plant crops is the best use of the resources that are likely to be available to us.

The biggest issue facing farmers is the rocketing cost and availability of inputs. This is where the Government needs to focus their efforts, as well as looking at some of their own regulations.

Irish farmers will play our part in any National or EU effort on food security. However, what worked in the 1940s might not be the solution today. The biggest challenge facing all farmers is the cost and availability of key inputs. This must be the focus. https://t.co/7pFqb4hYRS  Irish Farmers' Association (@IFAmedia) March 6, 2022

Mr Cullinan said it would be very unwise of the Government to make any decisions prior to full engagement with farmers representatives.

Irish farming is very different than it was in the 1940s. What was done then may not be the solution today, he said.

President of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA), Pat McCormack, said the plan had to be viable.

He said legislation on fertiliser use would need to be relaxed to facilitate the extra growing.

Well certainly enter there (the meeting with the minister) with the best form of faith to try and accomplish and make the best we can of a very, very difficult situation, he told RTE.

We will approach it with an open mind and I think all farmers should be encouraged to do so but it has to be practically possible and it has to be viable.
Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) is thrilled to announce that applications for the 2022/23 Program Year are now officially open, as of March 4th, 2022. CDL encourages deep-tech research companies of all kinds to apply.

Toronto; Oxford; Paris; Atlanta; Madison; Seattle; Vancouver; Montreal; Calgary; Halifax, March 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With CDLs expert mentors behind them every step of the way, program participants have managed to create more than $18 billion in equity value  and several of its alumni are now unicorns.

In CDLs 11th cohort year, over 675 companies will be accepted into 16 different streams, across 10 locations around the world  five sites across Canada (CDL-Atlantic, CDL-Montreal, CDL-Rockies, CDL-Toronto, and CDL-Vancouver), two in Europe (CDL-Oxford, and CDL-Paris), and three in the US (CDL-Atlanta, CDL-Wisconsin, CDL-Seattle).

CDL has truly been a game-changing experience for us as an early-stage business, notes Allan Cannon, co-founder of R3-IoT, a CDL Space alum that has since grown into a multi-million international company. The access to global industry experts and the quality of feedback, advice, and mentorship received was invaluable. If you are willing to roll up your sleeves and are open to rebuild the box then I can confidently say that your business and leadership skills will benefit greatly.

Applications for the 2022/23 Program Year will close on July 21, 2022  except for the CDL Quantum and CDL Blockchain streams, which have an earlier deadline of May 23, 2022.

CDLs founder, Professor Ajay Agrawal, notes: CDLs mission is to enhance the commercialization of science for the betterment of humankind. The perfect CDL applicant is one that arrives with a great technology and a terrible business plan. CDL is a process, not an event. Its about changing a start-ups trajectory.

The 16 streams that companies are encouraged to apply to participate in include: AgTech, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Climate, Commerce, Energy, FinTech, Health, Matter, Neuro, Oceans, Prime (General Technology), Quantum, Risk, Space, and Supply Chain.

To learn more about the CDL program, join a 15 minute CDL Intro Webinar.

ABOUT CREATIVE DESTRUCTION LAB

Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) is a nonprofit organization that delivers an objectives-based program for massively scalable, seed-stage, science- and technology-based companies. Its nine-month program allows founders to learn from experienced entrepreneurs, increasing their likelihood of success.

Founded in 2012 by Professor Ajay Agrawal at the University of Torontos Rotman School of Management, the program has expanded to ten sites across four countries: Oxford (Said Business School, University of Oxford), Paris (HEC Paris), Atlanta (Scheller College of Business, Georgia Institute of Technology), Madison (Wisconsin School of Business, University of Wisconsin-Madison), Seattle (University of Washington, Foster School of Business), Vancouver (Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia), Montreal (HEC Montreal), Calgary (Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary), and Halifax (Rowe School of Business, Dalhousie University).

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Police stop and question a woman at the start of a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. COVID-19 curfew imposed by the province of Quebec, in Montreal on Dec. 31, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Peter McCabe)

Quebec Email Revealing No Scientific Basis for Curfew Prompts Calls for Probes Into COVID-19 Measures Across Canada

Revelations that the Quebec government ordered its December 2021 COVID-19 curfew contrary to scientific advice have prompted calls for investigations into pandemic measures imposed by Quebec and other jurisdictions across Canada, including by two civil and constitutional rights groups.

Professionals from Montreal Public Health and also from the [Quebec] public health institute said explicitly directly to the chief of public health that there is no scientific evidence for this, Joseph Hickey, executive director of the Ontario Civil Liberties Association (OCLA), told The Epoch Times.

We cant provide it because we dont have any. And on this short timeline, theres no way we could try to do a study or anything like that. All we have is the experience of last year.  This is not a good idea. Do something else if you have to do something, Hickey paraphrased the advice the Quebec government received.

Hickey was referring to internal documents recently obtained by Radio-Canada showing that the office of Dr. Horacio Arruda, Quebecs then-public health director, in an email on the morning of Dec. 30, 2021, sought scientific evidence to justify a second curfew the province intended to announce that afternoon.

When the provinces public health institute said it didnt have an existing analysis and couldnt produce one on such short notice, Quebec imposed the 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew anyway.

In addition, the documents included contents of an ethics review prepared by Montreals health officials earlier that month revealing that city officials opposed the curfew because there was limited scientific data to support it and they were concerned about impacts on vulnerable populations. The ethics review document was initially entirely redacted and was only released without redaction following outcry from journalists and the opposition.

Asked to provide justification for the curfew at a press conference on Dec. 30, Quebec Premier Francois Legault called it du gros bon sens, or common sense. Dr. Arruda resigned less than two weeks later, citing public skepticism on the credibility of our opinions and our scientific rigour.

Samuel Bachand, a Quebec lawyer for the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, said the revelations were significant, though not surprising.

A staff member at a restaurant puts chairs on tables ahead of the 5 p.m. curfew in Montreal on Dec. 31, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Graham Hughes)

Now we have the proof. Its a demonstration that the Quebec government throughout those two years acted on the basis not of a stringent justification in regards of the protected and constitutional rights and freedoms, but on a simply opportunistic basis, Bachand said in an interview.

We didnt even need the email to know that it was based on an irrational premise and an unspeakable premise, and one that took Quebeckers for children and inept people.

Enormous Damage Done

Douglas Farrow, professor of theology and ethics at McGill University in Montreal, told The Epoch Times the situation calls for a royal commission.

Why did [the Quebec government] keep on locking down and locking out healthy citizens if it lacked hard evidence for efficacy? Why did it sacrifice so much for so little, hurting so many to save so few? asks Farrow.

This question must be pressed not only in Quebec but across the country. It is the question of accountability for the enormous damage done to the health and welfare of the people, to the whole economy, and to the rule of law. There must be a royal commission of impartial judges to examine it and to determine the requisite forms of accountability.

Farrow said he believes that some responsible for the response were reacting like deer in the headlightsthat is, as frightened incompetents, but that others were working from very different motives to very different ends, given their insistence on harmful policy not based on evidence.

We have every reason to believe that some saw this as an opportunity to advance the psychological and actual infrastructure for a digital ID scheme, a scheme that will fundamentally change the very fabric of Canadian life. It is no accident that this has become a major topic and the object of legislation. It should also become the object of lawsuits.

Farrow said an investigation such as a commission of inquiry wont occur without a fight.

Neither the incompetent nor the scheming wants any such inquiry, of course. Indeed, the frenzy of lies and punitive measures directed at the Freedom Convoy tells us that our politicians, provincially and federally, are desperate to avoid such an inquiry and the accountability to which it must lead. We must not permit them to avoid it.

Severe Measure

Hickey says neither science nor common sense were employed in the curfew order, best demonstrated by one completely ridiculous and unjustifiable component that banned Quebecers from walking their dogs.

The government is willing to apply draconian wartime measures without any basis of evidence or experience, he said. This sordid affair of the Quebec curfew is an example that highlights that the government is willing to do that. Its pure abuse of power, and many of the COVID policies have been like this.

A lone man walks through a deserted Place Royale in Quebec City on New Years Eve, when the provincial governments nightly curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. came into effect, Dec. 31, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Jacques Boissinot)

The Quebec health ministry, for its part, previously told The Epoch Times that observational studies show curfews can prevent gatherings, which proved useful at a time when the number of cases remained high among the general population.

Spokesperson Marjorie Larouche added, We are of the view that the curfew is a severe measure which should apply only when other transmission reduction measures have been put in place and do not demonstrate the desired effects, as was the case at the beginning of the month of January.

Meanwhile, the OCLA has consistently opposed lockdown measures as unscientific. In April 2020, lawyer Denis Rancourt issued a 13-page report that said governments across Canada suspended civil rights in a war [that] was unnecessary and ill-conceived, without an evidentiary basis to support general-population lockdown and when scientific expert reports [say] lockdown causes significantly more cumulative CVOID-19 deaths.

Hickey says Quebec and other jurisdictions need to provide more answers.

Canadians should remember that these policies were extremely serious, very harmful to many people. They should demand accountability, they should demand investigations, and they should demand mechanisms to make sure that these kinds of draconian policies are not implemented in the future without any basis, he said.

Its been [a] huge travesty of science, what has happened over the past two years, and we need to correct that for the way forward somehow.

In his capacity with the Justice Centre, Bachand has filed an application for judicial review in Quebec Superior Court on behalf of the Baptist Church of Saint Augustin and its pastor, Rev. Guillaume Roy, against the Quebec governments decision to mandate vaccine passports in places of worship. He says he has more hope for the courts than public inquiries.

In the course of those legal actions, public officials will be examined. They will be under oath and they will be forced to answer, Bachand said.

Im all for public inquiries, but its more of a symbolic gesture.

Isaac Teo contributed to this report.
Americans Must Exit Russia Immediately; Embassy Has Severe Limitations: State Department

The U.S. State Department has asked Americans residing in Russia to leave the country as soon as possible, issuing a Level 4: Do Not Travel alert, warning U.S. citizens against traveling to Russia.

U.S. citizens in Russia face the threat of potential harassment by Russian government security officials, according to a travel advisory issued on March 5 by the State Department. The U.S. Embassy in Russia has limited ability to assist U.S. citizens in the country. The department also cited COVID-19 and related entry restrictions, limited flights into and out of the country, terrorism, and the arbitrary enforcement of local laws to call on U.S. citizens to immediately exit Russia.

Traveling to regions such as Chechnya, Mount Elbrus, and North Caucasus should be avoided because of the risk of civil unrest, kidnapping, and terrorism. In Crimea, theres a risk of being abused by occupying Russian authorities, the department stated, leading it to issue a Do Not Travel instruction.

If you wish to depart Russia, you should make arrangements on your own as soon as possible. If you plan to stay in Russia, understand the U.S. Embassy has severe limitations on its ability to assist U.S. citizens, and conditions, including transportation options, may change suddenly, the travel advisory reads. U.S. citizens who are able to depart Russia for another country and are in need of emergency assistance upon arrival may contact a U.S. embassy or consulate in that country.

Washingtons sanctions on Russia have made it difficult to procure cash for everyday transaction purposes. The advisory warns Americans that their credit and debit cards might be declined, owing to economic restrictions. It advises U.S. citizens to make an alternative plan for access to money and finances in case they choose to remain in Russia.

Limited commercial flights are still available for exiting the country, while overland routes by bus and car continue to remain open, according to the State Department. Numerous international airlines are continuing to cancel flights to and from Russia. Americans living in Russian regions close to Ukraine are warned that the situation along the border is unpredictable and dangerous.

Given the ongoing armed conflict, U.S. citizens are strongly advised against traveling by land from Russia to Ukraine. In addition, there is the potential throughout Russia of harassment of foreigners, including through regulations targeted specifically against foreigners, the advisory reads.

Some U.S. citizens have been arrested on spurious charges and were denied fair and transparent treatment by Russian security services, according to the department. Some Americans have been convicted in secret trials with little to no credible evidence.

Former U.S. Marine Trevor Reed was sentenced to a nine-year prison term in Russia in 2020 on charges of assaulting a police officer, which Washington believes is wrongful imprisonment.

Russian authorities may delay consular access to Americans. Moscow can also refuse to acknowledge dual citizenship, allowing authorities to prevent Americans with citizenship in both nations from leaving Russia.




Haiti - Diaspora Covid-19 : Daily Bulletin #716





GLOBAL SITUATION 2019-2022:

Epidemiological situation:



Sunday March 6, 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 445,508,475 cases (+1,386,459 in 24 hours ), the day before (+1,599,963)



Number of infected countries: 224



*Healings: 378,508,464 people have been cured of Covid-19 worldwide (+1,556,786 in 24 hours), the day before (+1,487,059)

*Deaths: 6,015,915 people died of Covid-19 worldwide (+5,603 in 24 hours), the day before (+7,289)

*Active cases (minus deaths and recoveries) in the world is currently 60,984,096 cases (+175,930 in 24 hours), the day before (-105,615)



Average cure rate in the world: 84.96% (+)



Average mortality rate in the world: 1.35% (=)



World: Number of daily confirmed cases





(Day 1)



Vaccination: 10.92 billion doses of vaccine injected (+20 million doses injected in 24 hours. Update March 6, 2022 (latest data available).



HAITI:

Epidemiological situation:

Warning: The Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) did not make available daily data on the Covid-19 situation in Haiti after March 1, 2022. Accordingly, the data below on the situation in Haiti is the latest available.



According to the Ministry of Public Health, +32 new cases of Covid-19 and its variants have been confirmed in Haiti as of March 1, 2022 (latest partial data available ) for a total of 30,382 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 (+14 cases on February 26, 2022).



Healings: 25,485 (+255)



Cure rate: 83.88% (+)



Deaths: 820 deaths (+0)



Death rate: 2.69% (-)



5th Wave (Omicron Dominant):

Total of the 5th wave (starting December 27, 2021) amounts to 4,387 confirmed cases and 54 deaths



Haiti: Active Cases Trend: (less recoveries and deaths)





(Day-1)



Screening since the start of the pandemic: 180,587 tests (+1,470 in 3 days) 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: 729 (+3); Petion-ville 613 (+1); Port au Prince 405 (+1); Tabarre 282 (+4); Cross-Bouquets 228 (+4)



Confirmed cases by department (2022 / 2021 / 2020):

West: 2022: 2,507 cases; (2021: 9.890); (2020: 6,945 cases)

North: 2022: 262 cases; (2021: 664); (2020: 677 cases)

Center: 2022: 215 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: 230 cases; (2021: 768); (2020: 274 cases)

South: 2022: 212 cases; (2021: 891); (2020: 262 cases)

North West: 2022: 245 cases; (2021: 383); (2020: 229 cases)

Grand'Anse: 2022: 144 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:

155,824 Haitians (1.34% of the population) +591 in 3 days have received a 1st dose of vaccine since July 16, 2021, date of the first injection through 149 open vaccination centers and 104,984 Haitians are fully vaccinated (2 doses, 0.9% of the population) +595 in 3 days. Update February 26, 2022 latest information available (source MSPP).



List of the 149 Vaccination Centers open in Haiti (and hours) by department:

(updated October 20, 2021, last 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): 80,912,619 cases (+16,968 in 24 hours), the day before (+52,081)

*Healings: 54,594,944 healings (+250,010 in 24 hours), the day before (+207,970)

National Cure Rate: 67.47% (+)

*Deaths: 983,837 deaths (+351 in 24 hours), the day before (+1,757)

National death rate: 1.21% (=)

*Active cases (minus deaths and recoveries): 25,333,838 (-233,393 in 24 hours), the day before (-157,646)

Tests: 956,334,581 last data available.



USA: Number of daily confirmed cases





(Day-1)



Vaccination: 554.99 million doses of vaccine injected since December 14, 2020, date of the first injection in the United States (+350,000 doses in 24 hours). Updated March 6, 2022 (latest data available).



DOMINICAN REPUBLIC:

Confirmed cases since March 1, 2020: 575,883 cases (+291 in 24 hours) the day before (+156 in 24 hours). First case (March 1, 2020)

Healings: 569,727 healings (+194 in 24 hours), the day before (+239)

National Cure Rate: 98.93% (-)

Deaths: 4,371 deaths (+1 in 24 hours), the day before (+0)

Death rate: 0.75% (=)

Positive rate over 4 epidemiological weeks: 3.58% (-)

Active cases: (excluding deaths and recoveries) 1,785 cases (+96 in 24 hours) the day before (-83)



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:

La Altagravia: +104 new cases in 24 hours

Monte Cristi: + 32 new cases in 24 hours

Santiago: +29 new cases in 24 hours

Santo Domingo: +29 new cases in 24 hours

Puerto Plata: +14 new cases in 24 hours



Tests (since the 1st case): 3,139,196 tests (+5,886 in 24 hours), the day before (+6,219)



Vaccination: 15.30 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). Updated March 6, 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): 926,920 (+2,611 in 48 hours), previous (+1,630 in 24 hours)

Healings: 898,498 people (+3,425 in 48 hours), previous (+1,228 in 24 hours)

Cure rate: 96.93% (+)

Deaths: 14,056 deaths (+40 in 48 hours), previous (+20 in 24 hours)

Death rate: 1.51% (=)

Active cases: (excluding death and recovery) 14,366 15,220 cases (-854 in 48 hours), previous (+382 in 24 hours)



Quebec: Confirmed case trend:





(average weekly trend)



Test: 16,764,228 people tested since the first case (+30,656 in 48 hours)



Vaccination: 18,456,842 doses of vaccine injected since December 14, 2020, date of the first injection (+8,739 doses in 48 hours), latest data available - MSSS as of March 4, 2022)



FRANCE:

*Confirmed cases since the first case (January 24, 2020): 23,011,998 cases (+53,678 cases in 24 hours), previous (+57,789)

*Healings: 21,569,584 healings (+86,442 in 24h), previous (+118,843)

National Cure Rate: 93.73% (+)

Deaths: 139,243 deaths (+120 in 24 hours), previous (+181)

Death rate: 0.60% (=)

Active Cases: 1,303,171 (-32,884 in 24h), previous (-60,822)

Test: 246,629,975 (last data available February 27, 2022)



France: Number of daily confirmed cases:





(day 1)



Vaccination: 141.09 million doses of vaccine injected since December 27, 2020, date of the first injection in France (+30,000 doses injected in 24 hours. Update March 6, 2022 (latest data available)



Previous bulletin: https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36107-haiti-diaspora-covid-19-daily-bulletin-715.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


















LVIV, Ukraine (AP)  A second attempt to evacuate civilians from a besieged city in southern Ukraine collapsed Sunday as Russian attacks stopped plans to create a humanitarian corridor, a Ukrainian government official said, and Pope Francis called for an end to the rivers of blood and tears created by the war.

Food, water, medicine and almost all other supplies were in desperately short supply in the port city of Mariupol, where Russian and Ukrainian forces had agreed to a 11-hour cease-fire to allow civilians and the wounded to be evacuated. But Russian attacks quickly closed the corridor, Ukrainian officials said.

There can be no green corridors because only the sick brain of the Russians decides when to start shooting and at whom, Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko said on Telegram.

The news dashed hopes that more people could escape the fighting in Ukraine, where Russia's plan to quickly overrun the country has been stymied by fierce resistance. Russia has made significant advances in southern Ukraine and along the coast, but many of its efforts have become stalled, including an immense military convoy that has been almost motionless for days north of Kyiv.

The war, now in its 11th day, has caused 1.5 million people to flee the country. The head of the U.N. refugee agency called the exodus the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II."

Read more here:

***
Under the court's order, UC Berkeley must limit its student enrollment to 2020-21 levels, meaning the university must rescind at least 5,100 admission offers to reduce enrollment by 3,050 students. 20202020

I pulled the data from a few different sources with very minor discrepancies. You can check them out by yourself:

https://opa.berkeley.edu/campus-data/uc-berkeley-quick-facts

https://admissions.berkeley.edu/student-profile

https://opa.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/2019_fall_snapshot_-_jan2020.pdf

https://opa.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/2020_fall_snapshot_-_feb_2020.pdf

There were around 15k freshmen admitted and 6k enrolled in the fall of 2020. If the admission is kept at the same level, it is not a big change for the last few years, only about 800 short of fall 2021 freshman enrollment which may largely be due to the extra gap year students. Then, why are they talking about the cut? It is very likely due to the expansion plan of Cal, aiming to increase enrollment by 3000 but got turned down.

Note that the 3000 cut ( as in the expansion plan) includes graduate enrollment and transfer enrollment. So the cut on undergraduate admission, especially in-state admission, is just a proportional of it.

Given that Cal is planning to offer some online enrollment and spring enrollment spots, the number of admissions will be more, not less, compared to fall 2020.

Note that there is about a 10k increase in the number of applications for fall 2022. This may be due to many not very strong applicants applying, which should not decrease most ABC's chance of admission, especially the in state students.


A demonstrator wearing a Ukrainian flag on the shoulders holds a sign reading "No-fly zone! No war!" during a demonstration in support of Ukraine and to protest against Russia's invasion of the country, on the Plaza Catalunya square in Barcelona, on March 6, 2022. (Lluis Gene /AFP via Getty Images)

No-Fly Zone Would Not Help Ukraine: UK Armed Forces Chief

A no-fly zone would not help to defend Ukraine, the head of the UKs armed forces has said.

Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said the invasion in Ukraine is not going well for the Kremlin, with Russias military might not proving as strong as expected in the face of the Ukrainian resistance.

However, he said the key call of Kyiva no-fly zonewould not help those on the ground.

On Sunday, Ukrainian newspaper The Kyiv Independent reported the countrys President Volodymyr Zelensky had reiterated his demand as he said: The world has the power to close our skies for Russian rockets and aircraft.

Admiral Sir Tony Radakin on Oct. 13, 2021. (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Sir Tony told the BBCs Sunday Morning programme: The advice that we as senior military professionals are giving our politicians is to avoid doing things that are tactically ineffective and definitely to avoid doing things that tactically might lead to miscalculation or escalation.

The no-fly zone would not help.

Most of the shelling is coming from artillery, most of the destruction is coming from artillery, its not coming from Russian aircraft.

If we were to police a no-fly zone, it means that we probably have to take out Russian defence systems and we would have NATO aircraft in the air alongside Russian aircraft, and then the potential of shooting them down and then that leads to an escalation.

The view was echoed by Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab, who said it would be very difficult, very challenging, but added we will do everything short of that to support Ukrainians.

Were not going to get ourselves into a direct military conflict with Putin because that would be a massive escalation, but also that feeds Putins narrative, he told Trevor Phillips On Sunday on Sky News.

Putin wants to say that hes actually in a struggle with the Westhes not.

Labours shadow defence secretary John Healey also said the implementation of a no-fly zone would give the Russian president a get-out-of-jail-free card.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer told ITV News: Everybody understands why we cant have a no-fly zone, why direct military assistance is not possible. That means sanctions have to be the strongest we have ever seen, the most effective weve ever seen.

Ukrainian leaders have repeatedly called for a no-fly zone but Vladimir Putin warned that imposing one would be considered participation in the armed conflict.

NATO has ruled it out as the alliance fears it would spark a wider conflict.

General Philip Breedlove, a former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, told Times Radio allies should enforce a humanitarian no-fly zone, with different rules of engagement than a military one whereby we talk to our enemy, and we say, we are not going to fire on you unless you fire on us.

But Raab said he did not think Putin would agree to such a move.

He told Times Radio: I think its interesting, I just cant see why Russia would agree to that and what weve been clear on is were not going to get into direct military conflict between the UK or NATO and Russia.

He added: Weve had ongoing discussions with all of our allies and, indeed, with the Russians, and if we thought that there was an easier or credible route to provide that humanitarian support, of course, wed want to look at it more seriously.

By Geraldine Scott
Sumy [Ukraine], March 6 (ANI): Ukrainian Red Cross in coordination with the Indian World Forum on Sunday provided humanitarian assistance to stranded students of all nationalities in Sumy city of Ukraine as the ongoing military operation by Russia in Ukraine entered the eleventh day on Sunday.

The students are being provided with water and essential supplies. Indian World Forum (IWF) President Puneet Singh Chandhok said Ihor Shapoval, RedCross coordinator has visited the university campus in Sumy and interacted with students coordinators and liaised for their early evacuation subject to a green corridor.

Also Read | Ukraine Carried Out Work on Manufacture of Dirty Bomb at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.

IWF President also shared the images of the assistance being provided to the students on his Twitter handle. Chandhok spoke with Maksym Dotsenko Director-General of RedCross Ukraine and Ihor Shapoval who are on the ground in Sumy and said, "They visited Indian Students there and coordinated with the university officials. Water is being provided now & efforts are being made by them for their early evacuation." Moreover, he remarked that more aid will be provided as the situation eases.

More than 15,900 Indians have been brought back since the special flights under Operation Ganga began on February 22 to rescue the stranded Indian citizens in Ukraine.

Also Read | Sayed Baqir Mohsini, Afghanistan University Professor, Who Criticised Taliban Goes Missing.

To rescue Indian citizens, 2135 Indians have been brought back on Sunday by 11 special civilian flights from Ukraine's neighbouring countries. The number of Indians airlifted by 66 special civilian flights goes up to 13852, said the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

To date, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has flown 10 sorties to bring back 2056 passengers, while taking 26 tonnes of relief load to these countries, as part of Operation Ganga," it added.

Among the special Civilian flights today, 9 landed in New Delhi while 2 reached Mumbai. There were 6 flights from Budapest, 2 from Bucharest, 2 from Rzeszow, and 1 from Kosice.

On Monday, 8 special flights are expected to operate from Budapest (5), Suceava (2) and Bucharest (1), bringing in more than 1500 Indians back home.

The government has also deployed "special envoys" to four neighbouring countries bordering Ukraine to coordinate and oversee the evacuation process of the Indian nationals.

Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Hitting out at the BJP for asserting that the next chief minister of the union territory will be a resident of Jammu, Apni Party chief Syed Altaf Bukhari on Sunday said such statements were made with an intention to divide the two regions.

The former minister also accused the BJP of letting outsiders loot the natural resources of the union territory.

We condemn the BJP for demanding a local chief minister from Jammu. Who else can be more associated with Jammu than me after having invested in the industrial sector for the last 31 years? Am I not from Jammu? Bukhari said.

Also Read | India taking some steps to restore normalcy in Kashmir, asserts US official

Elections were not held...Now the demand for a Jammu chief minister is an attempt to divide the two regions (Jammu - Kashmir). However, the Apni Party will not let this happen, he said.

His statement comes as a response to BJPs Jammu and Kashmir chief Ravinder Rainas assertion that the BJP will win the assembly elections and will choose a leader from Jammu as the union territorys chief minister.

Does it make me an outsider after investing in Jammu for the last three decades and an outsider as a resident of Jammu? This division is dangerous for society and it should be avoided. These statements are given to divert the attention of the people so that they do not ask for development or question the government over growing unemployment, he said at a public meeting organised by the party at Nagri in Kathua.

The former minister also alleged that the BJP was depriving the local people of their rights over the land by allowing non-state subjects to become domiciles of the union territory within 15 years.

Referring to the abrogation of Article 370 that gave special status to the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state, he said the Centres decision left lakhs of people associated with the extraction of minerals jobless and that their trade was gradually grabbed by outsiders.

Their right to earning was taken over by non-locals and it created a sense of insecurity and great distress. If we come to power, we will ensure that the resources will be handed over to the locals and no outsider will be allowed to intervene or exploit the resources which belong to the local population of their respective districts, he said.

Demanding reservation for women in Parliament and the Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly, Bukhari said his party has decided to field Khushboo Bhagat from Kathua during the next assembly elections.

Bhagat belongs to a marginalized Dalit family and hence it is our motive to empower the neglected section of society by providing them ample opportunities for social, political and economical upliftment, he said.

Bukhari said his party does not distinguish between the Jammu region and Kashmir.

Check out latest DH videos here
The first Active Retirement Ireland digital ambassador from Longford graduated at a special event in the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland in Dublin.

Volunteer Kitty Burkhill from Newtownforbes will be leading free digital skills classes for older people in their communities as part of the Vodafone Ireland Foundation Hi Digital programme, in partnership with Active Retirement Ireland and ALONE.

Over the past three months, she has undergone technology training, Hi Digital train-the-trainer training and Hi Digital platform training.

Caption: Active Retirement Ireland digital ambassador Kitty Burkhill, Newtownforbes, at a graduation ceremony in the Royal College of Physicians, Dublin. Photo credit: Maxwell Photography



The Hi Digital programme has been developed to empower older people in Ireland to build basic and essential digital skills, and help them to stay connected in their communities.

Active Retirement Ireland in-person classes will follow the Vodafone Ireland Foundation Hi Digital online learning platform and cover essential topics including using the internet, using smartphones, sending emails, keeping in touch through social media or video calling, accessing online banking and government services, and shopping and making electronic payments online.

Tuition is also provided in online communication and recreational services including how to use WhatsApp, watch television or listen to the radio online, plan driving routes and other travel, and book events, outings and holidays online.

Commenting on the graduation of the digital ambassadors, Maureen Kavanagh, CEO of Active Retirement Ireland, said: Digital exclusion of older people is a real and growing problem in Ireland, and one that is leading to increased feelings of isolation and disconnectedness. Through this new stage of the Hi Digital programme, our digital ambassador-led, in-person classes will further support older peoples participation online. This will help ensure they have the appropriate access and skills to engage with digital services, along with expanding the possibilities on offer to them from the digital shift. We are so proud of our digital ambassadors who have given up so much of their time for training and who now want to share their skills with others in their communities.

Moyna Staunton, 66, who is Midlands Region Spokesperson for Active Retirement Ireland and also a digital ambassador, said: The need for older people to build their digital skills is something I feel strongly about. So much of day-to-day life is either moving wholly online or is made easier by an online option for those that can access it. Having been a teacher in my working life, becoming an Active Retirement Ireland digital ambassador was an obvious choice for me and I am excited about helping older people to get online and be more connected.

Older people wishing to learn or refresh their digital skills can start today with the free, self-guided Hi Digital online courses, in both English and Irish, at www.hidigital.ie

The online courses can be completed at home, either independently or with help from friends, family or other people in their community.
ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- Bolashaq is the name of the well-known Kazakh scholarship program that has sent more than 11,000 people to study in prestigious universities abroad -- mostly in Britain and the United States -- since it was created in 1993.

But the government's recent addition of four low-rated Russian technological universities to Bolashaq's program rankings is causing controversy.

Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev said on January 21 that the scholarship program should focus on Russian technological schools.

But experts in Kazakhstan criticized Toqaevs instruction to add the Russian schools as being politically motivated, with critics saying the president was trying to show his loyalty to Moscow, which supported him during the massive January unrest that led to hundreds of people being killed in the Central Asian nation.

Bolashaq awards an all-expenses paid scholarship to high-performing young Kazakhs for them to study in foreign universities that have high academic rankings. After receiving their diplomas, the graduates are obligated to return and work at least five years in their home country.

Kazakhstans Center for International Programs, which runs Bolashaq, relies on three influential global rankings by Quacquarelli Symonds, Times Higher Education, and the Academic Ranking of World Universities when deciding which universities to include in its program.

A requirement for the universities used in Bolashaq is for them to be among the top 250 schools in at least two of these three rankings.

But the four Russian universities recently added to the Bolashaq program -- Bauman Moscow State Technical University, the National Research Nuclear University, the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, and St. Petersburg State University -- don't make the grade.

But when asked about this by RFE/RL, the Center for International Programs said, [the new universities were added] on Toqaevs instruction.

The center added that the four Russian universities are among the top 20 schools ranked by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and BRICS, a grouping of five emerging economies, including Russia.

The Bolashaq program had never previously relied on the national ratings of the OECD and BRICS countries when adding new universities. Until now, only a handful top Russian schools with relatively high academic rankings -- including the Russian State University and several medical schools -- were among Bolashaq destination universities.

Quality Concerns

Toqaevs decision sparked criticism in Kazakhstan, with some former Bolashaq participants expressing concern about the quality of education in Russia.

A former Bolashaq scholarship holder who got a degree in advanced control and systems engineering from the University of Manchester said Russia lags far behind Western countries when it comes to engineering technology.

To learn advanced technologies one must study in the West, not in Russia, he said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Studying in English provides an added bonus at many western universities, according to another Bolashaq participant.

In the rapidly developing world, textbooks in science and technology are constantly updated and the latest scientific information is available in English, said Asiya Ermukhambetova, a University College London graduate who has a PhD in chemical engineering.

Many people contend that Toqaevs decision to add the lower-rated universities was a kind of "thank-you" to Moscow.

In January, Toqaev sought support from the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) to help stabilize the country amid nationwide anti-government protests sparked by a fuel price hike. The CSTO agreed and briefly deployed troops to Kazakhstan.

It is Toqaevs way of trying to demonstrate his loyalty to Russia and President Vladimir Putin, political analyst Shalkar Nurseit said.

Following the CSTOs help, Toqaev needed to come up with a concrete move to prove to Moscow that he is a pro-Russian president, said Nurseit, who studied in the United States on a Bolashaq scholarship.

Russia is also interested in accepting Kazakhs to its universities because it hopes they will potentially become Russia sympathizers after studying and living in the country for several years, Nurseit added.

I wouldnt call it a partnership in the sphere of education. The goal is to train pro-Russian specialists, and Russia will help with this, Nurseit told RFE/RL.

Written by Farangis Najibullah based on reporting by Yelnur Alimova.
ABS

The Sierra was chosen as the starting point for the Ford Motor Companys Group A touring car for two reasons. First and foremost, the Dearborn-based automaker initially had trouble selling the rear-wheel-driven model. And secondly, the aerodynamic design would pay dividends in Group A. Cosworth , the company that developed the DFV engine with Fords backing, was contracted for the powerplant of the Cossie. The British engineering company had to modify the Sierras existing 2.0-liter mill for this application, a job they accepted with one string attached. Specifically, Cosworth told Ford they had to place an advance order for 15,000 units of the new engine.Ford was initially terrified by this prospect because Group A regulations mandated 5,000 cars produced within a year. But as you already know by now, the Ford Motor Company accepted Cosworths offer because they were hungry for success. On that note, lets get a little bit more technical.Codenamed T88, the Pinto block that serves as the basis for the YBB in the legendary hot hatchback displaces 1,993 cubic centimeters. One of the biggest changes brought by Cosworth is the alloy head, which rocks two camshafts that operate 35-mm intake valves and 31-mm exhaust valves.Gifted with a 90.8-mm bore and a 76.95-mm stroke, this powerplant is further gifted with Mahle pistons, forged steel connecting rods, a high-flow oil pump, a cast aluminum sump, a forged steel crankshaft, and a less restrictive exhaust system. Another tremendous change over the 2.0-liter unit in the Sierra is the 0.7-bar turbocharger, namely a Garrett AiResearch T03B.Weber Marelli engine management, electronic fuel injection, and a compression ratio of 8.0:1 also need to be mentioned. We also have to remember the YBB is the very first series-production car engine to surpass 100 horsepower per liter. More specifically, Ford quoted 201 horsepower at 6,000 revolutions per minute and 204 pound-feet (277 Nm) at 4,500 rpm.Now imagine what kind of grunt a mid-engined V8 supercar from the Prancing Horse of Maranello was capable of in 1985 when the Sierra RS Cosworth was revealed in full at the Geneva Motor Show. To be frank, the lyrical waxing in the automotive media of that era wasnt just hyperbole.Given the output figures of this force-fed lump, the Blue Oval decided on a five-speed transmission shared with the Mustang. The BorgWarner T5 was understandably beefed up for this application. Spruced up with a quicker steering rack than the Sierra, the Cossie also boasts firmer dampers, stiffer coil springs, thick anti-roll bars, anddeveloped in collaboration with ATE. Ventilated rotors with four-piston calipers are present up front while the rear wheels are fitted with solid brake rotors and single-piston brake calipers.Riding on 15- by 7.0-inch alloys mounted with Dunlop rubber shoes, the Sierra RS Cosworth puts the power down to the rear wheels with the help of a limited-slip differential of the viscous-coupling variety. Constructed from steel and fiberglass, this fellow features a very recognizable rear spoiler.Originally envisioned with a triple-decker layout , the rear spoiler was inspired by the Red Barons plane according to Frank Stephenson. The Moroccan-born American designer explains that Fords bean counters voted against it.Frank Stephenson states that the finance guys argument was that if we got rid of the middle wing, we would probably be saving about five Deutsche Marks on the design and bill of materials. And so, that won over, unfortunately. That always felt for me like a big loss in terms of design. Its still considered one of the iconic designs of the 80s, but for me, it always felt like this was a child that had been born with nine fingers instead of ten.Even with a two-wing layout, the rear spoiler increased the vehicles drag coefficient to 0.345 thanks to more downforce over the rear axle. Offered in standard Diamond White, the Cossie was available in Black or Moonstone Blue at extra cost. No fewer than 5,042 examples of the Sierra RS Cosworth were produced through January 1987, of which 2,616 were delivered in the United Kingdom. Never offered in the U.S. of A., the Sierra RS Cosworth was immediately followed by the limited-production Sierra RS500 Cosworth.500 cars were sent to engineering company Tickford, of which 394 were finished in black. The engine in the RHD-only RS500 is codenamed YBD and cranks out 224 horsepower. The subsequent Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth takes its mojo from the original YBB whereas the Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth 4x4 was offered with two mills: the catted YBG and non-catted YBJ.
What just happened? Lapsus$, a hacking group that leaked confidential information from Nvidia just last week, has reportedly moved to a new target: Samsung. The hackers have claimed an attack that leaked 190GB of confidential information from the South Korean technology giant, including encryption data and source code for Samsung's most recent devices.

The hackers behind the Nvidia security breach are setting their sights on the biggest tech companies in the world. Last week, South American hacker group Lapsus$ claimed to have perpetrated a major hacking attack on Nvidia, stealing over 1TB of information and holding it ransom. The Telegraph reported that Nvidia's internal systems were "completely compromised."

On Saturday, the hackers leaked nearly 190GB of data from Samsung, subsequently publishing the files through torrent. This reportedly includes sensitive information that may be used to compromise Samsung devices.

The publication vx-underground, which tracks information about malware across the web, tweeted a message that Lapsus$ released to their followers. It alleges that the hack includes "source code from every Trusted Applet installed on all Samsung devices" and "confidential source code from Qualcomm."

LAPSUS$ extortion group have successfully breached both NVIDIA & Samsung.



-March 1st: They demand NVIDIA open-source its drivers, or else they will

-March 4th: LAPSUS$ released Samsung proprietary source code.



See attached images for more details directly from LAPSUS$ pic.twitter.com/U3VD7R2KRl --- vx-underground (@vxunderground) March 4, 2022

The leak also purportedly includes the algorithms for biometric unlock operations and the source code for Samsung Accounts, a login service associated with Samsung's mobile devices.

According to Bleeping Computer, the torrent has been shared by more than 400 peers, and includes a text file that describes the content available in the download:

"Part 1 contains a dump of source code and related data about Security/Defense/Knox/Bootloader/TrustedApps and various other items

Part 2 contains a dump of source code and related data about device security and encryption

Part 3 contains various repositories from Samsung Github: mobile defense engineering, Samsung account backend, Samsung pass backend/frontend, and SES (Bixby, Smartthings, store)"

The Nvidia hack was reported to be a ransom plot, with the hackers threatening to leak Nvidia's mining limiter bypass algorithm. Lapsus$ claimed that Nvidia hacked them back but maintained that they still had a copy of Nvidia's confidential data.

Currently, there is no information about an extortion plot associated with the Samsung incident, with all files in the hack being released simultaneously. It is unknown if Lapsus$ has attempted to extort Samsung for a ransom.

Samsung has yet to respond to the security breach.
Fire is seen in Mariupol at a residential area after shelling amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, on March 3, 2022. Twitter (@AyBurlachenko via Reuters)

Ukraine Official Says Assault Halted Evacuations for 2nd Time

An attempt to evacuate civilians from the Ukrainian city of Mariupol was halted for a second time this weekend, according to a Ukrainian government official, who alleged that Russian attacks stopped plans for a humanitarian corridor.

There can be no green corridors because only the sick brain of the Russians decides when to start shooting and at whom, Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko via on Telegram on Sunday.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) also appeared to confirm that evacuation efforts from Mariupol had failed.

Todays attempt to start evacuating an estimated 200,000 people has failed. The failed attempts underscore the absence of a detailed and functioning agreement between parties to the conflict, the ICRC wrote on Twitter. The Red Cross appeared to blame both sides for not coming to a clear agreement on the evacuation corridors.

People in Mariupol and in other places across Ukraine are living in desperate situations, the ICRC wrote in its Twitter thread before adding: They must be protected at all times. They are not a target. People urgently need water, food, shelter. The basics of life. We need safety guarantees to be able to bring them aid.

The Russian Ministry of Defense wrote earlier Saturday that it would stop bombarding Mariupol and Volnovakha. But after the announcement was made, Ukrainian authorities said Moscow started the bombing again.

Refugees, mostly women with children, arrive at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland, on March 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)

Due to the fact that the Russians are not observing the ceasefire regime and continue shelling Mariupol and its outskirts, the evacuation of the population has been postponed for security reasons, the governor of the Donetsk region, Pavlo Kyrylenko, wrote on Twitter.

The breakaway Donetsk separatist region said that safe passage from Mariupol, located along the Azov Sea, and Volnovakha was opened Sunday morning. The separatist Donetsk Peoples Republic has claimed Mariupol as its territory since 2014 following the color revolution that saw Ukraines government overthrown.

A spokesman for the separatists, Eduard Basurin, told RT that Ukrainian forces would not guarantee the observation of the ceasefire in the area on Sunday, while the Russian Ministry of Defense alleged that Ukrainian nationalist forces prevented civilians from leaving Mariupol.

Via state-run Russian media, the Donetsk separatists said that Ukrainian militants allegedly shot at civilians who are trying to leave Mariupol. According to preliminary information, two civilians were killed and four were injured, the statement said.

The Epoch Times could not independently verify those claims.

A similar evacuation plan was thwarted by shelling on Saturday.

Russian and Ukrainian delegations have held two rounds of peace talks since the conflict started on Feb. 24. The second round of talks last week produced an agreement to set up humanitarian and evacuation corridors, while a third round is scheduled for Monday, officials have said.

On Saturday, Mariupol mayor Vadym Boichenko stressed the urgency of getting residents, who have been sheltering in basements, out of the line of fire. Russias bombardment of the city for the previous six days has been so heavy emergency services are not able to collect the bodies of those killed, he told Reuters.

Reuters contributed to this report.
MIRPUR (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Mar, 2022 ) : Mar 06 (APP):Azad Jammu and Kashmir State President Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry said on Sunday that the second Kashmir solidarity rally would be held on March 17 in the State's capital city Muzaffarabad.

The AJK president made the formal announcement after holding consultations with leaders and representatives of different political parties of Azad Jammu Kashmir, AJK President office said on Sunday evening.

The prime objective of staging the rally, he said, was to convey a message of solidarity on the other side of the ceasefire line and reaffirming our commitment to their just cause of freedom from the Indian occupation.

Kashmiris regardless of their political affiliations are one and united on the issue of Kashmir", Barrister Chaudhry said, adding that the government of the Base camp would continue to highlight the Kashmir issue at home and abroad. He also urged the Kashmiri masses to fully participate in the rally to express solidarity with Kashmiri brethren who he said have been reeling under the relentless repression in the occupied territory.
A former Missouri police detective who fatally shot a Black man as he backed a truck into the driveway of his own home has been sentenced to six years behind bars.

Eric DeValkenaere, who is white, was handed a three-year sentence on Friday for involuntary second-degree manslaughter in the death of Cameron Lamb as well as a six-year prison stay for armed criminal action, CNN reported. He was found guilty in a bench trial last November and the sentences will run concurrently.

The deadly shooting unfolded on December 3, 2019, when DeValkenaere and his partner responded to a traffic incident involving a stolen vehicle. Prosecutors said Lamb was chasing his girlfriends convertible in the missing pickup, which authorities tracked to a home in Kansas City.

Lamb was slowly backing the truck down a ramp into the basement garage, when he was confronted by officers in his driveway. They tried to tell Lamb to stop, but its unclear whether he heard their commands, according to the indictment.

DeValkenaere then fired off four rounds at Lamb and went on to claim he spotted Lambs hand reaching for a firearm and then point it at his partner.

Prosecutors argued that the officers, who did not have a warrant, never shouldve confronted the suspect on the property of his own residence. They also pushed back on DeValkenaeres account, arguing that Lambs left hand was on the trucks steering wheel while his cell phone was in his right hand before the gunfire erupted.

An officer at the scene of the shooting also testified that while he did not see a weapon near Lambs body, one later appeared beside him in evidence photos.

DeValkenaere will remain free on bond while his conviction is appealed.
(@FahadShabbir)

Vatican City, March 6 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Mar, 2022 ) :Pope Francis on Sunday deplored what he termed the "rivers of blood and tears" flowing in Ukraine following the Russian invasion and demanded the creation of humanitarian corridors for refugees.

"Rivers of blood and tears are flowing in Ukraine. This is not just a military operation but a war which is sowing death, destruction and misery," said the pontiff.

ljm/cdw/lc
Welcome to The Denver Gazettes Metro Moves. Youll get the latest metro Denver openings, closings, hiring and promotion briefs here. To submit your companys news, drop an email to dennis.huspeni@gazette.com.

New hire

Denver-based Pinnacol Assurance named John ODonnell chief executive officer, according to a news release.

The former Allstate executive replaces retiring Phil Kalin.

John brings a vast amount of insurance experience to Pinnacol, Joseph Hoff, chair of the Pinnacol Assurance board of directors, said in the release. He also refers to himself as a servant leader. This struck a chord with me, and the full board feels strongly he is the right person to shepherd Pinnacol forward while upholding the caring culture that sets us apart from our competitors.

In addition to his work as executive vice president at Allstate, ODonnell is the former president of western territory and chairman of Allstate Canada.

Im thrilled to be joining Pinnacol because it is a unique company with an important mission to provide caring protection to Colorado businesses and the workers they employ, ODonnell said in the release. I look forward to helping Pinnacol evolve in order to better meet the changing needs of Colorado employers and workers.

Pinnacol is Colorados largest workers compensation carrier with about 55,000 businesses and 1 million workers covered, according to the company.

Rehire

Former CBS4 general assignment reporter Anna Alejo returns to the station next week as the executive producer of community impact for Denver's KCNC-TV, according to a news release.

Alejos new position involves developing more grassroots relationships across communities and more original content at the neighborhood level.

Im excited about supporting CBS4s commitment to covering communities throughout the state, finding and telling stories that have a profound impact on peoples lives, and bringing attention to creative solutions, Alejo said in the release. I look forward to rejoining the talented, dedicated team at CBS4 in this new role.

In her previous role with the station from 1991-2007, Alejo worked as an award-winning general assignment and education reporter. Since then, she has worked as director of corporate communications for Western Union and a public relations consulting practice.

Local journalism plays an important role in examining the most urgent issues across Colorado and seeking solutions, News Director Kristine Strain said in the release. Anna will help our team produce content across our streaming, digital and broadcast platforms that reflect our diverse communities and lead to positive change.
As anyone driving on P, Q, Ninth or 10th street in downtown Lincoln in December of 2021 or January 2022 can attest, the more than half-block once occupied by the Lincoln Journal Star is nearly empty. That leaves most of what the Nebraska State Historical Societys monument on the north side of the parking garage calls Lincolns founding block being readied for the construction of a high-rise apartment complex. Outside of the newspapers home, what gave the block its historic designation?

When Nebraska became a U.S. territory in 1854, the entire area was mapped, becoming designated as Section 23 of Lancaster County. The land that would ultimately become part of Lincoln was identified by Julian Metcalf in January of 1863 and purchased by him with a military land bounty warrant May 10, 1864. That same year, Jacob Dawson platted the city of Lancaster with Locust, now O Street, as its eastern boundary, with each block containing eight lots and one square block each designated as Seminary Square and Courthouse Square.

In 1864-65, the Methodists built their two-story, 30-foot-by-50-foot, red-sandstone seminary on the northeast corner of Sixth and High, which would roughly become Ninth and P when Lincoln was platted over the city of Lancaster in 1867. Virtually one year before Lincoln was named and Nebraska statehood occurred, the city of Lancaster was said to have one seminary, four dwellings, one store and one blacksmith shop, with a population of about 30.

After serving briefly as a school, the seminary building was converted to the Cadman House Hotel in 1867 and later enlarged as the Atwood House, then razed in 1881, becoming the second home of the Nebraska Commonwealth, ultimately the Lincoln Journal Star.

Also, just before Lancaster became Lincoln, two other businesses were built on the block. S.B. Galey built a small store on P Street near 10th, while Robert Monteith and his son John erected a shoe store at 922 P. The balance of Block 34, Section 23 ultimately housed a variety of often-forgotten buildings and businesses.

Before the seminary building became a hotel, L.A. Scoggin built the Pioneer House Hotel on the southeast corner of Ninth and Q, just north of the seminary, making it the first hotel in Lincoln. Within a short time, Scoggin mysteriously left, and has not been heard from. The hotel, though extant in 1872, burned shortly thereafter.

The seminary association gave a quit claim deed for its property to the state on Aug. 1, 1867, which led to the state auctioning Lincoln lots to help finance the new state and its many functions, including the capitol, university, penitentiary and insane asylum.

At the initial auction, eight buyers bought 18 lots in Block 34, paying between $85 and $200 apiece. By 1873, the original buildings were joined by Gulicks Bakery, Keefer & Lindley Agricultural Implements and First National, which was on the southeast corner of the block.

In 1867, Rev. Robert Hawks formed a Methodist Class at Lincoln with 16 members. The following spring, the Class advanced to being named a Station and was named First M.E. Church of Lincoln, which erected a small frame building on the northeast corner of Block 34. After Rev. Davis Assumed the pastorship, the then-outgrown building was sold to the city for use as a school for $400 and the Methodists built on M Street where they were given lots by the state.

In 1881, the year the seminary was razed for the site of the Nebraska Commonwealth, another hotel, the Valley House opened on the north side of P Street between Ninth and 10th.

In 1890, the Q Street side of Block 34 housed Lewis Carriage, Lewis Hardware and two rooming houses. North 10th Streets side of the block hosted three variations of clothiers, a hardware store, a billiard parlor, two business blocks and a residence. The P Street side held Pound & Robinsons law office, where one edition of the Nebraska Commonwealth was published before moving to the southwest corner of Ninth and O; a bakery, nearly 10 retail businesses, a hotel and the Jewish synagogue. Along Ninth Street, the block held seven businesses, a hotel, one house and the Hurlbut Building.

In 1950, as businesses prospered and became larger, the Ninth Street side held O.M. Anderson Co., Peglers Restaurant Supply and Sams Poultry. P Street had Tillmans Restaurant and three stores, but most addresses were listed as vacant. Q Streets tenants included a sheet-metal shop and two auto repair businesses, while 10th Street had only a few federal and state offices. By 1960, as the newspaper began expanding, only nine businesses besides the newspaper occupied the block which, by 1975, held only the Greyhound/Union Bus Depot, a Goodwill Store, Peglers, the sheet-metal fabricator and the office of a U.S. Postal Inspector.

Today, although the original plat of the city of Lancaster still lies, unvacated, below Lincolns footprint, the city parking garage and a small bank sit alone on the block, awaiting the development of Trinitas Ventures 13-story, 321-unit apartment complex coming in a few months.
Days after Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao arrived in Delhi to take forward his plan of an anti-BJP federal front, State Home Minister came out in support of Rao and said that this move will help in re-establishing secularism in the country. In a conversation with ANI today, Telangana Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali said, "Our Chief Minister is capable of making federal front. There is a need to re-establish secularism in India. Wherever secularism ends, law and order situation get disturbed and the consequences can be disastrous for the country." "Here, people live with unity. That is the idea our Chief Minister wishes to promote in the country. He wants to spread 'Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb' across the country so that all the religions including Hinduism, Sikhism, Islam and Christianity prevail peacefully for the country to move ahead." Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao had arrived in New Delhi on the night of February 28 in a continuation of his pursuit to cobble up a credible anti-BJP third or federal front. Meanwhile, a three-day programme has been organised in the state to mark the International Women's Day celebrations that will end on March 8. Ali said today, "A lot of welfare schemes are present and in place for women in Telangana. In all aspects, women's empowerment is given top priority. Women play a major role in the development of the country." Taking to Twitter today, Ali wrote, "Participated in the International Women's Day celebrations organised at People's Plaza in Necklace Road along with Minister Colleague Srinivas Yadav Garu, MLA Danam Nagender Garu, Mayor Vijayalaxmi Garu, Deputy Mayor Srilatha Garu and Other Dignitaries." (ANI)
Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said the state government has requested the Centre to approve the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Mekedatu project as early as possible. Speaking to media persons at the Hubballi airport the chief minister said the Union Water Resources Minister has been apprised of the significance of the Mekedatu project. The all-party meeting would be convened to discuss the issue during the ongoing Budget session of the state legislature. "Later we will leave for Delhi to discuss Mekedatu and major irrigation projects including Krishna," Bommai said. (ANI)
Taliban's acting foreign minister Amir Khan Mottaqi met with Afghan specialists, businessmen and a number of female members of Dawat-e Islami Union on Saturday. Dawat-e-Islami is a global non-political Islamic organization that was established in the year 1981 in Karachi, Pakistan. Taking to Twitter, Afghanistan's online portal, Reporterly wrote, "#Taliban's acting foreign minister Amir Khan Mottaqi met with a number of Afghan specialists, businessmen & a number of female members of Dawat-e Islami Union on Saturday. They discussed the political and economic situation in the country and education." Earlier, Sirajuddin Haqqani, the acting head of the Taliban's Interior Ministry, who is on the UN sanctions list as well as an FBI wanted terrorist, was seen in front of media for the first time on Saturday in a graduation ceremony from the police academy. Sirajuddin Haqqani is wanted for questioning in connection with the January 2008 attack on a hotel in Kabul, Afghanistan, that killed six people, including an American citizen. He is believed to have coordinated and participated in cross-border attacks against the United States and coalition forces in Afghanistan. Haqqani also allegedly was involved in the planning of the assassination attempt on Afghan President Hamid Karzai in 2008, reported the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Taking to Twitter, Payk Media, an Afghanistan-based media outlet, wrote, "Sirajuddin Haqqani, the acting head of the #Taliban's Interior Ministry, appeared in front of the media for the first time on Saturday at a graduation ceremony from the police academy. He is on the UN sanctions list as well as the US award list." Sirajuddin is strongly associated with the Taliban, which provides him funding for his operations. He also receives funding from various other groups and individuals, including drug lords. He is a key conduit for terrorist operations in Afghanistan and supporting activities in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan, as per the UN. He is actively involved in the planning and execution of attacks targeting International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF), Afghan officials and civilians, mainly in the eastern and southern regions of Afghanistan. He also regularly recruits and sends fighters into the Khost, Paktia and Paktika Provinces in Afghanistan, as per the UN. (ANI)
MEDYKA, Poland  Iryna Dukhota has been married to her husband for 26 years. She met him when they were young, as he was riding his bike through her neighborhood in Kyiv, Ukraines capital.

But a few days ago, on a gray, windswept morning, with thousands of people rushing around them, the couple stood at the Ukraine-Poland border, lips quivering. After all these years, it was time to say goodbye.

I told him I love you and We will see each other soon, Ms. Dukhota said, her eyes pooling.

Now, she says, she does not know when or even if she will ever see him again.
MUKACHEVO, Ukraine  Russian forces pounded key airfields in central Ukraine and launched a fresh assault on the besieged port city of Mariupol on Sunday, Russian and Ukrainian officials said, as Moscow pressed ahead with its invasion in defiance of new Western economic threats and fierce resistance from Ukraines outgunned defenders.

The newest attacks by Russian warplanes, missiles and artillery came as waves of refugees continued to pour across Ukraines northern border, and amid renewed pleadings from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for international military help to close the sky to Russian bombers.

For the second consecutive day, Russian shelling ruptured a temporary cease-fire in Mariupol, blocking efforts to evacuate civilians in the Black Sea city where more than 200,000 residents remained trapped, according to a tally by relief agencies. In Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraines capital, at least eight people, including two children, were killed in an artillery barrage as families were preparing to board buses to flee the area.

More than 1.5 million refugees from Ukraine have fled to neighboring countries over the past 10 days, the U.N. high commissioner for refugees, Filippo Grandi, said Sunday. He tweeted that the mass exodus is the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II. Grandi recently predicted that more than 4 million people could be displaced by the conflict in the weeks to come.

Ukrainians braced for further violence as the invasion entered its 11th day. Zelenskyy warned of a coming Russian aerial assault on Odessa, the historic city of nearly 1 million people on the Black Sea coast, and Ukrainian officials reported steady advances by Russian armored columns in the countrys southeast. At the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine, an international nuclear watchdog accused Russian occupiers of interfering with the facilitys Ukrainian management. Russian troops seized Europes largest nuclear plant on Friday after a projectile set part of the complex on fire and heightened fears across Europe of a catastrophic accident.

The relentless attacks prompted new warnings from President Joe Bidens administration and several NATO allies of harsher measures against Russia, from war-crimes investigations to possible restrictions against oil exports, which are an essential pillar of Russias economy.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the administration was in very active discussions with European partners on possibly blocking Russian oil sales, and Republican and Democratic lawmakers suggested that such a move would receive bipartisan support in Congress.

What Vladimir Putin is doing is not only terrible violence to men, women, and children, hes doing terrible violence to the very principles [that] keep peace and security around the world, Blinken said during a visit on Sunday to Moldova, Ukraines southwestern neighbor that is now worried that it could be Putins next target. We cant let either of those things go forward with impunity, because if we do, it opens a Pandoras box that we will deeply, deeply regret.

Russian attacks on two key aviation facilities raised new concerns about the Ukraines ability to challenge Moscows control of the skies. Air strikes targeted Ukraines Starokostiantyniv military air base, about 150 miles southwest of Kyiv, as well as a commercial airport at Vinnystia, about 70 miles to the southeast. While the damage could not be independently assessed, the attacks could deprive Ukraine of usable airstrips as the country presses Western allies to send fighter planes to combat Moscows invasion.

A spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that the military had struck the air base with long-range, high precision weapons  apparently including cruise missiles, Among the targets was a Russian-made air defense system owned by Ukraine, the spokesman said.

Almost all combat-capable aviation of the regime in Kyiv has been destroyed, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement following the attacks.

Zelenskyy confirmed in a video message that the strike on Vinnystia had completely destroyed the airport.

In the same message, Zelenskyy, who has repeatedly urged NATO to help him defend his country against Russian warplanes, again called for assistance in fighting an air war.

We repeat every day: Close the sky over Ukraine. Close it for all Russian rockets. For all Russian military aviation. For all these terrorists. Make a humanitarian airspace, Zelenskyy said. We are people, and this is your humanitarian obligation to protect us.

Failing that, supply airplanes so that we can protect ourselves, he added.

For the second time in 24 hours, Russia was accused of violating cease-fire agreements intended to evacuate civilians from besieged cities. In Mariupol, the city council said evacuations were not possible because Russians began to regroup their forces and to shell the city heavily. A temporary truce to allow people to leave there and other places broke down less than 24 hours earlier.

In calls with French and Turkish leaders Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed to press on with the invasion unless Ukraine stopped fighting.

It was time for Ukraine to show a more constructive approach that fully takes into account the emerging realities, he said, according to the Kremlin, in an apparent reference to Ukraines military and territorial losses since Russias invasion. Speaking by phone with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Putin said the war was going according to plan and on time. He denied that Russia was responsible for the civilian casualty toll, according to a Russian readout of the call.

Blinken said Sunday that the United States is exploring how it might supply Ukraine with fighter jets from NATO nations. I cant speak to the timeline but I can just tell you that were looking at it very, very actively, Blinken said.

But Russia warned Sunday that foreign countries hosting Ukrainian combat aircraft could be viewed by Moscow as parties to the conflict.

We know for a fact about Ukrainian combat planes which earlier flew to Romania and other neighboring countries, Konashenkov said Sunday. We would like to point out that the use of the network of airfields of those countries for the stationing of Ukrainian combat aviation for the further use against the Russian Armed Forces could be viewed as the involvement of those countries in the armed conflict, he said.

In Irpin, outside Kyiv, video published Sunday showed a man wearing a yellow armband, usually worn by Ukrainian forces, and carrying a gun over his shoulder as he stands across from a church and sidewalk crowded with people carrying suitcases. He takes a few steps toward an intersection before an explosion rips through the middle of the street.

The area is covered in smoke. Someone runs out of the building and drags the man with the yellow armband out of the street. Soldiers sprint across the intersection to people collapsed on the ground, and someone shouts, Medic!

Associated Press photos of the aftermath show civilians  including children  killed in the attack. Lynsey Addario, a photographer working for the New York Times who witnessed the attack, said in a message posted on Twitter that at least three members of a family of four were killed in front of me.

Fahim reported from Istanbul, Warrick and Cahlan from Washington, and Ryan from Tallinn, Estonia. The Washington Posts Jennifer Hassan in London and Danielle Paquette in Dakar, Senegal, contributed to this report.
The Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly ( KoKMA) on Sunday ,joined the rest of the nation to celebrate Ghana's 65th Independence Day Anniversary with a call on Ghanaians to work together in our quest to bounce back from the covid 19 pandemic .

The youth were also entreated to adequately prepare themselves by working and studying hard to become responsible citizens so that when the mantle of leadership is handed over to them in the near future they wouldn't be found wanting.

In his keynote address, the KoKMA Municipal Chief Executive ( MCE) Hon. Samuel Nii Adjei Tawiah urged school children to work and study hard and to refrain from engaging into social vices such as drug abuse, internet fraud, alcoholism, truancy amongst others so as to be responsible citizens .

Hon. Adjei Tawaiah was also cognizant of the threats posed by the dreadful covid 19 pandemic that dwindled the efforts and gains made by the government and private businesses over the years . The pandemic has severe effects on Ghana's economy including the educational sector.

Hon. Adjei Tawiah mentioned that amongst other things the pandemic affected every aspects of the economy thereby resulting in redundancy, laying of workers, reduction in working hours. The government therefore in its quest to put the economy back on track implemented certain policies to help bring development up to speed which must be embraced by all Ghanaians.

He however pointed out that despite the covid 19 set back, Ghanaians have rallied together and efforts have been made by both the government and private entities to help put the countrys economy back on a recovery road.

The MCE also pointed out the Government and the Assembly have come out with measures aimed at mitigating the negative effects of the dreadful covid 19 pandemic that has succeeded in bringing everything in the country to a standstill.  We, together with private entities rolled out economic modules that were aimed at mitigating the effects of the pandemic .

The government according hon. Samuel Nii Adjei recognizes education as key component of development and has therefore made conscious efforts to improve the nation's educational sector .

To that end, he mentioned Free Senior High School flagship program , expansion of school feeding program, STEM expansion, scholarship scheme reforms as some measures put in place to improve on nations human resource base and enhance learning and teaching.

He also disclosed that in his Assembly's efforts to improve education in the Municipality, they have built a state of the arts student library at Osu which is yet to be commissioned . We have also constructed an eighteen unit millennium school block for the people of Osu as well as the rehabilitation of the Nii Amugi School at Adabraka. He assured that his Assembly will do more this year to enhance upon teaching and learning in Korle Klottey.

The Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly's first gentleman commended the schools, teachers, students and voluntary organizations for making the program a success and was hopeful next year's celebration shall be better and greater .

On her part, Dr. Zenator Agyemang Rawlings , the Member of Parliament for Korle Klottey commended organisers for bringing the schools in the Municipality together .It is not easy to put up a parade like this together and so the organizers deserve maximum commendation.

She encouraged the student to always take their studies seriously so as to become responsible citizens for mother Ghana. She reminded them of the importance of always putting the interest of the nation beyond their individualistic interests .

To that end, Dr. Zenator Agyemang Rawlings urged the students to aspire to be patriotic citizens for the betterment of the country. Let Ghana's national pledge and anthems resonates in your spirits so as to be better and patriotic citizens for the country.

She was hopeful next year's independence celebration shall be better and that the covid 19 pandemic cannot bring the people of Ghana to their knees.

The theme of the celebration  working together and bouncing back together  according to the MP was carefully and appropriately chosen by the national planning body and that we must be spurred on by the theme to help revive the country's educational sector which was devastated by the pandemic.

We must use education which is key to development to view and understand the values and principles that bound us together as people of one country with a common destiny.

In her address, Madam Joyce Osae Apenteng , the KoKMA Director for Education said even though things are bouncing back after covid halted progress in the education sector, they as educational workers need to perform their duties diligently to ensure the sector bounces back speedily.

She said the covid 19 pandemic seriously halted their progress but was quick to add that things were improving now and that they have a duty to enhance and speed up post covid 19 development in the sector.

The Municipal Education Director also applauded efforts of workers in the sector both teaching and non teaching staff during and after covid period. School workers have done well over the years and deserve commendation .

Madam Joyce Osae Apenteng noted that the journey to enhance teaching and learning has been very tough but was hopeful they will surely get to the top of academic excellence in the Municipality and nation at large.

She thanked both the MCE and MP for their tremendous and continuous support to the sector in the Municipality but asked that more still has to be done for the Municipal educational sector as they match towards embracing innovations to make teaching and learning better.
100 years ago

1922: While practically all of those reported last week is ill with flu around again just as if nothing had happened, a new crop of patients has been claiming the attention of the local physicians in Flagstaff. None of this assortment are dangerously sick and indications are that we shall come through without a single fatality from the disease that made such ravages here and elsewhere during the winter of 1918 to 1919 in which this winter is causing many deaths in other parts of the country. Dr. Felix Manning was very sick for a few days. Dr. Mackey is back at his office again.

Following the assurance by the Warren Brothers Construction Company that they cannot pave our residents' streets for $6 a front foot, and because no other company will bid that low on the work, new petitions are being made and the owners of property along the streets included in this summer's potential paving program will be asked to sign. The new petitions authorize Flagstaff City Council to let the contract at a price between $6.50 and $7a front foot, including curb and gutter. If the price suits the owners of a majority of the frontage in the sections proposed to be paved, Council will award the contract.

75 years ago

1947: Flagstaffs community swimming pool, for which over $10,000 was collected through the combined efforts of the Cub Scouts and civic organizations last spring, is stymied by current building restrictions. Flagstaff Mayor Harold Sykes told members of the planning and zoning commission at the regular meeting Monday night that there could be a hold up. Sykes said that it was possible that material shortages may be eased enough early this spring that a renewed application could be filed to obtain a more favorable response. Sykes brought up the topic of the swimming pool as the commission considered a variety of business, including the status of the land-use map prepared by the city engineer and lights for the overnight parking lots the city is setting up for hotel guests.

Gods Country is showing at the Orpheum Theater this week. The comedy movie features Robert Lawrey, Helen Gilbert and Buster Keaton.

50 years ago

1972: Wayne Droxler, a senior at Flagstaff High School, has been tinkering with things since he was a freshman and one of his latest products is his duobike.

This bike has seats arranged outside the normal frame, with two sets of handlebars and two sets of pedals. Wayne says it really is better if just one person steers, though. Among his other unpatented products are a backward bike, which the occupant steers with handlebars connected to the back wheel, a long bike that has the fork extended some 5 feet in length, a hi-bike, which has the seat raised 6 feet above the ground, and his latest mode of transportation, a bike that has the driver laying on his back pedaling the back wheel and steering from above his head.

The Flagstaff City Police have found an expensive wristwatch, taken Friday in a daylight theft at Green Lodge Jewelers, and have booked a 25-year-old former Northern Arizona University student on three counts of grand theft in connection with that case and one that took place earlier in the year in downtown Flagstaff. At the same time, police also uncovered a cache of blank documents, including transcripts sheets, various types of identification cards, filled-in diplomas and diploma covers, and an assortment of rubber stamps, some from the university and some from various military installations, contained in a briefcase that is allegedly the property of the suspect. The suspect was arrested Saturday evening on three counts of grand theft, one involving a $265 Rolex watch taken Friday at the jewelry store in Flagstaff and two more involving pocket calculators allegedly taken from a photo supply shop in Flagstaff.

25 years ago

1997: And anti-ballistic missile test firing gone awry led to a light show for early-morning risers in Flagstaff and much of northern Arizona this morning. A test of the Pentagon's anti-missiles system intended to destroy hostile rockets in flight, ended in failure today. The missile was launched from the White Sands Missile Range in southern New Mexico. A missile condensation trail could be seen in the southeastern sky in the wee hours of the morning as it was launched from White Sands, about 225 miles away. It was the fourth in a series of tests to demonstrate the missile, known as THAAD, could intercept a target missile.

Arizonans prefer light rail trains, rather than buses, as the best way to get people into and out of the Grand Canyon National Park. That was the verdict of 62% of 402 respondents in a statewide poll directed by Fred Solop of Northern Arizona University's Social Research Laboratory. The poll found that only 19% of the adults surveyed favor using buses, and that 8% want both. To meet Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt's pledge to kick cars out of the park by the year 2000, the Park Service is conducting an environmental assessment that by April will determine whether trains or buses will act as a better substitute for cars.
With this, the active cases in the city stand at 519.

According to the bulletin, 102 COVID-19 patients recovered from the disease during this period.

The total number of recoveries since the onset of the pandemic in the city is 1,036,825. The recovery rate stands at 98 per cent.

One person succumbed to the virus taking the death toll in the city to 16,692.

As many as 20,207 samples were tested in the last 24 hours, according to the bulletin.

COVID cases in India witnessed a dip as the country logged 5,476 new infections in the last 24 hours, Union Health Ministry informed on Sunday.

With this, the active COVID cases stand at 59,442, taking the weekly positivity rate to 0.77 per cent and the daily positivity rate to 0.60 per cent. (ANI)
(Tribune News Service)  On Jan. 6, 2021, an insurrectionist with a huge Confederate flag walked past a portrait of Charles Sumner in halls of the U.S. Capitol building. A journalist captured the moment in a photo that made the rounds on the news.

The irony of that instance was not lost on retired brigadier general and West Point history professor Ty Seidule, who now lives in Clinton and is a visiting professor at Hamilton College.

Sumner was an abolitionist senator for Massachusetts who was beaten over the head with a cane by a pro-slavery congressman from South Carolina, for giving a speech criticizing slaveholders. Sumner dealt with recurring pain from that incident for the rest of his life.

He also engineered the institution of the military induction oath in 1862, which was first a sort of safeguard against Confederates. It was the same oath that Seidule would take over a century late in front of a huge, deified statue of General Robert E. Lee on the campus of Washington and Lee University.

Seidules whole life is like that  a series of historical fishermens knots that connect his early life as a Lee devotee to his career now as an outspoken reformist and member of the Congress-appointed Naming Commission to strike Confederate titles from Department of Defense-owned property.

Seidule grew up in Virginia and Georgia with a dog named Dixie and a drawing of Confederate battle flags over the mantle of his childhood home. His first chapter book was Meet Robert E. Lee. He wanted to be a Southern gentlemen.

He went to Washington and Lee University and joined R.O.T.C. to pay for college. Then he shipped off to Kosovo, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and elsewhere and picked up a brigadier generalship. He started teaching history at West Point 20 years ago.

Thats where he really started to pick apart his understanding of the Confederacy.

Now he has a book, Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerners Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause, and is on the Naming Commission formed by Congress to review and suggest new titles for Department of Defense property named after Confederates.

He stepped onstage at the Catherine Cummings Theatre in Cazenovia Friday to talk about Lee and the Lost Cause, an ideology that paints the Confederacy as a noble cause.

Nope, said Seidule. The Civil War was about three things: racism, racism and racism. As for Lee, he wasnt only racist but a brutal slaveholder, said Seidule.

Lee was the only one out of eight U.S. Army Colonels for Virginia in 1861 who chose to fight for the Confederacy. Not only did he own enslaved Black people, but he handed out cruel punishments, like calling for salt water to be poured onto the wounds of the enslaved people after he had them whipped.

Thats not what Seidule knew when he was younger. His change of mind came sort of slowly and had a lot to do with books.

He stopped one day outside Lee Barracks at West Point and stared at the sign. He wanted to know why Lees name was all over the base. In Virginia? Sure. But on a U.S. Army base in New York?

He went into the West Point archives and found out that the first Confederate statues on base appeared in the 1930s when Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. joined up as the first Black cadet since Reconstruction. More Confederate symbols came in the early 50s, after the Army was instructed to integrate by President Harry Truman. Lee Barracks was named in the 70s as minority admissions increased the number of Black cadets on campus.

Its a reaction against integration. Against equal rights, said Seidule. And that just made me so angry.

Seidule is a decorated former brigadier general, white, with a Southern lilt in his speech. Hes calls the Union Army the U.S. Army, Confederates traitors and plantations slave labor farms. He cuts an unconventional figure.

I totally know that, and I use the heck out of it, he said.

The first time might have been in 2015 when he narrated, in uniform, a short explainer video called Was the Civil War About Slavery? that racked up millions of views. (For that, the Army investigated him for political speech.) The second time was when he returned to Lee Chapel at his alma mater and gave a talk condemning the Confederate general.

Then in 2020 he retired so he could say what he liked. A year later he was appointed to the Naming Commission, which will submit a list of DOD property to Congress for renaming in October.

At the top of the list are the nine Army bases named after Confederates, all of which are in the South. But it will also include names, symbols, displays, monuments and paraphernalia like Lee Barracks at West Point.

Im a sucker for monuments, said Seidule. He likes the Civil War memorial in Utica and the Walt Whitman quote on the gym at Hamilton College.

But in Lost Cause depictions are lies, he said. He cited the Confederate Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery that includes, among other depictions of Black enslaved people, a figure of Mammy, a loyal Black enslaved woman who holds a weeping child for a Confederate soldier.

The Confederate flags he sees flying in upstate New York baffle him. This is a place that provided so many sons that fought and died to save the United States and end slavery, he said.

The idea that we can show the Confederate flag  the flag of white supremacy, the flag of treason  its disheartening and its wrong.

He didnt comment on Syracuses controversial Columbus statue specifically but said that each community has got to decide whether a commemoration reflects the values of the community. And it needs to be done with a diverse group of people.

About 70 people showed up to Seidules talk in Cazenovia on Friday. The crowd was overwhelmingly white and over-50. They came with questions.

Seidule was asked about reparations (hes in favor), police funding (not his expertise) and the theft of Indigenous land (Northerners have racist history too, said Seidule). And one Syracuse University professor pressed him on whether education was enough.

Its not going to be enough to understand it; the policies must change, said Seidule, But the problem is, were not going to get enough Americans to agree to change the policies until we educate them about what the problem is and why its there.

He talked about Germany, which has paved their streets with stumble stones to mark the places where Jewish citizens were abducted or killed, where monuments to those killed in the Holocaust are ubiquitous and where kids have to learn the history in school.

He drew a link between the empathy taught in those lessons to the Germans actions in 2016 in accepting a million Syrian refugees.

In the U.S., he said, there are still Confederate monuments outside courthouses.

In response to an audience members question about the potential to eradicate racism, he said that maybe hes aspirational, but hes still up there speaking.

I love my country. I served this country for 36 years in war and peace, said Seidule.

People try and say Oh, youre not a patriot because you dont love the Confederacy. No. I love the United States of America. And anybody that kills U.S. Army soldiers, that tries to destroy the country that I love  I cant honor that.

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Father who murdered 3 daughters in California church was in US illegally

The 39-year-old man who fatally shot his three daughters and their chaperone before killing himself inside the sanctuary of The Church in Sacramento last week was in the United States illegally, according to immigration officials.

David Mora, a Mexican national who murdered his own children, ages 13, 10 and 9, at The Church in Sacramento, was in the United States illegally, as his visa had expired, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Alethea Smock told The Associated Press.

ICE agents had not been notified about Mora, identified in documents as David Fidel Mora-Rojas, overstaying his visa because of Californias sanctuary law.

This unspeakable tragedy highlights the true cost, unintended or not, of sanctuary policies that prevent law enforcement from protecting its citizens, Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones was quoted as saying.

Mora had been living at the church since he was released from a mental health facility last April after he threatened to harm himself and his estranged girlfriend, according to the AP.

His estranged girlfriend had been with him for about 15 years but had sought a restraining order against him last April.

He threatened to kill me if he ever caught me cheating.  He has choked me in the past, the filing said, according to WJBF-TV, which quoted her as saying Mora said that he has not killed me because he would not know where to go with the children.

She also said Mora was hospitalized for a week last April after expressing a desire to commit suicide.

The order granted on May 19 limited Rojas to four hours weekly of supervised visits with his daughters with a mutually agreed-upon chaperone. He was also ordered to take anger management classes.

Court documents cited by ABC News show that Rojas was out on bail at the time of the killings after an arrest the previous week for multiple charges, including assaulting a police officer.

He was drunk and while they were arresting him or trying to he decided he wanted to fight and ended up with felony charges because he assaulted a CHP officer, causing injuries, Deputy Daryl Allen, a spokesman for the Merced County Sheriffs Office, told The Sacramento Bee.

Rojas was arrested on Feb. 23, but he posted bail and was released after spending one night in jail.

His daughters were identified as: Samarah Mora Gutierrez, 9; Samantha Mora Gutierrez, 10; and Samia Mora Gutierrez, 13. The late chaperone was identified as Nathaniel Kong, 59. Business records show that he was an executive of the church.

In a statement published on the churchs website Tuesday, officials said the congregation was devastated and heartbroken by the tragedy.

The leadership of The Church in Sacramento is shocked and saddened by the tragic shooting that occurred in our church meeting hall late Monday, February 28, resulting in the deaths of five of our members, including three young girls from one of our families, the church said.

Our church body is devastated and heartbroken by this senseless tragedy and we ask for continued prayer for the victims, their family and our faith community as we grapple with this unexpected loss and trust the Lord for His strength in our grief, the church added. We continue to cooperate with the Sacramento County Sheriffs Department in their investigation, are committed to ministering to anyone in need during this difficult time and are doing everything possible to provide comfort to our congregation as we come together as a church family.

Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones said in a televised interview after the shootings, Its just horrific, and unfortunately, it does happen in the county. Domestic violence is all too common. This obviously rising to the level of killing innocent children is obviously beyond anyones rational comprehension.
More than 1.5 million refugees have arrived from Ukraine to neighboring countries since Russia launched its invasion, according to United Nations data. It marks the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II, U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said in a tweet on Sunday. After visiting the Moldovan border, Grandi warned the situation will only get worse. This will be a more complex situation, he said.

Many of those who have fled Ukraine already had some place to go, but later arrivals may not be so lucky and will need more help from neighboring governments. These governments have done very well in their initial response. They were well prepared. But if the numbers continue to grow it will be a problem, Grandi said.

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The United Nations has predicted that as many as four million Ukrainians could be displaced following the invasion. Ukraines neighbors have so far agreed to host refugees but theres concern that they will reach a saturation point and will need help from other European countries and the United States. Although White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki has said the United States would accept Ukrainian refugees, administration officials say that for now at least, most of the refugees apparently want to stay in Europe, reports the Associated Press.

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The warnings on the rising tide of refugees came amid reports that a plan to evacuate civilians from the port city of Mariupol appeared to collapse for a second time amid an ongoing Russian assault. Images also appeared to show civilians trying to flee Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, coming under Russian fire. There can be no green corridors because only the sick brain of the Russians decides when to start shooting and at whom, Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko said on Telegram. Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a phone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan everything in Ukraine was going according to plan and his campaign would not end until Ukraine stopped fighting.
Audit of 2020-21 fiscal year has revealed various irregularities in the financial affairs of the Press Information Department (PID), a key wing of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in Pakistan, local media reported. Pointing out loopholes in the financial affairs of the PID, the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) has disclosed various irregularities during the 2020-21 fiscal year, reported the Dawn newspaper. The audit has found that the management of PID incurred an expenditure of Pakistan Rs 13.72 million on payment of rent for residential buildings of 13 employees. Notably, the rent was paid to employees based on unregistered special power of attorney from a sub-registrar. However, according to a memorandum of the Ministry of Housing and Works, all payments must be made through crossed cheques, which would then be forwarded to the bank's manager for depositing in the homeowner's account, reported the media outlet. The payment of rent other than the homeowners without having a legal authority was not regular, the publication quoted the AGP, who has advised the PID to address this irregularity. Further, the audit revealed that the PID has violated the federal government's treasury rules while making a payment of Pakistani Rs 7.7 million to vendors. The payment was made in the name of an officer instead of issuing cheques in the name of vendors. However, all third-party payments as per rules should be made through cheques drawn in the name of the recipients, the publication reported. Notably, the audit for the fiscal year 2019-20 also found various irregularities in the financial affairs of PID. The department had then been accused of irregular payments, unauthorised hiring of private vehicles and unlawful appointments in various positions, according to Dawn. (ANI)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on Sunday (local time) said that US has "very credible" reports of war crimes in Ukraine adding that US along with its EU allies is looking into the possibility of banning Russian oil imports and put pressure on Russia. Blinken, in an interview with CNN said, "We've seen very credible reports of deliberate attacks on civilians, which would constitute a war crime. We've seen very credible reports about the use of certain weapons." "And what we're doing right now is documenting all this, putting it all together, looking at it and making sure that as people and the appropriate organizations and institutions investigate whether war crimes have been or are being committed, that we can support whatever they're doing. So right now, we're looking at these reports. They're very credible and we're documents everything," the secretary said. On the possibility of Russian oil imports ban, Blinken told CNN's Jake Tapper, "When it comes to oil, Russian oil, I was on the phone yesterday with the President and other members of the Cabinet on exactly the subject, and we are now talking to our European partners and allies to look in a coordinated way at the prospect of banning the import of Russian oil while making sure that there is still an appropriate supply of oil in world markets." Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities following which the western countries imposed a host of sanctions. (ANI)
The Government of Ghana is employing the application of digital technology to stimulate the growth and transformation of the Ghanaian economy, and, thereby, help ensure that every Ghanaian derives maximum benefit from this process, Communication and Digitalization Minister, Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has said.

According to her, the Akufo-Addo led government for the past five years has taken the necessary digital decisions that have provided the necessary results to stimulate the economy on several levels adding that, the future outcome would be to enhance coordination, and provide significant benefits to citizens.

For Ghana, we are intensifying our digital transformation drive with the ultimate goal of improving lives pursuant to the Sustainable Development Goals and we can only do this by ensuring that the required frameworks are in place. The Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Communications and Digitalization is playing a pivotal role in the development of a robust framework to support the digitalization of the economy in a manner that benefits every citizen.

But we are mindful of the fact that we cannot do it alone and have to build systems that are capable of being linked up to those developed by our neighbors. We are building fiber to our borders and are active in continental initiatives such as the Smart Africa Alliance. We are also determined to make the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) work, clear in our minds that digital technology holds the key to uniting our fragmented and uncoordinated trade infrastructure and systems on the continent she made this known at the Global Standards Symposium (GSS-20) organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) which happened in Geneva in Switzerland.

Digital ESG Platforms

She further explained government is working tirelessly to ensure that Ghana and its neighboring countries successfully ensure the establishment of the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) digital platform.

This she says would help to serve as standards that are incorporated by socially-conscious investors to evaluate the sustainability and societal impacts of investments in companies across the Africa continent.

In addition, she underscored the need for such digital advancement, explaining it would enable purpose-driven companies and organizations to address the challenges and opportunities presented by the wholesale shift in how value is defined, measured and shared across the value chain.

In Ghana, we have decided not to be naive about the political economy of all these powerful shifts. Whilst we acknowledge the power of digital-enabled ESG standards to create a fairer, more prosperous, world, we also know that in the past we have, as a country and a continent, been marginalized in the creation of similar systems, such as the internet.

She added, We believe that our best bet is to partner with our continental neighbours to establish our own digital ESG platforms and networks. We are building systems that speak to our unique reality in the quest to build a fairer, more prosperous, continent. Ghana is a pioneer in the adoption of the AfCFTA Caravan platform, and its supply chain digitization derivative known as ProPer  the Proof of Origin and Product Electronic Registries.

The Global Standards Symposium (GSS) provided a high-level forum for discussion and coordination which was opened to both ITUmembers and non-members.

This years edition was chaired by H.E. MsNeleLeosk, Ambassador-at-Large for Digital Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Estonia.

The theme for the Symposium was International standards to enable the digital transformation and achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
The New York Times, floundering in the deep waters of truth and desperately trying to stay afloat in the shallows by continuing its history of lying for its CIA masters, has just published a front page of propaganda worthy of the finest house organs of totalitarian regimes.

Right below its February 26, 2022 headline denouncing Russia and Putin as evil dogs pursuant to the American empires dictates concerning Ukraine, it posts an unflattering photo of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. sandwiched between American flags with the title of its hit piece, A Kennedys Crusade Against Covid Vaccines Anguishes Family and Friends.

Its an exquisite juxtaposition: Putin as Hitler and Kennedy as a junior demon, suggestive of the relationship between CS Lewiss Screwtape and his nephew Wormwood in The Screwtape Letters. Evil personified.

The Times is big into anguish these days, not only for Nazis in Ukraine and upper-class apartment hunters who cant find a place for less than a few million, but for Robert Kennedy Jrs family and friends. Its very touching.

That his sister, Kerry Kennedy, would harshly criticize him once again is genuinely pathetic, but of course she has to add how much she loves him, ostensibly to take the sting out of her inability to remain sisterly silent.

If he is so wrong about his work with Childrens Health Defense and his book, The Real Anthony Fauci: Bill Gates, Big Pharma, and the Global War on Democracy and Public Health, rather than ripping him to the press, why doesnt she or her siblings, who agree with her, write a comprehensive article or book refuting his facts?

They dont because they cant; so the next best thing is to criticize their brother to media glad for any way to disparage the Kennedys. One senses a very weird masochistic family dynamic at work.

Kennedys siblings do not seem to understand why the media have been attacking him for years. His stance on vaccines and Anthony Fauci are the cover story they use to criticize him, and his siblings dont get it. That their brother has become a major thorn in the side of the CIA escapes them, the CIA that has caused so much devastation to their family and the world. The CIA that has been deeply involved in the global vaccine push, working with medical technocrats like Anthony Fauci, billionaires such as Bill Gates, the military, media, Big Pharma, the World Economic Forum, etc.

Calling your brother brilliant while ignoring his books searing, evidence-based indictment of the intelligence-run Covid-19 operation is more than sad, especially when doing so to The New York Times, the CIAs paper of record together with The Washington Post.

Character assassination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr is what the CIA and its media mouthpieces have been doing for years. This has become more and more necessary as they have realized the great growing danger he poses to their agenda. Calling him an anti-vaxxer, conspiracy theorist, and names far worse, is part of a concerted smear campaign to turn the public away from his message, which is multi-faceted and supported by deep research and impeccable logic.

Like his father and uncle, he has become an irrepressibly eloquent opponent of the demonic forces intent on destroying the democratic dream.

The Times article by Adam Nagourney is a blatant hatchet job filled with sly jabs, innuendos, and ignorant lies. As is par for the course, his hack piece completely avoids Kennedys arguments but relies on a form of social gossip that substitutes for logic and evidence. He seems to have learned much from The National Enquirer and The New York Posts Page Six whose styles the NY Times has emulated.

Nagourney tells the reader that RFK Jrs work as the face of the vaccine resistance movement has tested, rattled, anguished, and mystified family, friends and his Hollywood crowd; that this man of the often troubled life has

effectively used his talent and one of the most prominent names in American political history as a platform for fueling resistance to vaccines that could save countless lives.

Translation: Kennedy, a Hollywood hobnobber and former drug addict, is so mentally unbalanced that he will betray his family and friends and kill people with medical advice that runs counter to the truth.

No evidence is required to establish this truth, just Nagourneys word and those of those he can get to say the same thing, in other words. Such as:

His conduct undercuts 50 years of public health vaccine practice, and hes done it in a way Ive never see [sic] anyone else do it, said Michael T. Osterholm, the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. He is among the most dangerous because of the credibility of who he is and what his family name has brought to this issue.

Notice the implication: that these experimental mRNA so-called vaccines have been around 50 years and Kennedy is against all vaccines, both of which are false.

Furthermore, Nagourney says RFK Jr not only inveighs against vaccines, especially Covid vaccinations, but has adopted other weird unorthodox views (implication: orthodox views are good) over the years.

One is his claim that Sirhan Sirhan did not kill his father Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Nagourney might do a smidgen of research and discover that Kennedy is correct; but doing so would disrupt the flow of his ad hominem attack.

All serious writers on the case know that the senator was not shot by Sirhan; they know there are deep CIA connections to the assassination. The evidence conclusively proves, as the autopsy has shown, that Sirhan was in front of the senator when he fired his pistol but RFK was shot from the rear at very close range with all bullets entering his body from the rear.

Nagourney either knows nothing about the assassination or is dissembling the facts, which must be unorthodox.

Sounding like a US government spokesmen telling the press something is true without an iota of evidence, he writes the following sentence as if it were true simply because he wrote it, while making sure not to mention the books title  The Real Fauci: Bill Gates, Big Pharma, and the Global War on Democracy  a brilliant, deeply researched and sourced book The Times will not review:

In a best-selling new book, he claimed that Dr Anthony S. Fauci, who is President Bidens top medical adviser for the coronavirus pandemic, and Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, were in cahoots with the pharmaceutical industry to profiteer off dangerous vaccines.

Notice Nagourneys insidious method. State RFKs claim as if its false because Nagourney stated it, when in fact it is so abundantly true and backed up by massive evidence that if Nagourney dared to engage in actual journalism by checking Kennedys book he would discover it.

But his job is not to search for truth but to defile a mans reputation. He accuses Kennedy of circulating false information on the coronavirus and the vaccines but of course doesnt say what that is or why it is false.

His entire article is an ad hominem attack by statement with the author cunningly hidden behind deceitful objectivity.

He writes:

To the public distress of his wife, the actress Cheryl Hines, Mr. Kennedy invoked Anne Frank, the young German-Dutch diarist who died in a Nazi prison camp, as he compared government measures for containing the pandemic with the Holocaust at that rally in Washington.

However, that is not what he said. He said that during the Holocaust Anne Frank could hide for a while and others could flee out of Germany, but with the new turnkey totalitarianism being introduced today, which is technological, it will be harder to escape, for every aspect of life will be monitored by the authorities in a digital dystopia.

Such a perspective is in no way unusual, for it is shared by many scholars of technology and only the most naive would consider it eccentric. His point and words were twisted to serve others purposes and to paint him as an insensitive Holocaust denier. Heres what he said:

What were seeing today is what I call turnkey totalitarianism. They are putting in place all of these technological mechanisms for control weve never seen before. Its been the ambition of every totalitarian state since the beginning of mankind to control every aspect of behavior, of conduct, of thought and to obliterate dissent. None of them have been able to do it. They didnt have the technological capacity. Even in Hitlers Germany, you could cross the Alps into Switzerland. You could hide in an attic like Anne Frank did. I visited in 1962 East Germany with my father and met people who had climbed the wall and escaped, so it was possible. Many died  but it was possible.

Yet his sister Kerry also ripped him for making a statement that was clearly true if you accept his argument about the technological lockdowns in progress. You can disagree (I dont) but to impugn his intentions and his words is really despicable, but Nagourney adds it to his ad hominem attacks, making sure to include his sister Kerrys Tweet:

Bobbys lies and fear-mongering yesterday were both sickening and repulsive. I strongly condemn him for his hateful rhetoric.

Nagourney: Even his most prominent critics say they do not doubt his sincerity, even as he has become one of the most prominent spreaders of misinformation on vaccines.

Translation: RFK Jr means well but hes deluded.

Big Daddy Fauci is introduced to tell the young whippersnapper the following after Kennedy delivered a briefing at The National Institutes of Health:

When it was over, Dr Fauci walked Mr Kennedy out of the conference room. I said, Bobby, Im sorry we didnt come to any agreement here, he said. Although I disagree factually with everything you are saying, I do understand and I respect that deep down you are really concerned about the safety of children. I said that in a very sincere way.

Condescension and sincerity overflow as the conspiracy theorist patient is told by the good doctor that he means well but needs help.

Then, making sure to include The New York Times endlessly repeated CIA talking point, our no-nothing author writes:

The assassination of President John F. Kennedy, his uncle, in 1963, when Robert was 9, helped foster a modern culture of conspiracy theories. Now, many of the arguments that Mr Kennedy has embraced  including that Dr Fauci is part of a historic coup detat against Western democracy  recall the theories of a secret assassin helping Lee Harvey Oswald from the grassy knoll in Dallas.

That it was the CIA that weaponized the use of the term conspiracy theory in a 1967 dispatch  #1035-960  in order to disparage those questioning The Warren Commission and its cover-up of the CIAs role in JFKs assassination is another fact that our fair-minded scribe conveniently omits while insidiously implying that Lee Harvey Oswald killed JFK.

Yes, there are magic bullets and magical tricks used to make sure RFK, Jr. is seen as a sincere nutcase.

RFK Jr has been and is an astute critic of the CIA and all its machinations, including its involvement in the assassinations of his uncle JFK, his father Senator Robert F. Kennedy, its involvement in the COVID propaganda, and in its extensive deadly deeds and disinformation at home and abroad.

His critical siblings praise him for his great intelligence and political acumen but seem clueless themselves. So they ally with the same media that have been stenographers for the CIA. The Kennedy family may be very well known, but in these ways they are very typical of American families that are divided by those who know and those who dont know who the real devils are.

But let me make two final points about this sickening piece of character assassination.

RFK Jr has spent decades as an environmental lawyer fighting the pollution of our air, earth, and water. In other words, the pollution also of human beings who live in nature while nature lives in us. Some people know the outside and the inside are connected. Yet Nagourney bemoans the tragic turn he took from such good work with the environment to such terrible work with Childrens Health Defense and vaccines. He writes:

The swerve in Mr Kennedys career, from the environment to vaccines, is particularly startling because for many family members and other Kennedy associates, Robert Kennedy Jr is the sibling who most recalls the level of charisma and political appeal of his late father.

Startling? No, very consistent for one who can think.

There is an obvious link between the major corporate polluters of the outside environment and the major polluters of human bodies. Big pharmaceutical, oil, chemical, agribusiness, military, etc. are an interrelated lot of criminal enterprises despoiling all life on earth. Kennedys lifetime work has followed a natural trajectory and underlying it all is his critique of the CIA and its media accomplices, such as The New York Times.

Yes, those family and friends who say hes brilliant are right, and he is following in his fathers footsteps in ways they do not grasp; for he is able to connect the dots, diagnose the patterns, and expose with facts the criminal syndicates that are destroying democracy and so many lives.

The reason The New York Times publishes hit pieces like this and does not review his recent books is because his critique of these nefarious forces has gained a large audience and as a result many people are awakening to the truths concealed by the likes of the paper of record with its propaganda.

Hit pieces like Nagourneys should cause anyone reading it intense anguish. There is nothing mystifying about it.

Its simply disgraceful and deceitful.

Edward Curtin is an independent writer whose work has appeared widely over many years. His website is edwardcurtin.com and his new book is Seeking Truth in a Country of Lies.
Taron Egerton has revealed he passed out on stage during his theatre show's opening night on Saturday, leading to a doctor in the audience rushing to his aid.

The Rocketman actor, 32, collapsed while performing in a performance of Cock opposite Bridgerton star Jonathan Bailey in Leicester Square.

Fortunately, understudy Joel Harper-Jackson was at the ready to step in to replace him in the final part of the play.

Oh no! Taron Egerton passed out on stage during his theatre show's opening night on Saturday, leading to a doctor in the audience rushing to his aid (pictured on Graham Norton show in February)

Luckily, Taron is 'completely fine', and took to Instagram to reassure his fans and announce he would be returning to the stage 'with a vengeance' on Monday evening.

He wrote: 'As some of you may have heard, I passed out during the first performance of COCK last night.

'I am completely fine. Slightly sore neck and a bruised ego, but I'm fine.

Fainted: The Rocketman actor, 32, collapsed while performing in a performance of Cock opposite Bridgerton star Jonathan Bailey in Leicester Square (pictured heading to rehearsals in February)

'I've decided to put a positive spin on it and I would appreciate it if anyone who was in the theatre last night just said that I gave such a committed, electrifying performance that my body couldn't handle it and check out.

'That being said, apparently you're meant to actually do the full show and not just three quarters of it. So I'll be back with a vengeance tomorrow night.

'That you to the amazing team at the theatre and my wonderful cast mates for being so lovely.

Phew! Luckily, Taron is 'completely fine', and took to Instagram to reassure his fans and announce he would be returning to the stage 'with a vengeance' on Monday evening

'But mainly I wanted to say thanks to Joel Harper Jackson who stepped in to do the last bit of the play.

'Joel is an amazing actor and a lovely person. Thank you, Joel. T x.'

A statement from the plays production released last night said: 'During this evenings first preview of Mike Bartletts play Cock at the Ambassadors Theatre, Taron Egerton fainted towards the end of the performance.

'A doctor who was in the audience attended to Taron immediately after the incident, and whilst he felt fine, it was decided that Tarons understudy, Joel Harper-Jackson would continue in the role to complete the performance.'

Cock focuses on a gay man who becomes torn on his same-sex relationship when he falls in love with a woman who he spots on his commute through London, and after having sex with her struggles to decide who he wants to be with.
This is the terrifying moment a Russian detention truck is hit by a car and crashes into a lamppost - with 27 anti-war protesters locked inside.

The large police van was speeding to a detention centre in Moscow when the driver was hit by a car, sending him in the direction of a street light with protesters stuck inside.

Before the incident occurred, CCTV footage shows another motorist cut in front of the police van at a crossroad, causing the vehicles to crash.

But to avoid further damage, the driver to swerves onto the pavement at speed - crashing into a lamppost, which hurled the vehicle onto its side.

A separate video taken of the vehicle after the incident showed the van surrounded by Russian cops as shocked bystanders took pictures of the crash.

Three detainees needed urgent medical treatment, and ten people were injured - including three police officers.

This is the terrifying moment a Russian detention truck crashed into a lamppost and turned onto its side - with 27 anti-war protesters locked inside

The large police van was speeding to a detention centre when the driver crashed at speed into a street light, forcing the truck onto its side and taking off the roof

A separate video taken of the vehicle after the incident showed the van surrounded by Russian cops as shocked bystanders took pictures of the crash. Three detainees needed urgent medical treatment, and ten people were injured, including three police officers

It comes as more than 3,500 people were detained at protests across Russia on Sunday for daring to demonstrate about Vladimir Putin's invasion in Ukraine, including 1,700 in Moscow, 750 in St Petersburg and 1,061 in other cities

It comes as more than 3,500 people were detained at protests across Russia on Sunday for daring to demonstrate about Vladimir Putin's invasion in Ukraine, including 1,700 in Moscow, 750 in St Petersburg and 1,061 in other cities.

The interior ministry said 5,200 people had taken part in the protests.

The protest monitoring group OVD-Info said said it had documented the detention of at least 4,366 people in 56 different cities.

The protests took place across Russia despite a huge presence by the security authorities, and the threat of mass arrests for those participating.

'We must speak out against this war,' said a grandmother in her 60s, protesting in Moscow.

'I will not be gagged - Putin does not represent me with this genocide in Ukraine,' said an IT manager, 36.

SAINT PETERSBURG: Two protesters are detained by riot police after taking part in a demonstration against Russia's invasion of Ukraine

MOSCOW: Four police officers are seen carrying a masked protester who was rallying against Russia's invasion of Ukraine

MOSCOW: A woman shouts as two officers detain her for taking part in an anti-war protest in Moscow on Sunday afternoon

In Vladimir Putin's home city there were reports that detention centres were full. Detained protesters were held in cells in Leningrad region outside the city.

'The screws are being fully tightened - essentially we are witnessing military censorship,' said Maria Kuznetsova, from the OVD-Info' protest monitoring group.

'We are seeing rather big protests today, even in Siberian cities where we only rarely saw such numbers of arrests.'

Thousands of protesters chanted 'No to war!' and 'Shame on you!', according to videos posted on social media by opposition activists and bloggers.

Dozens of protesters in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg were shown being detained.

One protester there was shown being beaten on the ground by police in riot gear. A mural in the city showing President Vladimir Putin was defaced.

YEKATERINBURG: A person is detained during an anti-war protest, in Yekaterinburg, Russia, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine

MOSCOW: A man is detained by armed officers - one of the more than 10,000 Russians to have been arrested since Russia's invasion of Ukraine

MOSCOW: Russian police officers patrolling the streets of Moscow ahead of the planned demonstration against the invasion of Ukraine

Memorial, Russia's most prominent rights group, said that one of its leading activists, Oleg Orlov, was detained on Moscow's Manezhnaya Ploshchad square as he held a placard.

'The screws are being fully tightened - essentially we are witnessing military censorship,' Maria Kuznetsova, OVD-Info's spokeswoman, said by telephone from Tbilisi.

'We are seeing rather big protests today, even in Siberian cities where we only rarely saw such numbers of arrests.'
Fans of Lee Childs book series, Jack Reacher, have only ever seen the character on-screen portrayed by Tom Cruise. After an entire franchise, fans felt the popular book characters had not come to life 100%. Amazon Prime Videos Reacher Series, starring Alan Ritchson, embodied the character like never before. Not only with the actors physique and demeanor but how the Reacher character cares about clothes.

Main character Jack Reacher in Reacher series | via Amazon Prime Video

Reacher entails a former army soldier living as a nomad

When fans first meet Ritchsons Jack Reacher in the series, he immediately captures attention. A huge reason is his tall and muscled physique that is strikingly different from Tom Cruises version. He often talks about how he now lives his life doing what he wants throughout the series. He goes state to state living as a nomad. After leaving the army, he has time on his hands.

When he reaches Margrave, Georgia, fans learn just how Reacher stuck more to the book version of the character. He is not nimble and cannot run swiftly and almost elegantly. Reacher is a brute and muscular soldier. He arrives in town with next to nothing except the clothes on his back and a passport.

Fans see on multiple occasions in Reacher that the character has little interest in material things. It comes off when looking at his clothing choices and purchasing habits. Lee Child explains its ho his mind functions.

Reacher shows fans that Jack Reacher cares very little for clothes

RELATED: Reacher: Alan Ritchson Admits the Margrave Diner Peach Pie Was Legit Terrible

Compared to Reacher, fans can tell the movies give the character more pizzazz with his clothing in the Tom Cruise franchise. It is functional but more elaborate than what is seen in the series. According to Slate, Reachers clothing choice in the series mimics Childs character depiction in a new introduction to Killing Floor.

As seen in the series, Reacher has very little interest in understanding what is deemed a normal civilian life outside the army. Child describes it as, if he doesnt know how something works, he just doesnt participate. Reacher much less cares about how he dresses.

He arrives in town wearing a simple T-shirt and jeans. He goes to a thrift store and buys enough to stay decent and a jacket when needing clothes. In one scene, he notices his jacket has a hole in the back, covers it with duck tape, and wears it the rest of the series.

To him, this is a rigorously rational solution to an evident problem, wrote Child. The contrast between his narrow and highly developed skills and his general helplessness humanizes him. Fans chuckle at him wearing a NY tourist shirt, but he does not care because it is functional. He even willingly throws away a new suit.

Is the characters outlook on clothes in Reacher rational?

RELATED: Reacher Star Alan Ritchson Read 24 Jack Reacher Books to Inform His Hero

The fan explains Reacher travels around the country with a toothbrush and passport and the clothes on his back. He also rarely washes his clothes or simply buys a new set.

To many, Jack Reacher having no luggage or care for clothing in a minimalist mindset. It might also result from living a majority of his life in the army and constantly moving with his family. On Reddit, a fan asks whether Reachers living habits are idealistic or possible.

He stays in cheap hotels/motels. He takes freebies whenever he can, and pays for the rest on an Army pension that he took prior to the max-age, and from funds, he happens to find along the way, said the fan.

A fan on Reddit explained the character is The lone drifter. A popular trope in cinema and literature. The original fans question is not necessarily about practicality. Possible, but is it desirable? How are you with solitude punctuated by brief encounters with various aspects of humanity? said the fan. Reachers habits in the series are a way for the character to keep living his story and make for interesting scenarios. Other fans on Reddit believe it is impossible in the present time.

RELATED: Reacher Was Shot Out of Order Says Alan Ritchson  It Was Maddening
Why is Russia doing this?

At the Grayzone Alexander Rubinstein and Max Blumenthal have published a piece about Zelensky's turn from the peacemaker he had promised to be before his election to an active supporter of the fascist 'ultranational' militia. They pin that turn to a frontline meeting between Zelensky and militia fighters in the fall of 2019:

In a face-to-face confrontation with militants from the neo-Nazi Azov Battalion who had launched a campaign to sabotage the peace initiative called No to Capitulation, Zelensky encountered a wall of obstinacy. With appeals for disengagement from the frontlines firmly rejected, Zelensky melted downon camera. Im the president of this country. Im 41 years old. Im not a loser. I came to you and told you: remove the weapons, Zelensky implored the fighters.

... Once video of the stormy confrontation spread across Ukrainian social media channels, Zelensky became the target of an angry backlash. Andriy Biletsky, the proudly fascist Azov Battalion leader who once pledged to lead the white races of the world in a final crusadeagainst Semite-led Untermenschen, vowed to bring thousands of fighters to Zolote if Zelensky pressed any further. Meanwhile, a parliamentarian from the party of former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko openly fantasized about Zelensky being blown to bits by a militants grenade. Though Zelensky achieved a minor disengagement, the neo-Nazi paramilitaries escalated their No Capitulation campaign. And within months, fighting began to heat up again in Zolote, sparking a new cycle of violations of the Minsk Agreement. By this point, Azov had been formally incorporated into the Ukrainian military and its street vigilante wing, known as the National Corps, was deployed across the country under the watch of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry, and alongside the National Police. In December 2021, Zelensky would be seen delivering a Hero of Ukraine award to a leader of the fascistic Right Sector in a ceremony in Ukraines parliament.

That is all correct. But let me point out that death threats from the fascists to Zelensky were already made much earlier.

On May 27 2019, a week after Zelensky's inauguration as president, the Ukrainian internet news site Obozrevatel published a long interview with Dmytro Anatoliyovych Yarosh, a co-founder of the Right Sector who was then the commander of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army. Yarosh and others like him have had little support when they tried to get elected to parliament but they, as demonstrated during Maidan, have the guns and the will to use them.

I now get an 'access denied' when I try to fetch the original interview but found a copy at archive.org.

The headline of the interview carries his main message (machine translations):

Yarosh: if Zelensky betrays Ukraine, he will lose not his position, but his life

As the interview is quite long I will concentrate on two parts. Zelensky had promised peace and to implement the Minsk agreement. Here is Yarosh's thought about Minsk:

Interviewer: What do you mean? Yarosh: The Minsk format - and I talk about this all the time - is an opportunity to play for time, arm the Armed Forces, switch to the best world standards in the system of national security and defense. This is an opportunity for maneuver. But no more. The implementation of the Minsk agreements is the death of our state. They are not worth a drop of blood of the guys and girls, men and women who died in this war. Not a drop. We were better prepared during this diplomatic game for a possible large-scale Russian invasion. I: Do you think it's time to abandon "Minsk"? Y: Undoubtedly. I: But Zelensky was told immediately after the elections that he had no alternatives. Y: "They told Zelensky" ... Did Zelensky say anything at all? I: Not. Y: And it's scary. The Supreme Commander, who says nothing at all. It's kind of empty. And it's very strange. I: Waiting for what the newly elected president will say? Y: Not only. Let's fight and get ready. We are waiting for what he will say and, most importantly, how he will act. "By their fruits you will know them," says Scripture. "Fruits" we will see somewhere in the fall. Zelensky is an inexperienced politician. And the retinue makes the king. And we already see who is there, "in the retinue", is beginning to appear. It does not add optimism. Because Zelensky promised his voters (I was not Zelensky's voter) that he would break the oligarchic system. But already from the first appointments, we see that the oligarchic system continues to live and flourish. And, obviously, it will continue to be so. Just the streams will be transferred.

To the 'ultranationalists' in the Ukraine the Minsk agreement was always just a fig-leaf to have time for rearming. In 2019, five years after Minsk, they already felt capable and ready to again attack and overwhelm the Donbas rebels.

Yarosh's remark about Zelensky and the oligarchs is not wrong. The streams of money sucked from Ukrainians and foreign donors were redirected under Zelensky to benefit those oligarchs, most prominently Igor Kolomoyskyy, who had supported him.

The interviewer then asks Yarosh about his relation to Kolomoyskyy who had called the conflict with Donbas a civil war. Yarosh does not mind Kolomoyskyy but rejects the 'civil war' claim:

Yarosh: [P]erhaps, something is pushing him to make such statements. Apparently, some kind of business interest. This is the main danger of the oligarchy, as for me. They, the oligarchs, are talented people, because without talent it is impossible to build such businesses and earn billions. But the danger of the oligarchs is that they are compradors. They don't give a damn about the Motherland. They need money. Profit turns a blind eye to everything. And then you can negotiate with Russia on any terms. And that is why Zelensky is very dangerous for us Ukrainians. I feel it. Interviewer: What is the danger? Y: His statements about peace at any cost are dangerous for us. Vladimir simply does not know the price of this world. He may have been with concerts close to the front. But when my boys were torn apart by Russian shells into small pieces and then these pieces had to be collected and sent to their mothers, the price somehow looks completely different.

...

I: Are you trying to meet him now? Y: Yes. I have already made a couple of messages, but he is silent. Perhaps they didn't reach him. He is a busy man... But even if this meeting does not happen, it's okay. He just needs to understand one truth: Ukrainians cannot be humiliated. Ukrainians, after seven hundred years of colonial slavery, may not yet have fully learned how to build a state. But we learned how to make an uprising very well and shoot all those "eagles" who are trying to parasitize on the sweat and blood of Ukrainians. Zelensky said in his inaugural speech that he was ready to lose ratings, popularity, position... No, he would lose his life. He will hang on some tree on Khreshchatyk - if he betrays Ukraine and those people who died in the Revolution and the War.

Khreshchatyk is the main street of Kiev. The above and other threats to Zelensky certainly helped to convert him from peacemaker to warmonger and friend of the various 'ultranational' militia formations.

In spring 2021 Zelensky announced that the Ukraine would retake Crimea by force. Russia then held large military maneuvers and Zelensky backed down. By November 2021 the Ukraine again made noise and said it would be retaking Donbas by force. Russia again held military maneuvers as a show of force but this time the situation deteriorated further.

Starting in mid February the OSCE observers around Donbas noted in their daily reports a strong increase in ceasefire violation and explosions.

Most of the violations came from the Ukrainian site and the explosions of the fired shells and missile happened on Donbas held grounds. On February 19, at the hight of the fire, Zelensky gave a speech at the Munich Security Conference. He prominently mentioned the Budapest Memorandum under which the Ukraine had given up the nuclear weapons it had inherited from the USSR*:

Since 2014, Ukraine has tried three times to convene consultations with the guarantor states of the Budapest Memorandum. Three times without success. Today Ukraine will do it for the fourth time. I, as President, will do this for the first time. But both Ukraine and I are doing this for the last time. I am initiating consultations in the framework of the Budapest Memorandum. The Minister of Foreign Affairs was commissioned to convene them. If they do not happen again or their results do not guarantee security for our country, Ukraine will have every right to believe that the Budapest Memorandum is not working and all the package decisions of 1994 are in doubt.

One of the package decision Ukraine took in 1994 was the entering of Ukraine into the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

Russia understood Zelensky's remark in Munich as a threat by Ukraine to acquire nuclear weapons. It already has the expertise, materials and means to do that.

A fascist controlled government with nukes on Russia's border? This is not about Putin at all. No Russian government of any kind could ever condone that.

I believe that this credible threat, together with the artillery preparations for a new war on Donbas, was what convinced Russia's government to intervene by force.

On February 22 Russia recognized the Donbas republics as independent states. On February 24 Russian troops crossed the borders into the Ukraine.

The aim set for the Russian military is to de-militarize the Ukraine and to de-nazify it.

The first is easy to understand. The Russian military will simply destroy or disable all heavy weapons the Ukraine has.

The second aim requires more explanation than the above interview with Dmytro Yarosh.

As the Grayzone notes:

In November 2021, one of Ukraines most prominent ultra-nationalist militiamen, Dmytro Yarosh, announced that he had been appointed as an advisor to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Yarosh is an avowed follower of the Nazi collaborator Bandera who led Right Sector from 2013 to 2015, vowing to lead the de-Russification of Ukraine.

The threats from the fascists make it impossible for any Ukrainian politician to implement a sane policy that would lead to peace in the country.

The fascists in Ukraine are relatively few. But they have the guns and they will kill anyone who opposes them and their aims. They have been put into important state positions. (Besides that oligarchs like Kolomoyskyy pay and use them for their own purposes.)

The problem is that such ideological groups, once firmly established, tend to grow. The Right Sector is holding 'patriotic' summer camps for young Ukrainians and the Ukrainian state is financing those. They are successful and Ukrainian youths is looking up to them.

These developments are what Russia is afraid off. As Patrick Armstrong wrote at the start of the current intervention:

What [Putin] is talking about is what the Soviet Union tried to do from 1933 onwards: namely to stop Hitler before he got started. This time Russia is able to do it by itself. In other words, Putin feels that he is making a pre-emptive attack to stop June 1941. This is very serious indeed and indicates that the Russians are going to keep going until they feel that they can safely stop.

The Russian military will destroy the militia formations like the Right Sector and the Azov battalion which is currently holding the people of Mariupol as hostages. It will try to get all their leaders - dead or alive.

When the task is done the Russian military will leave the Ukraine.

Being freed from powerful fascists will enable Ukrainian politicians to re-institute sane policies.

That's the plan.

But will it work?

That is probably the wrong question. One should ask to what degree and for how long will it work.

After Ukraine's independence it took the 'ultranationalists' 22 years, and the help of the CIA, to come to power. Once eliminated they may claw back, but it will take them some time. The Ukraine will be busy with reviving its economy. It will have little money to spend on arms.

Thirty years later Russia may see a repeat of the confrontation. But 30 years are quite a long time.

---

* Ukraine could not break the permissive action link security codes of those nuclear weapons so it actually gave up nothing.
(Newser)  Update: McDonald's, facing pressure including calls on social media for a boycott, says it is temporarily shutting down its operations in Russia. The company "has decided to temporarily close all our restaurants in Russia and pause all operations in the market," CEO Chris Kempczinski said in a statement Tuesday, per CNN. McDonald's has around 850 restaurants in the country and unlike in most other markets, more than 80% are owned by the company, not franchisees. Kempczinski said that while McDonald's has become an "essential part" of hundreds of communities in Russia, "at the same time, our values mean we cannot ignore the needless human suffering unfolding in Ukraine." It's a conclusion numerous other brands reached earlier. Our story from Sunday follows:

The financial pressure on Russia increased again on Saturday as Visa and Mastercard announced they were suspending operations in the country, reports the BBC. Mastercard called Russia's invasion "shocking and devastating," while Visa saw it as an "ongoing threat to peace and stability." They join a slew of other big companies, including Apple and Nike, that have stopped doing in business in Russia, though some notable outliers remainincluding Pepsi and McDonald's. The Washington Post reports that both are facing pressure on social media, with hashtags such as #BoycottMcDonalds in play. Neither company has issued a statement about the conflict.

The pressure goes beyond Twitter, however. New York state comptroller Thomas DiNapoli sent letters to Pepsi, McDonald's, and others including Estee Lauder and Mondelez International warning them of significant and growing legal, compliance, operational, human rights and personnel, and reputational risks," per Reuters. DiNapoli oversees the powerful New York pension fund, which invests in the companies. The New York Times points out a complication for chains such as Starbucks, Papa John's, and Yum Brands (think KFC and Pizza Hut)many individual restaurants are owned by franchisees, not the companies themselves. And many of those franchisees are tight with the Kremlin. McDonald's, however, owns most of its 800-plus restaurants in Russia. (Read more Russia-Ukraine conflict stories.)




KUALA LUMPUR, March 6 (Xinhua) -- The close cooperation between China and Malaysia in vaccine production bodes well for COVID-19 vaccine supply for Malaysia and the region, said drugmakers working on finalizing the localized fill and finish for Chinese company CanSino Biologics' COVID-19 vaccine.

The single-dose vaccine, based on the adenovirus platform, will complement other Chinese vaccines being used in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), especially as booster shots, Malaysian pharmaceutical company Solution Biologics deputy group managing director Mohd Nazlee Kamal told Xinhua in a recent interview.



Mohd Nazlee said it will be possible to fill and finish some 3 to 6 million doses of vaccines per month when production starts, with Solution Biologics aiming to work hand in hand with CanSino to tap into the ASEAN market and the world market as well.



Malaysia approved the use of the CanSino COVID-19 vaccine in June last year, adding it to its vaccine portfolio alongside Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine and Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine.



In February, Solution Biologics received good manufacturing practices approval from the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency to formulate and locally fill and finish the CanSino COVID-19 vaccine.



Several countries in ASEAN also use Chinese developed vaccines as part of their national immunization programs, including Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia and the Philippines.



CanSino Biologics external R&D Vice President Xin Chunlin said both the injectable CanSino vaccine and its inhaled form, which is undergoing trials, would allow a more efficient vaccination for the public.



He said the inhaled form of the vaccine is more flexible, using one-fifth of the formulation of the injectable version, and can stay stable for almost a month under room temperature.



Xin, together with Wang Hongyi, vice president of CanSino's international business, has visited several countries including Mexico, Pakistan, Malaysia and Indonesia, countries which Wang said were eager to cooperate with China in obtaining the technology.



Elaborating on the significance of localized fill-and-finish production of adenovirus-based vaccines in Malaysia, Genome and Vaccine Institute director Ghows Azzam said the move would be a game-changer for Malaysia, which is seeking to develop and manufacture its own vaccines.



Ghows said the close cooperation between China and Malaysia has facilitated the country in building up its vaccine capacity.







Produced by Xinhua Global Service




Russian authorities have blocked several independent media outlets including news site Mediazona as the Kremlin seeks to control coverage of its war in Ukraine, a rights group said Sunday.

Authorities have blocked a number of digital media outlets, including Mediazona, Republic, Snob.ru and Agentstvo, said Roskomsvoboda, a digital rights group.

The group said the independent media had been targeted following a request from the General Prosecutor's Office dated February 24, the day President Vladimir Putin ordered troops to invade Ukraine.

Also Read: Ukraine official says assault halts evacuations for 2nd time

Mediazona said it had been blocked "because we cover honestly what is happening in Ukraine and call the invasion an invasion, and the war a war".

The media outlet added that Russia has in recent days introduced "military censorship and there is almost no independent media left in the country".

Republic said the state communications watchdog had not informed it of the reason for the blockage but said readers would still be able to access it via a VPN.

"Thank you for staying with us. The night will pass," Republic said in a statement.

Roskomsvoboda said that sites of several regional newspapers and online media had also been blocked.

Since Putin ordered troops into pro-Western Ukraine, authorities have launched an unprecedented crackdown on Russia's already embattled media.

Earlier this week Ekho Moskvy radio station and the Dozhd TV channel -- two of Russia's landmark liberal media outlets -- both stopped operating.

Also Read: More than 1.5 million people flee Ukraine war

Dozens of journalists and independent outlets -- including Dozhd -- have already been designated "foreign agents" by authorities, and many reporters and editors have been forced to quit the country.

Russia's top independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, whose editor-in-chief Dmitry Muratov was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021, said after the attack began on Ukraine it would not cover the conflict, citing new legislation on reporting on the military.

Mediazona is an independent online publication which writes about court cases and abuses of prisoners' rights, among other subjects.

The outlet was founded in 2014 by Pussy Riot members Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina after they served prison time for protesting against Putin's rule in a church.

Snob.ru and Republic are dedicated to publishing breaking news and analysis.

Agentstvo (formerly Proekt) is an independent Russian-language media specialising in investigative journalism. The outlet said it would keep working.

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(Newser)  The US has logged more than 79 million cases of COVID since the pandemic began. Convicted con artist Anna Sorokin is making the case that hers stands out in a lawsuit against federal authorities. The 31-year-old Sorokinwho pretended to be a rich German heiress in New York City and duped victims out of hundreds of thousands of dollarstested positive in January, reports NBC News. She is in the custody of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency as she awaits possible deportation, and she alleges that ICE ignored her multiple requests for a booster shot. A representative for ICE declined to comment on the suit but says the agency follows proper CDC protocol for detainees.

The ACLU added Sorokin to a lawsuit against ICE that includes other detainees. We were not looking to put fireworks around her name, attorney Anthony Spitzer tells Reuters, but we thought to the extent that her involvement brings additional attention to the problem, its a plus for everyone and not just for her. The suit says Sorokin has various health problems, including a chronic kidney infection, that made her vulnerable to COVID, and it says she ended up with symptoms including "fever, persistent cough, nausea, migraines, and body aches." Sorokin went to prison in 2019 and was paroled in February of this year. (Read more Anna Sorokin stories.)
Crime in Yakima series

This article is the first in a continuing series exploring how the community is addressing violent crime and intimate partner violence. Coverage will look at crime trends, police response and community partnerships such as the domestic violence coalition, Handle with Care program for children with adverse experiences, Gang Reduction Intervention Task force, and Walk About Yakima program for violence intervention and prevention.
A former Labour trade minister who is chairman of a sanctioned Russian oligarchs firm should step down from his role, a leading MP has said.

Lord Davies of Abersoch is chairman of LetterOne, founded by billionaire Mikhail Fridman who has been hit with EU sanctions.

The firm owns Holland and Barrett health shops in the UK and has invested in companies across the globe.

Last night Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, called for Lord Davies to step down from his role, adding: Some moments demand a choice, this is one.

Last night Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, called for Lord Davies of Abersoch to step down from his role as chairman of LetterOne, a firm founded by Russian billionaire oligarch Mikhail Fridman

It comes as The Mail on Sunday can also reveal Labour frontbench peer Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede has given up his directorship of oil and gas firm EastSib [East Siberia] Holdings and Moscow-based subsidiary RNG Joint Stock company after this newspaper contacted the Lords.

Lord Davies, a former banker and trade minister under Prime Minister Gordon Brown, was appointed deputy chairman of LetterOne in 2015 before becoming its chairman in 2019.

Mr Fridman, who owns a 65million home in north London and is worth an estimated 10.9billion, was last week hit with EU sanctions freezing his assets.

Business partner Petr Aven, who also owns part of LetterOne and attended Vladimir Putins hastily arranged oligarchs meeting following the invasion of Ukraine, has also been hit with sanctions.

Lord Davies, a former banker and trade minister under Prime Minister Gordon Brown, was appointed deputy chairman of LetterOne in 2015 before becoming its chairman in 2019. Lord Davies has taken a leave of absence from the House of Lords where he now sits as a non-affiliated peer (Pictured in Jakarta in 2009)

Lord Davies has taken a leave of absence from the House of Lords where he now sits as a non-affiliated peer.

LetterOne now has responsibility for around 125,000 staff and assets of 17billion.

Mr Fridman, who has been described as close to President Putin, has faced repeated organised crime investigations by Spanish authorities.

Last month, in a statement to The Mail on Sunday, Lord Davies said that he was privileged to be chairman of Mikhail Fridman and other international shareholders investment company Letter One for many years.

He added: Mikhail is a gifted, tough and entirely non-political entrepreneur. A long term investor who loves and lives in the UK.

But after Mr Fridman and his banker business partner Mr Aven were hit with sanctions last week Lord Davies issued a new statement declaring the pair would have no further role in the firm and may not be allowed back.

LetterOne, founded by billionaire Mikhail Fridman. has been hit with EU sanctions. The firm owns Holland and Barrett health shops in the UK and has invested in companies across the globe (file photo)

Their assets in the business are effectively frozen, they have no rights as shareholders and  if sanctions are lifted  the board is under no obligation to return these rights, he said.

And on Thursday Lord Ponsonby, a hereditary peer and Labour shadow home and justice spokesman, gave up his role as chairman of EastSib, a Cyprus-based firm which owns several Russian subsidiaries and director of hydrocarbons firm RNG.

A Labour spokesman in the House of Lords said last night that giving up his EastSib role was entirely Lord Ponsonbys own decision.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin told French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Sunday that Moscow planned to achieve its aims in Ukraine either through diplomacy or military means, the Elysee said.

Russia would reach its objectives in Ukraine "either through negotiation or through war", Putin told Macron according to a French presidential official, adding the Russian president also pledged "it was not his intention" to attack Ukrainian nuclear sites.

Macron found Putin "very determined to achieve his objectives", including on "what the Russian president calls the 'de-Nazification' and the 'neutralisation' of Ukraine", added the official, who asked not to be named.

Also Read: Ukraine envoy to US calls Russia 'terrorist state,' urges tougher sanctions

Putin also demanded recognition of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea -- annexed by Russia in 2014 -- as part of Russian territory as well as recognition as independent of two Ukrainian eastern breakaway regions already recognised by Russia.

These demands are "unacceptable for the Ukrainians", said the official.

Putin also denied that the Russian army is targeting civilians after Macron urged him not to endanger civilians, in line with international law.

The French president replied to him that "the army attacking is the Russian army" and said he had "no reason to believe that the Ukrainian army is putting civilians in danger", the official said.

Follow live updates on Russia-Ukraine crisis here

Macron had last week already expressed alarm over nuclear security risks in Ukraine after Europe's largest atomic power plant Zaporizhzhia was attacked and seized by invading Russian forces.

"President Putin has said that it was not his intention to carry out attacks on these power stations," said the official, adding that the Russian president said he was prepared to meet UN atomic agency standards for nuclear plant protection.

The call, which a presidential official said lasted one hour 45 minutes and was at Macron's request, was the fourth time they had spoken since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

It came after a tense call on March 3 which the Elysee said had left Macron feeling "the worst is to come" in Ukraine with Putin intent on seizing "the whole" of the country.

According to the Kremlin, Putin in the telephone call blamed Kyiv for failed civilian evacuations from the key Ukrainian port city of Mariupol which is surrounded by Russian troops.

Putin "drew attention to the fact that Kyiv still does not fulfil agreements reached on this acute humanitarian issue", according to a statement from the Kremlin, after two agreements to evacuate Mariupol fell though following allegations of ceasefire breaches.

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The Assam unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday alleged that "anti-national activities" are going on in many of the private madrassas in the state and urged the administration to "keep a close watch if education is imparted in those private madrassas on the lines of government madrassas". BJP spokespersons Ranjib Kumar Sharma and Mominul Awal made the allegations during a press conference here. The spokespersons further said that an Islamic terror outfit 'Al-Qaida in Indian Subcontinent' (AQIS) has sprung up in the Madrassas situated in char-chapori(riverine) areas in the form of sleeper cells covering a wide network and the process has caught pace in the past couple of years. Spokespersons, referring to the arrest of five youths from Barpeta district's Chakaliyapara Madrassa by Assam Police recently, said, "this has exposed the wide network of the extremist outfit in the majority of the madrassas in the char- chapori areas of the state." "In many of the private madrassas anti-national activities are going in recent times and they urged the administration to keep a close watch whether education is being imparted on those private madrassas on the lines of government madrassas. It is very shocking that in these private madrassas of the state, the majority of the students are not aware of Mahapurush Sankardeva, Madhabdeva and Lachit Borphukan," they added. Hitting out at Opposition Congress, All India United Democratic Front and AMSU, they said that they have been appeasing the minorities and never raised a voice against the "militant network". "These political parties who have been appeasing the minorities have never raised any voice or taken any initiative against the widespread militant network in the riverine areas," they said. The party spokesmen alleged that Congress, AIUDF and AMSU have always been working in tandem with "Islamic extremist organisations". Spokesperson Ranjib Kumar Sharma further said the way Hakkani Network is at work to spread Islamic extremism across the globe. "AQIS is also working steadfastly using the madrassa to set up sleeper cells in Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and other states along with Myanmar and Nepal. The incident that took at Barpeta's Chakaliyapara madrassa is a classic example of this," Sharma said. Sharma further said that the dreaded 'AQIS ' is directly associated with ISIS and Al-Qaida. (ANI)
(Newser)  US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday pledged Americas support to the small, Western-leaning former Soviet republic of Moldova that is coping with an influx of refugees from Ukraine and warily watching Russias intensifying war with its neighbor. Blinken met with senior Moldovan officials who are appealing for international assistance in dealing with more than 120,000 refugees from Ukraine that it is now hosting while also seeking security reassurances against potential Russian aggression, per the AP. More than 230,000 people have fled into or passed through Moldova from Ukraine since the war began 11 days ago. Blinken called Moldovas welcoming of refugees is an inspiration to the world.

Russia has troops in Moldova, a country of 2.6 million, stationed in the disputed territory of Transnistria, and they are being closely watched as Russian President Vladimir Putin presses ahead with the invasion of Ukraine. This is a subject of high vulnerability and we watch it carefully," said Moldovan President Maia Sandu. She said there had not yet been any indication that the roughly 1,500 Russian soldiers based in Transnistria had changed posture but stressed that it was a concern given what is happening in Ukraine.

In this region now there is no possibility for us to feel safe," Sandu said. Although it is neutral militarily and has no plans to try to become a member of NATO, Moldova formally applied to join the European Union just three days ago in a fast-track bid to bolster its ties with the West. Blinken praised Moldovas European aspirations and said Moldova could count on US support. Moldova has chosen the path to democracy, a more inclusive economy, a closer relationship with the countries and institutions of Europe, and the United States supports Moldova in those efforts grounded in our respect for the neutrality thats enshrined in the constitution, he said.

(Read more Moldova stories.)
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Costco was one of the companies at the forefront of raising their minimum wage to $15 (it's now $16), but the pay is only one of the job perks that come along with working at the warehouse club.

Career: Costco and 23 More Companies With Surprisingly Great 401(k) Plans

Options: 40 Legit Companies That Will Pay You To Work From Home

Here's a look at some of the incredible benefits enjoyed by Costco employees.

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Multiple Yearly Bonuses

Although this is a perk you only get after working for the company for a few years, it's a good one. According to Costco's website, "we provide twice-yearly Extra Checks (bonuses) for long-tenured hourly employees."

Check Out: 5 Careers To Pursue To Become Rich Faster

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Free Executive Membership

Costco employees get free membership cards for themselves and their friends and family.

"We get four free membership cards (including mine) with 2% cash back annually," one long-time Costo cashier wrote on Quora. "[These] cards can be given to any family members or any friend of your choice. And if you work for Costco for more [than] 25 years [and retire, you get] a lifetime membership card."

Options: 10 Unexpected Work-From-Home Jobs You Can Do Right Now

Trong Nguyen / Shutterstock.com

First Dibs on Hot-Ticket Items

Employees get to test out new products before they hit shelves and often buy up hot-ticket items as soon as they are available.

"It's frequently the case that we're out of stock of something because we've bought them all," a Costco employee in Ohio told Fox Business.

Related: How To Start Upgrading Your Career in a Week

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First Dibs on Sale Items

Employees also get access to sales before shoppers do.

"We see stuff go on clearance before you do, and if it's a good deal, we'll snatch them up," the Ohio employee told Fox Business.

Read: 25 Tried-and-True Jobs That Will Last Through Any Recession

ZikG / Shutterstock.com

Free Thanksgiving Turkey

Multiple employees confirmed on Reddit that American Costco workers all receive a voucher for a free turkey every Thanksgiving. Costco donates the turkeys that employees choose not to take home.

Story continues

See: 22 Side Gigs That Can Make You Richer Than a Full-Time Job

Chase Brock / GOBankingRates.com

Exclusive Employee Shopping Hours

Perhaps the biggest downside to shopping at Costco is the super long checkout lines -- but employees get to avoid these.

"You can shop after hours, and a lot of employees do that," a Costco employee in Washington State told Mental Floss.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 6 Incredible Perks of Being a Costco Employee
Washington has seen "very credible reports" that Russia has committed war crimes during its invasion of Ukraine, particularly in attacking civilians, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday.

But President Joe Biden's top diplomat also hailed the resilience of the Ukrainian people and said Russian leader Vladimir Putin was "destined to lose" the war that has already claimed hundreds of lives, including civilians.

"We've seen very credible reports of deliberate attacks on civilians, which would constitute a war crime," Blinken told CNN talk show "State of the Union."

Blinken was speaking from Moldova, where he was expected to provide reassurances for the small country, and where he earlier said the United States was "working actively" with Poland on a deal that would supply Ukraine with fighter jets to battle Moscow's invading forces.

Russia has come under intense criticism for its assault on Ukrainian cities, in operations that Kyiv and Western governments say have included attacks on schools, hospitals and residential blocks.

On Thursday, Putin's forces attacked the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe's largest, triggering fears of a catastrophic atomic accident.

The US embassy in Ukraine the next day called the attack attributed to Russian forces a possible war crime.

The State Department was more cautious, saying it was assessing the circumstances of the operation but adding that intentional targeting of civilians or civilian objects including nuclear power plants "is a war crime."

With Russia laying siege to several Ukrainian cities, Blinken on Sunday warned of a protracted war and "terrible" suffering.

"I think we have to be prepared for this to last for some time. But just winning a battle is not winning the war. Taking a city does not mean he's taking the hearts and minds of the Ukrainian people," Blinken said.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is disputing claims from Moscow that Russias military is not engaging in the deliberate targeting of civilians in its invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Blinken spoke Sunday on CNNs State of the Union, where he told host Jake Tapper that very credible evidence suggested otherwise. Such an action, Mr Blinken added, would constitute a war crime.

His comments, while still hesitant, are much stronger than those of the White House throughout the past week, which would not suggest that Moscow had committed war crimes while telling reporters that US personnel were investigating the situation to determine if civilians were being targeted.

The US has trailed a number of nations, including the UK, in declaring Russias military guilty of violating international conventions of war by deliberately attacking civilian centers and using banned munitions like cluster bombs. Mr Blinken said reports of cluster bomb use were very credible on Sunday as well, but did not take an official position beyond that.

Sundays remarks by Mr Blinken could indicate that the Biden administration will soon officially make a determination. Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg has already accused Russia of using cluster bombs, telling reporters on Friday: We have seen the use of cluster bombs and we have seen reports of use of other types of weapons which would be in violation of international law.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said last week, during his question period: What we have seen already from Vladimir Putins regime in the use of the munitions that they have already been dropping on innocent civilians, in my view, already fully qualifies as a war crime.

International pressure has ramped up quickly against Russia since its invasion of Ukraine began, and there is little sign that the Biden administration or its allies around Europe, Asia and elsewhere will cease efforts to cause economic pain in Russia and target oligarchs connected to Vladimir Putin.

A new round of sanctions unveiled last week allows the US to seize assets belonging to Russian oligarchs abroad.
HOLDREGE  Phelps County law enforcement recently have investigated two deaths in which fentanyl use is suspected to be a factor.

The deaths occurred approximately within a week of one another at the end of January and beginning of February, said Phelps County Attorney Mike Henry. Phelps County law enforcement recovered counterfeit pills made to look like prescription opioids that tested positive for fentanyl.

The victims have not been identified due to it being an ongoing investigation. The Holdrege Police Department and Nebraska State Patrol are investigating the matter. Henry explained that they are hoping to identify the person who supplied the pills, and they could be prosecuted for manslaughter for these deaths.

Fentanyl has been on the rise not just in the state but also the nation, Henry said.

Its an issue that is getting worse and becoming more of an issue everywhere. Talking to other law enforcement, if they havent dealt with it yet, I fear they will have to, Henry added.

Ingestion or exposure to even a small amount of fentanyl can be deadly. A person should never take a prescription medication that is not prescribed to them.

Anyone with information regarding the trafficking of fentanyl or other drugs is asked to contact law enforcement.
The deal comes after years of litigation over Purdue Pharma's marketing of the OxyContin painkiller that subsequentially sparked the opioid crisis, claiming the lives of more than half a million Americans over the last two decades.

Attorney generals of eight states and the District of Columbia announced the deal after rejecting a $4.3 billion cash payment from the Sacklers.

The family demanded that a bankruptcy deal wouldn't be possible unless they were released from all future liability related to Purdue's OxyContin.

The new deal would restructure the company into a new entity called Knoa Pharma that a public board controls.

At the very end of the court filing, the Sacklers said they're "pleased to have reached a settlement with additional states."

They also said, "they sincerely regret that OxyContin ... unexpectedly became part of an opioid crisis that has brought grief and loss to far too many families and communities."

On Twitter, Prescription Addiction Intervention Now (PAIN), a non-profit activist group against the Sackler family, called the family's statement "horrendous."

Wow this statement from the Sacklers is horrendous.



Unexpectedly? A reminder that the Sacklers internally referred to high prescribing doctors as whales and patented software that tracked every Oxycontin pill that was prescribed around the country. https://t.co/nHoKaf9vSK pic.twitter.com/HDRMTHkuYX  PAIN (@sacklerpain) March 3, 2022

Connecticut Attorney General William tweeted a statement:

"After years of lies and denial, the Sackler family must now directly apologize for the pain they have caused. They must reckon face-to-face with the survivors of their reckless greed at a public hearing. Museums and universities may now scrub the tarnished Sackler name from their wallsensuring this family is remembered throughout history for their callous disdain for human suffering and nothing else."

Five months ago, CT rejected a Purdue bankruptcy plan that allowed the Sacklers to buy lifetime legal immunity without so much as an apology.



Today, we have forced Purdue and the Sacklers to pay $6 billion and apologize in dollars, words, and actions. pic.twitter.com/BES6BAXwgJ  AG William Tong (@AGWilliamTong) March 3, 2022

Judge Robert Drain, handling Purdue's bankruptcy proceedings in White Plains, New York, must approve the deal with a hearing slated for March 9.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union" from Moldova on Sunday: "[W]eve seen very credible reports of deliberate attacks on civilians, which would constitute a war crime."

Why it matters: The International Criminal Court said last week it has launched an investigation into allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide committed in Ukraine.

What he's saying: "What were doing right now is documenting all of this, putting it all together, looking at it, and making sure that as people and the appropriate organizations and institutions investigate whether war crimes have been or are being committed, that we can support whatever theyre doing," Blinken added.
The Lockwood school district is paying nearly 10% of its high school student body to help teachers and staff on campus.

As part of the newly formed alternative education program, 37 students aged freshmen and above are serving as aides for younger students, helping in classrooms, shelving books in the library, and supervising in the cafeteria and at recess.

This is in addition to a new internship program and other creative ideas the school is trying in order to benefit students and address teacher shortages.

There is a growing trend, especially in communities with specific needs, to have alternative education programs, said Coul Hill, director of the program. Not all districts do. Youll find it in more urban schools. Youll find it in places where you have more at-risk students, basically the concept being that theres an alternative path to successful graduation and post-secondary work and school experience.

The program began this semester. Hill is spearheading it as a former teacher at Lockwood and Billings public schools.

Both ends of the spectrum

Alternative education is aimed at students needing to catch up as well as students seeking college credits.

Frankie Marullo, a junior, recently began an internship at Blue Body and Paint, an auto body shop. During the school week, he works there for three hours per day.

Only a couple weeks into the job, Marullo was detailing and washing cars, and patiently waiting to start training on body work.

Before Frankie entered the program, he wasnt motivated to go to school and was going one or two days a week, if that, he said.

We said, Hey, what do you need? Whats your currency?' Hill asked Marullo.

Marullo wanted to get his car running, a 1982 Firebird Trans Am that his dad had gotten as a graduation gift and gave it to his son. The car needed some electrical wiring in order to start the motor.

So Hill worked out a deal with Marullo. Come to school every day for a month, complete all assignments, and the program would buy the parts.

On a handshake, the deal was made. Frankie comes to school every day without prompting, Hill said.

In alternative education, we are open to doing whatever it takes to help kids see their potential, he said.

Marullo spends his time at school on a computer program catching up on classes he did not previously pass. Hes nearly caught up for this year and is now recovering credits from years prior in order to graduate on time.

I personally just kind of gave up on everything and I thought teachers were just here to do their jobs and they dont really care about the kids. But after [buying the car part], I realized theyre really trying to get kids through. That was a pretty big step for me because I always had issues with teachers, and that was more likely on my end, Marullo said.

The internship, too, was a big step for Marullo. I was kind of worrying, but once I got there I realized theyre all nice people. Its a great body shop. Everyone there is polite and everyone there does their job, he said.

As a high school in its third year, Lockwood's oldest students are juniors. Administration and the school board decided to add one grade at a time because they felt it was the most efficient way, Hill said.

Lockwood offers metals and woodshop courses but there is not an auto shop program or a shop facility, so the internships are facilitating work experience, elective credits, and pay.

Hill is working to make connections for every field possible where there is student interest, from the medical field to even a tattoo parlor, he said. One student is earning $18 per hour by fabricating and building trucks that paint lines on roads.

Four students currently intern and six others are earning school-to-work credit with outside jobs.

The program also tailors curriculum for advanced students who seek college credits, offering dual credit courses that allow for qualified teachers to pass students along with college credit for a certain school.

There is one college-level math course at Lockwood that translates to credit at Montana State University Billings so far. Organizers are working to expand that reach to MSUB's City College.

Lockwood also offers Advancement Placement courses where students prepare to take a test that could yield credit for them if they score well.

Professional student aides

Hill checked in with the students in the Professional Student Aid program during lunch hour on a recent Wednesday. The students are mostly female, and some want to be teachers someday while others just like working with kids and also getting paid, particularly before they are 16.

The students gave each other advice and shared stories about their experiences. One student asked the group about helping students who dont want to be helped.

Another student replied. Something Ive tried is to say, show me that you can do it. That works pretty well.

Hill encouraged the group to get to know the students and to also choose their battles when it comes to discipline. The more of a relationship you can build with those individual kids, the more credibility they will give you. Its less about telling them what to do and more about helping them do what theyre supposed to do.

At least 150 students applied to be a PSA, and that process required a letter of recommendation. Those who landed the job work on campus with grades K-8 depending on the needs of the schools.

I feel like if theres not a good teacher or something, then they wont have the best experience, said Emma McMillen, a freshman. I just want to help kids and give them a good experience, and actually make them like school.

Rylee Sannon, a sophomore, knew she wanted to be a counselor or do something with kids, and she was consequently paired with the school counselor. She works with younger students and plays games with them.

Reed Walks Over Ice, a freshman, wants to one day teach Native American Indian law. He is helping in a sixth-grade classroom. Im getting the feel for teaching a younger group of kids.

Another student found herself relearning material like fractions so she could help teach. Ill give you a pro tip," Hill said. As long as you stay one step ahead of them, theyll never know.

Laira Larson, a freshman, hoped to work with younger students but was placed in an eighth grade math class. She is getting along with the students and supporting the teacher in the subject matter better than she thought, she said.

The students remembered aloud and reminisced about student aides or student-teachers they learned from when they were younger.

Hill weighed in.

Next year, next month, five years, 10 years down the road, these kids are very likely to not remember what you taught them as much as they will remember how you made them feel.

At one point, a student said that their hour with PSA is their favorite part of the day, and several others chimed in that it was theirs, too.

Students earn $11 per hour and work one to two hours per day.

For both the internships and the professional student aid program, the high schoolers earn a full credit for two periods of work or half a credit for one period of work.

How it started

A discussion about staffing shortages sparked the idea for Hill during an administrative meeting in October.

I just floated it by the superintendent and he said, great, go for it, and I started working with our business office that was a big help in getting approval through Office of Public Instruction, Hill said.

There are fewer young people interested in teaching than there used to be, said Tobin Novasio, superintendent of the campus and stand-alone district.

One of the biggest problems right now facing education aside from all the COVID stuff is our staffing. Just the number of students going into study education at the college level is down, and thats our pipeline for our teachers and principals and other administrators, he said.

And while it sounded like a win-win, Hill had to make sure the program would be accredited in compliance with OPI, Hill said.

It was a little bit of an uphill battle because the state wasnt against it but it was something I had to be diligent about. And we feel pretty good about it, he added.

Lockwood is using COVID-19 relief money to operate the program and pay students, which are called Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds.

If the program shows success, organizers hope that the school board will allot more permanent funding.

Teacher shortage

In the 2017-18 school year, researchers estimated a shortage of about 110,000 teachers in U.S. schools, according an article published in the Economic Policy Institute. EPI describes itself as a non-profit, nonpartisan think tank that focuses on needs of low and middle income workers in economic policy discussions.

That 2017 shortage is up from no shortage before 2013, according to the researchers.

But the shortage is poorly understood because the reasons for it are complex and interdependent. The shortage occurs because there is an insufficient number of credentialed teachers to fill vacancies at schools. Unfilled vacancies happen for any number of reasons, including perceived reduced attractiveness of teaching as a profession, increases in school enrollment, reductions in class sizes, and excessive number of teachers leaving their schools, the article reads.

Novasio believes there is more to a career in education than a paycheck, and he wants kids to see that.

We have to just look at how we market education and make sure people understand that theres benefits beyond a paycheck and the things that go along with it, he said.

A big help

We brought it up last week at our principals conference and I think a lot of people are jumping on board, said Kelly Kinsey, intermediate-level principal at Lockwood. Every day we have a need for extra people in the classroom, extra people in the cafeterias, extra people at recess, extra people in the office to help run some errands, and things like that.

The program allows for teachers to stay in one place and focus on teaching rather than watch the cafeteria, Kinsey said. There are less behavior problems because of the program, he added.

Teachers are getting more chances to help students in smaller groups.

Novasio appreciates seeing kids working in a real-life educational setting.

Its fun to see sophomores and juniors in high school that are now watching the third and fourth graders and going, that kind of behavior probably shouldnt go on, when Ive seen them do the same types of things in the classroom. The old adage is the way to really learn something is to teach it or do it, and thats where I think the kids are at, at this point, he said.

Hill enjoys the creative process of creating a program, he said. He knew many of the students in passing throughout the campus and they knew him.

Hill also recorded the school song, Welcome To the Jungle, that can be found on music streaming services. Outside of his work with the school, he raps under the name Killa C. He plans to film a music video with students and staff at the school in coming weeks.
The United Nations (UN) Eminent Peace Ambassador and the Country Director for International Association of World Peace Advocates, Ghana Chapter, Dr Samuel Owusu has called on the government to bring back the collection of road tolls so that government can still generate money from road users to develop the country.

He observed that ever since the suspension of the collection of the road tolls, a lot of money has been lost, saying that the money could have been used to develop the country.

The Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori Atta, announced that government has abolished all road tolls.

Presenting the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of government on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, 17th November 2021, the Minister mentioned that a new levy will be imposed to make the toll paying more universal.

He mentioned that over the years, the tolling points have become unhealthy market centres, led to heavy traffic on our roads.

He added that the toll booths have also lengthened travel time from one place to another, and impacted negatively on productivity.

Since then, the collection of tolls have been suspended.

Preaching at the Pottersville Church International, East Legon on Sunday, March 6, 2022, Dr Samuel Owusu said

"If we can, let Parliament bring back the collection of the tolls, no one is complaining that we cannot pay toll fee."

He continued that, "For the past two months that we stopped the collection, we could have used that money for something. I have learnt that the school feeding money is being delayed, that of the NHIS is also becoming an issue, Please bring back the collection of road tolls."

Free SHS

Dr Samuel Owusu again called on government to make free SHS a law, so that it would not be changed by incoming governments.

He said if it is changed, some parents cannot afford it due to the hardship they are facing.

"Please make free SHS a law before you leave office, so that any President that will come to Ghana cannot just change it," he urged the President.

He also encouraged the President to reshuffle his Ministers in order to preserve his legacy and integrity, saying that most of them are tired already.

"Some of your people are tired, when they are presenting statements on the E-levy, look at them, look at the Finance Minister, he is tired, he has implemented all his vision, please do reshuffling, bring in some people, we beg you," he said.

Dr Samuel Owusu continued that, "Some others are equally good and capable, some have best ideas, they have best knowledge, sometimes all it takes in leadership is just one alignment, just let some people sit down. There are some people, when they sit down, the work will move up, and the next people will be serious."
A Corvallis community group argues city staff disregarded public process, zoning rules and rising pollution levels in a decision regarding a glass fiber plant.

The Corvallis City Council is slated to rule on the matter during its meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, March 7 when it hears the appeal.

Among its concerns, the group believes Hollingsworth & Vose betrayed the public trust when it was discovered in 2015 the plant had been operating under the wrong air type of emissions permit for nearly 20 years and had been emitting much higher levels of carbon monoxide and fluorides than allowed.

The Department of Environmental Quality required Hollingsworth & Vose to pay $240,000 in fines and fees but allowed the company to keep operating its riverside facility, 1115 Crystal Lake Drive in south Corvallis, while it applied for a higher-level permit.

As part of its appeal, the group says the plant has remained out of compliance with state permits and local zoning since 2015, calling the permit application an attempt to legalize increased pollution after the fact.

It also says the company should submit to a conditional use review process under the local land development code.

Hollingsworth & Vose Corvallis Site Manager Cindy Frost called the permit the company is seeking the most stringent air permit DEQ can issue for the plant, which she said employs 121 people.

Meanwhile, the company has upgraded over the years, adding emissions control equipment and ancillary site improvements which have led to significant reductions in particulate and fluoride emissions and wastewater discharge.

Allowing Hollingsworth & Vose to make things worse is bad for the city and its not following the law, said Barbara Bull, a former city councilor and member of the appellant group. The city is undermining the community engagement process, she said, adding she worries the company is going unmonitored.

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A community letter sent to the company and city leadership in 2019 states concerns over air, water and soil pollutants as well as conflicts with zoning and a city plan to improve the area of south Corvallis. The letter called for a community discussion to find solutions for health and safety issues, and was signed by 286 people.

In August, the group lodged an appeal with City Manager Mark Shepard after city staff issued in June a statement confirming the company's use of the property is compatible with city laws. The statement is required for Hollingsworth & Voses DEQ air discharge permit. Shepard was not immediately available for comment.

Following a public hearing, Shepard denied the appeal in October, prompting another appeal directed to the Corvallis City Council, requesting a review of the decision-making process.

The group claims Shepard acted on arbitrary and inaccurate reasoning, and that city staff and the company sidestepped public input and environmental protections, including city zoning regulations.

In a city document responding to the appeal, Shepard states when a landowner seeks a compatibility statement, local laws dont require the city to consider past noncompliance. Staffs role boils down to reviewing development code language, the zoning map and prior land use approvals to determine if the use is compatible with regulations, he states.

Public input, he added, would only be required under limited circumstances. Staff had properly determined the correct course of action.

While I understand the argument that Hollingsworth & Vose violated its prior DEQ permit, I see nothing in the (land development code) that states this would trigger a conditional review by the city, Shepard states in the document.

In his written denial of the appeal, Shepard sums up the rebuttal from Hollingsworth & Vose in four points:

75 days is longer than allowed for appeals of this type.

The appeal doesnt directly challenge the emission rate agreement from April 2021

The appeal should have gone directly to the council and not the city manager.

And the appeal issues exceed the scope of review for the council.

In the document, Shepard says city staff recognized that although Hollingsworth & Vose was not proposing an increase in production, the DEQ permit being sought would allow maximum emission levels greater than the actual emissions from current operations.

The company agreed not to increase production or change operations beyond levels established in 1996, according to the document.

It is irresponsible for the city to rely on an agreement that relies on H&V to be a good partner and let us know when theyre going to change production, Bull said. I think the violation is evidence that they didnt do that. And if we dont do anything about it, why should we believe theyre going to be honest in the future?

If the City Council sides with the city manager, the land use compatibility statement stands, bringing the company a step closer to a new permit. If the council supports the appeal, it may reverse the city managers decision or return the appeal to him for further consideration. Its possible the matter could end up before the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals.

Hollingsworth & Vose acquired the Corvallis facility in 1996 when it purchased Evanite Fiber.

Editor's note: This article was updated with comment from a Hollingsworth & Vose spokesperson as well as information from a city of Corvallis document.
Quit: Jes Staley stepped down after seeing the findings of the inquiry

The Governor of the Bank of England summoned the chairman of Barclays to grill him about the links between the lender's then chief executive, Jes Staley, and the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

The meeting in 2019 was convened due to concerns that Nigel Higgins may have understated the extent of Staley's relationship with Epstein in a letter he had sent to regulators.

The existence of the letter has remained secret until now.

Higgins, who is still in the chair at Barclays, was grilled by the then governor Mark Carney and Andrew Bailey, who was chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority at the time, but has since taken the top job at the Bank.

It is highly unusual for the governor to haul up a bank chairman for questioning over the conduct of a chief executive  indicating the extent of the Bank's disquiet.

Carney stopped short of telling Higgins to oust Staley. However, a source said he 'gave [Higgins] the very clear impression the board would want to consider the position of their chief executive officer'.

Staley only resigned in November last year after an investigation by City watchdogs into how he characterised his relationship with the disgraced financier Epstein.

Higgins's meeting with Bank of England chiefs took place almost two years earlier in December 2019. It is understood Higgins's letter was written just weeks after the death of Epstein in jail.

The missive is understood to have vouched that there was nothing improper in the relationship between Staley and Epstein and to have triggered the probe by regulators that eventually led to his departure from the bank. The revelations will put a spotlight on judgments made by the Barclays board almost two years before Staley's departure. Epstein had been a client of Staley's when the latter was a private banker at JPMorgan. He left the bank in 2013.

Staley visited Epstein on his private island in the Caribbean on a sailing trip with his wife in 2015  just months before taking charge of the high street bank.

The investigation into Staley, 65, first became public in early 2020, at which point the board said it had 'full confidence' in him.

He stepped down four months ago upon seeing the findings of the inquiry which are not yet public.

Staley has always insisted he had a purely professional relationship with Epstein. He intends to contest the conclusions of the probe.

He said in 2020, 'with hindsight, with what we know now, I deeply regret having any relationship with Jeffrey Epstein', but added that he had been 'very transparent'.

Barclays said: 'It should be noted the investigation makes no findings that Mr Staley saw, or was aware of, any of Mr Epstein's alleged crimes, which was the central question underpinning Barclays' support for Mr Staley following the arrest of Mr Epstein in summer 2019.'

The Bank of England and the FCA declined to comment.

A spokesman for Staley declined to comment.
The preening self-regard of the great legal minds in the House of Lords was on full display last week as several peers defended themselves from the charge of courting lootin' and Putin-friendly oligarchs.

This undignified sight was part of the spat following the Government's laggard response to sanctioning them, with Ministers desperately trying to blame amendments tabled five years ago by QCs Lord Pannick and Lord Judge to legislation covering sanctions and anti-money laundering.

These required the Government to provide 'good reason' to sanction targets  men such as Arkady Rotenberg, Pannick's client and Putin crony who the lawyer defended from 2014 to 2015.

Ministers say these amendments put too much emphasis on the rights of oligarchs.

In response, an incensed Pannick penned a letter to The Times saying oligarchs, like alleged murderers, are entitled to legal representation.

This undignified sight was part of the spat following the Government's laggard response to sanctioning them, with Ministers desperately trying to blame amendments tabled five years ago by QCs Lord Pannick and Lord Judge to legislation covering sanctions and anti-money laundering

True, but not everyone can afford the huge fees some barristers charge for their brilliance.

Since December alone, Pannick has received 1.1 million for helping the Danish customs tax administration  but he hasn't forgone claiming his taxpayer-funded 323 daily allowance for showing his venerable face in the Lords.

Meanwhile, just before Russia invaded Ukraine, Lord (Peter) Goldsmith QC treated me to an explanation why Parliament and democracy would be impoverished if lawyers such as himself had to resign their seats in the second chamber in order to spend more time with their bank balances.

As I previously revealed, Goldsmith (who was Tony Blair's attorney general) has taken a 'leave of absence' specifically because he did not want to comply with new rules requiring peers to declare how much they are paid by foreign governments.

Goldsmith, who advised on the legality of the war in Iraq and who has done legal work for the Russian Federation, told me: 'I'm sorry to have to take leave of absence, but I felt it was the only option open to me given the choice between that or revealing privileged and confidential information.'

Twaddle! The new rules simply allow the public to know who ennobled lawyers are working for and how much they are trousering. Their advice to clients remains secret.

Pictured: How to donate to the Mail Force Ukraine refugee charity appeal

Nevertheless, Goldsmith continued, saying: 'Leaving aside myself, the absurdity of the rule has led to the Lords also losing the wisdom and guidance of three of our most senior ex-judges.

'The justification given  that they might somehow damage the UK because 'they are working for a foreign power' as arbitrators  seems far-fetched and insulting. I hope this will cause the House to think again.'

As hustling lawyers never tire of saying: A man who defends himself 'has a fool for a client'. Quite.

George Osborne was spotted last week chatting to Christie's honorary chairman and minor royal David Linley ahead of the auction house's spring sale, once a favourite place for oligarchs to deodorise their reputation and fortunes in London.

The former Chancellor, who oversaw a financial sector swilling with dodgy Russian money, had been admiring a Francis Bacon portrait of US President Woodrow Wilson, alongside a piece of paper stained with the blood of the assassinated Leon Trotsky.

Priced at 55 million, the Bacon was out of Osborne's reach, but in other times would have attracted Roman Abramovich, who used a slice of his fortune to bring home a $86 million Bacon from Sotheby's in 2008. But I hear he's a little tied up right now.

Boris bows to Tracey's passion killer

I can reveal that Boris Johnson has quietly bowed to Tracey Emin's request that her art no longer graces his walls. Emin, 58, who has swung between Labour and the Tories over the years, condemned No 10's 'shameful' lockdown-busting parties and said she didn't want to risk her neon piece More Passion encouraging any further debauchery.
ADDIS ABABA, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia has established a national committee to repatriate hundreds of thousands of nationals currently residing in Saudi Arabia, an Ethiopian official said on Saturday.

Dina Mufti, Spokesman, Ethiopia Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said a national committee headed by Demeke Mekonen, Ethiopia Deputy Prime Minister and acting Foreign Minister, has been established to repatriate and rehabilitate citizens living in difficult conditions in the middle eastern country, reported state media outlet Ethiopia Broadcasting Corporation.

"This committee's main purpose is returning home our people from Saudi Arabia in a short period of time and then resettling them in their respective home areas," Mufti said.

Mufti further said the national committee has various sub-entities in it, tasked with the successful execution of repatriation and resettlement of Ethiopian nationals currently living in Saudi Arabia.

Among the sub-entities in the national committee are the Ethiopia National Disaster Risk Management Commission, the Ethiopia Women and Social Affairs Ministry, the Ethiopia Labor and Skills Ministry and the Ethiopia Ministry of Health.

The Ethiopian government estimates there are currently about 750,000 Ethiopians living in Saudi Arabia of whom 450,000 are suspected to reside in the country without proper legal documents.

It is estimated that tens of thousands of Ethiopians are trafficked to Saudi Arabia as well as various other countries annually, where they are mainly engaged in the informal economy. 
A leader of a rebel military group in the so-called Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), blamed for brutal war crimes and shooting Ukrainian POWs since its formation in 2014, was shot dead in battle.

Russian warlord Vladimir Zhoga, who headed the Neo-Nazi 'Sparta Battalion', was killed in Volnovakha, Ukraine, following the eleventh day of Russia's invasion as Putin's troops fail to make big wins.

Zhoga's kill was yesterday confirmed in a Telegram channel post from Denis Pushilin, head of the breakaway DPR.

Vladimir Zhoga, pictured, was killed in Volnovakha, Ukraine, following the eleventh day of Russia's invasion as Putin's troops fail to make big wins

He wrote: 'Today in Volnovakha, the commander of a separate reconnaissance battalion 'Sparta' of the Guard, Colonel Vladimir Zhoga, call sign Vokha, died heroically.

'He was mortally wounded while ensuring the exit of civilians.

''Sparta' covered the evacuation of civilians, mostly women and children. The Nazis opened fire on them...

Soldiers of the Sparta Battalion, which was set up in 2014, pose for a group photograph in 2019

Zhoga became the group's leader in 2016 after his predecessor Arsen Pavlov died following an IED explosion in the lift of his apartment

'I have signed a decree on conferring the title of Hero of the Donetsk People's Republic on Vladimir Artemovich Zhoga posthumously.

'He died a heroic death, just a little short of victory. But his feat brought it closer.

'I express my sincere condolences to family and friends.

'Rest in peace, Brother!'

Zhoga became the group's leader in 2016 after his predecessor Arsen Pavlov died following an IED explosion in the lift of his apartment.

Pavlov was accused of several war crimes, and in 2015 the Kyiv Post shared audio of him, in a phone call with the news outlet, saying he shot '15 prisoners dead'.

'I don't give a f**** about what I am accused of, believe it or not,' he added.

'I shot 15 prisoners dead. I don't give a f****. No comment. I kill if I want to. I don't if I don't.'

A second attempt to evacuate refugees from Mariupol was scuppered again today after the city was shelled just minutes into an agreed ceasefire.

Some 400,000 residents were hoped to be evacuated from 12pm today, with an initial agreement in place until 9pm, but residents are now having to take cover in bomb shelters without electricity and water.

Sparta Battalion members in 2020, taking part in a Victory Day military parade marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II

It followed similar attempts on Saturday when plans to evacuate refugees were halted when shelling recommenced 45 minutes into a ceasefire.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said: 'Amid devastating scenes of human suffering in Mariupol, a second attempt today to start evacuating an estimated 200,000 people out of the city came to a halt.

'The failed attempts yesterday and today underscore the absence of a detailed and functioning agreement between the parties to the conflict.'

However, in a telephone call with French President Emmanual Macron, Putin blamed Kyiv for the failed evacuations.

Putin instead claimed 'Ukrainian nationalists' prevented civilians and foreign citizens from leaving the port city and neighbouring Volnovakha.

But Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky today warned that Russian forces are preparing to shell Odessa - a historic port city on the Black Sea coast.

In a video address, the Ukrainian leader said: 'They are preparing to bomb Odessa.

'Russians have always come to Odessa. They have always felt only warmth in Odessa. Only sincerity. And now what? Bombs against Odessa? Artillery against Odessa? Missiles against Odessa?

'It will be a war crime. It will be a historical crime.'
NAIROBI, March 6 (Xinhua) -- The quest for a just, inclusive and green transition in Africa will only be realized if governments and lenders channel greater resources to grassroots-based initiatives aimed at taming the climate crisis, campaigners said Sunday.

The green campaigners said in a statement issued in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, that sustaining low-carbon growth in Africa called for placing communities at the heart of climate mitigation and adaptation financing.

Tracy Sonny, a Botswanan national and board member of the Nairobi-based Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), stressed that people-centered policy, legislative and funding regimes were required to hasten green transition in a continent bearing the brunt of runaway temperature rise.

According to Sonny, communities on the receiving end of climatic shocks should be involved in the design and execution of programs aimed at strengthening their resilience.

Robert Muthami, a Kenyan climate policy expert, said that as African countries raise their ambition toward achieving carbon neutrality, they should prioritize the needs of grassroots communities that have suffered from devastations linked to extreme weather events.

"Even as we ramp up efforts to address the climate crisis, insecurity and effects of COVID-19 pandemic, the interests of local communities must inform this objective to ensure the green transition is just and sustainable," said Muthami.

There was an urgency to improve the adaptive capacity of vulnerable groups like subsistence farmers, nomads, women, children and the disabled as climate emergencies continue to disrupt their livelihoods, said Muthami, stressing that a people-centered green transition will unleash myriad benefits including strengthening ecosystems' resilience besides improving food security and rural incomes.

Eugene Nforngwa, the energy thematic lead at PACJA, said that empowering African communities through training, access to capital and innovations is key to boosting the decarbonization of key economic sectors, adding that financial incentives were required to boost uptake of green technologies at the grassroots and arrest runaway carbon emissions that had escalated the climate crisis.

Jiata Ekelle, a Nigerian climate and sustainability expert, suggested that Sub-Saharan Africa should invest in community-based resilience programs including reforestation, regeneration of degraded landscapes and clean energy as the region embarks on green development pathways. 
Paris, Mar 6: European Union leader Charles Michel said Sunday closing Ukraine's airspace could spark a world war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly called on NATO countries to stop the Russian onslaught on his country by imposing a no-fly zone. Western leaders have refused for fear of triggering a wider war in Europe. Deploying fighter jets over Ukraine could in current circumstances be considered as NATO's entry into the war and therefore risk World War III, Michel said in an interview with the public broadcaster France Inter.

Also Read | Harjot Singh, Indian Student Injured in Kyiv Firing to be Brought Back to Delhi on Monday.

Michel denied that economic sanctions against Russia constitute a war of the EU or NATO against Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin has linked the West's economic punishment for his invasion of Ukraine to declaring war on Moscow.

Michel said European and American allies imposed sanctions to create pressure and hurt the (Russian) regime, not the people.

Also Read | 11-Year-Old Boy Crosses Ukraine Border With Phone Number Written on His Hand; Slovakian Authorities Hailed A Hero of the Night.

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JERUSALEM  A group of 100 Ukrainian Jewish orphans who were evacuated from the country after Russia invaded have landed in Israel.

The children arrived Sunday a few hours before two flights carrying around 300 other Ukrainian Jewish immigrants landed.

The children were evacuated from the central Ukrainian city of Zhytomyr and brought to Israel by the KKL-JNF organization.

The Jewish Agency for Israel, a quasigovernmental organization that manages immigration affairs, said that it had received 5,500 urgent requests by Ukrainian Jews to move to Israel since Russia attacked on Feb. 24.

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WASHINGTON  U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the United States and its allies are having a very active discussion about banning the import of Russian oil and natural gas in the latest escalation of their sanctions in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine.

Asked about oil and gas imports, Blinken told CNN on Sunday that President Joe Biden convened a meeting of his National Security Council on the subject the day before. Biden and Western allies have until now held off on sanctions against Russia's lucrative energy industry to avoid blowback on their own economies.

We are now talking to our European partners and allies to look in a coordinated way at the prospect of banning the import of Russian oil while making sure that there is still an appropriate supply of oil on world market, said Blinken. That's a very active discussion as we speak.

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BERLIN  The U.N. human rights office says it has confirmed the deaths of 364 civilians in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began on Feb. 24.

The Geneva-based office said that another 759 civilians had been injured as of midnight Saturday.

The rights office uses strict methodology and only reports casualties it has confirmed.

It says it believes the real figures are considerably higher, especially in government-controlled territory and especially in recent days. That's because the flow of information has been delayed amid the fighting and many reports still need to be corroborated.

Ukrainian officials have presented far higher numbers.

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NEW YORK  The Kremlin says President Vladimir Putin told his Turkish counterpart that Russia's military action in Ukraine could be halted only if Kyiv ceases hostilities and fulfills the well-known demands of Russia.

Putin has listed demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine, recognition of Russian-annexed Crimea as part of Russia and separatist regions in eastern Ukraine as independent states as the Kremlin's main demands.

According to the readout of Sunday's call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, hope was expressed that during the planned next round of negotiations, the representatives of Ukraine would show a more constructive approach, fully taking into account the emerging realities.

A third round of talks is scheduled for Monday.

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MEDYKA, Poland -- The head of the United Nations' refugee agency says the international Red Cross and the U.N. are negotiating access to the cities in Ukraine most impacted by fighting since Russia invaded Feb. 24.

Filippo Grandi, the U.N. high commissioner for refugees, said Sunday that those discussions continue with hope for success, but didn't name specific cities. He said during a visit to Poland's border with Ukraine that these corridors are mainly to bring humanitarian goods basic goods to people that are really in desperate need and also to extract maybe the most vulnerable people.

Grandi stressed that wide international assistance is needed for Poland and other countries receiving refugees from Ukraine. He said that predictions are difficult, hundreds of thousands are on the move inside Ukraine, and it is very likely that we will see a large influx continuing in the next few days. Earlier Sunday, he said that more than 1.5 million people have already fled Ukraine for neighboring countries.

Grandi said that what is needed really is a ceasefire, is the end to hostilities because that's the only way to stop this tragedy.

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LVIV, Ukraine  A Ukrainian official says a second attempt to evacuate civilians from a southern city under siege for a week has failed due to continued Russian shelling.

Ukrainian military authorities said earlier Sunday that evacuations from the port city of Mariupol were scheduled to begin at noon local time (10 a.m. GMT) during a 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. local ceasefire.

Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko said the planned evacuations along designated humanitarian corridors were halted because of an ongoing assault.

He said on Telegram that there can be no green corridors' because only the sick brain of the Russians decides when to start shooting and at whom."

A similar cease-fire planned for Mariupol and the nearby city of Volnovakha collapsed Saturday, trapping residents under more shelling and aerial bombardment by Russian forces.

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ISTANBUL  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's office says he has called for an urgent cease-fire in Ukraine in a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In a statement following Sunday's one-hour call, the Turkish presidency said Erdogan had urged a halt to fighting to address humanitarian concerns and seek a political solution to the conflict. The war is now in its 11th day.

Erdogan called for the opening of humanitarian corridors and a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine.

Turkey has extensive ties with both Russia and Ukraine and has sought to place itself as a mediator. It has invited both to a diplomatic forum in Antalya next week.

Erdogan's office said he told Putin that he was ready to make every contribution" to resolving the crisis.

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WARSAW, Poland  Poland's border guard agency says that over 922,000 refugees have crossed the border from Ukraine since Feb. 24, when Russia launched its invasion.

The agency said on Twitter that a record one-day number of over 129,000 crossed into Poland on Saturday, and almost 40,000 between midnight and 7 a.m. on Sunday.

A nation of some 38 million people, Poland is receiving the largest number of refugees among Ukraine's neighbors. Some who entered Poland have continued to other countries.

The head of the United Nations' refugee agency said Sunday that more than 1.5 million refugees have crossed from Ukraine into neighboring countries since Russia invaded.

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SIRET, Romania  Romania's border police say more than 227,000 Ukrainian citizens have entered Romania in total since the crisis began and more than 155,000 of them have already left the country.

During a visit on Saturday to Romania's northern border at Siret, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said that no Ukrainian will be denied entry into Romania.

He said Romanian authorities believe that the situation will continue for a long time, and the complications will worsen. The president added: We believe that this humanitarian catastrophe will spread, that a lot of help will be needed here, but also in Ukraine.

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VATICAN CITY  Pope Francis says he has dispatched two cardinals to Ukraine, a highly unusual move.

The pontiff said Sunday that the Holy See is willing to do everything to put itself in service for peace. The papal almsgiver, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, has been dispatched with aid, along with Cardinal Michael Czerny, who is head of the papal office that deals with migration, charity, justice and peace.

Francis did not say where exactly the cardinals had gone, but said they represented him and all Christian people with the message that war is madness.''

Referring to Ukraine as that martyred country, Francis called for a cessation of violence, the establishment of humanitarian corridors and a return to negotiations.

In Ukraine, rivers of blood and tears are flowing. This is not just a military operation, but a war that sows death, destruction and misery,'' he said in his traditional Sunday blessing.

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HELSINKI -- The top U.S. military officer says Ukrainian soldiers and civilians alike have put up an extraordinarily courageous fight since the Russian invasion.

Gen. Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke Sunday during a visit to an air base in Amari, Estonia. He is visiting the three Baltic nations to pledge U.S. and NATO support to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, former Soviet republics that border Russia.

Milley said that the will of the Ukrainian people, the importance of their national leadership and the fighting skills of the Ukrainian army has come through loud and clear.

He said Ukrainians have put up an extraordinarily courageous and brave fight and they've been doing very, very well. But it's a little bit early to draw any definitive lessons.

Milley said the U.S. currently has no indications that Moscow is planning to attack on the Baltic countries and we want to make sure it stays that way.

__

TEL AVIV, Israel  Israel's prime minister says his country will continue to assist in finding a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine crisis, even if the chances for success are few.

Naftali Bennett spoke Sunday to a meeting of his Cabinet, hours after he returned from a surprise meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, where the two discussed the war with Ukraine. He then traveled to Germany where he met Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Bennett revealed no details from his talks with Putin, but called the country's mediation efforts our moral duty. Earlier, his office said he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke by phone Sunday morning, the third such call between the two leaders over the past day.

Bennett also told his Cabinet Israel was readying for a wave of Jewish immigration from Ukraine. Israel is also preparing to allow entry to a small number of non-Jewish Ukrainians fleeing the conflict.

Israel is one of the few countries that has good working relations with both Russia and Ukraine.

__

LVIV, Ukraine  An official in one of Ukraine's pro-Russia separatist region says Russian forces will observe a temporary cease-fire Sunday in two Ukrainian cities. An agreement to allow civilians to evacuate collapsed a day earlier amid continued shelling and the flight of refugees to neighboring nations.

Eduard Basurin, a spokesman for the military in separatist-held Donetsk, said safe passage corridors for residents of the besieged port city of Mariupol and the city of Volnovakha would reopen Sunday. He did not say for how long nor whether a cease-fire would accompany the evacuation.

Ukrainian officials confirmed that evacuations from Mariupol would take place starting from 12 p.m. local time. Pavlo Kyrylenko, head of the Donetsk regional military administration, said a ceasefire would be in effect between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m.

__

BERLIN  The head of the United Nations' refugee agency says that more than 1.5 million refugees have crossed from Ukraine into neighboring countries since Russia invaded.

Filippo Grandi, the U.N. high commissioner for refugees, tweeted on Sunday that it is the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.

His agency didn't immediately give a more precise update on the refugee figures. Grandi is visiting countries that border Ukraine.

__

PRAGUE  Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty says it has suspended its operations in Russia after Moscow intensified a crackdown on what it deems to be fake reports and tax authorities initiated bankruptcy proceedings against it.

The U.S.-funded, Prague-based broadcaster's president and chief executive, Jamie Fly, said "this is not a decision that RFE/RL has taken of its own accord, but one that has been forced upon us by the Putin regime's assault on the truth.

The broadcaster, which has had a physical presence in Russia since 1991, plans to continue reporting on Russia and the war in Ukraine from abroad.

The announcement came after Russia on Friday passed a law foreseeing prison sentences of up to 15 years for spreading what is deemed to be fake information about its armed forces.

In addition, RFE/RL said that Russian authorities initiated bankruptcy proceedings on Friday. It said it is seeing "the culmination of a years-long pressure campaign against RFE/RL.

___

CHISINAU, Moldova - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Moldova pledging America's support to the small Western-leaning former Soviet republic that is coping with an influx of refugees from Ukraine and warily watching Russia's intensifying war with its neighbor.

Blinken was meeting on Sunday with senior Moldovan officials who are appealing for international assistance in dealing with more than 120,000 refugees from Ukraine that it is now hosting while also seeking security reassurances against potential Russian aggression. More than 230,000 people have fled into Moldova from Ukraine since the war began 11 days ago.

Blinken said Moldova's welcoming of refugees is an inspiration to the world.

We admire the generosity of hospitality, the willingness to be such good friends to people who are in distress, and, indeed, I want to do everything we can to help you deal with the burden that this has imposed, he said.

Russia already has troops in the country of 2.6 million that are stationed in the disputed territory of Transnistria and are being closely watched as Russian President Vladimir Putin presses ahead with the invasion of Ukraine. Although it has no plans to try to become a member of NATO, Moldova formally applied to join the European Union just three days ago in a fast-track bid to bolster its ties with the West. (AP)

(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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The Police Command in Ogun State on Sunday said it arrested a 35-year-old man, Idowu Shittu, for allegedly defiling his wifes cousin at the...





The Police Command in Ogun State on Sunday said it arrested a 35-year-old man, Idowu Shittu, for allegedly defiling his wifes cousin at the Hallelujah area in Ifo.





Police Spokesman, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, stated this in a statement issued to newsmen in Ota, Ogun.





Oyeyemi explained that the suspect was arrested following a report lodged by his wife at Ifo Divisional Headquarter, that her husband had been forcefully having sex with her 11-year-old cousin (name withheld), who lives with them for the past three years.





She added that her cousin decided to report her husband to her when she could no longer bear it.





The wife said that the little girl, who lost her mother since she was a toddler, has been enduring it because she has no other place to live if her aunts husband sends her away.





The little girl said that her aunts husband usually threaten her whenever he wants to have his way with her.





Upon the report, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ifo Division, CSP Kehinde Kuranga, quickly detailed his detectives to the scene where the suspect was arrested.





On interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime but pleaded for forgiveness from the little girl, he said.

The Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, has directed that the victim be taken to hospital for medical attention.





Bankole also ordered the immediate transfer of the suspect to the anti-human trafficking and child labour unit of the state criminal investigation and intelligence department for further investigation and diligent prosecution.
Some Nigerians in war-torn Ukraine have rejected the Federal Governments offer to evacuate them, insisting that it was more dangerous to re...





Some Nigerians in war-torn Ukraine have rejected the Federal Governments offer to evacuate them, insisting that it was more dangerous to return home.





As of Saturday morning, nearly a thousand Nigerians who fled Ukraine to either Poland or other neighbouring countries, have been evacuated.





However, not every Nigerian affected by the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine wishes to return to the West African country.





Some Nigerians who spoke with Channels TV said they would prefer to find alternatives in Europe rather than returning to the country.





Lukman Ibrahim, a student, who fled Ukraine into Poland, said, I will seek for student permit and continue my life from here. Because home is not safe, everybody knows this.





You now expect me to come home and face the same thing when I just survived a war? I will never do that.





Also speaking, one Emeka Nnamdi, who is still in Sumy, Ukraine, said I am currently doing my Masters here.





I finished my six years of medical school here. And I am doing a speciality course, which will take me three years.





But if Im doing a speciality course in Nigeria, it will take me more than five years, if not seven years. So why should I come home?





As the war has broken out, we are supposed to run to our country for safety. But Ill rather stay here, Ibrahim added





We are all here risking our lives, but going back to our country is riskier.
Home Secretary Priti Patel has insisted the UK is doing everything possible to speed up efforts to grant visas to Ukrainian refugees as it was revealed only around 50 have been approved so far.

The Home Office said around 50 visas had been given the green light under the Ukraine Family Scheme as of 10am on Sunday.

Some 5,535 online applications have been completed and submitted online and 2,368 people had booked a visa appointment to submit their application and biometric information, the Government said.

The Home Office said 11,750 people have started, but not completed, an online application.

Ms Patel visited the Ukrainian Social Club in Holland Park, west London, on Sunday afternoon and dropped off a bag of donations including wet wipes, nappies and non-perishable foods before meeting volunteers helping with relief efforts.

Home Secretary Priti Patel speaking to the media outside the Ukrainian embassy (Yui Mok/PA)

Asked by a reporter if it was acceptable that around 1% of submitted applications had been granted in the first 48 hours of the visa scheme, she said: Lets be clear, this is the first scheme in the world thats up and running in this short period of time.

Ten thousand applications and yes, grants are happening as we stand here right now and are speaking. So Im surging staff across all application centres across the entire European Union as well as in the border countries such as Poland, where I was the other day and obviously where huge numbers of people are coming through.

She added: This is an incredible scheme and we are doing everything possible, surging capacity across every single application centre across the EU.

She said staff are being flown into border countries so we can fast track and speed up applications and its right that we do this.

The Home Secretary denied accusations from France that refugees had been turned away from the UK at Calais.

French interior minister Gerald Darmanin on Sunday said it was inhumane of the UK to turn away refugees arriving at the French port city if they did not have a valid visa.

But Ms Patel said: Let me just correct what has been said by the French government. The British Government is not turning anybody around or turning anybody back at all.

And I think its really important to emphasise that, particularly at this time, when all nations across Europe must work together to help and support people in need and fleeing Ukraine at this awful, awful time.

The Home Secretary said it is wrong to say that we are turning people back, we are not.

She added: I have staff in Calais to provide support to Ukrainian families that have left Ukraine to come to the United Kingdom. It is wrong and it is inaccurate to say that we are not providing support on the ground. We are.

Ambassador of Ukraine to the UK, Vadym Prystaiko and his wife Inna with Home Secretary Priti Patel (Yui Mok/PA)

Earlier, Mr Darmanin told Europe 1 radio: I called my British counterpart twice.

I asked her to set up a consulate in Calais that can process peoples paperwork and issue visas.

Hundreds of Ukrainian refugees in Calais have been told by British authorities to obtain a visa at UK consulates in Paris or Brussels, Mr Darmanin said, calling it a bit inhumane to expect them to travel all the way there after their long journeys from Ukraine.

The British must put their rhetoric into action, Ive heard the big words of generosity from Mr (Boris) Johnson, Mr Darmanin said.

I hope this will allow the English to open their arms a little and stop the technocratic nit-picking.

Ukrainian ambassador to the UK Vadym Prystaiko said any bureaucratic nonsense around visas should be cleared.

Home Secretary Priti Patel meeting volunteers during her visit to the Ukrainian Social Club in Holland Park (Yui Mok/PA)

Mr Prystaiko, who met Ms Patel at the nearby embassy after her visit, said: We believe that some of the procedures can be really simplified.

We will sort it out later, now we have to let as maximum people we can have as possible.

All the security checks should be in place for obvious reasons because it is a war.

Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab told the BBCs Sunday Morning programme: If we just open the door, not only will we not benefit the people that we need to, the genuine refugees, but I think we undermine the popular support for this very thing, so I dont think thats the right thing to do. We need to make sure that were acting for those that need our support.

Mr Raab said he expects up to 200,000 Ukrainians could come to the UK through the family dependents route, while the humanitarian route, that is uncapped.

Asked by ITV News presenter Nina Hossain whether the Government should make it as simple as it was for his father, who fled Czechoslovakia from the Nazis, to come to the UK, the Deputy Prime Minister said: I dont need to be lectured by you about what my father went through.

You are talking about something you know little about. It was incredibly difficult for my father to get to the UK.

Under the UKs recently-extended visa scheme, Ukrainians with parents, grandparents, children and siblings already in the UK are allowed to stay for up to three years.

The offer does not match that of EU countries, which have waived visa rules for Ukrainian refugees, letting them in for up to three years without first having to seek asylum.

More than 1.5 million refugees have already streamed out of Ukraine, the United Nations said as Russias unprovoked assault on the country entered its 11th day on Sunday.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi tweeted: More than 1.5 million refugees from Ukraine have crossed into neighbouring countries in 10 days  the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.
Energy companies, international organizations, and national governments around the world are touting hydrogen as the next big energy trend, but is it practical for all uses? Some believe that it will be vital for the future of freight transport, as countries move away from petrol and diesel, but others are more critical of the idea. As hydrogen production increases worldwide and investment in new hydrogen technologies continues to grow, its important to consider the potential uses of the much-talked-about energy source. The heavy transportation industry is considering a future using hydrogen trucks as well as standard electric vehicles (EVs) in the fleet, as governments impose restrictions on traditionally fuelled vehicles heading into the next decade. Road freight has suffered a turbulent two years of the pandemic, during which time drivers were forced into lockdown, supply chains were disrupted, and then demand for goods suddenly soared, as did fuel prices. Now, as several countries put their energy transition strategies into action, moving away from fossil fuels to renewable alternatives, transportation companies must consider how the future of freight will look.

The often traditional freight industry has realized the uncertainty it faces and is opening up to new ideas about how trucks could be best fuelled if they make the giant leap to non-petrol and diesel vehicles. By 2030, the EU expects carbon emissions from trucks to be cut by 30 percent on 2019 levels, meaning that change is inevitable and innovation is necessary.

Robert Windsor from the British International Freight Association explained, The energy transition is very significant. And, colleagues are aware of forthcoming changes, with some multinationals engaged in trials of new technology, but many members are still trying to work out the practical implications of how it will impact their businesses, he stated.

Related: U.S. Oil Rig Count Falls Despite Major Rally In Crude Prices



The race has long been on to develop EV batteries for trucks and other vehicles, aiming for a longer range, faster changing times, and weighing less. But, to date, lithium-ion batteries continue to be inadequate for freight trucks due to their slow charging time and extremely heavyweights, needing to weigh tonnes to power a 44-tonne truck.

Alternatively, hydrogen fuel cells could be powered from a hydrogen tank inside the truck, much like a traditional petrol tank. Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) give off no greenhouse gas emissions and can be fuelled quickly. In addition, 1kg of hydrogen provides around the same power as a gallon of diesel. For this reason, several travel companies are already toying with the idea of adapting vehicles to be powered by hydrogen fuel cells, with several airlines already trialing hydrogen-powered planes. So, naturally, many road transport companies are also interested to see how hydrogen fuel cells would work for the road freight industry.

CEO of hydrogen truck and bus maker Hyzon Motors, Craig Knight, believes hydrogen provides the obvious solution for the future of trucking, seeing traditional EV batteries as inadequate to fuel long-haul heavy transportation. He explains, doing a few battery-electric trucks is easy; doing hundreds is near impossible, whereas doing a few fuel-cell trucks is a pain in the butt; doing hundreds is a walk in the park.

Knight argues there are several constraints to electric batteries including the lack of capacity on the grid to support the fast charging of several trucks, the need for several charge points to power just one truck, the cost incurred due to the heavyweight and size of the battery  limiting space for freight goods, and the potential difficulty in sourcing the natural resources required to build EV batteries. Meanwhile, he believes that it would be cheaper to improve the range of hydrogen fuel cells compared to EV batteries and that green hydrogen can be produced locally from waste, making it more eco-friendly.

German company Fraunhofer is on the other side of the argument. The research institute believes that because battery-powered transport technology has already advanced so far, the hydrogen fuel cell industry would have to catch up at a great cost of both time and money. Fraunhofer argues that there are no commercially hydrogen fuel cell freight trucks available to date, while several electric truck models have already been announced. In addition, the criticism over the fuelling time required for EVs is resolved by the legally-required breaks that truck drivers are required to take in several parts of the world.

Patrick Plotz from Fraunhofer explains hydrogen will play a vital role in the industry, shipping, and synthetic aviation fuels. But for road transport, we cannot, I believe, wait for hydrogen technology to catch up, and our focus now should be on battery electric vehicles in both passenger and freight transport.

It seems the industry is divided when it comes to the future of heavy road transport. Some believe that electric batteries are the obvious answer, having already received huge levels of funding worldwide to improve range and charging times. Others believe that, while in their infancy, hydrogen fuel cells should not be discounted and greater investment in the coming years would see a huge pay-out long term.

By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Bhopal, Mar 6 (PTI) The COVID-19 tally in Madhya Pradesh rose to 10,40,055 on Sunday with the addition of 156 cases, a health department official said.

Also Read | Mumbai: Man Takes Shirt Off in Front of Women Cops, Jailed For 10 Days.

The death toll remained unchanged at 10,733 with no fatality due to COVID-19 reported in the last 24 hours in the state, he said.

Also Read | Ajit Pawar Attacks Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari Over His Remark on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

The case positivity rate in MP is 0.3 per cent like the previous day, he said.

The recovery count stood at 10,28,007 after 400 people were discharged during the day, he said.

MP is now left with 1,315 active cases, the official said.

Indore and Bhopal, the two worst coronavirus-hit cities of Madhya Pradesh, registered 21 and 16 cases, respectively, during the past 24 hours, he said.

With 49,017 samples examined during the day, the number of tests in MP went up to 2,81,59,056, the official said.

A government release said 11,39,65,611 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered so far in MP, including 7,496 on Sunday.

Coronavirus figures in MP are as follows: Total cases 10,40,055, new cases 156, death toll 10,733, recoveries 10,28,007, active cases 1,315, number of tests so far 2,81,59,056.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Do you think the Senate will acquit the governor?
President of the Nigerian Senate, Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan, on Sunday, joined millions of others around the world to felicitate with former Presi...





President of the Nigerian Senate, Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan, on Sunday, joined millions of others around the world to felicitate with former President Olusegun Obasanjo on the occasion of his 85th birthday.





Lawan in a statement described Obasanjo as an elder statesman, who is an accomplished African, but still continues his strong march in his remarkable journey of life.





President Obasanjo is a true Nigerian patriot, pan-Africanist and global figure who has made great contributions to the political development of Nigeria and the emancipation of Africa.





President Obasanjo is a consistent protagonist of the Nigerian project. Even now as an elder statesman, he has continued to push for Nigeria to realise her huge potentials as a great nation.





This is to be expected, as his name is linked to some of the greatest events and developments in the Nigerian history.





I therefore heartily join Nigerians across the country in celebrating this unique figure as he crosses the milestone of 85 years.





I also congratulate him on the divine blessing of attaining the milestone in good health of body and mind, and wish him many more years of continued service to his beloved Nigeria and Africa, and to the cause of peace all over the world, Lawan said.
When a COVID test comes back positive, the next step has become common knowledge: isolate at home. But for a person experiencing homelessness, isolation gets complicated. Then add severe illness due to pre-existing conditions, subzero temperatures, and no shelter in sight and the problem becomes untenable.

Its a situation Billings homeless population may be facing more often since the low-barrier overnight shelter, Off the Streets, closed in January.

And since the closure, community organizations that once came together in a herculean effort to open various low-barrier options for quarantine and isolation for the homeless are now punting the responsibility around town.

Off the Streets was, in part, developed to provide shelter for those experiencing homelessness and a COVID-19 infection, but the low-barrier option also provided a space for homeless people with a plethora of chronic medical conditions a place to sleep and shower. A catastrophic sewage leak, however, brought the services to an abrupt end on Dec. 30, 2021.

In the 24 days following the closure of Off the Streets, Yellowstone Countys COVID cases increased 571%. During the surge, Healthcare for the Homeless (HCH) was preforming about three to four COVID tests per day with about half coming back positive, said Pat Zellar, communications coordinator for RiverStone Health.

HCH has never been involved with sheltering the homeless, even during the pandemic. And the remaining shelters in town have policies that dont allow for COVID-positive people to come inside.

The Montana Rescue Mission serves many homeless individuals in Billings, but did not respond to multiple attempts by The Billings Gazette for comment on this issue.

Off the Streets was the communitys answer (to this), said Cameron Cook, development director at St. Vincent de Paul. No one has come together to figure out what the next thing will be.

The primary solution now, albeit an unsustainable and inconsistent one, is to check them into a motel, which requires identification, funds, a credit card and someone willing to be liable for what happens in the room.

Finding an organization willing to take on the responsibility and a motel willing to house someone who is both homeless and COVID positive has been a challenge, according to multiple non-profits serving Billings homeless population.

And when motels are turning away people with COVID, it raises an ethical quandary over how much should we encourage them to tell, said Cook.

The Community Crisis Center, meant to serve those with immediate needs, works to connect people to services in town. So, when a symptomatic client stops at the Crisis Center, MarCee Neary, executive director of the facility, directs them to a testing site, usually the hospitals or HCH.

But when Neary has a COVID-positive person looking for shelter, she usually points them toward The Salvation Army.

Though The Salvation Army does provide emergency shelter when there are funds available, its not usually for people sick with COVID, said Lt. Felecia Pederson with the organization. Rather, funds for motels are reserved for people transitioning out of homelessness and the recipient is first assessed by a case worker.

Symptomatic clients are encouraged to go to HCH or to the hospitals.

Both St. Vincent Healthcare and Billings Clinic leadership teams emailed written statements that they are providing lodging vouchers when needed for COVID-positive people experiencing homelessness.

This is only a temporary measure in response to an ongoing need that requires a community-wide solution, said Zach Benoit, community relations coordinator for Billings Clinic.

But even with the help from the hospitals, not everyone is getting the resources they need.

Recent subzero temperatures brought a homeless woman sick with COVID to the St. Vincent de Paul doorstep, Cook said. The cold weather had exacerbated her already severe symptoms. Workers at St. Vincent de Paul helped her get to the hospital.

When a person experiencing homelessness cant check into a shelter, its not uncommon for them to wander all night to stay warm and safe until services open again in the morning, meaning disclosing COVID symptoms or test results when being screened for entry isnt a priority.

One person who has no place to go (when they have COVID) has serious consequences for the community, said Kari Boiter, past director of the Continuum of Care (COC) and now a community partnership liaison.

Boiter calls the current situation a patchwork of solutions.

Many have looked to the COC to address the issue, but the organization doesnt have the funding needed to carry on with a low-barrier shelter. Plus, COVID is here to stay and a more sustainable model is needed.

The disconnect, if there is one, is, is this a public health need or a need around homelessness? Boiter said, adding that infectious disease is just the tip of the iceberg.

Off the Streets brought to the surface the extent of the chronic health crisis. There arent programs in place for those still using substances, those with long term chronic health conditions, or disabilities. All these people arrived at Off the Streets when it was operating.

There is a need to shelter people, Boiter said. Altogether we can solve this, but on an individual basis we can't. We need to come together as a community to get it done.
Lahore [Pakistan], March 6 (ANI): Baloch students in Lahore and Islamabad on Saturday continued their sit-in protest for the fifth day against enforced disappearances.

The protest was organized for the safe recovery of fellow student Hafeez Baloch and others who were missing, reported The Balochistan Post (TBP).

Also Read | Harjot Singh, Indian Student Injured in Kyiv Firing to be Brought Back to Delhi on Monday.

The protest is also being held in Islamabad. According to details, the protest camp of Baloch Students Council Islamabad continued in front of Islamabad National Press Club in which various student organizations, journalists and human rights activists participated.

They are protesting against enforced disappearances of Baloch students.

Also Read | 11-Year-Old Boy Crosses Ukraine Border With Phone Number Written on His Hand; Slovakian Authorities Hailed A Hero of the Night.

On the other hand, the Baloch Students Council in Lahore also organized a rally in which a large number of students and members of other political and human rights organizations participated, reported TBP.

They condemned the non-recovery of missing and forcibly disappeared students by state forces and the violence against Baloch students in Islamabad and the police FIR against them.

Earlier, Islamabad Police on Tuesday clashed with Baloch students protesting for the release of missing students.

According to students, plain-clothed officials snatched their mobile phones and dismantled the protest camp, reported local media.

Students activists claim that the peaceful protesters were unnecessarily manhandled and beaten by the Police.

Balochistan's Human Development Index (HDI) ranks below 0.40 as compared to the other provinces of Pakistan that lie above 0.50. Within Pakistan, Balochistan lags far behind other provinces and 15 out of Pakistan's least-developed districts are in Balochistan.

Meanwhile, enforced disappearances and arbitrary killings of Balochs have also become a new 'normal in the region'. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
DAMASCUS, March 6 (Xinhua) -- As many as 13 soldiers were killed on Sunday when their bus was ambushed in the countryside of Syrian central province of Homs, state news agency SANA reported.

Officers were among the slain soldiers, whose bus was attacked in the desert region of the city of Palmyra in the countryside of Homs, said the report.

It added that 18 other soldiers were wounded by the "terrorist attack."

The official agency didn't name the party behind the attack, Previous similar ones were all carried by remnants of the Islamic State (IS) group, which is still active in the desert region. 
Contrary to Russias claims that it was not targeting civilians in its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, the United States Secretary of State, An...





Contrary to Russias claims that it was not targeting civilians in its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, the United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, said, on Sunday, that there were very credible reports indicating that Russias attacks on Ukrainian civilians were deliberate, Sky News reports.





Weve seen very credible reports of deliberate attacks on civilians which would constitute a war crime, Blinken reportedly told CNNs State of the Union show.





Weve seen very credible reports about the use of certain weapons.





What were doing right now is documenting all of this, putting this all together, looking at it and making sure that as people and the appropriate organisations and institutions investigate whether war crimes have been or are being committed that we can support whatever they are doing, he added.
Mar. 6The COVID recession lasted for just two months: March and April 2020. Since then, the economy has been recovering, at times growing faster than it has in almost 40 years.

But everyone who has lived through the COVID years know that there's a lot more to the story.

Across the nation and here in Maine, the recession and subsequent recovery were not felt in the same way by everyone.

Maine has still not made it all the way back, despite 22 months of economic growth. There are 20,000 fewer employed people than there were before the pandemic. But you wouldn't know that by looking at state finances. Money is coming in faster than anticipated, with revenue forecasters adding $411 million to the $822 million surplus that lawmakers have been tasked with distributing in order to keep the two-year budget that was passed last year in balance.

Gov. Mills had proposed sending half of the original surplus back to Maine people in the form of $500 checks that would go to roughly 800,000 taxpayers. With the new projection, Mills has said she would like to boost the checks to $750. Even though a lot of people would appreciate the help, we hope lawmakers remember the unequal way this recession has affected the state. Maine had unmet needs before the pandemic, and they didn't go away during the last two years. If anything, they got worse.

Another $200 million could make important investments that could pay off in the future: in community mental health, in housing and in support for families with children. Using this windfall to improve the lives of people who were hit hardest by the pandemic, many of whom were suffering even before it hit, would be the best way to manage Maine's recovery.

Mills' original idea, the $500 payments, makes sense considering the unusual character of the economy.

The tax collections show that total incomes are rising, but for whom? The stock market is booming, which is great if you own stock but not much help if you don't. Home prices are skyrocketing, and that's good for sellers but not for buyers.

Story continues

Most importantly, wages have increased, but so have prices, and that affects everyone whether they got a raise or not.

There is nothing that the state can do to control inflation, but it can put money in the pockets of people who have had to pay more at the grocery store and gas pump. And sending everyone in Maine the same amount helps people at the low end of the wage scale more than those at the top, who need help less. It's certainly better than a cut in tax rates, which would send the most money to those with the biggest incomes and dig a long-term hole in future budgets.

But inflation is not the only problem affecting Maine families.

Historic underfunding of community mental health services has only gotten worse during the pandemic when additional federal funds have not kept up with increased demand for services. Lawmakers should ask if there are investments they could make in upfront program costs that would be sustainable in the long term with MaineCare reimbursements, which are paid mostly by the federal government.

Nursing homes, group homes, substance use treatment centers and other service providers are struggling to keep their doors open, let alone expand, because they cannot offer competitive wages. A creative use of surplus revenue could do more good than sending out checks to people who may not even need them.

We are nearly two years away from the unprecedented recession caused by what we then knew as "the novel coronavirus." In many ways we have bounced back better than many had predicted.

But just like the virus, the economic disruption did not affect everyone in the same way. Our response to these unprecedented economic conditions should reflect that.
An 11-year-old girl died in rural Colorado after tripping as she ran to catch her school bus and getting run over by the moving wheels.

The Garfield County Coroner's Office confirmed that Annaliese Backner was the victim of the incident, which had occurred in the town of Parachute - about 40 miles northwest of Grand Junction - on Thursday around 7.30 a.m.

The Town of Parachute Police Department said Backner was running to catch her yellow school bus before tripping and falling underneath its wheels.

Parachute Police and Grand Valley Fire rushed to the scene, where Backner was pronounced dead.

The young girl's death was ruled an accident after initial investigations. It remains unknown whether police have any footage of the incident.

Dailymail.com has reached out to Parachute Police for comment.

Annaliese Backner, 11, was reportedly trying to catch her school bus before tripping herself and falling under the wheels, the Town of Parachute Police Department said.

Backner, who was commonly referred to as Anna, was a sixth grade student at Grand Valley Middle School.

Her parents, who have chosen to remain anonymous, have shared her picture and identity with the public.

Garfield County School District No. 16, which Grand Valley Middle School is a part of, issued a statement shortly after Backner's death.

'Today is a sad day for Garfield County School District No. 16- sad for our schools, sad for our community and sad for our households,' the statement reads.

'District 16 has, and will continue to, provide mental health and grief support for students, staff and community.

'Our primary response moving forward is to honor the family's privacy and care for students and staff during this tragic loss.

'This is an ongoing investigation and District 16 is fully cooperating with all agencies involved. We will not be releasing additional information at this time.'

Backner was reportedly chasing after the bus after it had already passed her bus stop, making her miss it

Parachute Police and Grand Valley Fire responded to the incident on Thursday, right before classes were in session, at around 7:30 a.m.

A neighbor in the area told ABC News affiliate KJCT that they young girl was trailing the bus after it had had already left the bus stop after picking up other children.

'We're just all in disbelief,' Wendy Thibault said. 'It's a small community.'

She added that the town will pull together to heal and support the family.

'I'm thinking about the bus driver, the little girl's family, all the kids, the first responders,' Thibault said.

Parachute is a small municipality along I-70 in Garfield County between Rifle and Grand Junction. Its population is of almost 1,400 residents according to U.S. Census data.
In 1883, the public was transfixed by Yellowstone National Park, and not in a good way. This 2-million-acre natural treasure  mostly in Wyoming but with some land in Montana and Idaho  was being despoiled by commercial interests through the slaughter of wild animals, unrestricted logging and vandalism of hot springs.

On Feb. 25, a letter published in the New York Sun heightened the sense of crisis. The author warned of mammoth mistakes at Yellowstone  which marks its 150th anniversary this month  and urged Congress to prevent the killing of the once-plentiful buffalo (specifically American bison), the last of which were now being hunted to extinction at the park. Their slaughter has been criminally large and useless, he wrote.

The letter was signed by William Cody, better known as Buffalo Bill. Ironically, he had earned that nickname 15 years earlier for killing 4,000 buffalo as a contract supplier of meat to the railroads as they laid down track across the West. Of the estimated 30 million bison that roamed the Great Plains in in the 1850s, only a few thousand remained in isolated pockets in 1883.

Cody described in detail the destruction taking place at Americas first  indeed, the worlds first  national park. He wrote that the plan to supply park hotels with wild game by hunters was being thoughtlessly carried out and that Native Americans never killed buffalo and elk there because they looked upon the majestic scenery and geothermal marvels at Yellowstone with a spiritual awe.

Cody had not actually been to the park in at least 10 years and really didnt know what was going on there at the time. So why did he write the letter? Most likely as a favor to an old Army buddy.

Lt. Gen. Philip Sheridan, commander of the Cavalry Corps in the Civil War and the architect of the brutal Indian Wars on the Great Plains, had long advocated for Yellowstone to be protected. Cody, who served as chief of scouts for the U.S. Cavalry under Sheridan in 1869, would become the frontman for the commanding general of the Army in shaping public opinion to save the park.

Established through a law signed by President Ulysses Grant on March 1, 1872, Yellowstone National Park was seen as a way to preserve and showcase one of Americas great natural beauties. The stunning scenes of geysers and grizzlies, waterfalls and wildlife, and forests and flora captured the attention and imagination of newspaper and magazine readers by the thousands, tempting a tidal wave of tourists from the East to this isolated expanse.

The trouble was, Congress had done little to fund the new idea of a national park. A succession of superintendents had little staff and virtually no money for management and supervision of this large swath of wilderness.

Instead, commercial enterprises  some illegal  began building hotels, restaurants and other venues while prospectors and loggers pillaged the park almost at will. Many visitors treated the hot springs as their own personal hot tubs, causing irreparable damage.

Sheridan made two early trips to Yellowstone  first on an inspection tour in 1877 with Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman and again in 1881. After the second visit, Sheridan wrote a report urging more funding than the $15,000 the government was spending there each year.

A larger appropriation should be given by Congress and an engineer officer should be detailed to expend it on improvement of the trails and roads, with a company or two of cavalry to be stationed in the park for the summer to watch and prevent the burning of forests and the mutilation of the great craters and other similar phenomena of the geysers, he wrote.

Sheridans report was largely ignored.

In 1883, the Department of the Interior was about to grant permission to a private contractor to develop more than 4,000 acres of park land for commercial use. The Yellowstone National Park Improvement Co. would have private control of certain areas and planned to build a railroad into the park. In fact, the firm had already produced some 1.6 million board feet of lumber from pristine forests in the park to build a 250-room hotel at Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone.

Many  Sheridan included  feared this would lead to the devastation of a natural wonder, much like what happened at Niagara Falls, which was converted into a commercialized tourist trap. (Critics of commercial development at Yellowstone used the term Niagarizing.)

After years of speaking out about protecting Yellowstone, Fightin Phil decided it was time for action. He enlisted the aid of numerous supporters, including Cody, who headed the popular Buffalo Bills Wild West, a touring show entertaining audiences around the world with a heavily romanticized view of life on the Great Plains.

For his counteroffensive, Sheridan also decided to pull out the big gun: President Chester Arthur. Sheridan invited Arthur, an avid angler, to visit Yellowstone in the summer of 1883 as part of a fact-finding and fishing trip. Also joining what became known as the President Arthur Expedition were Secretary of War Robert Lincoln (son of Abraham Lincoln) and Sen. George Graham Vest of Missouri.

Sheridan planned the whole excursion, including rail travel to Wyoming  nearly 2,000 miles from Washington, D.C.  as well as a 75-man U.S. Cavalry detachment for protection and 175 pack animals to carry supplies. The entourage arrived at Yellowstone on horseback in August, spending a week touring the park and wetting their lines in trout ponds along the way.

No reporters were invited on the expedition. Instead, Sheridan and one of his adjutants wrote dispatches for Arthurs approval, which were then taken on horseback by military couriers to the nearest telegraph station. Newspapers around the country closely followed the trip, especially since the United States was without a head of state in Washington. (Arthur had no second-in-command, since he became president following the assassination of James Garfield in 1881.)

The Yellowstone sojourn was a huge public relations victory for Sheridan and other proponents of protecting the park, including Vest. The senator from Missouri would continue to prod Congress to enact legislation to safeguard the park.

Though one major bill he sponsored that year went down in defeat, Vest was able to pass a resolution that required Senate oversight of all private contracts, effectively ending privatization within the park. The Yellowstone National Park Improvement Co. went bankrupt, and no railroad was built.

The battle may have been won, but the war was not over. Sheridan and Vest would continue to push Congress to adequately fund management of Yellowstone. Each year brought a new struggle to appropriate money. In the meantime, there was almost no enforcement of the laws protecting the 2.2-million-acre site.

The situation came to a head in 1886, when Congress allotted no funding at all for the national park. But Vests 1883 resolution included a key provision for protecting Yellowstone, allowing the secretary of the interior to request assistance from the secretary of war. After that appeal was made, Sheridan  the top general in the Army at the time  ordered the cavalry to the rescue.

On Aug. 17, 1886, Troop M of the First Cavalry Regiment rode into Yellowstone and began to enforce park regulations and arrest lawbreakers. The soldiers constructed Camp Sheridan, later renamed Fort Yellowstone, and put an end to illegal hunting, mining, deforestation and vandalism at the park. The cavalry unit also built some of the early infrastructure, including roads and trails.

The buffalo mentioned in Codys letter would also finally get the protection they so desperately needed. Today, nearly 5,500 bison remain in Yellowstone, with a total population of around 31,000 in North America.

Troop M would remain at Yellowstone for another 32 years, before it rejoined the First Cavalry Regiment in 1918. Its official duties of park protection had ended two years earlier, when the National Park Service was established. Park rangers today owe a debt to the precedent set by the soldiers. In fact, the reason they wear their trademark wide-brim hats is because of the similar campaign hats adopted by their predecessors in the U.S. Army in 1911.

Cody would go on to enjoy many years as a showman, thrilling audiences around the world with his Wild West extravaganza, which included live buffalo and appearances by Sitting Bull, leader of the Lakota Sioux, who was born along the Yellowstone River. In 1902, Cody opened the Irma Hotel in Cody, Wyo., about 25 miles from the park. Cody died in 1917 knowing that the buffalo had a safe home in Yellowstone.

Sheridan was appointed general of the Army  the equivalent of a five-star general  by President Grover Cleveland shortly before his death by heart attack at 57 in 1888. Mount Sheridan in Yellowstone is named in his honor.
WASHINGTON  The first apartment building to come down was in Buynaksk, a Russian garrison town on the border with the breakaway republic of Chechnya, where Islamic insurgents had fought the Kremlin to a standstill in a brutal, two-year war. They were thought to be responsible for the Buynaksk bomb, which had been placed inside a car and ripped through a building housing Russian border guards on Sept. 4, 1999. Sixty-four people died.

Five days later, a bomb was detonated in the basement of an apartment building in the working-class Moscow district of Pechatniki, killing 106. Its like hell underneath, a first responder would say of looking for survivors in the rubble. Four days after that, in another Moscow neighborhood, a car bomb took 119 lives.

A final bomb went off in Volgodonsk, a southern city. There, 17 died.

In all, more than 300 people died in the apartment bombings, a tragedy that many believe changed the course of Russia, putting it on a trajectory toward authoritarianism and aggression, both of which have been in the spotlight of the world stage as Russias invasion of Ukraine now enters its second week.

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with local veterans of the 1999 operation in Dagestan. (Alexei Nikolsky\TASS via Getty Images)

At the time of the bombings, the countrys new prime minister was a former intelligence agent who had been utterly unknown to most Russians. The prime minister vowed to find the Chechen insurgents he said had doubtlessly committed the bombings, which sowed terror across the land.

The Kremlin would not rest until the perpetrators were brought to justice. Well wipe them out in the s***house, the tough new prime minister vowed.

His name was Vladimir Putin.

The apartment bombings of the fall of 1999 would cement Putins grip on a country that had grown increasingly aimless and chaotic under President Boris Yeltsin, who was frequently drunk at public events. But to some, questions about whether Russias own security services were involved in the apartment bombings constitute the original sin, whose stain Putin has never bothered to erase.

Story continues

There is no serious doubt that Putin came to power as the result of an act of terror against his own people, says David Satter, who has investigated the apartment bombings perhaps more thoroughly than any other Western journalist. Someone capable of such a crime is capable of anything, Satter told Yahoo News in a telephone conversation from Paris. And the proper attitude towards him is deterrence, not partnership.

Then-Russian President Boris Yeltsin, right, meets with then-Prime Minister Vladimir Putin at the presidential residence in1999. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

In the wake of the horrifying bombings, Russia rallied around Putin. Using the bombings as a pretext, Putin launched a second Chechen war, which would turn out to be longer and more brutal than the first. In an op-ed published in the New York Times the following fall titled Why We Must Act, Putin asked American readers to envision a terrorist attack in Washington or New York: hundreds perish in explosions at the Watergate, or at an apartment complex on Manhattan's West Side. He described the decision to send troops back to Chechnya as one hed made reluctantly.

Yeltsin stepped down on Dec. 31, 1999, appointing Putin as his successor. The new president, enjoying goodwill stemming from the new Chechen campaign, moved up an election to be held in June to March, giving the liberal opposition little time to prepare. It didnt seem to matter, though, in either Russia or the West. Putin was seen as a savior  one with some discomfitingly authoritarian tendencies but, on the whole, oriented toward the twin beacons of democracy and capitalism.

Two decades later, Putins critics are calling him a war criminal for his unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, which has been a sovereign nation since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Ukrainians claim to have slain thousands of Russian soldiers, and international observers have confirmed hundreds of civilian deaths  with the civilian total likely to be far higher, given the missiles and artillery that have rained down on Ukrainian cities. Yet it remains unclear why Putin decided to wage what so far has been a costly and disastrous war.

Putin has always denied any involvement in or knowledge of the apartment bombings, but two decades have only deepened suspicions about his involvement, as evidence of his disregard for either human life or the rule of law has mounted.

Rescuers work on the ruins of a Moscow apartment building leveled by a huge explosion, Sept. 13, 1999. (Alexcander Memenov/AFP via Getty Images)

Centuries of Russian and Soviet leaders treated their subjects as chattel, expendable on behalf of State power, says John Sipher, who worked as a clandestine Central Intelligence Agency officer in Moscow during the 1990s. They thought even less of the lives of outsiders in lesser nations. Butchery and terror was an expected part of keeping themselves in power. It is as consistent as it is ugly.

At the time of the bombings, Russia was a much more open society than it is today  it would take years for Putin to shut down independent media outlets and stifle political dissent. Journalists were thus able to quickly seize on all available public evidence to question the official narrative about the bombings.

From the start, the notion of Chechen involvement seemed dubious. There would, much later, be terrorist attacks in Moscow and St. Petersburg, but only after years of callous Russian occupation.

In 1999, the conflict was still relatively confined. Russian forces had already been amassing on Chechnyas doorstep, making them an easy target for a potential attack. But terrorists were alleged to have driven almost 2 thousand miles, past military checkpoints, in cars presumably loaded with explosives. Both of the Moscow apartment buildings were on the citys outskirts, far from the resplendent symbols of power, status and wealth huddling around the Kremlin.

A TV grab taken Sept. 16, 1999, from the Russian television channel NTV shows a destroyed apartment building in the Russian southern city of Volgodonsk following a bomb explosion. (STF/AFP via Getty Images)

Then there was speaker of the Duma (Russian parliament) Gennadiy Seleznyovs announcement about a bomb exploding in Volgodonsk. Such a bomb would explode  three days after he relayed news of that blast. Attempts to question Seleznyov proved fruitless.

The most damning evidence of Russian involvement, however, came from Ryazan, an ancient city steeped in Russian history not far from Moscow. On the evening Sept. 22, residents in an apartment building there saw a suspicious Lada sedan on the street below, its license plate crudely altered with a piece of paper. Responding officers of the local police found a bomb in the basement. It had been made with hexogen, a military-grade explosive (known in the West as RDX) that was only available, according to Satter, at one heavily guarded factory in the Ural Mountains, to which Chechen insurgents could not have gained access.

These details were largely lost in the breathless reporting about a foiled terror attack. The following night, Putin announced an aerial assault of Grozny, the Chechen capital, in what would prove the first salvo of the second Chechen War. Until we win, he said. And we will win.

Only it soon became clear that Chechens had nothing to do with the foiled Ryazan bombing. Three officers of the FSB  the post-Soviet version of the KGB  were arrested for the bombing, leading FSB chief and Putin ally Nikolai Patrushev to fumble for an excuse. It was not an explosion somebody foiled; it was a security training exercise, he claimed. The sacks contained only sugar, there were no explosives inside.

A view of damaged building following a shelling in Ukraine's second-biggest city of Kharkiv. (Sergey Bobok/AFP via Getty Images)

If so, nobody had told Ryazans own FSB office. This announcement came as a surprise to us, officials there said in the kind of sharp dissent from the Kremlin line that would soon become taboo in Russia.

There was never an official investigation into the bombings, and Russian society as a whole moved on. Putin, though, remained the same cold-blooded authoritarian some thought had emerged on those September mornings when families sifted through the rubble, looking for loved ones.

If it can ever be determined beyond a shadow of a doubt that Putin and Patrushev orchestrated these bombings as a pretext to launch the Second Chechen War  and also launch Putins national political career  then the entire edifice of this regime rests atop a pile of Russian corpses, says Michael Weiss, a longtime Russia observer who told Yahoo News that he is certain, like the journalist Satter, that Putin was behind the apartment bombings.

Russian investigators and journalists who tried to investigate the bombings often ended up dead. Among them was Anna Politkovskaya, a fearless critic of Putin who worked for Novaya Gazeta, one of the last remaining left-leaning outlets in Moscow today. She aggressively covered the Second Chechen War; in 2006, Politkovskaya was assassinated in her apartment buildings elevator.

The murder that killed free media in Russia, the Guardian would much later reflect of Politkovskayas death, which came on Putins 54th birthday.

A toy and a notebook lie among the debris by the apartment block in 6A Lobanovsky Avenue, which was hit with a missile, in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Anastasia Vlasova/Getty Images)

Two years later, the FSB agent turned defector Alexander Litvinenko was assassinated in London, where agents slipped a radioactive poison into his tea. He had worked with Politkovskaya on trying to investigate the Moscow apartment bombings, which he believed were carried out by the FSB.

Still, suspicions festered that something was amiss, even as Putins power grew. They say it was the Chechens who did this, but that is a lie. It was Putin's people. Everyone knows that. No one wants to talk about it, but everyone knows that," a Muscovite who lost family in one of the apartment bombings told GQ in 2009 for an article that the magazines American publisher, Conde Nast, was too afraid to run in Russia.

The irony is that by 2009, nobody in Russia  or the West  could have had any illusions about who Putin was.

Mere weeks after the bombings, it was revealed that Putin had spurned the help of Western nations after the nuclear submarine Kursk, rocked by an explosion but with 23 sailors still apparently alive, had sunk to the floor of the Barents Sea in the Arctic Circle. Putin, meanwhile, vacationed at a seaside resort on the Black Sea. All 118 people on board were eventually found dead. When he later met with the sailors widows, he was discomfited by their grief, allegedly complaining that they were local prostitutes hired by opponents to rattle him.

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during his annual press conference at the end of last year in Moscow, Russia. (Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, the Second Chechen War was turning out to be even more brutal than the first. Torture was common, in particular at a Russian prison camp called Chernokozovo. The torture described is so systematic it cannot be the work of a rogue unit acting on its own, a Guardian investigation concluded in the fall of 2000, just over a year after Putin had launched the offensive.

And yet when George W. Bush met Putin in 2001, he came away profoundly impressed. I looked the man in the eye, Bush said after their summit in Slovenia. I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy. We had a very good dialogue. I was able to get a sense of his soul; a man deeply committed to his country and the best interests of his country."

If that seems like a cringeworthy assessment, then-Secretary of State Hillary Clintons bungled attempt at a reset in 2009 didnt fare much better. The year before, Putin had invaded Georgia. In 2014, he launched his first invasion of Ukraine, annexing Crimea and setting the stage for his all-out attack this year. Neither country was in NATO, leaving the United States as a bystander to Putins aggression.

Every American president has gotten Putin wrong, says Satter, who in 2014 earned the distinction of being the first Western journalist since the end of the Cold War to have been expelled from Russia. Some have gotten him outrageously wrong."

This combination of pictures shows Russian President Vladimir Putin shaking hands with U.S. Presidents (from top left) Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump. (Stephen Jaffe, Jim Watson, Alexey Nikolsky, Mikhaul Klimentyev/Ria Novosti/AFP via Getty Images)

Satter says that while Donald Trump slathered Putin in fawning rhetoric, his foreign policy toward Russia was better than people realize, perhaps because his perceived affinity for the Kremlin strongman led Congress and the foreign policy establishment to compensate with a countervailing toughness toward Moscow.

Biden came into office clear-eyed about how fraught the postwar peace had become. He met with Putin in June; they were to meet again last month in hopes of staving off war, but then Putin turned a standoff on the Ukrainian border into outright war. Now it is uncertain when, exactly, they will speak.

Now the ruined apartment buildings are in Kyiv and Kharkiv, not Moscow, and there is no doubt about Putins role in the carnage. Aside from the brave, innocent victims in Ukraine, says former CIA officer Sipher, it is the Russian people who will pay the price for Putins delusions.
Fairbanks, AK (99707)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High 51F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low 36F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Athar Minallah slammed the police for conducting violence on students from Balochistan who were holding a peaceful protest against the alleged enforced disappearance of their fellow student Hafeez Baloch and called the police attitude a 'hangover from the colonial times.' Chief Justice Minallah wrote an order that suppressing voices of dissent or discouraging raising of grievances against the state amounted to sedition. Earlier, Islamabad Police on Tuesday clashed with Baloch students protesting for the release of missing students. According to students, plain-clothed officials snatched their mobile phones and dismantled the protest camp. Students activists said that the peaceful protesters were unnecessarily manhandled and beaten by the Police. The IHC chief justice has done the right thing by chastising the local police and administration officials and reminding them that their constitutional duty is to protect the rights of citizens, reported Dawn. This state's high-handedness will continue to persist unless reforms truly take place. There is a culture that perpetuates in Pakistan where the role of the state is that of a predator and not a protector, reported the newspaper. The courts are doing well to balance this by enforcing the rights of citizens. Moreover, Balochistan's Human Development Index (HDI) ranks below 0.40 as compared to the other provinces of Pakistan that lie above 0.50. Within Pakistan, Balochistan lags far behind other provinces and 15 out of Pakistan's least-developed districts are in Balochistan. Meanwhile, enforced disappearances and arbitrary killings of Balochs have also become a new 'normal in the region'. (ANI)
A day after many of them spoke with Ukraines president, U.S. lawmakers are pledging to provide additional military aid to Kyiv as the government there continues to fight for its survival amid the invasion by Russia.

The administration of President Joe Biden has requested $10 billion in humanitarian, military and economic support for Ukraine.

The Congress intends to enact this emergency funding this week as part of our omnibus government funding legislation, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a Sunday evening letter to fellow Democrats.

Despite generally bipartisan and robust support for Kyiv, members of Congress are drawing the line at another Ukrainian request: a no-fly zone for the countrys airspace to deter Russian aerial attacks.

That would mean "World War III, Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida told ABCs This Week program Sunday. "I think there are a lot of things we can do to help Ukraine protect itself... but I think people need to understand what a no-fly zone means."

Another senator, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a Democrat, expressed a less strict stance.

I would take nothing off the table, he said on NBCs Meet the Press.

Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, commented on Fox News: If I were President (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy, I would be asking for a no-fly zone. The problem is, there is no such thing as a no-fly zone over Ukraine."

U.S. President Joe Biden is in regular contact with his Ukrainian counterpart, Zelenskyy, about Ukraines request for more fighter jets, according to Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Yes, we're talking very actively about this, looking at what we could do to backfill Poland, if it chooses to send the MiGs and the SU planes that it has to Ukraine, how we can help by backfilling what they're giving to the Ukrainians, Blinken, in Moldova, told Meet the Press.

Ukraines ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, in an interview with Fox News on Sunday, renewed her nations appeal for the United States to provide it with anti-aircraft weapons and other military aid, saying, We should treat Russia as a terrorist state.

Zelenskyy said Russia is planning to bombard the port city of Odesa. Zelenskyy said in a televised statement Sunday that if that occurs, it will be a war crime  a historic crime.

Zelenskyy spoke in Russian for part of the statement, urging Russians to choose between life and slavery in the time when it is still possible to defeat evil without irreparable losses.

A third round of negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow are scheduled to take place on Monday.

Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamiya announced the talks on Facebook on Saturday. Ukrainian and Russian delegations have met twice in Belarus since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, but cease-fires agreed to during those talks to allow civilians to flee have failed to hold.

The United States has seen very credible reports of deliberate attacks on civilians, which would constitute a war crime," Blinken told CNN's "State of the Union" show. "We've seen very credible reports about the use of certain weapons."

There must be an investigation into whether Russia is committing war crimes in Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a CNN interview Sunday.

Putin must be tried for war crimes  and I urge my colleagues to support my resolution to hold him accountable for the crimes he's committed against humanity, tweeted Rep. Adriano Espaillat of New York, a Democrat. History will remember.

"We assess that the Russians have now committed inside Ukraine somewhere near 95% of the combat power they had amassed along the border," a senior U.S. defense official said on Sunday. "As of today, we assess that approximately 600 Russian missile launches have occurred since the invasion began."

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday contended his military campaign in Ukraine was proceeding as planned and will not end until the Ukrainians stop fighting.

In a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who appealed for a cease-fire, Putin expressed readiness for dialogue with Ukraine and foreign partners but any attempt to draw out negotiations would fail, according to a Kremlin statement.

Putins remarks came as efforts at an evacuation effort for the bombarded port city of Mariupol failed for a second consecutive day.

Amid devastating scenes of human suffering in Mariupol, a second attempt today to start evacuating an estimated 200,000 people out of the city came to a halt. The failed attempts yesterday and today underscore the absence of a detailed and functioning agreement between the parties to the conflict, said the International Committee of the Red Cross in a statement.

Pope Francis made his strongest statement yet on Sunday about the conflict.

"In Ukraine, rivers of blood and tears are flowing. This is not just a military operation but a war which sows death, destruction and misery," the pontiff said in his weekly address to a crowd in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City.

Along with its European partners, Washington is considering a ban on Russian oil, confirmed the U.S. secretary of state.

"We are now in very active discussions with our European partners about banning the import of Russian oil to our countries, while of course, at the same time, maintaining a steady global supply of oil," Blinken said in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press."

Some lawmakers want the White House to do more to increase domestic production as oil prices surge and Americans pay more to fuel their vehicles.

U.S. gasoline prices jumped 11% over the past week to the highest since 2008, according to AAA.

President Biden would rather import oil from our adversaries in Russia, Iran and Venezuela than increase U.S. energy production at home, tweeted Rep. Greg Murphy of North Carolina, a Republican, saying the energy security for the country equates to national security.

Meanwhile, another social media platform announced restrictions on Russia-related content.

TikTok, known for short user-generated videos, said Sunday that it is blocking users in Russia from posting new content.

In light of Russia's new fake news law, we have no choice but to suspend livestreaming and new content to our video service while we review the safety implications of this law, read a tweet Sunday from TikToks communications team.

An increasing number of corporate entities, including financial services, energy and technology companies, has cut ties to Russia in response to economic sanctions and outrage since the invasion of Ukraine.

VOA State Department Bureau chief Nike Ching, National Security correspondent Jeff Seldin, Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb, Istanbul foreign correspondent Heather Murdock, White House correspondent Anita Powell and senior diplomatic correspondent Cindy Saine contributed to this report.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
President Akufo-Addo has accused those clamouring for a coup of seeking to jettison the fourth republic so they can satisfy their parochial ambitions of wielding power.

In his address at the 65th Independence Day anniversary at Cape Coast, Central Region, on Sunday, 6 March 2022, the President said: Let us guard jealously, the peace and stability we are enjoying, observing: There are some restless spirits amongst us, who, seeking to exploit the current difficulties confronting the nation, claim to have lost confidence in our democratic system to the effect of peaceful constitutional change in the governance of our state.

In his view, either the absence of faith or the prospects of a democratic alternative to the current government or their impatience to wield executive authority is driving their appetite for the shortcut of military intervention.

Whatever be the case, the President said, they seem ready to jeopardise the hard-won reputation of our country, as the beacon of democracy and stability in Africa, and, indeed, in the world, in order to gratify their personal ambitions, with so little or no respect for the capacity of the Ghanaian people to change, when necessary, their government, peacefully through the ballot box  something they have done on three separate occasions in the 29-year life of the fourth republic.

The President, however, indicated: The great majority of us, who are committed to democratic values and democratic institutions, will continue to resist the claims of these adventurers and employ all legitimate means to maintain our free, open system of governance, which is the respect for human rights, the rule of law and the principles of democratic accountability.

Mr Akufo-Addo said: Ghana deserves to put, the initial decades of, perhaps, understandable turbulence and instability in our history, firmly behind her to enable the development of our nation to proceed in conditions of freedom, order, peace and stability, which have been the happy hallmarks of the fourth republic.

Turning his attention to the security situation within the region, Mr Akufo-Addo, who is the ECOWAS Chairman, said: West Africa, is also, currently faced with a worsening security situation in Sahel with recurring terrorist attacks, which are moving gradually southwards in the region toward the coastal states.

All our efforts at transforming the Ghanaian economy and putting our nation onto the path of progress and prosperity will be rendered futile if we are unable to secure our borders and give you, the Ghanaian people, the serenity to go about your daily activities in an atmosphere of peace and security. Hence, the necessity of bolstering the capacity of our security services  a goal which has to be achieved.

Coup bells

A few days ago, the Dean of the University of Ghana School of Law, Prof Raymond Atuguba, said Ghana may be ripe for a coup unless the government acts quickly.

His assessment, he noted, partly stemmed from a doctoral research conducted on why some coups succeed and others do not, using Ghana as a case study.

At a forum organised by Solidare Ghana, Prof Atuguba said: My current assessment that Ghana may be ripe for a coup partly springs from the knowledge I gained from accompanying my friend through part of his doctoral research on this topic.

It does not help matters if we consider Samuel Huntingtons thesis on the snowballing effect of coups in the sub-region and the closeness of recent coups to home.

He, thus, urged the Minister of National Security, Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, to have a conversation with his friend at the War College, who conducted the study to avert same.

Prof Atuguba explained further that a big part of why certain coups succeed and others fail is the economy.

What is the state of Ghanas economy today? At the level of the most irreducible idiomaticity, Ghana is broke; your nation is radically broke  so broke the Speaker of Parliament has publicly warned that we may not be able to pay the salaries of public sector workers in some three months unless a miracle happens, he stated.

Prof Atuguba added: The minister of finance has waded in, in very fine and polished English.

Quoting the finance minister, Prof Atuguba said, he (Mr Ofori-Atta) said: The legitimate reality is that theres no money.

In his view, at least, the finance minister has confessed to us that "there are some illegitimate realities".

Apart from Prof Atuguba, the leader of pressure group #FixTheCountry Movement, Mr Oliver Barker-Vormawor, is currently in detention for threatening, on social media, to stage a coup, if the government goes ahead to pass a hotly contested tax  e-levy  which is meant to affect some electronic transactions.

Source: Classfmonline.com
President Nana Akufo-Addo Sunday lauded the immeasurable contributions by the historic city of Cape Coast to Ghana's political development.

He has, therefore, pledged his commitment to providing the city with the needed development to enhance socioeconomic activities.

President Akufo-Addo said this when he paid a courtesy call on Osabarima Kwesi Atta II at his Palace on Saturday evening.

The visit was to officially introduce himself to the Oguaa Traditional Council and to seek their support for Ghana's 65th Independence Anniversary to be celebrated on their soil.

The President was accompanied by the First Lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo, the Central Regional Minister, Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, a host of other dignitaries.

He said the national celebration in the regions was to create the opportunity for all other regions to market their tourism potentials to attract investment.

For his part Osabarima Kwesi Atta thanked the President for the honour and appealed for more national programmes to brought to Oguaa.

GNA
Nepal's House of Representatives has moved forward with an impeachment motion filed against Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher JB Rana by forming 11 membered committee members on Sunday. The 11 membered impeachment recommendation committee comprises four members from the CPN-UML, 2 each from Nepali Congress and Maoist Center and one each from CPN-Unified Socialist, JanataSamajbadi Party (JSP) and Democratic Socialist Party (DSP). The 11 members in the committee are UML's BishnuPoudel, ShivamayaTumbahamphe, Krishna Bhakta Pokhrel and LalBabuPandit, NC's MeenBahadurBishwakarma and Ram BahadurBista, Maoist Center's YashodaSubediGurung and Rekha Sharma, CPN-US's KalyaniKhadka, JSP's PramodSah and DSP's Ekwal Miya. According to HoR rules of procedures, the recommendation committee now should select a chairperson from among the members and initiate proceedings at the earliest. A total of 98 lawmakers from the ruling coalition had filed an impeachment motion against CJ Rana on February 13. The impeachment motion details 21 charges against Rana such as failing to protect the integrity of the judiciary, check corruption, and abuse of constitutional responsibility, among others. According to the rules, Rana will get a chance to present his case within seven days after the commencement of proceedings before the impeachment recommendation committee. If the defence presented by CJ Rana is not satisfactory or if he does not appear in person to present his case within the stipulated time, the committee will forward a report with its recommendation to the Parliament. The committee has a maximum of three months to submit a report with recommendations. If the recommendation committee submits a report stating that the impeachment is valid and if the parliament passes it by a two-thirds majority, Rana will be relieved of his post. As per parliamentary mathematics, there are a total of 271 members (including the house speaker) in parliament. Opposition CPN- UML has the highest 98 lawmakers followed by Nepali Congress with 63, Maoist Center with 48, CPN- Socialist with 23, JSP with 21 and LSP with 13 seats. The JanataSamajbadi Party (JSP) who are part of the ruling coalition has expressed their surprise over the impeachment motion filed by the ruling coalition and claimed it to be tabled without consultation. Further increasing suspense, the party on Monday decided to reveal their stance at the time of voting. Provided the mathematics in the parliament, the House Speaker cannot exercise electoral power while 4 lawmakers from the ruling alliance have been relieved from their duty which cuts short 5 votes of the ruling coalition. It needs at least two-thirds-- One hundred and 81 votes to ratify the impeachment motion. It has been a Hercules task for the ruling alliance as it still will fall short of 12 votes despite the parties on board the government voting in favour of the impeachment. This leaves the alliance to look out for defection from opposition lawmakers to pass on the motion. Earlier in the years, Chief Justice Rana had landed into criticism for attending a meeting of the Constitutional Council held after the issuance of an ordinance by the then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. An ordinance issued back on the time had reduced the requirement of opposition leader and house speaker in the meeting reducing the majority required to make the appointments. The agitating advocates and justices also have accused Chief Justice Rana of "bench shopping" meaning hearings were held for purpose of making a favourable decision for one of the parties. There are also allegations that the court has failed to do any work of reform. Overall, there are allegations of anomalies, irregularities and corruption in the judiciary. Chief Justice for the last time landed in controversy after his brother-in-law GajendraBahadurHamal was appointed as a non-parliamentary minister to confirm the allegation that he was seeking a share. Chief Justice Rana has maintained that he will not resign and that he is ready to face impeachment by parliament which is the constitutional process to remove the chief justice. (ANI)
06.03.2022 LISTEN

Prime Minister of Israel Bennet reported personally back to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin on 05.03.22 about the results of his talk with Vladimir Putin of Russia. Germany of Adolf Hitler had killed 6 Million Jews during the Holocaust yet the bond between the two countries is close and filled with respect.

African countries like South Africa stays out of the process to condemn the war in Ukraine arguing that would not benefit the situation showing some form of sympathy for the Russian government and its decision. Other African countries like Ghana send out sweet words of hope the war will end soon. No practical support is given, no peace demonstrations in African cities to be seen, no financial hell sent, no visas on humanitarian grounds offered among other things. A country that had suffered immensely at the hands of other humans during Apartheid should have learnt a lesson of humanity. Nelson Mandela would most certainly have made another decision.

Africans did not take to the streets even in small rallies of peaceful protest against wars in Libya, Ethiopia, Yemen, Sudan among others right on their very own continent. But hold moral values high up!

Africa is very aware of its position in world history. Self-inflicted poverty by corruption and inefficiency of running a nation and its economy (Africans are not on time and time conscious, do not work as a team, have no strategic generational plan, vote continuously for bad leaders unwilling to stand up against the white man etc.) is the true reason behind the ignorance of Africa. During the war in Libya Africa was passively watching people die.

Africans argue their support for Russia or closed eyes is driven by the history of Europe had played on the African continent and Russia had never plaid. Ukraine was never a Colonial Master in Africa, so many supporters of Ukraine like Taiwan, Singapore, Brasil, Australia, the USA, Canada etc. exposed these words as fake news.

History is the wisdom of the now to shape the future. Carrying the burden of human failure constantly on a people's shoulder limits a nation to move on in life and eventually stand tall above the inflicted pains and the rest of the world.
Atlassians Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar were schooled last week in the power of employee activism. Both men have a reputation for modern leadership and have built what is, by all accounts, an outstanding, purpose-driven culture with corporate values that promise no bullshit.

Well, their employees were having none of that when they read an all-staff memo from the pair that included platitudes about the complex geopolitical situation in Ukraine and stressed that all should speak with kindness and lead with heart.

Scott Farquhar and Mike Cannon-Brookes, CEOs and founders of Atlassian Software. Credit:Louise Kennerley

Within days, following protests from some staff that Atlassians message needed to be unequivocal, the companys founders vowed to stand with Ukraine and its people in their fight to maintain their freedom and sovereignty. They committed to pause the sale of all new software to Russia and suspended its government-owned licences and those for specific Russian businesses that support its war effort.

Increasingly, employees want to feel part of a shared purpose, beyond corporate KPIs and financial metrics. And employers understand its a way to retain staff during the Great Realignment now under way, as many people reconsider what they want from work and how it fits into their broader lives. Employees want their bosses to understand that shared purpose goes two ways.
It means starting World War III, Mr. Rubio said, adding that people need to understand what a no-fly zone means. Its not some rule you pass that everybody has to oblige by. Its the willingness to shoot down the aircraft of the Russian Federation.

Senator Christopher S. Murphy, Democrat of Connecticut, agreed on Fox News Sunday: I dont think its in our interest, the interest of Europe, to have the United States and Russia  the two worlds biggest, most equipped nuclear superpowers  going to war directly against each other.

Mr. Murphy said he expected Congress would pass a $10 billion emergency spending bill this week to provide more arms and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, in response to requests by Ukrainian officials for additional support.

The $10 billion proposal includes $4.8 billion in additional funds for the Pentagon to cover the deployment of U.S. troops to NATO countries, increased intelligence and cybersecurity support and to replenish the weapons the Defense Department has already sent to Ukraine, such as Stinger missiles. It also includes $4.25 billion in new funding for economic and humanitarian assistance for Ukrainians, including the 1.5 million refugees who have already fled from the bombarded nation.




First up, Joe Biden is thinking about dropping tariffs against China. But theres a spy in prison this morning that helps us understand why he shouldnt. Ill explain.





Your second brief, If youre looking for a good paying job, you might consider being a CEO for a health insurance company. One executive made $142M dollars last year. Let's talk about that.





And as always, Im keeping an eye out for developing stories. Put this one on your radar. Mexican cartels are grooming American kids online and paying them cash to traffic illegals or run drugs across the border. Ill share details.





If you enjoyed this episode of the President's Daily Brief, remember to subscribe and listen daily at podfollow.com/pdb.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Suicide attack at Mosque in Pakistan's Peshawar that claimed 60 lives and injured nearly 200 has created fear and unrest among the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The hearts of the people of the capital city of the Pakhtun-dominated region have been wrenched once more, reported The News International. This incident revived the fear among them. Soon after the incident, everyone started calling their dear and near ones who were out of home at the time of the massacre. "Don't go to the mosque and offer prayers at home. But if you still want to go to the mosque, don't take your children with you. My wife told me this morning," a resident of the Hayatabad township said, reported The News International. Another dweller of the city, who currently resides in Islamabad in connection with his job, said that his spouse asked him not to go to Peshawar. "But I had to come here. Then she asked me to avoid going to crowded areas at least," he said. The environment of fear has been restored. However, this time the fear is coupled with anger. Glimpses of anger were seen in the massively attended funerals of the martyrs. Strong voices were heard in the gatherings against the invisible forces, reported The News International. "Enough is enough. They should stop playing with lives anymore," said a participant at a funeral. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police have identified three suspects involved in the Peshawar mosque suicide blast, said Pakistan Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed on Saturday. Sharing a video message on his Twitter handle, Rasheed said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police, along with the investigation agencies, have identified all three suspects involved in the blast. He added that the police and investigation agencies have closed in on the suspects, who are likely to be arrested in the next two to three days. (ANI)
Chicagoans enjoyed an unseasonably warm March day Saturday, spending time outside in hoodies, shorts and even tank tops and visiting parks and the lakefront.

But the nice weather was a one and done as far as the warmth goes, said Gino Izzi, meteorologist for the National Weather Service.

The official high temperature recorded at OHare International Airport was 69 degrees, Izzi said. Midway Airport recorded a high of 71 degrees.

The wind will pick up and there will be some showers and isolated thunderstorms Saturday night and a strong cold front is expected to move through the area Sunday, dropping the temperature to a high of 40 degrees, Izzi said.

A storm system coming up from the Southwest will also bring a mix of snow, sleet and rain overnight Sunday, Izzi said. Temperatures overnight Sunday into Monday will remain around freezing in the lower 30s.

Temperatures the rest of the upcoming week will be a typical early springtime pattern, Izzi said, with constant changes keeping temperatures between the 30s and the 50s.

So really all over the place kind of typical March, he said.

Next weekend, temperatures will get even colder, Izzi said.

We might not even have high temperatures get out of the 20s especially on Saturday, he said.

scasanova@chicagotribune.com
The Texan who went viral for fighting alongside Russia-backed forces said he's trying to 'liberate' Ukraine from 'Nazis'

Pro-Russian separatists, in uniforms without insignia, gather in the separatist-controlled settlement of Mykolaivka (Nikolaevka) and Bugas, in Donetsk region (DPR) of Ukraine on March 01, 2022. Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Texas native Russell Bentley went viral this week for a video where he's shown cheering Russian troops invading Ukraine.

He told Insider he wants to "liberate" Ukraine from "Nazis" and "fascists."

Ukraine is a democracy with a Jewish president.

Texas native Russell Bentley remembers his reaction when Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine.

"It was about time," he said.

An American fighting for Russia-backed separatist forces in Ukraine's Donbas region, Bentley says that Putin's deadly invasion of a sovereign country is a good thing, actually.

"The Russian army is gonna liberate Ukraine from foreign occupation, US Western fascist occupation, that's had a quisling government since 2014," Bentley told Insider, though Ukraine is a democracy and its president, Volodymyr Zelensky, was democratically elected. "It is going to, uh, disarm and dismantle the Ukrainian military."

Bentley, who also goes by "Texas," became famous this week after a clip from one of his YouTube videos went viral on Reddit and Twitter. In a California surfer dude-inflected Texan accent, he's seen cheering on Putin's troops.

"It's Texas on the front line with the de-Nazifies and liberators of Ukraine," he announced. "These guys are tough, these guys are ready, and there's plenty of 'em."

Bad Weapon Takes (@BadWeaponTakes) February 28, 2022

In a testy Skype video interview on Wednesday, Bentley, who left his home in the United States to help pro-Russia separatists in Ukraine in 2014, expressed beliefs that aligned with Putin's conspiracy theories that Ukraine needed to be "de-Nazified." He used the term to describe not only forces who are fighting to keep Ukraine whole, but for Zelensky, who is Jewish, and foreign governments that support democracy in Ukraine. Bentley said Ukraine is run by "Jewish oligarchs" but that he considers them "Pharisees."

Story continues

"The government of Ukraine is completely owned and controlled by the fascists that own and control the United States government," he said.

Bentley has claimed to be serving alongside separatist fighters for the Donetsk People's Republic, and says he produces videos of the Russian war that are "information warfare" but it's not clear if he is personally involved in fighting as Russia presses its advance into Ukraine.

As chronicled in a 2018 Texas Monthly profile and recent Rolling Stone article, Bentley was born in 1960 to a wealthy family in Los Angeles and spent his early years in Texas. He has time in the US Army, developing hardened communist beliefs on a trip to Cuba, advocated for marijuana legalization, was imprisoned for selling marijuana, escaped from prison, went back to prison, and ran for Senate in Minnesota.

At the time of the 2014 Maidan Revolution, which involved ousting Russia-backed Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and declarations of independence from forces in Donetsk and Luhansk, which are adjacent to Russia, Bentley was suspicious of the United States government and NATO more generally. According to Rolling Stone, he believed the events were orchestrated by George Soros, a billionaire and Jewish Holocaust survivor with left-wing political beliefs.

Bentley quit his job, sold his possessions, broke up with his girlfriend, and, after a Thanksgiving meal with his family, traveled to Volgograd where he visited its monument to the Battle of Stalingrad. From there, he made his way to Donetsk and joined the Vostok battalion, which fights to keep Donetsk separate from the rest of Ukraine. He says he received citizenship from the Donetsk People's Republic, the government occupying the region, and later received Russian citizenship as well. He told Newsweek he didn't plan to return to the US, expecting to "spend the rest of my life in prison for some bogus bullshit charge" if he did.

His aim, he told Insider, was to fight Nazis. He referenced the Azov Battalion, a part of the Ukrainian National Guard known for its inclusion of Neo-Nazis, and falsely said that Nazis control Ukraine's political and military administration in its entirety. Asked why Russia would drop bombs next to Babyn Yar, where a memorial calls attention to the massacre of nearly 34,000 Jews at the site, he denied reality, called it "complete propaganda," and said Russia was being careful not to damage cultural sites.

"The reason that this operation is taking so long is because the Russians are being absolutely as careful as they're being," Bentley said. "They're being so careful about not killing civilians, collateral damage."

Eyewitnesses from Ukraine say Russian troops are holding civilians hostage and videos show their forces striking residential areas with missiles; NATO said there's evidence Russia has used highly dangerous cluster munitions in its offensive.

In explaining his belief that Ukraine, the United States, and NATO countries were "Nazis" and "fascists," Bentley used an unverified quote often attributed to Benito Mussolini that fascism was "the merger of state and corporate power," and that business leaders had far too much power in Western countries.

Didn't Russia fit that definition, as Putin rubs shoulders with oligarchs and keeps their wealth reliant on the Russian government?

When asked the question, Bentley ended the call.

"I hope that you'll get an education one of these days," he said. "Maybe read a book."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Astronaut Raja Chari wears virtual reality goggles to practice rescue scenarios. (Mar. 2, 2022) NASA

SpaceCast Weekly is a NASA Television broadcast from the Johnson Space Center in Houston featuring stories about NASAs 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 theyve ever gone before.
Jeremy Droscha of Eaton Township with his kids.

EATON TWP.  A farmer, balloonist and father of three has died after an explosion at his Eaton Township home Tuesday.

Jeremy Droscha, 43, died Friday at a Grand Rapids treatment facility surrounded by family, his cousin Adam Droscha said.

Jeremy suffered second- and third-degree burns on more than half of his body in the incident. His 4-year-old daughter Aubrey, also in the home, was almost entirely unscathed.

Jeremy Droscha of Eaton Township, top second from right, with family.

I'm just going to miss having that big brother figure, Adam said through tears over the phone Saturday.

The family had originally thought Jeremy faced a long road to recovery and would remain in a coma for up to two weeks. But things took a turn Friday as fluid built up in his lungs, his cousin said.

Charlotte Fire Department responded to an explosion at Droschas home in the 2000 block of Stewart Road on Tuesday. He was initially transported to Sparrow Hospital in Lansing with critical injuries, then flown to Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids.

By the time fire crews arrived, the building was a total loss, Charlotte Fire Chief Robert Vogel said.

Michigan State Police believe the explosion was caused by a propane tank, Vogel said.

Jeremy and Jessica Droscha of Eaton Township.

Droscha's wife, Jessica, and their two elder children were not home at the time of the blast. The 4-year-old was treated for very minor injuries at the scene, Vogel said.

It's a true miracle that she survived, he said.

Droscha worked in real estate with RE/MAX and as a farmer. He owned Hillcrest Organics, a USDA-certified organic farm, growing corn, soybeans, hay and mixed vegetables, according to its Facebook page.

Droscha and his wife, a Charlotte Public Schools teacher, were very active in church, said Tim Potter, lead pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Charlotte.

Jeremy had served as a deacon, and his wife sat on a ministry committee. The church had raised more than $6,500 for the Droscha family as of Friday night, Potter said.

He was very friendly and caring and a nice guy, he said.

Story continues

Jeremy Droscha of Eaton Township with his kids.

The Eaton County Fairgrounds, where Jeremy sat on the board, is planning a pancake breakfast for the family from 7 a.m. to noon March 20. A GoFundMe for the family had raised over $63,000 as of Saturday afternoon.

Adam Droscha said the family lost everything in the fire. He and other family members are still encouraging people to give if they can.

Unfortunately, when someone passes away, it doesn't mean the cost of the medical stay changes, he said.

In the meantime, extended family has been helping ease the burden on Jeremy's wife and children, ages 4, 7 and 10.

Most will remember Jeremy for his willingness to help out in the community, offering to cut hay around the local airport and organizing events at the county fair.

Adam grew up with Jeremy nearby, calling him very much a Midwest farmer. His primary hobby was as a balloonist, flying in festivals around the state.

Jeremy and Jessica Droscha of Eaton Township.

Family gatherings were a lot of fun because we could go on balloon rides with Jeremy," Adam said. A lot of us have fond memories of chasing the balloon into other people's property and pulling the hot air balloon out of precarious places at times.

Above all, Droscha valued his family. When he and Jessica started having children, he was quick to bring them along with him around town.

"(People are) going to remember him," his cousin said. "But they're also going to remember three little kids toddling after him, following him with whatever he did.

Contact Bryce Airgood at 517-267-0448 or bairgood@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @bairgood123.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Jeremy Droscha, father killed by house explosion, mourned in Eaton Twp.
Bakersfield-based Valley Strong Credit Union has all but cemented its place as one of the largest organizations of its kind in California with
The recent 2022 South Carolina Peanut Growers Meeting brought good news to farmers:

Last year was a good year for peanuts, Dell Cotton of the Peanut Growers Cooperative Marketing Association told the group in Santee. We had a higher-than-average yield and the crop was excellent in terms of quality.

Preliminary reports from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service in Columbia show 66,000 acres were harvested producing 227,200,000 pounds of peanuts in the state last year. Good weather conditions for peanuts are touted as the main reason for production increase.

While production was up, so were costs. Nathan Smith, Clemson University Extension professor and agribusiness program team director, said these costs include paying more for inputs.

Fuel prices were up over the previous year and fertilizer prices doubled, Smith said. With these increased prices, a lot of growers are looking at what they can cut to help save money.

Crop insurance is one item growers should not cut from their budgets, Smith said, adding that the Clemson Extension Enterprise Budgets have been updated to help producers make better decisions.

As for this years crop, Clemson Extension peanut specialist Dan Anco suggested several top varieties including Runner-type peanuts, FloRun 331, TUFRunner 297 and Georgia-16HO. Top Virginia-type peanut varieties include: Bailey, Bailey II and Walton. The Walton variety is comparable to Bailey II.

Some Walton variety seed is expected to be available in 2022, Anco said.

Despite hiccups in the supply chain, Anco said most fungicide products should be available this year. As for charcoal rot, an emerging disease in peanuts caused by the fungus Macrophomina phaseolina, Anco said growers should use mostly cultural practices instead of fungicides to control this disease.

Other presentations included one by a Clemson Extension precision agriculture engineer Kendall Kirk about his research into the impact of ground speed, digger setup and digger subassemblies on peanut yields. Kirk and other researchers have found lower ground speeds decrease losses and maximize profit. Kirks group recommends 2.0 mph in Virginia and 2.5 mph in runner-type peanut. They found yield penalties from higher speeds can be almost twice as much in heavy disease conditions. Their work also demonstrated digger inversion assembly, sometimes referred to as starwheel assembly, is responsible for a tremendous amount of yield losses: 900 pounds per acre in one test.

We ran tests with and without starwheels at different ground speeds, Kirk said. Seventy-five percent of losses associated with increased speed were attributed to the starwheel assembly. The results show that improved inversion assembly design can without question significantly decrease yield loss and substantially increase statewide yields and profitability.

Controlling weeds also can help improve yields. Mike Marshall, Clemson Extension weed scientist, discussed a study using the pre-emergent herbicide Brake. Marshall said Clemson Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) is working on a Section 18 request for Brake use in peanut which would allow its use from April through August in 2022 pending EPA approval. He also spoke about using Anthem Flex systems to control Palmer amaranth.

We found using Anthem Flex as a pre-emergent and post-emergent worked very well to control Palmer amaranth, Marshall said.

More peanut information can be found in the Peanut Money-Maker Production Guide.

Growing industry

The peanut industry in South Carolina is growing. Karl Zimmer, chief executive officer for Douglas, Georgia-based Premium Peanut LLC, was at the meeting to talk about plans for his company to establish operations in Orangeburg County. The $64.3 million investment announced in September 2021 is expected to create 130 new jobs.

Premium Peanut is proud of the value we have been able to create for over 400 grower-owners, in addition to providing quality products to customers around the world, Zimmer said. We are excited about expanding our operations and establishing our footprint in South Carolina.

Portions of the new facility are expected to be operational this spring. Growers interested in learning more should contact the Palmetto Peanut Buying Point. Individuals interested in joining the Premium Peanut team should visit the companys careers webpage. Premium Peanuts customers consist of the major snack, candy and peanut butter manufacturers domestically, as well as customers in more than 30 countries around the world.

South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers said this new venture will open more doors for South Carolina products.

We are pleased Premium Peanut has chosen to locate in South Carolina, Weathers said Were thrilled at the chance to expand peanut production in the state and welcome Premium Peanuts investment in our states future.

Weathers also encouraged South Carolina producers to apply for the South Carolina Agricultural Tax Exemption (SCATE) card and to attend the Certified South Carolina Showcase March 14-15 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.

This event will provide an excellent networking opportunity for producers, Weathers said.

Activities planned for the showcase include a trade show, a luncheon featuring honored guests and an update on South Carolina agriculture, as well as educational sessions. For information, go to https://bit.ly/CSCS2022.

In addition to these presentations, attendees also heard reports from Richard Owen of the American Peanut Council and Becky Davis, Clemson Extension water resources agent.
(Newser)  Former President Donald Trump focused on foreign policy in a speech to major Republican donors Saturday night, drawing laughs with a suggestion for getting Russia and China to fight each other. But he took time to praise North Korea's dictator for his "total control" of the country and the fear he inspires, saying generals and aides "cowered" when Kim Jong Un spoke to them. "I looked at my people and said I want my people to act like that," Trump said to laughter at the Four Seasons hotel in New Orleans. The Washington Post reported on the speech after obtaining a recording of the 84-minute address. Trump talked about other matters, including:

Vladimir Putin : Trump avoided repeating his assessment of the Russian president as smart and savvy. "I knew Putin very well," Trump said in arguing Russia would not have attacked Ukraine if he were still in office. He criticized President Biden's handling of the situation but wasn't specific about what he'd do differently. Trump did call the invasion a "massive crime against humanity," adding, "We can't let it continue to happen." He didn't mention that he'd held up military aid to Ukraine.

: Trump avoided repeating his assessment of the Russian president as smart and savvy. "I knew Putin very well," Trump said in arguing Russia would not have attacked Ukraine if he were still in office. He criticized President Biden's handling of the situation but wasn't specific about what he'd do differently. Trump did call the invasion a "massive crime against humanity," adding, "We can't let it continue to happen." He didn't mention that he'd held up military aid to Ukraine. A false flag attack : The US should mark F-22 fighter jets with China's flag and have them "bomb the s--t out of Russia," the former president said. "And then we say, China did it, we didn't do it, China did it, and then they start fighting with each other and we sit back and watch," Trump said.

: The US should mark F-22 fighter jets with China's flag and have them "bomb the s--t out of Russia," the former president said. "And then we say, China did it, we didn't do it, China did it, and then they start fighting with each other and we sit back and watch," Trump said. Global warming : Despite the scientific evidence, the former president called the concept of global warming a hoax that just never ends. Of the rise in sea levels, he said, "Great, we have more waterfront property."

: Despite the scientific evidence, the former president called the concept of global warming a hoax that just never ends. Of the rise in sea levels, he said, "Great, we have more waterfront property." The last election : Trump said that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg slanted the election against him, and that he knew he'd won Georgia because he carried Alabama and South Carolina comfortably. He said the Republican Party needs to do more to support his claim that he lost the election because of fraud. Trump criticized Republicans who didn't try to keep him in office after the vote, calling Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell "stupid" and "corrupt."

: Trump said that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg slanted the election against him, and that he knew he'd won Georgia because he carried Alabama and South Carolina comfortably. He said the Republican Party needs to do more to support his claim that he lost the election because of fraud. Trump criticized Republicans who didn't try to keep him in office after the vote, calling Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell "stupid" and "corrupt." The next election: Trump sounded like he's running. "We have to do it," he said to "Trump!" chants.

Trump has lead the party in fundraising since he left office, but polls and interviews indicate his influence is fading, per the Post. Former Vice President Mike Pence told the donors in his speech that it's time to move beyond "yesterday's battles." Former Ambassador Nikki Haley didn't mention Trump by name when she addressed the donors, but she criticized his administration's response when the coronavirus emerged in China. "We didn't even call one pitiful meeting at the United Nations," she said. (Read more Donald Trump stories.)
Johnny Thompson considers himself lucky.

The 68-year-old suffers blackouts and his short-term memory is shot.

Johnny Thompson Rank: Chief Warrant Officer 4 Branch: Army War: Vietnam

Double vision plagues him. Sometimes he struggles to speak. I lose words real bad, he says.

On a good day, he can walk with a slight limp. On a bad one, he cant take a step without the safety and security of a walker.

He served three tours of duty in Vietnam and each earned him a Purple Heart. He still carries a steel bullet  an armor-piercing round  in a spot so precariously close to the left vertebral artery and his spine that a doctor warned him to never be more than 40 minutes from a hospital.

This guy? Lucky?

I still feel like the most blessed person in the world, says Thompson.

Because, of course, he came home.

The veteran counts, among his blessings, a strong faith in God, three children  who all live within 15 minutes of his Marana home  nine grandchildren and his wife of 47 years, Gay. He might pick up his cellphone and not remember whom he wanted to call, but he can describe the day he first laid eyes on her, wearing a polka-dot dress, at a Texas church gathering when they were teenagers.

Three-time Vietnam veteran Johnny Thompson keeps a collection of war momentos and his fathers photo at his home in Marana, AZ. Thompson served three tours of duty in Vietnam and was injured all three times. Photo taken Tuesday, September 15, 2015. Photo by Ron Medvescek / Arizona Daily Star.

Youd never know about Thompsons problems just by looking at him. Hes friendly, gracious and has a mischievous sense of humor.

Hes dedicated, hes compassionate  hes just a good man, says Andrew Bowers, an Army veteran who met Thompson through their church. His heart shines through. Hes got a smile on his face all the time. Hes positive, hes optimistic. Those ailments dont hold him back. He has his bad days guaranteed  he doesnt let it stop him.

He did. Once.

At the darkest time of his life, Thompson admits he was suicidal, so depressed he could only sit on the couch. His body was wracked with seizures, and his memory and speech kept failing him.

A mistaken Alzheimers diagnosis at age 41 had him living his life in one-to-two-year increments. Now doctors know traumatic brain injury, coupled with the side effects of medications, caused his problems.

Despite his injuries, Thompson spent nearly three decades in the Army, assigned to several different units including Special Forces, and rose to the rank of chief warrant officer 4. Even in retirement, hes dedicated to the military  and more specifically, those who served in it.

People come to Thompson, asking him to find out about their dads or their uncles or their grandfathers who have died. They want him to fill in the blanks because veterans, back in the day, just didnt talk about what happened during war.

That uncommunicativeness coupled with a 1973 fire at the U.S. National Personnel Records Center in a Missouri suburb that wiped out millions of official military personnel records, make it even harder for relatives to research backgrounds.

The Thompsons scour the Internet, uncovering what they can. When they discover a veteran earned a medal, Johnny will track down a replacement for the family. He types up histories while Gay has even re-created embroidered naval ship patches.

Awards and medals for Johnny Thompson in Marana, who served three tours of duty in Vietnam. Photo by Ron Medvescek / Arizona Daily Star.

The two also curate traveling military history displays that have been displayed across the state at conventions and churches.

Some of Thompsons Vietnam War mementos are on display now in Tempe (see box at upper right). Thompson got the idea when he took some keepsakes to the local veterans hospital about four years ago. He watched fellow patients eyes light up as he passed around a disarmed flechette warhead.

Hes managed to acquire so much stuff that three of the six bedrooms in Thompsons house are devoted to military memorabilia. Even the one dedicated to the grandkids sleepovers is overrun with documents and uniforms.

Down the hall from the upstairs bedrooms, framed rubbings from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall decorate a sitting room.

Thompson chokes up when he points out the names belonging to two soldiers in his unit.

The one thing you cant stand about war is the people you cant save, he says, softly. Its the ones you lose  theyre the strongest memories you have.

Thompsons own medals and ribbons fill a shadow box hanging on the wall, but he wont talk about those.

A lot of people dont get anything when they should have, he says.

The son of an Army Air Corps experimental test pilot who helped design helicopters, Thompson was just 16 when he enlisted. A doctor realized he was underage and blew the whistle on him. Undaunted, Thompson enlisted again the next year.

After he graduated from flight school, and even though he had a wife and young kids, Thompson volunteered to go to Vietnam.

I could rescue people, he says. I knew I could help people.

The master helicopter pilot ended up serving three tours of duty in Vietnam and though the United States role was controversial, Thompson had and still has no qualms.

Vietnam veteran Johnny Thompson and his wife, Gay, stand among some of the military uniforms they own at their home in Marana. They created a traveling display they take to schools to educate kids about military history. Photo by Ron Medvescek / Arizona Daily Star.

Free the oppressed. I believe that with all my heart.

His third and final tour in Vietnam was the worst.

We went over with 83, 84 guys, he says. Only 22 returned home.

Thompson himself barely made it.

He remembers the mission he flew on May 19, 1971, Ho Chi Minhs birthday and two days after his own. It was one hed flown solo many times before, but on this occasion, it was in a new Huey helicopter  and with a co-pilot. Having Capt. Bob Jorgensen along with him that day saved his life.

I was down low, looking for footprints, Thompson recalls. He was hanging out the door of the chopper, scouting for signs of the enemy when more than 150 bullets peppered the helicopter while mines exploded from below.

I was just shooting blood out of my neck, Thompson says. When I got hit, I lost control of the Huey. It was straight up in the air.

Two bullets sliced through Thompsons throat, hitting vocal cords and his larynx and almost completely splitting a vertebrae. Discs in his back were crushed from the explosions beneath the chopper.

Thompson passed through six or seven hospitals as he made his way back home. Everywhere I went, everyone said, How are you still alive?

Thompson does what he can to make every minute count, which is why he spends so much time and effort on researching fellow veterans military histories.

Even with Gays help, its painstaking work. It takes us a month what other people could do in two days.

Thompson might spend four or five hours researching and writing what he learns. But the next day, that knowledge is lost. Completely wiped from his memory. He has to read over everything and reacquaint himself with the previous days work.

Its frustrating, yes, Thompson admits. But it doesnt deter him one bit.

Im going to keep going until I dont know Im doing it any more.
Despite the threat of yearslong prison terms, thousands of Russians joined antiwar rallies across the country on Sunday in a striking show of the pent-up anger in Russian society about President Vladimir V. Putins invasion of Ukraine.

The police reported more than 3,000 arrests across the country  the highest nationwide total officially reported in any single day of protest in recent memory. An activist group that tracks arrests, OVD-Info, reported detentions in 49 different Russian cities.

Video from independent Russian news outlets covering the protests showed throngs of people chanting No to war! on St. Petersburgs central avenue, Nevsky Prospekt, and on Moscows Manezhnaya Square, just outside the Kremlin walls. Other clips showed protesters being beaten and kicked by the police, including next to a stand of balloons and gift boxes inside Moscows storied childrens department store, Detsky Mir  next door to the headquarters of the domestic intelligence agency, the F.S.B.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Saturday condemned a new law in Russia that threatens jail terms of up to 15 years for spreading what the Kremlin calls "fake news," and urged continued action across sectors to promote human rights and fundamental freedoms.

"We condemn the move by the Russian Federation Council to approve a law threatening prison sentences of up to 15 years for journalists," White House National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne said in a statement.

The new Russian law makes it illegal to report any event that could discredit the country's military.

(Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis and Idrees Ali; Editing by Paul Simao)
Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has been creating awareness with the help of school students and promoting the use of cloth bags, urging people to refrain from using plastic bags. A large number of students from GVMC as well as other schools from the city are preparing cloth bags using waste clothes with the help of their parents. The GVMC has asked students to prepare cloth bags either by using unused clothes, bed sheets, pillow covers, and T-shirts. Since the last week, a large number of children from many schools have been participating in the challenge and are posting their videos online, tagging them to the GVMC's social media accounts. Speaking to ANI, GVMC Commissioner Lakshmi Shah said that the mission aims to create awareness among the public and traders. "We have already sent notices to supermarkets and malls to refrain from using plastic bags. Alternatives such as cloth bags, jute bags, and bio-degradable bags are being promoted to replace single-use plastic," Shah said. With already 3,500 students from 75 schools being involved in stitching and designing cloth bags incorporating old clothes and unused material, the Municipal Commissioner added that the corporation intends to reach out to a larger section of people and make the campaign more intense. "We need to start creating awareness over the plastic ban, its harmful side and its alternatives right from the school age. There are around 25,000 school students in the city. If we could involve children in such a fight against plastic, their parents may also get involved. So, these ideas may spread to around 25,000 families," said GVMC Commissioner. Nandini, 9th standard student in Nehru Municipal High School said "plastic is harmful to the environment, it releases toxic material into the atmosphere. It is not easily degradable, so it better if we replace plastic bags with cloths bags which is made by school students." Pushpa Latha, Art and craft teacher in Nehru Municipal High School said the students are participating in this initiative with great zeal. "They are re-suing the clothes and creating new things. They are not only giving messages to their family to use these bags but inspiring others to avoid plastic," Latha said. She further said that plastics are not only harmful to the environment but also to animals and therefore she urged the people of the city to use cloth bags and refrain from using plastic bags. (ANI)
A petitioner on Friday broke down in tears while testifying before the #EndSARS panel in Abuja about how the police tortured and detained him for 28 days in 2019.

Emenike Umezurike, a site manager, narrated how he was allegedly arrested, detained and tortured unlawfully by the men of the Umuagwu police division in Rivers State.

The arrest by the police, he said, was carried out in cahoots with a man who had shown interest in a landed property a neighbour asked him to sell.

Mr Umezurike recounted the trauma and health issues he has been dealing with since his release around June 2019.

Overwhelmed with emotions, the petitioner stopped talking for a while in order to calm himself and regain a stable voice to continue his testimony.

They tortured, starved and tear gassed me for five days and refused to let me go, he said amid tears.

According to him, he now has to frequent hospital after developing some health complications due to the prolonged detention.

I cant breathe properly or stay in an air conditioned place as I now have pneumonia and have to frequent the hospital for treatment, he said.

How police arrested, detained and tortured me

Mr Umezurike, based in Aba, Abia State, said he got a deal to sell a landed property while in Owerri, Imo State, supervising a construction project.

On returning to Aba during a weekend, he said a person showed interest in the property while discussing it with a friend at a barbershop.

The person, he said, connected him with his brother whom he said just returned from Europe and was in need of the landed property.

They agreed to meet in Owerri on May 6, 2019, but it was unknown to him that he was being set up for arrest, the petitioner said. I waited for him at a neighboring filling station in the afternoon on May 6, (2019) and he appeared with some armed men. They told me I was under arrest and refused to give me a reason.

More ordeals

Mr Umezurike testified that they took him from Owerri to Umuagwu village in Rivers State and demanded N5 million to release him.

I told them I could not afford that amount because I didnt have any money. They kept me there from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.and returned later to see if I was ready to transfer the money, he said.

Unable to pay the money, Mr Umezurike said he was kept in solitary confinement with no water or food, while the police officers kept tear-gassing him every night for five days at the police station.

He added that the man who lured him into the arrest later came back and claimed to be a tracker and that he had been on his trail since 2014.

Mr Umezurike said he immediately questioned the claim and reminded him that they met for the first time some days earlier. But the petitioner said it turned out that the phone number the man claimed to have been tracking was not his.

Fraud allegations

He told the panel that while in detention, the police presented a woman, named Jessica Osunbo, who accused him of defrauding her of N5 million. He denied the charge, claiming that he had never met or done business with the woman.

He said he demanded to be permitted to call his family at that moment, but that the police flatly refused and returned him to his cell.

Ms Osunbo, he said, returned the next day and claimed that he had defrauded him of N4. 5 million, contrary to what she had said the day before. He said further that she came again and claimed that he defrauded her of N4 million, not N4.5 million or N5 million as she had previously claimed.

He said after a while, on the same day, he was able to talk to one of the police officers who interceded on his behalf by pleading that I be sent to the other cell where there are other detainees so I can be given food.

They sent me to the cell that day and I managed to give my brothers number to one of the detainees who got bailed, so my family could come get me, he added.

Futile police commissioners intervention

His brother immediately came around and began to make contacts until he was connected to the state commissioner of police through one Francis Agaim, the petitioner said. Mr Agaim was said to be the man Mr Umezurike was supervising his construction project in Owerri.

The petitioner said the commissioner of police called the DPO of Umuagwu police station to release him. The DPO said he would release me on Monday but when my brother came back on Monday the DPO said I had been charged to court and that they should go to court and wait for my bail.

However, when Monday came, he said the police refused to take him to court. Instead, he testified that the police continued to ask him to pay N5 million.

Release

As all persuassions to get the police to release him failed, Mr Umezurike said his family petitioned the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Nigerian Bar Association in Imo State, alleging his illegal arrest and detention.

He said he got released when the NHRC came to Umuagwu police station and found him in the cell.

After his release, he said he got a lawyer to help press for justice. As a result of this, the petitioner said one Sunday was arrested by the officers of Cameroun Barracks police station in Aba.

He also said the DPO of Umuagwu police station promised to withdraw the case initiated against him at the Federal High Court, Umuahia, Abia State. However, the petitioner said the police continued to pursue the case without his knowledge and later obtained a bench warrant against him.

His prayers

In his prayers, Mr Umezurike urged the panel to intervene in the matter and help get to its root, lamenting that the accusations levelled against him by the police were still pending at the Federal High Court, Umuahia.

He added that he had applied for the Certified True Copies (CTCs) of the statements of Sunday and other suspects arrested by the Cameroun Barracks police station regarding the case.

He said a police officer at the Cameroun Barracks station showed him Sundays case file, picture and statement but refused to release it as evidence.

He urged the panel to award him N100 million compensation for the health conditions he developed as a result of the prolonged detention.

The panel adjourned the case until March 9 for defence by the police.

The 11-member panel chaired by a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Suleiman Galadima, was set up by the NHRC in the aftermath of the October 2020 #EndSARS protest against police brutality, to probe cases of rights violations perpetrated by the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and other police units.

The panel is to recommend compensations for victims and sanction for erring police officers at the end of its hearing.
The state government has called for a meeting with concerned officials to discuss on Nagaland Peace Process and on Urban Local Bodies election on March 9. The state government has invited all MLAs, presidents of all political parties, representatives of tribal groups, civil society groups of the state. Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, Deputy Chief Minister, Speaker of Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Advisors, government officials will be present in the meeting. Reportedly, the contentious issue of 33 per cent women reservation has been lingering around in the long-overdue Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) elections in the state of Nagaland which for almost a decade. Adding up the topics of discussions to be held on March 9, notably the government of India entered into a Ceasefire Agreement with National Socialist Council of Nagaland (K) Niki Group, with effect from September 8, 2021 for a period of one year and more than 200 cadres of this group along with 83 weapons joined the peace process. The Ceasefire Agreement and Agreed Ceasefire Ground Rules were signed on September 8, 2021. The Government of India has already signed a Framework Agreement with NSCN(IM) and Ceasefire Agreements with other Naga groups namely, NSCN(NK), NSCN(R) and NSCN(K)-Khango. Earlier, the Government of India had signed an Agreement with NLFT(SD) in August 2019 by which 88 cadres along with 44 weapons joined the mainstream of society in Tripura. In January 2020, with the signing of Bodo Agreement, more than 2,250 cadres of insurgent groups, including all factions of NDFB, along with 423 weapons and huge quantity of ammunition surrendered in Assam and joined the mainstream. On February 23, 2021, 1040 leaders/cadres of various underground Karbi groups of Assam surrendered along with 338 weapons which was followed by the signing of Karbi Anglong Agreement on September 4, 2021. (ANI)
1. Of monkeys

MORGAN ISLAND  As your boat speeds toward South Carolinas island of monkeys, you see a forest of tall pines and oaks rising from the salt marsh. Then a sliver of beach. And signs warning that youre under surveillance.

Slowing now in the shallows, you see no movement, except high in the pines as branches catch the breeze  no movement until your eyes adjust to the shadows below, and there they are. Monkeys with pink faces and brownish gray fur. Lots of them.

About 3,500 rhesus monkeys live on this remote island  more than the human population of Folly Beach. Unlike Folly Beach, Morgan Island has no roads or restaurants. Just lots of monkeys. They leap from limb to limb. Two groom each other on a fallen tree. A scuffle suddenly breaks out, triggering screeches and blurs of arms, legs and tails.

It's an odd sight, monkeys roaming on an island in the heart of the ACE Basin, coastal South Carolinas conservation jewel. And it marks an equally out-of-place arrangement between industry and government.

In this relationship, a pharmaceutical and animal-breeding company, Charles River Laboratories, pays the state Department of Natural Resources nearly $1.5 million a year to lease the island.

DNR then uses this $1.5 million windfall to help pay salaries of employees, including some who regulate Charles River's other money-making ventures, a Post and Courier Uncovered investigation found. And just last fall, Charles River dangled an additional $500,000 for a special "biomedical research license," an offer DNR eventually refused.

Critics say the cozy relationship between DNR and Charles River distorts the agencys priorities and taints its independence. They argue that DNR can't properly regulate a $3.5 billion company that covers some of its paychecks. And that offer of $500,000?

"I've never seen anything like it," said Christian Hunt of the environmental group Defenders of Wildlife. "It's a gross conflict of interest, to put it simply."

Charles River executives said their $500,000 offer didn't come with strings. They merely wanted to help an agency that has seen its budget slashed.

"It wasn't a pay-to-play, you know," said Greg Marshall, a corporate vice president. "We know they have limited resources. We've been working with them for 25 years. They didn't accept. That's fine."

And Robert Boyles Jr., DNR's director, said his agency depends on the Charles River money, for better or worse. If the agency wasn't a landlord to a monkey farm, he said, "there'd be quite a few people looking for other work."

He added that DNR's relationship with Charles River evolved over time, sometimes with surprising twists. But in the wake of the Uncovered project's findings, he said he has concerns.

"I'll just be blunt. It never crossed my mind that there's a conflict of interest or an appearance of a conflict."

The agency's predicament offers a larger lesson: How conflicts of interest can form incrementally until an agency finds itself mired in an ethical swamp.

In this case, it's a lesson that goes beyond monkeys, one that involves tens of millions of dollars, scientific discoveries, politics and lobbyists.

And blood.

Blue blood.

2. Of blood

Horseshoe crabs have existed for at least 445 million years, before the dinosaurs, and their blood is milky blue. The tint comes from copper, which turns bluish when exposed to oxygen, just as iron in human blood turns red when exposed to air.

The crabs blue blood is incredibly valuable. It contains amebocytes, part of the crabs ancient immune system. A chemical in these amebocytes has a special ability to detect toxins. Decades ago, scientists figured out how to create an extract that detected deadly bacteria and fungi. They named the extract LAL, short for Limulus amebocyte lysate. They used it to make sure vaccines and other drugs were free from contamination.

It was a huge advance that made medicines safer, including coronavirus vaccines. Astronauts on the International Space Station even used LAL to detect toxins. Demand for LAL rose like the rockets that propelled it into space. A gallon might fetch $60,000. Today, Charles River is one of the worlds main producers of this lifesaving extract.

The companys roots stretch back to 1947 when its founder, Henry Foster, bought a thousand rat cages from a farm in Virginia. Traps in hand, Foster set up a rodent-breeding lab along Bostons Charles River and delivered rats to researchers.

Over time, Charles River expanded across the world, building its business largely on animal breeding operations, then moving into drug development. By 2021, the company had about $3.5 billion in revenue, $400 million in profits and 18,000 employees. Part of its ongoing success involved bleeding horseshoe crabs.

Horseshoe crabs are tough creatures that can live for months without eating. Genetically, theyre closer to scorpions and spiders. Unlike scorpions, horseshoe crabs are harmless, though with their spikes and helmet-shaped shells they look scary.

People get freaked out because they have squirmy legs. And they look like small tanks because they've got a big shell and a spiny tail, said David Mizrahi, co-leader of the Horseshoe Crab Recovery Coalition, a group pushing for more restrictions on crab harvesting. Its just a creature that most people are not used to seeing in the wild. But theyre not dangerous at all.

Beginning in the 1850s, harvesters collected horseshoe crabs for fertilizer and livestock feed. Later, they used them as bait in whelk and eel fisheries. Then, in the late 1960s, a pharmacologist named James Cooper helped pioneer a new use: Using their blood to detect toxins.

Cooper eventually formed a small biotech company in Charleston called Endosafe. He and his colleagues began pushing South Carolina lawmakers to ban commercial harvesting  except for biomedical uses. In 1991, legislators passed a law that did just that. Coopers company suddenly had a protected supply of horseshoe crab blood.

Charles River bought Endosafe in 1994.

Today, the company hires licensed fishers to collect crabs on the South Carolina coast in spring when they come ashore to breed. The exact number they cull is kept under wraps  state law prohibits DNR from releasing trade secrets to the public. Charles River contractors then haul the crabs to holding ponds or directly to the companys extraction lab in Charleston.

The lab is in an industrial building off Wappoo Road, west of downtown Charleston. There, staffers line crabs on long metal counters and strap them into place. Then they insert tubes into the crabs hearts and extract their blood. A large crab can produce as much as a cup and a half.

Cooper, the founder of Endosafe, last year likened the process to human blood transfusion. But unlike human blood drives, anywhere from 6% to 30% of these crabs die after being bled, studies have shown. Survivors are often left weaker.

Along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, five companies, including Charles River, harvest more than 550,000 crabs a year, up 63% from 2004. Populations have crashed in some places, especially the Northeast where commercial fishers and LAL harvesters compete. The crab's decline rippled through the food web.

A female horseshoe crab can lay tens of thousands of eggs. Those eggs are a critical source of food for shorebirds such as the red knot, now an endangered species. South Carolinas crab numbers appear to be stable but show troubling downward signs.

Charles River Labs officials insist its harvesting has had little or no impact, though they acknowledged that data on South Carolina's crab population is lacking.

"We believe that were only collecting a small percentage of the amount of horseshoe crabs that are out there, but we dont have the data," said Marshall of Charles River. "Were the first ones to admit it.

Still, conservation groups fear for the ancient creature's future given the demand for its blood. They want the government and medical industry to use a synthetic alternative.

Theres really no reason to harvest crabs, Mizrahi said.

Against this backdrop, Charles River has taken pains to protect its business interests.

Which takes us back to Monkey Island.

3. Of money

The monkeys arrived in South Carolina in 1979, packed in crates and stowed in the belly of chartered DC-3s.

Theyd come from a colony in Puerto Rico established in part to test polio vaccines. The federal government wanted new breeding colonies in the United States. And Morgan Island was one of the new sites.

The first plane touched down on a moonless night at Beauforts Marine Corps Air Station.

Former Beaufort Mayor David Taub helped start the colony and described its history in a column for The Island News:

Marines came out to witness this spectacle as we unloaded monkey crates onto a trailer, he wrote.  Early the next morning, we loaded crates onto our boats for the seven-mile trip to Morgan Island.

Soon, he and other locals began calling it Monkey Island instead.

Morgan Island has about 400 acres of high ground but is surrounded by more than 4,500 acres of creeks and marsh. It takes between 30 minutes and an hour to reach the island from public boat landings in Beaufort or Edisto Island.

Despite its remote location, at least seven monkeys escaped between 1980 and 1996, DNR reported in 2002. All were recaptured, including one on Lady's Island more than 6 miles away.

***

In 2002, developers targeted the island, laying out plans for 64 homes. Officials at DNR wrestled with a decision to buy it. At the time, Boyles was DNR's policy director. He put together a report on the pros and cons.

On one hand, buying Morgan Island would be a big win for the ACE Basin's long-term future. This marshy confluence of the Ashepoo, Combahee and Edisto rivers was one of the least-developed estuaries on the East Coast. The agency was proud of this public and private campaign to preserve the area. Buying Morgan Island would cement that progress.

On the other hand, his report continued, what would they do about the monkeys? If taxpayers own the island, shouldn't they have access to it? Were the monkeys a health risk? A legal liability? They were known carriers of a herpes virus that, though rare, could be lethal to humans. If DNR bought the island, it would have to be off limits to the public.

Then again, there was the money.

At the time, an animal-breeding company called LABS of Virginia managed the monkey colony. LABS leased the high ground from the island's owner, a corporation called Morgan Islanders Ltd., for $325,000 a year. If DNR bought the island, it would inherit that lease money.

After weighing the pros and cons, DNR decided to buy Morgan Island for $20.5 million with federal money.

Boyles recalled that board members thought they'd just let the lease expire.

"The thinking was that we'll have the feds take their monkeys, and we'll have a piece of protected land. But then there was an election."

In 2003, incoming Gov. Mark Sanford installed new board members, people with more business-minded goals.

"When Sanford's board came in, there was a thought that this lease can generate revenue," Boyles recalled.

This came as state lawmakers hammered away at DNR's budget. From 2000 to 2004, the state's allocation for DNR's marine division went from about $5 million to just over $1 million. Dozens of positions were eliminated.

"Then, one day in 2007, out of the blue, we got a phone call from Charles River saying 'We're the new monkey managers,' " Boyles said.

He was surprised. The federal government hadn't consulted with DNR. It was akin to a landlord learning a new tenant had moved in without notice.

In the wake of this confusion, DNR eventually renegotiated the lease and hiked the rent to about $900,000 a year, with 5 percent annual increases.

Now DNR was making real money.

***

By 2021, Charles River was wiring about $1.5 million into DNR's coffers each year, records obtained by The Post and Courier show.

And that Morgan Island money went directly to DNR's hard-hit Marine Resources Division  the department that also monitors horseshoe crabs.

Last year, Charles River's lease payments paid part or all of the salaries of at least 33 employees, DNR records show.

This includes a partial salary for Phil Maier, a DNR deputy director who died in December, and Blaik Keppler, who took over for Maier.

Charles River money covered partial salaries for Michael Denson, director of a division that does research, including work on horseshoe crabs.

It partially paid for two DNR turtle researchers, eight ACE Basin staffers and six employees who respond to sudden deaths of fish.

It provided a $275,000 injection into the agencys operating budget to cover office supplies and other needs.

Has the monkey money also bled into DNR's efforts to monitor horseshoe crabs?

4. Of conflicts

A look at internal DNR text messages and emails reveals numerous exchanges between DNR officials and Charles River executives and suppliers. They show DNR biologists asking for everything from advice on horseshoe crab traits to feedback on grant proposals.

Other documents show the agency soft-pedaled potentially negative information about horseshoe crab harvesting.

For instance, every spring, DNR staffers collect horseshoe crabs and measure them. In 2009, the agency reported that the crab population appears strong.

Then, in 2010, staffers collected fewer crabs during regular inshore surveys, and the crabs they caught were smaller and weighed less.

At the same time, offshore trawls suggested numbers were increasing.

Despite this conflicting data, the agency said the lower inshore counts didn't reflect the "lower abundance" of horseshoe crabs. Year after year, the agency repeated the same language in its reports.

Then, in 2016, a change: Charles River stopped collecting crabs as it built its $11 million lab expansion in Charleston. Crab numbers that year suddenly rebounded, a finding first reported by The State. When Charles River began collecting crabs again the next year, DNR saw its inshore and offshore crab numbers go back down.

In public, Charles River and DNR dismissed the notion that crabs here were in trouble. Inside the agency, there were concerns.

At about this time, a DNR researcher drafted a grant request to North Carolina Aquariums for a new study: This project is timely because the SC HSC (horseshoe crab) population could be declining below a sustainable level, but the status of the population is currently unknown.

Meantime, another scientist emailed Mike Denson, the research institute director, with an idea: Renovate greenhouses at the Waddell Mariculture Center near Bluffton to study effects of extracting blood from horseshoe crabs. Previous studies in other states showed the extraction process left crabs weaker and disoriented, possibly contributing to population declines.

Two hours later, Denson shot down the idea. Im not sure investing more funds into horseshoe crabs is a worthwhile endeavor," he wrote. "Its one of the least important resources we are working on  We do not work for (Charles River's) Endosafe  Part of Denson's salary was covered by money from Charles River's Morgan Island lease money.

Meantime, the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium and DNR began a new study, one that looked at the health of the crabs' gene pool. If researchers found signs of inbreeding, that might mean the overall crab population was in decline. Charles River chipped in about $53,144 toward its expenses. The study found the gene pool was healthy.

We had green check marks all the way down the list, Tanya Darden, the study's lead author, was quoted as saying in a 2016 press release by the Sea Grant Consortium. We found no conservation concerns based on genetic diversity.

A scientific journal later published the findings. The paper didn't cite the Charles River funding.

Charles River later crowed about the study on its website: So what can we infer from these findings by SCDNR? One conclusion might be that conservation practices are working here. Again, there was no mention that it had paid for part of the study.

In a recent interview, Darden characterized the study in less definitive terms. The sampling was a one-time effort  a snapshot of "what it was at this time and place." The agency needs more studies to pin down whether the population has increased or decreased, she said.

Another telling example: In 2017, a College of Charleston graduate student had finished a two-year project that found that crabs in holding ponds showed signs of stress and declining health.

It was another potential dent in Charles River's arguments that bleeding was harmless.

The grad student eventually went to work for DNR. Upon her arrival, Peter Kingsley-Smith, DNRs shellfish section manager, said DNR officials were concerned about some of the more negative findings.

The horseshoe crab fishery is a sensitive one, Kingsley-Smith noted in an email, and then demanded to see all future drafts of manuscripts based on her findings.

She eventually submitted a paper to a scientific journal, and DNR officials commented extensively on her drafts. In one, a biologist wrote that horseshoe crabs were vulnerable to extinction. Delete that language, the biologist wrote, saying it was alarmist, and that all animals are vulnerable to extinction.

Boyles said he doesn't believe that the Charles River money has compromised the agency's independence. He said he wasn't concerned that Charles River's $53,144 contribution to the gene study would skew the results. And it's common for staffers to comment on drafts of scientific papers.

"We are interested in long-term health of the (horseshoe crab) resource, and I think Charles River is as well," Boyles said.

5. Of secrecy

All this comes amid increasing legal, economic and political threats to Charles River's lucrative crab and monkey operations.

In December, South Carolina Congresswoman Nancy Mace chartered a boat to take reporters and animal rights activists to Morgan Island. It was a floating press conference to highlight her concerns about using monkeys to test medicines. As the boat approached the island, workers there appeared to shoo away any lingering monkeys.

Three conservation groups recently sued DNR and Charles River in federal court. The groups  Defenders of Wildlife, Coastal Conservation League and Southern Environmental Law Center  alleged that DNR failed to properly regulate horseshoe crabs. They argued this failure also threatened the red knot, the endangered bird that feeds on horseshoe crab eggs.

Previously, the groups sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, alleging Charles River illegally collected crabs in Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge. State Attorney General Alan Wilson sided with Charles River in that court fight. A federal judge eventually ordered the practice stopped.

As pressure grows, Charles River has taken pains to guard and shape its public image.

Earlier this year, two Post and Courier reporters asked Charles River for tours of its Charleston bleeding operation. The company's marketing consultant said yes to one reporter and no to another  no to the reporter who had filed numerous records requests with DNR about the company. How did Charles River learn about these requests? By filing their own to find out who was asking questions about the company, DNR confirmed.

In interviews with The Post and Courier, Charles River officials declined to answer questions about how many monkeys had escaped since it took over the Morgan Island colony, whether it plans to continue its operation there in the long term and how much money it makes breeding the animals.

But the company has been more open about activities that cast it as a responsible steward of nature. It donated $75,000 to the S.C. Aquarium since 2019. It was a top sponsor of the Conservation Voters of South Carolina Green Tie Award.

Meantime, Charles River enlisted the help of McGuireWoods Consulting, a firm that includes heavy-hitter lobbyists such as former Gov. Jim Hodges and ex-state Rep. Billy Boan.

In October, Brian Flynn, another lobbyist with the firm, made an unusual proposal: Charles River would pay DNR $500,000 for a special "biomedical research license," according to an email obtained by The Post and Courier, which DNR heavily redacted.

It was a stunning move. A commercial fishing license typically costs $25, and a license to collect crabs for LAL is free. Why offer its regulator half a million dollars?

The company wanted to help DNR study whether horseshoe crab numbers were going up or down, said Foster Jordan, corporate senior vice president.

"If we could donate some money," he said, "or help you (DNR) with regulations, help you with research  to help keep us here and convince everybody that what we do is ethical, correct and right for the species  were willing to do that. They refused it. They didnt want it."

None of this information was made public until reporters began asking questions.

Such secrecy has long frustrated conservation groups.

"For a public resource, horseshoe crabs are managed in the most clandestine way possible," said Christian Hunt of Defenders of Wildlife. "Charles River has a vested interest in concealing where it's harvesting and how many crabs it's harvesting. I think that if the public were to see that information, they simply wouldn't stand for it."

And in this vacuum of information, some fear the agency has lost its way.

Sally Murphy, a former DNR scientist known for her turtle research, said she worries what might happen if monkeys escape and establish a wild colony, as has happened with wild boars.

The ecological integrity of the ACE Basin is more important than money. End of story.

6. Of more monkeys

In 2017, DNR signed a new five-year lease with Charles River. The lease gives Charles River options to renew for another five years in 2023 and in 2028. And the new lease had better terms  for Charles River: Instead of 5% increases every year, Charles River now would see no rental hikes for the first three years and then 2 percent a year.

Boyles said canceling the lease wouldn't be easy and likely would trigger complex negotiations with an alphabet soup of agencies. And DNR would have to find a way to make up for that loss of money or face Draconian staff cuts. He said he hasn't thought about what the agency will do when the Morgan Island lease finally expires in 10 years.

More clear: The agency needs to find ways to insulate itself from any conflicts of interest, he said.

"If people don't trust us, that's a concern, especially if there's sense that there's something nefarious happening or something doesn't look or smell right."

He said of the Uncovered investigation's findings: "You've given us a lot to think about."

***

Back in the waters off Morgan Island, the monkeys roamed along a sunny spot on the beach next to no trespassing signs that warned: "DO NOT FEED, APPROACH, DISTURB, MOLEST OR INJURE THE ANIMALS."

The sun's warmth apparently made this side of the island a popular place that day. From a boat you could see a baby clinging to an adult. A young monkey raced up a tree and jumped to another branch.

The other side was less popular, where caretakers unload barges packed with bags of monkey chow. On this morning, no monkeys could be seen here, and the docks were empty, save for a white pickup truck.

It parked at the edge of the dock, with two people inside wearing masks. They stared at a photographer from the newspaper. When he lifted his camera, the pickup driver quickly shifted into reverse, backing fast into the shadows, out of view.
Women bore the brunt of job losses during the COVID-19 pandemic and there are fresh warnings that womens longer-term financial independence may be in peril amid the return to the office.

Experts are warning of a fresh wave of COVID burnout among women  particularly executive and senior women  who have spent two years juggling the demands of homeschooling, caring for kids and work.

Surveys in the US have found women are significantly more burned out now than pre-COVID  and increasingly more so than men.

Experts are warning of a fresh wave of COVID burnout among women. Credit:Monique Westermann

For women with partners who earn an income, experts warn many are quietly doing the sums to see if dropping hours or dropping work altogether may better suit their families.
JEFFERSON CITY  Some public records could become less public under several proposals by Missouri lawmakers this year.

A handful of measures proposed by Missouri lawmakers tackle different provisions of the Missouri Sunshine Law, affecting the cost, lifespan and accessibility of various government records.

Sponsors argue that many of the measures are needed to better establish a balance between privacy and government accountability.

We absolutely do want the people to have access to public records and everything, said Sen. Andrew Koenig, R-Manchester, at a committee hearing on his bill Thursday. Were just trying to fix some of the glitches in the system.

Koenigs proposal, among broader measures under consideration, would shield personal identifying information in public records of any student under 18, information regarding a governmental bodys security measures, contact information of Missourians whove signed up for some form of government communications, and public utility bills or usage records.

It also blocks out some wider categories like communications between constituents and state lawmakers, and information on proposed legislation or the legislative process kept by lawmakers or staff.

What I always watch those types of provisions for is overly broad language, said Amos Bridges, president of the Missouri Sunshine Coalition, at the hearing Thursday. They can sometimes create issues that were unintended.

Bridges referenced an example of requesting lists of Missourians whove signed up for open calls for government project proposals, saying theres a real public interest in knowing whether those types of opportunities are being applied fairly and equitably.

Echo Menges, editor of the Edina Sentinel, said constituents communications provide an often-important glimpse into the communitys issues of concern.

Sen. Bill White, R-Joplin, pushed back on this point, saying that there are times constituents in need of help may be dissuaded by the notice that the communications arent confidential.

I get emails all the time dealing with very sensitive personal information  rape, incest, people with cancer, people with insurance issues  very, very personal information that is not appropriate to be sunshined, White said.

White said that despite the concern, he hadnt received any public records requests for this kind of information.

Other proposals related to the Sunshine Law, which carry many of Koenigs bills measures, additionally cut down on the types of documents that can be accessed. Two, sponsored by Sen. Dan Hegeman, R-Cosby, and Rep. Bruce DeGroot, R-Ellisville, remove transitory documents, including early drafts or materials not related to decision-making.

The way the law is set up currently is inefficient and expensive, DeGroot said. Better defining accessible materials and decreasing attorneys time spent reviewing them decreases cost, he added.

The bills narrow the definitions of public business, public meetings and public records and remove the requirement for the state records commission or local records board to approve disposal of materials.

The bills also include provisions making the requestor liable for any attorney fees that go into reviewing the materials. The state Supreme Court issued a ruling in 2021 that requestors could not be charged for attorney review time.

DeGroot sponsored similar legislation last session which passed through both chambers but was ultimately vetoed by the governor. The proposal has been amended this year and carries reforms Gov. Mike Parson has indicated are priorities.
The state government has been accused of blatant bias against a Labor-led council in Sydney after it was left out of a grants program funded by the sale of WestConnex.

Inner west mayor Darcy Byrne said the Inner West Council had been deliberately excluded from the state governments $5 billion WestInvest Fund for base political purposes.

This petty exclusion is a continuation of the governments blatant bias against our community, he said in a mayoral minute that will be tabled at the councils meeting on March 8.

Inner West residents have been smashed by the WestConnex project for almost a decade, Inner West mayor Darcy Byrne said. Credit:Steven Siewert

Councillor Byrnes minute calls on the state government to allow the Inner West Council to apply for funds from the $5 billion WestInvest program as well as a commitment that the council will no longer be improperly prevented from applying for grants schemes.
StandTall Africa Initiative, a non-governmental organisation fostering reading culture and fact-based research, held an event Saturday to welcome fellows, senior fellows, and researchers.

The programme, held in Abuja, was put together to recognise and confer some Nigerians with fellowship status. The group also unveiled its newly established research centres, one of which was named after the Emir of Dutse, Nuhu Sanusi.

The host of the event said the research centres will attend to research needs in Africa, especially researches capable of improving the qualities of life and education of the populace.

In his opening remarks, the country representative at StandTall Africa Initiative, Ogah Emmanuel, said some of the challenges facing Nigeria can only be addressed through the establishment of strong and functional institutions.

He said the institute has built 52 libraries fully equipped with books and relevant reading materials across institutions and schools in Africa. According to him, the institute has also placed over 1000 undergraduates on study scholarships while over 2,500 students and pupils were given annual scholarships renewable every year.

He added that the institute has given research grants to 150 lecturers and trained over 5,000 teachers.

Mr Emmanuel said members who were conferred with fellows and senior fellows of the institute must consider the honour as a call to dedicate themselves to the pursuit of the institutes core values and objectives  raising the standard of education in Africa and Nigeria.

A total of 14 people were appointed fellows while 12 others were appointed senior fellows.

The institute also unveiled the Centre for Research on Green Economy and Protection Against Desertification and Climate Change. The centre was built in honour of Nuhu Sanusi, the emir of Dutse, Jigawa State.

The Centre for Research on National Security, Intelligence Gathering and Surveillance was named in honour of a former Chief of Army Staff, Abdulrahman Dambazau.

On the other hand, the Centre for Research on Quality Leadership, Good Governance and Human Rights was unveiled in honour of Adamu Baba-Yunusa, the Ona of Abaji.

These three noble Nigerians automatically become the patrons of their respective centres and chairmen of the boards accordingly, Mr Emmanuel said.

StandTall Africa Initiatives hopes that the centres will engage in transformative projects on the green economy, promote quality leadership, policy formulation and implementation for good governance, protection of the African people and improve efficiency of human rights in Africa.

Earlier in his remarks, the governor of Jigawa State, Abubakar Badaru, appreciated StandTall Africa Initiative for honouring the Emir of Dutse. He said the recognition is a win for the monarch and the entire Jigawa State.

Mr Abubakar said he is confident that the emir will bring positive changes to the institute, most especially in the green economy.

He said the monarch is dedicated to supporting every project aimed at nation-building.

In his submission, the SaKaruyi of Karu Chiefdom, Emmanuel Yepwi, said insecurity has hampered industrialisation and sustainable development in Nigeria. He said the unprecedented incidences of insecurity has culminated in the allocation of the countrys meagre resources to the protection of lives and properties.

It has also made the government divert resources meant for development purposes to security, Mr Yepwi said. He added that as the menace persists, investors will remain scared about investing and committing their hard-earned resources to lucrative businesses in Nigeria.

He said the security challenges are severely hampering economic growth, leaving the country to face escalating youth unemployment.

To address this malady, Mr Yepwi said the government must provide quality employment opportunities, improve political stability, and recognise the need for adequate sensitisation of the people through government agencies.

Government should also embark on policies and programmes that will lead to human capital development: de-radicalization process of repentant terrorists and bandits alongside skill acquisition and education to enable self-sufficiency, he said.
Of the top 20 Sydney postcodes for driver toll relief, 17 are located in the western suburbs, exposing the uneven distribution of tollway charges across the city.

The biggest cluster of motorists eligible for toll relief is in Sydneys north-west, near the M7 and M2 motorways, NSW government figures show.

The Lighthorse Interchange in Sydneys western suburbs. Sydney road users paid more than $2 billion in tolls during 2020-21. Credit:Louie Douvis

The Kellyville-Rouse Hill-Beaumont Hills postcode area topped the list based on toll use with 6626 eligible motorists last financial year, and 5410 actually claiming the relief. The next highest was the adjacent neighbourhood of Winston Hills-Baulkham Hills-Bella Vista with 6226 eligible and 5043 claimants.

Some of Sydneys lowest-income suburbs were among areas with the most eligible motorists including Bidwill and Willmot in the Mount Druitt district.
Belgium is giving workers the right to a four-day work week without a loss of salary.

The nations prime minister, Alexander De Croo, argues the shorter workweek will increase productivity and makes sense with flexible working conditions adopted during the pandemic. Workers wont be working fewer hours: Instead, they will work 10-hour days and work one less day per week.

Companies can still turn down an employees request for the shorter week, but they need to justify their response in writing.

Belgium joins other nations that have tried the four-day workweek or are starting it in the future: Finland, Japan, Scotland and Wales.

Q: Would a four-day workweek be successful in the U.S.?

James Hamilton, University of California, San Diego

YES: Many Americans are already on a four-day workweek, and more businesses are offering that option every year. But whether this is workable really depends on the kind of job you do, the kind of equipment you work with, and the other people you have to interact with. Im opposed to treating this as something that Congress should decide or mandate for everybody. It should be up to the worker and the employer on a case-by-case basis.

Austin Neudecker, Weave Growth

YES: While it depends on the specific business and therefore should not be applied universally, certain roles (e.g. retail attendants, information workers) work well under a four day/10 hours a day workweek. There are often logistical considerations that must be addressed (staggering the extra day off between employees to maintain coverage), but I would love to see more workplaces compete on quality of life to vie for limited talent.

Chris Van Gorder, Scripps Health

NO: I dont think that the approach Belgium is taking would be feasible in the United States. Thats especially true for employers such as health care, which wouldnt be able to function if employees were able to decide to work four days one week and five days the next. While health care employers do offer a four-day, 10-hour-day workweek to some employees, the option to change that regularly would create a scheduling nightmare for health care and other 24/7 businesses.

Norm Miller, University of San Diego

YES: There is nothing wrong with any number of days or times slots for those with stamina for long days. We should no longer insist on a one format or even one set number of hours per week fits all model. Flexibility is key to reducing turnover and retaining good people. Management must learn how to measure productivity, not by hours worked, but by results, and let the compensation correlate with the same.

Jamie Moraga, IntelliSolutions

YES: The pandemic has forced companies to consider a shift in workplace culture to combat burnout and the Great Resignation. Along with flexible and remote work schedules, a four-day workweek (working four 10-hour days) could help recruit and retain employees. This isnt a one-size fits all model as some companies and industries must be available for their customers five-days a week. However, it could be successful if companies can remain competitive and employees can be efficient, productive, and deliver similar (or better) results.

David Ely, San Diego State University

YES: A four-day workweek can work for some employees at some organizations. This is already an option at some U.S. companies. The likelihood of success is greatest at organizations where employees routinely work 40 hours per week or less, employees have time-consuming commutes, the nature of work is such that employees can stay productive throughout a 10-hours workday, and the quality of customer service is not impacted by shifting to a shorter workweek.

Ray Major, SANDAG

YES: Work schedule flexibility definitely adds to quality of life and is becoming important criteria for many people when accepting an employment offer. The historical M-F 40hr/week isnt as appealing to Gen Z, Gen X or millennial workers as it has been for the baby boomer generation. Its time to consider the needs and desires of the younger workforce.

Lynn Reaser, Point Loma Nazarene University

YES: Its experience in other countries and even in certain U.S. companies has shown positive results on employee satisfaction and productivity. The favorable impact of anticipating a long weekend could boost productivity. Consumer service and global logistics could, however, suffer without another day of access. Hospitals and other 24-7 businesses can implement 10-hour shifts, while retailers and others depending on sales spread throughout the week cannot.

Reginald Jones, Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation

YES: Beyond providing employees better work-life balance, four-day work week trials have shown other important advantages. Companies who have experimented or introduced the four-day working week show higher productivity, as well as greater focus, reduced fatigue, less absenteeism, and overall better employee attitudes. With a different work week arrangement, businesses should help employees understand the practice of working smarter rather than longer. The centuries-ago-established working model is overdue for scrapping. The four-day work week  without pay loss  is one good transition.

Kelly Cunningham, San Diego Institute for Economic Research

YES: The advantage of flexibility to have the same number of work hours over a shorter workweek seems rather obvious. Of course, depending upon individual circumstances of the business, four-day workweeks could not only be successful but advantageous in lowering costs by not starting up and closing down an extra day of the week. Places where this was tried show productivity not only did not lessen but often significantly increased, as well as worker satisfaction rose.

Phil Blair, Manpower

YES: Lets be clear we are talking 10 hour days for four days at the same pay as eight hours for five days. This saves on travel time, distributes the rush hour traffic and allows for three day weekends free of work concerns. If this matches the customer service needs, then it is big win.

Gary London, London Moeder Advisors

YES: The timing couldnt be better as our working norms have been otherwise disrupted over the past two years of pandemic. Many firms are permanently moving to flexible work hours and location (work some at home, some in the office). It follows that a shorter work week should be served up as yet another option. This would particularly benefit workers who have to be on location, such as in manufacturing. And I believe would greatly increase mental health and the overall quality of life.

Alan Gin, University of San Diego

YES: Some businesses already do this or another variation where workers work nine nine-hour days and then have the 10th workday off. Either format gives workers an extra free day to deal with non-work issues, either weekly or every other week. That would help in improving work-life balance. Workers could also be more productive, as there would be one less round trip commute to be made, which frees up time for work or other tasks.

Bob Rauch, R.A. Rauch & Associates

YES: For nearly 100 years, there have been considerations for a four-day work week. The work/life balance would improve and most studies indicate productivity would increase. This would mean the same amount of work could potentially be completed in less time if employees are motivated, however, this should not be a mandate. California has an eight-hour overtime law and certain industries, like our hotels, operate 24/7 and have to find other ways to reduce workplace stress.
The number of Western Sydney residents with professional skills, including IT, finance, science and public administration, has spiked by up to 34 per cent in five years, but tens of thousands still face long commutes to jobs outside the area.

A new report to be released on Monday by Business Western Sydney and Western Sydney University shows that 95,900 Western Sydney residents were employed in professional, scientific and technical services last year, a 34 per cent increase since 2016.

However, the lack of employment opportunities in the region has forced more than 34,000 to commute to jobs outside the area each day, fuelling calls for more businesses to be based in the Parramatta area.

Lawyer Taryn Ellerington says living in Gladesville and working in Parramatta allows her to spend more time with her husband Mark and children Eve, 3 and Mia, 1. Credit:Edwina Pickles

The report found there were 55,600 Western Sydney residents employed in finance and insurance services last year compared to 45,600 people in 2016, a 22 per cent increase. And 20,900 people living in Western Sydney are now employed in the information, media and telecommunications industry, a 20 per cent increase in five years.
Guwahati, March 6 : The first of the four cargo ships carrying food grains from Bihar's Patna reached at Assam's Pandu on Sunday, linking the new waterway between Brahmaputra River, national waterway-two with the Ganga, national waterway-one, via Bangladesh, officials said.

A Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) official said that the first vessel carrying 200 MT of foodgrains for Food Corporation of India (FCI) reached Pandu in Assam's Kamrup Metropolitan district, heralding a new age of inland water transport.

From Patna, the vessel passed through Bhagalpur, Manihari, Sahibganj, Farakka, Tribeni, Kolkata, Haldia, Hemnagar, the India-Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBPR) through Khulna, Narayanganj, Sirajganj, and Chilmari, and the National Waterway-2 through Dhubri, and Jogighopa covering a distance of 2,350 km.

Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, accompanied by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, MP Queen Oja, and IWAI Chairman Sanjay Bandopadhyay, welcomed the self-propelled first vessel MV Lal Bahadur Shastri.

The second vessel, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, carrying 1,800 MT steel started from Haldia on February 17 and has already reached the Bangladesh border at Dhubri.

An official statement said that IWAI is planning to run a fixed schedule sailing between NW-1 and NW-2 heralding a new age of inland water transport for Assam and the northeast region of India.

In his remarks on the occasion, Sarma said that the start of cargo movement through ships via IBPR marks the beginning of a new age of economic prosperity for the entire northeast region.

Sonowal said: "Today marks the beginning of a new age of inland water transport in Assam. This is going to provide the business community a viable, economic and ecological alternative. The seamless cargo transportation is a journey of unfulfilled desires and aspirations of the people of Assam." The sustained effort to rejuvenate the historical trade routes via Bangladesh got a fillip under PM Gati Shakti, he said. The statement said that the protocol on Inland water transit and Trade (PIWTT) between India and Bangladesh will be optimally beneficial when we can unlock the value from the cargo trade in the region.

It said, that to improve the navigability, two stretches of IBPR -- Sirajganj-Daikhowa and Ashuganj-Zakiganj -- are also being developed at a cost of Rs 305.84 crore, shared 80:20 by the two countries, and this is expected to provide seamless navigation to the northeastern region via the IBPR route.

The contracts for dredging on the two stretches for providing and maintaining requisite depth for a period of seven years (2019-2026) are underway.

In line with the "Act East" policy, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, has taken up several infrastructure projects on NW-1, the IBPR, and NW-2, through the IWAI, to improve connectivity with the northeast region, and deal with landlocked access which has been crippling its development for long.
Tommy Egan fans are loving Power Book IV: Force, the fourth chapter in the Power Universe. Set after Ghosts death in Power, the series revolves around Tommy in the aftermath of losing his best friend and business partner. Traumatized by everything that went down, Tommy leaves New York for good and heads to Chicago, where hes rebuilding his business from the ground up.

The series has been a hit with fans since its February 2022 premiere. But several episodes later and with no word on its renewal, some are beginning to wonder about its future. Is Starz canceling Christmas on Tommy and Power Book IV: Force? Concern is steadily rising.

Jospeh Sikora as Tommy Egan in Power Book IV: Force | Starz

Power Book IV: Force landed with a bang

Power Book IV: Force lets viewers in on what happened to Tommy after Power. He was supposed to leave for California, but he makes a pitstop in Chicago to settle some family business.

One step leads to another and Tommy quickly finds himself in Chicagos drug game, inserting himself between the citys two biggest crews, a quote from the synopsis reads, via Deadline.

In a city divided by race, Tommy straddles the line, ultimately becoming the lynchpin that not only unites them  but holds the power to watch them crumble, the statement continues. Tommy uses his outsider status to his advantage, breaking all the local rules and rewriting them on his quest to become the biggest drug dealer in Chicago.

The show premiered on Feb. 6 to instant success, breaking a record at Starz to become its most-watched premiere in its history, according to TVLine. It also received positive marks from critics on websites including IMDb and TV Series Finale.

Still, some viewers are worried about the shows future because Starz hasnt renewed it

Some fans recently asked about the future of the show. Many writing on Reddit noted that the other Power spinoffs, Power Book II: Ghost and Power Book III: Raising Kanan, were all renewed by this point, but there hasnt been any word about Force. They wondered whether the show is still performing well, at least enough to get renewed.

Im more invested in Force than I am Ghost and were already two seasons in. They have to renew it, with the numbers Tommy pulling in it would be 100% horsesh** not to, one comment read.

Even if some people think its mid or wack, its definitely better than book 2 and thats barely even just a subjective opinion, said another. So it deserves at least 3 seasons since book 2 will have a third. Raising Kanan still my favorite but Tommys show has my interest.

Others mentioned the possibility that Starz has already renewed the show and will announce it at a later date. Such was the case with the third season of Power Book II: Ghost, which was seemingly secretly renewed days before the news officially came out.

When asked whether there would be a second season of Power Book IV: Force, Joseph Sikora (Tommy Egan) said on Twitter that he thought it would happen, but he couldnt say definitively. Fingers crossed that Starz does renew it.

Tommy's back in full FORCE. Watch the series premiere of #PowerForce NOW on the @STARZ App. pic.twitter.com/sENo2qLXgO  Power Book IV: Force (@ForceStarz) February 6, 2022

The show is available now on Starz

While we wait for any news, viewers can find the show now on Starz. Its available to watch on the app at midnight on Sundays or cable at 8 p.m. ET the same day.

This season will seemingly conclude ahead of the second season of Power Book III: Raising Kanan. Centering the early days of Kanan Starks life, the show is expected to return to Starz in 2022.

RELATED: Power Book IV: Force: Omari Hardwick Reacts to Post About Tommys Spinoff
The Union Home Minister also inspected the parade of the force here.

CISF DG, Sheel Vardhan Singh, at the event, said, "Today we are playing an important role in the development of the country by being at the forefront of security at the space and atomic energy centres, ports, airports and metro rails."

The CISF contingent, dressed in pristine uniforms, represented the diversity of the force.

The CISF is a central armed police force of the country and is among one of the six paramilitary forces of India. It functions under the Union Home Ministry.

The CISF was set up under the act of the Parliament of India on March 10, 1969. Since then, CISF Raising Day is being celebrated on March 10 each year. (ANI)
The creation of a humanitarian corridor from Mariupol on Sunday, March 6, was thwarted by the Russian side, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for the Reintegration of the Temporary Occupied Territories of Ukraine Iryna Vereschuk said.

"As you know, we are trying to open humanitarian corridors. Today it was supposed to be Mariupol again. The actions of the Russians are disappointing: they again disrupted the opening of a humanitarian corridor," Vereschuk said at a briefing on Sunday.

She said the agreement to open the humanitarian corridor was reached at night. The gathering of residents for evacuation was scheduled for the period from 09:00 till 11:00.

"Unfortunately, at about 09:20 hailstones shelling started. The humanitarian corridor did not work. We organized a humanitarian convoy that was supposed to come from Zaporizhia to Mariupol. Eight trucks with food and medicine. Thirty buses that were supposed to help take women, children, elderly people out of Mariupol on the way back. The Russians again cynically fired at the path along which our humanitarian convoy was supposed to move," Vereschuk said.

"Unfortunately, I have to state that today we again failed to open the humanitarian corridor due to shelling by the Russians," she said.

Vereschuk also said that among the people who were planned to be evacuated through humanitarian corridors, there are also a large number of foreign students from China, Turkey, India and other countries. The Ukrainian side is actively working with the embassies of the respective countries, and has also notified the Russian side of the presence of foreign citizens in the convoy.

"Mr. Erdogan, Mr. Xi Jinping and others. What will we do? We will call on the entire civilized world to say a clear 'No' to Putin's aggression that is killing you, dear citizens of the free world. We must say 'Yes' to humanitarian corridors together, because that it is necessary to save the lives of your citizens," the minister said.
A recent study, focusing on parents of young children, suggested that it wasn't just where people lived that's important - it also mattered where they spent their time. The study results were published in the journal 'Drug and Alcohol Dependence'. Findings showed that alcohol use was related to how many bars and restaurants were near where parents shopped, where they worked, and where their children went to school. Past research has shown that people drink more frequently and consume greater amounts of alcohol when they have more bars and restaurants in the neighbourhoods where they live. But the recent study added another angle to it. "What we found suggests that parents may choose where they shop based on opportunities to engage in other activities, including drinking. They may also be cued to drink when they go out shopping or when they finish work by the convenience of nearby bars and restaurants," said Bridget Freisthler, co-author of the study and professor of social work at The Ohio State University. "If you have a tough day at work, you may stop at the nearby bar for a drink before going home. If you're out shopping with your kids, you might stop for dinner at the chain restaurant next door that serves alcohol."Freisthler conducted the study with Uwe Wernekinck, a doctoral student in social work at Ohio State. The study involved 1,599 people in 30 cities in California, who participated in a telephone or web-based survey. All participants were parents or guardians with at least one child aged 10 years or younger who lived with them at least half the time. Participants answered questions that allowed researchers to calculate how frequently they drank alcohol (number of days over a year) and the total volume of alcohol they drank over a year. Data was collected before COVID-19, in 2015. All participants listed where they lived, grocery stores where they most often shopped, another store where they often shopped (such as a big box or drug store), the child's school or preschool and the parent's place of employment. The researchers then calculated the density of alcohol outlets - bars and restaurants where alcohol was consumed on-site - near these sites where people spent time. (The researchers called these sites "destination nodes.") The findings confirmed other studies that suggested parents living in neighbourhoods with higher bar and restaurant densities drank on more days and drank more alcohol during the past year than those living in areas with fewer such outlets. Parents who visited destination nodes with higher densities of bars and restaurants that served alcohol did not drink more frequently than others, but they did report drinking more total alcohol over the course of a year than did others. "We can't tell how they spread out their drinking over the course of the year, but it is concerning that parents who frequent these areas with bars and restaurants are indeed consuming more alcohol," Freisthler said. Freisthler said the data doesn't show if parents had children with them when they drank alcohol."But that's something to pay attention to," she said. "Based on where parents reported going, these were places where they could bundle a lot of errands together at one time and could likely have their kids with them. They could go shopping and then go to a chain restaurant that serves alcohol, but is still appropriate to bring children, unlike a bar or pub. It gives parents opportunities to drink." The issue was not that parents may have an occasional beer or wine at a restaurant with their children present, Freisthler said. But studies, including this one, showed that people drink more alcohol when there are more places that serve alcohol nearby. "Are there additional risks in terms of how people parent their kids, such as drinking and driving? That's what we should be worried about," she said. (ANI)
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky discussed with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson the nuclear terrorism of Russia, further tightening of sanctions against Russia and the next joint steps.

"Continued dialogue with  Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Informed about countering the aggressor. Condemned nuclear terrorism and war crimes of Russia. Discussed further strengthening of sanctions against Russia and agreed on the next joint steps," he said on Twitter on Sunday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday Russia is planning to bombard Odessa. Zelenskyy said in a televised statement that if that occurs, it will be a war crime  a historic crime.

Zelenskyy spoke in Russian for part of the statement, urging Russians to choose between life and slavery in the time when it is still possible to defeat evil without irreparable losses.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that Ukrainian statehood is at risk if the country continues its current path.

During a meeting with Aeroflot workers, Putin added that any "no-fly zone over Ukraine would have colossal and catastrophic consequences not only for Europe but also the whole world.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has criticized NATO for not imposing a no-fly zone, which the Western alliance says could escalate the conflict with Russia.

U.S. President Joe Biden spoke Saturday night with the Ukrainian president. They talked about the work the United States, its allies, partners and private industry are doing to raise the cost of the war for Russia.

Biden said his administration is ramping up security, economic and humanitarian aid to Ukraine and is working with Congress for more funding.

Zelenskyy himself met virtually earlier Saturday with more than 300 people, including senators, some House members and aides, delivering a desperate plea to send more planes to help the country fight the Russian invasion, according to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken conferred Saturday with Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau in Rzeszow, on the border with Ukraine.

Blinken crossed into Ukraine briefly to meet Foreign Minister Dymtro Kuleba, who asked for more military assistance to defeat Russia.

After the meeting with his Polish counterpart, Blinken reiterated at a news conference that the United States will defend every inch of NATO territory" and announced the Biden administration is preparing to allocate an additional $2.75 billion in humanitarian aid for Ukrainian refugees.

Blinken also praised Poland for assisting hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians who have fled their home country, saying, The people of Poland know how important it is to defend freedom.

Rau said, Poland will never recognize territorial changes brought about by unprovoked, unlawful aggression."

While Zelenskyy has criticized NATO for not imposing a no-fly zone, Putin said during a meeting Saturday with Aeroflot workers that such a zone would have colossal and catastrophic consequences not only for Europe but also for the whole world.

Additionally, Putin said he currently has no plans to declare martial law in Russia because martial law should be only introduced in cases where there is external aggression, adding, we are not experiencing that at the moment, and I hope we wont.

Blinken flew on to Moldova Saturday night to show support to the small country, which has its own breakaway region, as it takes in tens of thousands of refugees from Ukraine.

On the ground

The Russians are dropping large bombs on the city of Chernihiv, north of the capital, Kyiv, a regional official said.

Usually, this weapon is used against military-industrial facilities and fortified structures, regional head Vyacheslav Chaus told The Associated Press. But in Chernihiv, against residential areas.

He posted a photo of what he said was an undetonated, a Soviet-designed 500-kilogram bomb.

Ukraine says Russian forces are shelling evacuation routes from Mariupol, as well as the city itself, breaking a cease-fire that was to have gone into effect Saturday at 7 a.m. UTC, as the southern coastal city continued to endure days of relentless aerial attacks.

We are simply being destroyed, Mayor Vadym Boichenko said of his city of nearly 450,000 people on his Telegram channel.

Volnovakha, a southern city of about 21,000, also was targeted with Russian heavy artillery attacks during the temporary cease-fire, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said Saturday in a broadcast video.

Russias Defense Ministry, however, accused Ukrainian nationalists of preventing civilians from fleeing Mariupol, according to RIA, Russias state-owned news agency. It cited no evidence to substantiate these claims.

Despite its heavy shelling of Mariupol and Volnovakha, there were fewer Russian aerial and artillery attacks in Ukraine over the past 24 hours compared with previous days, the British Defense Ministry tweeted Saturday on day 10 of Russias attack on its western neighbor.

The ministry said Ukraine continued to control the northern cities of Kharkiv and Chernihiv, as well as Mariupol in the southeast. The ministry cited reports of street fighting in the northeastern city of Sumy and said it is highly likely that all four cities are encircled by Russian forces as they advance toward the southwestern city of Odesa.

President Zelenskyy urged Ukrainians in areas occupied by Russian forces to take the battle to the invaders in a televised address Saturday night. "We must go outside and drive this evil out of our cities," he said.

A shipment of satellite-internet equipment arrived Saturday in Kyiv, from Starlink. Mayor Vitali Klitschko showed off the equipment, which will help Ukrainian cities whose internet has been knocked out by Russian shelling.

The number of Ukrainians seeking refuge in other countries could reach 1.5 million by the end of the weekend, the head of the U.N. Refugee Agency said Saturday, an increase from the 1.3 million who have fled.

Amin Awad, U.N. crisis coordinator for Ukraine, who is meeting in Ukraine with local and international officials, said in a statement Saturday that efforts are underway to urgently find operational modalities to scale up operations across lines and from outside into areas impacted by the conflict.

VOA State Department Bureau chief Nike Ching, National Security correspondent Jeff Seldin, Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb, Istanbul foreign correspondent Heather Murdock, White House correspondent Anita Powell, and senior diplomatic correspondent Cindy Saine contributed to this report.

Some information for this report came from The Associate Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
Hubballi (Karnataka) [India], March 6 (ANI): All measures are being taken to bring Karnataka students back home safely from Ukraine amid the Russian military operations, said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday.

The Chief Minister was speaking to media persons after welcoming Chaitra Gangadhar, a medical student from Yaraguppi village of Kundagol taluk in Dharwad district who returned safely from Ukraine.

Also Read | Mumbai: Man Takes Shirt Off in Front of Women Cops, Jailed For 10 Days.

Bommai said, "There were four students from Dharwad in Ukraine. Of them, two have returned home safely and we are confident of bringing back the remaining two as well. We have received information about them crossing the Ukrainian border. About 200 students from Karnataka are stranded in Kharkiv and taking shelter in bunkers."

"The Indian Embassy is trying to bring them back. We are in touch with the Union External Affairs minister in this regard. PM Modi himself is monitoring the situation. A huge operation to airlift the students is on. It is being made possible due to the cordial relations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with various countries," he added.

Also Read | Ajit Pawar Attacks Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari Over His Remark on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

As for getting the mortal remains of Naveen Gyanagoudar who died due to shelling in Ukraine, information is being obtained about the mortuary where his body has been kept. Efforts are on to bring his mortal remains with assistance from the Indian Embassy, Bommai said.

Replying to a question about the academic future of the medical students who have returned from Ukraine, Bommai said, "a suitable decision would be taken in consultation with the Union government." (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
With this, the active cases in the city stood at 1,261.

No death was recorded during this period, therefore the death toll from the infection in the capital city remained at 26,134.

The death rate in the city is 1.4 per cent.

The Ministry informed that 953 patients are under home isolation.

As many as 338 COVID patients recovered from the disease taking the total number of recoveries in the city since the beginning of the pandemic to 18,34,317.

The recovery rate in Delhi stands at 98.52 per cent.

According to the Ministry, 42,364 COVID-19 tests were conducted in the 24 hours, of which 34,854 were RTPCR and 7,510 were Antigen.

The city has 4,005 containment zones as part of its efforts to curb the spread of the virus.

Meanwhile, COVID cases in India witnessed a dip as the country logged 5,476 new infections in the last 24 hours, Union Health Ministry informed on Sunday.

With this, the active COVID cases stand at 59,442, taking the weekly positivity rate to 0.77 per cent and the daily positivity rate to 0.60 per cent. (ANI)
New Delhi, March 6 : The Russian Defence Ministry showed documents from Ukrainian biological laboratories, which are funded by the US Department of Defense.

The documents confirm that Ukrainian biological laboratories located in close proximity to Russia were developing components of biological weapons, Ren TV reported.

"We have received from employees of Ukrainian biological laboratories documentation on the emergency destruction of especially dangerous pathogens of plague, anthrax, tularemia, cholera and other deadly diseases on February 24," the report says.

The Ministry of Defence reported that after the start of the Russian special operation in the Donbass, the Pentagon had concerns that information about secret biological experiments conducted on the territory of Ukraine would be disclosed.

The received documents are now being analyzed by Russian specialists from the troops of radiation, chemical and biological protection.

"In order to prevent the discovery of the facts of violation by the United States and Ukraine of Article 1 of the UN Convention on the Prohibition of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons, the Ukrainian Ministry of Health sent an instruction to all biological laboratories on the urgent elimination of stored stocks of dangerous pathogens," the Russian Defence Ministry said.

The list of published documents includes an order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine dated February 24, 2022, which refers to the "emergency destruction of biological pathogenic agents".

Ukraine used the Chernobyl nuclear power plant zone for work on the manufacture of a "dirty bomb" and the separation of plutonium, a representative of one of the competent departments of Russia said.

"It is worth noting separately the use of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant zone as a site for the development of nuclear weapons," the source told RIA Novosti.

According to the source, the increased radiation background natural for the Chernobyl zone hid the conduct of such work, RT reported.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
The economic sanctions imposed by the US, UK, and the EU on Russia for going to war against Ukraine could prove to be detrimental to the country. These sanctions can range from export restrictions to trade embargos and seizure of assets. Mint explains.

What do economic sanctions mean?

Economic sanctions are penalties or bans that are levied against a country to push it to modify its strategic decisions. They include withdrawal of customary trade and financial relations for security and foreign policy purposes. Sanctions could result in cutting economic ties in every respect such as terms of trade, financial assistance, transit support, travel bans, asset freezes, and trade restrictions. The curbs could also be targeted, thus restricting transactions with certain businesses, groups, or individuals. Amid increased global and economic interdependence, they could prove to be detrimental for the targeted country.

How do sanctions impact an economy?

No country can afford to be a closed economy. The affected countrys supply chain gets disrupted in terms of inflow of goods and services and for reaching out to the export markets. In the former, there is a risk of the internal economy being crippled, especially if it depends on imports of critical raw material. The domestic economy could also be deprived of external market support. The risk element is high especially in case of economic curbs being imposed collectively, such as by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato).

View Full Image The pushback

What are the economic sanctions against Russia?

Major Russian banks have been banned from the SWIFT financial messaging service and their assets have been frozen. Sanctions have been levied on the Russian Direct Investment Fund and against some of Russias wealthiest people. Access to air-space has been denied and export controls introduced. The countries imposing curbs on Russia account for 34% of world GDP.

What is the cost of such restrictions?

This depends on the economic strength of the country being targeted. Russia cannot be brushed aside as an ordinary economy. The country is important to the global economy because of its oil reserves and access to nuclear power. Russia is also a supplier of sophisticated defence products and is an important supplier of crucial defence products to India. Given the long-term strategic nature of the relationship, India is abstaining from voting on resolutions to condemn Russia.

How did India manage curbs after Pokhran-II?

Indias dependence on external assistance was more than $100 billion. The government appealed to non-resident Indians (NRIs) whose annual savings were more than $400 billion. NRIs subscription to government bonds was more than double the annual foreign assistance. India could also showcase its scientific strength as none of the scientists involved were trained abroad. This helped India display confidence, especially to investors.

Jagadish Shettigar and Pooja Misra are faculty members at BIMTECH.

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Srinagar, March 6 : Police along with army and CRPF have arrested an active terrorist of proscribed terror outfit LeT from Ganderbal in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Sunday.

Police said during checking near Shuhama Nagbal, the joint party noticed a suspicious person who on seeing the joint naka party tried to flee towards Warpow route.

"But his attempt to flee from the spot was foiled by the joint naka party and was apprehended tactfully," police said.

He has been identified as Mohd Altaf Wani, resident of Keegam Shopian. Incriminating materials were recovered from his possession.

A case has been registered and further investigation into the matter is in progress.
Welcome to Quick Q  Monday Medias weekly Q&A series dedicated to finding out more about the personalities that matter most in the Australian media landscape.

Every week The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age asks key figures across corporate media, business, sport, federal politics, radio, television and culture to answer a series of questions about their lives, careers, hobbies and news habits.

This weeks conversation is with Beverley McGarvey, executive vice president and chief content officer at Paramount Australia and New Zealand. Paramount is the owner of Network 10.

Network Tens Beverley McGarvey. Credit:Rhett Wyman

How did you get your big break?
Thousands of people have been detained at protests in dozens of cities across Russia against President Vladimir Putins unprovoked war in Ukraine, the Russian Interior Ministry and an independent protest monitor said on Sunday.

The monitor OVD-Info said 3,895 people were detained during protests in 53 cities. It added that police departments may have more detainees than appear on their published lists.

Interior Ministry spokeswoman Irina Volk said 1,700 people were detained in Moscow and 750 were detained in St. Petersburg. The people arrested in Moscow were among around 2,500 people who took part in an unauthorized rally, Volk said, according to TASS.

The 750 arrested in St. Petersburg were among 1,500 who took part.

In other regions 1,200 people took part in rallies, and as many as 1,061 people were detained, she said.

Thousands of protesters chanted "No to war!" and "Shame on you!" in Moscow and St. Petersburg, according to videos posted on social media by opposition activists.

Demonstrations also took place outside Russia, including in India and Kazakhstan after jailed Kremlin critic Aleksei Navalny called for worldwide protests against the war.

In Kazakhstans biggest city, Almaty, some protesters warned that "Kazakhstan will be next if the war is not stopped now."

About 100 people attended a demonstration in Vladivostok and some 15 of them were arrested, a correspondent for the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta reported. Some of the protesters were holding placards and were chanting anti-war slogans.

RFE/RL could not independently verify the information.

Russian authorities warned on March 5 that they would prevent any attempt to hold unsanctioned demonstrations.

The demonstration in Almaty on March 6 drew hundreds of protesters, who waived Ukrainian flags and chanted slogans against Putin and the war in Ukraine.

Daulet Abylkasymov, a protest organizer told the rally that their demonstration is not against the Russian people but is against Putin.

Others warned that whats happening in Ukraine today, may happen in Kazakhstan next.

Some rally participants urged Kazakhstan to leave two Russian-led regional bodies -- the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

Information from Reuters was used in this report.
North Carolina is seeing a dramatic example of political climate change: Its long frozen opposition to Medicaid expansion is beginning to thaw.

But unlike polar ice sheets ominously sliding into the sea, its a good thing that Republican lawmakers are warming to this life-saving opportunity. Its also a chance to stop passing up federal money. By failing to expand Medicaid from 2013 to 2022 North Carolina has forgone about $40 billion in federal Medicaid funding, according to the Urban Institute.

State Senate leader Phil Berger, long an opponent of expansion, now says he will consider it. A joint House and Senate committee is assessing a potential expansions costs and benefits. A bill setting the terms for making more than half a million North Carolinians eligible for the state and federal health insurance program is expected to get a vote before the November election.

In North Carolina, most adults without minor children or who are not disabled are not eligible for Medicaid no matter how low their income. Expansion would allow the enrollment of all adults earning up to 138% of the federal poverty line  $17,774 a year. That would provide health insurance for many of the states working poor.

The prospect of expanding Medicaid has come up before only to fade in the face of opposition in the Republican-controlled General Assembly. But it would be politically dangerous to reject it now. Polls show strong support for expansion in North Carolina and holdout states are increasingly isolated. Thirty eight states have expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. South Dakota voters will decide in November whether their state should become the 39th.

Medicaid expansion has long been a deal too good to refuse, but provisions of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 make it even better. If North Carolina expands Medicaid, the federal government will increase its payments for the states current Medicaid population by 5% for two years. That would be worth about $1.7 billion to North Carolina.

Care4Carolina, a coalition of health care organizations, economic development groups and advocates for patients and families, has pushed in vain for Medicaid expansion since 2015. Now Erica Palmer Smith, the coalitions executive director, said the impasse may end. I do believe we will see a North Carolina solution put forward and voted on in this legislative session, she told the Editorial Board.

The sticking point is the state House. Republican conservatives there see providing health insurance as a handout that should come with a work requirement, a restriction that the Biden administration wont allow.

Leighton Ku, a George Washington University professor of health policy who has researched the benefits of expanding Medicaid in North Carolina, said its a misconception to see extending the program as giving money to the poor. When you give somebody Medicaid, they dont become richer, he said. Youre just providing medical care for them.

Some Republicans also worry that adding hundreds of thousands of people to Medicaid could burden the state should the federal government lower its 90% share of the extra costs. But the federal share is part of federal law. To lower it, members of Congress would have to vote to reduce payments to their own states.

In the near term, North Carolina would actually save money because the American Rescue Plans boost in current federal Medicaid funding would be greater than what the state would pay for expansion. Ku estimates the savings at $341 million. In addition, he said, expansion would create about 83,000 jobs in the state, about half in health care and half in other sectors.

The Affordable Care Act  along with its provisions for Medicaid expansion  now has the support of most Americans. Its not going away. Meanwhile, multiple studies have shown that providing more low-income people access to health care has improved the treatment of chronic conditions and reduced cancer deaths and infant mortality.

For years, North Carolina has turned away billions of dollars in federal health care aid and the cost has been more than money. People have suffered and died unnecessarily because they lacked access to treatments that Medicaid would have provided.

Its time for North Carolina to expand Medicaid.
Directed by the recently departed Ivan Reitman (Stripes, Meatballs, Twins, Kindergarten Cop), Dave pulls off the rare feat of being rooted in politics without displaying any whiff of partisanship. Sophisticated but relatable and smart while coming off as erudite, it is a comedy with endless charm and an ability to impart a common sense message without standing on a soap box doing so. Writer Gary Ross received the movies sole Academy Award nomination (for Best Original Screenplay), something he also did a few years earlier with Big and later on down the road with Seabiscuit.

Kevin Kline in Dave. (Warner Bros.)

Dave Kovic (Kevin Kline) is an amiable and affable man living in Baltimore where he owns a barely afloat employment agency. He has a side-hustle where he appears at retail grand openings and other events as a lookalike for current U.S. President Bill Mitchell (also Kline). The polar opposite of Dave in every way, Mitchell is a gruff, corrupt, and spineless sort who barely speaks to his wife Ellen (Sigourney Weaver). She takes her mind off of his incessant philandering by doing charity work and performing other typical First Lady duties.

Time for a Replacement

In order to help facilitate subterfuge for Mitchells current dalliance with staffer Randi (Laura Linney), his protective staff, led by Duane (Ving Rhames), drafts Kovic for a PR gig and Kovic crushes it. This catches the eye of Chief of Staff Bob (Frank Langella) and his wing man Alan (Kevin Dunn) who want to make Dave the permanent stand-in as Mitchell has suffered a stroke while being with Randi. The President is in a coma.

While quasi-flattered, Dave questions the legality of this endeavor but Bob and Alan ease his conscience by pushing the do it for your country pitch. With the understanding that this will only be temporary, Dave acquiesces. For a good stretch, this arrangement plays out wellalmost too well. A quick and enthusiastic study, Dave is able to absorb the finer details of Mitchells agenda, his day-to-day routine, committing the names of his staff and cabinet to memory, and even (from a distance) fooling Ellen.

(LR) Frank Langella and Kevin Dunn in Dave. (Warner Bros.)

When it becomes apparent that Bob and Alan plan on using Dave as a puppet and mouthpiece well into the foreseeable future, he slowly figures out he has them over a barrel, particularly Bob. Try as they might, Bob and Alan cant suppress or squash Daves naturally agreeable personality and moral fiber. As Mitchells poll numbers continue to go up, he starts to think he can do something akin to what someone else tried doing a few years ago in real life: draining the swamp.

Cut the Fat

With the help of his accountant Murray (an expectedly droll Charles Grodin), Dave trims some significant fat from Mitchells pork-laden budgetan act that turns the already underhanded Bob into evil incarnate but gets Ellen to start re-evaluating her feelings for her husband.

There are plenty of politically themed movies before and since Dave, where real-life people have appeared as themselves in cameo roles but none come close to the amount found here. Well over two dozen actors, TV hosts, commentators, filmmakers, and politicians from both sides of the aisle show-up as themselves lending the production an almost docudrama level of realism and authenticity. One scene in particularOliver Stone as a guest on the Larry King Showis high-end, self-aware Meta. In it Stone suggests the sudden change in Mitchells personality is rooted in a conspiracy (which is technically correct) and something akin to that found in his own JFK, which was released only three years earlier.

This goes far in proving just how spot-on Ross was with his screenplay. Getting so many peoplegenerally so far apart in ideology and points of view within the eye of the real stormto so enthusiastically participate is nothing short of unprecedented and will never likely be achieved again.

Effortless Performances

How Kline and Weaver (and Langella, for that matter) didnt receive multiple industry accolades for their collective work here is dumbfounding. As any seasoned performer will attest, comedy is far more difficult and complex to pull off than drama, particularly the light variety. Kline pulls this kind of thing off with regularity (Soapdish, A Fish Called Wanda, Silverado), and Langellas performance walks a fine thin line between parody and dastardly, but it is Weaver who is saddled with the biggest challenge and she more than rises to the occasion.

(LR) Kevin Kline, Kevin Dunn, and Frank Langella in Dave. (Warner Bros.)

While serving as Klines straight man throughout, Weaver gets big laughs during a testy exchange with Langella and even more with just the movement of her eyes in a bathroom encounter with Kline. Six years later Weavers comic timing would be on full display in the cult favorite sci-fi spoof Galaxy Quest.

Had Dave been produced a half-century or so earlier, it would have fit in nicely alongside Frank Capras back-to-back milestones Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Meet John Doe. Its a safe assumption that the Founding Fathers didnt intend for politicians to remain in office for decades on end where their main directives would be lining their own pockets and protecting various special interest groups with the hard-earned money of the U.S. citizenry.

While it would be unfair to accuse Reitman of creating a Capra knockoff, it is appropriate to describe Dave as something equally unaffected and inspirational. While all of the above-mentioned Reitman titles are enjoyable and worthy of multiple viewings, they also come with an inescapable, check-the-boxes, manufactured air. Dave was none of those things and marked Reitmans creative and thought-provoking zenith.

Dave

Director: Ivan Reitman

Stars: Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, Frank Langella, Kevin Dunn, Charles Grodin, Ving Rhames

Running Time: 1 hour, 50 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Release Date: May 7, 1993

Rating: 4.5 out of 5
In a development that should shock exactly no one, a national study has ranked Missouri near the bottom of the nation in terms of the strength of its gun laws  and near the top in per capita gun deaths. The correlation is undeniable: Missourians, living in a state that has gutted most of its previous restrictions on firearms, are nearly twice as likely to die from gun violence than their neighbors in Illinois, which imposes rational restrictions.

And how are Missouri legislators responding to this continuing crisis? By trying to make it even easier for convicted criminals to lay their hands on guns, easier to bring guns into churches, schools and trains, and harder for police to enforce what few gun laws are on the books.

This is insanity.

Polls show overwhelming majorities of Americans, including most gun owners, favor reasonable reforms like universal criminal background checks for all gun purchases. Thats confirmation that on gun rights, as on most issues, the broad middle of America isnt radical, but reasonable, respecting individual rights but in balance with a societys responsibility to keep its people safe.

But try telling that to the ruling Republicans of the Missouri Legislature. As Missouri has veered from the political center to the hard right in recent years, a rotating cadre of reactionary ideologues in Jefferson City has sought to out-extreme each other by whittling away the states previously reasonable gun restrictions at every turn.

In 2007, for example, the Legislature repealed a universal background-check law that had been on the Missouri books for some eight decades  as if the difficulty that convicted felons had in trying to buy guns was some kind of statutory flaw that needed fixing. Within a decade, Missouris firearms homicide rate had risen by 27%, according to data from the national nonprofit organization Everytown For Gun Safety.

And because the Legislature in 2016 repealed another law so that Missourians could carry concealed firearms without a permit in most places, bringing that gun to the scene of the next crime has become that much easier. Its almost as if the law and order party has made a conscious decision to abet the criminals, if thats what it takes to pander to the base.

The low point (so far) was last years so-called Second Amendment Preservation Act, prohibiting police in Missouri from enforcing any federal firearms laws that arent mirrored in state law. The cynical demagogues who passed this bonkers mess knew fully well it wouldnt survive the court challenges  the Constitution clearly places federal law over state law when they conflict  but those lawmakers apparently thought it would provide a harmless vehicle for their culture-war grandstanding. They were wrong. The Justice Department is now suing Missouri, and police agencies around the state have pulled out of joint crime-fighting operations with federal law enforcement agencies for fear of inadvertently violating the new law. Score another one for the criminals.

And what effect has all this gutting of gun laws had on the Missouri citizens it was supposed to protect? It has made them less safe.

The Giffords Law Center has ranked Missouri 47th in the nation for gun safety in its annual scorecard, which measures state firearms laws against gun death rates and assigns grades. Missouri got a well-deserved F, in part because of the states rate of 23.9 gun deaths per 100,000 people. Illinois, with stronger gun laws and just 14.1 gun deaths per 100,000 people, got an A-minus.

Theres a lesson in all this about the unintended consequences of radically loose gun laws. But Missouris legislative Republicans have yet to learn it, judging from other bills theyre currently pursuing. Various pending measures would:

 allow people who have served time for crimes, even violent ones, to get concealed carry permits if they pleaded guilty rather than fought the charges;

 expand the range of people allowed to carry guns in schools to include janitors and cooks;

 allow firearms on college campuses and on public transportation;

 prevent local authorities from closing gun shops during pandemics and other public emergencies;

 loosen current restrictions on guns in churches  the chagrin of the pastors  by allowing anyone with a concealed carry permit to come in armed unless the church assertively prohibits it.

With lawmakers actively pursuing these and other ideas to loosen gun laws, one of the most common-sense restrictions imaginable  closing an accidental loophole in the law that allows accused domestic abusers to buy guns while they are under orders of protection  cant seem to get their attention.

Missouri used to have a restriction on the books to prevent such purchases, but it was inadvertently scrapped by the Legislature during its 2016 gun-law-loosening binge. This in a state with one of Americas highest rates of women killed by their domestic partners.

There is general bipartisan support to close that loophole  one measure to do so, House Bill 473, won unanimous committee approval last March  but nothing has happened with that bill since. And the sponsors of other, similar bills (including at least one Republican) told The Missouri Independent they worry the whole topic wont go anywhere anytime soon because, during an election year, Republicans are loath to vote for any measure, no matter how reasonable, that even sounds like gun control.

This is the reality of Missouri politics today: Lawmakers pull out all the stops to make sure convicted criminals arent inconvenienced when seeking firearms, even if it means hampering police, forcing church-goers to sit among hidden guns, and literally endangering the lives of domestic-abuse victims.

This is insanity.
Thousands of anti-war protesters gathered in central London to hear Jeremy Corbyn alongside other speakers sounding the alarm over the unmistakeable nuclear threat of the conflict in Ukraine.

Some members of the crowd  which included Russian, Polish and Lithuanian expats  wept as they voiced fears for those affected by the Russian invasion and its potential escalation.

Demonstrators waved Ukrainian flags and banners reading Putin = Hitler and Putin in the bin as they marched from outside the BBCs Broadcasting House to Trafalgar Square on Sunday.

The former Labour leader was among speakers on the podium to call for an end to military action, branding Russias partial ceasefire purporting to allow for humanitarian corridors out of Ukraine as cynical.

If you can have a ceasefire for humanitarian corridors for people to be evacuated from certain cities in Ukraine, obviously its better if people are evacuated than killed, but its so cynical. If you can agree a ceasefire to take civilians out, then agree a ceasefire to stop the war, he said.

Unless this war is stopped very quickly it will degenerate into a global conflict between nuclear armed power blocs in which there will be no, no, no winners, only millions and millions of losers.

The MP, who is now an independent, also said reports of discrimination against people from African and Indian backgrounds on Ukraines borders had utterly shocked him.

I cannot be the only person in this square who was utterly shocked when I heard that African students were pushed off trains to make way for somebody else. That Indian students were denied access at the border into Poland and other places.

He took aim at the UK Governments appalling borders bill as he called for refugees from Ukraine and elsewhere to be welcomed into the UK on a larger scale.

The Government needs to abandon its appalling Borders and Nationality Bill which would criminalise people for helping refugees We support refugees, whoever they are, wherever they are, wherever theyve come from, he said.

People take part in a demonstration in Parliament Square (Ian West/PA)

Writer Victoria Brittain said: At this time we really need to be together. Were meeting at a moment of terrifying existential crisis  a nuclear war and a climate crisis.

Every day of this war with its unmistakeable nuclear threat and its massive fossil fuel consumption intensifies those twin crises, she added.

This war can only end in negotiations. A ceasefire, the withdrawal of Russian troops, and a settlement very different from the Treaty of Versailles when the humiliation of one country led to the rise of a despotic mass murderer and World War II.

The rally was held by the Stop the War Coalition along with the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), No to Nato network, and Codepink.

Stop the War has caused controversy in recent months for its Nato-critical stance. It has described itself as opposed to the British Governments aggressive posturing and the blocs eastward expansion.

Sinn Fein MP Chris Hazzard said: The thought of Europe sliding once again into the perilous wars of the past is horrifying and what we actively oppose.

Withdraw the Russian troops and return to the negotiation table, he added.

(Ian West/PA)

Elsewhere in the capital, campaigners unfurled an 18-metre Ukrainian flag calling for solidarity with the countrys citizens and refugees.

The stunt, organised by Freedom From Torture, was carried out on Westminster Bridge with Parliament and Big Ben in the background.

Chief executive Sonya Sceats said it was intended to send a clear message to Government that its borders bill would penalise Ukrainians who make their own way to the UK.

They are ignoring the public (support for those fleeing the conflict)  so we put this message where they couldnt possibly miss it, she said.

And a separate protest in support of Ukraine was held in Parliament Square and also attracted hundreds of supporters.

Many waved Ukrainian flags while others held signs with messages including Sanctions dont stop tanks, Close the airspace over Ukraine and Say no to dictators.

Protesters also gathered in Bristol town centre to rally against the invasion, many of them wearing the yellow and blue of the Ukrainian flag.

Andrew Warsley, 76, who attended with his band, told the PA news agency: Im very concerned about what Putin is doing and where the consequences could be going.

The UK could be doing more  we dont want to get into a war with Russia but we could do with putting Putin under a lot more pressure.

Id like to see us stopping all Russian oil and gas imports.

Josh Pysanczyn, 26, a research scientist, said he had relatives in Ukraine who were standing their ground against the assault.

Alison Lochhead, 68, said: A lot of people will die but more people will die if theres a nuclear war.
As a result of an attack by Russian troops, a television tower in Kharkiv was damaged, and television broadcasting was suspended, Head of Kharkiv Regional Military Administration Oleh Syniohubov has said.

"In Kharkiv, as a result of an attack by a Russian enemy, a television tower was damaged. Television broadcasting was suspended for a while," he said in his Telegram channel.

"According to a representative of the Broadcasting, radio communication and television concern, there is no signal yet. They will work on restoration, which will be announced later," Siniohubov said.
The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has appointed acting vice-chancellors for the two newly established universities in the state.

While Idowu Okuneye, a professor of education, will serve as the acting vice-chancellor for Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), Ijanikin, Oluremi Olaleye, a holder of PhD in Microbiology, will serve in the same capacity at the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), Ikorodu.

The appointment, according to the special adviser on education to Mr Sanwo-Olu, Tokunbo Wahab, will be for a period of three months.

Mr Wahab, who confirmed the development to PREMIUM TIMES reporter in a terse message, did not provide details.

It is, however, unclear if the process for the appointment of substantive vice-chancellors for the universities would have been initiated and concluded before the expiration of the three-month tenure.

New appointees

Mrs Okuneye, formerly a lecturer at the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, was also the provost of the erstwhile Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), Ijanikin.

She will be assisted as acting deputy vice-chancellor by the former provost of Michael Otedola College of Primary Education (MOCPED), Epe, Nasiru Onibon.

Mr Onibon, a PhD certificate holder in Arabic Language Studies, was a lecturer at the Foreign Language Department in LASU until his appointment to head MOCPED.

On his part, Mr Olaleye, a former LASPOTECH rector, will be assisted by both Olumide Metilelu and Kola Godonu as deputy vice-chancellors in acting capacity in charge of academic and administration, respectively.

Confirming the development to PREMIUM TIMES on the phone, Mrs Okuneye thanked the governor and Mr Wahab for finding them worthy of being capable to give a sound footing to the new institutions.

Universities ready for new intakes

According Mrs Okuneye, LASUED is prepared to admit new intakes for its degree programmes, saying the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has listed the two new institutions among the available ivory towers for the 2022 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) which has been scheduled to hold in May.

The acting VC also spoke on the new things to expect from the institution, even as she called on relevant stakeholders to support the governments vision of building a sound future for the incoming generations through quality and impact-driven education.

She said: Before now, we were raining professional teachers at the lower level leading to the award of NCE. But now we are going to train professional teachers at the higher level and they are going to be awarded degree certificates.

And for those currently in our NCE programme, instead of graduating them after three years, they will now be graduating after additional three years, making six years to acquire their degree certificates of bachellor in education (B.ed). And before their convocation, they would have been registered with the Teachers Registration of Nigeria (TRCN).

She said the transmutation has been smooth all along and appealed to the staff and students of the institution to support the drive for excellence.

On 3-month tenure

The acting vice-chancellor also spoke on the governments decision to offer the new leaderships of the two institutions only three months in acting capacities.

She said the government knew why it took the decision and that it must be in the interest of the institutions.

Honestly, the government has been very passionate about this project and they know very well what is good for the institution. It is a testing period, and I think we are just feeling the pulse. So it is in the governments wisdom to do what they think is best for us.

Backstory

The National Universities Commission (NUC), Nigerias regulatory body in charge of universities, had earlier in February presented the operational licences for the two universities to Mr Sanwo-Olu as a mark of the completion of the establishment processes.

NUCs executive secretary, Abdulrasheed Abubakar, had also told the governor that the agency had communicated appropriate educational agencies of government including JAMB, Tertiary Education Trust Find (TETFund) and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), among others, of the additional two universities.

While LASUSTECH is a transmutation of the hitherto existing (LASPOTECH), the latter is a product of the transmutation of both the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), Ijanikin, and Michael Otedola College of Primary Education (MOCPED), Epe.

Also speaking during the presentation of the licences, Mr Wahab had said the government would expedite action towards ensuring that fresh students resume into the university for the 2022/2023 academic session.

He, however, added that the new development marks the end of admission of candidates into the hitherto existing National Diploma (ND), Higher National Diploma (HND) and the National Certificate in Education (NCE) programmes offered by LASPOTECH, AOCOED and MOCPED.
Every day I send them the necessary information, but the response is that This is some kind of fake information, that this cannot be the case at all, that no one can or will shoot at civilians, she said.

Ms. Belomytseva, from Kharkiv, said that while her husband was still trying to communicate with his family in Russia, she had cut off most of her relatives there eight years ago, after the annexation of Crimea and the invasion of eastern Ukraine.

But Mr. Katsurin said he could not push his closest family members out of his life.

They are our relatives, theyre the closest people we have, and this is not about them, he said. I am not angry at my father  I am angry at the Kremlin. Im angry about the Russian propaganda. Im not angry at these people. I understand that I cannot blame them in this situation.

He said he thought about cutting his father off but decided that was the wrong response. The easiest thing to do would be to say, OK, now I dont have a father, he said. But I believe that I need to do this because it is my father.

He said that if everyone worked to explain the truth to their families, the narrative could change. After a post on Instagram complaining about his fathers disbelief went viral, he launched a website, papapover.com, which means Papa, believe, with instructions for Ukrainians about how to speak to their family members about the war.
Rafale jet fighters of the French Air Force patrol the airspace over Poland on March 4, 2022, as part of NATO's surveillance system (Nicolas Tucat/AFP via Getty Images)

Russia: Countries Allowing Ukraine to Use Their Airfields May Be Regarded as Entering Conflict

Russias Defense Ministry on Sunday warned that any country that offers the use of its airfields to Ukraines military for attacks on Russian assets could be considered as having entered the conflict.

The use of the airfield networks of these countries to base Ukrainian military aircraft and their subsequent use against the Russian armed forces may be regarded as the involvement of these states in an armed conflict, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov told the Interfax news agency on Sunday evening local time.

Konashenkov said Russian officials are aware of Ukrainian combat planes which earlier flew to Romania and other neighboring countries, without elaborating.

Since the conflict started on Feb. 24, the United States, its NATO allies, and other European nations have flooded Ukraine with missiles, anti-tank missiles, ammunition, weapons, and other supplies. There have also been reports claiming that European and NATO countries are working to send fighter jets to Ukraine.

A report from the Financial Times, meanwhile, quoted an anonymous White House official as saying the United States is working with Polish officials to send the jets to Ukraines military, but Polands government disputed those reports as false.

Thick smoke rising beyond vehicles blocking a road in Enerhodar, Ukraine, on March 3, 2022. (AP/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

FAKE NEWS! Unfortunately you are spreading misinformation with quotation from 27/02/22. Poland wont send its fighter jets to #Ukraine as well as allow to use its airports. We significantly help in many other areas, the Polish prime ministers office wrote on Sunday morning in a Twitter post to the pro-Kyiv news outlet NEXTA, which repeated the claim that Poland and the United States are trying to get fighter planes to Kyiv.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly asked the United States and NATO to provide jets or enforce a no-fly zone, urging American members of Congress on Friday again to do so in a Zoom call.

But NATOs Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg, and top White House officials have said that a no-fly zone is not being considered over Ukraine, which is not a member of NATO, because it would entail having U.S. or NATO planes shooting down Russian military aircraft or attacking assets in Ukraine and inside Russia. Stoltenberg warned late last week that the move would lead to a sharp escalation in the conflict with Russia, which has perhaps the largest arsenal of nuclear weapons in the world.

Despite the risks, some members of Congress, including outgoing Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), have called for a no-fly zone to be enforced over the Eastern European nation.

On Sunday morning, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) told ABC News that a no-fly zone over Ukraine would lead to another world war.

A no-fly zone has become a catchphrase. Im not sure a lot of people fully understand what that means, Rubio told ABC News. That means flying AWACS 24 hours a day, that means the willingness to shoot down and engage Russian airplanes in the sky. That means, frankly, you cant put those planes up there unless theyre willing to knock out the anti-aircraft systems that the Russians have deployed in, and not just in Ukraine, but Russia and also in Belarus, Rubio said.
Pope Francis on Sunday appreciated the journalists covering the Russia-Ukraine conflict while putting their lives at risk to provide information and called for the cessation of armed attacks. Taking to Twitter, Pope Francis wrote, "I would also like to thank the journalists who put their lives at risk to provide information. Thank you, brothers and sisters, for this service that allows us to be close to the tragedy of that population and enables us to assess the cruelty of war." "I make a heartfelt appeal for humanitarian corridors to be genuinely secured, and for aid to be guaranteed and access facilitated to the besieged areas, in order to offer vital relief to our brothers and sisters oppressed by bombs and fear. I thank all those who are taking in refugees. Above all, I implore that the armed attacks cease and that negotiation - and common sense - prevail. And that international law is respected once again!" he wrote. Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions, Donetsk and Luhansk as independent republics followed by the announcement of a "special military operation" to "demilitarize" and "denazify" Ukraine. (ANI)
Authorities have released the names of a Bismarck man who was killed and the three people who were injured Friday in crashes on icy roads.

Abdulkadir Abdi, 31, died about 6 p.m. when his car collided nearly head-on with a 1990 Freightliner, according to the North Dakota Highway Patrol. The crash occurred about 6 miles east of Bismarck on Highway 10. The driver of the Freightliner, 68-year-old Paul Silbernagel, of Bismarck, was not injured.

Three people were injured in a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 94 west of Mandan. Hashi Shire, 37, of Richfield, Minnesota, the driver of a 2020 Freightliner pulling double box trailers, was eastbound when he lost control, crossed the median, and collided with a GMC Sierra that was pulling a trailer loaded with a pickup. Shire suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, the Patrol said. Ahmed Ahmed, 27, of Minnetonka, Minnesota, a passenger in the Freightliner, was not injured.

The driver and passenger in the GMC were transported to a Bismarck hospital for treatment of serious injuries. The Patrol identified them as Scott Walden, 46, and Antonina Walden, 49, both of Missoula, Montana.

Both crashes remain under investigation by the Highway Patrol.
The answer to this question is two-fold. Australian competition lawyers believe the platforms are lodging jurisdictional challenges simply because they can. Big Tech is keen to hammer home the message that legal action against these companies in any jurisdiction can be costly and might not be worth the effort. Loading But even more important, almost all US-based tech giants have put in place a legal strategy designed to limit damages for breaching contracts with third-party users and to focus all legal action on courthouses in San Jose, California, in the heart of Silicon Valley. Googles revamp of its terms of service with users is designed to cap its own liability for contractual violations at $US200, in most cases. Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Twitter, Yelp, TikTok and Meta have all adopted similar contracts.

These changes have been accompanied by wording on where disputes should be resolved  something designed to avoid the very jurisdictional clashes underway in Australia. The platforms hope is that contractual disputes will be seen as just that  disagreements over the terms of a contract, rather than matters to be dealt with under competition, consumer or privacy law. Googles terms of service now say that California law will govern disputes and that these are to be resolved exclusively in the federal or state courts of Santa Clara County, California, USA  a clause that appears to rule out the involvement of foreign courts. The verdicts also raise the prospect of Australia becoming the jurisdiction of choice for global companies wanting to challenge the platforms ascendancy. Its in this context that the rulings of Australian judges need to be read. The Federal Court of Australias insistence that local laws override Big Techs contracts with users  albeit for a variety of reasons  could pose a threat to the US platforms legal strategy. In turn, that may explain why the platforms are so eager to fight this fight. The verdicts also raise the prospect of Australia becoming the jurisdiction of choice for global companies wanting to challenge the platforms ascendancy: a prospect illustrated by Epics lawsuits against Facebook and Google.

Do-or-die battle The outcome of Dialogues lawsuit targeting Metas Facebook and Instagram will be key to defining the prospects of third-party companies  businesses that are intermediaries between users and platforms  under Australian competition law. Loading The Melbourne-based start-up owns Sked Social, a social media management and scheduling tool. Sked helps companies plan and schedule their posts and videos on Instagram and Facebook, a service not provided at a comparable level by the social media platforms themselves. Dialogue is alleging that the decision by Meta to deny it access to the platforms was designed to harm Skeds ability to compete with Instagrams Content Publishing software. Dialogue claims Meta breached Australias 2010 Competition and Consumer Act.

The court action is a do-or-die battle for Dialogue, which for the past year has had to rely on court injunctions to force Meta to allow the companys employees to use Facebook and Instagram on behalf of their clients. Loading Meta must now decide whether to challenge the ruling at the Federal Courts appeals panel, which upheld a trial judges decision to deny the social media giants request to shut down the local lawsuit, and force Dialogue to pursue the matter in California. An appeal is seen as likely. Whatever the outcome, the courts ruling is being seen as a coming of age for platform lawsuits in Australia and is playing out against the backdrop of the influential digital platforms inquiry, completed by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) in 2019. The regulators follow-up five-year probe of the industry runs through to 2025 and is expected to prompt further enforcement. While what happened on the internet was previously seen as outside Australian regulatory control, the courts insistence that the business practices of foreign-based platforms are firmly within the purview of local laws amounts to a significant development.

For its part, the digital platforms inquiry put forward the possibility that local laws could be successfully unleashed on the tech giants. Laws dealing with messaging encryption, abhorrent video content and payment for the use of news, illustrated the belief in Australias legal sovereignty. War of attrition Yet the Dialogue lawsuit remains atypical. Unlike the US, Australia doesnt have a strong tradition of private companies pursuing civil claims under competition law against global giants, if for no other reason than the crippling expense of such lawsuits. This goes some way to explaining Metas assertive legal strategy against Dialogue. Whatever the outcome, the relatively small Melbourne-based company may struggle to go the distance, particularly if the matter is challenged in the High Court.

Other businesses planning to take on the might of global companies in an Australian court may be discouraged by the fear of retribution, a threat that competition lawyers believe is real. Will you be knocked off the platform for speaking up? How much will it cost you to get a court injunction? It remains unclear why Epic chose Australia for its global campaign against app stores; but the company has deep pockets and knows that allowing Australian courts to build up competition case law will, in the long run, benefit other developers, and harm tech giants in the process. So far, things have gone Epics way. Last July, the Federal Courts appeals panel overturned a trial judges ruling that the lawsuit against Apple should be heard in the US. Last month, the panel again took Epics side, ruling to allow the lawsuit against Google to proceed. Although not directly involved, the ACCC is paying close attention to these legal clashes because theyre based on competition law  an ACCC key enforcement priority, as outlined in the digital platforms inquiry.

Notably, the ACCC made an appearance for Apples appeal in the Epic lawsuit, making written submissions that argued the case needed to remain in Australia on public-interest grounds. Class action law firms are also expected to keep a close watch on the lawsuits, given the high number of individuals that may have been affected by Apple and Googles stranglehold on their app stores. Even if Epic and Dialogue were to fail, the courts have already resolved a key question. It doesnt matter if digital platforms have their head offices in Silicon Valley, nor does it matter where their data is stored, or whether they have a tightly worded contract in place with clients. If the lawsuit goes beyond a contractual dispute and touches on Australian competition or privacy law, theres now a strong precedent for keeping any lawsuit before a local judge. Epics game Fortnite is at the centre of a case in the Federal Court. Credit: The Australian courts initial success in rejecting Big Techs terms of service and asserting their right to have local matters resolved in Australia has been watched in other jurisdictions.

When asked about the Australian court rulings, US Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan said that while it was difficult to comment on how things were unfolding in other jurisdictions, institutional reluctance to cede control over cases was significant. Overall, its important for enforcers around the world to be able to assert their law enforcement over their jurisdictions, Khan said, referring to her recent conversations with outgoing ACCC chairman Rod Sims. As much as these companies have global presence, advancing coordination is paramount, Khan said, raising as an example the need for close coordination among regulators when grappling with deals that require approval in multiple jurisdictions that are on different timelines. As to whether Epics twin legal challenges targeting Apple and Google will succeed once they are brought to court in Australia, there appears to be little consensus among competition law practitioners in the country. The same can be said about Dialogues lawsuit against Meta. Some lawyers believe that even if the Epic and Dialogue cases against Apple, Google and Meta were to succeed, that wouldnt offer comfort to other companies planning to challenge the platforms in an Australian court.

Platform inquirys legacy The lawsuit targeting Metas Facebook brought by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, or OAIC, over the Cambridge Analytica data breach is also being closely watched for the enforcement precedent it may set. Now that the Federal Court has decided that the lawsuit can proceed in Australia, the question turns to whether Australian laws are strong enough to tackle the other jurisdictional challenges that lie ahead, and whether the notoriously underfunded OAIC is up to the task. As for Meta, the Australian Cambridge Analytica lawsuit is likely to rankle, given that a similar lawsuit is already underway and could go to trial in California next year. Meta is now facing the real prospect of having to defend itself for the same alleged violations in multiple jurisdictions around the world  something that will ratchet up pressure on the company and the legal expenses of the case.

Even more significant, though, is the prospect that investigations conducted in Australia and the US will cross-pollinate  as occurred in the recent Google-Android data-location lawsuit, which saw the ACCC and prosecutors in the US state of Arizona sharing information and documents. Litigation is like warfare ...when people are attacked in war, they will respond with whatever means they can. Antitrust lawyer Indeed, Australian legal experts believe the Cambridge Analytica lawsuit represents an evolution in the way enforcers are dealing with international challenges that may have once ended up in the too-hard basket. And this may be a cultural legacy of the ACCCs digital platforms inquiry. In the mid-teens, say 2014 or 2015, there was a perception by the bureaucracy of government, and probably by regulators, that if it happened on the internet, then it couldnt be regulated, a privacy lawyer said. The ACCC digital platform inquiry led to a change in perception by governments and regulators as to what the role of government is, the lawyer said. But whatever insight may have been gleaned from the digital platforms inquiry wont stop the platforms unleashing their limitless budgets to push back on every new legal avenue that may be explored in an Australian court. Litigation is like warfare, an antitrust lawyer said. When people are attacked in war, they will respond with whatever means they can.
Its been nearly 12 years since TD Bank bailed out a failing South Carolina lender to punctuate its ambitious East Coast growth plan.

Canada's $1.8 trillion financial juggernaut is finally ready for its long-delayed second act in the Southeast.

TD Bank Group announced last week it had struck a deal to buy Tennessee-based First Horizon Corp. in a rich all-cash deal valued at $13.4 billion, calling the planned tie-up "a powerful combination that will deliver great results."

Weve been patient in waiting for the right opportunity, and in First Horizon we have found it, CEO Bharat Masrani told financial analysts and investors on a Feb. 28 conference call.

He called the 158-year-old Memphis-born lender "a terrific strategic fit for TD."

The sale, which is scheduled to close by early next year, will create the sixth-largest U.S. bank if regulators on both sides of the border sign off on it. TD's loans and other assets would swell to $614 billion at 1,560 branches with more than 10.7 million customers across 22 states.

"Scale is critical. ... The business of banking is a scale business, and you need the scale. And particularly, over the past 10 years or so, that has been reinforced with the type of regulatory requirements, with the type of digital offerings that you need to effectively compete," Masrani said.

In South Carolina, the combined franchise will operate nearly 70 offices with more than $7 billion in deposits, including 10 locations in the Charleston area.

In a move viewed by some industry watchers as a way to appease regulators, TD is vowing not to close any retail branches after the sale. It also plans to keep all First Horizon bankers and other employees who interact with customers and is setting aside $150 million to keep talent from jumping ship.

"This is all about extending," Masrani said. "This is all about densifying in the markets we are in. So that's ... one of the key things we're going to do here is to retain the front-line folks, both in retail and commercial, because that is a core part of what we are buying here and a very important part."

Playing offense

The deal emerged less than six weeks after a major news outlet in Canada raised questions about whether the cash-flush TD had become too risk-averse under the steady hand of Masrani, who has been chief executive officer since 2014 and was one of the key architects behind the "Maine-to-Florida" U.S. expansion the company launched in 2004. The Jan. 22 article in the Globe and Mail questioned whether he would pull off a bold legacy-defining transaction before he retires.

At least one analyst agreed with the notion that TD was moving too conservatively.

It doesnt come across that theyre playing enough offense. And you want them to play offense, Ebrahim Poonawala of Bank of America told the paper. They are coming at this from a position of strength  in the balance sheet, in capital, stability. The frustration is theyre not monetizing it to the fullest.

That was then. The surprise First Horizon buyout  TD's biggest ever  should put those questions to rest.

It was a tidy and timely coincidence that the acquisition was announced a week after former regional rivals BB&T of Winston-Salem, N.C., and Atlanta's SunTrust tied the final bow on their December 2019 merger by making the switch to the Truist brand at all of its branches and offices across the Palmetto State.

Industry analyst Chris Marinac senses a recurring theme.

"In terms of why the merger happened, I think it's very analogous of SunTrust and BB&T," Marinac said Thursday. "If you go back to February 2019, at the time SunTrust said, 'Hey, we have some big investments to make in technology, and we're a little bit behind and BB&T is ahead. We think doing it together makes a lot of sense because why should we have a space race with our peer in the Southeast. Let's do it together.'"

First Horizon, once a serial acquirer itself, could have been facing a similar quandary, he said.

A possible tipping point was the Volunteer State lender's 2020 buyout of Louisiana stalwart IberiaBank. Marinac, who is director of research at Janney Montgomery Scott in Atlanta, said the $2.4 billion acquisition took First Horizon longer to absorb, partly because of Hurricane Ida, and will require more investments in "major systems upgrades."

TD's fat offer of $25 a share  a nearly 40 percent premium compared to the stock price last week  was another tempting factor the First Horizon board had to consider.

"I think it's the combination of knowing there are technology investments still ahead that they had to make, knowing that it was not going to be an easy walk in the park to execute on what they already were trying to do with Iberia ... and, hey, a nice price tag," he said.

"I feel like that it's a hard pill to swallow," Marinac added, "but it also was hard for SunTrust to admit three years ago that we just had to do something different than what we're doing."

First Horizon CEO Bryan Jordan told his bank's hometown Commercial Appeal newspaper that the sale to TD "will allow us to bring together a better product set, better technology and leverage the scale of a $1.8 trillion global organization and their broad capabilities. What well see over time is there will be a period of a year or two where there wont be a whole lot of change, but then customers will get to experience the benefit of the bigger balance sheet and a more technologically advanced product set.

Southeast push via SC

As TD sees it, the deal is all about chasing highly attractive demographics and population trends, stressing that the Southeast is one of fastest-growing regions in the U.S. An added bonus is that it'll gain a foothold in major Sunbelt business centers like Atlanta, Dallas and Houston, creating a foundation to grow its commercial banking business, said Leo Salom, president of U.S. operations.

"In many ways, we've been on a journey to build more national commercial banking capabilities," he said during last week's conference call. "And I think this is an accelerant to be able to do that. And we'll certainly lean into this. I think the one thing that I would emphasize is together these two businesses will form a very significant commercial banking competitor ... not only in our existing footprints but increasingly across the country."

The pairing brings together two names that cobbled together the bulk of South Carolina operations through acquisitions.

First Horizon went by First Tennessee when it opened a one-off loan office along the Mount Pleasant waterfront in 2013. A few years later, it picked up nine full-service retail branches, mostly in the Midlands and Upstate, when it bought Charlotte-based Capital Bank for $2.2 billion.

TD's South Carolina debut amid the rubble of the Great Recession was more dramatic. The expansion-minded financial snowbird swooped into the Palmetto State in 2010 when it paid $192 million for the hobbled Greenville-based Carolina First franchise. The purchase instantly gave TD 110 branches in two alluring financial-services markets: the Carolinas and Florida.

"This whole transaction is all about growth," Masrani told The Post and Courier the day the deal was announced.

While nearly 12 years have passed, he hasn't changed his tune. Or lost his patience.
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Cloudy with occasional light rain throughout the day. High 62F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 54F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.
Sean Feucht says being a revivalist has brought family 'hate, harassment and death threats'

Worship artist Sean Feucht, who has become a well-known revivalist leading outdoor revivals nationwide, has opened up about the amount of hatred he and his family have received for sharing the message of freedom in Christ.

The former Bethel Church worship released a new live record, Let Us Worship - Miami, in February, which captures the sound of revival he emitted in the atmosphere to kick off the new year. The album reached No. 1 on the iTunes chart under the Christian genre upon its release last month, and Feucht wants the live record to continue to resonate with listeners.

It is raw. It is not a polished, perfectly produced sound captured in a sterile studio that is normally heard on Christian radio, he told The Christian Post. Its a sound caught in the middle of revival outdoors in some of Americas hardest cities.

It feels like you are actually right there in the moment, he added. There is something powerful about that.

The father of four is the founder of the Let Us Worship movement. His New Years Eve concert in Miami was his first stop on the Let Us Worship Tour.

Feuchts Let Us Worship movement was birthed during the height of the COVID-19 lockdowns, in response to state and local governments across America restricting in-person worship through policies aimed at mitigating the spread of the coronavirus.

While Feucht came in third place in his bid for U.S. Congress in 2020 as a Republican in Californias 3rd Congressional District, he has since been at the center of several large health mandate-defying Christian revival gatherings in major cities across the nation.

The large revivals have brought national media scorn to Feucht, who hosted the outdoor rallies to worship and encourage Christians to become more politically active.

Feucht revealed that his bold stance for revival in these times has been difficult.

It is more controversial than I ever imagined, he admitted. Jesus was right when he warned the disciples, You will be hated by everyone because of me. But the one who stands firm to the end will be saved, (Matthew 10:22).

Feucht told CP that he and his family have endured the most intense resistance, hate, harassment and even death threats to our home and family that weve ever experienced.

But yet the glory has been incredible, and the testimony of breakthrough has sustained us, Feucht added.

The minister has been accused of being too political with his Gospel approach, but he believes ministry, politics and everything overlap.

The Church needs to wake up! he maintained. Christ calls us to be salt and light. He wants us to [put] His Love and truth to every facet of our life, not just our families and church, but schools, work, and politics too!

Feucht declared that the Church is in a season of historic revival!

While we are living through the wars and rumors of wars promised by Jesus in Matthew 24, I also believe that the Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached to the ends of the earth and then the end will come, he added. These are the times of great intensity and polarization. But they are also the times of awakening in the Church.

Songs and sounds captured in his heart are what Feucht hopes comes as he continues to press for more across America.

Let Us Worship exists to call a nation and people back to God, he stated.

He warned the world is closer than we were yesterday to the End Times.

In Let Us Worship - Miami, Feuct can be heard praying over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wife, Casey, who was diagnosed with breast cancer six months ago. Casey is now cancer-free, according to DeSantis, and the worship leader took to social media to testify of Gods healing power.

Feucht also shared several other testimonies from his Let Us Worship tour. He said people were healed of COVID, children were baptized and many other healings occurred.

The Oral Roberts University alum wants people to know that worship is essential in times of great turmoil and resistance.

It is what sustains us and our strength. We came in weighed down by the narratives of the world, wars, the media, etc. When we enter Gods presence, He is the glory and the lifter of our head, and we are reminded who is in control and who is on the throne, Feucht concluded.

He ended by telling believers everywhere to pray, stand and believe.
New Delhi: The CBI arrested former National Stock Exchange CEO Chitra Ramkrishna in the co-location scam case on Sunday, officials said.

Ramkrishna was arrested in Delhi and was taken for medical checkup, they said.

She was later lodged in lockup at the CBI headquarters, they said.

The CBI had grilled Ramkrishna for three consecutive days and carried out searches at her residence, officials said, adding that she was not giving proper responses.

The central probe agency had also used services of a senior psychologist of the Central Forensic Science Laboratory who also questioned her, they said.

The officials said the psychologist had also come to the conclusion that she was evasive in responses leaving no option for the agency but to arrest her.

A special CBI court had on Saturday rejected her anticipatory bail application, they said.

The CBI, which was probing the co-location scam since 2018 against a Delhi-based stock broker, swung into action after a Sebi report showed alleged abuse of power by the then top brass of the NSE, the officials said.

On February 25, the CBI had arrested former NSE group operating officer Anand Subramanian after expanding its probe into the co-location scam in the exchange following "fresh facts" in the Sebi report that referred to a mysterious yogi guiding the actions of Ramkrishna.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) on February 11 had charged Ramkrishna and others with alleged governance lapses in the appointment of Subramanian as the chief strategic advisor and his re-designation as group operating officer and advisor to MD.

Subramanian was allegedly referred to as the "yogi" in the forensic audit but Sebi in its final report had rejected the claim.

Ramkrishna, who succeeded former CEO Ravi Narain in 2013, had appointed Subramanian as her advisor who was later elevated as group operating officer (GOO) at a fat pay cheque of Rs 4.21 crore annually.

Subramanian's controversial appointment and subsequent elevation, besides crucial decisions, were guided by an unidentified person who Ramkrishna claimed was a formless mysterious yogi dwelling in the Himalayas, a probe into Ramkrishna's email exchanges during the Sebi-ordered audit showed.

Sebi has levied a fine of Rs 3 crore on Ramkrishna, Rs 2 crore each on NSE, Subramanian, former NSE MD and CEO Ravi Narain, and Rs 6 lakh on V R Narasimhan, who was the chief regulatory officer and compliance officer.

Ramkrishna had left NSE in 2016.

Live TV
Ireland Baldwin shared a candid post from her bathroom floor after suffering from an anxiety attack.

The 26-year-old model, who has been open about her struggles with anxiety, uploaded two photos in which she was seen sitting on the floor of her bathroom and revealed that her attack had been triggered by drinking coffee.

'Its anxiety attack time,' Ireland wrote in the caption of her post on Sunday.

Struggling: Ireland Baldwin shared a candid post from her bathroom floor after suffering from an anxiety attack

She continued, 'This morning I had one cup of coffee on an empty stomach which turned into an anxiety attack!

'I am currently writing this from the bathroom floor. I usually sit here like this or lay in fetal position until I cant cry or throw up anymore.

'Coffee is major esophageal irritator and reflux trigger for me which leads to anxiety. If you are an anxiety sufferer like myself, coffee isnt your friend!

Trigger: The 26-year-old model revealed that her attack had been triggered by drinking coffee

'Youre probably asking why I drank it in the first place? Well thats because Im a silly goose.

'Writing this and being open with yall about my struggles helps it pass. If coffee makes you sh*t your pants and makes you experience this, please share below!'

In the first image that Ireland posted, the Grudge Match star was seen in beige t-shirt and sweatpants with her auburn hair pulled up into a loose topknot.

She closed her eyes as she wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her cheek on her knees.

The Los Angeles native's went makeup-free with her face slightly flushed as she gazed at the camera in the next photo.

Candid: Ireland has been open about her ongoing struggles with anxiety. Pictured in 2019

According to the American Psychiatric Association, caffeine can aggravate symptoms in those already predisposed to anxiety or panic attacks as it stimulates activity within the sympathetic nervous system.

In January, Ireland revealed on Instagram that she has uses a blood pressure monitor to read her heart rate and blood pressure after being diagnosed with cardiophobia.

Cardiophobia is an anxiety disorder characterized by complaints of chest pain, heart palpitations, accompanied by fears of having a heart attack and of dying.

Ireland said her anxiety makes her suffer with heart palpitations and chest pain which 'convince me that I have an underlying heart condition that I don't have'.

Worries: In January, the Grudge Match star revealed she lives in constant fear she's dying from a heart attack

The daughter of Alec Baldwin wrote: 'This is not an ad for a blood pressure machine. This is not at ad at all.

'I am posting this for whoever suffers with anxiety and anxiety disorders like I do. I ordered a blood pressure monitor to accurately read my heart rate and blood pressure because I live in a constant fear that Im dying from a heart attack also known as cardiophobia.

'The heart palpitations and chest pain brought on by your typical anxiety attack convinces me that I am a 26 year old with an underlying heart condition that I dont have. I do not take medication.

Scared: Ireland explained how she uses a blood pressure monitor to read her heart rate and blood pressure due to her phobia

Phobia: 'I am posting this for whoever suffers with anxiety and anxiety disorders like I do', she wrote

'I dont believe in it but I understand some people need their medications. I have worked with anxiety specialists and I have gotten into breath work but nothing brings me more comfort than an EKG.'

Ireland went on to explain how her anxiety attacks in the past have been so severe she has called ambulances and gone to hospital in past for medics to 'assure me my heart is ok'.

She continued: 'I know it may seem silly to you, but this little machine has brought me the utmost comfort.

'I just want anyone who suffers from their own anxieties to know that I am here and you are not alone.

'It can be so embarrassing and isolating at times. My anxiety has made me miss out on a lot in this life and my true 2022 goal is not let it get in my way.'

Ireland said her anxiety is triggered by food, her digestive system, her heart, big crowds, airplanes and much more.

Telling fans they're not alone, she said: ' Hold on to your comfort item right. Dont let people make you feel guilty for having to take a walk or take some space or stay home because youre not feeling good.

'Surround yourself with people who understand or at least try to. And if youre feeling anxious right now deep breaths. Youre going to be ok.'

Ireland has often discussed her battle with mental health. In 2018, the American model revealed she suffered with suicidal thoughts whilst depressed.

In 2015 she spent time in rehab overcoming 'emotional trauma'.

Anxiety: Ireland said her anxiety is triggered by food, her digestive system, her heart, big crowds, airplanes and much more
The Minister of National Defence, Vasile Dincu, on Monday will have a meeting with the Minister of Defence of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Kajsa Ollongren, at the 57th Air Base in Mihail Kogalniceanu, informs the Ministry of Defence.

There are 150 soldiers from the 11th Air Assault Brigade from the Kingdom of the Netherlands currently deployed at the Mihail Kogalniceanu military base. They have been deployed in Romania to participate, between March 7 and 24, in the multinational exercise "Rapid Falcon 22" at the "Babadag" Secondary Combat Training Centre, in Tulcea County.

The drill will also be attended by soldiers of the 495th Parachute Battalion "Captain Stefan Soverth" from Bucharest and the 9th Mechanized Brigade "Marasesti" from Constanta, as well as Romanian and American helicopters.

According to the Ministry of Defence, the objectives of this exercise are joint training, increasing interoperability and joint responsiveness, as well as developing functional relationships between the participating structures, informs Agerpres.
The Russian push on Kyiv is becoming more deadly and indiscriminate with people fleeing the towns of Bucha and Irpin as they are pounded by air strikes. Credit card giants Visa and Mastercard refusing to do business with Moscow and thousands of demonstrators took to the street to protest against the war in cities world wide.

Ukraine's military says it is fighting "fierce battles" with Russian forces on the edge of the southern city of Mykolaiv, which controls the road to the key Black Sea city of Odessa in the west.

Dozens of civilians are being killed in the battle for Chernihiv in the north, with those who remain living in craters or among the ruins, with AFP witnessing scenes of devastation.

Deadly and indiscriminate

The Russian push on Kyiv is also becoming more deadly and indiscriminate despite Moscow's denials that it is targeting civilian areas, with people fleeing the towns of Bucha and Irpin as they are pounded by air strikes.

Zelensky's plea to US

Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky phones President Joe Biden after pressing US lawmakers for an embargo on Russian oil imports, with the White House against a ban for fear of driving up prices as Washington promises more financial aid.

Give us fighters

Zelensky pleads with former Warsaw Pact Eastern European countries to give Ukraine Russian-made warplanes that his pilots are trained to fly after some were promised last week.

Siege ceasefire collapse

Russia resumes its attack on the besieged Black Sea city of Mariupol after a ceasefire to evacuate civilians breaks down.

Officials inside the city, which has no water or power, say they had to postpone the operation in the face of Russian shelling, with Moscow saying Ukraine was blocking people leaving. Doctors Without Borders call the situation "catastrophic".

Visa and Mastercard suspensions

Credit card giants Visa and Mastercard join the growing list of brands refusing to do business with Moscow over the invasion of Ukraine. We are compelled to act following Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, and the unacceptable events that we have witnessed, Visa CEO Al Kelly said in a press release.

Putin: Ukraine could cease to exist

Russian President Vladimir Putin warns Ukraine it may cease to exist as a state if leaders "continue to do what they are doing".

He also says countries imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine will be considered combattants, while equating sanctions with a declaration of a war.

Nearly 1.4 million flee

More than 1.37 million people have fled Ukraine into neighbouring countries since Russia invaded last week, the UN says.

World wide protests

Tens of thousands of people demonstrated on Saturday in cities from Paris to New York in support of Ukraine, demanding an end to Russia's invasion.

Around 41,600 people demonstrated in 119 protests in towns and cities across France, according to interior ministry estimates. In Paris itself, some 16,000 turned out.

"Despite the suffering, we are going to win, we are sure of it," said Nataliya, a Franco-Ukrainian with the blue-and-yellow Ukrainian flag draped over shoulders, at the Paris protest.

"We will be here every weekend, in Paris or elsewhere, until Putin leaves, withdraws his tanks," said Aline Le Bail-Kremer, a member of Stand With Ukraine, one of the organisers of the protest.

Last weekend, hundreds of thousands also turned out in yellow and blue across Europe including in Russia, Germany, Spain, Finland and the Czech Republic.

Israeli PM visits Putin

In his first face-to-face with a foreign leader since the invasion, Putin holds talks with Israeli Premier Naftali Bennett, who has not condemned the Kremlin.

Media blackout

A host of international broadcasters, including the BBC and CNN say they will stop reporting from Russia over a new law threatening up to 15 years in jail for "fake news" about its invasion.

Independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta says it will also have to stop its reporting of the war.

No ticket out

Russia's flagship airline Aeroflot says it is suspending all its international flights except to Belarus.

More talks planned

One of Ukraine's negotiators says a third round of talks with Russia on ending the fighting will take place on Monday.

'Devastating' economic impacts

The already "serious" global economic impacts of the war in Ukraine would be "all the more devastating" should the conflict escalate, the IMF warns.

(With AFP)
Gas pipelines are pictured at the Atamanskaya compressor station, facility of Gazprom's Power Of Siberia project outside the far eastern town of Svobodny, in Amur region, Russia, on Nov. 29, 2019. (Maxim Shemetov/Reuters)

Gazprom Westbound Gas via Pipeline to Germany Hits a Snag

Russian natural gas heading westbound through the Yamal-Europe pipeline stopped on March 4, as Gazproms bids for additional transit capacity via Ukraine stand at high levels, according to data from the Gascade pipeline operators.

The Yamal pipeline between Poland and Germany accounts for about 15 percent of Russian gas to Europe and Turkey.

The 2,000-km (1,242-mile) pipeline from Torzhok, Russia, to Frankfurt an der Oder in Germany, can carry around 33 billion cubic meters of gas per year or 100 million cubic meters (MCM) per day.

Since the invasion of Ukraine, Gazprom has been intermittingly sending gas westward via the link in recent days amid high demand in Europe.

The conflict in Ukraine is increasing the risks of this route with each passing day.

Unstable Russian gas supplies and a high demand for energy amid an economic recovery from the pandemic have led to a spike in gas prices on the continent.

A cold snap in Europe is expected to last at least another week and is forcing consumers in the region to order more gas from Russia despite EU sanctions.

The steep drop in wind power generation this winter and the closure of nuclear power plants in Germany have been another hit to European energy supplies.

Another factor contributing to energy market tensions is uncertainty concerning Russian coal shipments to Europe.

Gazprom has also increased supplies to Europe via Ukraine, another key route in line with customers requests.

The GermanPolish section of the pipeline since Dec. 21, has been operating in reverse, eastbound, as buyers in Poland drew on stored supplies from Germany rather than buying more Russian gas at high spot prices, driving European gas prices higher.

Gazprom on March 3 had resumed westbound natural gas supplies via the to Germany from Poland, after the flow had stopped on the pipeline earlier the same day and was expected to continue until the morning of March 4.

Flows from Poland to Germany on the pipeline had been at 5.9 million kilowatt-hours (kWh/h), while re-nominations, or preliminary bids, stood at 19.3 million kWh/h through March 4, after Gazprom booked daily capacity at auctions.

Gazprom then booked YamalEurope pipeline capacity for March 4 through March 5 to pump 0.8 million cubic meters of gas per hour or 7.8 million kWh/h of gas transit capacity via the pipeline.

Gas to Germany via the Mallnow metering point had stood at about 101,119 kWh/h on the morning of March 4. with about 13.5 million kWh/h overnight.

However, the reverse flow nomination from Germany to Poland was almost the same, causing the physical gas flow to come to a halt as a result of two almost identical nominations in opposite directions being fulfilled.

The Russian energy company booked an additional 1 MCM of capacity from 10:00 p.m. until the morning of March 4, according to overnight data from the GSA Platform.

The orders altogether amounted to 46 percent of all available YamalEurope pipeline capacity available for booking.

President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia would continue to supply gas to global markets, disregarding tightening European and American sanctions against Moscow after the invasion of Ukraine.

Russia accounts for some 40 percent of European gas demand and is also a major supplier of oil.

Despite tensions with the Kremlin over Ukraine, there has been little effort from European states to sever energy ties, other than Germanys cancellation of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

Reuters contributed to this report.
The National Weather Services Skywarn storm spotter training is returning to Brazos County on March 10 to help educate community members about spotting and reporting weather events and responding to weather alerts.

What they learn is basically what to look for, what to report, and how to do that directly to the weather service, NWS meteorologist and Skywarn trainer Dan Reilly said. We go into a lot of detail on the visual appearance of storms, what you can tell by that, different visual cues, what the storm might be doing in terms of high winds, hail and even possible tornadoes.

The training comes in the middle of Severe Weather Awareness Week, which runs from March 7-11; however, Reilly noted that even though severe weather peaks in the spring, it can happen at any time of the year.

The NWS office that covers Brazos County and the majority of the Brazos Valley is located in the Houston-Galveston area, and Reilly said the office relies on community members to be the eyes on the ground to confirm what the NWS staff might be seeing on radar.

He noted spotters can be especially important for quick tornadoes that are not clearly visible on radar. As an example, he said, if someone sees a rotating funnel cloud and calls it in, the NWS can issue a tornado warning that alerts everyone in the area to take protective action.

Kevin Walton, an amateur radio operator, said NWS Skywarn spotters such as himself provide ground truth that supplements the information meteorologists receive from radar and equipment.

Walton said he is a spotter because he cares about his community and wants to help keep citizens safe during weather events.This is just another opportunity for us to be able to share information with people that can make a difference, like the National Weather Service, he said.

Michele Mead, Brazos County emergency management coordinator, said the radar at the National Weather Service goes out at an angle, so it ends up thousands of feet in the air when it reaches Bryan-College Station.

By the time it gets out here, which is to the edge of their territory, theres quite a bit of space between where that radar is looking at and the actual ground, and, with a fair amount of frequency, we see tornadic type activity in that area, so its not uncommon for us to have a situation where we get a tornado on the ground before we get an actual warning, she said.

Ron Hambric, who serves as the emergency coordinator for Brazos County Amateur Radio Emergency Services, said a heavy downpour could take an hour to effect people further downstream, but there can be just minutes to get information out about a hail storm or a tornado.

Thats what the National Weather Service does, gets it out to the public, he said. You want to get this timely information reported quickly to the National Weather Service so they can then keep others safe. Its very important to get that information to them as quick as we can.

Jason Ware said having multiple spotters throughout the county helps get a full picture of the storm, what it is doing and where it is going, which can help in emergency management.

Ware serves as deputy emergency management coordinator for Brazos County, fire chief for the Brazos County Pct. 3 Volunteer Fire Department and a sergeant with the Brazos County Sheriffs Office reserve program, and said spotters also help emergency services.

He said areas threatened by flooding can be evacuated based on spotter information and information about flooded roadways, downed trees or road closures can be passed on to emergency services. The information can also help prepare resources, so they can be deployed quickly to people who need them.

Ultimately, it boils down to learning how to safely report (these) type of weather events, knowing what to report, where to report it, he said. And, in the long run, it benefits the entire community, including the response community with getting this information out.

Mead said even if people do not necessarily want to become storm spotters for the NWS, the course can be useful in keeping themselves and their family and friends safe.

Learning as much as you can about what to look for helps you better prepare for those storm seasons, and we have several in the state of Texas in my opinion, as well as prepare your family and then be able to help your community should something happen, she said.

Reilly said people do not need to have any background in weather to attend the training, saying the free basic course being offered Thursday is for anyone interested in learning more about weather and how to spot severe weather.

There are two Brazos County Skywarn trainings at the Brazos Center on March 10, one from 1-3 p.m. and another from 6-8 p.m. There is also a Crockett session is March 9 from 7-9 p.m. at the Houston County Justice Center.

Anyone interested in attending a Brazos County session is asked to RSVP Amy Zaragoza at azaragoza@cstx.gov.

Reilly said there is also a Skywarn training session in Crockett March 9, and they are hoping to offer more virtual sessions in the future for those who cannot attend an in-person event.

For information about severe weather preparedness, go to texasready.gov and ready.gov. Both websites include preparedness information, such as developing an evacuation plan and preparing a disaster supply kit. Some information about preparing for severe weather and the aftermath of storms also will be included in the Skywarn training course.

National Weather Service resources will be posted to the NWS website at weather.gov/houston and to their social media pages @nwshouston.
New computers at Grand Island Public Library are giving youths the ability of creation and artistic expression.

GIPL was awarded $3,247 from the Nebraska Library Commission for youth library services to provide educational programming.

Six new computers were purchased, three using the NLC funds, which will mainly serve as a gateway to the librarys makerspace.

The new computers were installed in early February.

The grant is for libraries to help fund library projects, specifically to target youth, said Youth & Family Services Librarian Laura Fentress. When we saw that this grant was available, I thought immediately of the makerspace, which, in my opinion, is one of the coolest places in the library.

The creative workspace includes a 3D printer, sublimation printer, CriCut Explore air cutting machine, and Bernina sewing machine, as well as robotics, coding and STEM kits.

While a great resource, access can be difficult for some, Fentress said.

To use the space, teens must have a waiver signed by a parent or guardian, and not all youths are trained on how to use the equipment.

Right now, our staffing levels are kind of low because of COVID, so we cant really have dedicated makerspace staff, she said, and for people to come use the makerspace, a lot of times they need to have a degree of comfort with the machines.

The new computers will serve as a gateway to the makerspace, Fentress said.

The computers will have design software and internet links for assistance and resources.

Its a space thats makerspace adjacent that has low-tech tools and materials for teens to use to try out things, engineer things, learn a craft or a skill, and they can just come and use it, she said.

Library Director Celine Swan applauded the new technology and Fentresss efforts.

Grand Island Public Library is excited to apply and receive aid for technology through various grants, she said. We replaced three teen computers and we used some of the (American Rescue Plan Act) grant money to replace the other three teen computers. The teen computers, as were other library computers, needed replacement.

Fentress is planning summer programming to introduce teens to the software and the offerings in the makerspace, and an open house to show what is possible.

Other physical resources also would become available, such as simple tools and materials.

Library Foundation Director Leigh Lillibridge applied to the Greater Grand Island Community Foundation Youth Philanthropy Grant for funds for those, Fentress said.

Fentress was thrilled to find out the library had been awarded the NLC funds.

Were happy to get any funding for these computers, because we needed them for our teens, she said. We want to make sure we have up-to-date technology for teens, because it doesnt do them much good if theyre learning on things that are a decade old.

The library has pursued many post-COVID grant opportunities, said Swan.

Our library has taken part in many grants over the years and with many grants available due to ARPA we applied for the ARPA Formula Grant that was available for all legally established public libraries in Nebraska, she said.

The library also received $17,848, which was used to replace adult public computers and the three teen computers, Swan said.

We also applied for the 2022 ARPA Library Improvement Grant and we were awarded $28,232, and we are using this money to help replace our library self-checkout system that had reached end-of-life, she said.

Providing resources for youths is important, Fentress said.

Technology is marching on at a rapid pace, she said. We want to make sure we have, available to our community, these sophisticated tools that teens can use to gains those skills without having to take a special class, and a lot of these machines are prohibitively expensive for the consumer.

She added, Makerspaces can really facilitate technology, engineering and especially art.

Of the 78 libraries that received NLC funds, Hastings Public Library received $2,785 and Central City Public Library received $3,500.

The funding was provided through the American Rescue Plan Act and administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Pierce Brosnan is becoming something of a stalwart of the art world, with the star regularly sharing snaps of his work on social media.

And the actor, 68, who previously sold a portrait of Bob Dylan for a whopping 1.1million, took to Instagram on Sunday to post some pictures of his latest pieces, including one by his son Paris, 21.

In the images, the former James Bond star is seen sitting in front of the paintings while at his Californian home.

Work of art: Pierce Brosnan, 68, took to Instagram on Sunday to post some pictures of his latest pieces, including one by his son Paris, 21

He captioned his post: 'Garage studioMalibu Totems and the holy dove with two paintings by Paris.'

The star is sitting below a black and white abstract shot while other colourful pieces surround him.

In another photo, Pierce stood outside in the sunshine as he painted one of his pieces.

Snapshot: Pierce is becoming something of a stalwart of the art world, with the star regularly sharing snaps of his work on social media

Home is where the heart is: In the images, the former James Bond star is seen sitting in front of the paintings while at his Californian home

Hot stuff: In one photo, Pierce stood outside in the sunshine as he painted one of his pieces at home

Pierce previously spoke about his passion for art in an interview and shared his plans to have an exhibition in Santa Monica, California.

He revealed that his wife, Keely, 58, had a documentary aired at the Cannes Film Festival, and when organisers discovered Pierce was a painter, they asked him to auction an artwork for amFAR - a charity supporting AIDS research.

In an interview with Parade magazine, Pierce said: 'I'd done a painting of Bob Dylan, who is a great hero of mine.

Man of many words: He captioned his post: 'Garage studioMalibu Totems and the holy dove with two paintings by Paris'

Life in colour: The star is sitting below a black and white abstract shot while other colourful pieces surround him

Family affair: Pierce shared one of the paintings created by his son Paris (right), who he shares with wife Keely Shaye Smith, 58 (pictured last month)

Artistic: Pierce previously sold a portrait of his idol Bob Dylan for $1.4million (1.1million) and is pictured with the portrait here in 2018

'It sold for $1.4million (1.1million) and Keely and I just danced into the night. If it could be like that all the time, I definitely would give up the acting game.'

Pierce took up painting in 1987 when his late wife, Cassandra Harris, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Their daughter Charlotte died of the same disease in 2013 at the age of 41.

He also praised his second wife Keely for 'directing' his life for 25 years. The couple have two children - Dylan, 25, and Paris.

Man of many talents: Pierce previously revealed his plans for an exhibition of his art, sharing a picture of himself posing alongside one of his works on Instagram last year

Creative: The star posted 10 of his creations on the social media site with one image showing a man wearing a necklace made of Swiss cheese as he stood on an island beneath the moon

Open heart: Another work showed a person standing with their hand close to their very detailed heart, showing all the parts from the ventricles to the valves

Body of art: In another piece, Pierce appears to have painted some simple instructions on how to insert an earplug, with a basic but graphic display of the process

Along with Dylan and Paris, Pierce is also father to son Sean, 38, by Cassandra and is also the adoptive father of Charlotte and Christopher Brosnan, Cassandra's two children by her first husband Dermot Harris, whose brother was Richard Harris of Harry Potter fame.

Pierce has often been vocal about how Keely saved him from depression following his personal tragedies, describing her as a strength 'I wouldn't be able to live without.'

Pierce is now a proud grandfather of three - Charlotte's children Isabella, 23, and Lucas, 16, as well as Sean's daughter Marley May, six.
LVIV, Ukraine (AP)  A second attempt to evacuate civilians from a besieged city in southern Ukraine collapsed Sunday amid renewed Russian shelling, while Russian President Vladimir Putin turned the blame for the war back on Ukraine and said the invasion could be halted only if Kyiv ceases hostilities.

Food, water, medicine and almost all other supplies were in desperately short supply in the besieged port city of Mariupol, where Russian and Ukrainian forces had agreed to an 11-hour cease-fire that would allow civilians and the wounded to be evacuated. But Russian attacks quickly closed the humanitarian corridor, Ukrainian officials said.

There can be no green corridors because only the sick brain of the Russians decides when to start shooting and at whom, Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko said on Telegram.

The news dashed hopes that more people could escape the fighting in Ukraine, where Russia's plan to quickly overrun the country has been stymied by fierce resistance. Russia has made significant advances in southern Ukraine and along the coast, but many of its efforts have become stalled, including an immense military convoy that has been almost motionless for days north of Kyiv.

Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelenskyy rallied his people to remain defiant, especially those in cities that Russian soldiers have entered.

You should take to the streets! You should fight! he said Saturday on Ukrainian television. It is necessary to go out and drive this evil out of our cities, from our land.

The war, now in its 11th day, has caused 1.5 million people to flee the country. The head of the U.N. refugee agency called the exodus the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II."

As he has often done, Putin blamed Ukraine for the war, telling Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday that Kyiv needed to stop all hostilities and fulfill the well-known demands of Russia."

Those demands include what Putin has called the denazification of Ukraine, which he falsely claims is led by neo-Nazis intent on undermining Russia.

Putin also told Erdogan he hoped Ukraine "would show a more constructive approach (to talks), fully taking into account the emerging realities. A third round of Russia-Ukraine negotiations is scheduled for Monday.

Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke Sunday about the nuclear situation in Ukraine, which has 15 nuclear power plants and was the scene of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

The men agreed in principle to a dialogue involving Russia, Ukraine and the U.N.'s atomic watchdog, according to a French official who spoke on condition of anonymity, in line with the presidencys practices. Potential talks on the issue are to be organized in the coming days, he said.

Putin also blamed the fire last week at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, which Ukrainian officials said was caused by Russian attackers, on a provocation organized by Ukrainian radicals."

Attempts to shift responsibility for this incident onto the Russian military are part of a cynical propaganda campaign, he said, according to the French official.

International leaders, as well as Pope Francis, appealed to Putin to negotiate.

In a highly unusual move, the pope said he had dispatched two cardinals to Ukraine, saying the Vatican would do everything it could to end the conflict.

In Ukraine, rivers of blood and tears are flowing, the pontiff said in his traditional Sunday blessing. This is not just a military operation, but a war that sows death, destruction and misery."

After the cease-fire in Mariupol failed to hold Saturday, Russian forces intensified their shelling of the city and dropped massive bombs on residential areas of Chernihiv, a city north of Kyiv, Ukrainian officials said.

On Saturday, the emergency coordinator in Ukraine for the international aid group Doctors Without Borders called the situation in Mariupol catastrophic.

The city of 430,000 has no water, electricity and heating. Internet and phone services have been cut off. Hospitals, supermarkets and residential buildings have suffered heavy damage. And it is not possible to bring any relief supplies into the city," Laurent Ligozat said in a statement.

British military officials compared Russias tactics to those Moscow used in Chechnya and Syria, where surrounded cities were pulverized by airstrikes and artillery.

This is likely to represent an effort to break Ukrainian morale, the U.K. Ministry of Defense said.

Zelenskyy reiterated a request for foreign protectors to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, which NATO so far has ruled out because of concerns such an action would lead to a far wider war.

The world is strong enough to close our skies, Zelenskyy said Sunday in a video address.

Oleksiy Arestovich, an adviser to Zelenskyy, said Ukrainian officials and international humanitarian organizations were working with Russia through intermediaries to establish humanitarian corridors from Bucha and Hostomel, which are Kyiv suburbs where there has been heavy fighting.

The death toll remains lost in the fog of war, with the U.N. saying it has confirmed just a few hundred civilian deaths, but also warning that the number is a vast undercount.

Ukraines military is greatly outmatched by Russias, but its professional and volunteer forces have fought back with fierce tenacity. In Kyiv, volunteers lined up Saturday to join the military.

Even in cities that have fallen, there were signs of resistance.

Onlookers in Chernihiv cheered as they watched a Russian military plane fall from the sky and crash, according to video released by the Ukrainian government. In Kherson, hundreds of protesters waved blue and yellow Ukrainian flags and shouted, Go home.

Russia has made significant advances in southern Ukraine as it seeks to block access to the Sea of Azov. Capturing Mariupol could allow Moscow to establish a land corridor to Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014 in a move that most other countries considered illegal.

The West has broadly backed Ukraine, offering aid and weapon shipments and slapping Russia with vast sanctions. But no NATO troops have been sent to Ukraine, leaving Ukrainians to fight Russian troops alone.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spent the weekend visiting NATO member nations in Eastern Europe that have taken in refugees from Ukraine. In Moldova on Sunday, he pledged support for the Western-leaning former Soviet republic that is warily watching Russias moves in Ukraine.

The World Health Organization on Sunday condemned attacks on health care workers in Ukraine, saying it verified at least six such attacks that have killed six people and wounded 11 others.

Attacks on health care workers are a violation of international humanitarian law, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Twitter.

The U.N. said it would increase its humanitarian operations both inside and outside Ukraine, and the Security Council scheduled a meeting for Monday on the worsening situation.

The U.N. World Food Program has warned of an impending hunger crisis in Ukraine, a major global wheat supplier, saying millions will need food aid immediately.
https://sputniknews.com/20220306/kiev-regime-sought-to-scrub-evidence-of-pentagon-backed-biowarfare-programme-russian-mod-reveals-1093637704.html

Kiev Regime Sought to Scrub Evidence of Pentagon-backed Biowarfare Programme, Russian MoD Reveals

Kiev Regime Sought to Scrub Evidence of Pentagon-backed Biowarfare Programme, Russian MoD Reveals

The US Defence Threat Reduction Agency has been working in Ukraine since 2005, and been involved in the construction, modernization and operation of over a... 06.03.2022, Sputnik International

2022-03-06T15:41+0000

2022-03-06T15:41+0000

2022-03-06T17:23+0000

ukraine

biological warfare

biological

america

pentagon

biolab

russia's special operation in ukraine

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Ukrainian authorities have been instructed to scrub clean evidence related to the operation of a Pentagon-funded biological warfare programme in Ukraine, Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov has said.The military spokesman accompanied his remarks with excerpts of documents provided by employees of Ukrainian biolabs regarding a 24 February letter by Ukrainian Minister of Health Viktor Liashko ordering the destruction of pathogens including anthrax, the plague, tularemia, cholera and other deadly diseases."The documents confirm that the development of biological weapons components were carried out in Ukrainian biolaboratories in close proximity to Russian territory," Konashenkov said. "Some of those - specifically the instructions of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine on the destruction of pathogens and the acts of destruction at biolabs in Poltava and Kharkov, we are publishing right now," he said, referring to the documents released.US and Ukrainian officials have not commented on the Russian MoD's allegations.US Biowarfare Programme in UkraineThe United States has been engaged in the construction, modernization and operation of Ukrainian biological laboratories since at least 2005.The US Embassy in Kiev dismissed the probe request, accusing Opposition Platform - For Life of spreading "disinformation" and suggesting that the Pentagon-affiliated Biological Threat Reduction Programme was merely working "with the Ukrainian Government to consolidate and secure pathogens and toxins of security concern in Ukrainian government facilities." At the same time, the Embassy scrubbed information about the work of two of the aforementioned biolabs.Opposition Platform - For Life co-leader Viktor Medvedchuk alleged that the creation of a US Level 3 lab storing human pathogens in Ukraine could have been an indication of US plans for experimentation on human beings. Medvedchuk was put under round-the-clock house arrest in May 2021 after being accused of "high treason." The lawmaker reportedly escaped his confinement last week after the start of the Russian military operation in Ukraine.Last year, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev told a Russian newspaper that Moscow was aware of the creation of new US military biolabs near Russia and China, and that Russian authorities had reason to believe that biological weapons were being developed there.Along with Ukraine, the US has sponsored biological laboratories across a number of former Soviet republics, including Kazakhstan, Armenia, Tajikistan and Georgia. In 2018, Igor Giorgadze, Georgia's former minister of state security, asked then-US President Donald Trump to investigate reports that personnel from the Lugar Centre biological laboratory outside Tbilisi had experimented on people, and that some of these 'human test subjects' had died as a result of these activities.

https://sputniknews.com/20200529/biolabs-ringing-russias-borders-whats-the-us-really-doing-at-these-facilities-1079457789.html

https://sputniknews.com/20180911/lugar-center-alleged-us-biolab-1067942351.html

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The Oregon Legislature has approved a bill to spur planning around the impact of a major earthquake on fuels stored along a 6-mile stretch of the Willamette River in Northwest Portland.

Senate Bill 1567 goes to Gov. Kate Brown after a House vote of 50-7 on Friday, March 4. The Senate cleared the bill earlier in the week, 23-2.

The bill would require owners to assess how vulnerable the storage tanks would be to a major earthquake off the Oregon coast  the most recent quake of that magnitude was Jan. 26, 1700, and occur at roughly 230-year intervals  and what can be done to reduce the risks.

Those plans are due to the Department of Environmental Quality by June 1, 2024. DEQ, through the Environmental Quality Commission, will come up with rules and a timeline to put the safety measures into effect.

The bill also would require the Department of Energy to come up with a security plan to prepare for an earthquake, protect communities and align with Oregons efforts to reduce greenhouse gases by 90% by 2050.

It is the first step in a long overdue set of actions needed to prepare this state for an inevitable catastrophe we know is coming our way, said Rep. Dacia Grayber, D-Tigard, a firefighter with Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue. You know I am not a woman of few words. But in the interests of time  I leave you with these few words: Big tanks, big shake, big boom  big bad.

Study prompted bill

Sen. Michael Dembrow, D-Portland, introduced the bill after a study commissioned by Multnomah County and the city of Portland concluded that a spillage from Oregons largest concentration of fuel storage tanks could result in a ecological disaster on par with the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil blowout in the Gulf of Mexico.

The riverside area holds about 90% of Oregons gasoline and diesel before the fuel is distributed statewide, and all of the jet fuel used at Portland International Airport.

Many of those tanks were built long before current seismic standards took effect. They sit on unstable river fill that is likely to give way in a severe earthquake in a process called liquefaction.

Dembrow compared the potential for damage to the Willamette and Columbia rivers to Deepwater Horizon, the nations largest to date, and what happened in 2011 when an earthquake and tsunami damaged the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan.

The Feb. 7 report was prepared by ECONorthwest, and the county and city split the $100,000 cost.

The storage tanks are in an area known as the Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub.

Were 100 years overdue for a major Cascadia subduction zone earthquake, Dembrow said. Any spill or explosion at the CEI Hub would be a serious threat to workers, firefighters and other first responders, frontline communities, fish, and other natural resources. It has been characterized as a disaster on the order of Fukushima and Deepwater Horizon combined. We cannot afford to ignore this problem any longer.

The 6-mile stretch falls entirely within the district of Rep. Maxine Dexter, a Democrat from Northwest Portland who also is a physician at Kaiser Permanente. She said in addition to negative effects on the environment, a spill would affect people within and beyond her district.

A plume of toxic gas the size we would see from a disaster would travel in the wind, having immediate and long-term health impacts, she said. As a lung physician, I know the harm that occurs when a modest level of smoke is in the air. The impact of such a massive event is frankly unimaginable. This policys successful passage could protect the lives of thousands of my constituents.
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Four fathers of young children have told how they will protect their country from the Russians  or die trying - as they underwent training in Ukraine's newly formed Dads Army.

IT entrepreneurs Slavik, Volodymyr, Andriy and property developer Volodymyr all enjoyed comfortable lives running their businesses in the culturally rich city of Lviv until a few weeks ago.

But the four friends did not hesitate for a moment when called upon to defend their home town after Putin ordered his army to invade Ukraine.

Now the tech wizards have swapped their keyboards for Kalashnikovs and spend their nights manning check points and patrolling the city looking for Russian spies and saboteurs.

The men  all in their mid-30s  are volunteers in the country's Territorial Defence Force, Ukraine's last line of defence to the mighty Russian Army.

Yesterday, as they underwent basic training, each man vowed to protect their home town, their streets and their homes from the invaders  or die trying.

Four fathers of young children have told how they will protect their country from the Russians  or die trying - as they underwent training in Ukraine's newly formed Dads Army. Pictured (L-R): Friends Andriy, Slavik, Volodymyr and Volodymyr who have joined the Territorial Defence Force

'We all have young children but we are not afraid of dying,' said Slavik, who chose not to give his surname.

'We did not want this war but we will win this war.

'Any Russians that come to our town we will kill them. Or we will die trying.'

The men  all in their mid-30s  are volunteers in the country's Territorial Defence Force, Ukraine's last line of defence to the mighty Russian Army. Pictured: Residents of Lviv, Ukraine, at a training facility today where they are taught how to use firearms

Yesterday, as they underwent basic training, each man vowed to protect their home town, their streets and their homes from the invaders  or die trying. Pictured: Residents of Lviv, Ukraine, learn to use firearms today in case of Russian advances into their city

Men across Ukraine, like Slavik and his friends, flocked to join the Territorial Defence Force when President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for volunteers for the country's version of Dads Army.

Businessmen, factory workers, grandfathers and 18-year-old boys now make up 100-strong brigades across this fiercely independent nation.

Their role is to man road check points at the entrance to all towns and cities and patrol the urban streets looking for the Russian spies and saboteurs that the Kremlin has sent into Ukraine ahead of his regular army.

Pictured: Residents of Lviv, Ukraine, undergo basic military training to use firearms in case of Russian advances into their city

'We all have young children but we are not afraid of dying,' said Slavik, who chose not to give his surname. We did not want this war but we will win this war. Any Russians that come to our town we will kill them. Or we will die trying.' Pictured: Slavik

Men across Ukraine, like Slavik and his friends, flocked to join the Territorial Defence Force when President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for volunteers for the country's version of Dads Army. Pictured: Men at a training facility in Lviv, Ukraine, learning how to use firearms today

This Dads Army has enabled the Ukrainian military to send its more most experienced troops to the front-line to do battle with the Russian bear in full knowledge that their homes and families are protected.

The volunteers are taught how to load and fire a Kalashnikov rifle.

Experienced soldiers give them instructions on how to search for weapons and where to hide from gun-fire.

Businessmen, factory workers, grandfathers and 18-year-old boys now make up 100-strong brigades across this fiercely independent nation. Pictured: People learn how to use guns and weapons in Lviv, Ukraine today

Their role is to man road check points at the entrance to all towns and cities and patrol the urban streets looking for the Russian spies and saboteurs that the Kremlin has sent into Ukraine ahead of his regular army. Pictured: Residents watch on as instructors show they how to defend themselves against Russian forces using guns in Lviv, Ukraine today

But these groups of hugely patriotic amateurs, armed only with machine guns, will also be the last line of defence against Russian tanks and specially equipped troops as they try to take town after town across Ukraine.

Slavik explained: 'Now we are at the road check points the regular army soldiers are free to go the front line and fight.

'But if they Russian come to our town we will fight them to the last man.

'At night we spend six hours at the check points on the main roads or we spend four hours patrolling the city streets.

'Then we sleep for a few hours and go to the office about lunchtime.'

'We know that the Kremlin has sent many spies into Ukraine and it is our job to stop them.'

This Dads Army has enabled the Ukrainian military to send its more most experienced troops to the front-line to do battle with the Russian bear in full knowledge that their homes and families are protected. Pictured: Large groups of men learn how to fire guns in Lviv, Ukraine today

The volunteers are taught how to load and fire a Kalashnikov rifle. Pictured: An instructor teaches men and women of Lviv, Ukraine, how to search for weapons, load guns and hide from gunfire today

Lviv residents listen to military instructors today as they are shown how to use guns during a training exercise (pictured)

Although widely predicted, the Russian invasion initially caused panic and shock across the whole country.

But now men like Slavik, Andriy and the two Volodymyr say they have no choice but to fight.

'To start with my mother was in a huge panic,' Slavik told MailOnline.

'She lives in the countryside outside Lviv so she told me to bring the children there as they would be safer.

'But the kids got bored so we brought them home.

'Now we realise that we have to protect our city, our freedom, our way of life, for our children and their children.

'My mother knows this too.

'She understands that I must fight.'

Slavik pictured second from left) explained: 'Now we are at the road check points the regular army soldiers are free to go to the front line and fight. 'But if the Russians come to our town we will fight them to the last man.'

Pictured: How to donate to The Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday and MailOnline Ukraine Refugee Appeal
06.03.2022 LISTEN

The Government of the United States of America has congratulated the people of Ghana on the countrys 65th Independence Day anniversary, which is being marked today, March 6, 2022.

In a press statement, US Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken, said the American government values the longstanding partnership between the United States and Ghana, which has advanced the two countries mutual economic, security, public health, human rights, and democratic governance interests. https://www.state.gov/ghana-national-day/

On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, I congratulate all Ghanaians home and abroad on the anniversary of Ghanas independence on March 6, Mr. Blinken said.

He mentioned a meeting between Ghanaian President Akufo-Addo and US Vice President Harris last September, as well as one between himself and Ghanas Vice President Bawumia in January, as reaffirmation of strong friendship between the two countries.

On this occasion, we reflect on our shared history and many people-to-people ties, and recommit ourselves to deepening our partnership. We also commend Ghana on its commitment to democracy in its leadership of the Economic Community of West African States, the statement added.

This years national Independence Day anniversary event is being held in the Central Regional capital, Cape Coast, with replica events in designated regional centers of the other 15 regional capitals across the country concurrently.

Prime Minister of the Republic of Barbados, Mia Amor Mottley is the Special Guest of Honor for the 65th anniversary celebration.

High-level officials from 53 African countries as well leaders and representatives of national political parties and other organizations are attending the event, which is being marked by a colorful parade mounted by the Ghana Armed Forces, other security agencies, and school children and inspected by the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, as he also addresses the nation.
The United Nations (UN) Eminent Peace Ambassador and the Country Director for International Association of World Peace Advocates, Ghana Chapter, Dr Samuel Owusu has urged the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo to call on pastors, business men, companies, and rich men in Ghana to support the government raise money to develop the nation.

Although he is not against taxation, he was of the belief that the E-levy should be taken from the aforementioned persons and not the ordinary Ghanaian, hence the call.

The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Attah, who announced the introduction of the E-Levy said it will be used to undertake developmental projects, adding that the tax will widen the tax net and rope in the informal sector.

He added that electronic transactions covering mobile money payments, bank transfers, merchant payments and inward remittances will be charged at an applicable rate of 1.75%, which shall be borne by the sender except inward remittances, which will be borne by the recipient.

Ever since the E-levy was mentioned, most Ghanaians have spoken against it, and have expressed worry over the tax.

The opposition has also refused to accept it for its passage, saying the tax is nuisance and so it will burden the ordinary Ghanaian.

Giving a sermon at the Pottersville Church International, East Legon

on Sunday, March 6, 2022, Dr Samuel Owusu said there were capable men in Ghana, hence the advice.

"You and your leaders should appeal to all pastors and leaders, including rich individuals to help Ghana. You should call on Individuals, pastors and companies to support you financially," he said.

He recalled that most of the former Presidents, including Mr John Agyekum Kuffour, the Late John Evans Attah Mills, and Mr John Dramani Mahama called on people in the country for help when they needed it, calling on the President to do same.

"We have seen an individual purchase a car with 3 million Dollars, if we call on that person, won't he donate same to help the country? If some individuals can build houses, prison facilities and others, can't they support the government.

Please call all the pastors, and businessmen, call us and we will support you," he said.

He added that, "There are men in this country who can contribute to develop this nation without taking money from the poor. Call those who have bought big cars, those who have money, and pastors to help."

Dr Samuel Owusu also said those who flout traffic rules should be given an immediate fine so that when they pay, the money can be used to develop the country.

That, he said will also serve as a deterrent to others who go against traffic rules.

Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori
AT 11.30 a.m. today, lawyers for the State will be required to go before the High Court and 
Alabama megachurch votes to leave The United Methodist Church

A megachurch in Alabama has voted to disaffiliate from The United Methodist Church several months before the denomination will hold a legislative meeting that might lead to a schism over theological differences.

Frazer United Methodist Church, a congregation of about 4,000 members in Montgomery, voted on Jan. 30 to disaffiliate from the mainline Protestant denomination.

Their decision to depart the UMC will be voted on in June at a scheduled session of The UMC Alabama-West Florida Conference, which is the regional body that Frazer Church belongs to.

It is not without sadness that we contemplate departing from our denominational ties with the UMC. The Alabama-West Florida Annual Conference of the UMC has been our home for many years, and we honor the connection we have shared and the work we have accomplished together, said Frazer Church in an emailed statement to The Christian Post from its Director of Communications Kym Klass.

The church said in its statement to CP that the congregation intends to join the Free Methodist Church: "[W]e believe that the Free Methodist Church is a better fit for our present identity and future fruitfulness.

It further explained that they look forward to this new chapter in our history once this decision is ratified by the Annual Conference in June.

We pray for continued blessings on our Bishop, our Conference, and all UMC churches around the world, knowing that Gods Kingdom transcends all denominational lines, they added.

In response to the church's decision, the Alabama-West Florida Conference expressed its praise for Frazer Church in an emailed statement to CP.

Frazer Church is a remarkable witness for Jesus Christ. For many years they have been a leader in the United Methodist Church and in the Alabama-West Florida Conference, stated the conference.

While we are saddened that they are exploring denominational options, it is our strong desire and prayer that each church and clergyperson honor what God is genuinely calling them to do.

The conference added that it will follow all guidelines outlined in our United Methodist Book of Discipline regarding the June process of confirming the disaffiliation.

We mourn their potential departure, yet we know that Kingdom work knows no denominational bounds, and we pray they continue to make positive changes in their corner of the world, the conference added.

Frazer Churchs decision to disaffiliate from the UMC comes as the denomination prepares to hold its General Assembly meeting Aug. 29  Sept. 6 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Originally scheduled for 2020 but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, delegates at the UMC General Assembly will consider measures aimed at ending its decadeslong debate over whether to consider homosexuality a sin and to ban the blessing of same-sex unions.

Many believe that the churchwide legislative meeting will result in a splitting of the UMC along theological lines, with large numbers of traditionalists possibly leaving to form their own denomination while most progressives will remain to change the stance of the UMC on LGBT issues.
Over 280 Russian Orthodox priests call for end to Russian invasion of Ukraine

More than 280 priests and deacons of the Russian Orthodox Church are calling for reconciliation and an immediate end to Russias ongoing invasion of Ukraine, stressing that the Last Judgement awaits all.

We mourn the ordeal to which our brothers and sisters in Ukraine were undeservedly subjected, the Russian Orthodox clerics wrote in an open letter, which was launched Tuesday and had garnered signatures of 284 priests, archpriests and deacons by Sunday morning.

At least 351 civilians have been killed and another 707 wounded in Ukraine since Russias military invasion began on Feb. 24, the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said Saturday, adding that the actual numbers are likely to be considerably higher, Reuters reported.

In addition, more than 1.25 million people have fled Ukraine since Feb. 24, the International Organization for Migration said Saturday, calling it the largest humanitarian crisis Europe has seen since World War II, Fox News reported.

Furthermore, the Russian invasion has internally displaced about 4.3 million people in Ukraine, IOM said.

The Last Judgment awaits every person, the Russian Orthodox clerics wrote in the letter.

No earthly authority, no doctors, no guards will protect from this judgment. Concerned about the salvation of every person who considers himself a child of the Russian Orthodox Church, we do not want him to appear at this judgment, bearing the heavy burden of mothers curses, they continued.

We remind you that the Blood of Christ, shed by the Savior for the life of the world, will be received in the sacrament of Communion by those people who give murderous orders, not into life, but into eternal torment.

They expressed hope that fighting soldiers both Russians and Ukrainians, to return unharmed to their homes and families.

It saddens us to think of the gulf that our children and grandchildren in Russia and Ukraine will have to bridge in order to begin to be friends again, to respect and love each other.

More than 400 ministers of Evangelical churches in Russia have also signed an open letter against the invasion of sovereign Ukraine.

Our army is conducting full-scale military operations in another country, dropping bombs and rockets on the cities of our neighboring Ukraine. As believers, we assess what is happening as a grave sin of fratricide  the sin of Cain, who raised his hand against his brother Abel, they wrote.

No political interests or goals can justify the death of innocent people, the ministers continued. In addition to bloodshed, the invasion of sovereign Ukraine encroaches on the freedom of self-determination of its citizens. Hatred is being sown between our peoples, which will create an abyss of alienation and enmity for generations to come. The war is destroying not only Ukraine, but also Russia  its people, its economy, its morality, its future.

The World Council of Churches has also written to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, the leader of more than 100 million Russian Orthodox Christians, to raise up your voice and mediate so that President Vladimir Putins invasion can be stopped and the great suffering ended.

In his letter, the Rev. Ioan Sauca, acting general secretary of the ecumenical World Council of Churches, who is also an Orthodox priest, wrote: In these times of hopelessness, many look at you as the one who could bring a sign of hope for a peaceful solution. Please, raise up your voice and speak on behalf of the suffering brothers and sisters, most of whom are also faithful members of our Orthodox Church.

Patriarch Kirill is believed to be close to Putin.

In 2012, the patriarch called Putins rule a miracle of God and criticized his opponents, according to Reuters.

As tensions were simmering between Russia and Ukraine before the invasion, a Christian radio broadcaster in Ukraine had called on Christians in the two neighboring countries to unite.

In an interview with The Christian Post, Daniel Johnson, who runs an Evangelical broadcasting organization providing Christian radio throughout Russia at a time when the government has stifled broadcasts operated by Evangelical Christians, elaborated on the situation on the ground and its implications for people of faith living in Ukraine.

Christians are  hoping that the Russians dont come too far because churches will definitely be shut down in the areas that they take over because  thats their practice and thats their history, Johnson, the founder of the New Life Radio satellite network who is based in Odessa, Ukraine, said.

Johnson attributed some of the division in the region to the schism between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Tanks are rolling down from Russia, Russian Orthodox priests are blessing the tanks, he said. The Ukrainian Orthodox priests are blessing the Ukrainian soldiers to fight against Russia, so its a tragic scene where two brother faiths, Russian and Ukrainian Orthodox, have completely sided on the national goals of their one country.

They are not acting like they are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, first and foremost, but rather, they represent nationalism. And thats not who we are as Christians, he lamented. Our ultimate loyalty is to Christ and His Kingdom rather than the nationality of the land we happen to find ourselves in. And thats not something that the Orthodox Church is not able to accommodate.  Its a tragedy that that does not happen.
KYIV, Ukraine  With hands still dirty from the battlefield, a dozen Russian prisoners of war sat, stony-faced, in a conference room of a Ukrainian news agency on Saturday and described being captured after their armored columns were ambushed.

Lt. Dmitry Kovalensky, who had fought in a Russian tank unit and spoke at the behest of his Ukrainian captors, said he recently came under fire from an armed drone and shoulder-launched anti-tank missiles on a road near Sumy, in northeastern Ukraine. The whole column burned, he said.

Around the same time and a few miles away, at a makeshift Ukrainian military base in an abandoned building on the western edge of Kyiv, Ukrainian soldiers prepared for the same sort of ambushes that took out Lieutenant Kovalenskys unit.
https://sputniknews.com/20220306/nato-labelled-laptop-with-intelligence-found-at-ukrainian-nationalists-hq-dpr-head-says--1093639199.html

NATO-Labelled Laptop With Intelligence Found at Ukrainian Nazis' HQ, DPR Head Says

NATO-Labelled Laptop With Intelligence Found at Ukrainian Nazis' HQ, DPR Head Says

Earlier, Russia started a special military operation in Ukraine to protect civilians in the Donbass People's Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, whose... 06.03.2022, Sputnik International

2022-03-06T17:11+0000

2022-03-06T17:11+0000

2022-03-07T19:09+0000

world

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russia's special operation in ukraine

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A laptop with intelligence data has been found at one of the headquarters of the Right Sector* (Ukrainian nationalists). The computer allegedly has a licensed NATO registry number, Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) head Denis Pushilin said on Sunday."The militants of the nationalists battalions have a special level of security clearance from the North Atlantic Alliance. This laptop contains a detailed map of the area with the location of our units," Pushilin said at a press conference.In addition, he said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine planned to attack Crimea and Donbass in the spring of 2022."According to our intelligence and the testimony of prisoners, an offensive operation was supposed to begin on 8 March of this year. The facts indicate that the invasion was planned simultaneously both on the territory of the republics of Donbas and in Russias Crimea," Pushilin went on. The head of the DPR showed a map of Crimea with the locations of troops marked on it.On 24 February, Russia began a military operation to "denazify" Ukraine in response to calls for help from the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics (DPR and LPR) in countering the aggression of Ukrainian troops.Prior to that, on 21 February, Russia recognised the sovereignty of the LPR and the DPR.*The Right Sector is an extremist group outlawed in Russia

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As world leaders step up the enforcement of sanctions to put pressure on those close to the Kremlin in response to Moscows invasion of Ukraine, governments are hitting oligarchs where it hurts: Some ultra-wealthy Russians are having to deal with efforts to seize their luxury yachts, valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

Oligarch Igor Sechin, the CEO of Russian oil giant Rosneft, docked the Amore Vero - true love in Italian - in the French Mediterranean port of La Ciotat in early January, and had planned to leave on April 1. The 86-metre superyacht, which can accommodate 14 guests and 28 crew, has an estimated value of $US120 million ($160 million) according to Superyacht Fan, a website tracking luxury yachts.

But with invasion forces wreaking widespread destruction in Ukraine, the French Finance Ministry announced on Thursday that it seized the yacht on Wednesday night. Sechin, who was deputy prime minister of Russia between 2008 and 2012, is among the oligarchs who have maintained close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to the European Union. Once described by a Moscow journalist as the nations Darth Vader, Sechin is considered to be one of the most powerful members of the Russian political elite, the EU said this week.

Igor Sechin, chief executive officer of Rosneft PJSC, is a close ally of Vladimir Putin. Credit:AP

Thank you to the French customs officers who are enforcing the European Unions sanctions against those close to the Russian government, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire wrote on Twitter.
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Americans love cars.

Weve written songs about them: Mustang Sally. Fast Car. Shut Up and Drive.

Weve sat through nine (or 10?) Fast and Furious movies about them.

Most of all, we spend around $500 billion a year purchasing them.

So, it was of little surprise that motor-mad Philly folk flocked to the Convention Center on Saturday, the first day of the Philadelphia Auto Show.

That COVID-19 postponed last years show made the premiere of the 2022 event  the 120th edition, according to the Auto Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia, which owns and produces the show  that much more compelling. For its return, the show had more sanitation stations, but masks were optional under the citys relaxed COVID rules.

I was itching to get back after the show was gone because of the virus, said Dan Mapp, 61, of Folsom, Delaware County, road manager for bands such as the Monkees (yes, those Monkees) and Ween of New Hope. I love all cars and the energy here is great.

With the ability to transport us, restless and free, toward new adventure down a winding road, or just to get us to the nearest Dunkin, the car occupies a primary place in U.S. culture.

That preeminence was on full display this weekend.

Muscular trucks, ready to rumble, sank their tires into gray carpet right near a clutch of Nissans, colorful as candy.

A blue Kia rotated slowly on a mesmerizing lazy Susan.

An orange Chevy Corvette, good-naturedly listed as one of the official cars of the male midlife crisis by Carbuzz.com, sat poised for a slingshot ride down the highway  at prudent speeds, of course, since the thing only gets 19 mpg.

Lots of attention was given over to electric cars, a feature of this years show.

Tyra Jay, 40, a social worker from Exton, Pennsylvania, waited as her husband and son stood in line with dozens of others to hitch a ride in an e-vehicle on a 50,000-square-foot track.

Im not a big car fan, Jay said. But electric interests me: You can save money, and save the planet.

With the war in Ukraine increasing the price of gas, e-cars may make more sense, according to Curtis Richardson, 43, an auto mechanic from the Strawberry Mansion section of Philadelphia, who was at the show with his daughter, Ava, 6.

You dont see electric cars come into the shop to get fixed except to replace brakes or rotate tires, he said. Battery technology has become so much better.

But Richardson stops short of recommending electronic vehicles; repairing balky internal-combustion engines is his bread and butter, after all. Those e-cars can put me out of business, he said.

At an event designed to promote glistening machines of all types, it was the cordoned-off corral of cars from McLaren Philadelphia (so fancy its actually in West Chester) that coaxed cameras out of peoples pockets.

Ill bet, said one would-be paparazzo, his iPhone lenses aimed at the pretty, pretty machine just five feet away, this one is real expensive.

Yes. Yes it is.

In fact, the McLaren Senna GTR everyone was staring at has a number printed on its sales sticker that reads like some wacky individuals idea of an absurd joke: $1,691,184, or more than five times the median price of a Philadelphia-area house.

Well, explained Tyler March, who does marketing for the McLaren dealership, it uses carbon fiber in its design.

Oh.

Thats a polymer five times stronger than steel, though much lighter, covering a twin turbo-charged V8 engine that allows the car to reach 200 mph.

Those components are expensive. Plus, there are only about 75 Senna GTRs prowling the earth, March said, a rarity that pushes price.

What you dont want to do, March added, is scratch it. One scratch can cost thousands of dollars to fix.

Less unusual and more reasonable, a $38,000 gray Ford Bronco Sport caught the eyes of Ben and Ellie Stephan of Blue Bell, Pennsylvania.

Ben, 34, a software developer, sat in the front seat of the car with Ellie, 30, who works in marketing for a chocolate company. That new-car smell was intoxicating, wafting off the dashboard and up from the seats, perhaps persuading the couple to reach for their checkbook.

Ive been eyeing this car for a while, Ellie confessed. It just looks nice.

The two said they enjoy the car show because its a relaxing way to look at cars without having to enter a high-pressure dealership.

You get to meander on your own, Ellie said, smiling.

Then Ben said what most people at the show were probably fantasizing about as they, too, sat high up behind the wheels of dozens of sweet, sweet rides.

They should just let you get in, he said, and drive these cars away.

The show runs through Sunday.
The US will soon begin to run out of money to bolster COVID-19 testing supplies and to guarantee that uninsured Americans keep getting free treatment for the virus unless Congress swiftly approves more funding, the White House warned.

Nearly a year after passage of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, the administration says the federal government has nearly used up the money dedicated directly to COVID-19 response. More money from Congress is urgently needed to buy antibody treatments, preventative pills for the immunocompromised and to fund community testing sites, officials say.

From the COVID side, the bank account is empty, said COVID-19 deputy coordinator Natalie Quillian. Were in conversations with lawmakers about how to secure the funding, but its urgently needed. Some of the consequences could be felt later this month.

The White House last month told Congress it was preparing to seek $30 billion for the virus response, but cut that to $22.5 billion in a formal request earlier this week that officials said includes only the most critical needs. Its being coupled with a $10 billion request to provide support to Ukraine and its people after Russias invasion.

This is an urgent request and this is what is at stake in our fight against COVID, press secretary Jen Psaki said on Friday.

This month, the White House warns, COVID-19 testing manufacturers will begin to slow production of at-home rapid tests unless the federal government signs contracts to buy more. Officials say that could result in a supply crunch should there be another surge in cases .

They also said the Health Resources and Services Administration will be forced to begin winding down claims for COVID-19 treatment for uninsured people this month if Congress doesnt provide more money. Moreover, the US government supply of monoclonal antibodies would run out in May . And in July, supplies of the AstraZeneca prophylactic pill that can prevent serious illness in immunocompromised individuals would go dry. By September, the US would run out of supplies of an oral anti-viral pill.

Given how costly COVID has been with so many of our fellow Americans hospitalized or dying, and our daily lives disrupted, we simply cannot afford to wait on investing now and keeping people protected, said Psaki.

The request also includes funding to support US vaccine purchases and global vaccine distribution.

The US has enough shots of the Pfizer vaccine for children under age 5, should it be approved in the coming weeks. But if regulators make it a three-dose vaccine regimen, the administration would need more money to buy additional doses. The same would also be true if regulators determine that kids aged 5-11 should receive booster shots.

The White House emphasized that the federal government must sign contracts for drugs and vaccines months before theyre needed, so Congress must act now to prevent any gaps.

Some Republicans have expressed sticker shock at Bidens request, pressing the administration to repurpose other relief funding that hasnt been spent.

Oh no, thats too much, Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby, top Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said Thursday when asked about the administrations $22.5 billion request. And secondly, we want to see how much money is out there that hasnt been spent yet from previously approved COVID-19 relief measures.

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and 35 other GOP senators wrote Biden on Tuesday that before supporting new money, they want a full accounting of how the government has spent funds already provided.

The White House says its open to exploring reallocating already-approved, unspent money, but emphasized that the priority must be to continue meeting needs.

And the administration will ask Congress for additional funding in coming weeks.

We are being reasonable in our urgent request now, but we know more will be needed, said Quillian.

Since the onset of the pandemic, the federal government has worked to make COVID-19 treatments and vaccines free. Earlier this year, Biden began shipping up to eight free virus tests to US households.

Quillian said the administration is open to eventually shifting the cost of shots and pills to insurers, like treatments for other illnesses, particularly as the virus becomes subsides. But she said that the White House believes COVID-19 recovery is still too fragile to make the change yet, and that Washington needed to foot the bill.

We cant squander our position, Quillian said.

The COVID-19 relief bills enacted since the pandemic began have contained $370 billion for public health programs including vaccines and other medical supplies, testing, research, and reimbursing providers, according to a Department of Health and Human Services table obtained by The Associated Press.

Of that amount, $355 billion is currently being spent, has been spent or has been committed to contracts, according to HHS.
Its finally here: Netflix released Inventing Anna, the Shonda Rhimes series which fictionalises the case of socialite scammer, Anna Delvey on Friday 11 February.

The series follows journalist Vivian Kent (played by Anna Chlumsky) as she investigates Delvey (played by Julia Garner), a Russian-born German socialite who scammed banks, hotels and rich acquaintances out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The series shows Delvey during the highest and lowest points of her con artist career. In the series we see Delvey telling Kent her story while wearing prison clothes, juxtaposed against her living lavishly, laying down wads of dollar bills and accusing a friend of being so dramatic when they plead Delvey to pay them back.

Garner, as Delvey, narrated the trailer which dropped in January: People are painting a public picture of me as a criminal. Thats not my story.

The series was inspired by an in-depth feature by journalist Jessica Pressler in New York Magazine, which was published in 2018.

But who is Anna Delvey, and what did she do?

Who is Anna Delvey?

Anna Delvey was the pseudonym used by a German woman named Anna Sorokin who moved to New York in 2013.

Under the fake name, Sorokin pretended to be a wealthy German heiress in order to establish herself in New Yorks social scene.

Julia Garner plays Anna Delvey, whose real name is Anna Sorokin, in a new Netflix series Inventing Anna' (Netflix)

She used the name until 2017, when the Manhattan District Attorneys Office began investigating her for instances of bank fraud.

In reality, Sorokins parents came from humble means. Her father worked as a truck driver, while her mother was a convenience store owner before she became a housewife.

She was born in the town of Domodedovo, near Moscow, in January 1991, and the family moved to Germany in 2007 when she was 16.

Sorokin moved to London in 2011 to attend Central Saint Martins, but quit and returned to Germany. She then relocated to Paris to start an internship with Purple, a French fashion magazine.

It was in Paris that she began using the name Delvey. Her parents said they do not recognise the surname.

Story continues

What did Anna Delvey, or Sorokin, do?

Upon her move to New York City, Sorokin attempted to pitch her idea for an Anna Delvey Foundation to wealthy potential investors.

The idea encompassed a private members club and art foundation, which involved leasing the Church Missions House  a historic building in Manhattan  as a multi-purpose events venue and art studio.

She also befriended rich socialites and would ask them to pay for hotels, flights, and lavish meals on the premise she would pay them back, but would later forget to do so.

Fake German heiress Anna Sorokin is led away after being sentenced in Manhattan Supreme Court May 9, 2019 following her conviction last month on multiple counts of grand larceny and theft of services (AFP via Getty Images)

Having failed to get investors for her foundation, Sorokin began creating fake bank statements purporting to show she had access to about 60m (approximately 50m) stored in Swiss bank accounts.

She submitted these documents as part of loan applications. But suspicion mounted over her applications due to discrepancies in her paperwork, and she withdrew it to avoid scrutiny.

Sorokin also checked into hotels without a working credit card on file and racked up tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid bills.

Julia Garner as Anna Delvey in episode 102 of Inventing Anna (AARON EPSTEIN/NETFLIX)

After eventually paying the US$30,000 (22,000) bill she accumulated at the 11 Howard hotel in SoHo using funds she allegedly gained from depositing fraudulent checks, she was evicted and moved to the Beekman Hotel.

But she was also evicted from the Beekman Hotel after failing to pay her US$11,518 (8,450) bill, and again from the W New York Union Square hotel after just two days. Both hotels pressed charges against her for theft of services.

What happened to Anna Delvey, or Sorokin?

Sorokin was eventually indicted on several counts of grand larceny and misdemeanour theft of services.

She was arrested on 3 October 2017 in a sting operation. At the time, she was staying at Passages Malibu, an addiction treatment facility in California.

She appeared in New York City Criminal Court in December 2018, and a trial was set for 20 March 2019. At the end of the trial, Sorokin was found guilty of eight charges, including grand larceny in the second degree, attempted grand larceny and theft of services.

Julia Garner as Anna Delvey, Anna Chlumsky as Vivian Kent in episode 108 of Inventing Anna (NICOLE RIVELLI/NETFLIX)

She was sentenced to four to 12 years in state prison on Rikers Island, fined US$24,000 (17,640) and ordered to pay restitution of around US$199,000 ($146,335).

Speaking about her experience in prison, Sorokin told Pressler: This place is not bad at all actually. People seem to think its horrible, but I see it as like, a sociological experiment.

There are couple of girls who are here for financial crimes as well. This one girl, shes been stealing other peoples identities. I didnt realise it was so easy.

Sorokin was released from prison on 11 February 2021, but was taken back into custody a month later for overstaying her visa. As of February 2022, she is still being held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody awaiting deportation to Germany.

Is Anna Delvey on Instagram?

In Inventing Anna, Kent is seen scrolling through Sorokins Instagram to get more of a glimpse into the supposed socialites life and, in reality, the account is still active today.

From the ICE facilities where she is currently being kept, Sorkin posts to @theannadelvey, and has been posting about the new series.

Sharing a still from the show, Sorokin captioned it: Inventing me. The account dates back to 2013 and documents her travels and interest in art.
A man is due before a special sitting of Cork district court this evening in connection with an alleged acid attack on the southside of the city.

Two brothers were hospitalised after the incident on Connolly Road in Ballyphehane after 8pm on Friday evening.
This article contains SPOILERS for Scream (2022).

At the risk of running out of cinematic horror conventions to comment on, the newest Scream movie turns its meta-focus on the rules of legacy sequels; franchise reboots that are still tethered to the original series continuity to some degree  like Creed, Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Jurassic World, allowing for the original cast members to pass the torch to a new group of actors, while also collecting a healthy paycheck for sometimes, like, a days worth of work.

Obviously this is a big trend in horror right now with the new Halloween movies, and now Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Exorcist seemingly following suit. But of course, the legacy sequels that loom largest in our pop-culture minds, as mentioned in Scream, are the recent Star Wars movies, starring a likeable young new cast of characters and their haggard, spirit-crushed predecessors. But, weirdly, Scream doesnt just make a passing reference to the Star Wars sequel trilogy, it mirrors specific story beats at almost every turn  just with way more stabbings.

As some critics have pointed out, the entirety of Scream works as sort of a commentary on the Star Wars franchise, starting with the fact that our female protagonist Sam turns out to be the daughter of Billy Loomis, the killer from the original movie. Which feels extremely similar to The Rise of Skywalkers revelation that Rey is the granddaughter of Emperor Palpatine  or rather the daughter of one of his botched (yet nevertheless somehow sexually active) clones. Both struggle to cement their identities as heroes, independent of their villainous lineage.

Paramount Pictures
The number of refugees fleeing Ukraine has topped 1.5 million in 10 days, making the exodus the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World World II, the UN refugee agency said on Sunday.

What they're saying: "In the coming days millions more lives will be uprooted, unless there is an immediate end to this senseless conflict," UNHCR added.

We need a ceasefire, we need a cessation of hostilities so that people can stop moving and even go back to their homes perhaps, but under the circumstances, they are all telling me they are afraid too much," UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi told Al Jazeera from the Ukrainian-Polish border.

What we hear is that hundreds of thousands are on the move, he said. If bombs continue to rain on cities, people will leave."

Anna Klimova, who fled the Ukrainian capital, told The Guardian that she left Kyiv because "there are many bombs and you sit in the basement and still hear it."

"Its a really hard situation," she added.

Pope Francis, meanwhile, said in a statement posted on Twitter Sunday, "Rivers of blood and tears are flowing in Ukraine."

"It is not merely a military operation, but a war, which is sowing death, destruction and misery. The number of victims is increasing as are the people fleeing, especially mothers and children. The need for humanitarian assistance in that troubled country is growing dramatically by the hour.

"War is madness! Stop, please! Look at this cruelty!"

People wait to cross the Irpin River near Kyiv on March 5. Photo: Diego Herrera/Europa Press via Getty Images

The big picture: Most refugees  over 885,000  have fled to Poland since Russia began its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Others have gone to Hungary, Slovakia, Moldova, Romania, Belarus and other European countries, according to UN data. Tens of thousands have also arrived in Russia.

Efforts to evacuate civilians trapped in the coastal city of Mariupol were called off for a second straight day Sunday after Ukraine accused Russia of continuing its shelling in the area, despite Moscow's agreement to open "humanitarian corridors" to allow people to flee, per the New York Times.

Meanwhile, the European Union has granted immediate protections to Ukrainian refugees. Under the protections, Ukrainians can move, live and work in the EU, as well as obtain certain benefits without going through the sometimes long and complicated process to obtain asylum.

The Biden administration has offered Ukrainians already in the U.S. temporary protected status, which shields them from deportation for 18 months.

Go deeper:

Editor's note: This story has been updated with Pope Francis' comment.
VIRGINIA  A convoy of truckers and other vehicles protesting President Biden's coronavirus state of emergency, and many mandates that have recently lifted, circled the Washington, D.C., metro twice on Sunday via the Capital Beltway before the drive ended for the day.

Organizers of the self-styled People's Convoy plan a repeat of the rolling drive on Monday, the Washington Post reported.

The aim of the demonstration on wheels is to be a huge pain, but the Post's reporters following the drivers said few problems and no accidents were caused by the trucker convoy on Sunday.



The group left Hagerstown in western Maryland Sunday morning, bound for Interstate 495, and returned to Hagerstown late in the day. WJLA reported some of the truck convoy members reached Virginia on I-495 by midday Sunday.

The Virginia Department of Transportation told drivers to anticipate heavy traffic and delays throughout the day.



After the convoy made its second circuit of D.C.s Beltway Sunday afternoon, drivers headed west on the outer loop of Interstate 495 for Interstate 270 en route to Hagerstown Speedway in Maryland.

The vehicles in the convoy have stayed in one lane and spaced out while driving under the speed limit, WTOPs Valerie Bonk reported.

Modeled after the Freedom Convoy that blockaded downtown Ottawa for three weeks in protest of vaccine mandates in Canada, the U.S. protesters say they are against government overreach.



Some people reported seeing the convoy on I-495 near Tysons Corner after noon, with flags flying from trucks.

"Please use caution and expect delays in reaching your destination," D.C. emergency officials advised in a statement before noon. "If possible, consider alternate modes of transportation to include using Metrorail. The Metropolitan Police Department may need to close certain roads in order to minimize the impacts of these demonstrations."

One group of truckers and its allies called the People's Convoy says it wants to end the federal proclamation of a national emergency due to COVID-19. Some members embarked from California on Feb. 23 on a cross-country trip that is now culminating near D.C.

Story continues

Convoy organizer Brian Brase has repeatedly said the drivers will not enter the District, but they plan to increase the number of trips around the Beltway each day to pressure lawmakers and other leaders, the Post said.



Groups staged at the Hagerstown Speedway Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights before heading to the Capital Beltway on Sunday. With cars, trucks and other vehicles participating, organizers told WUSA that it could take two hours to get out of the parking lot of the Hagerstown Speedway before making two slow laps around the D.C. Beltway in the middle of the day.

A group called the American Truckers Freedom Convoy planned a tailgate party at Dominion Raceway in Thornburg Sunday.



See Also:

This article originally appeared on the Tysons Corner Patch
The body of a Florida woman, who disappeared more than a week ago, had been found inside her septic tank - and her handyman has been arrested for murder.

Police began searching the tank for Cynthia Cole, 57, a few hours after arresting her handyman Keoki Hilo Demich on Friday night.

After several hours of excavation, her body was discovered submerged in the cesspool, buried in her backyard in the 4500 block of NE Skyline Drive in Jensen Beach.

Demich, 34, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.

Cole, who went by Cyndi, had been missing for over a week and was last seen February 24 at a Jammin Jensen event.

Scroll down for video

Cynthia Cole, left, was found submerged in the septic tank in her backyard Saturday morning, and Keoki Hilo Demich, right, Cole's handyman has been charged with her murder

Martin County Sheriff William Snyder and investigators dig into the backyard of Cynthia Cole on March 4 and 5, 2022, one week after the woman was reported missing

Demich had been hired by Cole to be her handyman for the last few years.

He was the only person investigators were suspicious of after she was reported missing.

'He made several statements that we know are false so he was charged with second-degree murder,' said Martin County Sheriff William Snyder.

Snyder added that Ring cameras and security footage near Cole's home show Demich exiting Cole's car near Demich's home in Stuart on the same night when Cole was last seen.

There were several other instances of cameras catching Demich near Cole's vehicle, according to Snyder.

Cole, who went by Cyndi, had been missing for over a week and was last seen February 24 at a Jammin Jensen event

Cole, pictured, was likely murdered in her home before her body was placed in the septic tank, authorities said

After several hours of digging, they eventually pulled Cole's body out of the septic tank early Saturday morning.

'I've been doing this 40 plus years. Ive never seen anything like it,' Snyder said.

Meanwhile, Snyder said detectives are still collecting evidence and added that Demich could face additional charges.

Evidence collected thus far suggests that Cole was likely murdered in her home before her body was placed in the septic tank.

The body has yet to be positively identified by the medical examiner's office, however authorities say they have every reason to believe that they discovered Cole's body.
More than 140 million Americans have had the coronavirus, according to estimates from blood tests that reveal antibodies from infection  about double the rate regularly cited by national case counts.

The estimates, compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, show that about 43% of the country has been infected by the virus. The study shows that the majority of children have also been infected.

The data goes through late January, when the omicron variant of the coronavirus was causing more than 500,000 cases a day, meaning the number of Americans now infected is considerably higher. The data comes from 72,000 blood samples taken in January.

The highly infectious variant has caused case counts to skyrocket. As of late November, just before the omicron variant began spreading in the United States, the blood test study estimated that 103 million people had been infected. By that measure, 37 million new people caught the virus over two months ending in late January.

Every two weeks, the CDC gathers tens of thousands of blood tests analyzed by commercial labs nationwide for reasons unrelated to the coronavirus, such as checkups or other medical treatment. Those samples are also tested for coronavirus antibodies. The percentage of people with antibodies is known as seroprevalence.

The blood test study includes infections throughout the pandemic but counts each person only once. Daily coronavirus case rates tally every known infection, so many people who have had reinfections are counted again and again. The estimated 140 million is well over double the number of people included in counts by The Washington Post or government agencies as of late January.

The blood tests count only antibodies from natural infection, including asymptomatic cases, not from vaccination. The study measures the presence of antibodies. It does not indicate whether there is strong protection against subsequent infection.

Infection rates are much higher for children and younger adults, the study found. It estimated that 58% of children up to age 11 have antibodies from natural infection, along with the same share of children age 12 to 17.

Just under half of adults up to 49 have been infected, the CDC estimates. The rate drops to 37% for people 50 to 64 and 23% of people 65 or older.

The coronavirus is much deadlier for older people. Half of the people who have died of COVID-19 have been age 75 or older. Vaccination and other preventive measures have been concentrated on the most vulnerable older people. Younger people have much lower vaccination rates and are much more likely to be working in jobs or attending school, where they risk exposure.

At least half of the population in 14 states has been infected, blood tests showed, from 56% in Wisconsin to half in Georgia. The other states with a majority infection rate, in descending order, are Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, Wyoming, Texas, Indiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Michigan, New Jersey, Tennessee and Louisiana. New York is just under that level, at 49%.

The lowest infection rate is in Vermont, with 18%. The next-lowest states in ascending order are Hawaii, Maine, Oregon, Washington, New Hampshire, Virginia and Massachusetts, which tops the lowest states with 37%.

Nevada was not included in the study, and there was insufficient data for North Dakota, Arizona and Utah.

Initially, tests for seroprevalence that included both natural infection and vaccination could show whether the country was reaching a level of herd immunity to control spread of the disease. But protection from infection or vaccination is strongest for about six months, the CDC has found, after which the risk of infection grows again. The delta and omicron variants  spaced about six months apart  both infected people who previously had the virus.

Just before the omicron variant, a seroprevalence study that included both vaccination and natural infection found antibodies in more than 90% of adults, but that did not prevent omicrons enormous infection rates, hospitalization and death, said Kristen Nordlund, a CDC spokeswoman.

Vaccination or exposure to the coronavirus may have reduced the deadliness and severity of the omicron wave, Nordlund said.

Scientists still cant explain why some people get the virus and others do not. A CDC study of disease spread within households during the omicron wave found that 53% of people in a household with an infected person also caught the virus. Vaccination, mask-wearing and isolation within the household all reduced transmission and protected other members of the household. But even in households without isolation, vaccination or mask-wearing, not everyone caught it.

Another study of seroprevalence that examined a community after a coronavirus wave also found that it picked some people and skipped others, said William Powderly, head of the Institute for Public Health at Washington University of St. Louis.

The wave dissipated even though a vast majority of people tested showed no antibodies, Powderly said, so they were susceptible to the disease raging around them but didnt catch it.

Shouldnt it just cut through everybody and find everybody who is vulnerable? he wondered. The transmission dynamics of this virus are not completely worked out. ... There is variability in the virus and variability in the population.
The first video in a series from Virginia health officials targeting the 1.6 million Virginians who have not been vaccinated features Sophie Chafin Vance, the daughter of a state senator who died of COVID-19.

We are constantly reliving that loss as the pandemic continues, Vance says, sitting near a tractor on her familys farm in Lebanon, a town in Russell County. I didnt think twice walking in those doors and getting that vaccine. I wanted to live, says Vance, whose father, state Sen. Ben Chafin, R-Russell, died in Richmond on Jan. 1, 2021.

Thats ultimately what it comes down to. Do you want to live?

The emotional video, which will launch this week, is the first in a series that will tap what state officials call trusted voices to move unvaccinated and unboosted Virginians to action. It is the primary focus of the new COVID-19 action plan from Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who is trying to increase the states vaccination rates while taking aim at any form of requirement.

Amid the uncertainty of a new COVID-19 variant, vaccines present a clear path to minimizing spread, severe cases and strain on hospitals. Politically, they could also help keep the state running without the kinds of restrictions and mandates Youngkin has heavily criticized and vowed to refrain from.

People living in rural areas across the state are less likely to be vaccinated and boosted, with particularly low rates in Southwest Virginia, state data shows. Among the states racial and ethnic groups, Black Virginians are least likely to be vaccinated at 58%, followed by white Virginians at 61%.

Men, particularly between the ages of 18 and 34, are also less likely to be vaccinated. Less than half of kids and teens under 18 are vaccinated; for children between ages 5 and 11, the vaccination rate is just over a third.

Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources John Littel said in an interview that addressing vaccine hesitancy has become the top priority for state officials to address COVID-19.

We now have a good handle on testing and treatment, so the focus is now on vaccines, because thats going to be critical for us, said Littel of the potential for another variant.

Then-Gov. Ralph Northams administration had been engaged in vaccine outreach since doses reached Virginia. The Youngkin administrations plan offers a look into the strategy of a GOP governor whose base of support includes many people skeptical about the safety of the vaccine and resistant to mandates.

Youngkin appeared in a public service announcement urging Virginians to get the shots. The video titled, Lets Tackle COVID-19 Together, shows a fleece-vested Youngkin casually walking around a diner, talking to patrons while pouring coffee.

I wont mandate it, but my family and I made the choice to get vaccinated, Youngkin says to the camera. The vaccine is the best way to protect our lives and loved ones.

Christy Gray, the states vaccine coordinator at the Virginia Department of Health, said the states strategy now revolves around pinpointing trusted voices to get at the reasons why someone is yet to be vaccinated and to nudge them toward the vaccine. Vaccine hesitancy, she said, is defined as having access but choosing against the shot.

The state is using information from marketing research conducted by Reingold Communications to craft videos, like the one featuring Vance, targeting people who havent gotten vaccinated.

This idea of trusted messengers isnt a new concept for us but its something that we are extending and targeting, Gray said. Were trying to have these stories that would have happened down the road from you  and just really brings it home and makes it real.

The state has an ongoing $1.5 million partnership with four historically Black colleges and universities  Virginia State University, Virginia Union University, Norfolk State University and Hampton University  to fund outreach to their campus populations and the communities they interact with.

Through funding it received from the federal government, the administration said it is running marketing campaigns in Spanish, and awarding grants to religious organizations hosting vaccination events.

Before Youngkin took office in January, the state in December awarded grants of up to $20,000 to 20 congregations across 13 health districts, including predominantly Black churches and rural churches. In late spring, the state will start taking applications to award 50 more grants to religious organizations to help with vaccination messaging.

Some of the lowest vaccination rates in Virginia and across the nation are found among children. Littel said parents of children under 18 present an opportunity to increase vaccine uptake.

Just under 50% of children and teens ages 5 to 17 have been vaccinated, compared with 82% for people over the age of 18. COVID-19 policies around children, most recently mask mandates, have resulted in heated backlash from some parents and conservatives.

To help with vaccinations among children and teens, the state is asking local health districts to partner with schools to host virtual town halls about vaccines where parents can get information and ask questions. A spokesman for VDH said the tele-town halls for schools are in the early planning stages, and that six school divisions have expressed interest in hosting them.

We want schools, who are trusted by the parents, to be sharing this information. We do find that schools that provide vaccine information or education to parents have higher vaccination rates than schools that dont, Gray said.

It is a way to make sure that parents are getting their information from a trusted and accredited source to be able to make the best decision for their family.
Concerns have been raised about potential supply chain disruptions as a result of the war or sanctions levied against Moscow and Russian entities.



However, CRF Secretary-General Lun Yeng said that neither the Eastern European country was a major buyer of Cambodian milled-rice, and hinted that the ongoing conflict and associated events would be highly unlikely to substantially disrupt the routes used to move the staple grain around the world.



Cambodia exported a total 103,058 tonnes of milled rice to international markets in January-February, an increase of 35.21 percent year-on-year. (Photo: Phnompenhpost.com)



According to the CRF, Cambodia shipped just 17,512 tonnes of rice to Russia in the five years from 2017-2021, or 0.55 percent of the total 3.19 million tonnes exported globally. Last year, alone Russia bought 2,223 tonnes  worth about 1.96 million USD.



In January and February this year, Cambodia shipped 200 tonnes of milled rice to Russia worth 200,640 USD or 0.19 percent of the global total export volume for the two months.



Meanwhile, milled-rice exports to Ukraine over 2017-2021 clocked in at just 572 tonnes, CRF statistics showed.



CRF President Song Saran told the Phnom Penh Post that Cambodia was actively seeking to diversify rice export markets, placing a greater focus on mainland China, Hong Kong (China) and Macau (China), along with ASEAN countries.



He said that the decision was motivated by a steady decline in Cambodian milled-rice exports to the EU, as a result of a shipping container shortage and skyrocketing sea freight rates plaguing the industry over the past two years in the COVID-19 era.



The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries reported that Cambodia exported a total 103,058 tonnes of milled rice to international markets in January-February, increasing by 26,836 tonnes or 35.21 percent year-on-year, from 76,222 tonnes.



China was the largest buyer of Cambodian milled rice over the two months, accounting for 56,385 tonnes, up by 49.84 percent year-on-year, followed by 20 European countries with 26,507 tonnes, up 39.54 per cent./.
Amid escalating tensions between Ukraine and Russia, a team from the Indian embassy has been stationed in Poltava City to coordinate the safe passage of Indian students stranded in Sumy to Western borders. "Team from Embassy of India is stationed in Poltava City to coordinate the safe passage of Indian students stranded in Sumy to Western borders via Poltava. Confirmed time & date will be issued soon. Indian students advised to be ready to leave on short notice," tweeted the Embassy of India in Kyiv, Ukraine. The Embassy also urged Indian nationals in Ukraine to fill in their details in the attached Google Form "All Indian nationals who still remain in Ukraine are requested to fill up the details contained in the attached Google Form on an URGENT BASIS," tweeted Indian Embassy. Meanwhile, a group of 44 Indians who began their journey from Pisochyn in Ukraine are on their way to the Polish border from Lviv while over 150 proceeded to the Romanian border amid an escalating fight between Russia and Ukraine. Indian Embassy in Ukraine in a tweet shared the information and asked everyone to be strong in these difficult times. "Bringing our Indians back home group of 44 Indians who began their journey from Pisochyn are on their way to the Polish border from Lviv. Another group of 150+ have made their way to the Romanian border. Our efforts are ongoing. Be Safe Be Strong," the Embassy wrote in the tweet. The Indian Embassy in Kyiv on Saturday said that they will not leave any stone unturned to ensure the safe evacuation of Indian students from the Ukrainian city of Sumy and requested them to keep some more hours of strength. Over the past week, more than 10,000 Indian students have been evacuated from Ukraine under Operation Ganga. Barring Kharkiv and Sumy, almost all Indians from the remaining regions of Ukraine have been evacuated. The Embassy said that despite shelling, roadblocks, diversions and other major adversities, food and water continued to be delivered to Pisochyn, in whatever quantities and means available. Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. (ANI)




Authorities detained more than 4,300 people who participated in anti-war demonstrations across Russia, Reuters reported on Sunday.

An independent protest monitoring group said that 4,366 Russian residents from 56 different cities had been detained, according to the news service, which added that Russia's interior ministry said about 3,500 protesters had been detained. The ministry reportedly added that more than 5,200 residents participated in the demonstrations.

"The screws are being fully tightened - essentially we are witnessing military censorship," Maria Kuznetsova, a spokeswoman for the monitoring group, told the news service.

"We are seeing rather big protests today, even in Siberian cities where we only rarely saw such numbers of arrests."

Multiple videos posted on social media showed thousands of demonstrators chanting "No to war!" and "Shame on you!" toward the Russian government.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has led to a series of protests and international sanctions against Moscow. U.S. companies in a variety of sectors have also moved to end business with Russia.

In response, Ukrainian citizens are fleeing the country. The U.N. Refugee Agency shared on Sunday that 1.5 million Ukrainian citizens have fled since the start of the invasion.

Reuters noted that Russian authorities arrested a similar number of protesters in January, 2021 who demanded the release of Alexei Navalny. The opposition leader was arrested by Russian authorities upon arriving in the nation after he recovered from a nerve agent poisoning attempt.
Petitioners, including Imaan Hazir-Mazari, also seek clarification of Section 144's implementation so that the administrators do not take unfair advantage of it, reported The Express Tribune.

They contended that the case against the student protesters is baseless and illegal, therefore it should be dismissed.

The Baloch students are protesting outside the National Press Club for the safe recovery of fellow student Hafeez Baloch and others who were missing.

Meanwhile, Baloch students condemned the non-recovery of missing and forcibly disappeared students by state forces and the violence against Baloch students in Islamabad and the police FIR against them.

Earlier, Islamabad Police on Tuesday clashed with Baloch students protesting for the release of missing students.

According to students, plain-clothed officials snatched their mobile phones and dismantled the protest camp, reported local media.

Students activists claim that the peaceful protesters were unnecessarily manhandled and beaten by the Police.

Balochistan's Human Development Index (HDI) ranks below 0.40 as compared to the other provinces of Pakistan that lie above 0.50. Within Pakistan, Balochistan lags far behind other provinces and 15 out of Pakistan's least-developed districts are in Balochistan.

Meanwhile, enforced disappearances and arbitrary killings of Balochs have also become a new 'normal in the region'. (ANI)
A recent University of Colorado Boulder research has found some positive impacts of green surroundings on people's health mental health. The study, published in the journal 'PLOS One', found that people exposed to more green space during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic reported significantly less depression and anxiety. The study also found that at a time when health">mental health problems soared due to financial woes, supply shortages and nonstop news coverage of the virus, people sought solace in the great outdoors, with one-third spending more time there than they did pre-COVID. "This research shows how critical it is to keep parks and green spaces open in times of crisis," said senior author Colleen Reid, an assistant professor of geography in the Institute for Behavioral Science. "It also shows that, as a public health measure, more effort should be made to put in green spaces and make them accessible." For the study, the authors presented about 1,200 Denver-area residents with a 30-minute survey gauging their health">mental health and their perceptions of green space near their home, including how much there was, whether they could see it, whether it was accessible, how much they used it and its quality. They also collected aerial satellite imagery to objectively quantify greenery in respondents' neighbourhoods.The survey ran from November 2019 to January 2021. Once COVID-19 emerged and lockdowns ensued, Reid added additional questions, providing a rare opportunity to also look at how the pandemic influenced health">mental health over time and what was most stressful about it. "Not surprisingly, we found that the pandemic impacted health">mental health negatively," said co-author Emma Rieves, a master's student in the Department of Geography. "But we also found that green space could have a powerful protective effect, even at a time of such extraordinary stressors." Surprisingly, the study found no association between being diagnosed with COVID and having poor health">mental health. But respondents reported that having symptoms, no diagnosis and no way to test was distressing. Those who lost income or felt they were working in an unsafe environment were also more likely to be stressed or depressed, while the strongest source of health">mental health problems was a fear of supply shortages (including toilet paper and food). People who spent a lot of time scrolling the internet looking at the news reported poorer health">mental health. In contrast, merely having abundant green space nearby, as measured by satellite images, was associated with lower depression scores. To get the most benefit out of nearby green space, the study found, people had to get out and use it. Those who used green space most had significantly lower anxiety and depression. "There are many dimensions of green space, and our study looked closely at how these dimensions impact health">mental health," said Rieves, noting that policymakers often rely solely on objective measures, like satellite images or proximity to parks when assessing whether to invest in more greenery in a community. On a satellite image, Rieves pointed out, a large patch of greenery could actually be a weed-filled lot. A 'nearby park' could be on the other side of a busy highway. "It's not just about being able to see trees from your home. The amount, quality and accessibility of that green space matters," said Rieves. Many public agencies closed public green spaces, including neighbourhood playgrounds and national parks, at the onset of the pandemic for fear that the virus could be easily spread via surfaces. Once parks reopened, with places like gyms, bars and churches still closed, Coloradans flocked to the outdoors: 33 per cent of respondents reported spending more time in parks or on trails than the year before. The study added to a growing body of evidence that suggested that green spaces have a measurable impact on health. According to one theory, known as the 'biophilia hypothesis,' humans innately tend to seek connections with green spaces, where the calming environment influences stress hormones in a way that promotes healing and fends off disease. "The idea is that we have evolved with nature, and only in the recent past have we been living in the concrete jungle," said Reid. One famous 1984 study even found that when hospital patients had rooms with a window looking out on green space, their wounds healed faster and they required less pain medication than those looking out on a brick wall. Reid cautioned that correlations between green space and health have been scrutinized, in part because people with higher incomes and, thus, better access to healthy food and health care may also be more able to afford to live near green spaces. To address that, Reid's study took sociodemographic factors into account, along with the many unique circumstances that have emerged during COVID. After controlling for all the factors, the benefits still remained clear: "Spend more time outside," Rieves said. "Pandemic or no pandemic, it's good for your health">mental health." (ANI)
U.S. Embassy in Armenia: We call on Azerbaijan to return troops to their initial positions

Pashinyan discusses Azerbaijani aggression and its consequences with Gutteres

Beglaryan: Countries that want peace must announce sanctions against Azerbaijan in case of attack on Armenia

EU proposes to ban transfer of dollar banknotes to Russia

Turkey unveils mock-up of fifth-generation fighter

Expert says supporters of current authorities tried in every way to assure that it was Ankara that was holding Baku back

Administration: Situation in Tavush is calm, no evacuations are carried out

Armenia expects clear action from CSTO: Armenian Deputy FM receives CSTO Secretary General

Turkey considers it necessary to abolish veto in UN Security Council

Armenian and Egyptian FMs discuss settlement of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan

Armenia and Luxembourg PMs meet in New York

Armenian PM presents Slovenian President consequences of Azerbaijani aggression

Hungary to hold public opinion poll on support for EU sanctions on Russia

Armenian and Dominican Republic FMs meet on margins of UNGA

ICRC takes part in handing over bodies of Armenian servicemen to Armenian authorities

Turkey to send more than 3,000 police officers to Qatar to protect public order during World Cup

Expert: Under current circumstances Armenia must suspend negotiation process with Turkey

NEWS.am digest: Armenian PM gives speech at UN, Azerbaijan again violates ceasefire

Danish authorities to help with energy payments despite central bank warning

Gevorgyan at PACE: We refuse to believe that promise of access to Caspian Sea gas and oil can cloud mind

G20 trade ministers meeting ends without joint statement

Icelandic police arrest four Icelanders suspected of planning terrorist attacks

Turkologist: Prospects for normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations extremely far away

Investigative Committee of Armenia initiates proceedings on actions of Red and Black Berets in Yerablur

UK energy package to cost 60 billion pounds over six months

French Embassy advises its citizens to refrain from visiting Armenian regions bordering Azerbaijan

MOD: As of 6 pm, situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border remains unchanged

Business decline in Germany intensified in September

Karekin II: Clear position of international community is important to deter Azerbaijani aggression

Dollar, euro lose value in Armenia

CSTO Secretary General and Armenian Deputy FM discuss joint measures for de-escalation in region

American billionaire compares inflation in U.S. to fall of Roman Empire

Grigoryan's Office: Deputy Prime Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan hold short conversation

Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister tells Canadian counterpart about Azerbaijani aggression

U.S. Embassy urges its citizens to be careful in Armenia and not to visit five border regions

Focus online: Germany faces deindustrialization

Iran claims elimination of terrorist group on border with Azerbaijan in Khoda Afarin

Tehran residents hold mass rallies against rioters

Bar association board of Frances Haut-de-Seine strongly condemns Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia

Lawyer: It would have been effective if Armenia had applied to UN Court under Hostages Convention

Azerbaijan media: Armenia, Azerbaijan deputy PMs meet in Moscow

Trump: US is going to hell

Silvio Berlusconi: Putin was 'pushed' into war with Ukraine

OSCE Secretary General and trio discuss recent military actions on Armenia-Azerbaijan border

Lapid calls for 2-state solution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Armenia Deputy Prosecutor General is dismissed

Peskov: No decisions on flights from Russia to Northern Cyprus have been made so far

Kremlin: It's hard to understand hysterical reaction to partial mobilization

Yerevan new deputy mayor on military pantheon incident: I hope those who are guilty will be punished

Senator Menendez calls on Biden administration to halt all security assistance to Azerbaijan

Armenia Criminal Court of Appeal judge submits resignation

UN senior representatives visit Armenias Syunik Province, say they aim to record needs of local residents

Lukashenko: Belarus expects to become a member of SCO in year

Norwegian Prime Minister: The war has to stop

Macron warns of crisis of democracies

Thomas de Waal: More storm clouds gather over Armenia, Azerbaijan

Armenia FM to Jordan counterpart and deputy PM: Maximalist policy of Azerbaijan needs to be restrained

Armenia parliament speaker calls on all international colleagues to condemn Azerbaijan military aggression

Armenia former deputy PM Tigran Avinyan is appointed Yerevan Deputy Mayor

Yerevan market explosion criminal proceedings: 1 of 3 arrested accused is released

Estonian PM urges to prepare for rolling blackouts

Yerevan city council holding special session, appointing ex-deputy PM Tigran Avinyan as deputy mayor is on agenda

Fly Arna receives its second Airbus A320 aircraft

Armenia defense ministry dismisses Azerbaijan MOD statement disseminated a while ago

Anthony Blinken's father passes away aged 96

MOD: Azerbaijan army fires at Armenia combat positions, at around 7:40am

Armenia MP: Azerbaijan opened fire at Kutakan village positions

Pashinyan at UN: Azerbaijan stalls repatriation of Armenian POWs

Newspaper: Armenia PM, parliament majority faction have closed discussion day after military operations

PM Pashinyan at UN, addresses Azerbaijan president: Could you show map of Armenia that you recognize?

PM Pashinyan at UN: Azerbaijan intends to seize new territories from Armenia

Blinken to Armenia PM: US is ready to continue its efforts aimed at negotiation, peace process

FM addresses at Ancient Civilizations Forum: Armenian cultural heritage is being destroyed by Azerbaijan

Putin, Mohammed bin Salman discuss transferring of foreign POWs to Saudi Arabia

NATO chief says he is extremely concerned about recent events on Armenia-Azerbaijan border

PM: Georgia ready to become venue for Armenia-Azerbaijan dialogue

Spain wants to introduce tax on richest

Pashinyan and Mirzoyant meet with NATO Secretary General

German government intends to nationalize gas importer Sefe

Armenian side does not exclude possibility of Pashinyan and Erdogan meeting in Prague

Former Presidents and Catholicos discuss situation in Armenia

ADB lowers its economic growth forecast for developing Asia

Fire breaks out in Khosrov Forest Reserve

Saudi Arabia plans to send first female cosmonaut into space in 2023

Ararat Mirzoyan attends US President's reception

Israel agrees to sell advanced air defense system to the UAE

How does adversary aggression, mobilization in Russia, and currency fluctuations affect Armenian tourism?

Raisi to Pashinyan: Iran-Armenia connection should not be threatened

Karekin II and former presidents meet in Echmiadzin

Tatoyan Foundation: Azerbaijan is misleading international community with its lies

It becomes more and more difficult for EU to agree on new sanctions against Russia

Lavrov: Western countries become party to conflict in Ukraine

CSTO Secretary General visits Armenian border region

U.S. imposes sanctions on Iranian vice police

Liz Truss considers moving British embassy in Israel to Jerusalem

Speaker of Iranian Parliament: Security in Persian Gulf will be achieved by withdrawal of extra-regional powers

CSTO exercises will be held in Kazakhstan

Lawyer: Mothers of deceased servicemen in Yerablur are subjected to different bodily injuries

Erdogan will hold meeting on Russian 'Mir' cards and possible sanctions

Erdogan does not rule out meeting with Pashinyan in Prague: We will have certain initiatives on Caucasus
Catch this week's video

Sandy Gould Yow and Duane Pahl share their expertise on Everything Real Estate once a month, and weekly on the PDN website with a video discussing a real estate topic. This weeks video topic focuses on settlement statements in the real estate process. Dont miss it on guampdn.com.

Do you have real estate questions you want to ask or discuss? You can call them at 671-687-6006 or 671-689-7777, email news@guampdn.com, or share your comments and questions online.
UK crime drama Unforgotten returns for its fourth season on ABC later this month.

Nicola Walker returns as DCI Cassie Stuart and Sanjeev Bhaska as DI Sunny Kahn investigating a cold case with alarming links to the police force.

Unforgotten is a BAFTA winning drama, recently nominated the Royal Television Society Programme Awards, which screened in Britain last month.

A corpse is discovered in a huge scrap yard, buried among mountains of metal. The mans body has been frozen for some time, and details about his life and death are near-impossible to make out. How long ago did this man die? And did the truth die with him?

With Cassie and Sunny on the case, four murder suspects quickly emerge. The suspects have just one thing in common: theyve all got connections with the law. As the clues slowly emerge, it turns out all four suspects attended the same police training course back in 1989. Since then, their lives have gone in very different directions.

The volatile chief superintendent with a point to prove and a past to forget. A seemingly successful businessman with a criminal past. A Cambridge-educated high-flying cop in a toxic relationship with her mother. And the daughter of a policing family, pushed into a career she cannot stand. With all these links to the law, who exactly is fighting for justice?

Can the police force ever be trusted? And will Cassie and Sunny, both with troubles of their own, find themselves fighting on the wrong side of the law?

8.30pm Saturday 19 March on ABC.
On Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Kremlin press service reported.

"Vladimir Putin informed about the progress of the special military operation to protect Donbass, outlined the principal approaches and assessments in this context, explained in detail the main objectives and tasks set. It was stressed that the special operation was proceeding according to plan and in accordance with the schedule.

At the same time, the Russian armed forces are doing all they can to preserve the lives and safety of civilians, and point-by-point strikes are carried out exclusively against military infrastructure. Against this background, the actions of nationalist and neo-Nazi formations, which continue intensive shelling of Donbas and use civilians, including foreigners, as "human shields" in Ukrainian towns and villages, are particularly cruel and cynical.

Russia confirmed its readiness to engage in dialogue with the Ukrainian authorities and foreign partners with a view to resolving the conflict. At the same time, attention was drawn to the futility of any attempts to drag out the negotiation process, which is being used by the Ukrainian security forces to regroup their forces and resources. In this connection, it was stressed that the suspension of the special operation would only be possible if the Ukrainian Government ceased hostilities and complied with Russia's well-known demands.

They expressed the hope that during the planned next round of negotiations Ukraine's representatives would show a more constructive approach, taking full account of the emerging realities.

The presidents of Russia and Turkey noted the importance of maintaining contacts between the diplomatic and military departments of the two countries. Vladimir Putin confirmed the readiness of the Russian side to provide all necessary assistance for the safe evacuation of Turkish citizens from the areas of hostilities.

The two sides stressed the need to continue mutually beneficial Russian-Turkish trade and economic cooperation.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized the fierce campaign of discrimination against Russian culture and its figures which is gaining momentum in a number of Western countries. It has been agreed to maintain close contacts at various levels," the Kremlin said in a statement.

According to Turkey's Daily Sabbath, Erdogan told the Russian leader that Turkey was ready to contribute to a peaceful solution to the Ukraine problem as soon as possible.

"Stressing that an urgent general ceasefire would not only alleviate the humanitarian problems in the region, but also provide an opportunity to find a political solution, Erdogan repeated his call to "pave the way for peace together."

President Erdogan stressed the importance of taking urgent steps to secure a ceasefire, open humanitarian corridors and sign a peace agreement.

Noting that he was in constant contact with the Ukrainian side and other countries, Erdogan said he would continue his efforts to hold comprehensive talks and achieve results," Turkish media reported.
20:45 06.03.2022

Zelensky creates delegation of Ukraine to participate in Intl Court of Justice on allegations of genocide against Russia
A Nenagh man who had been given two suspended four-month jail sentences by Nenagh District Court at the start of February had them partially revoked by the same court last Friday.

Declan Foran of 38 Horan Hall, The Square, Tallaght, Dublin 24, who is originally from Nenagh, been given two four-month suspended sentences on February 11 for criminal damage to a GPs surgery and breaking a window in a pharmacy in the town.

Judge Elizabeth MacGrath had suspended them for two years in Mr Forans own bond.

However, he pleaded guilty to being intoxicated in public and theft before the court on February 18, triggering the suspended sentences.

He is well familiar with the court, his solicitor, David Peters said. You gave him a chance but within three days he had committed offences.

He said that Mr Foran, who suffers from addiction and mental health difficulties, had spent six weeks in custody before the court appearance on February 11.

He asked that the court not impose the suspended sentence in full.

Judge MacGrath revoked one month of each sentence.
Charlie Birds diagnosis of motor neuron disease was devastating initially, but the amount of support he received from the general public was a huge source of strength for him and his family. Charlie now wants to use this outpouring of support to help other people suffering from a terminal illness and those suffering from thoughts of suicide and self-harm.

Charlie intends to climb Croagh Patrick on Saturday, April 2, to raise funds for two charities very close to his heart  Irish Motor Neuron Disease Association and Pieta House, Irelands national suicide prevention charity. Due to health and safety restrictions, the numbers who will be allowed to climb Croagh Patrick on that day will be limited, but Charlies hope is that people all over Ireland will get involved in Climb with Charlie in their own area.

With this in mind, local man Canice Sheeran has decided to attempt to climb the Devils Bit in Tipperary on the same day, April 2. He has set up a fundraising page through Charlies www.donate.ie page, all funds will go towards Charlies above-named charities. The Fundraiser can be accessed through Canices Facebook page or simply google www.idonate.ie/CaniceSheeran922

All donations towards this worthy cause will be gratefully appreciated.
The commercial vacancy rate in Tipperary increased to 14.5% in the year to Q4 2021 according to the latest GeoDirectory Commercial Vacancy Rates Report, published today.

Nationally, the commercial vacancy rate was 13.9% in Q4 2021, the highest level of commercial vacancy recorded by GeoDirectory since the report began in 2013. The report, prepared by EY, found that commercial vacancies increased in 15 out of 26 counties.

County Commercial Vacancy Rates

The highest commercial vacancy rates were recorded in the west of the country, continuing the trend observed in previous reports. Sligo, at 20.0%, was the county with the highest commercial vacancy rate, followed by Leitrim and Roscommon, both at 17.1%. In Q4 2021, the average commercial vacancy rate for Connacht was 17.3%.

Meath (10.2%) was the county with the lowest commercial vacancy rate in the state, with Wicklow (10.4%) and Kerry (11.3%) also recording notably low rates.

In Dublin, the commercial vacancy rate increased by 1.0pp in the year to Q4 2021, reaching a rate of 12.9%. This year-on-year increase was second only to Laois, which recorded a 1.1pp increase to stand at 14.2%.

Analysis of Towns and Dublin Districts

This report examined the commercial vacancy rates among a sample of 80 towns located across the state. Of the towns in Tipperary surveyed, Thurles and Clonmel both had the highest commercial vacancy rate (17.9%), while Nenagh had the lowest (17.2%)

Nationally, Ballybofey, Co. Donegal was the town with the highest rate in Q4 2021, at 30.0%. Edenderry, Co. Offaly (27.7%), Edgeworthstown, Co. Longford (26.3%), Kilrush, Co. Clare (26.2%), and Roscommon Town (24.2%) completed the top five towns by highest commercial vacancy rate.

Gorey, Co. Wexford, at 7.8%, was the town with the lowest commercial vacancy rate in the country. Greystones, Co. Wicklow (7.9%) was the town with the second lowest rate, while Carrigaline, Co. Cork (8.5%) had the third lowest.

In the capital, Dublin 2 recorded the largest year-on-year increase in vacancy, with a 3.1pp increase to reach a vacancy rate of 16.8%, the highest across Dublins postal districts. The Dublin postcode with the lowest vacancy rate was Dublin 16, at 6.8%. A total of 16 postal districts recorded an increase in their vacancy rates since Q4 2020.

Analysis of Shopping Centres (2016-2021)

For the first time, GeoDirectory compiled a nationwide sample of over 3,000 commercial units located within 68 shopping centres and analysed the change in vacancy rates in these centres between 2016 and 2021.

The analysis found that the total stock of shopping centre units remained largely static over the five years in question. However, the number of vacant units in shopping centres nationally increased from 429 in 2016 to 477 in 2021. This amounts to an 11.2% increase across the period analysed.

Commercial Address Points by Sector

Using NACE codes to classify units by economic sector, GeoDirectory is able to identify broad trends in the use of commercial units nationally. Of the 182,243 occupied address points in the state in Q4 2021, 87.3% of units have been allocated a NACE code.

In the year to Q4 2021, there were 556 fewer Retail and Wholesale units recorded across the country, amounting to a decrease of 1.5%. This percentage YoY decline was only exceeded by Financial and Insurance units (-1.7%), albeit with a much smaller decrease in terms of physical units, at 74.

Looking specifically at the Accommodation and Food (A&F) Service sector, 22,656 units were classified under this sector in Q4 2021. Kerry, with 24.2% of the countys total commercial stock in Accommodation and Food Service units, had the highest proportion of such units in the country, followed by Clare (20.7%), Donegal (19.3%), Leitrim (18.7%) and Mayo (17.9%).

Commenting on the findings of the report, Dara Keogh, Chief Executive of GeoDirectory said, At 13.9%, the commercial vacancy rate in Q4 2021 was at its highest level since GeoDirectory began reporting on this data in 2013.

"This increase in commercial vacancies is not reflected in terms of numbers in employment, which according to the CSO increased steadily in 2021. This may suggest that Covid-19 has accelerated businesses to pivot towards enhancing their online presence and scaling-back their physical offering on main streets.

"As working from home is expected to continue beyond the pandemic, and online commerce increases in popularity, there needs to be a policy conversation around how vacant commercial properties are regenerated on our main streets for wider benefit.

Annette Hughes, Director, EY Economic Advisory said, Our analysis in previous reports has shown a clear divide in terms of commercial activity on the east and west coast. This trend remains visible, however commercial vacancies increased in 15 out of 26 counties last year. Dublin recorded the second highest year-on-year rise in commercial vacancies, second only to Laois, both in the Leinster region.

"I think the most interesting statistic is the over 29,000 vacant commercial units across Ireland. When combined with our over 90,000 vacant residential units in our Residential Building Report published in January, this suggest that there are almost 120,000 vacant buildings, a good proportion of which could potentially be returned to commercial, community or residential uses on the streets of towns and cities across the country."
The Kia EV6 has been named the Continental Tyres Irish Car of the Year for 2022, representing a major step forward in the drive towards all electric vehicles becoming the accepted norm in the country.



Motoring journalists from print, online and broadcasting hosted the Covid-19 guideline compliant event, which was attended by Irelands leading car brands, importers and distributors.



Kia took the top award with its latest EV6 model which also won the Continental Tyres Irish Large Car of the Year category award at the ceremony. It is the second time that an electric vehicle has taken the award as Kia also won the 2020 Irish Car of the Year title with the all-electric Kia e-Soul.

And, with Kia winning yet again, the growing popularity of the brand is reflected in the excellence associated with all of its vehicles in the fleet which are out-pacing other brands in the market.



Joint-Chairman of the Irish Car of the Year Committee, Anthony Conlon said: "The Kia EV6 is a great car and as the second electric vehicle to win the title, it is proof, if any proof was needed, that the era of electric motoring is already well and truly here in Ireland. Just look at our field of runners for this years awards, more than half of the contenders are available as either partial or full electric vehicles.



Joint-Chairman of the Irish Car of the Year Committee, Cathal Doyle added: Congratulations to the Kia team on a very worthy win and what an achievement to score back-to-back titles with two great electric vehicles. The Kia EV6 came out as the clear winner and was hugely popular with my motoring journalist colleagues.



Tom Dennigan from awards sponsor, Continental Tyres was delighted that the awards are back: After missing out on a 2021 Irish Car of the Year awards programme, we are delighted to be back with these awards for 2022 as the whole programme provides a great guide to Irish motorists on what the best and latest cars coming onto the Irish market are. I am sure that the Kia EV6 will benefit hugely here from winning this much coveted award.



The category winners:

1. Continental Tyres Irish Compact Car of the Year: Dacia Sandero

2. Continental Tyres Irish Medium Car of the Year: Citroen C4

3. Continental Tyres Irish Small Crossover / SUV of the Year: Opel Mokka

4. Continental Tyres Irish Medium Crossover / SUV of the Year: Renault Arkana

5. Continental Tyres Irish Large Car of the Year: Kia EV6

6. Continental Tyres Irish Luxury Car of the Year: Mercedes-Benz S-Class

7. Continental Tyres Irish Performance Car of the Year: BMW M3/M4
Pulitzer-winning multimedia journalist Manny Crisostomo chronicles the journeys of the CHamoru diaspora in "Manaotao Sanlagu," an ongoing visual documentary featured weekly in the Pacific Daily News.
Cumberland County will lift the mask requirement for employees and visitors in some government buildings except the Department and Public Health and the Detention Center beginning Monday, March 14, 2022.

Masks will now be optional for most government buildings in Cumberland County next week as COVID-19 metrics improve.

Effective March 14, the mask mandate will be lifted for visitors and employees in some facilities, but masks will continue to be required at the county's Department of Health and the Detention Center, according to a press release.

As COVID-19 cases start to improve in Cumberland County, health officials predict the virus will be at a "medium" level, according to Jennifer Green, the county's health director.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released mask guidance based on community levels to help officials decide on updated prevention steps. Community levels can either be low, medium, or high and are based on the number of hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and new COVID-19 cases in the last seven days.

More: Cumberland County's COVID-19 numbers continue to decrease

"We continue to rely on the current science, data, and recommendations from our state and federal health agencies," Green said. "The change in our recommendation is based on updated guidance from North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and the CDC for medium counties."

Glenn Adams, chairman of the county Board of Commissioners, said in the last seven days "the number of new cases and new hospital admissions per 100,000 population decreased 52% and 23% respectively."

I am thankful we can move forward with this new guidance, but the pandemic is not yet over," he said. "Please continue to follow guidance from our health officials to protect yourselves, your co-workers, and your families.

More information about the vaccines and testing for COIVD-19 can be found on Cumberland County's website.

Investigative Reporter Kristen Johnson can be reached at kjohnson1@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Masks now optional for some government buildings in Cumberland County
Kim Jong-un shows his alleged daughter for first time

U.S. Embassy in Armenia: We call on Azerbaijan to return troops to their initial positions

Pashinyan discusses Azerbaijani aggression and its consequences with Gutteres

Beglaryan: Countries that want peace must announce sanctions against Azerbaijan in case of attack on Armenia

EU proposes to ban transfer of dollar banknotes to Russia

Turkey unveils mock-up of fifth-generation fighter

Expert says supporters of current authorities tried in every way to assure that it was Ankara that was holding Baku back

Administration: Situation in Tavush is calm, no evacuations are carried out

Armenia expects clear action from CSTO: Armenian Deputy FM receives CSTO Secretary General

Turkey considers it necessary to abolish veto in UN Security Council

Armenian and Egyptian FMs discuss settlement of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan

Armenia and Luxembourg PMs meet in New York

Armenian PM presents Slovenian President consequences of Azerbaijani aggression

Hungary to hold public opinion poll on support for EU sanctions on Russia

Armenian and Dominican Republic FMs meet on margins of UNGA

ICRC takes part in handing over bodies of Armenian servicemen to Armenian authorities

Turkey to send more than 3,000 police officers to Qatar to protect public order during World Cup

Expert: Under current circumstances Armenia must suspend negotiation process with Turkey

NEWS.am digest: Armenian PM gives speech at UN, Azerbaijan again violates ceasefire

Danish authorities to help with energy payments despite central bank warning

Gevorgyan at PACE: We refuse to believe that promise of access to Caspian Sea gas and oil can cloud mind

G20 trade ministers meeting ends without joint statement

Icelandic police arrest four Icelanders suspected of planning terrorist attacks

Turkologist: Prospects for normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations extremely far away

Investigative Committee of Armenia initiates proceedings on actions of Red and Black Berets in Yerablur

UK energy package to cost 60 billion pounds over six months

French Embassy advises its citizens to refrain from visiting Armenian regions bordering Azerbaijan

MOD: As of 6 pm, situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border remains unchanged

Business decline in Germany intensified in September

Karekin II: Clear position of international community is important to deter Azerbaijani aggression

Dollar, euro lose value in Armenia

CSTO Secretary General and Armenian Deputy FM discuss joint measures for de-escalation in region

American billionaire compares inflation in U.S. to fall of Roman Empire

Grigoryan's Office: Deputy Prime Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan hold short conversation

Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister tells Canadian counterpart about Azerbaijani aggression

U.S. Embassy urges its citizens to be careful in Armenia and not to visit five border regions

Focus online: Germany faces deindustrialization

Iran claims elimination of terrorist group on border with Azerbaijan in Khoda Afarin

Tehran residents hold mass rallies against rioters

Bar association board of Frances Haut-de-Seine strongly condemns Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia

Lawyer: It would have been effective if Armenia had applied to UN Court under Hostages Convention

Azerbaijan media: Armenia, Azerbaijan deputy PMs meet in Moscow

Trump: US is going to hell

Silvio Berlusconi: Putin was 'pushed' into war with Ukraine

OSCE Secretary General and trio discuss recent military actions on Armenia-Azerbaijan border

Lapid calls for 2-state solution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Armenia Deputy Prosecutor General is dismissed

Peskov: No decisions on flights from Russia to Northern Cyprus have been made so far

Kremlin: It's hard to understand hysterical reaction to partial mobilization

Yerevan new deputy mayor on military pantheon incident: I hope those who are guilty will be punished

Senator Menendez calls on Biden administration to halt all security assistance to Azerbaijan

Armenia Criminal Court of Appeal judge submits resignation

UN senior representatives visit Armenias Syunik Province, say they aim to record needs of local residents

Lukashenko: Belarus expects to become a member of SCO in year

Norwegian Prime Minister: The war has to stop

Macron warns of crisis of democracies

Thomas de Waal: More storm clouds gather over Armenia, Azerbaijan

Armenia FM to Jordan counterpart and deputy PM: Maximalist policy of Azerbaijan needs to be restrained

Armenia parliament speaker calls on all international colleagues to condemn Azerbaijan military aggression

Armenia former deputy PM Tigran Avinyan is appointed Yerevan Deputy Mayor

Yerevan market explosion criminal proceedings: 1 of 3 arrested accused is released

Estonian PM urges to prepare for rolling blackouts

Yerevan city council holding special session, appointing ex-deputy PM Tigran Avinyan as deputy mayor is on agenda

Fly Arna receives its second Airbus A320 aircraft

Armenia defense ministry dismisses Azerbaijan MOD statement disseminated a while ago

Anthony Blinken's father passes away aged 96

MOD: Azerbaijan army fires at Armenia combat positions, at around 7:40am

Armenia MP: Azerbaijan opened fire at Kutakan village positions

Pashinyan at UN: Azerbaijan stalls repatriation of Armenian POWs

Newspaper: Armenia PM, parliament majority faction have closed discussion day after military operations

PM Pashinyan at UN, addresses Azerbaijan president: Could you show map of Armenia that you recognize?

PM Pashinyan at UN: Azerbaijan intends to seize new territories from Armenia

Blinken to Armenia PM: US is ready to continue its efforts aimed at negotiation, peace process

FM addresses at Ancient Civilizations Forum: Armenian cultural heritage is being destroyed by Azerbaijan

Putin, Mohammed bin Salman discuss transferring of foreign POWs to Saudi Arabia

NATO chief says he is extremely concerned about recent events on Armenia-Azerbaijan border

PM: Georgia ready to become venue for Armenia-Azerbaijan dialogue

Spain wants to introduce tax on richest

Pashinyan and Mirzoyant meet with NATO Secretary General

German government intends to nationalize gas importer Sefe

Armenian side does not exclude possibility of Pashinyan and Erdogan meeting in Prague

Former Presidents and Catholicos discuss situation in Armenia

ADB lowers its economic growth forecast for developing Asia

Fire breaks out in Khosrov Forest Reserve

Saudi Arabia plans to send first female cosmonaut into space in 2023

Ararat Mirzoyan attends US President's reception

Israel agrees to sell advanced air defense system to the UAE

How does adversary aggression, mobilization in Russia, and currency fluctuations affect Armenian tourism?

Raisi to Pashinyan: Iran-Armenia connection should not be threatened

Karekin II and former presidents meet in Echmiadzin

Tatoyan Foundation: Azerbaijan is misleading international community with its lies

It becomes more and more difficult for EU to agree on new sanctions against Russia

Lavrov: Western countries become party to conflict in Ukraine

CSTO Secretary General visits Armenian border region

U.S. imposes sanctions on Iranian vice police

Liz Truss considers moving British embassy in Israel to Jerusalem

Speaker of Iranian Parliament: Security in Persian Gulf will be achieved by withdrawal of extra-regional powers

CSTO exercises will be held in Kazakhstan

Lawyer: Mothers of deceased servicemen in Yerablur are subjected to different bodily injuries

Erdogan will hold meeting on Russian 'Mir' cards and possible sanctions
By Trend

Georgia has very good chances to obtain the status of a European Union membership candidate state, ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party Head Irakli Kobakhidze said on Friday, expressing hope the Union would make the decision soon, Trend reports citing Agenda.ge.

Kobakhidze said multiple institutions would be involved in the decision-making process, including the European Parliament and other executive structures.

The GD Head also wished success in the process to Ukraine and Moldova, as the countries had also applied for EU membership.

Our three countries, the so-called [Associated] Trio, have practically applied [for EU membership] simultaneously. I think the prospects are very good and hopefully, a positive decision will be made," he added.

Kobakhidze pointed out that in order to obtain EU membership, Georgia would have to follow the Association Agenda between the country and the Union.

The only prerequisite for obtaining EU membership - and until then the candidate status - is the Association Agenda, which we are following closely, Kobakhidze explained.

Launched in 2021, the Associated Trio format unites Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova and aims to enhance their cooperation with the EU.

Georgia officially applied for EU membership on March 3, with Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili signing the countrys membership application.
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WASHINGTON  An armada of drivers calling themselves the "People's Convoy" circled the Washington Beltway for more than four hours Sunday to protest pandemic restrictions, and it plans to do so again on Monday.

Organizers said their goal is to be a "huge pain." On Sunday, the disruption they caused was fairly minimal. Though the convoy of hundreds of trucks, cars and SUVs started out in a deliberately slow-moving formation that stretched roughly 30 miles, it became diluted after merging with normal Beltway traffic.

By the time the demonstrators completed their second loop around the District Sunday afternoon, their vehicles were far fewer in number and far more spread out. For most of their journey, traffic around them moved as usual. But their presence could create far more chaos during a weekday, when Beltway traffic will already be thick with commuters.

"It is an unpredictable and fluid event that we are witnessing," said Christopher Rodriguez, director of the D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency. "Our residents, commuters and visitors should expect traffic disruptions over the next several days."

The Department of Defense has agreed to extend the presence of the D.C. National Guard through Wednesday. Rodriguez said D.C. police are working with Virginia and Maryland state police to monitor the situation. "While we respect everyone's rights to come to the nation's capital and exercise their First Amendment rights, what we won't tolerate are people who break our laws," Rodriguez said.

Convoy organizer Brian Brase has repeatedly said the People's Convoy will not enter the District. Instead, the demonstrators, who have based themselves at the Hagerstown Speedway in Maryland, plan to increase the number of trips around the Beltway each day to pressure lawmakers and public officials.

Brase has said the group wants an end to the national emergency declaration in response to the coronavirus, first issued by President Donald Trump in March 2020 and later extended by President Joe Biden, and for Congress to hold hearings investigating the government response to the pandemic.

"We are law-abiding citizens that are just exercising our rights to this protest," said Brase, a 37-year-old from northwest Ohio. But "every day is going to elevate what we do."

On Sunday, the demonstration began just before 9 a.m. at the Hagerstown Speedway, where many of them had spent the weekend. After a pastor started things off by telling the group they were "heroes," Brase instructed them to drive between 45 and 55 mph and stay in one line to best show their size. The mostly White and mostly male protesters raised their coffees in salute.

Soon, the caravan began rolling toward the Beltway with horns blaring. It took nearly two hours for all of the vehicles to make it out of the speedway, and nearly three hours for the trucks at the front of the line to make it to Interstate 495.

The convoy then began its circuit on the outer loop. The mass of vehicles caused congestion as they merged onto the highway. But once on Interstate 495, they mostly drove in a single-file line at 45 mph, leaving plenty of space for other cars to pass. The first lap took the group roughly an hour and 40 minutes.

Maryland State Police and Virginia State Police increased the presence of patrol vehicles to maintain the flow of traffic. The longer the convoy drove, the more spread out the vehicles became, stretching a distance of about 35 miles.

"We're not even sure we can call it a convoy any more because it's so dispersed among routine traffic at this point," Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said Sunday afternoon.

Throughout the day, regular drivers sped around and wove between the protesters, trying to get to their exits and not get caught in the fray. But no convoy-related accidents were reported.

The demonstrators wailed on their horns any time they navigated beneath overpasses in Maryland and Virginia where people watching the convoy were gathered on foot. While some carried signs that said "go home," the majority were supportive of the protest, waving banners that read "thank you" and "end tyranny."

Their encouragement echoed the supporters on social media, where some protesters broadcast their journeys on YouTube and other platforms. Viewers of the live streams could hear the many drivers talking among themselves on their radios, commenting on the unseasonably warm day and bickering about how best to make an impact. Some truckers scolded others for getting too spread out, worrying that "no one is going to know there's even a convoy."

Local drivers, accustomed to clogs in traffic, had a close view of the many messages the protesters had affixed to their vehicles, declaring their allegiance to Trump and disdain for Biden. On poster boards and tinted windows, they complained about gas prices and vaccine mandates. Using colorful markers, they proclaimed falsehoods such as "Trump won." Dozens of trucks waved American flags. A few sported Confederate battle flags.

Their circling of the District came at the end of a long journey. Hundreds of vehicles began the trek 2,500 miles away in California on Feb. 23. During the cross-country trip, People's Convoy organizers have rallied support by calling pandemic restrictions and mandates an infringement on their freedoms.

Many of those measures at the federal and local levels have been blocked or rescinded. But Brase wants vaccine mandates for health workers, federal employees and military personnel to be eliminated. Other demonstrators spoke only of generic asks, such as "taking back our freedom."

It is unclear just how much disruption the group is planning for the coming days. Since the demonstrators began their journey in California, there has been concern that they could end it on the streets of the District.

Brase said Saturday night they are planning to stick with loops around the Beltway, and promised to preserve a "normal commute" for area workers. He said they plan to call attention to the issues they care about without violence or lawbreaking. "We just have a message that we want heard," Brase said. "We're not going anywhere until it's heard."

As the truckers streamed back to Hagerstown, commenters on their live streams encouraged them to get more aggressive, suggesting they follow in the footsteps of the demonstrators that blocked highways for days in Canada.

One protester broadcasting on a Facebook page with thousands of viewers lamented that he didn't know if the majority of participants would agree to that. "Seems like everybody has their own ideas on how to do this," he said.
It comes as Russian forces continued their brutal bombing campaigns of several locations

Video has also surfaced of Russian pilots who were captured after bailing out of their aircraft over Ukraine

Russia has racked up considerable losses since the invasion began, with the Ukrainian Armed Forces reporting late last night that they have downed a total of 44 Russian planes and 44 helicopters so far

Video appears to show the plane erupt into a huge fireball as it is struck by two surface-to-air missiles (SAM)

The regional governor of Kharkiv claimed the Russian Su-25 fighter was hit by the city's Air Defence Forces

ootage has emerged of the moment an alleged Russian jet was shot down over Ukraine's second city Kharkiv

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Footage has emerged of the moment a Russian jet was shot down over Ukraine's second city Kharkiv earlier today.

Oleg Synegubov, the regional governor of Kharkiv, claimed that the Russian Su-25 fighter was destroyed by Kharkiv's Air Defence Forces, which was later confirmed by the Kyiv Independent.

Video appears to show the plane erupt into a huge fireball as it is struck by two surface-to-air missiles (SAM) over Kharkiv's city centre, before the twisted remains tumbled out of the sky and exploded again upon impact with the ground.

But Putin's indiscriminate bombing campaigns, which have brought death and destruction to residential and administrative areas of Ukraine's cities, are set to continue through the night.

Synegubov said the plane was part of a squadron of between five and seven aircraft which have been conducting regular bombing runs over Ukraine's second city.

Kharkiv is one of the cities worst-hit by Russian bombing campaigns in recent days, after Putin ordered his forces to engage in sustained shelling of several locations across the country.

Ukrainian soldiers can be heard cheering at the sight of their occupiers' burning aircraft streaking falling out of the sky, as the nation's armed forces continue to put up a bitter fight against the Russian onslaught.

It comes just one day after several clips surfaced of Russian pilots, who bailed out of their aircraft after being hit by Ukrainian missiles, being detained by territorial defence units.

Further footage from a CCTV camera installed in a building in Kharkiv shows the sky light up as the Russian plane is hit by two SAMs in quick succession.

The Su-25 aircraft is typically used to provide close air support to ground forces, but has also been used to deliver missile strikes and bombing raids.

Russia has racked up considerable losses since the invasion began, with the Ukrainian Armed Forces reporting late last night that they have downed a total of 44 Russian planes and 44 helicopters in the past eleven days.

Video appears to show the plane erupt into a huge fireball as it is struck by two surface-to-air missiles (SAM) over Kharkiv's city centre, before the twisted remains tumbled out of the sky and exploded again upon impact with the ground

Ukrainian soldiers can be heard cheering at the sight of their occupiers' burning aircraft streaking falling out of the sky, as the nation's armed forces continue to put up a bitter fight against the Russian onslaught

Video emerged of a Russian pilot wearing a blue jumpsuit and a bloodstained T-shirt being treated for a head wound after he crashed in a field

Another pilot, also dressed in an orange jumpsuit and thought to be his colleague, was taken away by Ukrainian soldiers

The burnt out remains of a building destroyed by Russian army shelling in the second largest Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, in the east of the country on March 6, 2022. Kharkiv is one of the cities worst-hit by Russian bombing campaigns in recent days, after Putin ordered his forces to engage in sustained shelling of several locations across the country

A man helps a wounded elderly woman to a building's basement for shelter, after Russian troops shelled the area in the second largest Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, in the east of the country on March 6, 2022

The reported losses provide further evidence of Russia's failure to gain air superiority  a tactical advantage that Putin thought would be achieved on the first day of the war.

Here's how YOU can help: Donate here to the Mail Force Ukraine Appeal Readers of Mail Newspapers and MailOnline have always shown immense generosity at times of crisis. Calling upon that human spirit, we are supporting a huge push to raise money for refugees from Ukraine. For, surely, no one can fail to be moved by the heartbreaking images and stories of families  mostly women, children, the infirm and elderly  fleeing from Russia's invading armed forces. As this tally of misery increases over the coming days and months, these innocent victims of a tyrant will require accommodation, schools and medical support. Donations to the Mail Force Ukraine Appeal will be used to help charities and aid organisations providing such essential services. In the name of charity and compassion, we urge all our readers to give swiftly and generously. TO MAKE A DONATION ONLINE Donate at www.mailforcecharity.co.uk/donate To add Gift Aid to a donation  even one already made  complete an online form found here: mymail.co.uk/ukraine Via bank transfer, please use these details: Account name: Mail Force Charity Account number: 48867365 Sort code: 60-00-01 TO MAKE A DONATION VIA CHEQUE Make your cheque payable to 'Mail Force' and post it to: Mail Newspapers Ukraine Appeal, GFM, 42 Phoenix Court, Hawkins Road, Colchester, Essex CO2 8JY TO MAKE A DONATION FROM THE US US readers can donate to the appeal via a bank transfer to Associated Newspapers or by sending checks to dailymail.com HQ at 51 Astor Place (9th floor), New York, NY 10003 Advertisement

The Armed Forces Air Command reported early this morning that one Su-25 fighter, two Su-34 fighter-bombers, two Su-30 SM planes, and three helicopters were shot down yesterday alone.

Dramatic footage showed the moment one of the helicopters was hit by Ukrainian territorial defence forces as it made a menacing low pass over a rural village about 25 miles from Kyiv.

The helicopter sustained a direct hit which sent brilliant orange flames bursting from the engine before the aircraft piled into the ground nose-first and exploded.

Russian pilots, some of whom are believed to have ejected from aircraft shot down by Ukrainian defences yesterday, have also been filmed saying they were simply 'following orders'.

Pictures and video show the men responding to questioning, some on their knees with their hands behind their heads and others bleeding heavily, after being detained by soldiers and civilians in a field.

Video shared online shows a pilot, reportedly from a downed Russian aircraft, wearing an orange jumpsuit as he gets on his knees with his hands behind his head as his captors fire questions at him. Other images show a second man in a similar jumpsuit, thought to be his colleague, with several facial lacerations.

It comes after two pilots ejected from an aircraft - thought to be an Su-30 - after it was shot down over the Ukrainian city of Chernihiv yesterday.

Footage also emerged of a Russian pilot wearing a blue jumpsuit and a bloodstained T-shirt being treated for a head wound after he crashed in a field.

With a bandage around his head, he nodded wearily as Ukrainian troops asked him questions.

While the vast Russian armoured column threatening Ukraines capital remains stalled outside Kyiv, Putins military has launched hundreds of missiles and artillery attacks on cities and other sites across the country in recent days in an attempt to bomb its neighbour into submission.

Day 11 of the invasion saw the devastating shelling of the port city Mariupol continue, despite an earlier ceasefire agreement between Russian and Ukrainian forces to allow residents to flee through a 'safe corridor'.

Some 200,000 civilians were set to leave Mariupol, as well as a further 15,000 from Volnovakha, at 7am this morning (UK time) as part of the temporary ceasefire deal.

The refugees had five hours to flee the cities and evacuate westwards along humanitarian corridors, but just 400 refugees managed to flee Volnovakha before the ceasefire was shattered.

It is unclear how many  if any  families escaped Mariupol.

The total number of people fleeing Russia's invasion reached 1.5 million in just ten days today, making it Europe's 'fastest growing refugee crisis' since World War Two, the United Nations said.

Further footage from a CCTV camera installed in a building in Kharkiv shows the sky light up as the Russian plane is hit by two SAMs in quick succession. The Su-25 aircraft is typically used to provide close air support to ground forces, but can also be used for delivering bomb and missile strikes

The Su-25 aircraft is typically used to provide close air support to ground forces, but has also been used to deliver missile strikes and bombing raids. Russia has racked up considerable losses since the invasion began, with the Ukrainian Armed Forces reporting late last night that they have downed a total of 44 Russian planes and 44 helicopters in the past eleven days (Russian Su-25 jet fighters pictured in September 2021)

The burning wreckage of a Russian Su-30 which crashed into a field near Chernihiv in Ukraine on Saturday after being shot down. Ukraine's Armed Forces Air Command reported early this morning that one Su-25 fighter, two Su-34 fighter-bombers, two Su-30 SM planes, and three helicopters were shot down yesterday alone

A factory and a store are burning after been bombarded in Irpin, in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, March 6, 2022

Many Ukrainian war refugees have taken a long and perilous journey to flee the destruction brought about by President Vladimir Putin - with 1.5 million crossing into neighbouring countries in 10 days, new stats have revealed

The International Committee of the Red Cross said: 'Amid devastating scenes of human suffering in Mariupol, a second attempt today to start evacuating an estimated 200,000 people out of the city came to a halt.

'The failed attempts yesterday and today underscore the absence of a detailed and functioning agreement between the parties to the conflict.'

Putin meanwhile has sought to pin the blame on 'Ukrainian nationalists' he said were responsible for breaking the ceasefire.

Elsewhere, heavily populated civilian areas in the town of Irpin, located on the outskirts of the besieged capital Kyiv, were hit by Russian bombs today, as US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken declared there are 'very credible reports' that Russia has committed war crimes during its invasion of Ukraine.

Irpin is a community on the edge of Kyiv, located adjacent to the town of Bucha where an entire convoy of Russian tanks and armoured vehicles were destroyed by Ukraine's territorial defence forces last week.

But although Russia's armoured convoys have thus far been unable to penetrate the capital, Putin's troops have continued to rain down artillery fire on the capital and its suburbs.
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Demonstrators march along the street in Odessa, Ukraine, on February 20, 2022. AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti

Ukrainian President Zelensky said Russian forces are expected to bomb Odesa, a key port city.

Zelensky said that such an assault on the country's third-largest city "will be a war crime."

More than 1.5 million residents have fled Ukraine, per the UN refugee agency commissioner.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a video released on Sunday said that Russian forces are expected to bomb Odesa, the country's third-largest city and a key shipping port on the Black Sea, calling such an assault "a war crime," according to The Washington Post.

Zelensky, who has rallied Ukraine against the invasion launched by Russian President Vladimir Putin, lamented that the coastal city has been a welcoming place for citizens from Russia but could soon face a military onslaught.

"Russians always traveled to Odesa, always felt only warmth in Odesa," Zelensky said. "And now what? Bombs against Odesa? Artillery against Odesa? Rockets against Odesa? This will be a war crime."

Odesa, known for its beaches, now has sand from its shoreline being used for roadblocks. According to The Post, Russian warships have been present off the city's shore for several days.

The warning for Odesa  with a population of over 1 million residents  comes as Russia has continued their advance into Ukraine despite setbacks in their incursion into the country, including the stiff-armed resistance from Ukrainian forces and Zelensky's refusal to leave his government.

The United Kingdom Ministry of Defense in a Sunday intelligence report stated that Russia has responded to the "scale and strength of Ukrainian resistance" by "targeting populated areas in multiple locations, including Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Mariupol."

"This is likely to represent an effort to break Ukrainian morale," the report stated. "Russia has previously used similar tactics in Chechnya in 1999 and Syria in 2016, employing both air and ground-based munitions."

Story continues

Many parts of the county that were flourishing less than two weeks ago now lack heating, water, and electricity, with more than 1.5 million residents have fled the country, according to UN refugee agency commissioner Filippo Grandi.

Grandi on Sunday called the displacement "the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Divas 2022 arts fest fundraiser

Divas 2022, a fundraiser for the Waco Cultural Arts Festival, will run from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Waco Civic Theatre, 1517 Lake Air Drive.

The event will include sweet and savory food, drinks, music, dance, loads of glam and a silent auction.

Tickets are $50. Proceeds benefit Cultural Arts of Waco, including the annual arts fest. To reserve a table, go to app.hellofund.com/form/81M62y3d or call 254-776-1591.

Pro-Life welcomes author

Tricia Ross, author of When Wishes Change, will be the speaker at a pro-life gathering from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday at St. Marys church hall, 1424 Columbus Ave. Ross will speak about the challenges of her second pregnancy, knowing her daughters life would only be for days.

An Italian buffet will be served from noon to 1, at a cost of $3 for adults, followed by the program at 2. For information, call 254-644-0407 or email prolifewaco@gmail.com.

Genealogy workshop Saturday

The Central Texas Genealogical Society and the West Waco Library, 5301 Bosque Blvd., will host a free workshop about finding and using county records from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday in the library meeting room.

Speakers include Kelvin Meyers, Texas Institute of Genealogical Research; Kerry McGuire, McLennan County Archives; and Bill Buckner, Waco-McLennan County Library Genealogy Center. To register, go to wacolibrary.org or call 254-750-5945.

Kiwanis Seniors anniversary

Kiwanis Seniors of Waco will celebrate its 35th year in Waco from 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday at Golden Corral, 681 N. Valley Mills Drive. Cost is $10.

The event will feature the clubs accomplishments over the years. For more information, call 817-991-1343.
Washington [US], March 6 (ANI): US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on Sunday (local time) said that US has "very credible" reports of war crimes in Ukraine adding that US along with its EU allies is looking into the possibility of banning Russian oil imports and put pressure on Russia.

Blinken, in an interview with CNN said, "We've seen very credible reports of deliberate attacks on civilians, which would constitute a war crime. We've seen very credible reports about the use of certain weapons."

Also Read | Harjot Singh, Indian Student Injured in Kyiv Firing to be Brought Back to Delhi on Monday.

"And what we're doing right now is documenting all this, putting it all together, looking at it and making sure that as people and the appropriate organizations and institutions investigate whether war crimes have been or are being committed, that we can support whatever they're doing. So right now, we're looking at these reports. They're very credible and we're documents everything," the secretary said.

On the possibility of Russian oil imports ban, Blinken told CNN's Jake Tapper, "When it comes to oil, Russian oil, I was on the phone yesterday with the President and other members of the Cabinet on exactly the subject, and we are now talking to our European partners and allies to look in a coordinated way at the prospect of banning the import of Russian oil while making sure that there is still an appropriate supply of oil in world markets."

Also Read | 11-Year-Old Boy Crosses Ukraine Border With Phone Number Written on His Hand; Slovakian Authorities Hailed A Hero of the Night.

Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities following which the western countries imposed a host of sanctions. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
The owner of Kissimmees 1 Plus Tax and Accounting Group doesnt show up in a license search as a certified public accountant, but hes now a convicted tax fraud and embezzler.

Marcos Tejeda got sentenced to a year and a half in federal prison and $131,978 restitution after pleading guilty in Orlando federal court to two counts of fraud and false statements. He got busted by his client, referred to in his guilty plea as S.M. and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations.

Florida prison guards kicked, punched, spat and yelled the n-word at a helpless inmate

Jailed Dominican politician has been on suicide watch awaiting trial in Miami cocaine case

According to Tejedas admission of facts, S.M. used 1 Plus for personal and business accounting work from 2016-2018. That included preparing S.M.s business tax returns.

In 2016 and 2017, Tejeda prepared two returns each year. The return with the honest figures, including estimated payments already made, Tejeda presented to S.M. For 2016, S.M. owed $55,746 and had paid $20,000 in estimated payments. Those numbers were $56,577 and $40,000, respectively, for 2017.

The fraudulent tax return with fake numbers for S.M.s business gross income, capital gains, etc. went to the IRS. The 2016 fugazy return said S.M. owed only $578 in taxes, $55,168 under the honest total.The 2017 tax return said S.M. owed only $158 in taxes, $56,419 under reality. Neither mentioned estimated tax payments made.

Tejeda sent the incorrect tax amounts to the IRS on S.M.s behalf and kept the money S.M. deposited into the business bank account for his personal benefit, Tejedas admission of facts says.

Tejeda admitted to S.M. he never sent in the estimated payments to the IRS. S.M. had given Tejeda $20,175.74 in 2016 for quarterly estimated payments, $53,207.72 in 2017 and $46,946 in 2018, a total of $120,329.46 embezzled from S.M.

Also, Tejeda threw a 1 Plus employee under the bus as preparer of S.M.s 2016 return, even using her preparer tax identification number without her knowing.
The Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory (LSMTL) has begun integrity tests on Eko, Ijora and Marine Bridges in Lagos.

Olufunsho Elulade, General Manager of LSMTL, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the checks on the three bridges were to determine their structural stability to prevent collapse.

According to him, the checks were requested by contractors handling rehabilitation works on the facilities.

He explained that samples were being taken from the bridges to test and ascertain if previous fires that gutted them at various times weakened any of their components or not.

He explained the technicalities behind the various tests to ensure that the bridges were safe for use.

Our input is very key because it would be based on our recommendation and the solution we proffer; that is what they (contractor) would do.

So, as I speak, we are testing three bridges because the contractor just felt he would rather come to Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory because of their integrity, we work conscientiously and we have expertise.

I have builders, geologists, civil engineers, materials engineers, name it. So, the expertise is there. The worst case scenario, it will come to me, I am a COREN registered engineer, a civil engineer and project manager with 30 years experience.

So, whatever it is, we will fix. We are testing three bridges, Ijora Courseway, Eko Bridge and Marine Bridge in Apapa; work is ongoing and we started on Monday, February 28th and we have 14 days, so we are working through the 14 days, he said.

According to him, the results from the laboratory would determine the advice to be given concerning the bridges.

(NAN)
https://sputniknews.com/20220306/sputnik-exclusive-dpr-leader-says-situation-in-donbass-comparable-to-nato-bombing-of-yugoslavia-1093641511.html

Sputnik Exclusive: DPR Leader Says Situation in Donbass Comparable to NATO Bombing of Yugoslavia

Sputnik Exclusive: DPR Leader Says Situation in Donbass Comparable to NATO Bombing of Yugoslavia

Russia and its Donetsk and Lugansk Peoples Republic allies began a military operation in Ukraine in late February after weeks of escalating shelling, sniper... 06.03.2022, Sputnik International

2022-03-06T19:07+0000

2022-03-06T19:07+0000

2022-03-06T19:18+0000

ukraine

donetsk people's republic

denis pushilin

interview

russia's special operation in ukraine

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The situation in the Donbass is comparable to that in Yugoslavia during the 1999 NATO bombings, and the Donetsk Peoples Republic is ready for and wouldnt be surprised by all manner of war crimes by Ukraines ultra-nationalist battalions against the civilian population as they retreat, DPR Head Denis Pushilin has said.They have organized chaos with impunity, hiding behind the civilian population. Now, they are not allowing the civilian population to leave cities. Showing disregard for peoples lives, they are turning houses, apartments, schools and kindergartens into firing positions. On 5 March, [they] attacked civilians leaving Volnovakha. They opened fire on women and children. Colonel Vladimir Zhoga, nom de guerre Vokha, commander of the Sparta reconnaissance battalion, was mortally wounded in this attack, Pushilin said.Civilians living under Ukrainian control over the past eight years have suffered dramatically, the DPR head said.Today Ukrainian formations leave destruction and fear in their wake as they retreat from their positions, leaving no electricity, no water, no communications [infrastructure] intact. Houses and infrastructure are destroyed. People are jubilant when they meet DPR and Russian forces. We immediately begin rebuilding. People have hope for speedy peace and a return to normal life, he said.Russian-led Military Operation Didnt Come From NowhereWestern officials and media have spent over a week accusing Russia and its Donbass allies of an unprovoked and unexpected act of aggression against Ukraine, suggesting there was no justification for the military operation which started on 24 February. Pushilin doesnt share in this view, pointing to the months-long campaign to pump Kiev up with weapons, weeks of military escalation, and preparations for a new acts of aggression against the Donbass.This was followed by shelling, a wave of bomb threats, provocations, threats of a chemical attacks, as well as an informational buildup of the situation, he said, adding that DPR intelligence showed that Kiev had made all the preparations necessary for an all-out military offensive in Donbass.Pushilin revealed that in the space of 16 days of escalation in February, before Russia-led forces began their military operation to demilitarize Ukraine, Kiev carried out nearly 800 attacks against cities in the Donbass, using all calibers of weapons, including Tochka-U tactical missiles and BM-21 Grad rocket artillery. These attacks killed 26 civilians, and injured 109 others, including 7 children. 514 houses and apartment blocs were damaged, along with 198 pieces of civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and critical infrastructure, ranging from electricity and water stations to gas, Pushilin said.At the same time, Kiev deliberately led the Minsk platform-based negotiation process into a dead end. This forced us to take measures to protect the civilian population. Together with Lugansk Peoples Republic head Leonid Pasechnik, we turned to Russia to ask President Vladimir Putin to recognize the Donbass republics and conclude treaties of friendship and cooperation with us  including cooperation in the field of defence, he said.Moscows recognition became a jumping off point for changes which the Donbass had been waiting for for eight long years, Pushilin stressed, adding that the people of the DPR and LPR experienced feelings of joy and gratitude over Russias decision.Pushilin says that 39 settlements have been liberated from Kiev forces in the course of the military operation that was begun on 24 February. We need to push the Ukrainian military and their deadly weaponry away from our cities, so that people can finally live in peace and calm, the DPR head said.

https://sputniknews.com/20220305/dpr-head-some-200-people-buried-under-rubble-as-azov-militants-set-off-explosive-device-in-mariupol-1093607780.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220305/four-ukrainian-su-27-jets-shot-down-in-aerial-fight-above-zhytomir-region-russian-mod-says-1093619905.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220306/senior-us-officials-visit-venezuela-to-try-to-split-russia-off-from-latin-american-allies-report-1093640999.html

Senior US Officials Visit Venezuela to Try to Split Russia Off From Latin American Allies: Report

Senior US Officials Visit Venezuela to Try to Split Russia Off From Latin American Allies: Report

Washington and Caracas have had no formal diplomatic relations since January 2019 when the US attempted to overthrow the democratically elected government of... 06.03.2022, Sputnik International

2022-03-06T18:34+0000

2022-03-06T18:34+0000

2022-03-06T18:34+0000

ukraine

venezuela

america

oil

sanctions

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Senior US State Department and White House officials have traveled to Caracas to meet with Venezuelan officials as part of a campaign to try to split Russia off from its allies in Latin America, the New York Times has reported, citing persons said to be familiar with the matter.Current and former officials told the newspaper that Washington considers Russias partners in Latin America a potential security threat, with Caracas lobbied to move away from Moscows orbit in exchange for the resumption of purchases of Venezuelan crude oil, which has faced a years-long US-led blockade.World oil prices have jumped dramatically over the past week amid the financial blowback caused by Western sanctions against Russia over its military operation in Ukraine, topping $110 per barrel of WTI crude, and $115 a barrel for Brent crude.The US introduced crushing sanctions against Caracas in January 2019 after opposition leader Juan Guaido proclaimed himself the countrys interim president. Along with efforts to cripple Venezuelas energy exports, the US and its allies have seized tens of billions of dollars in assets belonging to the Venezuelan state, oil giant PDVSA and its US subsidiary CITGO. Part of these assets were transferred to Guaido and his allies and have subsequently disappeared, sparking allegations from the Maduro government that this money has been embezzled.In addition to economic pressure, Venezuelas authorities have faced direct security threats from the US. In May 2020, a group of Colombia-based mercenaries attempted to land in Venezuela by sea, kidnap President Maduro, and take him to the US to face prosecution on charges that he was a secret drug baron. The plot collapsed and eight mercenaries were killed, with over a dozen more captured, among them two US nationals. The brazen plot was masterminded by a Florida-based private security company.Venezuela has rejected the US and European position on the Russian military operation in Ukraine, blaming Washington and NATO for the crisis. We are not seduced by lies repeated a thousand times. We know that [Vladimir] Putin is defending the Russian peoples right to peace and dignity, Maduro said in an address last week. We have been attentive to the events in Russia and Ukraine. We observe how NATO intends to end Russia and a multipolar world, which is already a reality, he added.Last week, Venezuelan ambassador to the United Nations Samuel Moncada called for a peaceful settlement of any dispute which might exist in the Eastern European region, and pointed to Caracas support in 2015 of UN Resolution 2202 on the implementation of the Minsk Agreements on Donbass peace.Sadly, these agreements were wasted after seven years of violations within Ukraine which widened the national divide and increased the suffering of the civilian population. The violent domestic crisis was heightened by another factor  the growing outside pressure of the NATO military bloc toward Ukraine itself, with the destructive effect on security assurances for all, in particular the Russian Federation, and which are the basis for security architecture in Europe, Moncada said.

https://sputniknews.com/20210216/not-justified-un-special-rapporteur-calls-on-nations-to-lift-devastating-venezuela-sanctions-1082097016.html

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Jerusalem, Mar 6 (PTI) The top leadership of Palestine on Sunday expressed shock at the demise of India's Representative to the State of Palestine Mukul Arya.

"On this sad occasion, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Dr Riyad Al-Maliki extends his heartfelt condolences and sincere sympathy to his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar and through him to the friendly Indian government, the family of Representative Arya and his relatives," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants said in a statement in Ramallah, Palestine.

Also Read | Balenciaga Dedicates Its Show to Ukraine. Ahead of the Paris Fashion Show, the Brand Put   Latest Tweet by The Kyiv Independent.

The ministry also expressed its deep sadness, loss, and pain at the death of Representative Arya at his workplace.

The ministry said it is conducting its official contacts with the Ministry of External Affairs to complete the arrangements for transporting the body of the deceased to India for his burial.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War Live Updates: Closing Ukraine's Airspace In Current Circumstances May Spark World War III, Says EU Leader Charles Michel.

"As soon as this painful news arrived, immediate instructions were issued from President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Dr Muhammad Shtayyeh to all the security, police and public authorities," the statement said.

"Deeply shocked to learn about the passing away of India's Representative at Ramallah, Shri Mukul Arya," External Affairs Minister Jaishankar tweeted.

"He was a bright and talented officer with so much before him. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones. Om Shanti," he said.

It was not immediately known how he died.

Arya, 38, was a career diplomat who served at the Ministry of External Affairs in Delhi, in addition to serving at the Permanent Delegation of India to UNESCO in Paris and at the Embassies of India in Kabul and Moscow.

He was raised and educated in Delhi, studied Economics at Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University, before joining the Indian Foreign Service in 2008, according to the website of the Representative Office of India in Ramallah, Palestine.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
TEHRAN, March 6 (Xinhua) -- A member of the Iranian parliament said on Sunday although Tehran and other sides to the 2015 nuclear deal have prepared the main draft of a possible agreement, they still have differences on a few unresolved issues in the Vienna talks.

Abolfazl Amouei, a member of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said that Tehran will only sign an agreement if these issues are solved, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

The first issue is pertinent to the measures the United States is needed to take in a bid to regain its former status as a party to the nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the lawmaker said.

To that end, lifting the sanctions on Iran and providing it with the opportunity of having international interactions and cooperation are Tehran's fundamental requests based on the JCPOA, he added.

Amouei noted that concerns about U.S. fulfillment of its commitments are currently beyond worries voiced by Iran, and have become an international issue.

"Different countries are worried if the United States would fulfill its commitments under the JCPOA if the deal is restored," he said.

Iran and the remaining parties to the JCPOA are currently involved in negotiations in Vienna seeking to settle disputes on the revival of the nuclear pact.

Iran signed the JCPOA with world powers in July 2015. However, former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the accord 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 program. 
SELMA, Ala.  Vice President Kamala Harris visited Selma, Alabama, on Sunday to commemorate a defining moment in the fight for equal voting rights, even as congressional efforts to restore the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act have faltered.

Under a blazing blue sky, Harris linked arms with rank-and-file activists from the civil rights movement and led thousands across the bridge where, on March 7, 1965, white state troopers attacked Black voting rights marchers attempting to cross. The images of violence at the Edmund Pettus Bridge  originally named for a Confederate general  shocked the nation and helped galvanize support for passage of the Voting Rights Act.

Harris called the site hallowed ground where people fought for the most fundamental right of American citizenship: the right to vote.

Today, we stand on this bridge at a different time, Harris said in a speech before the gathered crowd. We again, however, find ourselves caught in between. Between injustice and justice. Between disappointment and determination. Still in a fight to form a more perfect union. And nowhere is that more clear than when it comes to the ongoing fight to secure the freedom to vote.

The nations first female vice president  as well as the first African American and Indian American in the role  spoke of marchers whose peaceful protest was met with crushing violence. They were kneeling when the state troopers charged. They were praying when the billy clubs struck.

Police beat and tear-gassed the marchers, fracturing the skull of young activist John Lewis, a lion of the civil rights movement who went on to long and celebrated career as a Georgia congressman.

President Joe Biden on Sunday renewed his call for the passage of voting legislation, saying the groundbreaking 1965 Voting Rights Act has been weakened not by brute force, but by insidious court decisions.

The proposed legislation is named for Lewis, who died in 2020, and is part of a broader elections package that collapsed in the U.S. Senate earlier this year.

In Selma, the blood of John Lewis and so many other courageous Americans sanctified a noble struggle. We are determined to honor that legacy by passing legislation to protect the right to vote and uphold the integrity of our elections, Biden said in a statement.

Democrats have been unsuccessfully trying to update the landmark law and pass additional measures to make it more convenient for people to vote. A key provision of the law was tossed out by a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2013.

Among those gathered Sunday were rank-and-file activists from the 1965 march. Harris walked across the bridge beside Charles Mauldin, who was sixth in line behind Lewis on Bloody Sunday and was beaten with a night stick.

Two women who fled the violence said having a Black woman as vice president seemed unimaginable 57 years ago.

Thats why we marched, said Betty Boynton, the daughter-in-law of voting rights activist Amelia Boynton.

I was at the tail end and all of the sudden I saw these horses. Oh my goodness, and all of the sudden  I saw smoke. I didnt know what tear gas was. They were beating people, Boynton said recalling Bloody Sunday.

But Boynton said the anniversary is tempered by fears of the impact of new voting restrictions being enacted.

And now they are trying to take our voting rights from us. I wouldnt think in 2022 we would have to do all over again what we did in 1965, Boynton said.

Ora Bell Shannon, 90, of Selma, was a young mother during the march and ran from the bridge with her children. Ahead of Bloody Sunday, she and other Black citizens stood in line for days at a time trying to register to vote in the then white-controlled city, facing impossible voter tests and long lines.

They knew you wouldnt be able to pass the test, Shannon recalled.

The U.S. Supreme Court in 2013 gutted a portion of the 1965 law that required certain states with a history of discrimination in voting, mainly in the South, to get U.S. Justice Department approval before changing the way they hold elections.

The supporters of the end of preclearance said the requirement  while necessary in the 1960s  was was no longer needed. Voting rights activists have warned the end of preclearance is emboldening states to pass a new wave of voting restrictions. The proposed Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act would restore the preclearance requirement and put nationwide standards for how elections operate  such as making Election Day a national holiday and allowing early voting nationwide
Ulster Unionist Councillor, Ryan McCready, has thanked all those who contributed in any way to dispatching the first lorry load of aid to Ukraine from Foyle YMCA.

Cllr McCready said that having trained up many of the Ukrainian soldiers during his time in the British army, he felt duty-bound to help his former comrades.

Many in the community rallied round to donate what they could and Cllr McCready, who represents the Waterside ward and is to stand in May's NI Assembly Elections, was delighted that people came out in numbers to do their bit to help.

He said: After a mammoth cross-community effort, the first lorry load of aid from Foyle YMCA left for Ukraine on Saturday afternoon. I want to thank absolutely everybody who contributed  individuals, businesses, schools and many, many others. It was a herculean effort.

Having trained and worked with so many members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, I found myself needing to stand up and serve again. I wanted to be in a position to help the needs of my brothers and sisters in Ukraine. I put a plan together with my team that we would set up collection points around the City of Derry and encourage the public to donate essential items for those fleeing the conflict.

The next stage in our plan was to sort logistics so I contacted the YMCA to see if they had a secure room to store donations. At this point my own office at Bonds Street was full. The YMCA were fantastic in helping us and becoming an integral part of the plan, not only giving us a room but also now letting us have the hall too.

We then contacted DA Miller & Sons (Transport) Ltd in Claudy who are a family run logistics company. Straight away they accepted the challenge and provided a driver, a 40ft lorry and would take care of the complete journey once the lorry was loaded - absolute heroes. W&J Chambers of Drumahoe supplied one tonne bags and even more generously fuelled the lorry for the journey to Poland.

CFC Interiors in Derry have also been great in liaising with the other collection points from around the city such as other political offices to be delivered to the YMCA and be loaded onto our lorry too.

I am completely overwhelmed with how the whole country has pulled together over the last week, from all communities, offering services or help. It's amazing what we can achieve when we work together.

I would like to thank my team, council colleagues, volunteers, YMCA, DA Miller & Sons (Transport) Ltd, WJ Chambers, MLAs and the biggest stars who donated.

When we work together, the plan comes together.

We are now in the process of arranging a second lorry and are asking people to hold their donations until called forward next week.
The White House effort to design a strategy to confront Russia over its invasion of Ukraine is linked to an urgent re-examination by intelligence agencies of President Vladimir V. Putins mental state. The debate is over whether his ambitions and appetite for risk have been altered by two years of Covid isolation, or by a sense that this may be his best moment to rebuild Russias sphere of influence and secure his legacy. Or both.

Throughout the pandemic, Mr. Putin has retreated into an intricate cocoon of social distancing  though he allowed life in Russia to essentially return to normal. The Federal Protective Service, Russias answer to the Secret Service, built a virus-free bubble around Mr. Putin that far outstrips the protective measures taken by many of his foreign counterparts.

Mr. Putin has been holding most of his meetings with government officials by video conference, often appearing in a spartan room in his Moscow estate, Novo-Ogaryovo. Even when foreign dignitaries arrived, they sometimes didnt get to see Mr. Putin in person; the secretary general of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, had to make do with a video meeting when he visited Moscow last year.
Ukraine's government has a contingency plan in place if President Volodymyr Zelensky is killed during the Russian invasion, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed on Sunday.

Zelensky survived three assassination attempts by Russian-backed groups just this week, the Times reported on Friday.

During an interview with CBS News' Face the Nation on Sunday, Blinken was asked if Russian leader Vladimir Putin would face 'consequences' for Zelensky's murder.

'And are you working on a contingency plan to support a Ukrainian government without him at the helm?' host Margaret Brennan added.

Blinken first praised Zelensky and other Kyiv officials as 'the embodiment of this incredibly brave Ukrainian people.'

'The Ukrainians have plans in place -- that I'm not going to talk about or get into any details on -- to make sure that there is what we would call "continuity of government" one way or another. And let me leave it at that,' he answered.

Speaking from Ukraine's neighbor Moldova, Blinken refused to give details or elaborate on the Ukrainian government's contingency plan should its President Zelensky be killed

A building burns after Russian troops shelled the area in the second largest Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, in the east on March 6, the eleventh day of Vladimir Putin's invasion

GRAPHIC CONTENT: A body of a victim lies close to a destoryed car after Russian troops shelling in Kharkiv on Sunday

Intelligence reports circulated at the beginning of Putin's invasion that his goal was to 'behead' the current democratically-elected Ukrainian government. The Russian autocrat has disparaged Zelensky and his deputies as 'Nazis' and 'drug addicts.'

Hours after Blinken's grim confirmation, Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio was forced to defend himself from criticism after on Saturday sharing an image of Zelensky during a Zoom call despite being asked not to over concerns about the Ukrainian president's security.

Zelensky regularly gives video updates to signal he is alive and still fighting in Ukraine

As the attack continued into its tenth day on Saturday, Rubio and his fellow GOP Senator Steve Daines of Montana posted photos from a live video call with Zelensky and members of Congress as it was taking place.

Ukraine's ambassador had 'explicitly' asked lawmakers and their staff on the call to refrain from sharing it on social media, Democrat Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota said on Twitter after it concluded.

On Sunday, CNN State of the Union host Jake Tapper asked Rubio whether he thought it was a 'mistake' to share the image.

Rubio brushed off the criticism, insisting there were no such rules in place when he tweeted and claiming there was 'no risk posed' to Zelensky.

'Well first of all, she asked that like 30 minutes into the call after I had already done it,' the Florida Republican said.

'The second is, I think she's under the impression that no one knew that call was happening. That call had been widely reported, the -- actually even the specific time had been reported,' Rubio said.

'There are over 300 people on it, all the call details had been emailed, so there's nothing secure about that call.'

Meanwhile Florida Senator Marco Rubio said there was 'nothing secure' about a video call with Zelensky which he got criticized for sharing a photo from on Twitter

"That call had been widely reported  there were over 300 people on it."



Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) explains why he tweeted a photo of a video call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/prEQDAL0lQ  State of the Union (@CNNSotu) March 6, 2022

Democratic Representatives Dean Phillips of Minnesota called Rubio and Daines' tweets 'appalling and reckless'

He added that the photo itself was 'nondescript' in its surroundings.

Ukraine war: latest Crowds of men have been lining up in Kyiv to join the Ukrainian army. An order from Ukraines government prohibited men between the ages of 18 and 60 from leaving the country to keep them available for military conscription;

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that China opposes any moves that 'add fuel to the flames' in Ukraine. Blinken says the world is watching to see which nations stand up for the principles of freedom and sovereignty;

U.S. President Joe Biden has called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss ongoing efforts to impose economic costs on Russia and to speed U.S. military, humanitarian and economic assistance to Ukraine;

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk for giving Ukraine access to his companys satellite-internet system, called Starlink;

Russia has dropped powerful bombs on residential areas of the city of Chernihiv, a regional official said Saturday

Mastercard and Visa are suspending their operations in Russia, the companies said Saturday;

Russian forces have intensified shelling in the port city of Mariupol, including with the use of airplanes, the mayor said Saturday night;

Vladimir Putin says Western sanctions on Russia are almost a declaration of war and that anyone imposing a no-fly zone on Ukraine would be considered to have entered the conflict;

Russia announces a ceasefire to allow civilian evacuation of Mariupol and Volnovakha;

Officials in Mariupol accuse the Russians of violating the ceasefire by continuing to shell the city;

Russian forces inch closer to the capital Kyiv from the north but encounter stiff resistance along the way;

On Thursday, 47 people were killed in a Russian airstrike on a residential neighbourhood in Chernihiv;

A fire at Europe's biggest nuclear power station at Zaporizhzhia is put out on Friday, with Ukraine accusing Russia of 'nuclear terror' in shelling the plant

Putin in a phone call with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says Moscow is ready for dialogue over Ukraine if all its demands are met;

Putin signs a law imposing harsh jail sentences for the publication of 'fake news' about the invasion; Advertisement

'It looks like all the other ones you see out there publicly, so, I don't -- there's no risk posed but you're always going to have a couple of people that want their name in an article somewhere, mentioned in the press,' Rubio said, seeming to allude to his Democrat colleague's outrage.

Asked about it again on ABC's This Week, Rubio firmly answered 'no' he did not believe he put Zelensky's security at risk.

During his Saturday call with US lawmakers, Ukraine's president urged Americans to send more weapons and to enact a no-fly zone over his nation's borders.

Rubio told ABC host George Stephanopoulos that requests for a no-fly zone have become a 'catchphrase.'

'I'm not sure a lot of people fully understand what that means,' he said, adding: 'It's not some rule you pass that everybody has to oblige by. It's the willingness to shoot down the aircrafts of the Russian Federation, which is basically the beginning of World War III.'

He explained that establishing a no-fly zone above Ukraine would mean the U.S. would be agreeing to 'shoot down and engage Russian airplanes in the sky' in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus.

'So basically a no fly zone, if people understand what it means, it means World War II. It means starting World War III,' Rubio said.

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, who is on the Foreign Relations Committee, said Sunday: 'If I were President Zelensky, I would be asking for a no-fly zone.'

'The problem is, there is no such thing as a no-fly zone over Ukraine,' he added.

West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin, however, did not shut the door on such a measure.

Manchin told NBC News' Meet the Press that speaking to Zelensky on Saturday was 'so surreal.'

'But to take anything off the table, thinking we might not be able to use things because we've already taken them off the table is wrong,' the moderate Democrat said.

'I would take nothing off the table, but I would be very clear to say we would support the Ukrainian people, the Ukrainian president and this government in every way humanly possible.'

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken did however give the 'green light' for NATO countries to send fighter jets to Ukraine to help the nation secure its skies, which are still contested a week and a half into the invasion thanks to Kyiv's impressive resistance to Russian forces.

Meanwhile Russian artillery and airstrikes continue to bombard Ukraine's cities.

A humanitarian corridor to let civilians flee the city of Mariupol was closed for a second time after Russian forces broke a ceasefire. Reports have also emerged of Moscow shelling Ukrainian health care facilities and civilian evacuation checkpoints.

Zelensky warned on Sunday that the Russians would try to bomb the key port city of Odessa.

Speaking to CBS' Face the Nation from Ukraine's neighbor Moldova, Blinken suggested the US was even ready to 'backfill' part of a deal for military equipment.

'In fact, we're talking with our Polish friends right now about what we might be able to backfill their needs if in fact they choose to provide these fighter jets to the Ukrainians,' Blinken said.

'What can we do? How can we help to make sure that they get something to backfill the planes that they're handing over to the Ukrainians?'
UPDATE (Monday, March 7): Thousands of Rochester Gas & Electric Corp. customers in the region remain without power Monday, after record-breaking winds whipped through the area on Sunday, including a peak gust of 72 mph on Sunday afternoon.

At peak, more than 20,000 RG&E customers in the region were without power due on Sunday due to the storm's damaging winds.

According to a statement put out by RG&E on Monday:

Rochester Gas and Electrics restoration efforts continue to progress. The company announced that they expect to restore 95% of customers impacted by the wind that occurred yesterday by 11:30 p.m. Monday. The remaining customers without power will restored Tuesday. Customers should look for their account specific estimated time of restoration (ETR) to learn when they will be restored.

.....

Temperature records set or tied in eastern U.S.

6:30 p.m. update: Sunday brought a combination of strong winds and warmer weather.

Rochester is among a list of locales in the eastern United States reaching "spring-like" temperatures that tied or broke records for March 6, according to the Eastern Region headquarters of the National Weather Service.

Rochester's high was 73 degrees, which broke the record of 70 degrees set in 1894.

Spring-like temperatures across much of the Eastern US on Sunday with more than 3 dozen locations breaking or tying their high temperature record for March 6th. pic.twitter.com/OJGum5nYJ4  NWS Eastern Region (@NWSEastern) March 6, 2022

NWS: Rochester wind gust gets close to record

5:20 p.m. update: A tweet from the National Weather Service in Buffalo says a wind gust measured in Rochester topped 70 miles per hour.

Wow! #Rochester NY just measured a 72 mph wind gust at 1:21 pm. This is tied for 7th strongest gust on record...with January 17th 2012. For reference, the not so long ago March 8th 2017 event had an 81 mph wind gust.  NWS Buffalo (@NWSBUFFALO) March 6, 2022

Monroe County shares travel advisory

3:30 p.m. update: Downed power lines and trees mean Monroe County residents should use caution on roadways, bike paths and walkways, warns a travel advisory from the office of County Executive Adam Bello.

Story continues

According to the county:

There are multiple intersections without operating traffic lights. Dark traffic signals should be treated as a four-way stop. Wind gusts of up to 70 miles per hour continue and more tree, structure, and power line damage is expected. There are thousands without power.

The county said emergency crews are clearing roadways after "power companies make the conditions safe."

I am urging all Monroe County residents to use care and caution while traveling this afternoon. Wind gusts of 70 miles per hour have downed multiple trees and power lines. Please treat all dark signal lights at intersections as four-way stops. https://t.co/VyUE7gnoxs.  Adam J. Bello (@CountyExecBello) March 6, 2022

Power outages affect RG&E customers

3 p.m. update: Rochester Gas and Electric reports that 22,205 of its customers are without power.

Here are the numbers by county according to RG&E's list of electricity outages (as of 2:35 p.m.):

19,436 customers in Monroe

2,565 customers in Wayne

204 in Cayuga

RG&E is responding to various outages across the region due to high winds. Customers are encouraged to call 1-800-743-1701 to report any outages and stay away from any downed electrical equipment including power lines. pic.twitter.com/zaoXxDI9PG  RG&E (@RGandE) March 6, 2022

Video: 5 essential tips for generator safety

NWS: High winds expected in western and north-central New York

Original story: A high wind advisory for Sunday applies to all of western and north-central New York, according to the NWS in Buffalo.

Rain is likely this evening, with a chance of late thunderstorms.

An early morning tweet from NWS Buffalo forecasted wind gusts could reach up to 60 miles per hour from Buffalo to Rochester.

A High Wind Warning is in effect for all of Western & North Central NY today. Wind gusts to 65 mph possible northeast of Lake Erie, from #Buffalo to #Rochester; elsewhere gusts to 60 mph will be possible. https://t.co/0XbKOxqvXv



Details & safety info below: pic.twitter.com/hU5YY5LHtU  NWS Buffalo (@NWSBUFFALO) March 6, 2022

A later tweet noted that wind gusts in Rochester had peaked at 67 miles per hour.

Strongest wind gusts (and amount of damage) is occurring from #NiagaraFalls area (peak 64 mph) to #Rochester area (peak 67 mph) this early afternoon. If it is safe to do so and if you can, please let us know of wind damage. Thanks.  NWS Buffalo (@NWSBUFFALO) March 6, 2022

County Executive Adam Bello urged residents to prepare for damaging southwest wind gusts exceeding 70 miles per hour.

The Monroe County Office of Emergency Management said it is monitoring the situation and stands ready to assist residents.

Peak winds through noontime, with Niagara Falls already topping 60 mph. These gust values will only go up, with winds peaking mid to late Sunday afternoon across the region. A high wind warning remains in effect. #nywx pic.twitter.com/lihSBsvyhh  NWS Buffalo (@NWSBUFFALO) March 6, 2022

Contact Robert Bell at: rlbell@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter: @byrobbell & Instagram: @byrobbell

This coverage is only possible with support from our readers.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Rochester NY Weather: Power outages affect thousands of RGE customers
America is addicted to oil.

 George W. Bush

In the early 1990s, I was invited to give a talk at a conference on ecological design at Cooper Union College in New York City. There, in the main auditorium, the assembled conferees listened to an address by a representative of the British Petroleum Co., which had recently rebranded itself as BP.  Beyond Petroleum.

The spokesperson, paraphrased, said, At BP, we no longer consider ourselves a petroleum company. We are an energy company. He went on to say that BP was committed to transitioning to alternative energy as its main product as quickly as possible. I was cautiously optimistic. That was certainly the time to begin the energy transition  before the greenhouse gas effect, as we called it then, got out of hand.

Indeed, BP brashly promoted itself as an alternative energy developer for the next 30 years  until 2009 when, in a move derisively labeled Back to Petroleum by environmental groups, it closed its London alternative energy headquarters, cut the divisions budget by more than 50% and fired its chief so it could focus on its core profit center, hydrocarbons.

In 2020, BP once again proclaimed its sincere intention to replace its fossil-fuel revenue with alternative energy sources. Well see.

George W. Bushs famous 2006 decrying of Americas addiction to oil pretty much summed up the global dependence on fossil fuels. And like other addictions, fossil-fuel habits, pushed mostly by the superficial hedonism, self-indulgence and conceit of wealthy elites, are very hard to kick and extremely destructive.

This is perhaps most clearly discerned in the behavior of petrostates, countries with economies that are mostly, or almost entirely, dependent on fossil-fuel exports. Of the 20 such nations, the big, most familiar names are Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and, of course, Russia.

The monocultural economics of fossil-fuel dominance has turned most petrostates into oligarchies with autocratic leaders. Rather than having a diversity of industries, occupations and exports, which tends to spread wealth around, their single, or predominant source of revenue is subject to monopolization by those with the power to control it. Once in control, these elites take measures to perpetuate their power, both in the near term through repression of their mostly poor and disgruntled populace, and in the long term by parking their wealth abroad while passing a portion of it to their families and friends.

They also tend to fabricate self-serving ideologies to rationalize their privileged status and perceived superiority to their countrys general populace. Part of this self-aggrandizement is the denial of contravening inconvenient truths. Russias Vladimir Putin, for example, consistently asserts that climate change is a small matter and, in fact, is beneficial. He welcomes the melting of Arctic ice and the thawing of Siberias permafrost, though both are major threats to the biospheres stability. So, Russias no help when it comes to international climate regulations or green development. Putin and his cohorts will stick with their comfortable fossil-fuel addiction.

But top-heavy economies are unstable  they tend to topple as the people below the elites become increasingly dissatisfied. A frequent answer to that problem is to foment a war, hoping to get your populace to forget its troubles and buy into your trumped-up patriotic fervor  as Putin has done in Ukraine, to the detriment of the whole planet, and ultimately to Russia.

These autocratic patterns, minus the recent addition of petro-economics, are as old as civilization. Fruitless wars have come and gone, and the world has moved on following their conclusion.

But this latest folly is serving as a distraction from the urgent task of preventing unstoppable global temperature rise, now, in this decade, before its too late at our ecological house.
Ukraines government is prepared for the possibility of President Volodymyr Zelensky being killed in a Russian strike or assassination attempt, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has revealed.

Mr Blinken was speaking on Sunday on CBS Face the Nation. He told host Margaret Brennan that there were plans in place for such an outcome amid Russias bloody assault, but refused to give many details.

The Ukrainians have plans in place, that I'm not going to talk about or get into any details on, to make sure that there is what we would call continuity of government one way or another. And let me leave it at that, he told Ms Brennan.

Mr Blinkens comments come as media reports have indicated that Mr Zelensky has survived several assassination attempts over the past few weeks since Russias invasion began. While the reports are not verified and come from Ukrainian officials, Russias military is actively shelling Kyiv and other cities in attempts to take out military and civilian infrastructure that many observers have said has spread to the unobstructed targeting of civilian targets.

The US secretary of state visited the Ukrainian border with Poland over the weekend and joined Ukraines foreign minister for an excursion several feet across the border. The US and Nato allies have begun a process of steady support for Ukraines military in the form of weapons, equipment and vehicles but have refused to directly engage Russian forces in defence of Ukraines territory.

Some lawmakers in the US and abroad have called for Nato to enforce a no-fly zone across all of Ukraines airspace, but such a move would almost certainly draw the US and the West into a direct war with nuclear-armed Russia. The Biden administration has not signaled support for a no-fly zone.

Mr Blinken also took the time during his interview with CBS on Sunday to praise Mr Zelenskys wartime leadership.

The leadership that President Zelensky has shown, that the entire government have shown, is remarkable, he told CBS.

Story continues

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a meeting with representatives of organizations helping refugees from Ukraine in Rzeszow, Poland, 5 March 2022. (EPA)

Russias Vladimir Putin has warned that his country may press its invasion further and push for the dissolution of Ukraines government and sovereignty entirely if Ukraines military does not cease its resistance, which according to most reporting has mostly stalled the Russian advance in the countrys north.

At present, Russia claims that its efforts are to replace Ukraines government with one that would guarantee the countrys neutrality between Russia and Nato, which Mr Zelenskys government has indicated interest in joining. Moscow continues to view the defence pact formed to counter the Soviet Union as a threat to its influence around eastern Europe.

Mr Zelenskys immediate successor under Ukraines constitution is Ruslan Stefanchuk, chair of the countrys parliament. US officials told The New York Times that based on discussions with the Ukrainian government, Mr Stefanchuk would continue Ukraines resistance against Russia were the president to be incapacitated or killed.
(Natural News) In another ominous sign that the big tech behemoths have way too much power and control over the lives of ordinary people, Apple and Google have now cut off Russians from their payment platforms, which is already causing mayhem in their country.

As noted by Irish journalist Jason Corcoran in a tweeted image, commuters at Moscows Metro Station had difficulty paying for their ride after they discovered the platforms no longer functioned.

Apple Pay and Google Pay no longer work on Moscows metro system, leading to long queues as people fumble about for cash, tweeted Corcoran.

Apple Pay and Google Pay no longer work on Moscows metro system, leading to long queues as people fumble about for cash pic.twitter.com/ezaLZneKiJ  Jason Corcoran (@jason_corcoran) February 28, 2022

It would seem as though ordinary Russians have been caught up in the sanctions imposed on Moscow by the West following President Vladimir Putins invasion of neighboring Ukraine last week. Also affected, according to Summit News, is the Samsung Pay platform.

Customers at a number of banks in Russia can no longer use their bank cards with Google Pay and Apple Pay due to newly-imposed financial sanctions on the country, The Verge reported, noting that those types of payment platforms are not as popular in Russia as they are in the west.

While customers can still use bank cards from these institutions within Russia, theyll no longer work abroad or when making online payments to stores and services belonging to countries that issued sanctions on Russia, the report continued.

Because Russians are increasingly concerned about more Western sanctions, the country is currently experiencing runs on banks as citizens rush to ATM machines and withdraw as much cash as they can.

Giving the keys of our lives to companies like Apple, Google, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon and the digital world is the biggest mistake for mankind, one person noted in response to the story.

In a related move, Reclaim The Net noted that domain service firm Namecheap has also moved to ban Russians from using their company.

Unfortunately, due to the Russian regimes war crimes and human rights violations in Ukraine, we will no longer be providing services to users registered in Russia, the company says in the emails sent this week.

While we sympathize that this war may not affect your own views or opinion on the matter, the fact is, your authoritarian government is committing human rights abuses and engaging in war crimes so this is a policy decision we have made and will stand by, the email continued.

In addition, the company informed Russian users that their web pages would be redirected to an error message and that top-level domains ought to be moved to other providers by March 22.

Additionally, and with immediate effect, you will no longer be able to use Namecheap Hosting, EasyWP, and Private Email with a domain provided by another registrar in zones .ru, .xn--p1ai (??), .by, .xn--90ais (???), and .su, it said.

All websites will resolve to 403 Forbidden, however, you can contact us to assist you with your transfer to another provider, the email added.

The actions by Google Pay and Apple have wide-ranging implications for Americans, who overwhelmingly use the platforms much more than Russians do. Obviously, if our government leans on the two big tech giants, they will respond by dutifully cutting us off as well.

This was foreshadowed just last month, as noted when GoFundMe froze donations to the Freedom Convoy truckers and their supporters at the request of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus tyrannical government, as a means of crushing an otherwise peaceful protest against his useless COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

These platforms not only have far more access to our personal information than they should lawfully be able to have, but they literally control our finances.

Youd do well to change that situation as soon as you can.

Sources include:

ReclaimTheNet.org

Summit.news
(Natural News) Washington, DC, March 03, 2022  In a 55,000-page set of documents released on Tuesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDAs) Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) is for the first time allowing the public to access data Pfizer submitted to FDA from its clinical trials in support of a COVID-19 vaccine license. This follows U.S. District Judge Mark T. Pittmans decision on January 6 to deny the request from the FDA to suppress the data for the next 75 years which the agency claimed was necessary, in part, because of its limited resources.

(Article republished from ChildrensHealthDefense.org)

A 38-page report included in the documents features an Appendix, LIST OF ADVERSE EVENTS OF SPECIAL INTEREST, that lists 1,291 different adverse events following vaccination. The list includes acute kidney injury, acute flaccid myelitis, anti-sperm antibody positive, brain stem embolism, brain stem thrombosis, cardiac arrest, cardiac failure, cardiac ventricular thrombosis, cardiogenic shock, central nervous system vasculitis, death neonatal, deep vein thrombosis, encephalitis brain stem, encephalitis hemorrhagic, frontal lobe epilepsy, foaming at mouth, epileptic psychosis, facial paralysis, fetal distress syndrome, gastrointestinal amyloidosis, generalized tonic-clonic seizure, Hashimotos encephalopathy, hepatic vascular thrombosis, herpes zoster reactivation, immune-mediated hepatitis, interstitial lung disease, jugular vein embolism, juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, liver injury, low birth weight, multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, myocarditis, neonatal seizure, pancreatitis, pneumonia, stillbirth, tachycardia, temporal lobe epilepsy, testicular autoimmunity, thrombotic cerebral infarction, Type 1 diabetes mellitus, venous thrombosis neonatal, and vertebral artery thrombosis among 1,246 other medical conditions following vaccination.

This is a bombshell, said Childrens Health Defense (CHD) president and general counsel Mary Holland. At least now we know why the FDA and Pfizer wanted to keep this data under wraps for 75 years. These findings should put an immediate end to the Pfizer COVID vaccines. The potential for serious harm is very clear, and those injured by the vaccines are prohibited from suing Pfizer for damages.

The U.S. government has already purchased 50 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine intended for children under five years of age to be delivered by April 30, 2022 although the FDA has yet to grant an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for this age group. The risk of serious injury or death from COVID to healthy children is practically nil and so far, the vaccine is not effective when used in young children.

According to The Guardian, Pfizer made nearly $37bn (27bn) in sales from its Covid-19 vaccine last year  making it one of the most lucrative products in history  and has forecast another bumper year in 2022, with a big boost coming from its Covid-19 pill Paxlovid. President Biden advertised Paxlovid in his State of the Union address on Tuesday, the same day the Pfizer data was released to the public. Were launching the Test to Treat initiative so people can get tested at a pharmacy, and if theyre positive, receive antiviral pills on the spot at no cost, Biden said during his speech.

From mid-December, 2020 through February 18, 2022, the U.S. governments database, the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS), has received 1,134,984 reports of adverse events, including 24,402 deaths, following COVID vaccination. Additionally, there have been 4,021 cases of myocarditis and pericarditis in the U.S. with 2,475 cases associated with Pfizer, 1,364 cases with Moderna and 171 cases with J&Js COVID vaccine. These include 643 reports of myocarditis and pericarditis in children aged 12 to 17.

It would be criminal to expose infants and young children to this extremely risky product, said Holland. VAERS data show the catastrophic health impacts the vaccine is having on millions of people, yet Pfizer and other vaccine makers are raking in billions of dollars with no fear of being held accountable for injuries and deaths from their vaccines.

The FDAs attempt to suppress these data in support of the pharmaceutical industrys bottom line isnt a new phenomenon in this countrys public health system. For more information on pharmaceutical corruption and the tight relationship the industry has with government regulatory agencies, read The Real Anthony Fauci: Bill Gates, Big Pharma and the Global War on Democracy and Public Health by CHD Chair and lead counsel Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

Read more at: ChildrensHealthDefense.org
(Natural News) Large portions of Japans Fukushima Prefecture remain abandoned ten years after the natural disaster that crippled the area. The prefecture bore the brunt of an earthquake and tsunami that hit it in 2011, damaging a nuclear power plant based in the town of Okuma. Truly, Fukushima still feels the effects of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster after a decade  despite efforts to revive the area and attract former residents.

The Japanese government has allocated billions of dollars to rebuilding and decontamination efforts to bring back people and jobs displaced by the Fukushima disaster. But these efforts have barely convinced people to return to the nuclear ground zero. The prefecture saw a 10 percent drop in its population in the past decade, four times more than the neighboring Miyagi Prefectures 2.5 percent.

More than 160,000 people were evacuated from the nuclear plants surrounding area following the magnitude nine earthquake. The March 2021 tremor  the most powerful ever recorded to hit Japan  subsequently caused a tsunami that overwhelmed the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The massive tidal wave shut off power to the plants cooling systems and led to its three reactor cores melting down. About 20,000 people were left missing or dead in the wake of the disaster, which overtook the 1986 Chernobyl meltdown as the worlds worst nuclear accident.

On the other hand, some Fukushima towns have acknowledged that things will not return back to the way they were before  even though they were rebuilt. In the town of Namie located north of Okuma, a stone monument lists 200 residents who lost their lives in the tsunami. The towns entire population of 21,000 was forced to evacuate after prevailing winds spread radiation from the impacted nuclear power plant.

In 2017, part of Namie was re-opened to allow former residents to return. But only about 1,600 people have moved back, less than 10 percent of the towns original population. According to surveys, more than half of those who were evacuated no longer plan to return. (Related: Fish off the coast of Fukushima show high concentrations of radioactive cesium.)

From its nuclear past, Fukushima sees its future in hydrogen power and robotics

From the rubble of its nuclear past, the prefecture has paved the pathway to the future by means of the Fukushima Innovation Coast. The endeavor aims to rebuild the areas industrial output by means of clean energy, robotics and other technology projects.

The Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field (FH2R) in Namie is among these projects meant to stimulate the prefectures manufacturing industry. It stands on a site previously meant for a new nuclear plant and has no full-time staff working on the premises. Following the Daiichi nuclear plant disaster, the original plan for a new facility was formally abandoned in 2013. The land was then turned over to the local government, making way for the hydrogen energy facility.

Japanese firm Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions (Toshiba ESS) is among the parties behind the Fukushima hydrogen energy site. It announced the facilitys opening in a March 2020 press release. According to the press release, construction on the site commenced in 2018 and finished at the end of 2020.

FH2R can produce as much as 1,200 normal cubic meters of hydrogen per hour using renewable energy, and can adjust depending on supply and demand in the power grid, Toshiba ESS said. The hydrogen facilitys output will then be used to power fuel cell-powered cars and buses, stationary hydrogen fuel cell systems and mobility devices. FH2R aims to serve users in Fukushima, the Tokyo Metropolitan Area and other regions with the hydrogen it produces. (Related: Toyotas hydrogen fuel cell can power SHIPS.)

New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization official Eiji Ohira described the importance of FH2R in the field of hydrogen production. FH2R is presently the largest research facility in the world. The experience and data acquired through operating, maintaining and otherwise managing the facility will be invaluable for commercial implementations in the future, he said.

FH2R is just a portion of larger efforts to kick-start recovery in Fukushima a decade after the nuclear disaster, reflecting the Japanese spirit of resilience. Fukushima Gov. Masao Uchibori told reporters on March 10: Its important for the recovery that we press ahead with simultaneously with policies to restore everyday life, and those that look ahead to a new future.

FukushimaWatch.com has more reports about the effects of the Daiichi nuclear plant disaster on the prefecture a decade on.

Sources include:

Bloomberg.com

Toshiba-Energy.com

Japan.go.jp
That was just before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, but business was starting to pick up this year. Then came the invasion.

Now, we are wondering what we should do. Break off contact and just let him go, said Mr. Daller, whose company has annual revenue of 2.5 million. From a financial point of view, it wouldnt be that dramatic for us. But he is a father of three and the whole family depends on his job.

It is not only the smaller companies that are facing tough decisions.

Wintershall Dea, a German oil and gas company with a global portfolio of projects, canceled its annual company news conference that was to be held on Feb. 25, the day after the invasion. Instead, its leaders issued a joint statement on March 2 expressing alarm at the war.

We have been working in Russia for over 30 years. Many of our colleagues at our other locations also work with partners from Russia on a daily basis, it read. We have built many personal relationships  including in our joint ventures with Gazprom, Russias state energy giant.

But the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine marks a turning point, they said. What is happening now is shaking the very foundations of our cooperation.

The company separately said that it would stop payments to Russia and write off its 1 billion investment in the ill-fated Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline linking Russia and Germany, that the government in Berlin had suspended on Feb. 22. It will also not receive any revenue from its oil and gas operations in Russia, which accounted for nearly a fifth of its operating profit in 2021.
In 2010, Lawrence V. Ray walked out of a New Jersey prison and into the lives of a group of students at Sarah Lawrence College, a small school just north of New York City.

Many of those students would never be the same.

Mr. Ray, who was then 50, moved into the dormitory of his daughter, Talia Ray, telling her friends stories of his wild life and manipulating them with what prosecutors would later describe as bogus therapy sessions, where he pretended to solve their psychological problems.

Over the next 10 years, prosecutors said, he subjected the students and others in his circle to abuse: He extorted money from them, compelled some to have sex with strangers, and forced a young woman into prostitution  on one occasion, inside a Midtown Manhattan hotel, Mr. Ray placed a plastic bag over her head, restricting her breathing.
Jammu, Mar 6 (PTI) The frustrated youth in Kashmir are joining the ranks of militants and getting killed within days while those in Jammu are ruining their lives due to drug addiction, Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari said on Sunday and added the government's mishandling of the affairs of the union territory was leading to such a situation.

The former minister said his party will continue to raise the issues of public importance with the central government.

Also Read | IPL 2022 Schedule, Free PDF Download Online: Get Indian Premier League 2022 Fixtures, Time Table With Match Timings and Venue Details.

"The drug menace is growing and our youth are getting addicted. They were not using drugs in the past but why are they resorting to the use of drugs now. When the educated youth are not able to find job, they take drugs under frustration and it has spread to girls as well which is an issue of grave concern and debate," Bukhari told reporters in Kathua on the sidelines of a public rally.

He said the youth in Jammu do not get a gun here and are ruining their lives by taking drugs, while in the valley the frustrated youth are joining militancy and getting killed in encounters with security forces.

Also Read | Maharashtra: Clashes Erupt Between BJP, MVA Workers in Pune; Police Reports to Lathi-Charge to Disperse Crowd.

"They are joining militant ranks in the night and getting killed two days later. Are they really militants? I call them brainless youth," he said.

Bukhari said all the issues facing Jammu and Kashmir were the result of mishandling of its affairs by the government which has to address these issues to provide relief to the people.

"If I will not go to the prime minister with the issues of my people, then whom should I go to...the overall situation has worsened in J&K," he said.

He said Modi is not the prime minister of one community and that is why we are meeting him and also lodging our complaints. We will continue to do so because we believe he is the prime minister of all the people of the country and so is Home Minister Amit Shah.

We have to believe their words till they prove otherwise, he said.

On the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, he said everybody is upset as the unemployment rate has touched an all-time high of 22 per cent and every day the youth are on the streets to seek jobs while daily wagers are waiting for their regularisation and pending wages.

Responding to a question about allegations that the BJP is creating new political parties in Jammu and Kashmir to achieve its goal of forming the next government, he said these are just rumours.

"They are not forming any parties...they are in the central government does not mean we are because of them. Let there be hundreds of parties but at the end of the day, it is the people who will decide the fate of such parties," he said.

On the BJP's target of 50-plus seats in the next assembly elections to form the government, he said the BJP has been ruling Jammu and Kashmir since June 18, 2018 after the fall of the previous PDP-BJP government and its report card is before the people.

"What they have done for the last four years is before the public and they will get the votes accordingly. If they have not done well, they should be sent back to their homes and start learning how to serve the people, he said, adding they have failed the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

He called for early restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood and holding of assembly elections to provide an opportunity to the people to choose their true representatives in a democratic way.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Ukraine informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) today that although regular staff continued to operate the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), the plant management is now under orders from the commander of the Russian forces that took control of the site last week, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.

Furthermore, Ukraine reports that any action of plant management  including measures related to the technical operation of the six reactor units  requires prior approval by the Russian commander.

The Director General expressed grave concern about this development as it contravenes one of the seven indispensable pillars of nuclear safety and security that he outlined at the meeting of the IAEAs Board of Governors on 2 March, convened to address the safety, security and safeguards implications of the situation in Ukraine.

Pillar 3 states: The operating staff must be able to fulfil their safety and security duties and have the capacity to make decisions free of undue pressure.

In a second serious development, Ukraine has reported that the Russian forces at the site have switched off some mobile networks and the internet so that reliable information from the site cannot be obtained through the normal channels of communication.

This has been confirmed by Ukraines nuclear regulator which informed the IAEA today that it had started having major problems in communicating with staff operating the Zaporizhzhya NPP. Less than 24 hours after Ukraines regulatory authority said it had been able to maintain communications with Ukraines largest nuclear power plant, it today said the phone lines, as well as e-mails and fax, were not functioning anymore. Mobile phone communication was still possible, but with poor quality.

The contravenes another of the seven indispensable pillars, number 7: There must be reliable communications with the regulator and others.

Im extremely concerned about these developments that were reported to me today. Just a few days after I presented the seven main elements of nuclear safety and security to the IAEA Board, several of them are already being compromised. In order to be able to operate the plant safely and securely, management and staff must be allowed to carry out their vital duties in stable conditions without undue external interference or pressure, Director General Grossi said.

The deteriorating situation regarding vital communications between the regulator and the Zaporizhzhya NPP is also a source of deep concern, especially during an armed conflict that may jeopardize the countrys nuclear facilities at any time. Reliable communications between the regulator and the operator are a critical part of overall nuclear safety and security, he said.

Despite the communication issues, the regulator was able to provide updated information about the operational status of the Zaporizhzhya NPP and to confirm that radiation levels there remained normal. Of the six reactors, Unit 1 is in planned maintenance until mid-2022, Unit 2 now operates at full capacity, Unit 3 is in a cold shutdown state, Unit 4 is operating at near full capacity, Unit 5 is cooling down for a cold reserve state, and Unit 6 is in cold shutdown.

In one positive development, operational teams at the plant were now rotating in three shifts. But there were problems with availability and supply of food, which was having a negative impact on staff morale, the regulator said.

The regulator also reported that it was facing problems communicating with personnel at the Chornobyl NPP, which at the moment was only possible with e-mails. Russian forces took control of the site of the 1986 accident on 24 February. At the Chornobyl NPP, the staff of more than 200 technical personnel and guards have still not been able to rotate since 23 February, it said.

Director General Grossi has repeatedly stressed the importance of operating staff being able to rest to carry out their important jobs safely and securely.

I call on those in effective control of the Chornobyl NPP to immediately allow staff there to rotate for the sake of safety and security, he said.

In another concerning development, communications have also been lost with all enterprises and institutions in the port city of Mariupol that use Category 1-3 radiation sources and there was no information about their status, the regulator said. Such radioactive material can cause serious harm to people if not secured and managed properly.

The Director General reiterated his readiness to travel to the Chornobyl NPP to secure the commitment to the safety and security of all Ukraines nuclear power plants from the parties of the conflict in the country.
Bujumbura, Burundi (PANA) - A "double-digit" economic growth by 2024 is one of the objectives outlined by Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye at a "retreat" of senior state officials held on Friday and Saturday in Gitega, the political capital of Burundi (Centre), reports the official government website
Hong Kong: Online enrolment for isolation ready

The Fire Services Department today announced that it has launched a mechanism for citizens to apply for admission to COVID-19 community isolation facilities via email, WhatsApp and WeChat (fsd_cif).

People with mild symptoms and who possess self-care ability may apply if they test positive for COVID-19 by nucleic acid test, deep throat saliva test or rapid antigen test. Admission would be based on the occupancy of the isolation facilities, the applicants living environment and medical condition.

Applicants will have to provide their Chinese and English names, age, gender, Hong Kong Identity Card number, telephone number, residential address, testing method and the date of their positive test result.

Upon receipt of the messages, the department will issue further instructions to the patients.

This story has been published on: 2022-03-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
(Natural News) Senior Chinese officials told their Russian counterparts in early February not to invade Ukraine before the end of the Winter Olympics in Beijing, the New York Times reported on Wednesday, March 2.

The Times said a Western intelligence report suggests that senior Chinese officials had some knowledge about Russias plans or intentions to invade Ukraine before it actually happened.

Russian President Vladimir Putin talked with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Feb. 4 before the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics. Moscow and Beijing released a 5,000-word statement at that time proclaiming that their partnership had no limits, condemning North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) expansion and insisting that they would create a new global order with true democracy.

The intelligence on the exchange of the Chinese and Russian officials was classified. It was gathered by a Western intelligence service and deemed credible by officials. Senior officials in the United States and allied governments passed it around as they debated on when  not if  Putin might invade Ukraine.

Various intelligence services, however, had different interpretations and it is not clear how broadly the information was shared.

An official familiar with the intelligence mentioned the data did not necessarily show the conversations about an invasion. Other officials informed on the intelligence refused to provide more details. The officials talked about the report on the condition of anonymity because of its sensitivity.

These claims are speculation without any basis, and are intended to blame-shift and smear China, said Liu Pengyu, the Chinese Embassy spokesman in Washington, when asked via email whether Chinese officials had advised Russian officials to postpone the Ukraine invasion until after the Winter Olympics.

Putin deploys more troops in eastern Ukraine right after Winter Olympics

China held the closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics on Feb. 20. The following day, Putin called for more Russian troops to enter an insurgent-controlled region of eastern Ukraine. On Feb. 24, the Russian military started an all-out invasion of Ukraine, attacking cities with ballistic missiles, artillery and tanks.

American and European officials have stated they find it hard to believe it is sheer chance that Russias invasion did not begin until right after the Winter Olympics. In August 2008, Russia invaded Georgia during the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, which bothered some Chinese officials.

This winter, Russia transported military groups from its border with China and other parts of the east to near Ukraine and to Belarus to get ready for the invasion. The actions signified a top level of trust between Russian and Chinese officials.

China and Russia have been enhancing their economic, diplomatic and military ties for decades. Xi and Putin met 38 times as national leaders, including their latest meeting in Beijing. The joint statement that the two countries released during that meeting frightened American and European officials, since it was the first time China had clearly sided with Russia on matters concerning NATO and European security.

European leaders have criticized China and Russia since then. (Related: China slams US, NATO for provoking Russia to invade Ukraine.)

US asked China to help prevent Russian invasion

For months, a few American officials tried to enlist Chinas help to prevent the war.

Days after Biden talked to Xi in a video summit on November 15 last year, senior American officials shared intelligence reports on the Russian troop movement around Ukraine to senior Chinese officials in an effort to convince them about coaxing Putin to back off.

The Americans spoke to Qin Gang, the Chinese ambassador in Washington, and to Wang Yi, Chinas foreign minister. In the meetings between U.S. officials and the Chinese ambassador just hours before the Russian invasion, American officials stated that Chinese officials expressed doubt that Putin would invade Ukraine.

After a diplomatic exchange last December, U.S. officials received intelligence showing Beijing had given the information to Moscow, telling the Russians that America was trying to plant discord and that China would not try to hinder Russian plans.

U.S. intelligence results and evaluations of Russian plans for an invasion of Ukraine have usually been accurate. The Americans started a campaign last fall to share intelligence with mostly ally and partner nations and to present declassified information to the public to create pressure on Russia to stop any planned invasion. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director William Burns flew to Moscow last November 2 to challenge the Russians with the information, and on Nov. 17, American intelligence officials gave their findings to NATO.

More related stories:

Ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict pushing global economy closer to collapse.

Russia-Ukraine conflict not helping American companies with their supply chain problems.

Financial pressures rise worldwide as governments witness the unfolding of the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

World War III will be nuclear and destructive, warns Russian foreign minister.

Watch the video below to know why Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Beijing during the Winter Olympics.

This video is from the Take down CCP channel on Brighteon.com.

Follow WWWIII.news to know more about Chinas close ties with Russia.

Sources include:

AGWeb.com

NYTimes.com

Brighteon.com
Amid the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict, former US State Secretary Mike Pompeo has said possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan will depend on island defense preparedness and the willingness of the West to show Beijing it would pay a high price any such action. Pompeo made these remarks during his 4-day visit to Taiwan during which he suggested that the US government should recognize Taiwan as a "free and sovereign country" immediately, Taiwan Focus reported. During a speech in Taipei last Friday, Pompeo said, "It is my view that the United States Government should immediately take necessary and long overdue steps to do the right and obvious thing. That is to offer the Republic of China (Taiwan) America's diplomatic recognition as a free and sovereign country." Pompeo, who served as his country's top diplomat during the Trump administration, said the ongoing Russian "invasion" of Ukraine can serve as a lesson for freedom-loving countries in dealing with cross-Strait tensions. Amid comparison of the Russian-Ukraine tensions to those between China and Taiwan, Pompeo said there were certainly some similar risks. He said in both cases, they are "authoritarian regimes with great power, who desire to use aggressive military force to bully around smaller nations." However, the former US official went on to argue that Taiwan presents a democracy that has great friends around the world and in the region. "I'm convinced that if we all do the right thing, the United States, Taiwan, every country in Southeast Asia, Pacific island nations, Australia, Japan, South Korea, if we all work together to build out a consistent understanding that we're going to draw the line, we're going to be prepared to fight for the things that matter most to us, that we can continue to keep military deterrence in place," he said. Amid China's growing military aggression towards Taiwan, three US senators earlier this week proposed a bill that would allow for the imposition of financial sanctions against China in the event of an attack or invasion of the island. This bill comes at a time when the experts fear that China too might flex muscles over Taiwan and the South China Sea, after taking cues from Russia's military operation in Ukraine China continues to regard Taiwan as a breakaway province despite seven decades of separate governance. Beijing has not ruled out military force to take Taiwan and has kept the pressure on the democratic island with frequent warplane flights into Taiwan's air defense identification zone. (ANI)
(Natural News) In a recent segment, Fox News host Maria Bartiromo put Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel on blast over allegations that his company filed a patent on a genetic sequence derived from the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) a full three years before the plandemic was launched.

Scientists claim to have identified certain components of the Fauci Flu that match a genetic sequence patented by Moderna long before governments and the corporate-controlled media started fearmongering about a global pandemic.

Now scientists find the virus contains a tiny chunk of DNA that matches a sequence patented by Moderna three years before the pandemic began  your reaction, Stephane, what can you tell us? Bartiromo asked.

My scientists are looking into those data to see how accurate they are or not, Bancel responded.

As Ive said before, the hypothesis of an escape from a lab by an accident is possible because humans make mistakes. So, is it possible that the Wuhan lab in China was working on virus enhancement or gene modification, and then there was an accident where somebody was infected in the lab? It is possible.

Not satisfied with that non-answer, Bartiromo asked it a second time, emphasizing that she was struck by the line, It matched a genetic sequence patented by Moderna for cancer research purposes.'

On the claim you just mentioned, scientists are analyzing to know if its real or not, Bancel repeated as if reading from a script.

You can watch a clip from the segment below:

Moderna President gets called out on Fox for having the same genetic sequence patented 3 years before the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/JpN6JZjTVd  Zach Vorhies (@Perpetualmaniac) February 25, 2022

Is Moderna one of the architects of the global plandemic?

The discovery was made in the SARS-CoV-2 furin cleavage site, which is where gain-of-function tampering is now widely believed to have occurred in order to manufacture the bioweapon and make it transmissible to humans.

The chance that Moderna just coincidentally had in its possession and patented this same exact DNA sequence long before anyone had even heard of COVID is about one in three million, the international research team declared. In other words, it is pretty much an impossibility.

A paper on all this was published in the journal Frontiers in Virology, further revealing that COVID is the only known coronavirus of its kind to carry 12 unique letters allowing its spike protein to be activated by a common enzyme called furin.

The analysis determined that the original COVID genome shares a sequence of 19 specific letters with a genetic section owned by Moderna, which reportedly has a total of 3,300 nucleotides.

Records show that Moderna patented this sequence back in February 2016 as part of its cancer research division, just as Bartiromo explained.

The patented sequence is part of a gene called MSH3 that is known to affect how damaged cells repair themselves in the body, the DailyMail Online reported. Scientists have highlighted this pathway as a potential target for new cancer treatments.

Moderna, as you may recall, was hand-selected by former President Donald Trump to mass produce its mRNA injections under Operation Warp Speed. In just one year, the company, which prior to that had never produced a single successful product, raked in about $19 billion.

It would be nice to have the names of all the major shareholders of Moderna, someone commented in response to the news.

How is it Moderna, over two years after they come up with a vaccine for a virus that has their patent in it, has to be told by someone else that their product is in the virus? wrote someone else. These people are such liars and the bureaucrats that lied for them and financed it should hang.

More of the latest news about the Fauci Flu can be found at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

Twitter.com

DailyMail.co.uk

CitizenFreePress.com
The president of Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College is eyeing providing greater support and oversight to Early College programs, while adding more career academies to help students develop their career paths and prepare them for a skilled workforce.,

Funds for the efforts would come from a $1.6 million South Carolina Department of Education grant.

The South Carolina Department of Education and the South Carolina Technical College System recently announced a three-year $11.5 million partnership. OCtech is one of five technical schools partnering with 23 school districts across the state to offer new dual-enrollment programs, while strengthening existing ones.

Were really excited about that. So well start to market that in partnership with our public high schools and the charter schools very shortly, OCtech President Dr. Walt Tobin said during a Feb. 15 Area Commission meeting.

The other colleges awarded grant funds are: Central Carolina Technical College, Northeastern Technical College, Piedmont Technical College and Technical College of the Lowcountry.

"We're going to have some greater support and oversight of our Early College programs. We'll hire a dean of the Early College. There will be two additional support persons, an interventionist and a counselor, along with (Early College Director) Deborah Davis, who is doing a lot of that work now," Tobin said.

"It is our intention to be able to provide a better level of wrap-around services for those Early College students that are coming in here and hopefully transition to the college after graduation," he said.

The addition of career academies is also on the horizon.

"What we're planning to do is offer five different pathways, two in the health sciences. One would provide our students the opportunity to enroll directly into a health studies degree program at MUSC, which would put them on a path to be able to enter professional school. MUSC is partnering with the technical colleges to offer that degree for $20,000, Tobin said.

The president continued, Theyll start with us. If they take those 60 hours, they add a clinical component. So they do CNA or EMT or phlebotomy or ECG. They earn 72 hours, then theres a pathway for them to get that baccalaureate degree and then transition into a professional school.

The second health care pathway is designed for high school students to enter into those competitive programs directly out of high school, the president said.

Right now, it takes essentially a year. Youve got to take anatomy and physiology, theyve got to take college algebra. We integrate those courses into the high school experience. They can graduate high school.

"(If) theyve got a good GPA, taking the right courses, good test scores, theyll be able to compete for those slots when otherwise theyre having to wait a year while they take those courses, Tobin said.

Three career pathways would be created within Advanced Manufacturing in instrumentation, mechatronics and engineering graphics.

Those students would earn the equivalent of an associates degree, 60 credit hours. They would earn those degrees because I think some of those are 70, almost 80 hours, but they would be just about a year short of earning an associates degree right out of high school, Tobin said.

So the primary use of those funds would cover the salaries of those folks for three years, tuition and books for those students, and some additional support services, he said.

Tobin also gave a legislative update, stating the colleges plans to offer a bachelor of science in nursing.

This would be a 2+2 (degree program). So the only students that would be able to obtain the BSN degree would first have to have their ADN (Associate Degree in Nursing) degree. We can't accept true freshmen and then carry them through a four-year degree, but it would be a 2+2. We would be able to do both of the 2s for students to earn their baccalaureate degree," he said.

"I've spoken to the CEO of the hospital, David Southerland. He seems to be in support of it. It really is an option, I think, for BSN nurses to be grown here and for them to stay and continue work in Orangeburg County," Tobin said. Based on the conversations we've had, we think that it's got some legs. I think we have a pretty good shot at getting that approved."

Twenty-five percent of the colleges faculty have to have a Ph.D. in order to be accredited to offer the degree.

So there's some additional expense I think with being able to make that transition and some time I think for us to get there. The first step is us being able to be approved. It would also require us to submit some information to SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools) because now we're not granting just the associate's degree. ... So there's some work to be done. It's way in its infancy, but we think it's a real opportunity for us, Tobin said.

Tobin also stated a proviso is being crafted in the state House of Representatives that would guarantee the transfer of students who've completed their associate degree to a four-year college or university.

It did not make it out of the House Ways and Means Higher Ed Subcommittee, but I've spoken with (Rep.) Gilda (Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg), and she is intending to put that back as a proviso going into next year that would essentially standardize guaranteed transfer in South Carolina from two-year to four-year institutions, the president said.

He recognized the following educators of the year: Connie Gleaton, physical plant staff person; Tamara Miles, English instructor and Phi Beta Kappa adviser; and Kathy Hightower, an administrator who will soon be retiring after more than 40 years of service.

Were proud of those folks and thankful for Kathys service, said Tobin, who also announced the OCTech Foundations new officers.

Bob Sabalis, a retired MUSC professor, is the chairman, with Dr. John Ansley of the Carolina Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic in Orangeburg serving as vice chairman. Other members are Marcus Johnson of Orangeburg Nissan, Todd McElhone of Pioneer Farm and Pam Hughes, a former instructor in the Octech nursing department and OCtech grad.

Tobin also reported commissioners Jackie Shaw, Landy Weathers and David Rickenbaker were honored for their decade of service on the commission at the South Carolina Technical College Commissioners Associations annual meeting.
RTHK: 20,000 foreign volunteers in Ukraine to fight Russia

Some 20,000 international volunteers have travelled to Ukraine to join in the fight against attacking Russian forces, a top Ukrainian official said on Sunday.

"This number is around 20,000 now. They come from many European countries mostly," Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told US broadcaster CNN.

"Many people in the world hated Russia and what it was doing in recent years, but no one dared to openly oppose and fight them," he said.

"So when people saw that Ukrainians are fighting, that Ukrainians are not giving up, many felt motivated to join the fight" and bring Russia to account for its offensive.

But while Ukraine's top diplomat said he understood the desire of foreigners to contribute on the ground, it was most important to receive "sustainable, political, economic and military support" from around the world.

"And we need US leadership in this exercise, with special focus on air defence," Kuleba said.

Late last month, at the start of the attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky openly invited foreigners to his country to form part of an "International Legion" that would fight side by side with Ukrainians against the Russians.

Volunteers were invited to apply at Ukrainian embassies in their respective countries.

Denmark has given the green light for its nationals to take up arms in Ukraine.

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss gave similar permission to UK nationals, but she was contradicted on Sunday by the country's head of the armed forces Admiral Tony Radakin, who said it was "unlawful and unhelpful" for Britons to fight against Russia in Ukraine. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2022-03-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Ukraine has expanded the list of goods, the export permit for which will be issued by the Economy Ministry, by five positions: from now on, the export of wheat, corn, poultry meat, chicken eggs and sunflower oil is subject to licensing.

elevant resolution No. 207, expanding the list of exports and imports subject to licensing and quotas in 2022, was adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine at a meeting on Saturday, March 5, and published on its website on Sunday.

It is clarified that licensing has been introduced for the export of wheat and meslin (a mixture of wheat and rye, Ukrainian Customs Commodity Classification Codes for Foreign Trade code 1001), corn (1005), domestic chicken meat (0207 11-0207 14), domestic chicken eggs (0407 21 00 00) and sunflower oil (1512 11 91 00).

In December 2021, the government adopted resolution No. 1424, which extended the licensing of anthracite coal exports to 2022.
(Natural News) One of the primary functions of the corporate, pharma-controlled media is to fabricate HIT PIECES against anyone who tells the truth about vaccine failure, vaccine fraud and vaccine damage. At the January 23rd Defeat the Mandates rally in Washington D.C., several speakers took the stage and lambasted the unethical coercion behind todays vaccine mandates. The speakers, led by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., pinpointed specific examples of vaccine injury and death and chronicled these historic crimes against humanity. The pharma-controlled media ignored the truthfulness of the event and resorted to HIT PIECES to shut down the reality of vaccine-induced death.

The Times refuses to acknowledge the reality of vaccine failure and injury, resorts to social shaming tactics instead

The New York Times was one of the first corporate media arms to target the event. The Times conscripted one of their senior writers, Adam Nagourney, to write a hit piece against Kennedy, to smear his message and to try and socially ostracize him. The Times front-page article did NOT provide any rational argument against Kennedys conclusions. The article did NOT address Kennedys well-cited positions and observations, nor did it respectfully address cases of vaccine injury, coercion and fraud. The writer did not interview anyone from the Defeat the Mandates rally nor did the Times attempt to report what is really going on with the covid-19 vaccines and all the injured and fed-up people.

Instead, Adam Nagourney interviewed RFK Jrs.s RELATIVES, arguing that Kennedys positions are a disappointment to his family, which of course has no relevance. Instead of debating the science and discussing important facts, Nagourney appealed to social opinion and tried to shame Kennedy in this way. These underhanded tactics have been tried before, but they do not suppress Kennedy and the truth. Kennedys points are cleverly articulated and backed up with evidence, and he cannot be socially censored and banished from society, as the pharma-controlled media would like.

In fact, Kennedys Childrens Health Defense has withstood countless censorship attacks and de-platforming from pharma-controlled fact checkers and Big Tech censors. This human rights organization has even withstood attacks from the federal government. In 2021, the Biden regime tried to label Kennedy a source of covid-19 vaccine disinformation. The Biden regime announced that Kennedy was part of a Disinformation Dozen. The government conspired with Big Tech companies to stop the spread of any information (that told the truth) about covid-19 vaccines.

Pharma-controlled media threatens peoples livelihoods, refuses to address the issues at hand

In this information war, the corporate media is loyal to a narrative  a belief system  driven by fear and control. Throughout this scandal, the data was never truly evaluated and the fraud was never discussed because the corporate media values social standing over evidence-based discussion and debate. The corporate media gauges their success on how well they can impress the experts and stay obedient to the $cience.

Time and time again, these hit pieces referred back to some worn-out authority figure such as Drs. Anthony Fauci, Peter Hotez, and Paul Offit  all of whom have financial ties back to vaccine industry. Corporate media didnt dare deviate from the hand that feeds them, lest they be socially ostracized and cut off. This is why the Times and the rest of the pharma-controlled media use social shaming tactics against truth tellers; they fear they will be the ones ostracized and cut off, so they shame those who do not comply. Journalistic malpractice and group-think ensues. Bullying takes shape through censorship and social shaming.

But as more people speak up from experience and declare the truth about vaccines, these so-called experts and narrative controllers become the modern-day pariahs, SHAMING THEMSELVES into a corner of depravity  fear, control and abuse. However, the days of journalists threatening peoples livelihoods over vaccine passports and mandates; the days of news anchors cheerleading for Big Pharma and societal division; the days of journalists ignoring the vaccine-injured MUST come to an end, as these propaganda pushers psychologically fade away  like outcasts in exile.

Hit the Times back by sending a letter to the editor. Demand that the Times practice real journalism and address the issues at hand.

The New York Times can be reached at: [email protected]

The International New York Times can be reached at: [email protected]

Dean Baquet

Executive Editor

The New York Times Company

620 Eighth Avenue

New York, NY 10018

[email protected]

Joseph Kahn

Managing Editor

The New York Times Company

620 Eighth Avenue

New York, NY 10018

[email protected]

Adam Nagourneys contact info:

[email protected]

Twitter: @adamnagourney

Facebook: @AdamNagourneyNYT

Sources include:

ChildrensHealthDefense.org

NaturalNews.com
RALEIGH  A dramatic drop in new COVID-19 cases has prompted state and local governments and school boards to stop requiring people to wear masks. Throw in the return of spring weather, and people are as optimistic as ever that the coronavirus pandemic may be over.

Theres some of that same optimism in Raleigh-area hospitals, where the number of patients admitted with COVID-19 has dropped dramatically in the last month. But that feeling is tempered by the knowledge that weve been here before, with a disease that seemed in retreat only to come roaring back again.

The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in North Carolina has dropped from more than 5,100 in late January to 1,336 on Friday, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services. At hospitals across the state, theres a sense of relief among workers who have endured one crisis after another over the past two years.

People are smiling again and having the kind of routine meetings and celebrations that just didnt happen when the hospital was besieged with COVID-19 patients, said Dr. David Kirk, a pulmonologist and critical care specialist at WakeMed. The number of COVID-19 patients at WakeMed has dropped from 220 in January to 42 last week.

That same day, Kirk said he met with people who run WakeMeds intensive care units to talk about how to make them better.

These are the kind of decisions and discussions that require people to sit down and have a cup of coffee and think, he said. And man, for the last little while weve not had even that little bit of bandwidth to actually do those types of things.

Morale is improving at UNC Johnston hospitals in Smithfield and Clayton, where at one point this winter two-thirds of medical beds were occupied by COVID-19 patients. Coronavirus cases have dropped from 90 to 15, and an emergency department that was overwhelmed with patients in December is back to normal.

But no one in the hospitals is certain the pandemic is over.

We felt like this might be over eight months ago, right? Or six months ago, and we had the highest peak weve ever had immediately following, said Dr. Rodney McCaskill, the medical director. So I think to feel like its over is premature. It might be, but thats what we thought six months ago.

The Raleigh-Durham areas large medical centers have COVID-19 patients enduring long recoveries from severe bouts with the disease. Duke University Hospital in Durham has coronavirus patients who have been there for months.

UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill has three times as many patients recovering from COVID-19 than it does new coronavirus cases.

We still have pretty significant COVID burden, said Dr. Shannon Carson, a pulmonologist and acute care specialist. About half of our patients in the medical ICU still are here because of a COVID-related problem that theyre trying to recover from.

Some patients with serious COVID-19 will not survive. Doctors say a large majority of patients are unvaccinated.

Since the pandemic began, people 65 and older have been most vulnerable to the disease, accounting for a majority of COVID-19 deaths in North Carolina. But theyre also the group with the highest vaccination rates, and thats reflected in hospital patients, McCaskill said.

If the vaccines didnt work, theyre the ones who would all be here, vaccinated and in the ICU, he said. But by and large, its still the unvaccinated that are the ones that are in our hospital and in our ICUs.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine called on the government of Tbilisi to publicly dissociate itself from Russia's decision to lift some of the trade sanctions against Georgia.

"Ukraine drew attention to the notification about the lifting by Russia of part of the trade sanctions against Georgia. It is noted that Russia made this decision in the context of the unwillingness of the Georgian authorities to support the new sanctions of the European Union against Russia. We consider categorically unacceptable the intensification of trade relations with Russia, whose armed forces are inflicting missile and bomb attacks on peaceful Ukrainian cities, killing civilians, including children," the ministry said in the statement on Sunday evening.

Therefore, the Foreign Ministry calls on "official Tbilisi to publicly dissociate itself from the decision of the Russian Federation, whose leadership violates international law and commits war crimes in Ukraine."

The ministry said that "doing business with Russian companies provides additional resources for Russia to continue the bloody war against Ukraine, and the income received is soaked in the blood of murdered Ukrainian citizens."

"Due to the armed aggression of Russia against Georgia in 2008, the Georgian people, unfortunately, are well aware of the horrors of the war that Ukrainians now have to go through. At the same time, the Georgian authorities forgot about it, and now they are trying to seize the moment for their own interests," the Foreign Ministry said.
The recent geopolitical developments around the war between Russia and Ukraine have put investors in risk-off mode as global equity have turned volatile. CAMERON BRANDT, director of research, EPFR Global, tells Puneet Wadhwa in an interview that funds dedicated to Canada, Greater China, and Saudi Arabia are the ones that have seen a marked pick-up in flows since began to focus on the prospects of military action by Russia. Edited excerpts:
Hong Kong: 31k COVID-19 cases identified

(To watch the full press briefing with sign language interpretation, click here.)

The Centre for Health Protection today said it is investigating 31,008 additional COVID-19 cases, of which two are imported and the rest are locally infected.

Hospital Authority Chief Manager Dr Larry Lee said at a press briefing this afternoon that the authority has come up with a number of measures in an attempt to increase the capacity of public hospitals to accommodate the increasing number of COVID-19 patients.

He said: Other than the tier-1 and tier-2 isolation beds, we are working at full speed and trying to elaborate on the general wards. As I mentioned before, we tried to install fans and also enhance the engineering design to try to make sure that there is a safe environment to capacitate COVID-19 patients.

We have been exploring plans with some private hospitals, especially the CUHK Medical Centre, and we are at the very last part of the negotiations. I think that can start operating very soon.

We have to make sure some designated hospitals can operate and receive COVID-19 patients. Therefore, the chronic patients and convalescent patients there need to be accommodated. Private hospitals actually have contributed to accommodating these patients.

The authority also announced that from tomorrow, it will activate the East Kowloon General Out-patient Clinic, Mrs Wu York Yu General Out-patient Clinic and Tai Po Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic to treat COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms who require medical advice while awaiting admission to hospitals or isolation facilities.

Separately, the Government placed eight buildings under restriction-testing declarations as sewage samples there tested positive for the virus. They include Lok Ching House, Yan Ching House, Hong Ching House of Kai Ching Estate in Kowloon City; Shin Oi House, Shin Leung House, Shin Yung House of Long Shin Estate in Yuen Long; and Hoi Chun Court, Hoi Chu Court at Aberdeen Centre. People in these areas must undergo compulsory testing before the specified deadline.

As there were positive sewage test results in several areas of Sha Tin, Southern, Kwun Tong and Yuen Long districts, district offices will distribute COVID-19 rapid test kits to relevant residents as well as cleansing workers and property management staff working in those areas from tomorrow.

For information and health advice on COVID-19, visit the Governments dedicated webpage.

This story has been published on: 2022-03-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
(Natural News) For those who watched Joe Bidens State of the Union Address on Tuesday night, you may have noticed a curious line about the President helping transgender children reach their God-given potential.

(Article by Breanna Claussen republished from HarbingersDaily.com)

As I said last year, especially to our younger transgender Americans, I will always have your back as your President, so you can be yourself and reach your God-given potential, Biden told the audience in his address.

Although several elements and falsehoods interwoven into his speech are worth breaking down and examining, this specific quote should be recognized as particularly egregious.

The attempt of a person to exchange their biological sex is not only anti-science but, more importantly, it is a sinful rejection of God and His design.

Jesus, quoting Genesis 1:27, rebuked the Pharisees, saying, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female (Matthew? ?19:4?). Christs defense of Gods intelligent design also underscored the definition of marriage between one man and one woman.

In Pauls letter to Christians in Rome, he warned against a society that celebrates sins such as homosexuality and who changed the truth of God into a lie (Romans 1:18-32).

Despite what LGBT activists routinely claim, such lifestyles that reject Gods design for gender and marriage are incompatible with Biblical truth, all sinful lifestyles are. It is difficult to believe those on the left are ignorant of this fact.

We live in a self-worshiping culture, in which everyone does what is right in their own eyes, presenting their individual definitions of morality and truth. There is no room for Gods absolute standard and authority in such a society.

God-Given Potential

The word potential is not, however, a universally positive word. From children, people have the potential of developing into individuals who either accept or reject God and His son Jesus Christ.

What God desires for us is a different question entirely.

The Bible, at lengths, speaks of Gods personal love for each of us. However, the result of that love was not the acceptance of our sinful nature. Instead, Gods love resulted in Him providing a way for humanity to be saved from the bondage of our sin and its heavy cost (John 3:16-17).

Chapter two of the book of Ephesians first describes at length our sinful nature as humans, and Gods great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins. This sin problem required a righteous and merciful solution, one that could only be brought by God laying down His only son.

The prophet Isaiah, hundreds of years prior to Christs first coming to the earth, explained that Jesus would come to take our sins upon Himself.

Isaiah? ?53:6?,10,12 ?KJV??  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Gods desired potential for each of us is not that we embrace our sins, as stated by Biden. Romans 6 explains that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Instead, the Bible states that God is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

Read more at: HarbingersDaily.com
Congressman Matt Rosendale voted against a bipartisan house resolution to support Ukraine and its people against the military Goliath, Russia. He said the U.S. has no moral responsibility to Ukraine or its people, even as Russia bombs neighborhoods, churches, hospitals and schools.

While this independent, democratic country fights for its life and freedom, Montana's only congressional representative has introduced a bill that would stop the U.S. from giving aid to Ukraine until we build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. How proud do we feel about that? He was one of only three House members who voted "no" to helping Ukrainians fight for their lives and independence. That's just three out of 435 House members! The U.S. and its allies are greatly worried about Putin's state of mind as he bombs city after city, willfully killing innocent civilians, and warning of his nuclear weapons, in an attempt to take control of Ukraine.
(Natural News) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has quietly admitted that the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines cause heart inflammation, heart attack and stroke.

Specifically, the CDC admitted that the vaccines cause myocarditis and myopericarditis. The former occurs when the heart muscle  also known as the myocardium  becomes inflamed. The latter occurs when both the heart muscle and the sac that surrounds the heart  known as the pericardium  become inflamed.

Myocarditis can weaken the hearts ability to pump blood and cause arrhythmias. Severe cases of myocarditis could weaken the heart so much that it becomes unable to pump enough blood to the entire body. This can also lead to clots forming in the heart, which can cause either strokes or heart attacks. (Related: COVID-19 vaccine spike proteins are SHEDDING, giving people heart attacks, strokes and more.)

Evidence from multiple safety monitoring systems in multiple countries supports the finding of an increased risk of myocarditis and myopericarditis following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination, read a CDC report titled COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Updates, written by a member of the CDCs COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force.

The report pointed out that the risk of myocarditis and myopericarditis is highest in adolescents and young adults. Males are also more likely to experience either condition than females.

The conditions are more likely to occur following the second dose than following the first, and the onset of symptoms occurs within a few days of vaccination, up to a week.

Mainstream media outlets working overtime to blame illnesses caused by vaccines on other things

Mainstream media outlets are diverting peoples attention away from the COVID-19 vaccines by trying to blame the heart conditions and their symptoms on other factors. Shane St. Pierre, the host of the Anti-Disinformation show, pointed this out on the shows March 3 episode.

St. Pierre first noted that most of the Western worlds largest and most influential mainstream media outlets have deep ties to  if they arent outright controlled by  Big Pharma companies.

Mainstream media outlets are tied to Big Pharma through two of the worlds largest investment management corporations  BlackRock and The Vanguard Group. Together, their portfolio holdings are worth over $17 trillion.

More importantly, they are the owners and controllers of the Big Pharma industry. And even more importantly than that, BlackRock and Vanguard own the worlds mainstream media, said St. Pierre. In other words, Big Pharma owns the mainstream media.

This gives mainstream media outlets a strong incentive to publish a deluge of articles claiming that certain factors in life and not the experimental and deadly COVID-19 vaccines were raising peoples risks of developing different health conditions. He then pointed out that all of these articles only started coming out when the COVID-19 vaccines started becoming more widespread.

One article published by the Daily Express on Dec. 12, 2021 claimed that skipping breakfast may increase the risk of heart attacks despite intermittent fasting being the biggest proven health benefit of all time, said St. Pierre. Now, suddenly, skipping breakfast causes heart attacks.

But if you dont skip breakfast, suddenly the worlds most popular breakfast food  eggs  enhances your risk of blood clots, he added. St. Pierre is referring to another Daily Express article, published on Jan. 22 that claimed a substance in eggs is actually why people have an increased risk of blood clots, heart attacks and strokes.

St. Pierre then pointed out how ludicrous these claims have become when he shared an article from Wales Online that claimed there is a connection between a persons energy bill and their risk of heart attacks and strokes.

They tell us these energy bill rises could even cause ill health in our children. Because we all have our children open up our energy bills, and then ask them how they are going to pay for it with no job, commented St. Pierre in a tongue-in-cheek manner.

Other factors that mainstream media outlets claim can cause heart attacks and strokes include smoking marijuana, cold weather, using sex objects and even breathing too many times.

St. Pierre doesnt think its a coincidence that the Black Rock and Vanguard-owned mainstream media suddenly blamed strokes, heart attacks and deaths on a lot of things other than the COVID-19 vaccines at around the same time those investment management corporations took control of Big Pharma.

More related stories:

Leaked top-secret Pfizer document shows COVID-19 vaccine is FAR MORE DANGEROUS than the world knows.

FDA wants to release Pfizer vaccine documents slowly while attention is focused away from pandemic.

Studies confirm spike protein mRNA in COVID vaccines alters human DNA within hours after injection.

Fully vaccinated individuals are SHEDDING GRAPHENE and infecting the unvaccinated, causing serious health complications.

Researcher sounds alarm after finding PARASITES, nanobots and graphene in COVID-19 vaccines.

Watch the March 3 episode of Anti-Disinformation as host Shane St. Pierre talks about the attempt of mainstream media outlets to blame heart attacks and strokes on anything but the COVID-19 vaccines.

This video is from the Anti-Disinformation channel on Brighteon.com.

Learn the truth about the COVID-19 vaccines by reading the latest articles on Vaccines.news.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

CDC.gov [PDF]

Express.co.uk 1

Express.co.uk 2
The United States is negotiating with Poland on the possibility of transferring MiG and SU aircraft to Ukraine, on which Ukrainian pilots will be able to fly, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said.

"We are working with Poland as we speak to see if we can backfill anything that they provide to the Ukrainians. We very much support them, providing MiGs, SUs, planes that Ukrainian can fly, to the Ukrainians," Blinken said in an interview with CNN, published on the website of the U.S. State Department.

He also said the United States is considering options for compensating Poland for the aircraft transferred to Ukraine.

"We also want to see if we can be helpful, as I said, in making sure that whatever they provide to the Ukrainians, something goes to them to make up for any gap in the security for Poland that might result. We're actively talking about that right now," the Secretary of State said.
(Natural News) Russia blocked access to Facebook Friday, March 4, following claims by government regulatory agency Roskomnadzor that the social media platform has violated Russian federal law by restricting access to the official accounts of several state-owned and state-affiliated media outlets.

This comes around a week after Russia placed partial restrictions on Facebook for the same alleged violations. At the time, Meta executive Nick Clegg said Roskomnadzor ordered the platform to stop fact-checking and putting warning labels on content posted by state-owned and state-affiliated outlets like Sputnik, RT and RIA.

Roskomnadzor claimed Friday that it had found at least 26 cases of discrimination against Russian media and information resources by Facebook since Oct. 2020.

Soon millions of ordinary Russians will find themselves cut off from reliable information, deprived of their everyday ways of connecting with family and friends and silenced for speaking out, wrote Clegg in a statement in response to the blocking.

We will continue to do everything we can to restore our services so they can remain available to people to safely and securely express themselves and organize for action, he added. (Related: Financial pressures rise worldwide as governments witness the unfolding of the Russia-Ukraine crisis.)

Facebook responds by pulling Russian ads and blocking Russian advertisers

Facebook retaliated by pulling all advertising from the company and refusing to run ads from Russian companies anywhere in the world.

Due to the difficulties of operating in Russia at this time, ads targeting people in Russia will be paused, and advertisers within Russia will no longer be able to create or run ads anywhere in the world, including within Russia, said Facebook in a statement released Friday.

The company added that it is attempting to keep its services in Russia available to the greatest extent possible. It has not provided an update on where the companys efforts on the matter stood.

Dan Ives, an analyst for the investment firm Wedbush Securities, claimed that the pullout of Russian ads will have little impact on Metas finances. He estimated that if all American Big Tech companies pulled the plug on Russia it would have a one to two percent revenue impact in a worst-case scenario. Ives added that Wall Street might gladly applaud such a move.

The ongoing dispute between Russia and Facebook is a major escalation of the countrys campaign against Big Tech companies. In recent years, in response to supposed instances of discrimination, censorship and other allegations, Russia has issued a slew of fines and has even hobbled access to Big Tech platforms through internet slowdowns.

More recently, Russia has restricted access to Twitter, which has been slapping labels on Russian state-owned media outlets and journalists.

Roskomnadzor has also published statements complaining about how other Big Tech companies are treating Russia. It has complained about TikTok for labeling accounts owned by state-run media and for supposedly removing some of the content on those accounts.

More related stories:

Biden closes U.S. airspace to Russia as Boeing cuts off parts, maintenance to Russian airlines.

Ukraine is considered the breadbasket of Europe, and the war has cut off exports of wheat, corn and more.

SWIFT sanctions against Russia may be pointless due to rising alternatives such as Ripple and CIPS.

FACT: Biden has sanctioned more American oil than Russian oil American consumers are PUNISHED while Putin gets REWARDED with extra revenues.

Ukrainian official blasts pathetically weak sanctions against Russia, claims it leaves Moscow with lots of money soaked in our blood.

Watch this episode of InfoWars as host Owen Shroyer talks about why American Big Tech companies are controlling the information coming out of Ukraine.

This video is from the InfoWars channel on Brighteon.com.

Learn more about the brewing confrontations between American Big Tech companies and the Russian state by reading the latest articles at TechGiants.news.

Sources include:

CNBC.com

Reuters.com

KGUN9.com

BusinessInsider.com

Brighteon.com
RTHK: Putin blames Kyiv for failed Mariupol evacuations

Russian leader Vladimir Putin in a telephone call with the French president blamed Kyiv for failed civilian evacuations from the key Ukrainian port city of Mariupol which is surrounded by Russian troops, the Kremlin said on Sunday.

Putin "drew attention to the fact that Kyiv still does not fulfil agreements reached on this acute humanitarian issue," the Kremlin said in a statement, after two agreements to evacuate Mariupol in south-eastern Ukraine fell through following allegations of ceasefire breaches.

Putin said "Ukrainian nationalists" prevented civilians and foreign citizens from leaving the port city of Mariupol and neighbouring Volnovakha on Saturday despite a ceasefire announcement.

"And the pause in hostilities was again used only to build up forces and means in their positions," Putin told French President Emmanuel Macron.

Putin also assured Macron of the "physical and nuclear safety" of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant that was captured by Russian forces.

He also said Russian troops were in control of Ukraine's Chernobyl nuclear power plant, which is encased in a giant sarcophagus following an explosion in 1986  the worst nuclear accident in history.

"All this is being done in order to exclude the possibility of provocations fraught with catastrophic consequences by Ukrainian neo-Nazis or terrorists," the Kremlin added.

According to the Elysee, the two leaders spoke for one hour and 45 minutes. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2022-03-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina  News reports from Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities under unrelenting bombardment by the Russian military have been triggering painful memories among the survivors of the 1990s siege of Bosnian capital Sarajevo.

And yet, many have been spending hours on end glued to their television screens since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Not so long ago, we were them, said Amra Muftic who survived the 1992-95 siege, watching news reports showing civilians taking refuge from Russian rocket attacks, shelling and gunfire in basements and subway stations.

If our experience is anything to go by  and I have a gut feeling that it is  things are about to get much worse for them, she added.

Bosnian Serb forces laid siege to Sarajevo in the early 1990s, during the bloody breakup of Yugoslavia. About 350,000 people were trapped, for 46 months, in their multiethnic city, subjected to daily shelling and sniper attacks and cut off from regular access to electricity, food, water, medicine and the outside world.

More than 11,000 people were killed during the siege, including over 1,000 children. Countless others were wounded.

We know how they feel. We survived the longest siege in modern history said Elma Vukotic, an anesthesiologist, as she and her fellow health care workers stood earlier this week outside their Sarajevo hospital, clad in their medical robes and holding balloons in the blue and yellow colors of the Ukrainian flag  and, coincidentally, also the Bosnian one. Vukotic said their spontaneous show of solidarity was the least they could do for their Ukrainian colleagues.

All wars are painful, all attacks against civilians abhorrent, but what is happening to Ukrainians right now is especially traumatic for us, because they are so near and in a situation very similar to ours three decades ago, Vukotic said.

Television images of pregnant women waiting to give birth in the basement of the Kyiv hospital, hastily converted into an emergency bomb shelter, gave me a strong sense of deja vu; I know exactly how they feel, how terrified they must be, she added. Also, I think we all can empathize with how unwilling ordinary Ukrainians were to accept that the war was coming until Russian rockets and bombs started raining down on their homes, schools and hospitals.

The Bosnian war started when Bosnian Serbs, with the help of the Yugoslav army, tried to create ethnically pure territories with the aim of joining neighboring Serbia. More than 100,000 people were killed and 2 million  more than half the countrys population  were left homeless during the conflict.

The Serb leadership argued throughout the war that multiethnic Bosnia wasnt a country at all and that, along with its Catholic Croats and its Bosniaks, who are mostly Muslim and account for about half of the population, it should be split between neighboring Serbia and Croatia. Bosniaks, they insisted, were just treacherous Serb converts who centuries ago abandoned their original (Orthodox Christian) faith.

Many in Sarajevo heard the echoes of those old insults in Putins recent statements, offered to justify Russias invasion of Ukraine.

A U.N. arms embargo maintained in Bosnia throughout the 1990s conflict gave Bosnian Serb militias, armed and backed by the Serbia-controlled Yugoslav Army, an edge in the fight. They conquered 60% of Bosnias territory in less than two months, committing horrendous atrocities against their Bosniak and Croat compatriots.

In 1995, the U.S.-brokered Dayton Peace agreement put an end to the bloodshed in Bosnia by dividing the country into two semi-autonomous parts  one run by the Serbs and the other shared by Bosniaks and Croats. The two are linked by weak multiethnic institutions.

But living together in the aftermath of a brutal, fratricidal conflict has proven to be difficult.

The postwar power-sharing system perpetuates the polarized and venomous political climate in Bosnia, while its entrenched nationalist leaders continuously stoke ethnic animosities for political gain.

With Moscows backing, the strongly pro-Russia Bosnian Serbs, in particular, have been advocating for years for the independence of their region. Meanwhile, sectarian networks of patronage and pervasive corruption, which gradually became integral to the system, ensure that Bosnia remains one of the poorest countries in Europe, increasingly losing its best and brightest to other countries.

Right now, Ukrainians are subjected to torture, they are pleading for help and hoping for who knows what, said Zoka Catic, a filmmaker and journalist from Sarajevo who has spent years documenting the devastating impact of war on the mental health of Bosnians of all ethnicities.

No matter how the conflict in Ukraine ends, he argued, there is no such thing as a happy ending to a war.

It is just a matter of time  before (Ukrainians) turn into us: sad, unhappy people who experienced the worst feeling in the world  helplessness.

___

Follow the APs coverage of the Ukraine crisis at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Sunday, March 06, 2022 by: News Editors Tags: bugout , conscription , military , Poland , Russia , survival , Ukraine , War This article may contain statements that reflect the opinion of the author

(Natural News) It was a hellish 20-hour journey undertaken in the middle of winter with thousands of refugees. I saw some terrible things:

(Article republished from ThreadReaderApp.com)

Vehicles were backed up for 25 kilometers, many out of gas. Several were abandoned as their occupants fled west on foot as fast as possible. pic.twitter.com/XfTtR99AUH  Ukraine Conflict Live 2022 (@UkraineLive2022) February 25, 2022

UA soldiers were stopping cars and busses and yanking out any man aged 18-60 to conscript in the Ukrainian Army. In one place, a commissar was shouting say goodbye to your daughters, mothers, and girlfriends; you must turn back and fight the Russian invader! pic.twitter.com/B61MZ48S1n  Ukraine Conflict Live 2022 (@UkraineLive2022) February 25, 2022

We made friends with a 24-year-old named Max who was pulled out of the caravan as he talked with us. I had time to get his number before his conscription and he left with a grin of utter disbelief. I will never forget that face.

A woman screamed for the army to spare her husband from conscription. A soldier slapped her and took her husband.

Things seem really desperate.

There were old women carrying rucksacks hobbling along the shoulder. I asked one where she was going and she said Poland! She was going to walk the 80km on her own.

Toddlers took the journey hard. Many were forced to walk the distance despite not knowing what was going on.

Forget your wife, forget your daughter, fight for Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/8IoZ9JIALK  Ukraine Conflict Live 2022 (@UkraineLive2022) February 25, 2022

UA soldier ordering bus driver to turn over all men aged 18-60 for conscription. pic.twitter.com/Rar5OsBu5r  Ukraine Conflict Live 2022 (@UkraineLive2022) February 25, 2022

This was the longest and worst night of my life. Im just speechless. Anyway Im currently in Poland, where a welcome committee greeted us with tea. It was amazing tea. pic.twitter.com/GM1DadGXaj  Ukraine Conflict Live 2022 (@UkraineLive2022) February 25, 2022

Last thing: this was my view as I crossed into Poland at 7:01 AM local time this morning. I feel that it was a welcome gift from nature. Im so inconsolably happy to be in the EU. pic.twitter.com/yIrK4YBAHB  Ukraine Conflict Live 2022 (@UkraineLive2022) February 25, 2022

Interview excerpt with Max. He had to leave the line because of conscription orders during the interview. pic.twitter.com/5rrvHvyrYo  Ukraine Conflict Live 2022 (@UkraineLive2022) February 25, 2022

Big update on this story: I got back in touch with Max. He messaged me on Instagram today telling me that hes safe and in Lviv. He is not in the east or fighting the Russians. Hes a bright and courageous young man and I wish him the best. pic.twitter.com/pjlk9PcqRT  Ukraine Conflict Live 2022 (@UkraineLive2022) February 26, 2022

Read more at: ThreadReaderApp.com
The government of Ukraine has introduced zero quotas for exports subject to licensing in 2022 of corn, oats, buckwheat, millet, sugar and salt suitable for human consumption, according to government resolution No. 207 dated March 5, published on the government website on Sunday.

According to the amendments he made to resolution No. 1424 on the list of goods whose export and import is subject to licensing, and quotas for 2022, dated December 29, 2021, zero quotas were also introduced for the export of live cattle and its frozen meat, "meat and edible meat offal, salted or in brine, dried or smoked; edible meal from meat or meat offal: bovine meat" (Ukrainian Customs Commodity Classification Codes for Foreign Trade code 021020).

Earlier on Sunday, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the government had decided to limit the export of a number of socially important goods and the raw materials from which they are produced, but did not specify specific product groups.
Kuleba appeals to FMs of EU, G7 states with a request to introduce new sanctions against Russia

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, appealed to his colleagues from the EU and G7 countries with a request to impose new sanctions against Russia.

"Today, I signed letters to all the foreign ministers of the European Union countries, the G7 countries and the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy with a specific list of the sanctions that Ukraine expects, which are necessary in order to finally clamp the Russian economy in ticks and end the war in Ukraine," Kuleba said during the telethon on Sunday.

He also said he will work with each country "to ensure that these new sanctions are imposed."
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BOISE  Two Idaho legislators took steps Tuesday to try to terminate the COVID-19 emergency declaration that Gov. Brad Little put in place for the state of Idaho.

Reps. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, and Chad Christensen, R-Iona, are sponsoring House Concurrent Resolution 40, which is designed to end Littles disaster emergency declaration if it is adopted by the Idaho Legislature.

Little first issued a COVID-19 public health emergency order on March 13, 2020, hours before he announced the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Idaho. Emergency orders have been reauthorized and remained in place since the first declaration Little issued.

Since then, 4,751 Idahoans have died of COVID-19, according to the states official coronavirus data dashboard. The state has twice activated crisis standards of care for Idaho hospitals. Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Director Dave Jeppesen announced the state emerged from crisis standards of care Feb. 15.

During House Concurrent Resolution 40s introduction before the House State Affairs Committee, nobody mentioned the 4,751 Idahoans who died of COVID-19.

You know, the critical care right now where we have hospitals that are making decisions based on emergency situations and I do not believe we are in an emergency at this point, Scott told legislators.

There is an extremely high survival rate of COVID-19 at this time, Scott added.

She also said her House concurrent resolution is a check and balance.

What I have seen by extending this emergency for over 715 days, we are starting to consolidate the power under the executive branch  the idea of separation of powers is there for a reason, Scott said.

During the 2021 legislative session, Scott sponsored a similar measure in House Concurrent Resolution 1, which was introduced but never advanced out of committee.

During the introductory hearing on the House Concurrent Resolution 40 on Tuesday, Scott pointed to a section of state law that allows the Idaho Legislature to terminate a state of disaster emergency at any time via concurrent resolution.

We do have the authority, Scott said.

The Idaho Capital Sun requested a comment on the House concurrent resolution and emergency order from Littles office, which did not immediately provide a statement on Tuesday.

In the past, Little hasnt minced words when questioned about the necessity of emergency orders. The emergency order was in place, Little would often say, because COVID-19 is undeniably an emergency.

Introducing the House concurrent resolution clears the way for it to return to the House State Affairs Committee for a full public hearing.

Because it is a House concurrent resolution and not a full bill, House Concurrent Resolution 40 does not go to Littles desk to be signed into law or vetoed. The House concurrent resolution would need to be adopted by the full Idaho House of Representatives and the Idaho Senate in order to take effect, however.

Little used emergency order recently to active the Idaho National Guard

On Jan. 31, Little cited the emergency order when he activated 75 Idaho National Guard members to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic as hospitals were again overwhelmed and operating in crisis standards of care. Little cited the emergency order and stipulated that FEMA would reimburse the Department of Defense for all costs associated with the Idaho National Guard response.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare confirmed during a press briefing Tuesday that Idaho National Guardsmen are still being used to combat COVID-19 in Idaho.

The emergency declaration also ensures hundreds of health care workers and travel nurses can continue to help stressed hospital systems under a state contract that will be reimbursed by FEMA.

Certainly, if we took away the 485 staff (deployed as of mid-February), we would be right back in crisis standards of care, so we dont use that as the deciding factor, Ben Roeber, Idaho Office of Emergency Management preparedness and protection branch chief, told the Sun last month.

A year earlier, in January 2021, Little also called up Idaho National Guard troops to assist food banks and help distribute COVID-19 tests and vaccines, Idaho Education News reported.
In July, there will be a new universal phone number  988  for people across the United States to call when they or someone around them experiences a mental health crisis. The idea is that its short, easy to remember and the same everywhere.

Right now, most everyone knows to call 911 in an emergency. But law enforcement and emergency responders are not always equipped to help someone who is in mental health distress or thinking about suicide.

People with mental health issues are much more likely to be killed by police, according to reports. On top of that, people of color are killed by law enforcement at much higher rates than white people, according to a Washington Post database of all fatal police shootings.

The 9-8-8 crisis number is designed to give people a different option that isnt routed through law enforcement.

Congress passed the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020 which created the 9-8-8 hotline. Its supposed to launch nationwide in July, but most states do not have a legislative plan for the rollout of the service.

North Carolina, on the other hand, is ready and on track for the July launch date. Right now, North Carolina already participates in the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline  800-273-TALK. When someone calls that number, they are routed to their local crisis center. Starting in July, that same crisis line will be reachable by dialing 9-8-8.

Due to the ease of remembering the number 9-8-8, there is an expectation that the call volume will increase. So the state is working to increase the capacity of the actual call center by hiring more people to answer the phone. The call center is contracted out to a group called Real Crisis Intervention headquartered in the eastern part of the state.

9-8-8 callers will immediately be put in touch with a trained crisis counselor. Many times, the counselor can help de-escalate the situation over the phone.

If the caller is still in need of help, a mobile crisis team of mental health professionals will respond. The hope is that when people dial 9-8-8 during a mental health crisis instead of 9-1-1, crisis teams will be dispatched to respond to these situations, not law enforcement.

North Carolina has sought to expand its mobile units of mental health teams in recent years. In December, the Department of Health and Human Services gave $4.4 million to fund 15 such units to provide screening, assessment and treatment.

Still, there are concerns that more can be done.

In the days following the January suicide death of Miss USA Cheslie Kryst, a North Carolina native, many people took to social media to post sentiments such as you are not alone and please reach out for help.

However, imploring people to simply reach out to a crisis line isnt going to be enough to stop the rising number of suicide deaths in this country. Cherene Allen-Caraco, founder Promise Resource Network, a Charlotte-based mental health organization run by people with their own experiences of mental illness, took to social media to ask people to stop posting these sentiments. At a time when we have the highest rate of suicide attempts and completion, we also have the largest suicide awareness campaigns and trainings, she wrote on Facebook. Think about your darkest moments. Could you simply make a call or ask for help? For many of us, for many reasons the answer is no.
Fighting for his country's survival, Ukraine's leader made a "desperate" plea Saturday to American lawmakers for the United States to help get more warplanes to his military and cut off Russian oil imports as Kyiv tries to stave off the Russian invasion.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy opened the private video call with U.S. lawmakers by telling them this may be the last time they see him alive. He has remained in Kyiv, the capital, which has a vast Russian armored column threatening from the north.

Appearing in what is now his trademark army-green shirt in front of a white wall with the Ukrainian flag, he told them Ukraine needs to secure its skies, either through a no-fly zone enforced by NATO or through the provision of more warplanes so Ukraine could better defend itself. Zelenskyy has been pleading for a no-fly zone for days, but NATO has refused, saying it could provoke a widespread war with Russia.

The hourlong exchange with some 300 members of Congress and their staffs came as Russian troops continued to shell encircled cities and the number of Ukrainians who have fled the country grew to 1.4 million.

"President Zelenskyy made a desperate plea," said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

He said Zelenskyy wants the U.S. to facilitate the transfer of planes from Eastern European allies. "I will do all I can to help the administration to facilitate their transfer," Schumer said.

Logistics problems

The U.S. is considering sending American-made F-16s as backfill to former Soviet bloc countries in Eastern Europe that are now members of NATO. They, in turn, would send Ukraine their own Soviet-era MiGs, which Ukrainian pilots are trained to fly.

There appears to be a logistical problem, however, in sending the F-16s to Poland or other East European allies because of a production backlog. These countries would essentially have to give their MiGs to the Ukrainians and accept an IOU from the U.S. for the F-16s. The situation is further complicated because the next shipment of F-16s is set for Taiwan, and Congress would be reluctant to delay those deliveries as it eyes China.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken indicated the fighter jets are under consideration after meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dymtro Kuleba at the Poland-Ukraine border outside the town of Korczowa.

"We are talking about and working on everything," Blinken told reporters.

Blinken reiterated that the U.S. support for Ukraine "not only has been unprecedented, not only is it going to continue, it's going to increase."

The U.S. Congress is working on a $10 billion package of military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Schumer told Zelenskyy lawmakers hope to send it quickly to Ukraine, according to a person on the call and granted anonymity to discuss it.

Questions from senators

When Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell asked about the types of military support his country needs, Zelenskyy said drones as well as planes would be the most helpful.

During the call, Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia asked Zelenskyy about the idea of banning the import of Russian oil to the U.S., according to two other people granted anonymity to discuss the private call. They said Zelenskyy indicated such a ban would be effective in putting pressure on Russia.

Republicans and a growing number of Democrats, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, back the idea of a Russian oil import ban. The Biden administration has so far resisted that step, worried about rising prices at the pump.

Zelenskyy urged U.S. lawmakers to sanction Russia's oil and gas sector, which has so far escaped the mounting sanctions imposed by the Biden administration and other countries. He also urged lawmakers to suspend Visa and Mastercard credit card access in Russia.

"Anything that could hurt the Russian economy will help the Ukrainian people and may make this war more difficult for Putin," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said in a video posted to Twitter after the call.

Zelenskyy's office said he also suggested the U.S. consider imposing an embargo on all Russian goods and stripping Russia of its most-favored-nation trade status.

Lawmakers are concerned that Zelenskyy will be killed in the Russian invasion. They are also worried that a Ukrainian government under assault will be unable to function and to receive aid.

When one lawmaker asked diplomatically what would happen if he was killed, Zelenskyy acknowledged the concerns but implored Congress to do whatever it can to help Ukraine fight off Russia's assault on his country.

Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., said in a statement that Zelenskyy's "message is simple: 'close the skies or give us planes.'"
The nations top businesswomen are pleading with the federal government and Labor to sink more money into the caring economy, put more women in cabinet and sharply increase childcare assistance, warning a generation of young women will be left behind by the COVID-19 recession.

Chief Executive Women, which has almost 1000 members drawn from boardrooms across the country, says women remain the economys largest untapped resource, and the nation is being held back by the ongoing lack of support for them.

Leading businesswomen are calling for a major overhaul of government policy towards women, including childcare.

The federal government is under increasing pressure from womens and family groups to address a series of issues, ranging from childcare fees to paid parental leave.

Since the Coalition government was elected in 2013, childcare costs as measured in the consumer price index have climbed by almost 46 per cent in Sydney and by 32.2 per cent in Melbourne.
The absence of a functioning Stormont executive cannot lead to Northern Ireland turning its back on Ukrainian refugees, ministers have been warned.

Amnesty International has written to those ministers who remain in place at Stormont and the head of the civil service Jayne Brady, calling for urgent action to ensure the region is prepared to host people fleeing from the conflict.

The call came as humanitarian efforts to collect and send supplies to Ukraine continue across Northern Ireland.

An anti-war protest in Belfast on Saturday also saw Ukrainians living in the region lead a march through the city centre to denounce the Russian invasion.

Amnesty has raised concerns that the absence of a first minister and deputy first minister may hamper the official response to the crisis in Northern Ireland.

Patrick Corrigan of Amnesty International (PA)

The Stormont Executive was shorn of its ability to take significant policy decisions last month when DUP First Minister Paul Givan resigned in protest at Brexits Northern Ireland Protocol. His move automatically removed Sinn Fein deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill from her post.

While other ministers continue to head up their respective departments, they are unable to make major policy decisions.

In normal circumstances, the first and deputy first ministers have responsibility for issues related to refugee settlement in Northern Ireland.

Any response from Stormont would be line with a UK-wide policy on accepting refugees.

The Government in London is facing calls to offer temporary settlement to any Ukrainian fleeing their homeland, having so far limited it to those who have relatives already in the UK.

The EU has offered a three-year visa waiver to all Ukrainians, meaning the criteria for relocating to the Republic of Ireland is currently wider than it is for Northern Ireland.

The letter from Amnesty Internationals programme director in Northern Ireland Patrick Corrigan, which has been seen by the PA news agency, makes it clear that the political situation at Stormont must not hinder plans to accept Ukrainians.

Ukrainians living in Northern Ireland lead a march through Belfast city centre calling for an end to the war. pic.twitter.com/f5xS37rsFR  David Young (@DavidYoungPA) March 5, 2022

The absence of a First Minister and deputy First Minister cannot result in us turning our back on the people of Ukraine during their time of need amidst this human rights catastrophe, wrote Mr Corrigan.

We urge Executive Ministers to work together to impress upon the UK government of the need to establish rapid, safe and legal routes immediately and to work with devolved governments in the preparation of these plans.

We must offer to welcome refugees as part of a UK-wide approach, while learning and applying the lessons from past and current resettlement schemes to provide fast and appropriate support to those who need it, including by joint work with statutory and non-statutory agencies across Northern Ireland.

Given the unique position of Northern Ireland, considering our border with the Republic of Ireland which has rightly lifted all visa requirements, we must also prepare to offer support to those who may arrive via this route.

He added: Over the years, this region has played its part in providing sanctuary to those fleeing conflict and persecution. We must take steps now to do so again.

Mr Corrigan wrote: We urge you to work with ministerial colleagues and with officials to ensure that Northern Ireland is acting urgently to offer refuge to those in need.

The devolved governments in Scotland and Wales have already been in contact with the UK government to urge them to do more to welcome refugees and to offer to assist in resettlement.

Under the EUs visa waiver, the Irish government is already welcoming people who have been forced to flee. The same message of sanctuary, accompanied with the necessary practical preparatory work, must come urgently from Northern Ireland.

Volunteers have been writing messages of hope onto the boxes bound for Ukraine,the emotion level is high as we filled one lorry, hope is what keeps us going,the feeling of doing something in a situation we can't control#PeopleHelpingPeople #UkraineAppeal #foyleaid #Hope pic.twitter.com/nxGWHR3Tma  Ryan McCready (@Ryan_McCready) March 5, 2022

In the letter, Mr Corrigan also called on Stormont ministers to urge the UK Government to drop legislative plans for asylum seekers in its Nationality and Borders Bill, which is part of its New Plan for Immigration.

He said the bill would punish and push back Ukrainians if they arrive in the UK outside specific resettlement schemes.

Volunteer efforts continued in Northern Ireland across the weekend as a range of groups in different areas gathered donated supplies for eastern Europe.

In Londonderry, the Foyle Aid initiative saw a 24-tonne lorry packed with donations set off for the Poland/Ukraine border.

Ulster Unionist councillor Ryan McCready, a former soldier who served as a military advisor in Ukraine, helped co-ordinate the collection along with the YMCA in Derry.

Addressing volunteers before the lorry set off, Mr McCready hailed the spirit of co-operation across the city.

Everybody from every sector of this city came together and made it a reality, he said.
Its going to be a momentous task. Its going to take months and years. Hundreds of Australian Defence Force personnel began filtering into the hardest-hit towns over the weekend, but some state ministers have expressed frustration at the pace of the rollout given the scale of the flooding disaster and clean-up effort required. Another 800 buildings across the region have been severely damaged, according to the state government, with floodwaters reaching the ceiling of more than 1500 homes and businesses. As of Sunday evening, the death toll from the floods remained at five. Mr Perrottet warned that some schools affected by the floods may never reopen.

The images dont even do it justice, its horrendous, its devastating, he said. Some schools will never be able to re-open again, so well need to relocate them. Mr Toole, who also spent the weekend touring the flood-affected towns, said the government needed to reassess where it developed land for housing across NSW after the most recent floods. I think we really have to rethink where we are going to build houses and housing developments and allow places to be built, Mr Toole told the Herald. They might be in a beautiful part of the world, but they do sit in flood zones which do have these catastrophes that can occur from time to time.

While some towns remain cut off by floodwater, emergency services personnel were able to access Coraki and Mullumbimby, which experienced similar damage to that of Lismore, late last week. Residents, including police, had been sleeping in their cars at an evacuation centre during the peak of the floods while SES personnel conducted dozens of rescues and covered hundreds of kilometres on water before the army arrived. Mr Perrottet said the evacuation centre had also doubled as a field hospital. Theres people in there on drips, and doctors coming in from Lismore, he said. ADF personnel continued to be rolled out across the Northern Rivers region on Sunday after the Commonwealth Government committed 900 troops to assist the state government over coming days.

Mr Toole said the rollout of ADF members needed to be accelerated and described the damage through Lismore and its surrounds as horrific. We need the Commonwealth to actually provide that support right now in these communities. This is confrontational. This is horrific, he said. We need the 900 in yesterday. Loading He said the state government needed more information on the timing and extent of the ADF rollout.

I want to know how quickly were going to get it to 2000, he said. We cant afford this to be rolled out over several weeks. We need all 900 to be on the ground in the coming days. Federal Defence Minister Peter Dutton said he was absolutely satisfied with the ADF response on Sunday morning. Im absolutely satisfied with the Defence response and the bravery exercised by these people, the work that they are doing on the ground is quite phenomenal, Mr Dutton told the ABC. I wont tolerate one piece of criticism of the ADF from what Ive seen.

Concerns have been raised by locals in towns closer to the coast, including Mullumbimby, who believe they have been overlooked by the emergency response. Loading Ballina Shire mayor Sharon Cadwallader described the community response as outstanding but added that Resilience Australia were still not set up in the town on Sunday morning. She said that some of the first rescues to occur in the region were organised by private boat and helicopter owners. We were getting some Facebook posts of people stranded that hadnt eaten for days, and those that needed fuel for generator and things like that, she said.

Gold Coast resident Ritchie Gregg was among several people who organised for Sea World helicopter to be diverted to the flood-hit region across the border. Mr Gregg organised a GoFundMe account to raise enough money for fuel and supplies, with the helicopter dropping aid to dozens of people stranded across the Ballina region. When we first got here there was not a lot of help in Ballina, to be honest, there was nothing, he said. We went to probably 30 houses yesterday, and everybody was like, wow, why is a private helicopter coming in to do this? with Shane Wright
Its high time to disrupt Malaysian politics, he told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. We have to overhaul the whole system to turbo-charge the country forward. This party is set up not to face the next election but to prepare Malaysia for the next 20 to 30 years ... a country in which all Malaysians, regardless of race [or] religion, could call their home. But most importantly, is to build strong democratic institutions, which transcend political personalities and hyper partisanship. Now is a time for me to shape the future of Malaysia together with many other aspiring Malaysians. MUDA, which was registered only in December, will dip its toes in the water for the first time in an eagerly anticipated state election in Johor on Saturday, a poll that just happens to be the first in Malaysia since the voting age was dropped from 21 to 18. Syed Saddiq said his biggest fear was that Malaysia had declined to the extent that we are no longer the destination of choice for investors in south-east Asia, arguing a major reset is needed to reverse a worrying brain drain.

[Malaysia] is declining because our democratic institutions can be subverted for personal, hyper-partisan political interest, he said. Its declining to a point where tens of thousands of young Malaysians who are highly qualified in terms of academics are making the active and conscious decision to leave Malaysia to find greener pastures abroad. The multibillion-dollar 1MBD corruption scandal, over which Najib has been convicted but is appealing, further eroded trust in elected officials. It led voters to throw out UMNO in 2018, with Mahathir and Anwar joining forces to deliver the perennially governing party a historic defeat. Najib Razak facing court in December in a failed attempt to quash his conviction over the looting of the 1MDB state investment fund. He has one appeal left. Credit:Malaysian Judiciary Three years later, though, UMNO is in government again and without another election being held, wrestling back control with backroom manoeuvring. In Malaysias coalition-based power games, MUDA is joining the ranks of the opposition, and aside from Anwars Peoples Justice Party, which resisted a deal with the newcomers, it wont go head-to-head for any seats in Johor with opposition parties.

As for whether the new party and its president are the real deal, that is yet to be seen. Professor James Chin, an expert on Malaysian politics at the University of Tasmania, said Syed Saddiq was offering a new brand of Malay-led racially diverse politics, but how effective his sales pitch would be remained unclear. The problem is that no one knows how well he will do in Johor. If he does badly in Johor  if no one votes for him  then we are back to the old politics, Chin said. He has a very, very strong social media presence, but based on my own research, social media does not equate to actual votes. Lets see if they come out to vote for MUDA. With half of Malaysias voters 40 or under, Bridget Welsh, a research associate with the Asian Research Institute at the University of Nottingham, Malaysia, believes the new 18 to 20-year-old voters in the country could prove very important in close electoral races.

She said the immediate challenge MUDA faced was of machinery and questions about whether social media messaging would work in rural areas. But she said voting patterns in two recent Malaysian state elections showed that voters are looking for something new, especially younger voters. So in a sense, MUDA in some ways has recognised that niche, Welsh said. Anwar Ibrahim is Malaysias perennial political bridesmaid. Credit:Bloomberg The party reports that in two months it has signed up 75,000 members, most of them having joined a political organisation for the first time and the oldest among them 86 years of age.

If that demonstrates appeal beyond the nations youth, MUDAs diversity agenda also runs beyond race, according to Syed Saddiq. He said women made up more than 30 per cent of the partys leadership. Of course, not everyone is a fan. Critics argue the MUDA has tried to railroad its way into the opposition bloc, and write off its personnel as being naive and untested. Syed Saddiq, as the partys co-founder and frontman, is the primary target. He has been labelled a fake who goes where the wind blows by the son of the Sultan of Johor, Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Ibrahim, with whom he was once close. And following a tumultuous split from his former camp, the Malaysian United Indigenous Party, he is facing police charges of misappropriating 1 million Malaysian ringgit ($328,000) in party funds.

They are allegations he dismisses as politically motivated and brought about as a result of his refusal to join in the skulduggery that ousted Mahathirs government in early 2020 after less than two years in office. Loading I have great respect for the royal institution, and being a policymaker I must be open to criticism from anyone, from citizens and also from the royalty, he said. But if I had not stood my ground, and gone down the path of being an unprincipled politician, I would have just remained as a minister with a very lavish salary with a good life by joining the toppling of the democratic government, which was done by my ex-party. Instead, I stood my ground, I ended up being expelled from the party, which I co-founded, I lost my job as a minister, lost my post as youth chief of the party and was even charged for not bowing down to threats and the subversion of democracy.
Somewhat suitably, 100-plus people  many of whom hadnt seen each other in two years  turned up Friday night at Scandinavia House in Manhattan to celebrate the premier of a documentary about Ruth Finley, an industry ringleader, who had scheduled New York fashion shows and events for nearly 70 years.

Calendar Girl highlights how she created the Fashion Calendar in 1945 and sustained the biweekly publication for decades afterward. A one-person operation throughout that time, Finley wasnt just a scheduler, but also a connector, advising designers  especially young ones  about how they might gain more of the spotlight. Her guidance helped shepherd in generations of designers, including ones that were not only running their own businesses but living in New York City for the first time. Finley sold the Fashion Calendar to the Council of Fashion Designers of America a few years before her death in 2018 at the age of 98.

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The film will be available starting Tuesday, International Womens Day, on VOD. It was produced by Natalie Nudell, Tracy Jenkins Yoshimura and Kate DelPizzo.

Ngozi Okaro, Kikka Hanazawa and Geraldine Martin-Coppola. - Credit: Hannah Turner Harts/Courtesy of BFA.com

Hannah Turner Harts/Courtesy of BFA.com

Fridays premiere, question-and-answer session and cocktail party attracted director Christian Bruin, the CFDAs Steven Kolb, Linda Fargo, Jeffrey Banks, Nancy Chilton, Joanna Mastroianni, Gideon Lewin, FITs Valerie Steele, Fern Mallis, Fashion Group Internationals Maryanne Grisz and others from the fashion crowd.

While some mused about how Finley liked to travel by subway, others wondered how she kept her Boston accent after living in New York for so long. Mary Myers Hackley, who worked for Finley for 13 years at the end of her lengthy career, said, She was kind, always kind.

Jeffrey Banks and Fern Mallis - Credit: Hannah Turner Harts/Courtesy of BFA.com

Hannah Turner Harts/Courtesy of BFA.com

The fact that Myers Hackleys apartment was a few blocks from Finleys home office appealed to the always-working Finley. We never had any snow days, she said.

Story continues

Recalling planning her first runway show in the early 1980s, Yeohlee Teng said at that time she didnt know what fashion week was. Finley took the new-to-the-city designer under her wing. Finley found the right time slot, was a godsend, and she was always there, Teng said. She had a heart and a sense of humor but she was always accessible. She was a true person. There was nothing faux about her. She did what she did, feet to the ground, and got it done.

Mastroianni emphasized how Finley was very passionate about creating creatures. She loved all of us. It didnt depend on how young we were, how successful we were, whether we had a brand or not. That did not make a difference to her. It was really about giving you the opportunity to showcase.

Joanna Mastroianni, Christian D. Bruun and Natalie Nudell. - Credit: Hannah Turner Harts/Courtesy of BFA.com

Hannah Turner Harts/Courtesy of BFA.com

Guidance was a given, with Finley recommending which time slot would be best for each individual designer. Finley also made the effort to go see the collection, Mastroianni said. Omnipresent during New York Fashion Week, Finley was known to turn up at shows in the evening of the final day (when many other attendees had found reason to skip the last few).

Patrick Murphy, the former fashion industry liaison for New York Citys economic development corporation for former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, said, I loved Ruth.

Now at J.P. Morgan, Murphy said: Obviously, she was a very determined woman. She had to be to be a career woman that young and that early. But we didnt see the steely side of her [in the film]. She had to have said, No, and p-ssed people off at times, when she was doing the calendar.

Yeohlee Teng and Natalie Nudell - Credit: Hannah Turner Harts/Courtesy of BFA.com

Hannah Turner Harts/Courtesy of BFA.com

Never one to be critical of the work, Finley understood the importance of spotlighting the American designer especially if you were not a big brand and didnt have a parent company, Mastroianni said. During frequent brunches, Finley wanted to know what was going on, what you were thinking and current and future plans, the designer said. How many people do we have like this in our industry? This was not typical. It was from the heart, Mastroianni said. She really wanted to see the advancements of the American designers. She wanted you to grow. She wanted the world to know that you existed in whatever way that she could help make that happen.

Mallis described the film as a really lovely love story of someone who we all really did admire in the industry. I dont think anyone ever had a nasty word to say about Ruth.

The documentary made Mallis want to go back and look at so many of the old-fashioned calendars that were chockablock with designer names and the various places they showed. It really is an archive that is so valuable. We all lived and breathed by the fashion calendar for many years, Mallis said.

Had Finley lived to see the premiere, she would have been thrilled by all the recognition and the accolades, Mallis said. This industry is very tough on everybody. People dont really acknowledge people, who are doing great work over time. She deserved to be acknowledged.

Steven Kolb and Christian D. Bruun - Credit: Hannah Turner Harts/Courtesy of BFA.com

Hannah Turner Harts/Courtesy of BFA.com

Uncertain how many people outside of the industry will be interested in the film, Mallis allowed that there is a lot of fashion history in there.

Having helped fund the film, Kikka Hanazawa said she was most intrigued by Finleys entrepreneurial story as a mother working from home. The pandemic made it even more relevant today, she added. Hanazawa, who is chief executive officer of VPL, said she chatted with one of Finleys sons about how the business side of the Fashion Calendar deserves further exploration.

For her, it was enterprising enough to raise three children on her own. It was a very viable business. And for 60 years to have that kind of monopoly, thats just amazing. Yes, in this day and age anyone can copy it. There were people trying to do it, but they couldnt quite get it because they werent the first to get that information. She was. She had the access which nobody else had. Everybody else had to copy her information, Hanazawa said.

Noting how it was interesting to understand the competitive advantage that she had, Hanazawa said: They should really make that into a business school case study. If a woman can work 60 years making a million dollars a year that might be a better business [model] than quickly selling a business in a couple of years.

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HAZLETON, Pa. - Police in Luzerne County are looking for information about a shooting incident that sent multiple people to the hospital, leaving one person dead.

It happened early Sunday just before 1:00 a.m. at Beech and Wyoming Streets in Hazleton.

The Hazleton City Police Department posted on Facebook saying officers were called to the scene following reports of a fight and shots fired.

Police say once at the scene they found two gunshot victims. Both victims were taken to hospital for treatment of unknown injures.

Hazleton Police were later notified of three additional gunshot victims. The three additional victims were taken to the hospital in personal vehicles with unknown injuries.

One victim was pronounced dead at the hospital. The four other victims were taken to trauma centers for further treatment. There is no word on their conditions.

Police say all five victims are juvenile males

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Hazleton Police Department at 570-459-4940.
Thousands of anti-war protesters in Russia were detained by police on March 6 as demonstrations against President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine were held across the country. According to the independent protest-monitoring group OVD-Info, more than 4,800 people were detained in at least 59 different Russian cities. Protesters chanted "no to war" and were warned by police that their rallies were "illegal."
Putin has said that a no-fly zone, which would need to be enforced by NATO aircraft shooting down any transgressing traffic, would be considered by Russia as participation in an armed conflict by that country. He said on Sunday that such a move would have colossal and catastrophic consequences not only for Europe but also for the whole world. NATO fears it could provoke a third world war. Meanwhile, in Russia, citizens continue to protest their leaders invasion of Ukraine. Police detained more than 4300 people on Sunday at nationwide protests, according to an independent protest monitoring group.

Police detain an anti-war demonstrator in St Petersburg, Russia, on Friday. Protests continued at the weekend across Russia, resulting in thousands of arrests as the government cracks down on dissent. Credit:AP The protests came as Putin said his campaign in Ukraine  now into its 12th day  was going to plan and would not end until Kyiv stopped fighting. Ukraines envoy to the United States on Sunday called on President Joe Bidens administration to impose tougher sanctions on Moscow and to step up arms supplies to Kyiv, saying Russia should be treated as a terrorist state. A Ukrainian man rides his bike near Irpin, which has come under heavy bombardment. Credit:AP Ambassador Oksana Markarova in an interview on Fox News Sunday repeated charges that Russia is committing war crimes by targeting civilians, hospitals and schools.

This is a terrorist state, and we should treat Russia as a terrorist state, Markarova said. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday said the United States had seen very credible reports of deliberate attacks on civilians. Moscow has repeatedly denied attacking civilian areas. Refugees fleeing Ukraine walk through the Hungarian countryside near Tiszabecs. Credit:Getty Images Markarova spoke as Ukraine and Russia blamed each other for the collapse of the second attempt in as many days to evacuate some of the 400,000 residents from the city of Mariupol, which has been under heavy Russian bombardment.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said the failed attempt to evacuate 200,000 people had underscored the absence of a detailed and functioning agreement between the parties to the conflict. Theyre destroying us, Mariupol mayor Vadym Boychenko told Reuters in a video call, describing the citys plight before the latest evacuation effort failed. They will not even give us an opportunity to count the wounded and the killed because the shelling does not stop. Loading Russia blamed Ukraine for the collapse of the ceasefire. Markarova renewed a plea for the United States to intensify sanctions against Russia, including imposing a full embargo on imports of Russian oil and gas, and to increase shipments of anti-aircraft systems and other weaponry to Ukraine.

We are thankful for the sanctions that have been implemented by the United States, she said. But since Russia is not changing their behaviour, they escalated actually, they are killing us more and more, the sanctions should toughen up. The White House is weighing cutting imports of Russian oil and gas, but is wary about a spike in prices that would fuel decades-high inflation. Separately, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Zelensky he would work with international allies to obtain more defensive military equipment to help Ukraine.

Death toll expected to rise The civilian death toll from hostilities across Ukraine since February 24 stood at 364, including more than 20 children, according to the United Nations on Sunday. That death toll is expected to rise dramatically once the situation on the ground becomes clearer. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said most civilian casualties were caused by the use of explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multi-launch rocket systems, and missile and air strikes. People cross an improvised path under a destroyed bridge while fleeing the town of Irpin, Ukraine, on Sunday. Credit:AP In Irpin, a city of 60,000 some 25 kilometres north-west of the capital Kyiv, men, women and children raced to escape armed clashes in the area taking cover under a bridge. One family was decimated when mortar shell from the Russian lines exploded on landing in the middle of the road, according to video captured by The New York Times. A mother and two children were killed instantly, a man later identified as a family friend, died a short time later. A group of fighters could be seen trying to help the family.

Irpin Mayor Oleksander Markyshin confirmed eight civilians were killed by Russian shelling including a family. Ukrainians crowd under a destroyed bridge as they try to flee crossing the Irpin river in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine. Credit:AP The invasion has drawn almost universal condemnation around the world and sent more than 1.5 million Ukrainians fleeing from the country. Hundreds of them have arrived in Calais, France, in the last few days, hoping to join family in the UK but French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said many had been turned away by British officials and told to obtain visas at UK consulates in Paris or Brussels. I have twice contacted my British counterpart, I told her to set up a consulate in Calais, Darmanin told Europe 1 radio.

Priti Patel denied the accusation saying it was wrong and inaccurate. I have staff in Calais to provide support to Ukrainian families that have left Ukraine to come to the United Kingdom. Darmanin and Patel have clashed in the past over how France and Britain tackle the issue of migrants - many from Africa and the Middle East - who risk their lives by crossing the English Channel in makeshift dinghies. Loading Earlier Putin made his demand for Kyiv to stop fighting in a phone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who appealed for a ceasefire. Putin told Erdogan he was ready for dialogue with Ukraine and foreign partners, but any attempt to draw out negotiation would fail, a Kremlin statement said.

Russian media said Putin also held almost two hours of talks on Sunday with French President Emmanuel Macron, who has stayed in regular contact. Macrons office said the French President urged Putin to end military operations and to ensure the protection and security of Ukraines nuclear sites. Protests span the length and breadth of Russia Protests on Sunday spanned from Siberia to St Petersburg, with protesters chanting No to war! and Shame on you, according to videos posted on social media by opposition activists and bloggers. OVD-Info, a rights group that tracks political arrests, said at least 4366 people in 56 different cities were detained in the protests, taking to more than 10,000 the number detained since the invasion on February 24. Protests against the war in Ukraine have been held across Russia, but their precise scale is hard to ascertain due to a crackdown on independent media. Credit:AP

Dozens of protesters in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg were shown being detained. One protester there was shown being beaten on the ground by police in riot gear. A mural in the city showing Putin was defaced. Russias interior ministry said that police had detained around 3500 people, including 1700 in Moscow, 750 in St Petersburg and 1061 in other cities. The screws are being fully tightened  essentially we are witnessing military censorship, Maria Kuznetsova, OVD-Infos spokeswoman, said by telephone from Tbilisi in neighbouring Georgia. We are seeing rather big protests today, even in Siberian cities where we only rarely saw such numbers of arrests. The last Russian protests with a similar number of arrests were in January 2021, when thousands demanded the release of opposition leader Alexei Navalny after he was arrested after returning from Germany, where he had been recovering from a nerve agent poisoning.

Navalny had called for protests across Russia and the rest of the world against the invasion. Zelensky has also been vocal in calling on Russians to rise up against the Putin regime. Loading Some Russian state-controlled media carried short reports about Sundays protests, but they did not feature high in news bulletins. Russias RIA news agency said the Manezhnaya Square in Moscow, adjoining the Kremlin, had been liberated by police, who had arrested some participants of an unsanctioned protest against the military operation in Ukraine. RIA also showed footage of what appeared to be supporters of the Kremlin driving along the embankment in Moscow with Russian flags and displaying the Z and V markings used by Russian forces on tanks operating in Ukraine.

The protests coincided with Russian authorities continuing to block independent news outlets in an effort to tighten control over what information the domestic audience sees about the invasion. Loading Several prominent independent online outlets were blocked on Sunday, in addition to dozens of others that were blocked last week. Others decided to halt their operations in Russia because of repressive new laws. Facebook, Twitter and a raft of other social media sites and international news outlets agencies have already been blocked or banned. Reuters, Bloomberg
Srinagar, Mar 6 (PTI) A civilian was killed and 34 others, including a policeman, injured after terrorists hurled a grenade at security forces in the busy Hari Singh High Street market here on Sunday, police said.

"About 4.20 pm, terrorists hurled a grenade on police and security forces deployment at Hari Singh High Street," a police official said.

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He said a policeman, identified as John Mohammad, and 34 civilians received splinter injuries in the explosion.

"One died, 34 others injured, highly condemnable (sic)," Deputy Inspector General of Police, Central Kashmir Range, Sujit Kumar Singh, said in a tweet.

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The injured were rushed to Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital, where a civilian succumbed to his injuries, the official added.

The dead was identified as Mohammad Aslam Makhdoomi (70), a resident of the Nowhatta area of the city.

He said among the injured, the condition of a girl was critical.

Senior police officers reached the spot and the area was cordoned off, the official said.

Police have registered a case and began investigation, he said.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) of Kashmir Vijay Kumar said they are working to identify and arrest those involved in the grenade attack.

Police have got some vital clues and investigation is rigorously going on in the right direction, Kumar said.

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha condemned the attack and said the government is firmly resolved to dismantle the terror ecosystem and defeat the menace perpetrated by the neighbouring country.

"I strongly condemn the terror attack at Srinagar. My deepest condolences to family of innocent civilian martyred & wish speedy recovery to injured. We are firmly resolved to dismantle terror ecosystem & defeat terrorist menace that continues to be perpetrated by neighbouring country," Sinha said on Twitter.

Leaders of various political parties, including former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, condemned the attack.

In a statement, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and vice-president Omar Abdullah said violence has no place in an emancipated world.

Such incidents leave a trail of lifelong miseries behind them, they said in the statement.

They impressed upon the administration to ensure best of medical care to all injured.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti said people of J-K have been paying with their lives but neither India nor Pakistan doing anything to end the conflict.

"Condemn this dastardly attack. People of J&K have been paying with their lives & sadly neither India nor Pakistan are doing anything to end the conflict & stop this bloodshed. My prayers are with the bereaved families & loved ones," Mufti said in a tweet.

The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) termed the attack mindless and inhuman .

Very unfortunate and highly condemnable act, those responsible behind the attack must know that they won't achieve anything out of such inhuman acts, a spokesperson of the JKPCC said.

He said the party demands exemplary punishment to the perpetrators of the heinous crime.

The JKPCC also conveyed heartfelt condolences to the family of the slain person and expressed solidarity with them.

The People's Conference, led by Sajad

Lone, also condemned the attack.

"We are shocked at the extremely distressing news of a grenade attack at a crowded marketplace in Amira Kadal, Srinagar. We unreservedly condemn the dastardly and cowardly attack in which one civilian died while many are injured," the party said in a statement.

The perpetrators of the attack must be held accountable and brought to justice, it added.

"We pray for peace to the departed soul and swift recovery of those who have sustained injuries in this despicable act of violence. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and loved ones during this terrible time," the party said.

Condemning the incident, Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari said violence is unacceptable.

"My thoughts and prayers with those injured in Hari Singh High Street grenade attack. Violence in any of its manifestations is unacceptable to us. I unequivocally condemn this cowardly act of violence," he said in a tweet.

Jammu and Kashmir BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur described the attack as a barbaric and cowardly act.

"Lobbing a grenade at a busy place is an act of frustration on part of militants," he said.

He expressed grief over the death of the civilian and prayed for the recovery of the injured.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Antony Blinken: Moldova deserves worlds gratitude for welcoming Ukrainian refugees

Moldova deserves the worlds gratitude for welcoming and protecting Ukrainians, said the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his brief visit to Chisinau on Sunday.



Russias unprovoked, unwarranted war on Ukraine has kicked off a humanitarian crisis that is already having a vast effect across the region, including here in the Republic of Moldova () And on behalf of the American people, thank you again for your generosity toward the Ukrainian refugees at this urgent moment for democracy and for peace, stated Antony Blinken at a press briefing held together with Moldovas President Maia Sandu.



Expecting that the number of refugees will grow, Secretary Blinken said the U.S. Congress has been requested to provide $2.75 billion in emergency humanitarian assistance to vulnerable people in Ukraine as well as to countries like Moldova to help them manage the refugee crisis. The international community also has a responsibility to help Moldova deal with the impacts of war, he added.



The official also announced that the U.S. will invest $18 million over the next years to help strengthen and diversify Moldovas energy sector. Greater energy security is vital for your sovereignty.



He went on to condemn Russias invasion of Ukraine, reiterating the United States support for the sovereignty of all countries, including Moldova. Moldova has chosen the path of democracy, a more inclusive economy, a closer relationship with the countries and institutions of Europe. The United States supports Moldova in those efforts, grounded in our respect for the neutrality thats enshrined in Moldovas constitution.



President Maia Sandu remarked that just a couple of weeks ago, on February 18, Moldova and the United States marked 30 years of diplomatic relations. Over the course of these three decades, the United States has supported us in our efforts to strengthen society and the economy, to build a democratic state where every citizen can be free and can think freely. We are grateful for the assistance provided by the United States government and the American people during this period, of over 1.7 billion US dollars, assistance that helped us consolidate as a state. We appreciate the firm support of the United States for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova and for our European course, stated the Moldovan president.



According to her, important undertakings by the Moldovan government, such as the judiciary reform, have been put on hold by the reality that began on February 24. It is a dark period for the whole region, where all efforts are directed towards consolidating society around a single goal: peace in the region. As you know, the war in Ukraine is taking place right on the border of our country. We have strongly condemned the military aggression against Ukraine and called for peace from the first hour of the military action. We will continue to call for dialogue and for peaceful solutions as the only way to end the aggression against Ukraine and its citizens, said Maia Sandu.



She added that Moldova as a neutral state - a principle enshrined in the Constitution - has decided to lend a helping hand to people who are directly affected by the war. According to her, more than 250,000 people have crossed the border between Ukraine and Moldova since the beginning of the war, and a large part of them remain in Moldova for the time being.



Moldova needs the immediate and significant help of the international community so that our people and our economy can continue to cope with these challenges. We urgently need help with the temporary accommodation of these people, with providing them with basic services and redirecting the flow of refugees who want to go to other countries, European countries that have a greater capacity to receive them. Some states have already expressed their readiness to take in and host refugees from Ukraine in the coming period. Only with the joint, consistent and rapid efforts of all partners can we help Ukraine, she said.



The Moldovan president expressed her hope that the visit of Secretary of State Blinken will provide fresh impetus to the Moldovan-American partnership. The Moldovan-American partnership will help us strengthen the resilience of the Republic of Moldova, consolidate our countrys capacity to respond to the challenges of our time. And a stronger, more resilient Moldova can become a pole of stability and development in the region, a reliable partner and an outpost of the free world, concluded Maia Sandu.
Shells rained down on Ukrainian civilians as they fled from Russian troops advancing on the town of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv. Cameraman Andriy Dubchak captured the moment a shell landed on March 6, killing at least three people, including two children. The Russian military claims it does not target Ukrainian civilians. (WARNING: Viewers may find the content of this video disturbing.)
MATT CARROLL, Wheeler Boys Soccer, Senior; Carroll scored two goals in a win over Tourtellotte. Wheeler finished 2-1 for the week.

RYAN GRUCZKA, Stonington, Boys Cross Country, Senior; Gruczka finished first in the season-opening meet for the Bears. Gruczka, an All-ECC selection as a junior, posted a time of 16:39 in the 3.1-mile race at Stonington High.

JONATHAN TURANO, Westerly, Boys Soccer, Senior; Turano, a goalkeeper, made two saves during a penalty kick shootout to help Westerly defeat Stonington in the Piver Cup tournament title game. It was the first Piver Cup championship for the Bulldogs since the tournament started in 2017.

LEXI COLE, Chariho Girls Volleyball, Junior; Cole helped the Chargers remain unbeaten with a victory over St. Raphael. Cole finished with 24 assists and seven digs in a 3-1 victory against the Saints.

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LVIV, Ukraine  Russian forces intensified shelling of cities in Ukraines center, north and south, a Ukrainian official said, upending attempts to evacuate besieged civilians. With the Ukrainian leader urging his people to fight in the streets, Russian President Vladimir Putin shifted blame for the invasion, saying Moscows attacks could be halted only if Kyiv ceases hostilities.

The outskirts of Kyiv, Chernihiv in the north, Mykolaiv in the south, and Kharkiv, the countrys second-largest city, faced stepped-up shelling late Sunday, presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovich said. Heavy artillery hit residential areas in Kharkiv and shelling damaged a television tower, according to local officials.

This is likely to represent an effort to break Ukrainian morale, the U.K. Ministry of Defense said of Russian tactics as the war entered its 12th day Monday. Fighting has caused 1.5 million people to flee the country, which the head of the U.N. refugee agency called the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.

The most recent attacks dashed hopes that more people could escape the fighting in Ukraine, where Russias plan to quickly overrun the country has been stymied by fierce resistance. Russia has made significant advances in southern Ukraine and along the coast, but many of its efforts have become stalled, including an immense military convoy that has been almost motionless for days north of Kyiv.

Food, water, medicine and almost all other supplies were in desperately short supply in the southern port city of Mariupol, where Russian and Ukrainian forces had agreed to an 11-hour cease-fire that would allow civilians and the wounded to be evacuated. But Russian attacks quickly closed the humanitarian corridor, Ukrainian officials said.

There can be no green corridors because only the sick brain of the Russians decides when to start shooting and at whom, Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko said on Telegram.

A third round of talks between Russian and Ukrainian leaders is planned for Monday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rallied his people to remain defiant, especially those in cities occupied by Russians.

You should take to the streets! You should fight! he said Saturday on Ukrainian television. It is necessary to go out and drive this evil out of our cities, from our land.

Zelenskyy also asked the United States and NATO countries to send more warplanes to Ukraine. But that idea is complicated by questions about how to provide aircraft to Ukrainian pilots.

He later urged the West to tighten its sanctions on Russia, saying that the audacity of the aggressor is a clear signal that existing sanctions are not enough.

A senior US defense official said Sunday that the U.S. assesses that about 95% of the Russian forces that had been arrayed around Ukraine are now inside the country. The official said Russian forces continue to advance in an attempt to isolate Kyiv, Kharkhiv and Chernihiv, but are being met with strong Ukrainian resistance.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military assessments, said the convoy outside Kyiv continues to be stalled.

As he has often done, Putin blamed Ukraine for the war, telling Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday that Kyiv needed to stop all hostilities and fulfill the well-known demands of Russia.

Putin launched his invasion with a string of false accusations against Kyiv, including that it is led by neo-Nazis intent on undermining Russia with the development of nuclear weapons.

The Russian Defense Ministry on Sunday announced that its forces intend to strike Ukraines military-industrial complex with what it said were precision weapons. A ministry spokesman, Igor Konashenkov, claimed in a statement carried by the state news agency Tass that Ukrainian personnel were being forced to repair damaged military equipment so that it could be sent back into action.

Zelenskyy criticized Western leaders for not responding to Russias latest threat.

I didnt hear even a single world leader react to this, Zelenskyy said Sunday evening.

The Russian Defense Ministry also alleged, without providing evidence, that Ukrainian forces are plotting to blow up an experimental nuclear reactor in Kharkiv and to blame it on a Russian missile strike.

Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke Sunday about the nuclear situation in Ukraine, which has 15 nuclear reactors at four power plants and was the scene of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

The men agreed in principle to a dialogue involving Russia, Ukraine and the U.N.s atomic watchdog, according to a French official who spoke on condition of anonymity, in line with the presidencys practices. Potential talks on the issue are to be organized in the coming days, he said.

Putin also blamed the fire last week at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, which Ukrainian officials said was caused by Russian attackers, on a provocation organized by Ukrainian radicals.

International leaders, as well as Pope Francis, appealed to Putin to negotiate.

In a highly unusual move, the pope said he had dispatched two cardinals to Ukraine to try to end the conflict.

In Ukraine, rivers of blood and tears are flowing, the pontiff said in his traditional Sunday blessing.

The death toll remains unclear. The U.N. says it has confirmed just a few hundred civilian deaths but also warned that the number is a vast undercount.

About eight civilians were killed by Russian shelling in the town of Irpin, on the northwest outskirts of Kyiv, according to Mayor Oleksander Markyshin. The dead included a family.

Video footage showed a shell slamming into a city street, not far from a bridge used by people fleeing the fighting. A group of fighters could be seen trying to help the family.

The handful of residents who managed to flee Mariupol before the humanitarian corridor closed said the city of 430,000 had been devastated.

We saw everything: houses burning, all the people sitting in basements, said Yelena Zamay, who fled to one of the self-proclaimed republics in eastern Ukraine held by pro-Russian separatists. No communication, no water, no gas, no light, no water. There was nothing.

British military officials compared Russias tactics to those Moscow used in Chechnya and Syria, where surrounded cities were pulverized by airstrikes and artillery.

Zelenskyy reiterated a request for foreign protectors to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, which NATO so far has ruled out because of concerns such an action would lead to a far wider war.

The world is strong enough to close our skies, Zelenskyy said Sunday in a video address.

Ukraines military is greatly outmatched by Russias, but its professional and volunteer forces have fought back with fierce tenacity. In Kyiv, volunteers lined up Saturday to join the military.

The West has broadly backed Ukraine, offering aid and weapon shipments and slapping Russia with vast sanctions. But no NATO troops have been sent to Ukraine.

Ukraine is planning to create an international legion of volunteer fighters from dozens of countries. More than 20,000 people have volunteered, according to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, though it was not clear how many were in Ukraine.

The whole world today is on Ukraines side, not only in words but in deeds, he said on Ukrainian television Sunday night.

Russia has made significant advances in southern Ukraine as it seeks to block access to the Sea of Azov. Capturing Mariupol could allow Moscow to establish a land corridor to Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014 in a move that most other countries considered illegal.

Russia has become increasingly isolated in the days since the invasion began, closing itself off to outside sources of information as sanctions bite deeply into its economy. The ruble has plunged in value, and dozens of multinational companies ended or dramatically scaled back their work in the country.

On Sunday, American Express announced it would suspend operations in Russia, as well as in Russian-allied Belarus. Also, two of the so-called Big Four accounting firms, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers, said Sunday they would end their relationships with their Russia-based member firms.

TikTok announced Sunday Russian users would not be able to post new videos or see videos shared from elsewhere in the world. The company blamed Moscows new fake news law, which makes it illegal, among other things, to describe the fighting as an invasion. Netflix also cut its service to Russia but provided no details.

Facebook and Twitter have already been blocked in Russia, along with access to the websites of a number of major international media outlets. TikTok is part of the Chinese tech company ByteDance.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Congress is exploring how to further isolate Russia from the global economy, including banning the import of its oil and energy products into the United States. Pelosi said Sunday that the legislation under consideration would also repeal normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus and begin the process of denying Russia access to the World Trade Organization.

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Associated Press reporters 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
New Delhi, March 7 : Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain's convoy was "forcibly waylaid and halted by unidentified protestors in the national capital on Sunday.

Reacting to it, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accused the Bharatiya Janata Party workers of attacking the convoy of his government's senior leader.

"This is BJP. A party of hooligans and ruffians. When they are losing, they show their true colours," Kejriwal alleged through social media.

Sharing the video of the alleged attack, Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) official Twitter handle also conveyed similar sentiments towards their rival party and said that "BJP is losing MCD elections, hence they are down to what they know best - VIOLENCE!" Meanwhile, Delhi Police also confirmed about the incident which took place around 12.00 p.m. in the afternoon and said that the Minister on Sunday visited the area of Goyala Vihar in connection with inauguration of a sewer line.

"For this adequate staff were deployed at police station level although there was no intimation of this programme," a Delhi Police official said.

He said that after inauguration, Minister Jain left the venue and crossed the Goyala Dairy drain towards Dwarka, where some protesters raised slogans and tried to stop his car.

"Staff from a nearby police picket reached there and the protesters were removed immediately and the minister left the spot," the official said.

The official further informed that no complaint has been received in this regard.

However, even though there was no official complaint, AAP leaders have been unequivocally accusing the BJP and its workers for the alleged incident.

"This is so disgraceful. The fear of defeat is haunting the BJP. If what you have done with Satyendar Jain, would have happened with the Prime Minister, how much drama would have happened?," AAP's spokesperson and MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj wrote on Twitter.

Meanwhile, Delhi BJP spokesperson Harish Khurrana refuted all allegations levelled by the AAP leaders and lashed out at Delhi Chief Minister for his "unwarranted language" used against them.

"They were not BJP workers, they were local residents of the Chawla area who were protesting against the new liquor policy of the AAP government," Khurrana averred.
Ashley Kline, guidance department head at Lake Central High School, said the school has seen an uptick in students coming to see school counselors.

Lake Central is not alone. Several other schools in the Region have seen an increased use of their counselors and social workers amid the pandemic.

According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, in the 2018-19 reporting year, for adolescents aged 12-17 years old, 15.1% had a major depressive episode and 36.7% had persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. And the pandemic made things worse, according to a study by JAMA Pediatrics. The study reported from the period of February to July 2020, 18-60% of children and adolescents had strong distress across the board.

Gretchen Arthur, a school counselor for Duneland School Corp., said more students have been visiting, both for academic issues and social issues. She said some students feel behind in classes from the pandemic, which is increasing their social issues.

Nathan Williamson, director of special populations for Gary Community School Corp., said students are needing more support this year. A lot of students are dealing with pandemic impacted personal issues, which can lead to increases in behavior and attendance issues.

Williamson said the district is working on hiring more social workers to help address the issue. They hope to add five across the district and have so far hired two. The social workers will help address problems in the elementary level, where Williamson issues can begin.

Robin Sizemore, who is social emotional learning/mental health coordinator for the district, has been working with teachers to implement social emotional learning to help students adjust to issues. One example she gave was working with teachers on how to handle students' test anxiety.

Kline said in her role as a school counselor, a lot of students had the perception they were meant to help with the academic aspect of school life. However, these days, students come down for social reasons as well.

She said the pandemic has increased the social part of her role. She said students mental health has sharply declined and there is more of a need.

There are days where thats all we do  personal, social, mental health counseling, Kline said. She said students are struggling with their mental health and do not know how to cope.

Kline said e-learning and the impacts of the pandemic have had tremendous influence on students view of normalcy. She said a normal school life has completely changed and a lot of students were not able to have a social life.

Arthur said Chesterton tries to focus on calming anxiety, a common problem the district is seeing over the last two years, by working with the students, such as using a coloring station or sensory items.

She said a lot of students are struggling with the school environment. The current sophomores were eighth graders when the pandemic began, and in a big high school, adjusting can be difficult. A lot of them had never been in the building prior to this school year, as they attended classes virtually last year. Arthur said the counselors work with students on adapting to the physical setting.

Kline said another problem is the lack of control students have over their situations. She noted that high school juniors have not experienced a normal high school year, and that some of the best parts of high school have been canceled.

Imagine looking forward to something for years and it's completely different than you ever imagined, Kline said.
A more than million-dollar donation was found in one of the unlikeliest of places. But those who knew the donor werent surprised by his generosity.

Gary Jon Isakson of La Crosse was quiet and private. Friends valued his intelligence, keen insights and lacerating wit. Now, hes known as the alum helping students get through college without loads of debt.

A 1981 history graduate, Isakson has left $1.325 million to the UW-La Crosse Foundation to create scholarships in the universitys College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities. Awards of more than $50,000 will be given annually to students in college and UW-Ls Self-Sufficiency Program, along with those in study abroad programs.

He really wanted to help our students in the liberal arts, says Vice Chancellor for University Advancement Greg Reichert. Its easy to see how he thought a broad education was key for students to find success.

Reichert says the generous estate funding was unexpected. It was Isaksons court-appointed special administrator who found his will on the floor in the back of Isaksons vehicle.

Isakson had outlined specifics more than 20 years ago, detailing how the UW-L Foundation should utilize his estate.

The generous gift came as a complete surprise to us, and we are very grateful, notes Reichert. Its really a wonderful, touching way to help a countless number of students in perpetuity.

Isaksons half-sister, Anita R. Lebakken, a 1959 School of Education graduate from UW-L, lived in Stoughton. She also left an estate gift with the UWL Foundation.

Isakson died unexpectedly April 24, 2020, in his Cass Street apartment in La Crosse. He graduated from West Salem High School in 1971 and served four years in the U.S. Air Force.

When Isakson returned to the Coulee Region and following college, he was a financial administrator at Maple Grove Country Club before earning a certified nursing assistant degree. He worked the night shift at Hillview Health Care Center from 1996 until his death. Hillview co-workers remember him as a tireless worker who was always willing to help.

Isakson touched many lives at Hillview. With his generous donation, he will continue touching others for generations to come.

The Gary Isakson Scholarship Program

Awards will be given to College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities majors and minors based on financial need. Annual allocations include:

Up to $10,000 for two $5,000 scholarships for Self-Sufficiency Program participants. The UW-L program helps single parents and other adults prepare for college success.

Up to $12,000 for four $3,000 scholarships for students participating in study-abroad programs.

Up to $30,000 for $7,500 scholarships that can be renewed for four years.
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Nearly four months after resuming her duties in Libya following her appointment last December as Special Adviser to the UN Secretary General, Stephanie Williams on Friday presented her first mediation initiative to overcome the political stalemate that is aggravating the situation in the north African country
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Libyan Prime Minister of the National Unity Government, Abdelhamid Al-Dbaiba, has accused the House of Representatives and the State Council of trying to shuffle the cards to extend their mandate again by imposing a new political reality, reiterating his commitment to hand over power only to an elected government
Boris Johnson has been urged to tell a powerful parliamentary committee everything he knows about Russian-born media mogul Evgeny Lebedevs elevation to the House of Lords.

Labours shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper has written to the Prime Minister following a report in The Sunday Times which alleged that security services withdrew an assessment that granting a peerage to the Moscow-born son of an ex-KGB agent posed a national security risk after Mr Johnson personally intervened.

The newspaper reported that intelligence provided by MI5 and MI6 to the House of Lords Appointments Commission via Cabinet Office security officials initially said there could be a national security threat, but this was later withdrawn.

Ms Cooper has now called on the PM to make available to the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) the advice and information you were given about the ennobling of Evgeny Lebedev and full information about the role you played in the process.

Lord Evgeny Lebedev (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

The cross-party ISC has the security clearance to view highly-classified intelligence on matters of national security, and Ms Cooper said in her letter: As you will agree, it is the first duty of the Prime Minister to protect national security.

Given that Mr Lebedev is still a member of the House of Lords, it is in all our interests to ensure that these allegations can be thoroughly investigated.

A Government spokesperson said: All individuals nominated for a peerage are done so in recognition of their contribution to society and all peerages are vetted by the House of Lords Appointments Commission.

Earlier, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he was very concerned about the reports surrounding Lord Lebedev and insisted the case should be referred to the ISC as it goes to the heart of national security.

Speaking on the BBCs Sunday Morning programme, he said: Im very concerned about that story, because it goes to the heart of national security and theres at least the suggestion that the Government and the Prime Minister were warned that there was a national security risk in this particular appointment.

Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary Dominic Raab (PA/Joe Giddens)

Speaking on the same programme, Dominic Raab suggested Lord Lebedev, who owns the Evening Standard newspaper alongside The Independent, went through a very strict and stringent process when he was granted his peerage.

The Justice Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister said he did not know the facts of the case, but claimed the peerage appointment process had been applied very rigorously.

He said: There is a strict and stringent process when anyone is granted a peerage. I dont know the facts of the case, I wasnt involved in it. But I do know that it was applied very rigorously in this case.

He added: This was done properly and correctly, and we have procedures and systems in place to make sure it is.

Lord Lebedev told the Sunday Times that all of the allegations in its report were incorrect and the questions did not merit an answer.

Last week, the media mogul appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop the invasion of Ukraine, through the Evening Standard newspaper.

The crossbench peer said: I plead with you to use todays negotiations to bring this terrible conflict in Ukraine to an end.

In a statement published alongside a photograph of a paramedic performing CPR on a girl injured by shelling, Lord Lebedev said: On this page are the final minutes of a six-year-old child fatally injured by shells that struck her Mariupol apartment block on Sunday.

She is still wearing her pink jacket as medics fight to save her. But it is too late. Other children, and other families, are suffering similar fates across Ukraine.

As a Russian citizen I plead with you to stop Russians killing their Ukrainian brothers and sisters.

As a British citizen I ask you to save Europe from war. As a Russian patriot I plead that you prevent any more young Russian soldiers from dying needlessly. As a citizen of the world I ask you to save the world from annihilation.
New Delhi, March 6 : The Russian Ministry of Defence has announced strikes on Ukrainian enterprises in the defence industry.

"As part of the task of demilitarising Ukraine, the Russian armed forces will use high-precision weapons to destroy Ukrainian enterprises in the defence industry.

"In order to avoid endangering the lives of employees of Ukrainian defence industry enterprises, we warn in advance about the planned strikes on such facilities," Ukrayinska Pravda reported.

The Russian Defence Ministry urged the staff of Ukrainian defence plants to leave the territory of their enterprises.

The ministry said that employees of Ukrainian defence industry enterprises are being forced to restore damaged Ukrainian military equipment.

It also said it has reliable information on Ukrainian warplanes that have previously flown to Romania and other border countries.
WASHINGTON  The first apartment building to come down was in Buynaksk, a Russian garrison town on the border with the breakaway republic of Chechnya, where Islamic insurgents had fought the Kremlin to a standstill in a brutal, two-year war. They were thought to be responsible for the Buynaksk bomb, which had been placed inside a car and ripped through a building housing Russian border guards on Sept. 4, 1999. Sixty-four people died.

Five days later, a bomb was detonated in the basement of an apartment building in the working-class Moscow district of Pechatniki, killing 106. Its like hell underneath, a first responder would say of looking for survivors in the rubble. Four days after that, in another Moscow neighborhood, a car bomb took 119 lives.

A final bomb went off in Volgodonsk, a southern city. There, 17 died.

In all, more than 300 people died in the apartment bombings, a tragedy that many believe changed the course of Russia, putting it on a trajectory toward authoritarianism and aggression, both of which have been in the spotlight of the world stage as Russias invasion of Ukraine now enters its second week.

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with local veterans of the 1999 operation in Dagestan. (Alexei Nikolsky\TASS via Getty Images)

At the time of the bombings, the countrys new prime minister was a former intelligence agent who had been utterly unknown to most Russians. The prime minister vowed to find the Chechen insurgents he said had doubtlessly committed the bombings, which sowed terror across the land.

The Kremlin would not rest until the perpetrators were brought to justice. Well wipe them out in the s***house, the tough new prime minister vowed.

His name was Vladimir Putin.

The apartment bombings of the fall of 1999 would cement Putins grip on a country that had grown increasingly aimless and chaotic under President Boris Yeltsin, who was frequently drunk at public events. But to some, questions about whether Russias own security services were involved in the apartment bombings constitute the original sin, whose stain Putin has never bothered to erase.

There is no serious doubt that Putin came to power as the result of an act of terror against his own people, says David Satter, who has investigated the apartment bombings perhaps more thoroughly than any other Western journalist. Someone capable of such a crime is capable of anything, Satter told Yahoo News in a telephone conversation from Paris. And the proper attitude towards him is deterrence, not partnership.

Then-Russian President Boris Yeltsin, right, meets with then-Prime Minister Vladimir Putin at the presidential residence in1999. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

In the wake of the horrifying bombings, Russia rallied around Putin. Using the bombings as a pretext, Putin launched a second Chechen war, which would turn out to be longer and more brutal than the first. In an op-ed published in the New York Times the following fall titled Why We Must Act, Putin asked American readers to envision a terrorist attack in Washington or New York: hundreds perish in explosions at the Watergate, or at an apartment complex on Manhattan's West Side. He described the decision to send troops back to Chechnya as one hed made reluctantly.

Yeltsin stepped down on Dec. 31, 1999, appointing Putin as his successor. The new president, enjoying goodwill stemming from the new Chechen campaign, moved up an election to be held in June to March, giving the liberal opposition little time to prepare. It didnt seem to matter, though, in either Russia or the West. Putin was seen as a savior  one with some discomfitingly authoritarian tendencies but, on the whole, oriented toward the twin beacons of democracy and capitalism.

Two decades later, Putins critics are calling him a war criminal for his unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, which has been a sovereign nation since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Ukrainians claim to have slain thousands of Russian soldiers, and international observers have confirmed hundreds of civilian deaths  with the civilian total likely to be far higher, given the missiles and artillery that have rained down on Ukrainian cities. Yet it remains unclear why Putin decided to wage what so far has been a costly and disastrous war.

Putin has always denied any involvement in or knowledge of the apartment bombings, but two decades have only deepened suspicions about his involvement, as evidence of his disregard for either human life or the rule of law has mounted.

Rescuers work on the ruins of a Moscow apartment building leveled by a huge explosion, Sept. 13, 1999. (Alexcander Memenov/AFP via Getty Images)

Centuries of Russian and Soviet leaders treated their subjects as chattel, expendable on behalf of State power, says John Sipher, who worked as a clandestine Central Intelligence Agency officer in Moscow during the 1990s. They thought even less of the lives of outsiders in lesser nations. Butchery and terror was an expected part of keeping themselves in power. It is as consistent as it is ugly.

At the time of the bombings, Russia was a much more open society than it is today  it would take years for Putin to shut down independent media outlets and stifle political dissent. Journalists were thus able to quickly seize on all available public evidence to question the official narrative about the bombings.

From the start, the notion of Chechen involvement seemed dubious. There would, much later, be terrorist attacks in Moscow and St. Petersburg, but only after years of callous Russian occupation.

In 1999, the conflict was still relatively confined. Russian forces had already been amassing on Chechnyas doorstep, making them an easy target for a potential attack. But terrorists were alleged to have driven almost 2 thousand miles, past military checkpoints, in cars presumably loaded with explosives. Both of the Moscow apartment buildings were on the citys outskirts, far from the resplendent symbols of power, status and wealth huddling around the Kremlin.

A TV grab taken Sept. 16, 1999, from the Russian television channel NTV shows a destroyed apartment building in the Russian southern city of Volgodonsk following a bomb explosion. (STF/AFP via Getty Images)

Then there was speaker of the Duma (Russian parliament) Gennadiy Seleznyovs announcement about a bomb exploding in Volgodonsk. Such a bomb would explode  three days after he relayed news of that blast. Attempts to question Seleznyov proved fruitless.

The most damning evidence of Russian involvement, however, came from Ryazan, an ancient city steeped in Russian history not far from Moscow. On the evening Sept. 22, residents in an apartment building there saw a suspicious Lada sedan on the street below, its license plate crudely altered with a piece of paper. Responding officers of the local police found a bomb in the basement. It had been made with hexogen, a military-grade explosive (known in the West as RDX) that was only available, according to Satter, at one heavily guarded factory in the Ural Mountains, to which Chechen insurgents could not have gained access.

These details were largely lost in the breathless reporting about a foiled terror attack. The following night, Putin announced an aerial assault of Grozny, the Chechen capital, in what would prove the first salvo of the second Chechen War. Until we win, he said. And we will win.

Only it soon became clear that Chechens had nothing to do with the foiled Ryazan bombing. Three officers of the FSB  the post-Soviet version of the KGB  were arrested for the bombing, leading FSB chief and Putin ally Nikolai Patrushev to fumble for an excuse. It was not an explosion somebody foiled; it was a security training exercise, he claimed. The sacks contained only sugar, there were no explosives inside.

A view of damaged building following a shelling in Ukraine's second-biggest city of Kharkiv. (Sergey Bobok/AFP via Getty Images)

If so, nobody had told Ryazans own FSB office. This announcement came as a surprise to us, officials there said in the kind of sharp dissent from the Kremlin line that would soon become taboo in Russia.

There was never an official investigation into the bombings, and Russian society as a whole moved on. Putin, though, remained the same cold-blooded authoritarian some thought had emerged on those September mornings when families sifted through the rubble, looking for loved ones.

If it can ever be determined beyond a shadow of a doubt that Putin and Patrushev orchestrated these bombings as a pretext to launch the Second Chechen War  and also launch Putins national political career  then the entire edifice of this regime rests atop a pile of Russian corpses, says Michael Weiss, a longtime Russia observer who told Yahoo News that he is certain, like the journalist Satter, that Putin was behind the apartment bombings.

Russian investigators and journalists who tried to investigate the bombings often ended up dead. Among them was Anna Politkovskaya, a fearless critic of Putin who worked for Novaya Gazeta, one of the last remaining left-leaning outlets in Moscow today. She aggressively covered the Second Chechen War; in 2006, Politkovskaya was assassinated in her apartment buildings elevator.

The murder that killed free media in Russia, the Guardian would much later reflect of Politkovskayas death, which came on Putins 54th birthday.

A toy and a notebook lie among the debris by the apartment block in 6A Lobanovsky Avenue, which was hit with a missile, in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Anastasia Vlasova/Getty Images)

Two years later, the FSB agent turned defector Alexander Litvinenko was assassinated in London, where agents slipped a radioactive poison into his tea. He had worked with Politkovskaya on trying to investigate the Moscow apartment bombings, which he believed were carried out by the FSB.

Still, suspicions festered that something was amiss, even as Putins power grew. They say it was the Chechens who did this, but that is a lie. It was Putin's people. Everyone knows that. No one wants to talk about it, but everyone knows that," a Muscovite who lost family in one of the apartment bombings told GQ in 2009 for an article that the magazines American publisher, Conde Nast, was too afraid to run in Russia.

The irony is that by 2009, nobody in Russia  or the West  could have had any illusions about who Putin was.

Mere weeks after the bombings, it was revealed that Putin had spurned the help of Western nations after the nuclear submarine Kursk, rocked by an explosion but with 23 sailors still apparently alive, had sunk to the floor of the Barents Sea in the Arctic Circle. Putin, meanwhile, vacationed at a seaside resort on the Black Sea. All 118 people on board were eventually found dead. When he later met with the sailors widows, he was discomfited by their grief, allegedly complaining that they were local prostitutes hired by opponents to rattle him.

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during his annual press conference at the end of last year in Moscow, Russia. (Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, the Second Chechen War was turning out to be even more brutal than the first. Torture was common, in particular at a Russian prison camp called Chernokozovo. The torture described is so systematic it cannot be the work of a rogue unit acting on its own, a Guardian investigation concluded in the fall of 2000, just over a year after Putin had launched the offensive.

And yet when George W. Bush met Putin in 2001, he came away profoundly impressed. I looked the man in the eye, Bush said after their summit in Slovenia. I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy. We had a very good dialogue. I was able to get a sense of his soul; a man deeply committed to his country and the best interests of his country."

If that seems like a cringeworthy assessment, then-Secretary of State Hillary Clintons bungled attempt at a reset in 2009 didnt fare much better. The year before, Putin had invaded Georgia. In 2014, he launched his first invasion of Ukraine, annexing Crimea and setting the stage for his all-out attack this year. Neither country was in NATO, leaving the United States as a bystander to Putins aggression.

Every American president has gotten Putin wrong, says Satter, who in 2014 earned the distinction of being the first Western journalist since the end of the Cold War to have been expelled from Russia. Some have gotten him outrageously wrong."

This combination of pictures shows Russian President Vladimir Putin shaking hands with U.S. Presidents (from top left) Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump. (Stephen Jaffe, Jim Watson, Alexey Nikolsky, Mikhaul Klimentyev/Ria Novosti/AFP via Getty Images)

Satter says that while Donald Trump slathered Putin in fawning rhetoric, his foreign policy toward Russia was better than people realize, perhaps because his perceived affinity for the Kremlin strongman led Congress and the foreign policy establishment to compensate with a countervailing toughness toward Moscow.

Biden came into office clear-eyed about how fraught the postwar peace had become. He met with Putin in June; they were to meet again last month in hopes of staving off war, but then Putin turned a standoff on the Ukrainian border into outright war. Now it is uncertain when, exactly, they will speak.

Now the ruined apartment buildings are in Kyiv and Kharkiv, not Moscow, and there is no doubt about Putins role in the carnage. Aside from the brave, innocent victims in Ukraine, says former CIA officer Sipher, it is the Russian people who will pay the price for Putins delusions.
Dave Chappelle Revealed That Bob Saget Took Him Under His Wing When He Was a Young Comedian

Countless fans and friends have been mourning the death of Bob Saget after the Full House stars body was discovered in his hotel room at age 65. Dave Chappelle is among the comedians who have shared stories about the beloved actor. Heres what Chappelle and one other famous comedian said about being mentored by Americas Dad.

Dave Chappelle | Samir Hussein/WireImage

John Stamos revealed that Dave Chappelle said Bob Saget took him under his wing

Dave Chappelle has opened up about his friendship with Bob Saget since the actors death. But it was actually Sagets Full House co-star John Stamos who revealed that Chappelle said the comedian took him under his wing. Chappelle was among those who spoke at Sagets funeral

Saget was found dead in his hotel room on Jan. 9. He had performed a 2-hour stand-up comedy gig the prior evening. In a Jan. 25 interview with The New York Times, Stamos shared what Chappelle told him at Sagets funeral.

At his memorial, people started in with the jokes, and it was needed. Dave Chappelle did [two long sets], Stamos revealed. I said, Youre the GOAT. Youre the greatest of all time. And the respect that he gave Bob the last five, ten years of his life, I said, That was so important to Bob, and I really appreciate it. He goes, Are you kidding me? When I was a young comic, I looked up to him and he took me under his wing. He helped me. Which I didnt know.

Stamos added, Bob was bombastic with his love and his friendship. If you were a friend or even an acquaintance, he was like this [mashes hands together] on you all the time.

https://twitter.com/bobsaget/status/1398112503809380353

Dave Chappelle said he regrets not texting Bob Saget back

In January, shortly after Bob Sagets death, Dave Chappelle got candid about his friendship with the Full House star during a performance at the Peppermint Club in West Hollywood.

He joked that since he started in the industry so young, many of his comedy peers are older and dying like hotcakes.

But I didnt see [the death of] Bob coming, Chappelle said (per CNN) before revealing that he never responded to Sagets last text message. Man, he just texted me and I saw the text yesterday and I never texted him back because I was just busy. It happens.

He gave the audience an important reminder. Im just saying this to remind you that these moments are precious, Chappelle said. When I come out at night, Im not just hanging out. Im making memories.

A very special podcast out TODAY with a very special lady. Its @TiffanyHaddish Day with an episode entitled Tiffany Haddish and Bob Go Way Back. @ApplePodcasts Subscribe at https://t.co/izN3LERJFL pic.twitter.com/HlDJmxZfMS  bob saget (@bobsaget) May 6, 2020

Tiffany Haddish described the comedian as her great teacher

Dave Chappelle isnt the only star who saw Bob Saget as a mentor. Several other actors and comedians have expressed similar sentiments, including Tiffany Haddish. She was even a guest star on the actors podcast, Bob Sagets Here For You, in an episode titled Tiffany Haddish and Bob Go Way Back.

The day after Sagets death, Haddish shared an emotional Instagram tribute to honor her friend and mentor. The Girls Trip star posted a photo of herself with Saget, followed by a clip from an interview in which he tells her, You gotta follow your voice.

@bobsaget I am going to miss you so much , Haddish wrote in the caption. You have brought so much joy to this planet. You were one of my 1st Great teachers. You always made me feel safe and worthy. You always made me laugh . Now you make God and all the Angels laugh I Love you forever! .

RELATED: Full House Star John Stamos Reveals He Forced Bob Saget to Go to Therapy: We Were Like a Married Couple
Although killings by non-state actors continued in Nigeria last week (February 27 to March 5), fewer people were killed during the week than at any week since the start of the year.

At least 10 people were killed last week, with the killings occurring in two states of the federation.

The victims include two people who were lynched for allegedly stealing mobile phones and eight persons killed by bandits in the troubled Zamfara State.

The figure represents a drastic decline when compared to the previous week when 62 people were killed across the country.

The number of victims is also the lowest in 2022 after the third week of January when 20 people were killed.

PREMIUM TIMES has since November last year been compiling, weekly, the killings by non-state actors. Only incidents reported in the media are included in the compilation. Thus, unreported cases are not included.

Below are the recorded incidents last week:

Zamfara

Bandits identified with the notorious kingpin, Dankarami, killed eight of the 10 men they kidnapped in Zurmi in Zamfara State due to the failure of their relatives to pay a N6 million ransom.

The bandits abducted the victims on September 1, 2021, after a failed attempt to attack the local government headquarters.

Anambra

Two persons, suspected to have stolen a cell phone and other valuables from a woman, were on Wednesday night set ablaze by an angry mob at Upper Iweka motor park in Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigerias South-east.

Eyewitnesses said as the suspects were being beaten, other people around brought tyres and petrol and set them ablaze.

Smoke out criminals

It is not clear if the decline in incidents and casualties is due to the efforts of security agencies but President Muhammadu Buhari has repeatedly pledged his administrations efforts to tackle banditry and other criminality across the country.

One of such pledges was after a January 5 incident when bandits invaded about five communities in Bukkuyum and Anka local government areas of Zamfara State, killing over 200 villagers and setting many houses ablaze.

Reacting, Mr Buhari described the incident as an act of desperation by mass murderers who are under relentless pressure from the military.

The president assured Zamfara residents that the army and the airforce are working together to track and eliminate the perpetrators.

The latest attacks on innocent people by the bandits is an act of desperation by mass murderers, now under relentless pressure from our military forces who are well equipped to effectively confront these enemies of humanity, the president said.

Also, there was no report of killings in Niger State, which had been one of the hotbeds of banditry in 2022.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how over 200 people were killed by bandits in the first three weeks of 2022. However, last week, the military announced that over 200 bandits were killed in the state.

Get involved

Last Tuesday, President Buhari urged Nigerians to get more interested in working with security agencies to tackle the security challenges facing the country.

In an address at the opening ceremony of the Alumni Association of the National Defence College (AANDEC), the president said more could be achieved in bringing law and order to various parts of the country with the full cooperation of citizens.

Security is not just a military concern but a challenge for all Nigerians. No matter the amount of money invested in military operations, without the support of the people, display of patriotism and preparedness for everyone to be ready to take ownership of securing our environment, success will be limited.

Consequently, we must look beyond the military and the security agencies for enduring solutions to the security challenges we are facing, he said.
Mar. 6PORTSMOUTH  Shawnee State University will host its annual student research conference, Celebration of Scholarship (COS), the week of April 4  8, 2022. This year's conference will have both in-person and online presentations from SSU undergraduate and graduate students from all disciplines on campus.

Participation in COS allows current students to practice some of the invaluable presentation and research skills that will be instrumental in preparing them for their careers after graduation. Students will present their scholarly efforts from the past year as both talks and posters. Among the many student presentations scheduled during the week, there will also be two keynote presentations by Dr. Joshua Montgomery and Dr. Sean Dunne.

Dr. Joshua Montgomery, an Associate Professor at Southern State Community College, will give a presentation titled "Learning to Fail  How Building R2D2 Made Me a Better Teacher" on Thursday, Apr. 7. Refreshments will be served starting at 6 p.m. with the presentation beginning at 7 p.m.

Dr. Sean Dunne, an Associate Professor of Sociology at SSU and the Mayor of Portsmouth, Ohio, will give a presentation titled "A Clinical Sociologist as Mayor: Intervention in Local Politics" on Friday, Apr. 8 starting at 11 a.m.

Both presentations will be held in the Flohr Lecture Hall of the Clark Memorial Library on SSU's campus. All members of the community are welcome to attend the COS conference for free.

Additional information and a detailed schedule of events for Shawnee State University's Celebration of Scholarship conference can be found online at www.shawnee.edu/cos.
The Uttar Pradesh polls have entered the last leg, with all eyes on the electoral battle in and around Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modis Lok Sabha constituency. Voting for the seventh and final round will be held on March 7 for Varanasi and its eight adjoining districts.

Cabinet Minister Anil Rajbhars fate to be sealed

The seventh phase will decide the electoral fate of many senior ministers of the Yogi Adityanath-led UP government. The list includes several senior ministers, including Backward Classes Welfare Minister Anil Rajbhar, Culture Minister (Independent Charge) Neelkanth Tiwari, Housing and Urban Planning Minister Girish Yadav, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for stamp, court fee and registration department Ravindra Jaiswal.

Other prominent ministers are Minister of State for Power Ramashankar Singh Patel, Minister of State for Cooperatives Sangeeta Yadav Balwant and Minister of State Sanjeev Gond.

BJP rebel Dara Singh Chauhan also in fray

The last phase will also decide the fates of BJP rebels like former Cabinet Minister Dara Singh Chauhan, who is now contesting as an SP candidate. Durga Prasad Yadav is another important candidate contesting the election in the seventh phase. Other well known candidates are- Alambadi Azmi, Shailendra Yadav from Lalai, Vijay Mishra, Omprakash Rajbhar, Tufani Saroj, Dhananjay Singh and mafia Mukhtar Ansaris son Abbas.

Besides Varanasi, the last round of polling would also cover Azamgarh and Vindhyachal regions. The 54 seats going to polls on March 7 are in Azamgarh, Mau, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Varanasi, Mirzapur, Bhadohi and Sonbhadra.

Locked in a fierce poll battle with the Samajwadi Party in particular, winning a majority of seats out of the 54 constituencies in the end round, is a must for the BJP to continue its sway in the 2024 general election. Riding on the "Modi wave", the BJP-led coalition had won in all the eight assembly segments of Varanasi in 2017 and so was the case in the majority of the seats in the neighbouring districts.

Live TV
Plans to evacuate civilians from a besieged port city in failed to materialise Sunday for the second time along with an expected Russian ceasefire, a Ukrainian official said, as officials tried to persuade Russia to agree on establishing other evacuation routes near Ukraine's capital.
The death toll from COVID-19 eclipsed 6 million on Monday  underscoring that the pandemic, now in its third year, is far from finished.

The milestone is the latest tragic reminder of the unrelenting nature of the pandemic even as people are shedding masks, travel is resuming and businesses are reopening around the globe, AP reports.

The COVID-19 death toll has exceeded six million. Credit:AP Photo/Ted S. Warren

The last million deaths were recorded over the last four months, according to the tally compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Thats slightly slower than the previous million, but highlights that many countries are still struggling with the coronavirus.

Remote Pacific islands, long protected from the virus by their isolation, are just now grappling with their first outbreaks and deaths, fuelled by the highly contagious Omicron variant.

Hong Kong, which is seeing deaths soar, is testing its entire population of 7.5 million three times this month as it clings to mainland Chinas zero-COVID strategy.

As death rates remain high in Poland, Hungary, Romania and other Eastern European countries, the region has seen more than 1.5 million refugees arrive from war-torn Ukraine, a country with poor vaccination coverage and high rates of cases and deaths.

The United States is nearing 1 million reported deaths on its own, the largest official death toll in the world.

Despite the enormity of the figure of 6 million deaths  more than the populations of Berlin and Brussels combined  experts say the number is likely a vast underestimation.

With poor record keeping and testing in many parts of the world, many deaths have not been attributed to COVID-19, and there are also the excess deaths related to the pandemic but not from actual COVID-19 infections, like people who died from preventable causes but could not receive treatment because hospitals were full.

Overall, some 450 million cases of COVID-19 have been recorded.

AP
MIFI AS, a company owned by chairperson and primary insider of NORBIT ASA Finn Haugan and related party Miriam Haugan, has on 4 March 2022 purchased 11,420 shares in NORBIT at an average price of NOK 27.98 per share. Following the transaction, MIFI AS and Finn Haugan directly own 92,498 shares, representing 0.16 per cent of the outstanding shares in NORBIT.

For further queries, please contact:

Per Kristian Reppe, CFO, +47 900 33 203

About NORBIT ASA

NORBIT is a global provider of tailored technology to selected niches, solving challenges through innovative solutions, in line with its mission to Explore More. The company is structured in three business segments to address its key markets; Oceans, Connectivity and Product Innovation & Realization (PIR). The Oceans segment delivers tailored technology solutions to global maritime markets. The Connectivity segment encompasses NORBIT's technology within low power wireless solutions both related to electronic vehicle identification for tolling and tachograph enforcement, together with a new vertical comprising of the recently acquired Hungarian software solutions provider iData, as well as NORBIT's initiatives within Connected Solutions in selected niche applications. The PIR segment offers R&D services, proprietary products and contract manufacturing to key customers.

NORBIT is headquartered in Trondheim with manufacturing in Norway, has around 400 employees and a worldwide sales and distribution platform.

For more information: www.norbit.com

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act

Attachment
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine considers the intensification of trade relations between Georgia and Russia categorically unacceptable and calls on Tbilisi to distance itself from Russia's decision to lift some of the existing trade sanctions.

This was stated by Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko on Facebook, Ukrinform reports.

He noted that Ukraine had noted the information regarding the cancellation of part of the Russian Federations trade sanctions against Georgia.

It is noted that the Russian Federation has made this decision against the backdrop of the Georgian authorities disinclination to support the new sanctions of the European Union against Russia..

"We believe the promotion of trade relations with Russia, whose armed forces are attacking peaceful Ukrainian cities with missiles and bombs, killing innocent civilians, including children, to be unacceptable in the strongest terms," the spokesman said.

The ministry also called on Tbilisi to distance itself publicly from the decision of the Russian Federation, whose leadership is violating international law and perpetrating war crimes in Ukraine..

Nikolenko added that doing business with Russian companies provides Russia with additional resources to continue its atrocious war on Ukraine, and the profit thus earned is soaked in the blood of the murdered Ukrainian citizens.

"Due to the 2008 Russian armed aggression against Georgia, the Georgian people, unfortunately, are well aware of the horrors of war that Ukrainians are forced to go through now. At the same time, it appears that the Georgian authorities must have forgotten all that and are now trying to seize the moment to cater for their own interests," he said.

On February 25, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili reportedly said that Georgia had no plans to join Western economic and financial sanctions against Russia.

According to media reports, the Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Control, Rosselkhoznadzor, responsible for imposing trade sanctions on unfriendly nations, has announced its intention to ease pressure on Georgia.

It is a question of lifting sanctions off 15 Georgian producers of milk and dairy products.




Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), who resigned last year amid multiple accusations of workplace sexual misconduct, spoke out in public about his exit from office for the first time on Sunday and blamed "the cancel culture mentality" for his decision to leave.

While delivering remarks at the God's Battalion of Prayer Church in Brooklyn, Cuomo acknowledged "a difficult period the past few months."

"I resigned as governor, the press roasted me, my colleagues were ridiculed, my brother was fired, it was ugly. It was the first time that I was glad that my father wasn't here so he didn't have to see it," said Cuomo.

Addressing the congregation, Cuomo spoke about how politics has become "so mean and extreme," pointing a finger at his own political party.

The former governor also directly addressed the allegations that were made against him by multiple female staffers and said the problem was that his behavior had not changed over 40 years despite a "new sensitivity" among younger generations.

In his remarks, he also called cancel culture "a new extremism."

"No one ever told me I made them feel uncomfortable and I never sensed that I caused any discomfort to anyone, I was trying to do the opposite. But I understand that was my error," Cuomo said, adding that he accepted comments that he was old-fashioned and out of touch.

"But the political sharks in Albany smelled blood and exploited the situation for their own political purpose," he added.

Cuomo also lambasted the investigations into his conduct, saying there was "prosecutorial misconduct."

Westchester County District Attorney Mimi Rocah announced in December that Cuomo would not face charges despite "credible" allegations. Acting Nassau County District Attorney Joyce Smith, meanwhile, announced in January that a female state trooper's allegations against Cuomo were "credible," but "not criminal."

"With cancel culture, we now live in a frightening new world where any accusation can trigger condemnation without facts, without due process. We are a nation of laws - not a nation of Tweets," Cuomo said. "Social media and Twitter spread cancel culture like a virus. They allow the extreme minority to overpower the reasonable majority."
The in Ukraine on Sunday asked all Indians who are still stuck in the conflict-stricken country to fill up an online form on an urgent basis.
WINTERSET, Iowa  Seven people were killed, including two children, when several tornadoes swept through central Iowa, destroying homes and knocking down trees and power lines in the states deadliest storm in more than a decade, authorities said.

Emergency management officials in Madison County said four were injured and six people were killed Saturday when one tornado touched down in the area southwest of Des Moines near the town of Winterset around 4:30 p.m. Among those killed were two children under the age of five and four adults.

In Lucas County, about 54 miles (87 kilometers) southeast of Des Moines, officials confirmed one death and multiple reported injuries when a separate tornado struck less than an hour later.

The state Department of Natural Resources said that person who died was in an RV at a campground at Red Haw State Park in Chariton, Iowa.

Thunderstorms that spawned tornadoes moved through much of Iowa from the afternoon until Saturday night with storms also causing damage in the Des Moines suburb of Norwalk, areas just east of Des Moines and other areas of eastern Iowa. The storms were fueled by warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico.

Officials reported a number of homes were damaged or destroyed, roads were blocked by downed lines and tree branches were shredded by the strong winds. At one point, power outages affected more than 10,000 in the Des Moines area. About 800 customers remained without power Sunday evening.

The storms are the deadliest to occur in Iowa since May 2008 when one tornado destroyed nearly 300 homes and killed nine people in the northern Iowa city of Parkersburg. Another tornado a month later killed four boys at the Little Sioux Boy Scout ranch in western Iowa.

Northern Illinois University meteorology professor Victor Gensini said there have been plenty of examples of deadly storms in March even though they are more common in April and May. Saturdays storms were not nearly as unusual as the mid-December tornado outbreak that Iowa saw last year, he said.

The storms that produce these tornadoes  these supercell storms  they dont care what the calendar says, Gensini said. It doesnt have to say June. It doesnt have to say May. They form whenever the ingredients are present. And they were certainly present yesterday.

Scientists have said that extreme weather events and warmer temperatures are more likely to occur with human-caused climate change. However, scientifically attributing a storm system to global warming requires specific analysis and computer simulations that take time, havent been done and sometimes show no clear connection.

Gensini said Saturdays storms likely caused more than $1 billion in damages over their entire track when the severe damage in Iowa is combined with wind damage as far away as Illinois.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for Madison County, which allows state resources to be used to assist with response and recovery efforts. Madison County Emergency Management Director Diogenes Ayala said 52 homes were damaged or destroyed across nearly 14 miles.

The White House said President Joe Biden was briefed Sunday on the storm devastation in Iowa. Biden reached out Reynolds and directed the leaders of the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency to remain in close contact with state and local officials as they assessed damage and determined what federal assistance was needed, the White House said in a statement.

After touring the storm damage near Winterset, Reynolds described unimaginable destruction.

Reynolds teared up as she described the hundreds of people who streamed into the area to volunteer their help to clear debris that blocked roads and littered the hardest hit areas. Homeowners and volunteers were picking up wood debris and beginning to clear it away Sunday in the rolling hills south of Winterset as chainsaws whirred away in the background.

Its just unbelievable. I tried to walk through and thank them and over and over (and) the response was, were Iowans and thats what we do, she said.

The foundation was all that was left of several homes. The tornado carved a path of destruction along a ridge while several hundred feet away other homes were undamaged.

Ayala said emergency responders navigated narrow roads blocked by downed trees and debris Saturday night to help after the storm.

With trees and debris and everything around, just to go out there and start the search and rescue and get the people affected out of there, I cannot express the heroism of the first responders who were out there last night, Ayala said.

Officials identified the six people who were killed in Madison County as Melissa Bazley, 63; Rodney Clark, 64; Cecilia Lloyd, 72; Michael Bolger, 37; Kinlee Bolger, 5; and Owen Bolger, 2. The victims came from three different households.

Lucas County officials didnt immediately identify the person who died there Sunday afternoon.

Six people hurt in Madison County, which is known for the Bridges of Madison County book and movie, were being treated for injuries Sunday, but their conditions werent immediately available.

The National Weather Service in Des Moines said Sunday that the tornado that killed one person in Lucas County remained on the ground for more than 16 miles (25.75 kilometers) and rated an EF-3 on the Enhanced Fujita scale with peak winds of 138 mph. The damage assessment for the Winterset tornado isnt likely to be completed until Monday, but the Weather Service tweeted Saturday that initial photos of the damage there suggested that tornado was also at least an EF-3 tornado.

Elsewhere, the National Weather Service said the storms generated an EF-1 tornado in southeastern Wisconsin near Stoughton that included winds up to 80 mph. The storm flattened trees, snapped power poles and blew out windows in homes. No injuries were reported.

___

The spelling of Kinlee Bolgers first name has been corrected.

___

Associated Press reporter Julie Walker in New York contributed to this report. Funk contributed from Omaha, Nebraska.
But they remain at pains to avoid risking a full-scale confrontation with Russia by intervening directly against its forces in Ukraine, whether on the ground or in the air. That rules out some of the actions President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has called for, such as creating a no-fly zone over his country.

Heres a quick guide to the alliance and how its role has shifted in the face of the Ukraine war.

What is NATO?

The mutual-defense alliance was established in 1949, after World War II, by the United States, Canada and 10 European countries.

The treaty for which the alliance is named has 14 articles, by which all NATO members must abide. The most prominent is Article 5, which declares that an attack against one member state is an attack against them all.

That article placed Western Europe under U.S. protection in the face of a Soviet Union that was cementing its domination over Central and Eastern Europe and appeared then only to be growing in power and ambition.
TEL AVIV, Israel  With his surprise visit to Moscow on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is assuming the unlikely role of mediator between Russia and Ukraine.

Bennett, who has helmed the country for less than a year and is largely untested on the world stage, positioned Israel in an uncomfortable middle ground between Russia and Ukraine in the lead up to the war, creating a launching pad from which to emerge as a player in diplomatic efforts.

But wading into international mediation in the midst of war could be a minefield for Israel. It relies on its ties with the Kremlin for security coordination in Syria, and with Moscow sitting at the negotiating table with Iran over its nuclear program, Israel cannot afford to anger President Vladimir Putin. Whats more, its unclear whether the efforts, said to have been coordinated with the U.S., will bear fruit.

Success in getting the sides to compromise would elevate Bennett to an international statesman and boost Israels standing after decades of global criticism over its lengthy, open-ended military rule over the Palestinians.

Here is a look at the unexpected new player in the Ukraine crisis:

BENNETTS BET

Bennett came to power last year as part of a pact by eight ideologically disparate parties bent on ousting former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

A religious Jew who made millions in the countrys hi-tech sector, Bennett has served in various Cabinet positions in the past but lacks the charisma and the international experience of his predecessor. Mediating between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Putin, a former KGB agent, will test him like never before.

Opponents at home see Bennetts rule as illegitimate because they disapprove of the way he was brought to power and public opinion has in recent months not been in his favor. Additional criticism mounted in the lead-up to Russias war with Ukraine over Bennetts reticence to censure Russia  breaking with Israels allies in the West who were stepping up sanctions.

While Bennett repeatedly expressed his support for the Ukrainian people, he stopped short of condemning Russias invasion.

As Western sanctions mounted, Bennett was maintaining contact with both Putin and Zelenskyy, who reportedly asked Bennett to begin mediating between the sides. With his visit to Moscow, he became the only Western leader to meet the Russian president since the war erupted.

His involvement in such a high-profile, high stakes conflict could breathe life into his political fortunes.

Bennett has reinvented himself, said Esther Lopatin, a European affairs expert at Tel Aviv University. Heres someone who was suffering in polls, who was facing public criticism. Turns out he can pull rabbits out of his hat.

A DIPLOMATIC MINEFIELD

Israel is one of the few countries that has good working relations with both Russia and Ukraine. It has delivered 100 tons of humanitarian aid to the country and has announced it will be setting up a field hospital there. Ukraine is also home to some 200,000 Jews, hundreds of whom have already fled to Israel, with many more expected.

But Israels ties with Russia are of strategic importance. Israel relies on Russia for security coordination in Syria, where Russia has a military presence and where Israeli jets have frequently struck targets said to be weapons caches destined for Israels enemies.

Russia is also among the powers negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program in Vienna, where a deal is imminent. Israel opposes the deal, saying it doesnt adequately restrain Irans nuclear activities and has discussed that opposition with Russia frequently in the past.

If Israels outreach morphs into outright mediation, Israel will have to maintain that neutral position, breaking from the West, even if Russias onslaught intensifies. Any wrong move and relations with Putin could sour. If talks fail, Bennett could appear to have been outsmarted by Putins cunning and could be blamed for the conflict having worsened.

And as one of the only Western-allied countries that has not engaged in openly hostile rhetoric toward Moscow, Israel will be the Wests main diplomatic link to the Kremlin, a high-pressure, delicate position.

CHANCES FOR SUCCESS?

Hours after returning from his trip, Bennett told his Cabinet that it was Israels moral duty to step in, even if the chance is not great. With that, a country that has traditionally been a beneficiary of international mediation with the Palestinians and Arab nations was inching toward becoming the mediator.

Theres a feeling that there is an opening, that no one is talking to Putin. Israel is a player who can talk to both sides, said Vera Michlin-Shapir, a former official at Israels National Security Council and the author of Fluid Russia, a book about the countrys national identity. But what happens going forward?

Michlin-Shapir warned that Israel doesnt necessarily have the diplomatic tools to properly mediate such a complex crisis, no matter the goodwill. Efforts by France and Turkey  bigger players internationally  failed to avert the conflict.

On the one hand, (Bennett) has upgraded his international standing overnight and has won a lot of political points within Israel. On the other, he is taking a huge risk, not only for himself as a politician but for the state of Israel and its standing in the world, commentator Barak Ravid wrote on the Israeli Walla News site.

The prime minister has waded into the Ukrainian mud without knowing entirely just how deep it is.
Beverly Hills , March 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Woodrow Lucass firm, Empowered Recovery Consulting, employs experience-based strategies to assist people achieve their mental and emotional objectives. The firms technique of incorporating spirituality into their services, he says, has been instrumental in its success.

Listen to the full interview of Adam Torres with Woodrow Lucas on Mission Matters Innovation Podcast.

After working as executive director of the Brain Injury Association of Tennessee, Woodrow founded Empowered Recovery Consulting. Seeing how people with mental illness can struggle with self-confidence and a sense of control, Lucas says he thinks its important for people to find ways to strengthen their minds and bodies without losing their confidence or placing undue control in other peoples hands. One way to do that, he says, is through spiritualitythe praxis of putting God firstsomething Empowered Recovery Consulting employs heavily in its therapies.

What is the importance of compassion in mental health?

Lucas says a person with mental illness can enjoy better outcomes with the power of love and compassion than through medical therapy alone. If you're loved by people around you instead of just being controlled, he says, confidence can build over time and empower the person to heal.

Tell us about the books youve published.

Lucas has written four novels so far, but he says Birds of Flight is his best publication to date. The story focuses on seven people with mental illness, all of whom meet a therapist and are gradually relieved of their symptoms through her love and compassion. The theme of the book, he explains, is 'love conquers all.'

He has also written a manual called Empower Recovery Consultant, the Manual which he says teaches readers how to connect with God and stay calm and connected to peace during tough situations.

Whats your process or technique for connecting clients with their chosen higher power?

First, he explains, people enroll on the Empowered Recovery website. Once enrolled, Lucas sits with them and asks a series of questions to help him understand their situation. This way, he says, he can tailor a creed to them specifically, which they will commit to narrating five times in a day, incorporating the specific higher power they believe in. The next step is a series of instructional sessions, meditation, prayers, and recovery sessions with Lucas. Finally, the counseling phase begins, in which interaction with the higher power is a key component.

What's next for you and Empowered Recovery Consulting?

Lucas says hes writing a sequel for Birds of Flight and focusing on marketing his business to providers, inspiring more mental health programs to incorporate spirituality into their field of focus.

To learn more about Empowered Recovery Consulting or order a copy of Birds of Flight, visit empoweredrecoveryconsulting.com.

Media Communications

Inquiries: adamtorres@missionmatters.com

Publicist for Adam Torres and Mission Matters Media

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BOISE  Certain Idaho residents may qualify for up to $1,500 in property tax relief under Idahos Property Tax Reduction program, according to a press release from the Idaho State Tax Commission.

The program is administered by the tax commission, but taxpayers can apply through their countys assessors office. Applications are available on the tax commissions website or from the county assessor and must be submitted by April 18.

Property Tax Reduction benefits wont reduce solid waste, irrigation or other fees charged by government entities.

To qualify, an applicant must meet all of the following criteria:

Idaho resident

A home or mobile home owner with a value that does not exceed the limit that will be set by law in June 2022

Total income after medical expenses of $32,230 or less

In addition, the applicant may qualify if they are:

Age 65 or older

A former prisoner of war or hostage

Parent or guardian to a motherless or fatherless child under 18

Blind

A widow or widower

Disabled as recognized by the Social Security Administration, Railroad Retirement Board, Federal Civil Service, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or a public employment system not covered by these agencies

A veteran with a 10% or more service-connected disability or receiving a Veterans Affairs pension for a non-service connected disability. A veteran may also qualify if a disability application is being processed or appealed.

For further information, call the tax commission at 208-334-7736, or 800-972-7660, ext. 7736.
Egyptian female judges assume office at the State Council in Giza, Egypt, on March 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)



98 judges female judges assumed office at Egypt's State Council for the first time in the country's history.

CAIRO, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 100 female judges assumed office at Egypt's State Council for the first time in the country's history, the Egyptian judiciary body announced Sunday.

The 98 judges, who were sworn in on Saturday, were appointed last year under a presidential decree to work in the circuits of the State Commissioners' Authority, Mohamed Mahmoud Hossameldin, the council's president, said in a statement.

"They would examine lawsuits and prepare legal opinion reports," he said, adding that all the female judges have undergone intensive training on judicial traditions and skills, file examination, session management, and relevant issues of national security and anti-corruption.

The move was applauded by advocacy groups, government officials, and female legal workers.

"I'm very honored and proud to be among the first group of female judges in Egypt," Hend Ahmed, a newly appointed judge, told Xinhua on her second day of work at the State Council in Cairo.

She noted that the Egyptian women have the capabilities to work in many fields, adding that the fellow female judges will prove that they deserved to be appointed.

An Egyptian female judge sits on her first court hearing at the State Council in Giza, Egypt, on March 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)



"We have many responsibilities ahead and will cooperate with our colleagues to ensure justice in Egypt," she said.

The State Council was founded under Egypt's constitution of 2014 as an independent judicial body with authority on administrative disputes, disciplinary cases, and appeals, as well as disputes about its decisions.

It is also competent to issue opinions on certain legal issues, review and draft legislative bills and resolutions, and review draft contracts to which the state or any public entity is a party.

Hossameldin said a follow-up on the newly appointed judges had made sure they would quickly integrate into the work and serve with efficiency and distinction.

Since the follow-up "proven their accuracy in examining the cases, preparing the legal reports, and participating in the deliberation and cooperation with their colleagues," all the female judges were put to attain their positions on the bench from Saturday, he noted.

The move means that they have obtained all the powers and jurisdictions of fellow judges in the council through sitting on the bench in a judge's capacity, he added.

Their duty includes presiding over sessions of cases preparation, completing the documents necessary to adjudicate and prepare them for the proceedings, and explaining the code of the judicial traditions, Hossameldin said. 
Day 11 of the war in Ukraine and for the second day running, efforts to evacuate the heavily bombarded city of Mariupol have failed.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy today reiterated a request for foreign protectors to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, which Nato so far has ruled out because of concerns such an action would draw the West directly into the war.

As the day draws to a close, here are today's updates on the ever-evolving situation:

Plans to evacuate civilians from a besieged port city in Ukraine failed to materialise for the second time along with an expected Russian cease-fire, a Ukrainian official said. READ MORE .

. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday his campaign in Ukraine was going according to plan and would not end until Kyiv stopped fighting. READ MORE .

. The war has caused 1.5 million people to flee the country. The head of the UN refugee agency on Sunday called the exodus the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War. [#embed1].

BBC World News has been taken off air in Russia, the broadcaster has said. READ MORE .

. More companies are suspending operations in Russia, including Mastercard and Visa. American Express has also announced it is suspending all operations in Russia and Belarus.

The International Atomic Energy Agency says Russian forces are tightening their grip on the Zaporizhzhya nuclear station, Ukraines largest, that they seized last week.

A Russian man burnt his passport to show his anger over the invasion of Ukraine. The group of Russian citizens living in Serbia were among dozens of people on Sunday who braved freezing weather and a late winter blizzard to gather in central Belgrade in support of Ukraine. READ MORE .

What happened in Ukraine today?

Plans to evacuate civilians from a besieged port city in Ukraine failed to materialise for the second time along with an expected Russian cease-fire, a Ukrainian official said.

It came as officials tried to persuade Russia to agree on establishing over evacuation routes near Ukraines capital.

Residents expected to leave the port city of Mariupol during a 10am to 9pm local cease-fire, Ukrainian military authorities said earlier on Sunday.

Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko said the planned evacuations were halted because of an ongoing assault by Russian troops.

Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelenskyy reiterated a request for foreign protectors to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, which Nato so far has ruled out because of concerns such an action would draw the West directly into the war.

The world is strong enough to close our skies, Mr Zelenskyy said in a video address on Sunday.

Mr Putin warned on Saturday that Moscow would consider a third-party declaration to close Ukrainian airspace to be a hostile act.

Mr Putin told Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Russias invasion of Ukraine could be halted only only if Kyiv ceases hostilities and fulfils the well-known demands of Russia, according to the Kremlins read-out of the phone call the two leaders held on Sunday.

What has been said in Ireland?

The number of Ukrainian refugees arriving in Ireland could exceed 80,000, a government minister has confirmed.

James Browne, minister of state in the Department of Justice, said the exodus of people from Ukraine was on a scale not witnessed in Europe since the end of the Second World War.

People protest against the Russian war in Ukraine in Dublin city centre on Saturday.

The Minister for Agriculture is set to ask farmers to grow more grain due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Charlie McConalogue said that both Ukraine and Russia are "significant" in terms of world grain exports, making up around 30% of global exports.

Meanwhile, attempts to rescue an Irish student in Ukraine appear to have failed.

Racheal Diyaolu, a 19-year-old from Carlow, moved to the country to study medicine. It is believed she was due to be picked up today, with others, by British volunteers to get her out of the Sumy in eastern Ukraine.

Elsewhere, MEP Clare Daly has claimed that Russia has "genuine" and "legitimate" security concerns and the role Nato has in the Ukrainian conflict has been overlooked.

The Independents 4 Change MEP has strongly defended her decision to vote against an overall European Parliament resolution condemning Russian aggression against Ukraine and demanding Vladimir Putin immediately pull his troops out.
Alec Baldwin has once again addressed the on-set tragedy that occurred last October during the production of western movie Rust and resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

In remarks made during a Saturday evening conversation at the Boulder International Film Festival, where the actor/producer is serving as the events first ever special guest programmer, Baldwin briefly referenced the investigation and lawsuits surrounding the on-set shooting and the future of safety regulations. Hutchins, along with Rust director Joel Souza, was shot on Oct. 21 after a prop gun Baldwin was holding discharged on the movies Santa Fe, New Mexico set, killing her and wounding Souza.

More from The Hollywood Reporter

After the moderator, BIFFs special event programmer Ron Bostwick, opened the floor to Baldwin, Baldwin launched into a lengthy and somewhat fragmented statement about there being just two victims in the Rust shooting, while also implying some individuals who have filed lawsuits are financially motivated and just going after people they assume are deep pockets litigants.

From the beginning, from the moment this happened, everybody has put out  besides all the anguish and the suffering, horrible feelings we have and, of course, there are two victims and nobody else is a victim, so to speak  we have dealt with a situation where specific people are not as interested in finding out what really happened, Baldwin told the festival audience.

What you have is a certain group of litigants on whatever side, who their attitude is, well, the people who likely seem negligent have enough money. And the people who have money are not negligent, but were not gonna let that stop us from doing what we need to do in terms of litigation, he added. Why sue people if youre not going to get money? Thats what youre doing.

Story continues

Last month, Hutchins husband Matthew gave an interview with NBCs Today show, during which he expressed that past statements made by Baldwin had seemingly victimized himself and shifted responsibility for the cinematographers death onto her and others.

Almost sounds like he was the victim, Hutchins said at the time, of comments Baldwin made in a recent interview. And hearing him blame Halyna in the interview and shift responsibility to others and seeing him cry about it, I just feel like, Are we really supposed to feel bad about you, Mr. Baldwin?'

The Hutchins family filed a wrongful death suit in February against Baldwin as well as others responsible for the safety on set and whose reckless behavior led to Halynas death. Script supervisor Mamie Mitchell, who originally called 911 following the on-set shooting incident, additionally sued Baldwin in November and is claiming assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and deliberate infliction of harm.

Later during the panel, the Rust actor compared deaths on film sets to deaths while working in other industries, asking the audience to think of all the billions of rounds of ammunition that were fired on movie and TV sets in the last 75 years and four people have died and then compare that record to the opioid industry, the airline industry, the automobile industry, the gun industry itself.

Baldwin championed the safety record of the film and television industry, and pointed to how on-set safety protocols establish a chain of command when it comes to weapons handling. After calling breaking that chain of command illegal and against the rules, he acknowledged that checking could be done with an actor, but that all his career hes been without incidents.

When someone whose job it is to ensure the safety of the weapon hands someone else whose job was to be the secondary layer of protection for safety and they hand it over to and you declare that that weapon is safe  thats how Ive lived my whole life, he said. Ive relied on the safety experts there to declare the gun is safe and hand me the gun. Never had a problem.

At another point, the actor suggested discussions with the unions and others will take place to address new set protocols around guns. The producer and former 30 Rock star pointed to the use of plastic or weighted weapons, as well as in all likelihood the elimination of all live weapons in favor of CGI, though Baldwin stated guns are still appearing in films because thats what audiences want.

The thing to remember is that guns are fired in films because thats what audiences want. Maybe not this crowd. Maybe not a festival crowd where you want to watch something thats a little more complicated, he said. Theres a place to modify the safety regulations we have to deal with and Im very much looking forward to our decisions.

Towards the end, Baldwin spoke to Halyna as a cinematographer, as a woman who had broken glass ceilings in the industry and who wasnt just loved by people, she was admired  before sharing his hopes for the investigation and the impact the entire tragedy has had on him.

Im very hopeful when the facts come out. We will not be held criminally responsible but it has changed my life, and I dont mean this in the ordinary sense that I was involved in something or somebody passed. I mean, I was involved in a situation with somebody was killed. Its changed my life just in terms of the function of weapons in films and television.

Since the on-set shooting in October, Baldwin has returned to work in the U.K. on an independent feature titled 97 Minutes. He addressed this move in a recent Instagram video, commenting how it felt to resume his acting career. We had our first day today, which is always  tricky, he began. I dont work as much as I used to. I said this before maybe, but you go to work and you forget what youre supposed to do. I just was like, What do you do? What is acting or any of this nonsense I ended up doing? Its strange to go back to work.

Amid the ongoing investigation into Hutchins death, which includes determining how live ammo made its way onto the set, Baldwin has expressed that hes maintained cooperation with the Santa Fe authorities. He handed his phone over to officials in mid-January, nearly one month after they requested it, for the purpose of an examination of its contents and communications.

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Click here to read the full article.
Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Sunday spoke publicly for the first time since resigning over multiple sexual harassment allegations last year, claiming 'cancel culture' was behind politically motivated efforts to remove him as he slammed CNN for firing his brother.

'I've gone through a very difficult time these past few months,' Cuomo began. 'I resigned as governor, the press roasted me, my colleagues were ridiculed. My brother was fired. It was ugly it was one of the roughest times of my life.'

Speaking from the podium at God's Battalion of Prayer church in Brooklyn, Cuomo quoted the Bible several times as he described his travails then went on the offensive to attack the 'political sharks' in Albany who, he said, 'smelled blood' and exploited the situation for political gain.

'My father used to say that government is an honorable profession but that politics can be a dirty business,' he said. 'That is especially true today when politics is so mean and extreme. When even the Democratic Party chooses to cancel people in the face of disagreement.'

Cuomo went on to add, 'But the political sharks in Albany smelled blood and exploited the situation for their own political purpose.'

The Democrat resigned in August 2021, days after an independent probe found he sexually harassed nearly a dozen women and that he and aides worked to retaliate against an accuser.

'The actions against me were prosecutorial misconduct,' Cuomo said, repeating a theme he has pushed from the outset. 'They used cancel culture to effectively overturn an election.'

On Sunday, Cuomo acknowledged his behavior wasn't appropriate but quickly added that nothing he did violated the law. He argued that there is a 'new sensitivity' with younger people.

'I didn't appreciate how fast the perspectives changed,' he added. 'I've learned a powerful lesson and paid a very high price for learning that lesson. God isn't finished with me yet.'

Several district attorneys in New York said they found Cuomo's accusers 'credible,' but said the available evidence wasn't strong enough to press criminal charges against him.

Last month, a New York state trooper sued him claiming he caused her severe mental anguish and emotional distress by touching her inappropriately and making suggestive comments. A Cuomo spokesperson called the suit a 'cheap cash extortion.'

Cuomo used his platform Sunday mostly to condemn a social media-fueled climate he said is growing and dangerous.

'Any accusation can trigger condemnation without facts or due process,' he said. 'We are a nation of laws, not a nation of tweets. Woe unto us if we allow that to become our new justice system.'

He apologized for his behavior multiple times, while still alluding to the fact that several Attorney Generals' investigations led to no convictions.

'Tens of millions of dollars were spent on investigations your money!', he said.

Cuomo then slammed the firing of his brother, Chris Cuomo, by CNN. He said, 'cancel culture mentality is growing, and it must be stopped.'

'He was fired because giants like CNN, Time Warner, AT&T, and big shots like John Malone and John Stankey were in the middle of a merger, and even they were afraid of the cancel culture mob,' Cuomo said. 'And when they have to raise their hand and tell the truth, you will know.'

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Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo spoke publicly for the first time since resigning over multiple sexual harassment allegations last year, ripping 'virulent' cancel culture and slams CNN for firing his brother

Returning several times to a Biblical metaphor of crossing a bridge to describe his journey, Cuomo hinted he won't stay out of the spotlight.

'The Bible teaches perseverance, it teaches us to get off the mat,' he said. 'They broke my heart but they didn't break my spirit. I want to take the energy that could have made me bitter and make us better.'

Cuomo ended the speech Sunday, saying 'if you want to cancel something  cancel the federal gridlock, cancel the incompetence, cancel the infighting. Cancel crime, cancel homelessness. Cancel education inequality. Cancel poverty. Cancel racism.'

'Be outraged, but be outraged at what really matters  and that is what matters to you.'

The Democrat resigned in August 2021, days after an independent probe found he sexually harassed nearly a dozen women and that he and aides worked to retaliate against an accuser

Cuomo's political legacy began crumbling in December 2020, when former aide Lindsey Bolan became the first woman to go public with her sexual harassment claims against him.

Other accusers soon followed.

Cuomo denied the mounting allegations, and refused all calls to resign - until the release last August of James' report, which included an allegation by former aide Brittany Commisso who claimed he groped her breast in the executive mansion in November 2020.

Commisso was the first accuser to take her sexual assault claims to police, but Albany County's district attorney dropped the case last month, claiming there was not enough evidence to secure a conviction.

Prosecutors in two other New York districts have also said Cuomo will not face criminal charges after two women, including a state trooper, alleged that he planted unwanted kisses on their cheeks.

New York's former governor Andrew Cuomo released a video last month that appeared to signal his hopes of returning to public office

The 30-second advertisement blasted New York Attorney General Letitia James' investigation into sex pest allegations against the disgraced governor

Last month, Cuomo released an attack ad against NY Attorney General Letitia James where he depicts himself as the victim of a 'political attack.'

In a move that appeared to signal his return to the political arena, the video slammed an investigation led by James' office that found he sexually harassed 11 women. He has not been criminally charged, and investigations by DAs found that there was not enough evidence to prosecute him.

The bombshell investigation led to Cuomo's resignation last August and although he briefly retreated from the public eye, he recently reemerged with some speculating he could challenge James in the upcoming election.

The 30-second video contains various snippets from news organizations criticizing the investigation. In the video, news anchors are heard saying James 'may have turned a blind eye to crucial details' and that the investigation 'created more questions about the politicization of the process.'

The ad also highlights reports that said the investigation involved 'witness tampering and perjury' and that it besmirched the reputation of an 'innocent man.'

'Political attacks won,' the ad says in its closing caption. 'And New Yorkers lost a proven leader.'

A spokesperson for James tolda DailyMail.com that 'the only thing Andrew Cuomo has proven himself to be is a serial sexual harasser and a threat to women in the workplace  no TV ad can change that.'

'It's shameful that after multiple investigations found Cuomo's victims to be credible, he continues to attack their accounts rather than take responsibility for his own actions,' the spokesperson said.

The video clip contains various snippets from news organizations criticizing the investigation

It also highlights reports that said the investigation involved 'witness tampering and perjury' and that it besmirched the reputation of an 'innocent man.'

Earlier last month, Cuomo through his attorney Rita Galvin announced plans to submit a written complaint to the state's Attorney Grievance Committee to highlight ethics concerns in the investigation.

'He will not let this go,' his lawyer, Rita Glavin, said during an online press conference.

'It is insulting to tell someone, when they have been treated wrongly and unfairly, to just move on. He is not going to move on.'

Cuomo has repeatedly lashed out at James' investigation, positioning himself as a victim of a political attack; he has previously joked that AG stands for 'aspiring governor.'

He wasn't bluffing about James, 63, having aspirations of higher office, however. She announced last October plans to run against Governor Kathy Hatchel in the upcoming election but backed out months later after failing to raise enough money.

There have been rumblings of Cuomo planning a return to public office for months.

In the video, news anchors are heard saying James 'may have turned a blind eye to crucial details' and that the investigation 'created more questions about the politicization of the process.'

He's hinted at running against James in the November election via comments he's made about the fellow Democrat and New York's current political climate, political insiders told the Wall Street Journal.

The state's Democratic chairman Jay Jacobs said Cuomo is working to restore his reputation after the report found he sexually harassed 11 women.

'He's most interested in clearing his name,' Jacobs told the Journal. 'My advice would be, he needs time to pass before any moves to re-enter public life. But is that possible in the future? In America, anything's possible.'
A military personnel walks past Shenyang Aircraft Corporation's J-16 multirole strike fighter for the People's Liberation Army Air Force at the 13th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, southern China's Guangdong Province on Sept. 28, 2021. (NOEL CELIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Amid Ukraine War, China Threat Rises

US forced to look to West as threat in East grows

News Analysis

As the world focuses on Russias continued invasion of Ukrainealong with the climbing civilian death toll and growing refugee crisisits also witnessing a seismic shift in the global geopolitical landscape.

Russias actions in Europe have drawn the eyes of the United States and its allies to the West, as they did in decades past, as meanwhile a larger, more formidable force gathers strength in the East, setting its sights on dominating the Indo-Pacific, and then the world.

For decades, the Chinese communist regime has been building its economic and military might so as to replace the United States as the sole superpower by mid-century. With the regime acknowledged by the U.S. administration as Americas primary threat, posing its greatest geopolitical test, Washington has been shifting its resources and energy to the Indo-Pacific region in a bid to check Beijings rising influence there.

But the escalating war in Eastern Europe is frustrating Washingtons plans, analysts say, even as the Biden administration insists that it can focus on two theatersEurope and the Indo-Pacificat the same time.

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, Madhav Nalapat, a strategic analyst and vice chair of the India-based Manipal Advanced Research Group, recently told The Epoch Times.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping walk as they attend a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Council of Heads of State in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on June 14, 2019. (Vyacheslav Oseledko/AFP via Getty Images)

Nalapat pinned the blame on Washington and NATO for engaging in a series of strategic missteps that he believed culminated in Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Brandon Weichert, geopolitical analyst and author of Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, held the same view, chiding the Biden administration for choosing to return to pre-Trump normal with respect to its relations with Russiathat is, by adopting a policy that sought to contain Russia and put pressure on Moscow to be a good democracy with human rights.

Vladimir Putin believes that no more deals can be made with the United States, certainly not with neoliberal and neoconservative elites like Joe Biden, or even Lindsey Graham, running the show in Washington, he said.

Under [former President Donald] Trump, this was our last exit ramp, before a real catastrophe happeningthe buildup of the SinoRussian alliance, he said.

The recent approach has effectively pushed Russian President Vladimir Putin into a corner, according to Weichert. And with no else to turn to, Putin chose to side with the Chinese Communist Party.

But this outcome, he said, could have been averted. While Russa is by no means an ideal or natural partner, given the countrys human rights and military record, Weichert said, it has to be acknowledged that Moscow could have helped the U.S. administration in providing a valuable counterweight to Beijing.

If we could get the right leader in charge, we would be able to possibly break Russia away from China, because ultimately, Russia still doesnt trust China, he said. And ultimately, Russia would prefer to continue to do business with the Europeans, and to still have positive relations, at least in space, and on nuclear matters with the Americans.

As this didnt occur, Russia and China are deepening their relationship, in ways previously unseen. Two weeks before the invasion, as Russia was drawing heavy international criticism for its plans to attack Ukraine, Putin and Xi proclaimed a no limits partnership, a bilateral relationship superior to political and military alliances of the Cold War era.

This burgeoning partnership is worrisome, Weichert said, because the two countries decided not just to cooperate economically and militarily, but to work together in a general ideological way.

Theyre starting to look at the ideological componentthe component of autocracy, the concept of multipolarityhaving many different powers in the world, as opposed to only the United States running the world, with spheres of influence, he said.

That is something that Russia and the Chinese leadership for 30 years have talked about, but they never actually shared or coordinated with one another. Now we see the beginnings of that.

The White House didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

Distrustful Partners

On the opening day of the Winter Olympics, Putin met with Xi in Beijing, displaying a united front against growing international condemnation of their respective regimes.

According to a 5,000-word joint statement, the two leaders said there would be no forbidden areas of cooperation between their countries.

The statement also revealed that Putin and Xi had decided to support each other geopolitically: China denounced the enlargement of NATO, a key justification for Russias invasion, while Moscow backed Beijings claim that self-governing Taiwan was a part of China.

The new partnership is, in fact, many years in the making, particularly after 2014 when Russia was hit with multiple sanctions over its annexation of Crimea. Since then, bilateral trade has gone up more than 50 percent and now China is the top destination of Russian exports.

Russia is Chinas second-biggest oil supplier behind Saudi Arabia, accounting for 15.5 percent of Chinas total imports in 2021. Russia is also a major supplier of gas and coal to China.

While the bond between Russia and China might appear strong on the surface, Weichert said that Putin must be fully aware of what the partnership would entail.

Whats going on now is, Russia under Putin is very aware that they are relatively weaker than China. And the closer that Putin gets to China, the more likely hes going to become a second playersecond fiddle to Xi Jinpings juggernaut in China, he said.

The last thing he wants to do is go from being sort of pushed around by the West to then switching over to the Chinese, and suddenly being subordinated or assimilated by China into their new growing high-tech empire of Eurasia.

Russian peacekeepers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization guard an area in Kazakhstan, on Jan. 12, 2022. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

In Weicharts view, Putin has already tried to assert his dominance over Xi, when the Russian president decided to deploy Russian troops into Kazakhstan as peacekeepers in January.

I think Putin was trying to say, Hey, Xi, we can work together to trade in Central Asia, but Im the alpha male here, you work with me, not the other way around, he said.

China has dramatically dialed up its influence in Central Asiaa region of former Soviet states where Russia holds much swayin recent years, as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan have all signed up to Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI, also known as One Belt, One Road).

Beijing rolled out the initiative in 2013 to increase its economic and political clout worldwide by building up trade routes linking China, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America.

The alliesChina and Russiaare constantly going to be looking over each others shoulder even when theyre working together to push back American power projection, in Eurasia first and eventually throughout the world, he said.

Bigger Threat

The most important factor making the Chinese regime a bigger threat than Russia is the size of the Chinese economy, according to Weichert.

The China threat is the longer-term strategic threat, he said. Theyre the ones with the greater technology base. Theyre the ones whose economy is right behind the size of Americas.

China is currently the worlds second-largest economy, trailing the United States. According to 2020 data from the World Bank, Chinas economy is about 10 times bigger than Russias.

The economic power behind the Chinese communist regime thus allows it to do things that Russia cannot, Anders Corr, principal at the New York-based political consultancy firm Corr Analytics, said.

China uses that economic power not only to build its military, Corr, who is also a contributor to The Epoch Times, said. China is able to use that economic power for political influence around the world.

So essentially, theyre able to bribe politicians, whether thats directly by giving them bags of cash, or theyre able to bribe them through promises of aids, loans, and cheap loans.

A general view of the port facility at Hambantota, Sri Lanka, on Feb. 10, 2015. (Lakruwan WanniarachchiAFP/Getty Images)

Western officials and experts have criticized China for exporting corruption through BRI or sustaining corruption in BRI-participating nations. The program also has been described as a form of debt-trap diplomacy, which saddles developing countries with unsustainable debt burdens, potentially forcing those nations to transfer strategic assets to Beijing.

China Merchants Port Holdings is now running Sri Lankas Hambantota port on a 99-year lease, after the South Asian country was unable to service a $1.4 billion loan for its construction in 2017. Seizing the port has allowed Beijing to gain a key foothold in the Indian Ocean.

Critically, the Chinese regime has a unique advantage in the West arising from its sprawling business ties between Western firms, eager to gain a greater pie of the lucrative Chinese market. As a result, Beijing has been able to build clout in the United States and elsewhere, through its own elitesa strategy known as elite capture.

The Chinese Communist Party has done a great job of basically enlisting the elites of the free world. And so a lot of their wealth is tied up in this relationship with China, Robert Spalding, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and retired Air Force brigadier general, told The Epoch Times.

The regime, by entwining themselves into the fortunes of the elites, is then able to push on them and lean on them, Spalding said. This is a problem.

Taiwan

The Chinese regimes other threat, which has worldwide implications, is its desire to take over Taiwan, a de facto entity Beijing claims as part of its territory. The island, home to the worlds largest contract chipmaker TSMC, produces about 63 percent of the worlds semiconductor chips, compared to the 12 percent produced by U.S. chipmakers.

Seizing Taiwan would give China control over the islands chip manufacturing facilities, potentially allowing Beijing to block other nations from buying the critical technology, which is used to power nearly all electronics from cars to missile systems.

I think China does definitely have its eye on Taiwan. China will be watching what we do, what Russia does in terms of Ukraine as a lesson that it can take home, in terms of its strategy for Taiwan, Corr said.

So I think that if we dont truly punish Russia in a serious way, we will be giving the green light to China to do the same thing to Taiwan.

Complicit?

As the Ukraine war drags on, Beijing has repeatedly refused to condemn Russia for its aggression, nor label the attack as an invasion. It has also rejected joining the West in imposing financial sanctions against Moscow, describing such a move as lacking legal basis.

Such signs of tacit support have caused some to suggest that Beijing had played a larger role than it appeared on the surface in facilitating Russias assault.

Moscow is so much under the thumb of Beijing, Corr said, adding which makes me think that in the current case of the invasion of Ukraine, it is so not in the interests of Russia  to make itself an international pariah and focus of the worlds attention.

He added: That makes me suspect that its possible Beijing had asked Putin to do this or encouraged Putin to do this in some way. So I think we have to consider that as a possibility.

Indeed, there is piling evidence that Beijing knew of Moscows military plans prior to the invasion and had discussed it with Russian officials.

Senior Biden administration officials shared intelligence with top Chinese officials about the Russian military buildup near Ukraine, according to a Feb. 25 report by The New York Times. The intelligence-sharing lasted more than three months, the report said, citing unnamed U.S. officials. But China ignored the repeated U.S. warnings, and instead turned around to tell Moscow what it had learned from Americans and that it wouldnt interfere with Russias plans.

A Western intelligence report, first covered by The New York Times on March 2, indicated that senior Chinese officials asked senior Russian officials to wait until after the end of the 2022 Winter Games before invading Ukraine. The request happened in early February, but it is unclear from the report whether Xi and Putin talked about it during their meeting in Beijing.

Regardless of the level of Chinese involvement, the invasion ultimately served to achieve Beijings aims, noted lawmakers and experts.

Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) recently told EpochTVs China Insider program that the invasion was a distraction, shifting U.S. attention away from the Pacific.

In Chinas view, it serves as a way of siphoning off resources that can be used in other areas, Buck said.

For Corr, the invasion would distract people from paying attention to Chinas problems, such as the genocide against Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in Chinas far-western Xinjiang region and the expansion of artificial islands in the South China Sea.

Gary Bai contributed to this article.
Colorados Supreme Court justices were generally aware of a memo containing allegations about judicial misconduct nearly two years before it was made public, according to testimony one of the justices gave in an unrelated federal lawsuit deposition.

It is the first acknowledgment that the members of the court knew about the memo shortly after it was the catalyst of an alleged quid-pro-quo $2.5 million contract given in March 2019 to a former Judicial Department official who threatened a tell-all sex discrimination lawsuit.

The revelation brings into question what else the justices knew about the memo, the contract and the allegations swirling around it. Aside from canceling the contract and the resignation of two top officials, no other action was taken on the memo or its allegations by anyone in the judicial branch until details about the memo were revealed two years later in newspaper stories. The memo is now at the center of at least a half dozen investigations.

The court in February 2021 only said the justices had seen the memo for the first time just before deciding to make it public on the heels of newspaper stories that revealed its existence, but the court at the time did not say whether the justices were aware of the document before it was shown to them.

Justice Melissa Hart says she and the other justices knew about the memo sometime in 2019 because then-Chief Justice Nathan "Ben" Coats had told them about it.

Chief Justice Coats described the document to myself and my colleagues when we were meeting in conference one day, Hart testified in October during a deposition in a federal job discrimination lawsuit. I first became aware of the specifics of this document in February 2021 (following the newspaper stories). I was aware in 2019 that there was a document that I think could have been this document, but I didnt know any details about it.

Hart said Coats described it as "a list of allegations" but nothing more.

The court did not have an immediate comment when asked Wednesday about Hart's deposition.

The two-page memo is at the center of several investigations into a contract awarded to the department's former chief of staff, Mindy Masias, who was being fired at the time over financial irregularities.

Its allegations include the destruction of evidence, judges trading pornography, misconduct by department officials and a work environment that generally encouraged sexism and misogyny.

Portions of the depositions appear in a discrimination lawsuit filed in 2019 by Michele Brown, who was passed over for a job a year earlier as a staff rules attorney for the Supreme Court for someone less experienced. Brown, who is Black, alleges her age  she was 64 at the time  and her race were a factor. She had been a staff attorney at the Office of Legislative Legal Services for about 25 years.

In a separate deposition tied to Browns lawsuit, the alleged author of the memo  then-Human Resources Director Eric Brown  denied knowing of the memo or anything about it, according to a court filing. The deposition represents Eric Brown's first remarks about the controversy.

But Hart testified that Coats told them Eric Brown had read from the memo during a meeting he had with him, according to Harts deposition, but she did not say which justices were there. Coats generally met with the justices as a group. Justice Maria Berkenkotter was not a member of the court at the time.

Hart said Coats told them there was a list that Eric (Brown) had read from and that it was from a part of a list of allegations.

However, Hart indicated that Coats didnt offer any context.

It was vaguely described to me in 2019, she testified. It was not described in a way that I would have understood everything that it was.

Its unclear if Coats told the justices what the purpose of the meeting was. The federal magistrate judge presiding over Michele Browns case barred her from asking Hart about the specifics of the meeting or what Coats said about it, only allowing questions about the memos mention of an EEOC complaint against two justices involved with filling the job she had applied for.

Those justices were Hart and Justice Richard Gabriel.

Michele Brown on Wednesday filed a 116-page response to a department request to dismiss her lawsuit in which portions of Hart's and Eric Brown's testimony were included.

Former chief court administrator Christopher Ryan has alleged that only parts of the two-page memo were read at a meeting in January 2019 between himself, Eric Brown, Coats and counsel to the chief justice, Andrew Rottman. It was decided then that the contract could go to Masias, according to Ryan.

The memo described payoffs to keep harassment victims silent, allegations that judges ordered the destruction of evidence, and the misconduct of other judges and Judicial Department officials that was simply ignored, conduct that permeated the agencys highest ranks for years. Ryan did not detail the memo's contents, which became known only when the court made the document public.

For his part, Eric Brown  he is not related to Michele Brown  testified that he didn't recall meeting with Coats about the memo, was not its author and opined that more than one person may have drafted this memo, according to the court filing.

Eric Brown testified he had at some point "seen some of these allegations" that were noted in the memo when it was shown to him during the deposition and that he and Masias had discussed them.

Neither Eric Brown nor Masias has responded to repeated efforts to reach them for comment.

Masias was on family medical leave at the time of the meeting and had already created her company  The Leadership Practice  when the contract for judicial training was put out for public bid later that month. Ryan has said he insisted on the public bid process to avoid giving it directly to Masias.

But none of about 400 companies that received information about the contract put in a bid, not even Masias. The contract was later awarded directly to Masias within days of her official resignation and she was also given back pay and other benefits.

The department has since required employees to be separated at least six months before they can accept any contract work with it.

The Denver Post exposed the contract  but not the memo  in July 2019. The department cancelled the deal and Ryan resigned. Coats later told legislators that Eric Brown also resigned, although the latter said in his deposition that his resignation was related to family medical issues, not the Masias scandal or any other reason involving his job there.

The Post revealed the existence of the memo in February 2021, but did not actually have a copy of it. The court had denied the newspapers repeated requests for the document.

After initially denying Ryans allegations  and days after the newspapers stories appeared  the court made the memo public.

We believe this is the correct course of action  both to determine any actual wrongdoing and to clear those wrongly accused, the court said in a email issued at the time by Chief Justice Brian Boatright to judges and judicial employees statewide.

Boatright said the court had also given the memo to then-Colorado Auditor Dianne Ray to assist in her fully investigating the circumstances surrounding the contract with former Chief of Staff Mindy Masias company.

That investigation is reaching its conclusion, Boatright recently told a recent gathering of the Colorado Bar Associations board of governors, but said only an executive summary of its findings would be made public, according to several attorneys who heard him speak.

When Boatright released the memo he also steadfastly denied that the contract was an effort to keep information about the department quiet.

Boatright said in the Feb. 8, 2021, email that we met as a court and viewed the memo for the first time, but did not say whether the court was previously aware of its existence or the general nature of its content, as Hart testified they had.

Boatright replaced Coats as chief justice when Coats retired on Dec. 31, 2020, three weeks after a different state audit revealed a slew of problems inside the state court administrators office. Berkenkotter was named to the bench in January 2021 to fill the spot Coats vacated.

It was that audit report, which laid much of the blame for the departments issues at Ryans feet, that caused him to step forward about the memo.

Auditors said the Masias deal degrades the public trust and gives the appearance of impropriety and appears to be a violation of the Judicial Code of Conduct.

Five other investigations into the memo and its contents are ongoing, including two by a pair of companies hired by the judicial department, one by the FBI, another by the states Attorney Regulation Counsel that oversees lawyer licensing and discipline, and the last by the Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline.

David Migoya can be reached at david.migoya@gazette.com
Duke E. Wilson, 68, was sentenced to 51 months in prison for violence at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. (U.S. Department of Justice/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

Idaho Man Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Attack on Police at US Capitol on Jan. 6

A 68-year-old Idaho man who shoved a police officer, struck him with a plastic pipe, and then threw it at a line of officers during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol was sentenced on March 4 to more than four years in federal prison.

Duke E. Wilson tried to block police pepper spray with his iPad, but eventually was hit in the face. (U.S. Department of Justice/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

Duke Edward Wilson, of Nampa, Idaho, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth in Washington to a term that is five months longer than that sought by federal prosecutors, and at the top of the range set in federal sentencing guidelines. The 51-month sentence was for each charge, but the sentences will be served concurrently, the judge said.

Lamberth also ordered Wilson to pay $2,000 in restitution to the Architect of the Capitol, and serve three years of supervised release after his prison term. The judge will enter a separate restitution order within 90 days that takes into account injuries suffered by U.S. Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell.

Wilson pleaded guilty to two felonies: assaulting, resisting, or impeding police, and obstruction of an official proceeding. As part of a plea agreement, nine other charges were dismissed.

A grand jury indicted Wilson in May 2021 on 11 counts.

Prosecutors charged Wilson with hitting and jabbing at police with a PVC plastic pipe he found on the ground. Wilson indiscriminately struck at the officers with it, said the governments 33-page sentencing memo. He then threw the pipe into the police line, striking another officer.

Wilson also tried to prevent police from closing the entrance doors, prosecutors said.

Didnt Plan for a Riot

Defense attorney Charles Peterson rejected any notion that Wilson went to the nations capital to participate in an insurrection or to be violent. He cited crowd dynamics as a factor that led a peaceful man to behavior that is aberrant.

Hes like so many of the other folks who were there, I think he went there with the best of intentions, said Peterson, a federal public defender based in Boise, Idaho. He didnt go there intending to overthrow the United States government.

He didnt go there intending to cause a riot or be involved in a riot.

He noted that during the violence, Wilson was struck in the head eight or nine times, leading to some memory loss.

Mr. Wilson has claimed consistently that he doesnt really have very good recall because he [got] beaten, hit on the head, Peterson said.

Wilson called to turn himself in when a friend showed him a wanted poster with his photo on it. After a warrant was issued, Wilson surrendered himself on April 16 to the Ada County Sheriffs Office in Idaho, Peterson said. He is out on bond and will surrender to authorities once he has a prison assignment.

Prosecutors said Duke E. Wilson tried to prevent police from closing entry doors to the U.S. Capitol during rioting in the Lower West Terrace tunnel. (U.S. Department of Justice/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

Wilson told the judge he doesnt remember much from the point when he entered the Lower West Terrace tunnel.

I looked at some of the videos and I was, [it] was stupid for me to do something like that, he said.

I made a very bad decision by going in that place that day.

Its not me, what they said that I am, what they make me out to be.

You Made a Terrible Mistake

Lamberth noted Wilsons solid upbringing, saying he appears to be a decent guy who has lived a good life and been an upstanding citizen.

You made a terrible mistake that day, Lamberth said. Youve tried to fess up to it as best you could, but that was a horrible day for our country.  Our country cannot deal with that except under the confines of what we have under the law.

Gonell gave a victim impact statement to the court, noting injuries he suffered that day required surgeries from which he is still recovering more than a year later. Gonell said Wilson struck him with the plastic pipe during the rioting, and he held up his arms to prevent the pipe from striking another officer.

The fellow officer behind me, or next to me, did not have a helmet, and I prevented that hit, that officer from being hit with that pipe that he used, Gonell said. Both my hands were bleeding by that time from blocking  his blows.

Gonell said he believes Wilson was intent on more than the mayhem seen in the tunnel.

He attempted to gain entrance into the U.S. Capitol building as part of his effort to stop the steal, overthrow the government in a coup, and subvert the democratic process by stopping the certification of the 2020 presidential election results, Gonell said.
Activision Blizzard and Epic Games have joined a growing list of publishers suspending sales of their games in Russia due to the countrys ongoing invasion of Ukraine. In an employee letter it shared publicly on Friday, Activision president and chief operating officer Daniel Alegre said the company would pause selling its games to Russian consumers. It will also temporarily stop offering in-game microtransactions to those same customers.

Epic is stopping commerce with Russia in our games in response to its invasion of Ukraine. Were not blocking access for the same reason other communication tools remain online: the free world should keep all lines of dialogue open.  Epic Games Newsroom (@EpicNewsroom) March 5, 2022

One day after Activisions announcement, Epic Games said it too was halting transactions within the country. Epic is stopping commerce with Russia in our games in response to its invasion of Ukraine, the company said. Were not blocking access for the same reason other communication tools remain online: the free world should keep all lines of dialogue open.

Its unclear if Epics decision includes both its own titles and any in-game microtransactions it offers in Fortnite. Whats more, notably neither Activision nor Epic mentioned Belarus in their respective announcements.
The police arrested Krishna from the shooting location of his upcoming Malayalam film 'Padavettu' in the Kannur district on Sunday. He will be brought into Kochi and produced before the magistrate today, Kochi city police informed.

According to the police, he has been arrested for raping a woman, who is a native of Kakkanad in Kochi 2020 December to 2021 June at various places including her home.

The film director was arrested after a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) based on the woman's complaint.

Krishna is a native of Mattannur, in Kannur district. His first movie 'Padvettu' was produced by Malayalam actor Sunny Wayne. After the arrest, the shooting has been stopped temporarily. (ANI)
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, who is in Hungary to oversee the evacuation process of stranded Indian nationals due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, said that four buses with a capacity of 50 each are on their way to Poltava in order to bring back Indian students stranded in Ukraine's Sumy. Speaking to ANI, Puri said, "I am talking to the control room in Delhi. As many as four buses with a capacity of 50 each are on their way to Poltava to evacuate Indian citizens stranded in Sumy. Other logistical arrangements such as food have also been arranged. Depending on the situation, further plans will be chalked out from Poltava. As of now, all the arrangements are in place." He further said, "As of tonight, we would have taken out somewhere around 6,200 students from Hungary. Generally, the evacuation process in Kharkiv or Pisochyn or the ongoing process in Sumy, the Government of India's commitment and putting all its resources down to that purpose that is total and there is no doubt. When you are doing an evacuation process out of a war zone, there are constraints that you cannot anticipate and the parties to the conflict even if you use your margin of diplomacy they have objectives that may not synchronise with your evacuation objective. I will be happy if we complete this evacuation process within the next two or three days." Earlier in the day, he had said, "I think after the 5 flights today the figure will be close to 6,200 but you can never be absolutely precise because some people who came to Hungary registered others we have to issue an advisory that last flight is going out. Approximately 5,200 Indian nationals were returned home country yesterday. Today around 889 are returning to their home country. We are operating the last leg of Operation Ganga flights today." The Indian Embassy in Kyiv on Saturday said that they will not leave any stone unturned to ensure the safe evacuation of Indian students from the Ukrainian city of Sumy and requested them to keep some more hours of strength. Over the past week, more than 10,000 Indian students have been evacuated from Ukraine under Operation Ganga. Barring Kharkiv and Sumy, almost all Indians from the remaining regions of Ukraine have been evacuated. The Embassy said that despite shelling, roadblocks, diversions and other major adversities, food and water continued to be delivered to Pisochyn, in whatever quantities and means available. Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. (ANI)
Eagle Brook megachurch drops plans to build new campus after backlash from local residents

The multisite Eagle Brook Church in Minnesota announced it has dropped the plan to build its 11th metro-area campus in a residential neighborhood in a Minneapolis suburb after backlash from local residents.

Although we would have loved to become a part of the community, we have made the difficult decision to not pursue the development at this time, Eagle Brooks Expansion Director Steph Hauber said in a statement about the megachurchs plan to build a 60,000-square-foot church with a 1,200-seat auditorium and a two-story parking structure off Wayzata Boulevard area in Minnetonka, Star Tribune reported.

The church said the decision was made in response to a variety of known and unknown variables, without mentioning opposition from residents, the newspaper said.

More than 1,260 residents signed an online petition against the churchs plan.

The traffic, environmental, and quality of life impacts to residents is immeasurable (not to mention the financial impact due to the immediate devaluation of surrounding homes), the petition says.

The church had planned to build its campus on a residential horseshoe drive (two lane) which can only be accessed via the Wayzata Blvd. frontage road (two lane) on a parcel of land currently home to countless wildlife species and which includes protected wetlands, the petition adds.

Its not about the church, resident Kristen Gildemeister, who launched the petition, said earlier, according to the Tribune. Its the size and volume of traffic and displacement of wildlife.

Gildemeister added, The two services Saturdays and Sundays, 1,100 cars coming and going during a 45-minute window, would have just made living here awful.

Resident Ginni Greffi said the value of her house would drop at least 20% in value if the church built its campus near the neighborhood. She added that residents had requested the church either downsize its plans or build it in an industrial area, Fox 9 reported.

Local residents also submitted letters to the city and spoke against the church's plans during a Minnetonka Planning Commission meeting last month.

The church says on its website that it exists to bring people into relationship with God through Jesus Christ, to draw them into a Christ-centered community, and to help them grow in their faith.

In 2020, after the churchs senior pastor Bob Merritt retired, he told The Christian Post that things were tough for him because initially there was some contention among the staff and church membership with his hiring.

In the first year, almost didnt make it, he recalled. I had an associate who basically wanted my job and he didnt get chosen. So he was tough to deal with for a year. Some people left the church as well because they werent sure I was the guy. Then in the second year, we went from 300 to 400 [members], then from 400 to 500 and then it just started to climb.

By year 10, Merritt said the church had grown to over 5,000 people.
A multi-million euro flood relief scheme aimed at stopping annual flooding, costing hundreds of thousands of euro in damage to businesses and homeowners, has been refused permission because of a shellfish.

Minister for Public Expenditure Michael McGrath has rejected the Enniscorthy flood relief proposal based on a detailed assessment of the environmental impact of the scheme.

Mr McGrath said the decision was taken following discussions with environmental consultants, public consultation, and engagement with other relevant bodies.

There had been concerns that legal challenges could be taken against the scheme due to the environmental impact.

Junior Minister and Enniscorthy Fine Gael TD Paul Kehoe slammed the halting of the scheme due to environmental issues as one of the reasons stopping the much needed scheme was the pearl mussel.

One of the issues is the pearl mussel. There would be a temporary loss of habitat suitable for floating river vegetation, said Mr Kehoe.

I think we have to go beyond the environmental issues because this has now huge effects for the businesses of Enniscorthy and the town as a whole as well.

The freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) is a mussel species of clean rivers that is on the verge of extinction in Ireland and western Europe due to intensification of land use.

His remarks were backed by local Independent county councillor Jackser Owens who said Mr McGrath must explain in detail why the people of Enniscorthy have been abandoned once again.

This is an insult. The people have been waiting for this, the people who have been flooded for years on the Island Road. The people on the Quay, Templeshannon, and the people down the Riverside.

It is a disgrace and the Minister should explain to the people why it was turned down.

Junior Justice Minister James Browne, who lives locally, explained that the scheme goes back to the Office of Public Works (OPW) and Wexford County Council for amendment in order to meet the environmental criteria".

Once the OPW and Council can demonstrate the necessary amendments are made the proposed scheme can be resubmitted. Funding remains in place.

Millions of euro in damage was caused by the extensive flooding in Enniscorthy when a deluge of rain hit the town and parts of the county on Christmas Day.

Wexford County Council officials have estimated that more than 4m of damage was caused by the flooding which was some of the worst experienced in parts of the county in more than 60 years.

Eamonn Hoare, the Councils director of services said that the cost of the flood damage to bridges and roads, some of which were completely washed away, is 3.6m but he outlined that as ongoing analyses is carried out the final bill will be more than 4m.

Flooding in Bridgetown, Co Wexford, in December. Picture: Waterford County Council

Up to 40 bridges were damaged across the county when up to 90mm fell in the flash floods which left the busy town of Enniscorthy and the village of Bridgetown cut-off.

Seven bridges across the county completely collapsed while a lengthy list of other damaged bridges is currently being compiled.

Mr Hoare said that the council has already been in contact with the Department of Transport and has been assured that any reasonable road costs linked to the events will be dealt with.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that expressed deep shock over the passing away of Mukul Arya.

"Deeply shocked to learn about the passing away of India's Representative at Ramallah, Shri Mukul Arya. He was a bright and talented officer with so much before him. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones. Om Shanti," Jaishankar tweeted.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said the Indian ambassador died at his workplace in Ramallah. They have established contacts with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to complete the arrangements for transporting the body to India.

The story is still developing and more information is awaited in this regard. (ANI)
Firefighters and emergency workers have battled two massive wildfires in an area of the Florida Panhandle that was still recovering from destruction caused by a Category Five hurricane more than three years ago.

The 8,000-acre Bertha Swamp Road fire and the 1,400-acre Adkins Avenue fire threatened homes and forced the evacuation of residents of at least 750 homes in Bay County, Florida over the weekend.

The Adkins Avenue fire destroyed two buildings and damaged another 12 homes late on Friday.

Local emergency official said no homes were destroyed and there were no injuries on Saturday, the second day of battling the Adkins Avenue fire.

A fast-moving wildfire looms over homes outside of Panama City (Mike Fender/News Herald/AP)

No homes damaged. No injuries to residents or responders. Big win for Bay County! Bay County emergency officials tweeted early on Sunday.

Local authorities said they did not know when residents would be able to return to their homes.

It is NOT safe to return home at this time. Please be patient as first responders battle these dangerous fires, Bay County officials posted online.

The county opened a shelter at the Bay County Fairgrounds for displaced residents.

We understand and recognise that everyone is anxious to go back home, and that it has been a huge inconvenience, said Valerie Sale, a Bay County spokeswoman.

The Adkins Avenue fire has been burning in Bay County since Friday, forcing the evacuation of at least 600 homes, and was 35% contained on Sunday morning.

The much-larger Bertha Swamp Fire started in neighbouring Gulf County on Friday but spread to Bay and Calhoun counties on Saturday, forcing the evacuation of another 150 homes.

It was 10% contained as of Sunday morning.

Hector Rivera and Wandi Blanco put water on hotspots behind their home (Mike Fender/News Herald via AP)

Fire officials said Florida Forest Service helicopters had dropped more than 468,000 litres of water on the Adkins Avenue fire since Friday, and 25 bulldozers had been deployed to plough fire lines.

Unfortunately, what we have going on today is almost a carbon copy of yesterdays weather, Joe Zwierzchowski, a spokesman for the Florida Forest Service, said onSunday morning.

We are looking at high, sustained winds of 10 to 15 miles per hour, gusting up to 20 to 25 miles per hour. So thats going to make it a very dynamic situation.

Hurricane Michael in 2018 was directly responsible for 16 deaths and about $25 billion (18.9 billion) in damage in the US, and it left behind 72 million tonnes of destroyed trees that have provided fuel for the Bay County wildfires, according to the Florida Forest Service.

Currently, there are nearly 150 wildfires burning more than 12,100 acres throughout Florida.
David is a Senior Investigative Reporter at The Gazette and has worked in Colorado for more than two decades. His work has been recognized by, among others, Investigative Reporters and Editors, the Society of Professional Journalists, the Scripps Howard Foundation, the Society of Business Editors and Writers, the National Association of Real Estate Editors, at the National Headliner Awards. He has worked at publications in New York City, St. Louis, Detroit and Denver over a journalism career that began in 1982.
Telangana state Cabinet met on Sunday and approved the state budget for 2022-23. The Cabinet meeting, presided over by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, was held at his official residence Pragati Bhavan. It approved the budget which will be presented in the Assembly by Finance Minister Harish Rao on Monday. The Budget session of the state legislature will be beginning without the customary address by Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan. The state government has defended the move on the ground that it is not a new session but a continuation of the earlier session. However, the Governor has taken exception to this. "The House is meeting after five months. Under normal circumstances, when the House is convened after such a long interval, it is a new session, but the government has chosen to continue the earlier session," she said in a statement on Saturday. The Governor expressed her displeasure over the government scrapping her address. She, however, stated that she has given her recommendation for the presentation of the Budget as her primary intention is people's welfare. "I, however, respecting the constitutional convention and going beyond political considerations and keeping up with the spirit of cooperative federalism, have conveyed my recommendation for the introduction of the Financial Bill. I had the liberty to take my time to give my recommendation. But knowing well that people's welfare is involved, and giving primacy to people's welfare, I gave my recommendation without any time lag," the Governor said. --IANS ms/vd ( 253 Words) 2022-03-06-19:58:03 (IANS)
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases during a hearing, with the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, on the COVID-19 response, on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 18, 2021. (Anna Moneymaker/Pool/Getty Images)

GOP Says Itll Investigate Fauci If It Retakes House in 2022

Several Republican lawmakers indicated that if the GOP regains a majority in the House of Representatives in the 2022 midterm elections, they plan to open investigations on White House COVID-19 adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci.

When are we going to have accountability for Anthony Fauci? Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) said on Fox News over the weekend.

Look, hes missing right now for one reason, and one reason only: The Democrats are looking at the polls.

It wasnt dead Americans that made Democrats move. It wasnt dead Americans that made Fauci go away. It was polls. And I want to hold Anthony Fauci accountable.

And if youre watching this, Dr. Fauci, look out because when the Americans give us control in the House of Representatives, God willing, were going to get some answers on behalf of the American people.

Roys remark came just a few days after Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), the ranking Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, confirmed to Just The News that the GOP will attempt to investigate Fauci and other federal health officials over how they responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jordan added that Republicans, namely, will attempt to obtain information from the federal government and Faucis agency on whether COVID-19 had its origins in a lab in Wuhan, in Chinas central Hubei Province.

That is because they knew from the get-go [that COVID-19]  likely came from a lab, [with] gain-of-function likely done, and our tax dollars were used, Jordan said, referring to gain-of-function, a controversial form of research that alters an organism in a way that may enhance biological functions such as altered transmissibility, pathogenesis, and host range.

Fauci was pressed during congressional hearings last year about what some critics say are false or misleading statements about whether his agency, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), as well as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), steered taxpayer money to the nonprofit EcoHealth Alliance, which provided funds to scientists at the Wuhan Institute of Virology to research bat coronaviruses.

Last September, more than 900 pages of documents detailing the use of federal money by EcoHealth were obtained and published by The Intercept. Critics said the documents suggest Fauci misled Congress when he said that his agency never funded gain-of-function research in the Wuhan lab.

In October, Lawrence Tabak, then the NIHs principal deputy director, said that EcoHealth provided a five-year report on bat coronavirus research under an NIH grant, finding that in this limited experiment, laboratory mice infected with the SHC014 WIV1 bat coronavirus became sicker than those infected with the WIV1 bat coronavirus.

Fauci told Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) during a hearing in early 2021 that he never lied before the Congress and that the NIH didnt fund the research.

You do not know what youre talking about, quite frankly, he told Paul at the time.

In October of last year, Fauci told ABC News that he stood by his assertion that the NIH didnt fund gain-of-function research.

The framework under which we have guidance about the conduct of research that we fund, the funding at the Wuhan Institute was to be able to determine what is out there in the environment, in bat viruses in China, Fauci said. And the research was very strictly under what we call a framework of oversight of the type of research. And under those conditions which we have explained very, very clearly, does not constitute research of gain of function of concern.

Officials at NIAID didnt respond by press time to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.
The Russian army uses the civilian population as a "human shield" to cover its military equipment, including S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems, Head of Sumy Regional Military Administration Dmytro Zhyvytsky has said.

"In one of the villages of the Trostyanets community, which today was occupied by Russian invaders, along the main street and near the nearby ones, almost every courtyard, there is a Russian tank. The Russian army created a "human shield" from the villagers. According to our information, this was done to protect the deployed S-300 systems," Zhyvytsky wrote on the Telegram channel on Saturday evening.

He added that depending on the specific type of installation and interceptor missiles, the maximum range of the S-300 medium-range anti-aircraft missile system can reach 150, 200, 300 kilometers. The system is intended for direct cover of troops located close to the enemy, primarily from ballistic missiles and aircraft, and also various other targets).

"We are constantly working on the organization of green corridors for the evacuation of civilians from the entire region! From all dangerous places in Sumy region!" the head of the regional administration said.
Chinese video-sharing app TikTok has suspended livestreaming and new content to video services in Russia following the introduction of new 'fake news' law in the country that threatened jail terms of up to 15 years. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday signed a federal law criminalizing the spread of disinformation about the Russian armed forces, their defamation, as well as the calls for sanctions against Russia. Global news media including CNN and BBC said they were suspending their operations to protect their journalists from the new law. "However, our highest priority is the safety of our employees and our users, and in light of Russia's new 'fake news' law, we have no choice but to suspend livestreaming and new content to our video service in Russia while we review the safety implications of this law," the streaming app said in a statement. The company said that they will continue to evaluate the evolving circumstances in Russia to determine when we might fully resume our services with safety as our top priority. "Our in-app messaging service will not be affected. We will continue to evaluate the evolving circumstances in Russia to determine when we might fully resume our services with safety as our top priority," the statement added. Earlier, Kremlin had said Putin has signed a federal law broadening sanctions for violating the rights of Russian citizens to all foreigners and stateless persons. "The federal law stipulates criminal liability for public dissemination under the guise of reliable reports of knowingly false information on the use of the Russian Armed Forces aiming to protect the interests of Russia and its citizens and maintain international peace and security," the Kremlin statement read. (ANI)
One person was killed and two injured in a missile strike in the town of Korosten, Zhytomyr region, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine has reported.

"In a missile attack on the private sector in the city of Korosten, 1 person was killed and 2 were injured. 10 private houses were destroyed, followed by burning of 1 building. 5 children were rescued from the basement," the service said.

At the same time, the State Emergency Service also reported about the results of a missile attack on the private sector in the city of Ovruch, Zhytomyr region, where 15 residential buildings were destroyed, five of which were completely destroyed. According to rescuers, there are no victims or injured.
Kuleba calls on UN to increase volume of humanitarian aid to Ukraine

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has called on the United Nations (UN) to increase the volume of humanitarian aid.

"Call with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. We agree that Russia must immediately cease fire & allow humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians. I urged UN to step up humanitarian aid for Ukraine. Discussed implementation of UNGA res Russian aggression against Ukraine," he said on Twitter.

According to the head of the Foreign Ministry, the implementation of the resolution of the UN General Assembly "Russian aggression against Ukraine" was discussed.
Zelensky says discusses financial support for Kyiv with Biden

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed Washington's continued support for Ukraine and anti-Russian sanctions with United States President Joe Biden in a telephone call.

"As part of the constant dialogue, I had another conversation with @POTUS. The agenda included the issues of security, financial support for Ukraine, and the continuation of sanctions against Russia," Zelensky wrote on Twitter early on Sunday.
People hide from the Russian artillery shelling in a school basement in the village of Horenka close to Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, March 6, 2022. (AP Photo)

Visakhapatnam: On the eleventh day since the Russian military attack on Ukraine on February 24, some 700-plus medical students from India are still holed up in the troubled Sumy province.

Almost all Indian nationals have safely reached the borders, for exit and onward journey to their homes, from different parts of the war-torn nation.

Deccan Chronicle spoke to some students stuck in Sumy by phone on Sunday.

Student Shivangi Shibu said the 700 plus Indian students in Sumy were stuck there since February 24. They faced power disruption for the past few days due to the Russian shellings and blast of a power station. They also faced food and water supply disruption.

Getting a nod for opening green corridors, from both sides, is important for our safe passage from the Russian border, which is nearly 50km away. We are waiting for word from the Indian government, Shibu told DC from Sumy this evening.

Her fellow Indian, Radhika Sangwan, said some people were criticising the students for not leaving Ukraine even after advisories were given out by the Embassy.

Advisories are useful for Indians whose stay is not essential. We are students of the 6th year. We were expecting to receive our degrees in another three months. We have a major exam coming up. In Ukraine, it is essential to maintain 100 per cent attendance. We will not be allowed to write exams if we skip classes. Thats why we opted to stay on, Radhika said.

Radhika said electricity was available on Sunday evening but there was no water supply. Their contractor was providing drinking water through tanks, but that was not enough to cook, wash utensils, bathe and use the washroom.

Nearly 1,700 foreigners including Indians and Nigerians were stuck in the hostels of the state medical university at Sumy. They were afraid of coming out of their hostels and bunkers due to the continuous shelling.

Narrating their experience, a student said that at 7 pm on March 2, there were huge explosions near the international students hostel. Everyone is frightened, anxious. No light, no water and no way to contact our family. Our minds were blank. We immediately rushed to the bunkers, he said.

Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Ukraine said 44 Indians, who began their trip from Pisochyn, were on their way to the Polish border from Lviv on Sunday. Another group of 150 plus students was on their way to the Romanian border. A total of 2,135 Indian nationals were evacuated on Sunday, the grand total numbering 16,000 by now.
VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh Assembly is likely to hold a discussion on the "Doctrine of Separation of Powers" in the light of the judgment of the AP High Court on the Amaravati/Three Capitals issue.

The ruling YSR Congress is planning to place a debate on HC verdict in the assemblys business advisory committee (BAC) agenda at its meeting on Monday.

YSRC legislators have said the HC observation on lack of power to the state government to change the capital status of Amarvati is a matter of serious concern vis-a-vis the existence and relevance of the Legislature and the Executive as premier Constitutional institutions.

Government Whip Srikanth Reddy held a meeting with Speaker Tammineni Sitaram and legislative council chairman Moshen Raju. Later, he said this issue would be brought before the BAC on Monday. A discussion will be held on the powers of Legislature in the light of the HC verdict if the assembly speaker gives the permission, he said.

Official sources said the YSRC government first planned to file a review petition on the HC verdict before the Supreme Court. Minister for municipal administration Botsa Satyanarayana, Home minister Mekathoti Sucharita and others gave such hints, but later cancelled

the move.

In view of the judgement, chief minister Jagan, ministers and legislators now want to make good use of the assembly session to discuss the powers of the legislature and executive as Constitutional institutions.

Minister Satyanarayana said the assembly and parliament are meant to make laws. The Union Government clearly stated that the selection and establishment of the capital is entirely the right and responsibility of the state government. He said that the Three Capitals movement development of the state and the people of all regions -- and not the development of one community or land development in one area.

He said that the YSRC government is committed to the distributed development of AP. The APCRDA is in force and operative and the government did not cancel it.

Former minister and Srikakulam YSRC MLA Dharmana Prasada wrote to the CM to convene a special assembly session to debate on the Doctrine of Separation of Powers. He said the HC verdict on the competence of legislature and policy-making power of the government raised serious concern on the existence and relevance of legislature and executive as constitutional institutions.

Sources said the letter of MLA Prasada reflected the mood in the ruling YSRC vis-a-vis the APHC verdict and there are bright chances of holding discussions on the powers of legislators in this assembly session.
Drug company bosses have been accused of holding back the British launch of a pioneering contraceptive pill that could transform birth control for women.

The medication, Slynd, contains progestogen only  given to women who cannot take oestrogen. It causes fewer side effects and is more effective at preventing pregnancies than other oestrogen-free medications, such as the common mini pill.

But its main attraction is that while other contraceptive pills have to be taken during a short time window every day or they become ineffective, Slynd can be taken at any time during a 24-hour period.

British women are being denied a revolutionary new contraceptive pill which has fewer side effects than other alternatives and is more effective by eliminating the narrow time window of other options

The breakthrough tablet has been widely available in America and Australia since 2019 and received its UK licence in March last year from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.

But The Mail on Sunday has learned that manufacturer Exeltis has not applied to the NHS financial watchdog, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), for approval  a vital step before any medication can be rolled out in the UK and a process that typically takes a year.

Exeltis has also not provided a launch date for Slynd to the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare on, which provide guidelines on all contraceptives, and would not give any indication as to when it might do so.

Doctors have hailed Slynd as revolutionary and hoped it would be available by the summer. However, this looks increasingly unlikely.

GP and womens health expert Dr Philippa Kaye said: If a drug is good, why hold it back? Why is it being kept from women who could benefit? She added: Most types of Pill have to be taken within a three-hour window, but women arent robots  we forget, or we go away for the weekend. Anything that allows a bit more slack in the system and gives more choice is hugely positive.

In America, Slynd is one of the most expensive contraceptive pills on the market, costing roughly 147 per month, while the pills available on prescription in the UK typically cost the NHS under 8 a month.

Insiders suggest Exeltis may be dragging its heels as it is unwilling to negotiate with the NHS on a cheaper deal. In America, the insurance companies are paying for it, said the source. The company are making their money, so perhaps they see little reason to launch in the UK.

There are two types of contraceptive pill: the combined pill, which contains synthetic versions of the hormones oestrogen and progestogen, and the mini pill, also known as the progestogen-only pill, which contains synthetic progestogen. Both prevent pregnancy, but some women cant take the combined pill, including those who have had breast cancer or suffered blood clots, or have a family history of them, as oestrogen can raise the risks.

Women who suffer migraines are also often unable to take the combined pill as it worsens symptoms. Gynaecologist Dr Ellie Rayner, founder of The Maternity Collective which offers antenatal classes, said she has many patients who would benefit from the new pill, adding: Anything that provides an easier way for women to take a pill more reliably is a good thing.

One woman who agrees is Lucy Jones, 39, a financial adviser from London. The married mother-of-two was on the mini pill when she discovered she was pregnant with her first child Harry, now six.

She said: Id been on the mini pill since my late teens. I used to tape the packet to my light switch to make sure I took it every morning at the same time.

But in 2014 a bout of food poisoning gave rise to what Lucy calls the happiest accident of my life.

She said: I was sick and that must have flushed the pill out of my system. I didnt even realise I was pregnant for about three months  my periods were quite erratic anyway, so I didnt realise I was late.

I took a pregnancy test and was totally floored to see two blue lines. Id just landed my dream job and I was in a new relationship with my now husband. To say it was stressful would be an understatement.

My son is brilliant. But it put me off taking the pill. My husband and I use condoms now  and not using one, once, was how I ended up pregnant a second time. We dont want any more kids, so a pill that is less hassle would make things easier.

Last night an Exeltis spokesman failed to explain why it had not launched Slynd in the UK, adding: It is not yet available and the exact timing cannot be confirmed.
The Movement Has Only Just Begun: Freedom Convoy Spokespersons

Group says its role is no longer needed as the movement opposed to COVID-19 mandates has inspired people around the world to stand up for freedom

Organizers of the protest against COVID-19 mandates and restrictions in Ottawa say their role is no longer needed, as the organic movement has now gained momentum, not just in Canada but around the world.

The movement has only just begun, said spokespersons Dagny Pawlak and Benjamin Ditcher of the Freedom Convoy 2022 organization in a press release on March 3.

What started in Western Canada, gathered support across the country, and finally converged in Ottawa, was the first flick of the dominos. The political discourse has now changed and so many groups are sprouting-up all over the country and across the world advocating for the return of freedoms.

Dubbed the Freedom Convoy, trucks began arriving in Ottawa on Jan. 28 and 29 to stage a protest against federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates for truckers travelling between Canada and the United States. It turned into a much larger movement during their cross-country trek after many Canadians from across the country began joining in or voicing their support for ending the various COVID-19 mandates and restrictions.

Following Canadas lead, trucker-inspired protests began taking place in the Netherlands, Austria, the United States, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.

A truck convoy bound for the Washington, D.C., area, move through Hagerstown, Md., on March 4, 2022. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times)

We are very grateful to the truckers and volunteers who made this demonstration possible, said Pawlak and Ditcher. Without their sacrifice, the publics voice would continue to be silenced. The Freedom convoy has inspired people around the world to stand up and make their voices heard against senseless government tyranny enabled through the sowing of fear and division.

On Feb. 14, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act to clear away the protesters who had set up camps and parked trucks and other vehicles in downtown Ottawa. Trudeau said at the time that the move was about keeping Canadians safe, protecting peoples jobs, and restoring confidence in our institutions.

The police will be given more tools to restore order in places where public assemblies can constitute illegal and dangerous activities such as blockades and occupations as seen in Ottawa, Ambassador Bridge, and elsewhere, he said.

On Feb. 18, law enforcement escalated its operation against the protesters in Ottawa, using riot police who wielded batons and peppy spray. Some police officers were heavily armed, including with anti-riot guns and what appeared to be rubber bullet launchers. Mounted police and officers on foot advanced on demonstrators, with horses knocking down protesters in some instances, while some smashed truck windows to remove truckers from their vehicles.

By mid-morning on Feb. 20, police had made close to 200 arrests and had nearly 60 vehicles towed away. Later the same day, the number of vehicles towed went up to nearly 80.

The Emergencies Act also gave financial institutions the authority to freeze the accounts of protesters and supporters of the Freedom Convoy without a court order.

A mounted police unit lines up behind public order units on foot to clear away protesters from downtown Ottawa on Feb. 18, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld)

Attempts to Establish Dialogue Refused

At a press conference on Feb. 19, spokesperson Tom Marazzo said convoy organizers had been trying to establish a dialogue with the federal government since day one when the convoy arrived in Ottawa, but without success.

Never in my life would I believe anyone if they told me that our prime minister would refuse dialogue and choose violence against peaceful protesters, he said.

In their press release, Pawlak and Ditcher said invocation of the Emergencies Act against the protesters was unnecessary and will not be forgotten.

We expressly condemn the forceful escalation by law enforcement and their evasive tactics used to avoid accountability. The police were not equipped with badge numbers, name tags or body cameras, which are standard in Canadian policing, they said.

While Ottawa police has continued to call the protest unlawful, Pawlak and Ditcher commended the uniformed professionals who stood by them during the protest in Ottawa.

We continue to be honoured to have so many first-responders and military veterans who make their conscionable stand with us. We further thank the police officers, who, for most of the time we demonstrated in Ottawa, were supportive and kind.

Veterans clear snow and ice off the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier as protests against COVID-19 mandates and restrictions continue on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Feb. 12, 2022. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press)

Lawsuits Against Ottawa

Several lawsuits against the federal government are making their way through the courts. On Feb. 23 following Trudeaus announcement to revoke the Emergencies Act, both the Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF) and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), which had said on Feb. 17 that they intended to launch legal challenges against the Liberal government, proceeded with the lawsuits.

The reason is that [Trudeau] still needs to answer in court for his illegal and unconstitutional decision to invoke the Emergencies Act, CCF litigation director Christine Van Geyn said on Twitter on Feb. 23.

In a press release on Feb. 23, Abby Deshman, director of criminal justice for the CCLA, said the association continues to believe that the Trudeau government did not have sufficient legal basis to invoke the act.

We also continue to believe that it is important for the courts to consider the legal threshold and constitutional issues so as to guide the actions of future governments, she said.

Deshman stressed that even though the orders are no longer in force, Canadians are left with the precedent that the governments actions have set.

We will be consulting with our counsel over the next few days to determine what the next steps are in our litigation, but at this time we will continue our case, she said.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney also intends to proceed with a court challenge against the Liberal governments decision to invoke the Emergencies Act (EA).

Alberta intends to proceed with an application for judicial review of the EA invocation to address this abuse of power, Kenney tweeted on Feb. 23. The judiciary must be asked to establish limits on such arbitrary use of extraordinary police powers for the future.

In addition, former Newfoundland premier Brian Peckford has launched a court challenge to overturn what he believes is the infringement of Canadians charter rights. Peckford, the last surviving architect of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, filed a lawsuit against the federal government on Jan. 26 to challenge the constitutional merits of its mandates restricting travel for Canadians without a COVID-19 vaccination.

This is a culmination of my work to oppose, what I believe is the potential destruction of a very large part of our democracy, he previously told The Epoch Times. This is a crucial, historic moment for everybody, to determine whether the Charter of Rights and Freedoms really mean something.

Resolve Strengthened

Pawlak and Ditcher said Freedom Convoy 2022 will always support peaceful activists pursuing the same goals as those of their organization.

For each new organization that peacefully and lawfully protests for their civil liberties, we extend our full moral support and blessings, they said.

The spokespersons noted that investigation into the authorities actions in Ottawa will reveal the bad faith and unlawful force used against peaceful assembly.

They added that what the protest has accomplished will only strengthen the resolve of freedom activists around the globe.

We ignited a flame that has lit a fire in everyones heart, that will never be extinguished, they said.

The fight to regain our sacrosanct freedoms continues.

Andrew Chen contributed to this report.
They are answering to President Volodymyr Zelensky's call for volunteers to come assist the Ukraine's military

They are answering to President Volodymyr Zelensky's call for volunteers to come assist the Ukraine's military

They are answering to President Volodymyr Zelensky's call for volunteers to come assist the Ukraine's military

Ukrainians have been lining up to return from other countries in Europe and the U.S. in recent days

Ukrainians have been lining up to return from other countries in Europe and the U.S. in recent days

Ukrainians have been lining up to return from other countries in Europe and the U.S. in recent days

Her newly-wed husband will eventually join her once he receives his passport

Her newly-wed husband will eventually join her once he receives his passport

Her newly-wed husband will eventually join her once he receives his passport

On Monday, Maria plans to fly to Poland before traveling to the Ukrainian border

On Monday, Maria plans to fly to Poland before traveling to the Ukrainian border

On Monday, Maria plans to fly to Poland before traveling to the Ukrainian border

and her fiance, David, married Saturday before about 20 people in the backyard of their Chicago home

and her fiance, David, married Saturday before about 20 people in the backyard of their Chicago home

and her fiance, David, married Saturday before about 20 people in the backyard of their Chicago home

Advertisement

When Russia invaded her home country of Ukraine, Maria decided she had to get there and help defend it - even if it meant leaving her fiance behind in Chicago days after getting married.

Maria and her fiance, David, married Saturday before about 20 people in the backyard of an Oak Park home - the venue offered last minute after Maria asked for advice in a neighborhood Facebook group.

The couple met last year and got engaged in October.

On Monday, she plans to fly to Poland, then make her way to the Ukrainian border, ultimately aiming to volunteer to fight for her home country.

'People are running out of there and she is running in,' said a friend at the wedding, Pamela Chinchilla of Lombard.

Seven guests at the wedding brought medical supplies, masks and other items for Maria to take to Ukraine. People hugged each other, and Maria at one point spoke with family members in Odesa.

Maria, who asked that her last name not be published because she fears for her family's safety in Ukraine and the U.S., said she lived with her parents in Kyiv until 1991 when the family moved to Poland.

Newlyweds Maria and David during their ceremony at a home, Saturday, March 5, 2022, in Oak Park, Ill. Maria, whom is from Ukraine, is headed back there to volunteer, a few days after she was married

Maria and David, with her children Sasha, and Kira, during their ceremony at a home, Saturday, March 5, 2022, in Oak Park, Illinois. On Monday, Maria plans to fly to Poland, then make her way to the Ukrainian border, ultimately aiming to volunteer to fight for her home country

Maria and David finally kissed after being officially married. The couple met last year and got engaged in October

For Maria, a previous marriage ended in divorce. She met her ex-husband while studying music in Austria and more than 20 years ago they moved to his hometown of Chicago - which has the second-largest Ukrainian-born population among U.S. cities.

Since the war began, she used messages and calls through Facebook to keep in touch with her parents, who have been sheltering in a parking garage during attacks on Ukraines largest port city of Odesa. But she said she has been unable to reach cousins in Kyiv in recent days.

Three days into the invasion, Maria made up her mind to return to Ukraine, determined to find some way to be useful. She said she doesn't have medical or military training but worries that a Russian takeover of Ukraine will embolden the country to threaten more places around the world.

'I have to go,' Maria, 44, said. 'I can't do protests or fundraising or wave flags. We've done this since 2015, Ukrainians, and I just can't do it anymore.'

Her fiance refused to stay behind despite Maria's resistance to him accompanying her. But since David first needs to apply for a passport, she plans to leave Monday and wait in Poland before crossing the border.

'He knows how stubborn I am and knew hed have no chance to convince me otherwise,' Maria said.

David, 42, said he feels a responsibility to do what he can to keep her safe.

'Because complacency and compliance are pretty much the same thing,' he said. 'And you can only turn a blind eye to people being bullied for so long. And if it happens to them, it might be you next.'

He also asked that his last name not be published to avoid endangering Maria's family.

Since the start of the crisis in Ukraine, Marian and David have been asking people to purchase items needed by Ukrainian troops through an Amazon list that includes rain ponchos, medical supplies and boots rather than wedding gifts

A wedding guest going through donations being made towards Ukraine. Many Ukrainians living outside of the country have been finding ways to assist those at war, whether through donations or voluntarily enrolling themselves into the military

Maria and her fiance, David, pose for a photograph near their Chicago home on March 4, 2022. Maria plans to board a flight to Poland and find a way to cross into Ukraine. Both asked that their full names not be published out of concern for Maria's parents, who are in Ukraine

Ukraine's forces are outnumbered and outgunned, but their resistance did prevent a swift Russian victory. Ukrainian leaders called on citizens to join in guerrilla war this week as Russian forces gained ground on the coast and took over one major port city.

Associated Press reporters at the border checkpoint in Medyka in southeastern Poland found Ukrainians lining up to return from other countries in Europe in recent days in response to President Volodymyr Zelensky's call for volunteers to come assist the countrys military.

The White House has since urged Americans not to travel to Ukraine, but Maria and David said that didn't change their plans.

The couple had planned to be married at a courthouse on March 5, a nod to Maria's grandmother's birthday.

After deciding they would try to reach Ukraine, they accepted the offer to hold a backyard celebration. They also asked people to purchase items needed by Ukrainian troops through an Amazon list that includes rain ponchos, medical supplies and boots rather than wedding gifts.

Big explosions were heard before dawn in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa last week as world leaders decried the start of Russian invasion that could cause massive casualties and topple Ukraine's democratically elected governmen5

Ukrainian forces were defending Odesa, Ukraine's biggest port city, from repeated attempts by Russian ships, Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovich said. Pictured: Volunteers filling sandbags to build barricades in Odesa, Ukraine, on Saturday March 5, 2022

Maria said she's not certain what she will have to do after arriving at the Polish border with Ukraine; friends who live near border crossings have told her it's taking days to get through. Her parents also questioned her decision to volunteer, she said, because they don't want to be worried about her safety on top of their own.

'If the army doesn't take us, well be as close as possible,' Maria said Wednesday. 'There's always a need for volunteers. I'm pretty strong, I'm not afraid of blood, I'm good under pressure.'

Natalia Blauvelt, a Chicago immigration attorney who has assisted dozens of clients trying to help family leave Ukraine and Russia in recent weeks, said she hasn't heard of others seeking to get into Ukraine in order to join the country's defense.

But she advised that anyone considering it contact the Ukrainian embassy in the U.S. and speak with an immigration attorney to talk through plans for returning to the U.S.

Newlyweds Maria and David during their ceremony at a home, Saturday, March 5, 2022, in Oak Park, Ill. Maria, whom is from Ukraine, is headed back there to volunteer, a few days after she was married

Newlyweds Maria and David, with her children Sasha, and Kira, during their ceremony at a home, Saturday, March 5, 2022, in Oak Park, Ill. On Monday, she plans to fly to Poland, then make her way to the Ukrainian border, ultimately aiming to volunteer to fight for her home country

Newlyweds Maria and David, with her children Sasha and Kira, during their ceremony at a home, Saturday, March 5, 2022, in Oak Park, Ill. Maria, who is from Ukraine, is headed back there to volunteer, a few days after she was married

Newlywed Maria toast with friends during her wedding ceremony at a home, Saturday, March 5, 2022, in Oak Park, Ill. On Monday, Maria plans to fly to Poland, then make her way to the Ukrainian border, ultimately aiming to volunteer to fight for her home country

Newlywed Maria hugs David during their ceremony at a home, Saturday, March 5, 2022, in Oak Park, Ill. Maria, whom is from Ukraine, is headed back there to volunteer, a few days after she was married

Newlywed Maria, right, greets a friend before she married her husband David during their ceremony at a home, Saturday, March 5, 2022, in Oak Park, Ill. Maria, who is from Ukraine, is headed back there to volunteer, a few days after she was married

Newlywed Maria, back to camera, hugs a friend before she married her husband David during their ceremony at a home, Saturday, March 5, 2022, in Oak Park, Ill. Maria, who is from Ukraine, is headed back there to volunteer, a few days after she was married
On Monday, February 28, the US Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case of West Virginia vs the Environmental Protection Agency, sponsored by Republican-led states along with coal mining interests. There are two main questions before the court. First, does the US Supreme Court even have jurisdiction to resolve this question, and does the lower court's decision on appeal here violate the so-called major questions doctrine, which holds that if Congress wants to delegate broad powers to federal administrative agencies it must do so clearly? How the Supreme Court chooses to interpret this doctrine has enormous implications for federal regulatory policy. If the court interprets it in a broad, expansive fashion (as we believe the conservative justices on the court will do), the court would curtail the regulatory scope not just of the EPA but many other federal agencies as well according to scotusblog.com. In addition to the EPA, OSHA, FDA, and the SEC might find their activities limited, too.

The highly technical legal issue here stems from an interpretation of Section 7411 of the Clean Air Act. The Obama administration, in promulgating regulations to restrict CO2 emissions, included industry-wide remediation measures in its 2016 Clean Power Plan. The issue is whether it exceeded its administrative authority in proposing pollution controls that were not inside the fenceline, that is, industry-wide as opposed to plant-specific. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of states challenging this proposed EPA plan, which never went into effect. The Trump administration repealed the Clean Power Plan, replacing it with a more industry-friendly Affordable Clean Energy Rule in 2019, which another set of plaintiffs challenged in court. In January of last year, the DC Court of Appeals vacated the Trump administrations repeal of the Clean Power Plan and sent the issue back to the EPA. The Biden administration has stated in this case that it will not return to the previous Clean Power Plan but are instead redraft its own regulations with respect to power plant greenhouse gas emissions. The District of Columbias Circuit Court final decision is on hold until EPA issues a rewrite of power plant emissions regulations.

Several legal observers have questioned whether the states and coal interests even have a legal right to bring this case before the Supreme Court since the lower courts final ruling is awaiting further power plant emissions regulations by the EPA. Nevertheless, the West Virginia solicitor requested that the Supreme Court invalidate the lower courts ruling (which put on hold Trumps Affordable Clean Energy Rule) stating that West Virginia. would benefit (economically) from a Supreme Court decision that reimposed more lenient greenhouse gas regulations. The US Solicitor General, representing the Biden administration, suggested that the Republicans and their allies in the coal industry were attempting to preemptively constrain the power of the EPA in future rulemaking.

Interestingly, it was not clear from the justices comments whether there was unanimity that the major questions doctrine applied in this case. It was clear however that justices Roberts, Alito, and Kavanaugh did see implications for the major questions doctrine while justices Barrett, Thomas, and Gorsuch seemed less convinced. (As an aside we should point out that Gorsuchs mother was head of the EPA under President Reagan.)

Because of the oddness of this case, essentially challenging a minor Obama-era power plant regulation that never went into effect, its very tough to guess how the court will ultimately rule. But it is clear to us that the court will remain sensitive to any administrative policy that  in the courts view exercises an expansive use of federal regulatory power. A Supreme Court decision, in this case, is expected sometime this summer. Depending on how it goes, it could have seismic ramifications for the American regulatory process.

By Leonard Hyman and William Tilles

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One person has died after a car hit a power pole in Tauranga during the early hours of the morning, according to police.

The single-vehicle crash happened on Maunganui Road with police notified just after 2am.

The car was found to have collided with a power pole and the driver, the single occupant, died at the scene, says a police spokesperson.

The police investigation into the cause of the crash is now ongoing.
Its About Being United: Participants Share Their Reasons for Joining Freedom Chain

In a show of unity and love toward their fellow Canadians, thousands across the country, from Victoria, B.C., to Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador, celebrated the inaugural event of the Freedom Chain 2022 movement on March 5.

First envisioned during the summer of 2021, organizers volunteered and collaborated during the past several months in a group effort to bring people together and emphasize love and fellowship among Canadians and throughout the world.

The event was marked by people holding hands to form a human chain, largely across portions of the Trans-Canada Highway, for example from one family in Goldstream west of Victoria to thousands reported through to Salmon Arm, B.C., and from Belleville to Havelock and on to Peterborough, Ontario.

Demonstrators take part in the Freedom Chain event in Peterborough, Ont., on March 5, 2022. (Caleb Shipman)

The Freedom Chain 2022 was truly a national experience, with representation across virtually every province.

Teresa Sinclair joined hands with others in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and made an emotional post on her Facebook page.

I think its safe to say that the freedom chain was a success, she said. Im not going to lie Im getting a little bit emotional seeing all these fabulous pictures and videos of so many of us freedom fighters getting together to join hand in hand literally coast to coast. This is just one reason why I am so incredibly proud to be Canadian. Because we really do come together.

At the same time Sinclair was participating in Winnipeg, Sascha Pasternak was part of a massive group in the Shuswap region in B.C.s southern Interior.

You want to be on the right side of history, and thats why Im going to keep supporting, every time, when it comes out to all of these different villages. And I just want to be out with the people. That is good. I feel the love of God, and its a great thing, Pasternak told The Epoch Times.

Leaders of Freedom Chain 2022 emphasize that the decision to hold the event is unrelated to recent rallies across the country, including the Freedom Convoy earlier this year, which saw thousands of truckers and their supporters converge in Ottawa.

The Freedom Chain was designed as a standalone opportunity to encourage Canadians to show love across the country, they say, and the leaders of the different regions asked to remain anonymous because they didnt want personal egos to overtake the message.

Its about the country, its about the world, its about everybody coming together, one of Ontarios organizers told The Epoch Times. Its just about being united, being peaceful and loving each other for who we are and not the choices that we make. And Im just a Canadian whos pulling people together, giving them a place to go.

Standing Shoulder to Shoulder in Freedom

The same message was echoed on Vancouver Island by a Freedom Chain leader there, who offered an additional encouragement for people who may be losing hope because of COVID fatigue and other troubling world events.

Demonstrators take part in the Freedom Chain in Peterborough, Ont., on March 5, 2022. (Caleb Shipman)

I want to stay true to our Freedom Chain, and we just want to show unity and freedom and love, she told The Epoch Times. Its about holding the love and showing that we are loved and we are unified, and the government cant take that away from every individual in this country. They cant take it from the people in this world. They cant mandate that out of us. And we need to show that.

Another organizer brought experience from her time in Ottawa during the Freedom Convoy protest, where she witnessed the gathering of unity and love. She knew she would be able to rally the same spirit in B.C.s South Okanagan region.

In an interview with The Epoch Times, she described the energy of the crowd under a clear, blue sky and warm, late-winter sun.

Oh, my goodness, it was the most amazing turnout, and there was a huge showing nationwide as well, she said. Its freedom, unity, and everybodys standing shoulder to shoulder in freedom, a name that is right and is what it represents.

Weve been separated into a two-tier society, right? And one thing I learned from going down to Ottawa and meeting so many people on the ground there was this is not a movement of vaxxed versus unvaxxed. Its not about that at all. We just want freedom.

Several social media pages have been created for different regions across the country, including a national page to unify the movement. And while many followers are eager to hold more Freedom Chain events, future dates have not yet been officially announced.
United States' Brittney Griner (15), center, drives Japan's Maki Takada (8) during women's basketball gold medal game at the 2020 Summer Olympics, in Saitama, Japan, on Aug. 8, 2021. (Eric Gay/AP Photo)

WNBA Star Brittney Griner Detained in Russia

WNBA star Brittney Griner was detained in Russia after allegedly being caught with hashish oil in her luggage, according to her agent and several Congress members.

As a U.S. citizen was passing through the green channel at Sheremetyevo Airport upon arriving from New York, a working dog from the Sheremetyevo Customs canine department detected the possible presence of narcotic substances in the accompanying luggage, the Russian Federal Customs Service said in a statement, without naming Griner.

It added: The customs inspection of the hand luggage being carried by the U.S. citizen confirmed the presence of vapes with specifically-smelling liquid, and an expert determined that the liquid was cannabis oil (hash oil), which is a narcotic substance.

Both the WNBA Players Association and Griners agent confirmed over the weekend that she was detained and was identified as a woman shown in a Russian Federal Customs Service video going through security at the Sheremetyevo airport near Moscow.

Our utmost concern is BGs safety and well-being, the WNBA Players Association said in a statement to news outlets, referring to Griner. On behalf of The 144, we send our love and support. We will continue to closely monitor and look forward to her return to the U.S.

Her agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, told ESPN, We are aware of the situation with Brittney Griner in Russia and are in close contact with her, her legal representation in Russia, her family, her teams, and the WNBA and NBA.

Colas added she is not able to comment further on the specifics of her case but can confirm that as we work to get her home, her mental and physical health remain our primary concern.

During the offseason, Griner, 31, had been playing for Russian team UMMC Ekaterinburg and made her last appearance on Jan. 29. Its not clear when she was detained.

Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) said he is closely monitoring the situation, while Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) called for her release.

Brittney Griner is a United States citizen, she was a guest in Russiaand I will be demanding her release, said Lee during a weekend press conference.

The incident comes as Western countries, including the United States, has levied heavy sanctions against Russia, including its Central Bank, President Vladimir Putin, members of the countrys elite, and other institutions over its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine. A number of corporations pledged that they would not operate or do business in Russia.

When asked about Griner at a news conference this weekend, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States will provide assistance, adding that an Embassy team is working on her case.

Theres only so much I can say given the privacy considerations, he said in a press conference with Moldovan President Maia Sandu. Whenever an American is detained anywhere in the world, we of course stand ready to provide every possible assistance, and that includes in Russia.
Clarke Perkins has wanted to be a lawyer for more than a decade. She wasnt shy about sharing that goal with students while teaching social studies and history in Cleveland, Ohio, before pursuing her dream.



As a Black teacher at a predominantly Black high school, I would tell my students about the difference lawyers could make in peoples lives. Id tell them how I wanted to be a lawyer for that reason, and how they should consider it, too, Perkins remembered. But when only 4.7% of lawyers in America are Black, and less than 2% are Black women, its sometimes hard to imagine our dreams becoming a reality.



That dream is getting a historic boost as the U.S. Senate prepares to begin confirmation hearings for the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to replace the retiring Justice Stephen Breyer on the U.S. Supreme Court.



The hearings are scheduled to begin March 21 and, if confirmed, Jackson would become the first Black woman to serve on Americas highest court. While supporters of Jacksons nomination laud the importance of having a government as diverse as the population it serves, critics complain that the decision to explicitly seek out a Black female for the seat excluded many qualified candidates from consideration, among other complaints.



Writing in the Wall Street Journal, George Washington University law professor Johnathan Turley bemoaned selecting the next justice first and foremost on race and sex.



But Perkins, who is now in law school at Tulane University in New Orleans, sees an inspiring choice for her and countless others.



Law school is difficult and competitive for everyone, but Black women face discrimination from two sides  being African American and being female  and it sometimes feels impossible, Perkins said. But to see Judge Jackson, who had to work so hard to get where she is, now so close to reaching the pinnacle  everything seems possible.

Diversity brings hope

Jackson, a federal appellate judge, comes from a family dedicated to public service. She was born in Washington and grew up in Miami, Florida. She is the daughter of two public school teachers, though her father eventually became chief attorney for the Miami-Dade County School Board.



After graduating cum laude from Harvard Law School, Jackson began her legal career as a public defender.



Jacksons story is resonating with many girls, women and minorities across the country. That includes Angel Williams, a student at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law and a member of the campus Black Law Student Association.



When she [Jackson] told her high school guidance counselor she wanted to go to Harvard, she was told not to set her sights too high. But look at her now, Williams said, adding that Jacksons story is an inspiration to her and countless other Black women law students.



Entering a field that is 95% white, Ive been told my hair is unprofessional, that my tone of voice is too disagreeable and countless other things that arent connected to my performance as a law student, Williams said. But to see a Black woman finally regarded as one of the greatest legal minds in the country gives me hope.



Many in favor of Jacksons nomination celebrate it as a necessary though long overdue step toward diversity at the pinnacle of Americas judiciary.



Having a government that reflects the diversity of the people it serves strengthens the foundation of our democracy, said Christopher Kang, co-founder and chief counsel of Demand Justice, a left-leaning advocacy group focused on the political makeup of Americas judicial system. Its long past time for a Black woman Supreme Court justice.



Kang said the color of Jacksons skin is far from the only reason she would strengthen the Supreme Court. He believes her history as a public defender, followed by more than four years of work on the U.S. Sentencing Commission and stints as a federal judge, combine to form an outstanding legal resume.



Judge Jackson is one of the most qualified Supreme Court nominees in history, he told VOA. She has more judicial experience than half the justices had combined when they were confirmed, and she has more trial court judge experience than any Supreme Court nominee in nearly 100 years.

Pushback

By nominating Jackson, President Joe Biden satisfies two promises he made during the 2020 presidential campaign. One promise was to nominate the first public defender to the Supreme Court.



Its a perspective that is underrepresented in our judiciary, Kang said, and which gives her a deep and unique understanding of the legal experiences of people who cannot afford a lawyer.



The other promise Biden made was to nominate a Black woman to the bench for the first time in American history. Fulfilling that promise has drawn criticism that setting aside positions for minorities amounts to reverse discrimination.



This administration is going to discriminate, Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas said during an interview on Fox News Sunday. What the president said is that only African American women are eligible for this slot, that 94% of Americans are ineligible.



Jacksons nomination raised some eyebrows in light of a case currently before the Supreme Court. Later this year, the court will hear arguments on the constitutionality of admissions standards in higher education that take race into consideration to promote diverse student bodies.



Josh Blackman, professor at the South Texas College of Law in Houston, said Biden isnt the first president to consider demographics when picking a Supreme Court nominee. Former President Donald Trump, he noted, opted to replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg with another female, nominating Amy Barrett in 2020. The same may have been true when former President H.W. Bush tapped Clarence Thomas, an African American, to replace Justice Thurgood Marshall, the Supreme Courts first Black justice, in 1991.



The difference here is that presidents dont usually announce those demographic considerations out loud, Blackman told VOA. But President Biden did, and that sent a clear signal that he was excluding from consideration anyone who didnt meet that criteria.

It is our time

Jacksons supporters believe criticism of her nomination ignores centuries of discrimination against minorities.



Not choosing any Black women up until now is whats racist and sexist, said Nanette Collins, law librarian and adjunct professor at Texas Southern University. White people have been given jobs over qualified Black candidates because of their race since this country was founded. It is our time to have seats at the table and to get a few of those jobs, she told VOA.



In an evenly divided Senate, Democrats hold just enough votes to confirm Jackson on their own if they all vote in favor. Three Republicans backed her in a previous Senate confirmation vote, though there is no guarantee they will vote in favor of Jackson for the high court.



However the confirmation process plays out, Clarke Perkins wants senators to be mindful of the inspiration Jackson could provide to countless Americans by sitting on the high court.



In law school, it sometimes feels like Im at a disadvantage because there arent a lot of people I can look to and see myself and my story in, she said, but hopefully thats about to change. I could have an example on the highest court in the land.
Trump also claimed that Obama didnt write his first book, telling Sean Hannity in 2011: I heard he had terrible marks, and he ends up in Harvard. He wrote a book that was better than Ernest Hemingway, but the second book was written by an average person. He shouldnt have written the second book.

Trump insisted that Bill Ayers, who happens to be white, had to be the author of the first book.

And it didnt stop there. In 2012, Trump offered to donate $5 million to the charity of Obamas choosing if Obama would release his college and passport records.

These episodes struck such a nerve because it isnt only presidents or Supreme Court picks who have to present proof of their credentials. Too many people, Black and of other races, have had to do the same at some point in their lives. It is humiliating and degrading.

It has happened to me several times, and I will share one.

Before I was a columnist, I was an information graphics journalist, a profession that deals with data, sometimes reams of it, to produce maps, charts, diagrams and the like.

The Times was then, and remains, a leader in the field. And as its graphics director, I was in charge of its efforts.

But that field was an overwhelmingly white world. So, for some, my presence was incongruous.

One year I was in Pamplona, Spain, judging the international information graphics awards. The student helpers invited some of the judges out to a bar after dinner. The bar was a cavernous space with an overwhelming amount of flashing and spinning lights.
The external affairs ministry, headed by S. Jaishankar, has three ministers of state  V. Muraleedharan, Meenakshi Lekhi and Rajkumar Ranjan Singh  to assist their senior minister. And yet none of them were asked to pitch in when the Narendra Modi government began the difficult task of flying out stranded Indian students in Ukraine. Instead, the Prime Minister tasked ministers Hardeep Puri, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Kiren Rijiju and V.K. Singh to fly to countries bordering Ukraine to oversee the evacuation of Indian students. Predictably, questions were being asked whether Mr Jaishankars junior ministers could not be trusted to handle this assignment even though it pertains to their ministry. Ms Lekhi did briefly review the arrangements made at the control room set up by the external affairs ministry to help the students but subsequently flew to meet Sadhguru Vasudev in Coimbatore where she had an extensive conversation on the importance of soil health amidst the soil degradation crisis. Clearly, Ms Lekhi had more important matters to attend to besides her ministerial duties.

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Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati may have kept a low profile in the current Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls but her continuing hold over the Jatav vote has pushed all the political players  the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Samajwadi Party and the Congress  to treat her with kid gloves. The BJP has its own reasons for going soft on Ms Mayawati but the two Opposition parties chose to do the same for fear of alienating the Scheduled Castes. The Samajwadi Party leaders were tempted to disparage Ms Mayawati in an effort to win over the non-Jatav Scheduled Caste voter but they were discouraged from doing so by their strategists following feedback from the ground that though the non-Jatav castes were unhappy with Ms Mayawati and did not hesitate to criticise her publicly, they took strong umbrage if others spoke the same language. Their argument was: Ms Mayawati has many faults and we have a lot of grievances with her but she is our beti.

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Having learnt a bitter lesson in 2017 when the Bharatiya Janata Party managed to form a government in Goa though it was not the largest party, the Congress is taking no chances this time. While the Congress is convinced it will cross the majority mark on March 10 when the Assembly election results are declared, it is keeping a strict eye on candidates who could be persuaded to switch sides in case of a close contest. The Congress faces a challenging task as several of its potentially winning candidates were poached from the BJP and have no ideological commitment to the party. It faces its biggest threat from Michael Lobo, the strongman from North Goa who was inducted into the Congress with much fanfare. Congress insiders fear that if Mr Lobo is not adequately rewarded, he may cross over again and take away five to seven legislators with him.

Consequently, Congress leaders P. Chidambaram, Dinesh Gundu Rao and Digambar Kamat are in constant touch with Mr Lobo. At the same time, Mr Kamat who is likely to be named chief minister in case of a Congress victory, has also been asked to keep his flock together and maintain cordial relations with party candidates from the Trinamul Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party to enable party managers to move swiftly once the results are out.

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As political parties in Punjab await the results of the Assembly polls, state Congress leaders along with party office bearers from Delhi have been confabulating regularly about the possible outcome on March 10. The Punjab election has been the most difficult to predict because the once-bipolar state for the first time witnessed a multi-cornered contest. Chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi has been looking particularly downcast as he realises he will be the fall guy if the Congress loses. At one such meeting, he is learned to have remarked that he is in the same condition as the character Thakur in Sholay. One arm was taken by Sidhu and the other by Jakhar, leaving me helpless. He was obviously referring to the open war waged against him by the present and former Punjab Congress presidents Navjot Singh Sidhu and Sunil Jakhar. It is to be seen if Channi, like Thakur in Sholay, can fight back.

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Meanwhile in Uttarakhand, the blame game in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party began well before the declaration of the election results while internal rivalries have also come to the fore. Four BJP legislators have publicly accused the state party chief Madan Kaushik of sabotaging their election. Of them, three are known for their proximity to chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami while Mr Kaushik is known to be close to former chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat.This clearly suggests that the state BJP is set to hold Mr Kaushik and, by implication his mentor Mr Rawat, responsible if the party loses. Even if the BJP wins, the demand for Mr Kaushiks ouster will not die down as the state president hails from the plains and is unacceptable to the leaders from the hills.
The Embassy officials, who received more than 1,500 requests for help from Indian students over three days from Sumy, Kharkiv and other places, created a Google form on Sunday and circulated it among Indian students. (Photo: Twitter)

HYDERABAD: As Russian forces intensified bombing of high-rise buildings and residential localities, officials of the Indian Embassy in Kyiv are collecting details of hundreds of Indian students to make arrangements to evacuate them from war-torn Ukraine.

Hundreds of students including from Telugu states have been stranded in Sumy, Kharkiv and other places for the past 10 days. The Embassy officials, who received more than 1,500 requests for help from Indian students over three days from Sumy, Kharkiv and other places, created a Google form on Sunday and circulated it among Indian students.

The Embassy requested all Indian citizens stranded in Ukraine to fill up this form urgently.

"As there are 100 to 150 students in each hostel, the stock of food is now exhausted. We managed to get some biscuits and bread. We shared 250 grams of bread among five students last night and the situation in Sumy is pathetic. Till today, there has been no assurance from the Embassy officials except collecting our details," said Praneeth, an MBBS student in Sumy.

The students said there was continuous shelling for days and nights and they were unable to come out. Even the college management approached some private travel agencies, and they refused to operate services from Sumy to Kyiv and to the nearest railway stations.

"We heard that the Russian Army intensified shelling of bombs on high-rise buildings and residential localities after Ukraine forces shot some aircrafts and detained its pilots. We requested the officials to shift students from Sumy to Russia, which is only 60 km away rather than from Sumy to Kyiv," Mahtab, an MBBS student said.

Meanwhile, as many as 172 Telugu students arrived in Delhi on Sunday from four different areas in Ukraine. A total of 613 students from Telangana and 510 from Andhra Pradesh have been evacuated from Ukraine till Sunday.
A New Mexico woman was arrested after authorities say she caused a crash that killed an officer and retired firefighter and then lied about having been kidnapped.

Jeannine Jaramillo, 46, faces charges including two counts of first-degree murder, authorities said in a news conference Saturday, after initially presenting herself as a victim.

After a pursuit, the Wednesday crash on Interstate 25 near Santa Fe killed Officer Robert Duran, 43, and Frank Lovato, 62.

Lovato was a retired firefighter from the northern New Mexico city of Las Vegas who was driving a pickup truck and not involved with the pursuit.

Jaramillo had initially said she had been carjacked at knifepoint, according to authorities, and was released after being treated at a hospital for injuries that were not life-threatening.

Jeannine Jaramillo, 46, pictured, faces charges including two counts of first-degree murder, authorities said in a news conference Saturday

Pictured: Officer Robert Duran, Santa Fe Police Department, was killed in a crash following a pursuit of Jeannine Jaramillo on Wednesday

Frank Lovato, 62, pictured, a retired engineer for the Las Vegas Fire Department, was driving a pickup truck when he died in the crash, and not involved with the pursuit

Authorities gather along I-25 to take part in a search for a suspect who was involved in a high speed chase that resulted in a Santa Fe Police Officer being killed, Wednesday March 2, 2022

She was arrested Saturday, according to a New Mexico State Police news release, after evidence submitted to a lab Friday showed she was the sole driver of the stolen vehicle involved in the crash.

DNA found on the airbag belonged to Jaramillo and evidence showed there was only one person inside at the time of the crash, according to New Mexico State Police.

Search warrant affidavits filed to seek DNA and evidence from Jaramillo's cellphone said a police officer saw a woman get out of Jaramillo's car but no other person, news outlets reported Friday.

She also faces charges of reckless homicide by vehicle, receiving and transferring a stolen vehicle, and tampering with evidence, according to the Santa Fe District Attorney's office.

'I believe the arrest of Jeannine Jaramillo has made our community safer,' said Tim Johnson, chief of the New Mexico State Police.

Mugshot of Jeannine Jaramillo, who had initially said she had been carjacked at knifepoint, was released after being treated at a hospital for injuries that were not life-threatening

The scene of the crash following the pursuit, showing the pickup truck driven by Lovato, far right, Officer Duran's police car, center, and the vehicle Jaramillo was in

Pictured: the scene of the fatal car crash, which left Santa Fe Police Officer Robert Duran and retired firefighter Frank Lovato dead

'Her actions put the entire public in danger and took the lives of two dedicated public servants.'

Police had said after the crash they were searching for a suspect described by Jaramillo as a man she'd dated briefly and that he had abducted her from an apartment complex following an argument.

But authorities said her story was 'suspiciously similar' to her statement in a September 2021 case, when she reported that a man held her against her will with a knife to her neck and he hid on the floorboard.

She was charged at the time with receiving a stolen vehicle, aggravated fleeing and possession of methamphetamine, authorities said.

KOB-TV and other news outlets had reported that court documents said Jaramillo twice previously was involved in pursuits in Cibola County in September and October.

She had told officers she had been carjacked but no other person was found.

Prosecutors dismissed both cases 'pending further investigation.'

Jaramillo had told KOB-TV Friday that she was abducted, feared for her life and didn't see the man get out of her crashed car because she blacked out briefly.

'I crawled out the driver side window, I fell to the ground and I looked up and there was the police, and I just ran for my life, and I was screaming, "help me,"' Jaramillo said.

'I'm crying, I was hysterical, I was in shock.'

Jaramillo had said it was wrong to suggest she was alone in the car.

'I think people should understand that, when you are involved in a situation like that, I don't think that it is right for them to say things that have their opinion, like that, until they are in a situation like that themselves,' Jaramillo said.
Priti Patel has said the UK is 'doing everything possible' to speed up efforts to grant visas to Ukrainian refugees amid fury that only fifty have been approved so far.

Under the Ukraine Family Scheme, 'around 50' visas were given the green light as of 10am on Sunday.

The Government said that some 5,535 applications have been completed and submitted online and 2,368 people booked a visa appointment to submit their application and biometric information.

And the Home Office said 11,750 people have started, but not completed, an online application.

This afternoon, Ms Patel visited the Ukrainian Social Club in Holland Park, west London, and dropped off a bag of donations including wet wipes, nappies and non-perishable foods and met with volunteers.

Ms Patel spoke to the media too and was asked if it was acceptable that one percent of applications for visas had been granted in the first 48 hours of the scheme.

She said her staff are people across the entire EU and are doing everything possible to aid Ukrainian refugees.

Priti Patel has said the UK is 'doing everything possible' to speed up efforts to grant visas to Ukrainian refugees amid fury that only fifty have been approved so far

Ms Patel said: 'Let's be clear, this is the first scheme in the world that's up and running in this short period of time.

'Ten thousand applications and yes, grants are happening as we stand here right now and are speaking. So I'm surging staff across all application centres across the entire European Union as well as in the border countries such as Poland, where I was the other day and obviously where huge numbers of people are coming through.'

She added: 'This is an incredible scheme and we are doing everything possible, surging capacity across every single application centre across the EU.'

Ms Patel added that staff are being flown into countries which border Ukraine 'so we can fast track and speed up applications and it is right that we do this.'

Under the Ukraine Family Scheme, 'around 50' visas were given the green light as of 10am on Sunday. Pictured: Ukrainian refugees walk a bridge at the buffer zone with the border with Poland in western Ukraine today

This afternoon, Ms Patel visited the Ukrainian Social Club in Holland Park, west London, and dropped off a bag of donations including wet wipes, nappies and non-perishable foods. Pictured: Volunteers sort through donated items at the Ukrainian Social Club today

The Home Secretary denied accusations from France that refugees had been turned away from the UK at Calais.

Gerald Darmanin, French interior minister, said it was 'inhumane' of the UK to turn away refugees arriving in Calais if they did not have a valid visa.

However, Ms Patel said: 'Let me just correct what has been said by the French government. The British Government is not turning anybody around or turning anybody back at all.

'And I think it's really important to emphasise that, particularly at this time, when all nations across Europe must work together to help and support people in need and fleeing Ukraine at this awful, awful time.'

Ms Patel then met with volunteers helping with relief efforts. Pictured: The Home Secretary greets bishop Kenneth Nowakowski during her visit to the Ukrainian Social Club in Holland Park today

The Home Secretary denied accusations from France that refugees had been turned away from the UK at Calais. Gerald Darmanin, French interior minister, (pictured) said it was 'inhumane' of the UK to turn away refugees arriving in Calais if they did not have a valid visa

Mr Darmanin said that hundreds of Ukrainian refugees in Calais have been told by British authorities to get a visa at UK consulates in Paris or Brussels. Pictured: Donations are sorted by volunteers at the Ukrainian Social Club in Holland Park today

Ms Patel said: 'I have staff in Calais to provide support to Ukrainian families that have left Ukraine to come to the United Kingdom. It is wrong and it is inaccurate to say that we are not providing support on the ground. We are.'

Mr Darmanin told Europe 1 radio earlier: 'I called my British counterpart twice.

'I asked her to set up a consulate in Calais that can process people's paperwork and issue visas.'

He said that hundreds of Ukrainian refugees in Calais have been told by British authorities to get a visa at UK consulates in Paris or Brussels.

Mr Darmanin said it was 'a bit inhumane' to expect them to travel to the consulates after their long journeys from Ukraine.

The French interior minister said it was 'a bit inhumane' to expect them to travel to the consulates after their long journeys from Ukraine. Pictured: People arrive in Romania today after fleeing Ukraine

'The British must put their rhetoric into action, I've heard the big words of generosity from Mr (Boris) Johnson,' Mr Darmanin said. Pictured: The sleeping area for Ukrainian refugees in Przemysl, Poland yesterday

'The British must put their rhetoric into action, I've heard the big words of generosity from Mr (Boris) Johnson,' Mr Darmanin said.

'I hope this will allow the English to open their arms a little and stop the technocratic nit-picking'.

Ukrainian ambassador to the UK Vadym Prystaiko said any 'bureaucratic nonsense' around visas should be cleared.

Mr Prystaiko, who met Ms Patel at the nearby embassy after her visit, said: 'We believe that some of the procedures can be really simplified.

'We will sort it out later, now we have to let as maximum people we can have as possible.

'All the security checks should be in place for obvious reasons because it is a war.'

Ukrainian ambassador to the UK Vadym Prystaiko (pictured) today said at the Ukrainian Social Club in Holland Park that any 'bureaucratic nonsense' around visas should be cleared

Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab told the BBC's Sunday Morning programme: 'If we just open the door, not only will we not benefit the people that we need to, the genuine refugees, but I think we undermine the popular support for this very thing, so I don't think that's the right thing to do. We need to make sure that we're acting for those that need our support.'

He said he expects up to 200,000 Ukrainians could come to the UK through the family dependents route while the humanitarian route is uncapped.

Asked by ITV News presenter Nina Hossain whether the Government should make it as simple as it was for his father, who fled Czechoslovakia from the Nazis, to come to the UK, the Deputy Prime Minister said: 'I don't need to be lectured by you about what my father went through.

'You are talking about something you know little about. It was incredibly difficult for my father to get to the UK.'

Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab (pictured) told the BBC's Sunday Morning programme: 'If we just open the door, not only will we not benefit the people that we need to, the genuine refugees, but I think we undermine the popular support for this very thing, so I don't think that's the right thing to do

Ukrainians with parents, grandparents, children and siblings are allowed to stay in the UK for up to three years, under the recently-extended visa scheme.

But the offer does not match that of EU countries, which have waived visa rules for Ukrainian refugees and are allowing them in for up to three years without first having to seek asylum.

The United Nations said that more than 1.5 million refugees have already fled Ukraine, 11 days into Russia's invasion of the country.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi tweeted: 'More than 1.5 million refugees from Ukraine have crossed into neighbouring countries in 10 days  the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.'
The state government is planning to establish one medical college in each district with Asifabad and Nirmal districts getting the preference. (DC file photo)

Adilabad: The state government is planning to establish one medical college in each district with Asifabad and Nirmal districts getting the preference. This is aimed at reducing the burden on Osmania and Gandhi medical colleges.

This follows an assurance given by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao in the wake of representations made to him by ZP chairman Kova Laxmi, legislator Atram Sakku and Minister Allola Indrakaran Reddy seeking sanction of medical colleges to their respective districts. The state government has to first send proposals to the Centre to get permission for establishing new medical colleges in districts.

Meanwhile, the Nirmal district administration has selected a government place for the purpose on the outskirts of Nirmal, where an integrated collectorate building and district hospital are coming up.

Komaram Bheem Asifabad and Nirmal districts have considerable tribal populations and there are many interior and inaccessible villages that have poor road connectivity.

During his recent visit, finance minister T. Harish Rao laid the foundation stone for hospitals in the two districts and promised medical colleges and improved facilities in order to reduce dependence on Hyderabad for treatments.

Rao said the number of medical colleges in Telangana had increased to 17, while it was just three prior to 2014. The Chief Minister is giving priority to quality medical services to the poor across districts, he said.

The state government is also focusing on creating medical infrastructures like integrated labs attached to medical colleges. Tests would be free of cost to inpatients and outpatients, he said.
Russia has placed the staff at a Ukrainian nuclear plant under its direct command and restricted workers' ability to communicate with the outside world, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a statement Sunday.

Driving the news: Russian forces seized the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station in southeastern Ukraine  the largest in Europe  earlier this week, after shelling the plant and igniting a fire at the site.

State of play: Staff at the plant are now under Russian command and any actions taken by plant management, including "measures related to the technical operation of the six reactor units," must be approved ahead of time by the Russian commander, per the statement.

"In a second serious development, Ukraine has reported that the Russian forces at the site have switched off some mobile networks and the internet so that reliable information from the site cannot be obtained through the normal channels of communication," it added.

The IAEA noted that it had received confirmation from Ukraine's nuclear regulator that it was having "major problems" communicating with staff at the Zaporizhzhya plant.

What they're saying: Im extremely concerned about these developments that were reported to me today," Rafael Grossi, director-general of the IAEA, said in the statement.

"In order to be able to operate the plant safely and securely, management and staff must be allowed to carry out their vital duties in stable conditions without undue external interference or pressure, Grossi added.

Go deeper: Dashboard: Russian invasion of Ukraine




During his weekly address on Sunday, Pope Francis called on the Russian invasion of Ukraine to end while rejecting the use of "special military operation,"Reuters reported.

"In Ukraine, rivers of blood and tears are flowing. This is not just a military operation but a war which sows death, destruction and misery," Francis told those congregating at St. Peter's Square on Sunday.

Most of the crowd at Pope Francis's address were holding multi-colored peace flags as well as the blue and yellow flag of Ukraine, according to Reuters.

Even though he didn't condemn Russia by name for its invasion, he repeated his ask for peace between the two countries, the creation of humanitarian corridors, and return to negotiations.

"In that martyred country the need for humanitarian assistance is growing by the hour," Pope Francis said. "War is madness, please stop."

Pope Francis' remarks come as Russia's invasion of Ukraine has led to a series of international sanctions being leveled against Moscow. U.S. companies in a variety of sectors have also moved to end business with Russia.

Ukrainian citizens are fleeing the country amid the invasion, and many inside and outside Ukraine are seeking to communicate through services that are intended to ensure their privacy.

The UN's refugee agency shared on Thursday that more than one million Ukrainian citizens have fled the country since the invasion.

When the invasion began, Pope Francis traveled to the Russian embassy in Italy to share his concern about the invasion, which was a departure from protocol, Reuters noted.

"Even if the pope did not say the word 'Russia', everyone in the world knows who the aggressor that invaded us is and who started this unprovoked war," Ukraine's ambassador to the Vatican Andriy Yurash said in a statement.
What Does This Kind of Faith Look Like?

Therefore, this first element of faith has to do with its content and doctrine. Faith must identify the God of the Bible, the Lord who spoke to Moses from the burning bush, as the one true God. Faith must be in him if it is to be saving faith. Over and over, he says, I am God, and there is no other (Isa. 46:9). Faith must first agree with Gods affirmation and turn to him as the only true God.

This element of faith also corresponds to the first of the Ten Commandments: I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other gods before me (Ex. 20:23). This is a warning against all forms of idolatry, especially philosophies and theologies that compete with the Bible. Whoever draws near to God must believe that the God of the Bible is the One and the true God, putting no others in his place.

Mark Dunn writes: "First, then, we have the content or object of faith. Second, comes the motivation of faith:" Whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him (Heb. 11:6). We must believe that this is the true God and that we have to deal with him, that he is the Judge and Arbiter of our destiny and fortune. To have faith, we must realize and accept that we have to deal with this God, that his judgment about us is the vital one, and that we had better seek him; that is, we had better gain his favor.

People deceive themselves that they will fare well on that day since they are by their assessment basically good people. According to Gods standard of perfect holiness (Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23) every person stands guilty of sin. That means every one of us is in dire peril of this condemnation. For this reason, we had better seek God to find out how we might gain his favor through the person and finished work of Jesus Christ alone.

Photo credit: Unsplash/Hannah Olinger
The newest data from a large German health insurance company and the Israeli Ministry of Health continue to show side effects from the COVID jabs and boosters are anything but rare.

In mid-February 2022, the U.K. started rolling out the COVID jab for children aged 5 to 11. In the U.S., the shot has been recommended for this age group since October 2021.

The question raised in a Nick De Bois interview with Jamie Jenkins, former head of health and labor market analysis at the British Office for National Statistics (above), is Why bother injecting kids this young? The risk COVID-19 presents to children is minuscule.

Whats more, the British Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI) estimates that by the end of January 2022, 85% of children aged 5 to 11 already had natural immunity. Add to that the fact that the prevailing variant, Omicron, is far milder than previous strains, causing only mild cold symptoms in most people, including children.

Together, these three facts ought to make it clear that children dont need this jab. A cost-benefit analysis by Stephanie Seneff, Ph.D., and researcher Kathy Dopp, also shows the COVID jab actually increases childrens risk of dying from COVID infection. Children under 18 are also 51 times more likely to die from the jab than they are to die from COVID if not vaccinated.

Four Million Doses Required to Prevent a Single ICU Admission

An astounding statistic Jenkins does bring up is that 4 million doses must be administered to children, 5 to 11 years of age, to prevent a single ICU admission in this age group. Assuming two doses per child, that means 2 million children must take their chances with serious and potentially lifelong side effects to prevent a single child from requiring intensive care due to COVID-19. How is this justified? As explained in Jenkins website:

JCVI has said that vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 years who are not in a clinical risk group would prevent a relatively small number of hospitalizations or intensive care admissions. For a variant like Omicron, it would take around four million vaccine doses to two million children to prevent one admission to ICU. For less severe illnesses, 58,000 child vaccinations would prevent one-child hospitalization. Children admitted recently to hospital with COVID had an average length of stay of 1-2 days. The Omicron wave saw no more children in hospital than before Omicron hit the UK.

Pfizer Backs Off Shots for Children Under 5

While vaccine makers and health agencies have been pushing forward with COVID jabs for babies as young as 6 months, parents with children under 5 can, for now, draw a sigh of relief, as plans to roll out shots for the under-5 age group have been suspended, at least temporarily.

February 11, 2022, Pfizer withdrew its U.S. Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) application for children under 5. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Pfizer, they want to collect more data on the effects of a third dose, as two doses did not produce expected immunity in 2- to 5-year-olds.

Three days later, former FDA Commissioner and current Pfizer board member Scott Gottlieb told CNBC the EUA application was pulled because COVID cases are so low among young children that the shot couldnt be shown to provide much of a benefit.

Considering you have to give the jab to some 2 million children to prevent a single ICU stay, its no wonder they cant show effectiveness in studies that have just a few thousand children. Pfizers youth trial on 5- to 11-year-olds had just 2,268 participants, and only two-thirds of those received the real COVID jab.

However, the OpenVAERS team suspects there may be something far more problematic behind Pfizers withdrawal. In a February 21, 2022, email notice to subscribers, OpenVAERS stated:

None of these explanations suffice because all of that information was known prior to Pfizer submitting this EUA to the FDA on February 1 [2022]. It makes one wonder whether adverse events in the treatment group might be the factor that neither Pfizer nor the FDA want to talk about? So, we decided to look at reports of injury associated with COVID-19 vaccines in children 17 and younger. Remember, these shots have only been on the market for a short while and only children 5 to 17 are eligible. We created a separate page called Child Reports that will update automatically as new reports come in. We were shocked by what we found  34,223 VAERS reports in the U.S. in this age range, including infants harmed through transmission from the mother via breast milk, lots of reports of kids receiving shots who were too young (either the parents lied about their age or the doctor/pharmacy made a mistake with screening or dosing), and heartbreaking reports of myocarditis and death.

Shocking Data From Israel Show Extent of Side Effects

While health agencies and mainstream media still insist that side effects from the COVID jab are rare, real-world data show a different story. An English translation of the report can be downloaded from Galileo Is Back on Substack. As noted in the report:

On December 20, 2020, a vaccination program was launched in Israel using Pfizers vaccine for COVID-19. By the end of March 2021, more than half of the population had been vaccinated with two vaccine doses. The decrease in immunity over time and emergence of new variants led to a renewed increase in morbidity in Israel in the summer of 2021. By the end of July 2021, a third shot of the vaccine (booster shot) was authorized for everyone who had received two shots and at least five months had passed from the second shot. From data collection by medical teams or self-reporting by the public of side-effects in temporal proximity (passive monitoring), it appears that there is underreporting; therefore, it is important to identify side-effects in temporal proximity to vaccination with the booster in an active manner via a dedicated survey. General goals: To determine the frequency of side-effects which appeared within 21-30 days from vaccination with the third Pfizer shot (booster) against COVID-19 among citizens above 18 years of age. Specific goals: Examine the prevalence of side-effects in temporal proximity to the third shot grouped according to age and gender. Examine the time of onset relative to administration of the vaccine and the duration thereof, and to compare it with the side-effects of previous vaccines.

In all, 2,894 people were contacted and 2,068 agreed to be interviewed (response rate: 71.4%). Of those 2,068 boosted individuals:

0.3% required hospitalization for an adverse event

4.5% experienced one or more neurological problems (2.1% of men and 6.9% of women), such as tingling or itching sensation, Bells palsy, vision damage, memory deterioration, hearing damage, convulsions, loss of consciousness and more

9.6% of women under the age of 54 experienced menstrual irregularities. Of those, 39% suffered from similar side-effects after prior COVID-19 vaccinations; however most (67%) indicated that the side-effects waned prior to the third vaccination and returned after receiving it

26.4% of those with preexisting anxiety disorder or depression experienced a worsening of their symptoms

24.2% of those with preexisting autoimmune disorders experienced exacerbation of disease

Between 6.3% and 9.3% of those with preexisting high blood pressure, lung disease, diabetes and heart disease also reported that their condition was exacerbated after the third booster. A small number of women, but no men, also reported herpes infections (0.4% for herpes simplex infections and 0.3% for herpes zoster). Other key take-homes from this Israeli report are that:

Side-effects are more common among women and younger people

1 in 10 women suffer menstrual irregularities

Neurological side effects typically dont appear until about a month after the jab

In the majority of cases, the occurrence of a given side effect was not more severe after the third shot compared to the two previous doses. Put another way, the severity of side effects tends to be the same, regardless of the number of doses, so these finding can perhaps be applied to doses 1 and 2 as well

German Health Insurance Data Show Alarming Side Effect Rates

German health insurance data are also triggering alarms. Andreas Schofbeck, a board member of a large insurance company called BKK ProVita, shared the data with Die Welt.

They analyzed the medical data of 10.9 million insured individuals, looking for potential COVID jab side effects. To their horror, they found 400,000 doctors visits could be realistically attributed to the jab. According to Schofbeck, extrapolated to the total population of Germany, the total number of doctors visits attributable to jab side effects would be 3 million.

The number that resulted from our analysis are very far away from the publicly announced numbers [by the Ministry of Health]. It would be unethical not to talk about it, Schofbeck told Die Welt, adding that the data are an alarming signal. As reported by Die Welt (translated from German):

From January to August 2021  around 217,000 of just under 11 million BBK policyholders had to be treated for vaccination side effects  while the Paul Ehrlich Institute keeps only 244,576 side effect reports based on 61.4 million vaccinated  Thus, the number of vaccine side effects would be more than 1,000 percent higher than the PEI reports  With his analysis, Schofbeck turned to a wide range of institutions  from the German Medical Association and the StiKo to the Paul Ehrlich Institute itself. He said the figures were a strong alarm signal that absolutely must be taken into account in the further use of vaccines. His figures could be validated by the same data analyses of other health insurance companies, he says  Since danger to human life cannot be ruled out, he set a deadline of 6 p.m. Tuesday [February 22, 2022] to respond to his letter. As this passed, they turned to the public.

Autopsy Results in Teens Reveal Heart Damage

Getting back to the issue of children and the danger were putting them in by giving them this shot, two autopsies of teenage boys who died within days of their COVID jabs revealed the shot caused their deaths. As reported by The Defender:

The three pathologists, two of whom are medical examiners, published their findings Feb. 14 in an early online release article, Autopsy Histopathologic Cardiac Findings in Two Adolescents Following the Second COVID-19 Vaccine Dose, in the Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. The authors findings were conclusive. Two teenage boys were pronounced dead in their homes three and four days after receiving the second Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 dose. There was no evidence of active or previous COVID-19 infection. The teens had negative toxicology screens (i.e., no drugs or poisons were present in their bodies). These boys died from the vaccine.

Histopathological examination revealed that neither of the boys hearts had signs of typical myocarditis. Instead, what they found were changes consistent with catecholamine-mediated stress cardiomyopathy, also known as toxic cardiomyopathy.

This is a temporary kind of heart injury that can develop in response to extreme physical, chemical or emotional stressors. Another common term for this kind of injury is broken heart syndrome. Hyperinflammatory states such as severe COVID-19 infection can also cause this kind of injury to the heart.

More details about the medical history of each of the boys and their autopsy findings are reviewed by Pam Popper of Wellness Forum Health in the video above. Curiously, neither of the boys had any symptoms of myocarditis before they died. One had complained of a headache and upset stomach. The other had not mentioned any symptoms. As noted by The Defender:

This is extremely concerning. These boys had smoldering, catastrophic heart injuries with no symptoms. How many others have insidious cardiac involvement from vaccination that wont manifest until they get a serious case of COVID-19 or the flu? Or perhaps when they subject themselves to the physical stress of competitive sports? These findings suggest a significant subset of COVID-19 deaths in the vaccinated could be due to the vaccines themselves. Furthermore, it raises this question: How often does this condition exist in a latent form in vaccinated individuals?

Myocarditis Risk in Young Men Is Not Rare

U.S. Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) data also raise questions about the risk of potentially lethal myocarditis, especially in boys. The following slide was presented during a June 23, 2021, meeting convened by the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), to discuss the risk of myopericarditis.

As you can see, the observed rates of myocarditis and/or pericarditis for several age groups, and especially among males, are significantly higher than the expected background rate.

This is a loud and clear safety signal, yet the ACIP proceeded to recommend the shot to preteens and teens anyway, and in a public statement insisted that myopericarditis is an extremely rare side effect that only an exceedingly small number of people will experience after vaccination. How can they say that with data like this right in front of their noses?

Based on this VAERS data, the rate of myocarditis is about 6.5 per 100,000 doses in 12- to 17-year-olds. Going back to where we started, 4 million doses are required to prevent a single child, 5 to 11 years of age, from being admitted to the ICU for COVID.

Assuming the rate of myocarditis in 5- to 11-year-olds is identical to that of 12- to 17-year-olds, we could potentially be looking at 260 cases of myocarditis for every ICU admission for COVID that we prevent. On the whole, the COVID jab provides only risk for children under 18, so theres absolutely no justification for it.

References
He has just appeared on the cover of a trendy magazine in a very provocative pose, as he takes his first tentative steps into a music career.

But as Cruz Beckham reveals he has been working in recording studios in Miami and Los Angeles, I fear there has been a price to pay for such a jet-set lifestyle  the youngsters romance with teenager Bliss Chapman is over.

The couple had enjoyed an 18-month relationship, which became public last summer when they were pictured hand-in-hand at the Reading Festival.

Cruz Beckham has split with his young love Bliss Chapman following an 18-month relationship which became public at last year's Reading Festival

Cruz, pictured, who turned 17 last weekend, sparked controversy when he appeared on the cover of style magazine i-D last month, bare-chested, pink-haired and with his jeans around his ankles

Their recent break-up means things could get awkward between Cruzs mother Victoria and Blisss mum Rosemary Ferguson, a model turned nutritionist. The pair are close pals and the reason the youngsters met in the first place.

A source tells me: Cruz and Bliss are both only young but they had been together for a quite a while, particularly for two teenagers.

But they decided to end things. The Beckhams loved Bliss, especially Victoria. Cruzs older brothers Brooklyn and Romeo thought it was all lovely too. Cruz now has a music career to launch and when the time is right that will mean travelling across the globe.

My lips are sealed, but... Which A-list star tried to get very frisky with a young British beauty at a recent wedding, at one point even pinning her against a wall? Best not tell his wife! Advertisement

Cruz, who turned 17 last weekend, sparked controversy when he appeared on the cover of style magazine i-D last month, bare-chested, pink-haired and with his jeans around his ankles.

The photos became an instant talking point  but psychologist Emma Kenny questioned the wisdom of sexualising a teenager and said: He will gain attention but he will not gain respect.

The accompanying article spoke of how Cruz was beginning to navigate his journey as a musician, working with a producer called Poo Bear, who wrote many of Justin Biebers hits.

He certainly immersed himself in music at the Reading Festival last August, where he was pictured in a blue and red shell suit jacket as Bliss, 16, looked at him adoringly.

Bliss was one of Kate Moss bridesmaids at her 2011 wedding to Jamie Hince, since her mum was once part of the Primrose Hill party set alongside Moss and actress Sadie Frost.
will continue trying to mediate between Russia and even if success seems unlikely, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Sunday after returning from surprise talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
For a few moments, filmmaker Christopher Rufos documentary America Lost seemed in danger of becoming an anachronism. But in the age of coronavirus shutdown orders, his portrait of life in the forgotten, jobless corners of America could not be more timely.

Rufo spent years interviewing and documenting the lives of struggling people in the depressed cities of Youngstown, Ohio; Memphis, Tennessee; and Stockton, California. (You can read our review here.)

Rufowho serves as director of the Discovery Institutes Center on Wealth, Poverty, and Moralitysaid that he found the real problem for those in areas with inadequate work is not just economic but deeply personal, human, even spiritual. His movie found the profound ways the cycle of hopeless impacted individuals, families, and whole communities in the grip of widescale unemployment. And he found that people without a way to offer their gifts to others in a system of free and mutually beneficial exchange often undergo an identity crisis marked by hopelessness and self-destruction.

Rufos film perfectly embodies the desperation of the ignored and marginalized people eking out a living in the Rust Belt in the last three decades.

But in the last three years, as tax cuts and deregulation took hold, unemployment levels fell to historic lows and wages rose. Reinvestment in these communities became palatable. While none of the three cities have recovered fully, the surging economy brought a new sense of optimism and purpose to their citizens.

Then the coronavirus hit. COVID-19 triggered statewide shutdown orders and shelter-in-place regulations that destroyed many jobsand, with them, the hope of too many people in places like Youngstown and Stockton.

Now, the nation has begun to experience the same pathologies that these communities have lived for decades. Nationwide alcohol sales increased by 55% during the week ending March 21. Police in Chicago, Boston, Dallas, and Los Angeles report double-digit spikes in domestic violence. Drug overdoses have more than doubled in parts of western New York state. And calls to suicide hotlines have risen dramatically. At Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, a nonprofit organization, crisis counselors fielded more than 1,800 calls related to COVID-19 in March, versus just 20 in February, reports the Los Angeles Times.

These calamities make America Lost more relevant than ever. The film is hosting an online premier this weekend. Anyone nationwide may watch the documentary for free by visiting: https://americalostfilm.com/premiere.

Take a few moments this weekend to view this extraordinary film, feel the pain of those trapped in generations of joblessness and addiction, and learn the spiritual values that we will all need to get through our long national nightmare.

(Photo credit: Christopher F. Rufo. Used with permission.)
Kathy Fiechter at Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Phoenix Orpheum in Phoenix, Arizona, on March 5, 2022. (Linda Jiang/The Epoch Times)

PHOENIX, Ariz.Shen Yun is often described as 5,000 years of Chinese history live on stage. Through classical Chinese dance and live music, the New York-based performing arts group presents a sampling of Chinas rich heritage to audiences across the globe.

For attorney Kathy Fiechter, it was like watching the story of China unfold from ancient times to the modern-day under communist rule. She experienced Shen Yun for the first time on March 5 at the Phoenix Orpheum.

Shen Yun exudes the history of China, she said, with the culture being one of loving caring, and then  totally different culture with the change of leadership.

Over the past 70 years since that communist takeover, China has lost a great deal of its spiritually inspired culture. Shen Yuns mission is to revive that lost culture.

What struck Ms. Fiechter is Shen Yuns message of sincerity and hope.

Its honest. That integrity alone tells me that the message that the show is trying to bring forward is what freedom can do. And I think all of the authentic historical dances contribute to that.

Kate Peterson and Adam Levinson at Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Phoenix Orpheum in Phoenix, Arizona, on March 5, 2022. (Alice Sun/The Epoch Times)

Adam Levinson is the chief technology officer with a bedding company and Kate Peterson is a teacher. They read the entire Shen Yun program book before the show began.

They loved learning about the tradition and history, Ms. Peterson said, adding that she would recommend it to her students. She enjoyed the depth of the show, that its not just about dance, but telling stories, including a variety of folk tales.

Mr. Levinson received a message to be open to connect with your roots a little bit, he said. Dont be so closed off to what society says youre supposed to do today.

For thousands of years, Chinese culture has been based on the principles of Taoism and Buddhism. Those traditions are under attack today. Shen Yun displays this aspect of Chinese heritage through stories that connect humankind to the heavens.

I can feel the entire audience feeling something, especially with the animation as theyre showing going to the heavens, said Ms. Peterson. That part, you can feel some kind of connection with the light. You know its kind of a frightening story and then all of a sudden youre just lifted. And it is different being in a crowd with a lot of people.

As Im sitting there, Im thinking of all the people I could bring to [Shen Yun], she continued. My mom would be interested, all the family members. It has something for everyone, I think.

Reporting by Linda Jiang and Alice Sun.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006.
Elon Musk assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a video call on Saturday that SpaceX will send more Starlink satellite stations to provide internet to some of the country's war torn cities.

The president of the embattled country took to Twitter to thank Musk, 50, for the support, and invited the tech mogul to visit Ukraine once the war is over.

'Talked to @elonmusk. I'm grateful to him for supporting Ukraine with words and deeds. Next week we will receive another batch of Starlink systems for destroyed cities,' Zelensky wrote on the social media platform.

Musk, who said he 'looks forward to visiting Ukraine' when the war ends, sent a collection of antennas to Ukraine last week after Prime minister Denys Shmyhal voiced concerns that Ukrainians could lose internet access if Russia continues to attack communications towers, as it did with the bombing of a Kyiv TV tower.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took to Twitter to thank Musk, 50, for the support, after inviting the tech mogul to visit Ukraine once the war is over

Musk sent a collection of antennas to Ukraine last week after the prime minister voiced concerns that Ukrainians could lose internet access if Russia continues to attack communications towers,

Ukrainian Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fodorov had previously called out Musk on Twitter, asking him to send Starlink stations to Ukraine.

On February 26, Fodorov tweeted: '@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 satellites have proved fundamental in helping citizens and leaders communicate as the Kremlin continues its large-scale attacks in cities across Ukraine.

Fodorov, Ukraine's younger minister at 31, thanked Musk on the platform. 'Starlink - here. Thanks @elonmusk,' he wrote.

However, Musk has said he would not block Russia state media - like Russia Today, which laid off all its US staff on Friday - because he's not 'sorry to be a free speech absolutist.'

'Starlink has been told by some governments (not Ukraine) to block Russian news sources. We will not do so unless at gunpoint,' he tweeted on Saturday.

When a commenter questioned Musk's position and referred to Russian media as 'propaganda resources,' the Tesla founder was undeterred, replying: 'All news sources are partially propaganda, some more than others.'

Musk has claimed that in some parts of Ukraine, Starlink is the only 'non-Russian' connection available. Above, during a video call wit President Zelensky on Saturday

Elon Musk called himself a free speech absolutist' on Saturday after stating he would not block Russian state media from Starlink internet satellites in Ukraine because 'all news sources are partially propaganda'

Musk issued an 'important warning' on Thursday, stating that in 'some parts of Ukraine' Starlink satellites were only 'non-Russian communications system still working' and could be targeted for attacks.

'Please use with caution,' he tweeted.

He also stated that SpaceX would 'reprioritize' signal jamming and up cyber defense and told Ukrainians to 'hold strong' and have his 'sympathies to the great people of Russia, who do not want this.'

Despite Putin's attempts to disconnect Ukrainians from the internet, Russia has threatened its own independent journalists with jail time if they report 'fake' news about the war.

A man ran from a burning home on Friday in Irpin, right outside of Kyiv as Russian forces continue toward the capital

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has escalated his rhetoric in his confrontation with the West, saying that sanctions against Russia are tantamount to a declaration of war and threatening to treat any country that declares a no-fly zone over Ukraine as part of the conflict

Ukrainian soldiers with shoulder-fired missiles look on people evacuate the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv, on Saturday

In the US, stated-back media outlet Russia Today laid off all of its staff, effectively shutting down amid backlash over the war in Ukraine.

'Unfortunately, we anticipate this layoff will be permanent, meaning that this will result in the permanent separation from employment of most T&R employees at all locations,' General Manager Misha Solodovnikov wrote. 'We deeply regret and understand the uncertainty this action will cause our valued employees.'

RT America has been sidelined in the US and most of Europe since Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

The network, seen as one of Putin's main mouthpieces in the US, had referred to the unprovoked invasion as a 'minor incursion intended for defensive purposes.'

Their stance quickly drew backlash and some of RT's own staff publicly resigned, and multiple television providers, streaming tech service Roku and social media outlets severed ties with the network.

Satellite TV company DirecTV recently announced it would be pulling the plug on the channel on March 1, ahead of a contract that was going to expire later this year.

'In line with our previous agreement with RT America, we are accelerating this year's contract expiration timeline and will no longer offer their programming effective immediately,' a spokesperson said.

Dish, which also carries the network, did not comment on its relationship with the Kremlin-backed channel. Formerly known as Russia Today, RT has sister stations across the globe, including United Kingdom and France, which have also been recently booted off-air.

YouTube, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook parent company Meta have also banned RT content on their platforms in Europe, with Meta executive Nick Clegg hinting that a decision was made in relation to 'the exceptional nature of the current situation' in Ukraine.

RT's app will no longer be available on Microsoft and Apple app stores in all countries except for Russia.

Last week, Must told Ukrainians to 'hold strong' and sympathized with Russians 'who do not want this.' He also issued a stark warning that Starlink satellites could become a target

Spotify and Roku have also removed RT-linked podcasts from its platform.

PayPal also announced it would shut down its services in Russia citing its attack on Ukraine.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has escalated his rhetoric in his confrontation with the West, saying that sanctions against Russia are tantamount to a declaration of war and threatening to treat any country that declares a no-fly zone over Ukraine as part of the conflict.

The threats came as Moscow's brutal assault on Ukraine saw a mass civilian evacuation from the city of Mariupol derailed when Russian forces ignored a promised humanitarian ceasefire and continued shelling the southern city.

Heartbreaking footage, taken in Irpin, located on the outskirts of the besieged capital city Kyiv, confirmed that Russian forces are attacking heavily populated civilian areas where men, women and children are leaving the country as the Russian tyrant continues denying bombing Ukrainian cities.

One image depicted a mother and her two children lying dead on the pavement after they were killed in Irpin as they tried to flee the city, whilst their father was wounded by a mortar shell as hundreds of civilians sought safety.

It comes as US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken today said there are 'very credible reports' that Russia has committed war crimes during its invasion of Ukraine - particularly in attacking civilians.

Russian troops continued to bombard encircled cities and the number of Ukrainians forced from their country grew to 1.4 million. The UN says more than 350 civilians have been killed since Russia's invasion on February 24.

On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky repeated his plea for NATO to establish a no-fly zone in a meeting with the US Congress - but the idea faces strong bipartisan opposition in America, and NATO leaders have rejected it, pointing out that it would draw the alliance into direct military confrontations with nuclear-armed Russia.

A no-fly zone could only be enforced by shooting down Russian aircraft, and Putin on Saturday made clear that he would view such a move as joining the conflict.

'We'll instantly view them as participants in a military conflict,' the Russian leader told a group of female employees of Russian airlines, according to Russian state media. 'We'll view any movement in this direction as involvement in an armed conflict by the country from whose territory threats to our military service members are posed.'

At the same meeting, Putin issued bellicose threats in response to the punishing economic sanctions leveled against his country by the US and Europe.

'These sanctions that are being imposed are like the declaration of war,' said Putin. 'A lot of what is happening now, of what we now see and what we face is undoubtedly a means of fighting against Russia.'

Despite Putin's saber-rattling, bipartisan members of Congress expressed support for ratcheting up sanctions and increasing lethal military aid to Ukraine after speaking with Zelensky on Saturday morning.

In his Zoom meeting with Congress, Zelensky repeated his plea for NATO to impose a no-fly zone over his country to blunt Russian air superiority, according to sources familiar with the matter.

However, the Biden administration and lawmakers from both parties have expressed strong opposition to the idea of a no-fly zone, because enforcing it would require shooting down Russian planes, drawing NATO into direct conflict with Russia.

A factory and a store are burning after been bombarded in Irpin, in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, March 6, 2022

Ukrainian servicemen try to help people who have been wounded in Irpin - as an increasingly delusional Putin is insisting that Russia is not bombing Ukrainian cities, despite mounting fears that 100 people are buried under rubble after an apartment block near Kyiv was struck and after a cluster bomb attack on the city of Chernihiv killed 49 last week

A Ukrainian soldier walks past the corpses of a family lying on the ground after shelling by the Russian army at the evacuation point of Irpin, several members of the same family have been killed in this attack while trying to flee

A person, who was trying to flee with his family, lies on the ground after the shelling of the Russian army at the evacuation point of Irpin, several members of the same family have been killed in this attack today

A wife says her goodbyes to her husband who is a member of the Territorial Defense as she evacuates Irpin, Ukraine, on Sunday

Some 400,000 residents were hoped to be evacuated from 12pm today, with an initial agreement in place until 9pm, but residents are now having to take cover in bomb shelters without electricity and water.

It followed similar attempts on Saturday when plans to evacuate refugees were halted when shelling recommenced 45 minutes into a ceasefire.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said: 'Amid devastating scenes of human suffering in Mariupol, a second attempt today to start evacuating an estimated 200,000 people out of the city came to a halt.

'The failed attempts yesterday and today underscore the absence of a detailed and functioning agreement between the parties to the conflict.'

However, in a telephone call with French President Emmanual Macron, Putin blamed Kyiv for the failed evacuations.

Putin instead claimed 'Ukrainian nationalists' prevented civilians and foreign citizens from leaving the port city and neighbouring Volnovakha.

But Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky today warned that Russian forces are preparing to shell Odessa - a historic port city on the Black Sea coast.

In a video address, the Ukrainian leader said: 'They are preparing to bomb Odessa.

'Russians have always come to Odessa. They have always felt only warmth in Odessa. Only sincerity. And now what? Bombs against Odessa? Artillery against Odessa? Missiles against Odessa?

'It will be a war crime. It will be a historical crime.'

Almost a million people live in Odessa, a cosmopolitan harbor on Ukraine's southern coast with both Ukrainian and Russian speakers and Bulgarian and Jewish minorities.

Analysts have previously said that taking Odessa would be a huge strategic victory and would give Russia a chokehold on Ukraine's economy.

Russia has made progress in southern Ukraine since its invasion 11 days ago, overrunning the city of Kherson and shelling the port of Mariupol, but Odessa has so far been largely spared.
With Russian rockets pounding Ukrainian cities and President Vladimir Putin brandishing his plutonium saber, you just know the late-night coffee is brewing deep inside U.S. Strategic Commands glass tower at Offutt Air Force Base.

Adm. Charles Richard, StratComs commander and the keeper of the nations nuclear keys, implied as much in video-chat testimony to a House Armed Services subcommittee on Tuesday.

Due to the unfolding events over the weekend, Richard said, I felt it prudent to remain at my headquarters here in Omaha.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is more than just the largest land war in Europe since 1945. It also presents the United States with the starkest threat of nuclear conflict since the end of the Cold War, and has thrust Nebraska-based StratCom into an unaccustomed spotlight.

The men and women of U.S. Strategic Command ... work night and day to deter threats like these, Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer said this week in a speech on the Senate floor. Theres a reason their motto is Peace is Our Profession. 

Putin has compounded the risk with bare-fanged threats sure to make neck hair stand on end in both Omaha and D.C.

Todays Russia remains one of the most powerful nuclear states, Putin said last week. There should be no doubt for anyone that any potential aggressor will face defeat and ominous consequences should it directly attack our country.

He ratcheted up tensions another notch when he ordered Russias forces put on a special regime of high-alert combat during a strange meeting where he was photographed sitting at one end of a long conference table while his top military commanders gathered at the other.

So far, the U.S. hasnt responded in kind.

We know that the president has not placed U.S. nuclear forces on high alert, said Lana Obradovic, director of the University of Nebraska at Omahas Intelligence Community Center of Academic Excellence program. But I am certain StratCom is observing the situation and working around the clock.

In StratComs cubicles, teams of military and civilian planners earn their pay by envisioning catastrophic threats to the U.S. and its allies, and then drawing up plans to defuse them.

This is the kind of stuff that they work on  numerous reports written, thousands and thousands of hours of research, gaming out different scenarios that the president and his advisers could face, said Tyler White, director of the National Security Program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. You dont want two nuclear powers going to war with each other.

The fear of just such a war animated StratComs predecessor at Offutt, the Strategic Air Command, for four decades during the Cold War as the U.S. and the USSR eyed each other with a hostile gaze.

In those days, nuclear-armed missiles and bombers stood poised to fire in both countries. Around the world, two generations grew up under the constant threat of nuclear annihilation.

The threat all but evaporated with the fall of the Iron Curtain and the breakup of the Soviet Union. In 1992 SAC, the nations Cold War guardian, stood down and was replaced by StratCom.

The new command took on new tasks including space, missile defense, intelligence collection and communications. But StratComs public profile faded with the prominence of its signature nuclear mission.

Suddenly, with Putins Ukraine incursion, Americans are experiencing a riveting, nuclear-tipped calamity that for many is a brand-new experience.

StratCom is one of the lesser-thought-about (military) commands, White said. Now it kind of takes center stage again because of this crisis.

The public may be paying attention to nuclear issues for the first time in a long while, but StratComs planners have never looked away.

The strategic deterrence mission is ongoing all the time, said Rick Evans, executive director of the University of Nebraskas National Strategic Research Institute, an academic alliance that conducts research for StratCom. These types of plans are very well-practiced. Were very proficient at that.

Evans has been in the room to see plenty of them. The retired Air Force major general served in top positions at StratCom near the end of his 35-year military career, including a stint as acting deputy commander. He retired in 2019.

Evans said he would be more worried about Putins nuclear noise-making if StratComs intelligence sources indicated he was taking concrete steps toward a nuclear strike, like loading bombs on aircraft or pulling weapons out of storage.

This is still a regional conflict, he said. We have the appropriate forces on status at the right time.

People may think StratComs strategic plans rest on massive retaliation  nuking adversaries to kingdom come. And they do have plans for Armageddon.

But Armageddon represents the failure of nuclear deterrence, Evans said. StratComs modern plans employ nonnuclear, and even nonmilitary strategies to keep confrontations from escalating  like diplomacy, information warfare and economic sanctions.

All these instruments of national power are in play, he said.

And all of them are in use in Ukraine, including by Ukrainians themselves. Militarily they should be no match for the huge Russian army. But President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has united his own people behind him, and inspired NATO and the world to support his cause.

He has won the information war, White said. This is a space that Putin is used to winning. And he is being absolutely schooled.

The sympathy for Zelenskyy and his fellow Ukrainians has aided President Joe Bidens efforts to rally NATO support.

NATO has certainly demonstrated that it is more united, resilient and resolute than ever before, said Obradovic. The unintended consequence of the Russian aggression was that American leadership and NATO's renewed purpose have now led to an increase in defense spending and added credibility.

Obradovic, an associate professor of political science who has worked closely with StratCom, brings a unique personal perspective to a research portfolio that includes U.S. national security policymaking and post-communist transitions.

At age 16, she fled her home in the former Yugoslavia with her mother as the country collapsed in sectarian violence following the collapse of communist rule. She has witnessed the kind of indiscriminate targeting of civilians now taking place in Ukraine and experienced life as a refugee.

Coincidentally, Obradovic is on a sabbatical in Sarajevo, in her former homeland, recruiting young Bosnian students for a summer program at UNO. In the 1990s, Sarajevo became the battered symbol of the Bosnian war during a four-year siege that killed nearly 14,000 people.

Sarajevens have marched in support of the Ukrainian people, Obradovic said, and feel a special bond to them in their suffering.

They know a lot about war, perseverance and defiance, which is why so many are horrified by the events in Ukraine, she said in an email. The hope is that the world has learned its lessons since Bosnia, that democratic nations will protect international norms and rules, and prevent atrocities and attacks  particularly those aimed at the civilian population from happening again.

Putin has certainly endured setbacks, with his military bogged down in Ukraine, the world nearly united in its disapproval, international sanctions already crippling Russias economy and protesters marching in the streets of his own country.

Ukraines efforts to frustrate the invasion have surpassed expectations, White said. He has to feel isolated internationally, and he probably feels isolated internally. His biggest fear is a popular uprising.

The growing fear is that, feeling cornered, Putin might unsheathe his nuclear sword. Would he really do it?

Thats an important question that energizes everybodys minds, said Christopher Yeaw, NSRIs associate executive director for strategic deterrence and nuclear programs. In Putins current state of mind, he is certainly leaning forward.

In the nuclear realm, Yeaw said, Putin has a large number of low-yield tactical or battlefield atomic weapons. These are small enough to level a few city blocks, perhaps killing dozens or hundreds of people, instead of destroying an entire city, and killing tens of thousands.

Of course, they would still burn and maim and poison, just on a smaller scale.

These are nuclear warheads that blur the line between conventional and nuclear, Yeaw said. They could take out an entire air base with one strike.

The U.S. and the USSR both stored up large caches of these baby nukes during the Cold War, expecting they might use them should the two sides clash in a European ground war.

Battlefield nuclear weapons werent covered by any of the post-Cold War arms agreements. The U.S. got rid of its weapons, seeing no further need for them.

For a time Russia did, too, Yeaw said. But by the 1990s it stopped, after seeing the U.S. become involved in conflicts with Russian allies in the Balkans.

The Russians made promises that went away, Yeaw said. The U.S. is outmatched in the European theater probably 20-to-1. In the Pacific theater, we dont have any.

Yeaw helped to write the Pentagons 2018 Nuclear Posture Review, which provided for the addition of two new types of tactical nuclear weapons in the U.S. arsenal: the W-76-2 Trident submarine warhead, which was deployed in 2020, and the Sea-Launched Cruise Missile, which is still on the drawing board.

The W-76-2 is about 5 to 7 kilotons  less than 10% as powerful as the W-76 Trident missile it is derived from, and less than half the strength of the bomb that leveled Hiroshima, Japan, at the end of World War II.

Battlefield nuclear weapons are opposed by arms-control advocates, who believe their lesser firepower compared with larger city-killing weapons might tempt a cornered, desperate leader to use them. Doing so would clearly cross a red line.

Any use of nuclear weapons is going to have strategic implications, Evans said. If you actually use one of these things, if you break the seal, it opens you up to a whole different variety of outcomes.

So  would Putin really use one?

Thats the $60 million question, Yeaw said.

The United States is trying to stay out of a direct confrontation with Russia. Its not clear how Biden would respond if Putin detonates a battlefield nuke in Ukraine.

How do you deal with a country that is willing to use nuclear weapons, in a war that youre not in? White said. Its hard to believe theres going to be no response.

Part of Yeaws job since joining NSRI is to prepare war games for StratCom planners to play, simulating real-life situations.

In 2019, his team created one and blandly named it the Limited Nuclear Employment War Game. It plays out a conflict between NATO and Russia over Russian expansionism in Ukraine.

He has played it a number of times. So have planners at StratCom.

Yeaw doesnt want to say exactly how it ends.

What could happen is the whole realm of scary possibilities, he said. Once you start down the path of war, things take on a life of their own.

Hes been thinking about that game in recent weeks.

I hope I dont watch it on TV, Yeaw said.

One of the key points in any StratCom plan to avert war is to give the adversary a face-saving way to back out, said Michelle Black, deterrence researcher and assistant professor of political science at NSRI.

She, too, has been in the room. Her tour in the Army from 2001-05 included deployments to Iraq, Kuwait and Qatar as a psychological operations specialist. She worked seven years at StratCom in a civilian post as an adversary deterrence analyst. She worked there when Putin seized Crimea in 2014.

Since Crimea, (Ukraine) has been a target of attention. Understanding how things could escalate has been a priority, Black said. I would have confidence in saying that a portion of this has been planned out.

She sees Putin as a rational actor.

Putins a strategist. He has smart people around him, she said. Maybe Putin's not ready for an off-ramp yet."

Yeaws concern is what happens if NATO corners Putin so effectively that the off-ramps are gone.

Theres a cornered bear thats still trying to lash out, Yeaw said. I wouldnt want to be in front of the bears paw.

In his testimony this week, StratComs Adm. Richard worked to reassure jittery members of Congress.

Please make no mistake, he said, StratComs forces are ready.
Shahid Al Hafed, 6 March 2022 (SPS) - Ambassador of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) to Botswana, Mr. Malanin Lakhal, affirmed Sunday in a statement to the Sahara Press Service (APS), that the accreditation by Angola and Botswana of their first ambassadors to the Sahrawi Republic is an explicit rejection of the attempts of the Moroccan occupation regime to impose a colonial fait accompli in Western Sahara.



The Sahrawi ambassador stressed that "the decision of these two countries was not arbitrary, but was a direct and conscious response to all the attempts of the Moroccan occupation regime to impose fait accompli policies that are unacceptable in our country on the grounds of their support for international and African law and legitimacy, as well as an explicit rejection of the Moroccan pressures on some countries, which in many cases exceeded the simplest rules of decency and diplomatic etiquette.



The Sahrawi diplomat added that both Angola and Botswana are "active members of the Group of Southern African States, and they represent two regimes with long-standing experiences in the struggle against colonialism," noting that the Sahrawi Republic "is ready and determined to deepen cooperation relations with the two countries, as confirmed by the President of the Republic, Secretary-General of the Polisario Front." Mr. Brahim Ghali, when he received the credentials of the two ambassadors on 27 February and 1 March.



062/T
Truckers advocating for freedom from vaccine and mask mandates and other liberties gathered in Portage on Friday with many supporters of their message on site.

The American Truckers Freedom Convoy, a group of hundreds of drivers in semitrucks, pickups, SUVs and other large vehicles on a nationwide highway route protesting COVID-19 mandates and other regulations, stopped at the Petro Travel Store on the outskirts of the city to a welcoming crowd there and on overpasses during their route through Wisconsin.

It is (about) freedom in general, said Spring Green resident and independent gubernatorial candidate Jess Hisel, a Wisconsin participant in the convoy. If you look at everything that has gone away from people, its not about the people anymore. Its about the parties. The two parties seem to care more about their power, struggle and animosity towards each other than they do about the people. Were collateral damage to their political agenda.

According to the American Truckers Freedom Fund website, the convoy also advocates for securing the border between the United States and Mexico, fighting against technology censorship, restoring energy independence and domestic oil/gas production, and ending agricultural regulations.

Supporters primarily held American flags, but also had flags supporting former United States President Donald Trump and opposing current President Joe Biden. Many of the truckers had the same flags and a lot of the trucks displayed messages conveying similar ideas.

Bob Sazama, a trucking business owner from Glendive, Montana, expressed sentiment that trucking regulations are excessive.

We want our freedom back, said Sazama. The truck regulations are getting out of control. The price of fuel is going to kill us and everybody else. Everything comes in on the truck, one way or the other.

Another trucker from Montana, Zack Bushnell of Bozeman, said the convoy advocates for ending emergency orders allowing for mask and vaccine mandates.

I am fully free-choice, said Bushnell. If you want to wear a mask and get a vaccine, I hope you do. I hope everybody does who wants to and has the choice to do that. In the same way, it would be terrible if nobody could get it.

Mary Austin, who travelled in a van with the convoy from the state of Washington, said she received the vaccine and echoed the same sentiments.

A lot of truckers are working and were trying to be supportive, said Austin. We were excited about them (the vaccines). But it was our choice. People should have the choice. This is not tyranny. This is liberty and justice for all. Thats why were here and supporting those truckers.

Two segments of the convoy joined together in Oakdale and travelled to Washington, D.C., stopping in various locations along the way. One segment began in Spokane, Wash. and travelled through Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota and Minnesota before entering Wisconsin on Interstate 90. The other route began in Minot, N.D. and travelled through North Dakota and Minnesota and came into Wisconsin on Interstate 94.

The convoy was scheduled to arrive at the Petro store at 6 p.m., but a significant accident on Interstate 90-94 heading southbound between the U.S. Highway 12 and Wisconsin Highway 33 exits delayed its arrival by nearly 45 minutes.

Three other segments of the convoy ran throughout the nation. One ran from California through the southern portion of the country and another went from Weatherford, Texas to the nations capital. A short convoy also ran from Cleveland to Washington, D.C.
Sufferers of the debilitating bowel disease ulcerative colitis could soon benefit from a breakthrough jab originally designed to treat the skin problem psoriasis.

A major trial has shown that regular injections of mirikizumab eradicated symptoms in one in four patients after just three months, including stomach pain and the urgent need to go to the toilet.

Experts have also suggested the results are long-lasting, with patients who are given just a once-a-month maintenance dose still clear of problems after a year.

President John F Kennedy, pictured, suffered from ulcerative colitis which is caused when the immune system attacks the lining of the bowel or colon

A new treatment could help one in four of the 146,000 Britons who are affected by the condition

Ulcerative colitis occurs when, for reasons not fully understood, the immune system attacks healthy body tissue in the lining of the large bowel, or colon, causing inflammation and ulcers.

It affects roughly 146,000 people in the UK, but experts suggest many more could be undiagnosed and that as many as one in ten over-50s may have some form of the disease. Often the only symptom is diarrhoea, which is easily mistaken for irritable bowel syndrome.

Famous sufferers include the late US President John F. Kennedy and Olympian Sir Steve Redgrave.

Mirikizumab belongs to a group of drugs known as monoclonal antibodies that block the activity of a protein in the body called interleukin-23, which triggers inflammation. Similar drugs are used to treat psoriasis, where inflammation damages the skin and causes a build-up of rough and itchy red patches.

It was initially hoped mirikizumab would provide another treatment for psoriasis patients. However, after its success in treating ulcerative colitis was discovered in trials, US manufacturer Eli Lilly switched focus to the bowel disease.

One of the first to benefit from mirikizumab is retired insurance worker Patricia Roche, who said the drug has changed her life. She added: I have to pinch myself  to think of how I used to be and how I am now, its unreal.

The married 66-year-old from East London had suffered debilitating problems since being diagnosed in 2006. At its worst, she was rushing to the toilet up to 40 times a day. Her condition became so severe that she was regularly hospitalised, and treatment failed to provide any lasting relief. But within a week of her first dose of mirikizumab, she began to notice a difference, and today she is completely recovered.

Patricia said: I felt so restricted before. Id need to go to the toilet without warning, so travelling was impossible. Id tried so many other treatments without success so I didnt hold out much hope for the trial. But I was desperate, and the next step was surgery to remove part of my bowel.

The drug began to work within a week. I was able to visit my niece, who lives on the other side of London, which I thought Id never be able to do. My problems have been under control ever since. I have an injection in hospital once every four weeks, and thats it.

Gastroenterologist Dr Sami Hoque, who is running the UK arm of the mirikizumab trial, said the drugs effect is remarkable, adding: We have eight patients who were suffering severe colitis, and all are now doing well.

Alongside abdominal discomfort and sometimes bloody diarrhoea, patients may also experience extreme fatigue, loss of appetite and weight loss.

There can be months without symptoms followed by periods where problems are particularly troublesome. During these flare-ups, some people with ulcerative colitis also experience painful joints, mouth ulcers and irritated red eyes. In the most severe cases, when patients may need to empty their bowels more than six times a day, they may also suffer shortness of breath, palpitations and a fever.

In most patients, no specific trigger for flare-ups can be identified, although a gut infection can occasionally be the cause. Stress is also thought to be a potential factor.

If colitis is suspected, the first step by doctors is a stool sample test to see if a protein called calprotectin is present  a sign of inflammation in the gut. If theres a positive result, a gastroenterologist will conduct further tests to look for physical signs of damage. This usually involves a colonoscopy, in which a camera is inserted into the rectum and samples of the tissue are cut away for testing.

First-line treatment involves tablets or suppositories containing anti-inflammatory drugs called aminosalicylates. These help mild flare-ups but their effect wears off.

Other options include powerful steroids that dampen inflammation but carry unpleasant side effects such as acne, weight gain and mood changes, or drugs that suppress the immune system, which can leave patients vulnerable to infections. If these options fail, as it happens in 15 per cent of cases, surgery to remove the bowel may be the only option.

Over the past decade, a number of drugs have been developed that have offered patients hope. These include biological drugs that block chemical messages which cause the immune system to attack the gut. However, these work in only a third of cases, some cause severe side effects and they lose effectiveness over time.

The new data on mirikizumab comes from a study involving 1,162 patients. It found that 24 per cent of those treated with it were in remission at 12 weeks  meaning that inflammation of the colon was controlled or resolved completely. Urgently needing the toilet and bleeding had disappeared completely in almost half of patients on the drug. No serious side effects were reported.

Experts hope mirikizumab will also help sufferers of the inflammatory bowel disease Crohns, which affects almost 120,000 people in the UK.

Dr Hoque, who is a consultant gastroenterologist at Whipps Cross Hospital in London, said: Surgical removal of the colon can solve the problem in colitis patients, but in Crohns disease the problem can come back elsewhere in the gut.

Its hugely frustrating for patients, and at our clinics we always offer psychological support as it can be difficult to cope with. To know we will soon have something new to offer is really good news.
Reuters

Wall Street's main indexes all tumbled to close well down on Friday, as rattled investors continued to reposition themselves amid fears the U.S. Federal Reserve's hawkish rate policy will help tip the American economy into recession. The Dow narrowly avoided ending more than 20% lower than its Jan. 4 record all-time closing peak of 36,799.64 points, meaning the blue-chip index did not attain a bear market label, according to a widely used definition. After enjoying hefty gains for last two years, Wall Street has been rocked in 2022 by worries about a host of issues including the Ukraine conflict, the energy crisis in Europe, China's COVID-19 flare ups, and tightening financial conditions across the globe.
Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio was forced to defend himself from criticism on Sunday after sharing an image of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a Zoom call despite being asked not to for security reasons.

Rubio told CNN's State of the Union that around 300 people were on the call, and claimed its details had already been well-publicized and so his photo was 'no security risk.'

He also suggested that Ukraine's ambassador, who reportedly asked lawmakers not to share anything, was mistaken about the call being a 'secret.'

As Russian leader Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine continued into its tenth day on Saturday, Rubio took part in a live video call between Zelensky and bicameral members of Congress and their staff.

Rubi and and his fellow GOP Senator Steve Daines of Montana shared images from the call on Twitter as it occurred -- instantly igniting backlash and concerns for Zelensky's safety.

Ukrainian authorities have foiled three Russian-backed attempts on Zelensky's life just this last week, the Sunday Times reported.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio was asked during two separate television interviews about the photo he shared of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a Zoom call with Congress

"That call had been widely reported  there were over 300 people on it."



Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) explains why he tweeted a photo of a video call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/prEQDAL0lQ  State of the Union (@CNNSotu) March 6, 2022

Ukraine's ambassador had 'explicitly' asked lawmakers and their staff on the call to refrain from sharing it on social media, Democrat Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota said on Twitter after it concluded.

Zelensky regularly posts video updates to show his people and Vladimir Putin that he is still fighting in Ukraine

CNN host Jake Tapper asked Rubio about Phillips' tweet and whether the Florida Republican thought it was a 'mistake' to share the image.

Rubio insisted there were no such rules in place when he tweeted and claimed there was 'no risk posed' to Zelensky.

'Well first of all, she asked that like 30 minutes into the call after I had already done it,' the Florida Republican said.

'The second is, I think she's under the impression that no one knew that call was happening. That call had been widely reported, the -- actually even the specific time had been reported,' Rubio said.

'There are over 300 people on it, all the call details had been emailed, so there's nothing secure about that call.'

He added that the photo itself was 'nondescript' in its surroundings.

'It looks like all the other ones you see out there publicly, so, I don't -- there's no risk posed but you're always going to have a couple of people that want their name in an article somewhere, mentioned in the press,' Rubio said, seeming to allude to his Democrat colleague's outrage.

Both Senator Rubio (R) (tweet pictured left) and Senator Steve Daines of Montana (R) (tweet pictured right) posted images of a Zoom call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday morning, although they were specifically told not to do so until the meeting had concluded for security reasons

Asked about it again on ABC's This Week, Rubio firmly answered 'no' he did not believe he put Zelensky's security at risk.

'There was no security risk in that at all. I'm -- perhaps she was under the impression that the Zoom call was a secret. It had been broadly reported like multiple outlets, maybe even ABC had tweeted it was at 9:30. There were over 300 people on this call,' Rubio said.

'The details of the call were emailed to a bunch of people. And it was a nondescript picture unlike any of the other -- just like the other ones you've seen on the air. So, there was no security risk there.'

The 280-plus senators, House members and staff that tuned in to the virtual meeting, which ended around 10:25am EST, were explicitly asked not to tweet or post pictures of the call while it was in progress, multiple aides told NBC News.

'[The] Ukrainian ambassador very intentionally asked each of us on the Zoom to NOT share anything on social media during the meeting to protect the security of President Zelensky,' Minnesota Democrat Phillips tweeted.

'Appalling and reckless ignorance by two US senators.'

Florida Senator Marco Rubio (left) and Montana Senator Steve Daines (left) posted photos from conference with Ukraine's president

The 280-plus senators, House members and staff that tuned in to the virtual meeting (pictured), which ended around 10:25am EST

Democratic representatives, including Connecticut Congressman Jim Himes (tweet pictured) posted images from the Zoom call - but did so after the meeting had ended

The Ukrainian president (pictured on the front lines) has admitted he knows he's Russia's biggest target. The Wagner Group - which has 400 personnel in Kyiv alone - and the Chechen attempted to kill him in the last week

Rep. Jason Crow, a Democrat from Colorado, also lashed out at the Republican senators for sharing screenshots of the call.

'The lack of discipline in Congress is truly astounding,' he tweeted.

'If an embattled wartime leader asks you to keep quiet about a meeting, you better keep quiet about the meeting. I'm not saying a damn thing. Lives are at stake.'

The call was coordinated with the offices of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D) of New York and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) of Kentucky, along with the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, a Democratic leadership aide told the outlet.

Democratic Representatives Dean Phillips of Minnesota called Rubio and Daines' tweets 'appalling and reckless'

Democratic Representative James Crow of Colorado lashed out against the two Republican senators on Twitter

Rubio and Daines defended theirs decisions to share the photos, both calling the outcry 'partisan.'

'There were over 160 members of Congress on a widely reported Zoom call,' said a spokesperson for Rubio in a statement. 'There was no identifying information of any kind.'

A spokesperson for Daines said that his tweet, which was posted about 23 minutes into the hour-long Zoom meeting, was 'shared well into the call... before it was requested not to' and contained 'no identifying information.'

'We should be focusing on whats important here and thats supporting Ukraine,' Daines' spokesperson added.

Several Democratic representatives, including Connecticut Congressman Jim Himes, also posted images from the call - however, they waited until the meeting had concluded.

Since the conflict began on February 24, Zelensky (pictured) has posted videos to his official Instagram account, directly appealing to the world for supplies and assistance

A flood of comments from Twitter users, like the one above, demandedthat the social media platform take down the senators' tweets

Himes tweeted that Zelensky 'is standing strong, but pleaded for more help. Planes, oil embargo, continued military aid,' adding that, 'We were asked to not post during the zoom. This was posted well afterwards.'

Republicans called out the senators, too, with former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele taking to Twitter to condemn Rubio specifically.

'Dude, what the hell is wrong with you? You are the Vice Chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence, and a Member of the Foreign Relations Committee,' Steele wrote.

'You were specifically asked NOT to share this briefing with Zelensky. Why would you risk his safety for a tweet?'

A flood of comments from Twitter users demanding that the social media platform take down the senators' tweets caused Rubio to trend on Saturday afternoon.

During the call, Zelensky asked for a no-fly zone over Ukrainian airspace to be imposed on Russian-made aircraft, multiple sources told NBC. Earlier on Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that any move to create such a no-fly zone would be viewed as 'participation' in the conflict.

Schumer reportedly told Zelensky that Congress will get $10 billion in economic, humanitarian and security assistance for the Ukrainian people 'quickly.'

Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia (D) asked about the possibility of a ban on Russian oil, a move that was hinted at on Friday by Cecilia Rouse, the chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers.

Zelensky also asked about imposing sanctions to stop Russia from using Visa and Mastercard. The two companies blocked some Russian financial services from using their networks earlier this week, but not all.

Republicans called out the senators, too, with former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele taking to Twitter to condemn their actions

Around 6 pm EST on Saturday, hours after the Zoom meeting with US representatives, Zelensky posted a video of another meeting with Elon Musk (pictured) that appeared to be filmed at the same location

Since the conflict began on February 24, Zelensky has posted videos to his official Instagram account, directly appealing to the world for supplies and assistance, and has been photographed in military garb on the front lines by Reuters and other outlets.

Around 6 pm EST on Saturday, hours after the Zoom meeting with US representatives, Zelensky posted a video of another meeting with Elon Musk that appeared to be filmed at the same location.

'Talked to Elon Musk,' Zelensky wrote in Ukrainian. 'He thanked Ukraine for its support in words and deeds. Next week we will receive another batch of Starlink systems for destroyed cities.'

'They also talked about possible space projects and a visit to Ukraine. But about this - after the war.'

Musk, 50, sent a collection of antennas to Ukraine this week after their president voiced concern that Ukrainians could lose internet access if Russia continues to attack communications towers, as it did with the bombing of a Kyiv TV tower on Wednesday.
A hazardous weather outlook has been issued for all Northwest Indiana counties and Cook County warning of gusty winds and a Saturday night storm.

Severe storms that have developed over Iowa are set to move across northern Illinois and Northwest Indiana Saturday night, the National Weather Service said.

Strong gusty winds of up to 60 mph will be the main hazard, and a low-level threat for a possible tornado exists below the Interstate 39 corridor.

The storm system is predicted to reach Northwest Indiana between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m., meteorologists said.

The NWS cautioned residents that the wind could blow around unsecured objects and damage trees and power lines.

There is also a limited hail risk. Sunday is also set to have high winds, and temperatures are set to drop due to a cold front to a high in the late 40-degree range.

Monday will be in the late 30s, and there is a possibility of snow.
SheKnows

Theres just something about the official start of fall that makes us want to stock up on all the cozy must-haves, regardless of the actual temperature outside. If youre a fan of Barefoot Dreams, we found a sale you definitely dont want to miss. Were talking incredible deals up to 75% off sweaters, pullovers, joggers, []
(Reuters) -U.S. gasoline prices at the pump jumped 11% over the past week to the highest since late July 2008 as global sanctions cripple Russia's ability to export crude oil after its invasion of Ukraine, automobile club AAA said on Sunday.

AAA said average U.S. regular grade gasoline prices hit $4.009 per gallon on Sunday, up 11% from $3.604 a week ago and up 45% from $2.760 a year ago.

The automobile club, which has data going back to 2000, said U.S. retail gasoline prices hit a record $4.114 a gallon on July 17, 2008, which was around the same time U.S. crude futures soared to a record $147.27 a barrel.

The most expensive gas in the country is in California at $5.288 a gallon, followed by Hawaii ($4.695), Nevada ($4.526) and Oregon ($4.466), according to AAA.

U.S. gasoline futures, meanwhile, soared to a record $3.890 per gallon on Sunday. [O/R]

Gasoline price provider GasBuddy said the average price of U.S. gasoline spiked nearly 41 cents per gallon, topping $4 for the first time in almost 14 years, and stands just 10 cents below the all-time record of $4.103 per gallon.

GasBuddy said that weekly increase was the second largest ever, following a jump of 49 cents per gallon during the week of Sept. 3, 2005, after Hurricane Katrina tore through the U.S. Gulf Coast.

"Increasing oil prices continue to play a leading role in pushing prices higher," AAA said in a release, noting "pump prices will likely continue to rise as crude prices continue to climb."

U.S. crude futures soared more than 12% to $130.50 per barrel late Sunday, their highest since July 2008, as the United States and its European allies consider banning imports of Russian oil.

(Reporting by Scott DiSavino; Editing by Bill Berkrot and Kenneth Maxwell)
KYIV  Katerina Oleksiivna emerged Sunday from the basement of her home after 10 days underground to find everything she could see completely destroyed and dead bodies lying on the street.

The 74-year-old said she had spent the past 10 days taking cover from Russian missiles, mortars, and tank fire. For most of that time, she had no heat, no electricity, and no water. She survived mostly on canned vegetables and stale bread. She hadnt seen or read any news but could hear the explosions aboveground, and feel the force of them reverberate deep beneath the earth.

Is the war everywhere? asked Katerina Oleksiivna, 74, who emerged after 10 days of hiding.

Terrified and confused, she trembled and stammered as she tried to make sense of the dire situation. To see Russias war and the death it has wrought up close, she explained as she made the sign of the cross with her hands, was devastating.

Is the war everywhere? she asked a BuzzFeed News reporter through tears. As she tried to say something else, a series of explosions rocked the evacuation point where she stood with dozens of other residents of the besieged town of Irpin, just a few miles west of Kyiv.

Each blast threw Katerina slightly off balance as she hobbled with a cane behind a brick wall, where she took a breath and sobbed.

Fighting has been relentless in and around this once-quiet bedroom community, which sits on a crucial road toward Ukraine's bustling capital and the countrys seat of power. Early Sunday, a shell exploded in the middle of a street where a family was attempting to make their escape. A father, mother, and child were killed, according to reporters at the scene. Irpin Mayor Oleksandr Markushin said about eight people died from Russian shelling on that single day. Two children died in front of my eyes, he said in a video posted to his Telegram channel.

Vladimir Putin has lied about his army not targeting civilians in what he calls a special military operation, and has also lied about establishing safe corridors for people to flee his deadly violence. There is overwhelming evidence that Russian troops are firing on peaceful people in cities and towns across the country in what appears to be a campaign of terror. Killing an entire young family and five others Sunday was merely the latest proof.

Story continues

In a video address published to his Telegram channel, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, citing information gleaned from captured Russian troops, said that bombing civilian areas was part of Russias plan from the beginning, describing it as pure evil.

While the evacuation in Irpin went ahead, albeit with difficulty and under heavy Russian shelling, plans to relocate residents from the cities of Volnovakha and Mariupol in eastern Ukraine collapsed because the artillery fire was too intense and targeted the supposedly safe green corridors that civilians were meant to use.

Amid devastating scenes of human suffering in Mariupol, a second attempt today to start evacuating an estimated 200,000 people out of the city came to a halt, wrote the International Committee of the Red Cross. The failed attempts yesterday and today underscore the absence of a detailed and functioning agreement between the parties to the conflict.

As residents from those cities struggled to escape, a huge number of others made their way to western Ukraine and across the border to neighboring Poland, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, and other European Union countries, as well as Moldova.

10 days. 1.5 million people. This is now the fastest growing refugee crisis since World War II, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees tweeted Sunday. In the coming days millions more lives will be uprooted, unless there is an immediate end to this senseless conflict. The UNHCR added that it has recorded 1,123 civilian casualties in the country: 364 killed and 759 injured  very likely an undercount.

In Irpin, most people with whom BuzzFeed News spoke Sunday had no idea where they would go. They just wanted to be someplace where they would be safe. They only had with them what they could carry on their backs and in their hands. They were visibly exhausted and stressed from surviving heavy bombardment for the past week and a half.

At a staging point where more than 20 yellow buses arrived to move them to the Kyiv Central Railway Station, families and friends separated in the chaos frantically searched for one another, worrying that someone might have been left behind.

People from other cities showed up to look for relatives in Irpin with whom they had lost contact. Is there anyone from the Capital Apartment Complex? asked one man.

When Vadym and his family reached the other side of a bridge in Irpin  blown up by the Ukrainian army to stop Russias advance days ago  and arrived at the evacuation staging area, they were shell-shocked.

We cant even talk; cant you see? Vadyms father said.

Vadym and his family said they had nowhere else to go but were trying to come up with a plan as they stood in the street with their rucksacks and a couple of plastic bags. At that moment, a car pulled up and offered them two free seats and transport to the train station. But Vadyms family had to turn down the offer because there were six of them and they didnt want to split up.

Nearby, Tetiana cut up bits of white sheets to tie around the neck of her 6-year-old son and her nieces and nephews to identify them as civilians so they wouldnt be shot while trying to evacuate.

We couldnt leave until we found someone to look after our bedridden relative. All those who cant walk are stuck there, she said. We left all the food we could find with them.

Tetiana described seeing Russian tanks going down the central streets of Irpin and witnessing the kind of battles that have flattened houses.

She was waiting for her two older children, ages 23 and 27, to cross over the bridge and reach the evacuation area before deciding what to do.

We dont know where were going. Were just going anywhere, she said. It was just so scary.

Tetiana shook her head in shock.

We just dont understand why. Maybe you know the answer? she asked. When they said there would be a war, I laughed and said, Oh, please!

We dont understand. We have half our family in Russia. And everyone is calling saying, Dont worry; tomorrow youll be part of Russia, Tetiana said. But were in shock. Why do we want Russia when we can live in Ukraine peacefully?

Sveta, a 60-year-old Irpin resident, said life for the people still stuck in the war-stricken town is hell.

The food supplies will end pretty soon. Theres no gas, theres no electricity, theres no internet. There are tanks shelling residential buildings, she said.

Sveta said the Russians pushed into the western side of Irpin yesterday and now control part of the city. [Russian] tanks came down Mechnykova Street, she said. There are no Ukrainian tanks there; there are Russian snipers shooting.

Roman, a Ukrainian Territorial Defense fighter, said that he expects Russia to launch a major offensive from Irpin to try to capture Kyiv in the coming days. He said Ukrainian special forces, army soldiers, and armed volunteers like himself were preparing for a bloody battle and that he hopes to kill as many Russian invaders as possible.

In a few weeks, youre going to see fat homeless dogs and you will know why, he said.

More reporting from Ukraine
The clues are tantalizing.

Could Nebraska be home to one of the rare archeological sites providing evidence that humans walked the Great Plains as long ago as 18,000 years?

A bone and bone flakes from a mammoth's shoulder on display at the Nebraska History Museum in Lincoln raise the still-contested question of how long humans have lived in the Great Plains.

Radiocarbon dating of the bones found in Frontier County indicates the animal lived 18,000 years ago. And some researchers say the flakes could only have been made by a human chipping away at the bone with a stone tool.

Archeological digs such as this one in southwest Nebraska have opened a doorway to the past, tracing the sometimes slow, sometimes rapid changes in the lives and cultures of the various peoples who have called Nebraska home.

Nebraska's most important archeological pieces, including the mammoth's shoulder, are on display at the Nebraska History Museum until Dec. 31. The exhibit is titled "Piecing Together the Past: An Exhibit Exploring 13,000 Years of History with Nebraska's Archeologists."

Nebraska has 11,450 recorded archeological sites, a number that continues to grow as new sites are found.

The sites range from the earliest known presence of humans to more recent, abandoned, bulldozed farmsteads. They are found in 91 of 93 counties, with Arthur and Logan Counties being the exceptions.

Discovered along the shore of Medicine Creek Reservoir in 1987, the mammoth bones at the "La Sena" site have the potential to place people in Nebraska 5,000 years earlier than evidence otherwise proves  the 13,000 years on display at the museum. The bones are also an indication of how past evidence can be difficult to decipher.

Those who believe the skeleton is an indication of human activity also point to the unusual way some accompanying bones were smashed open. A human was trying to get to the nourishing marrow or use the sharp bone fragments as cutting tools, these scientists believe.

Other archeologists are unpersuaded. They believe the bone fractures have nothing to do with humans.

Rob Bozell, the recently retired state archeologist for Nebraska, said it is certain that people have been living in what is now Nebraska for at least 13,000 years and that archeological evidence shows, at various points, rapid societal changes.

Spearpoints and other stone tools found in blowouts throughout the state and along waterways are the earliest definitive evidence of human activity in Nebraska, he said.

The tools date to the Clovis culture, which gets its name from the site where such spearpoints were first discovered, near Clovis, New Mexico. Left by hunters, similar spear points have since been confirmed across North America, including Nebraska.

"It's clear people have been here a very long time," Bozell said. "If you think of 13,000 years as the length of your arm, from your shoulder to your finger tip, the period when European-Americans have been here is your fingernail."

Any group that has lived here has migrated in, scholars say.

Until about 2,000 years ago  about the time of Christ  the people who lived in Nebraska were largely hunters, living in small groups and mostly on the move, evidence shows.

And then, relatively suddenly, the lives of people across North America, including in Nebraska, began to change, Bozell said. Their lives became more settled, less migratory, he said. The were living in one place longer and in larger groups. They farmed more.

Pottery began making an appearance, a significant innovation because it provided another manner of cooking and storing food.

For reasons that aren't certain, another acceleration in communal living occurred about 1,000 years ago, and from there, "things really took off," Bozell said.

Suddenly, people were living in much larger communities and sturdier housing.

"They lived in houses, framed, timbered houses," Bozell said. "Not temporary huts or tipis, but houses."

People began farming in earnest, and corn became an even more integral part of life.

"When you excavate sites from 1,000 years ago, you find handfuls of corn," Bozell said. "It's just amazing how much corn people grew."

Of the Native American tribes with names familiar to people today, the Pawnee have the longest Nebraska roots, going back at least 1,000 years, historians and archeologists say.

Among the finds in Nebraska: 900-year-old pots uncovered during highway construction in Sarpy County, the layout of a 800-year-old lodge floor in Cass County during construction of Interstate 80, and a 700-year-old lodge floor in Thurston County. The lodges had large underground storage pits for grain and other goods. In the center was a stain where the fire had been kept.

On a hillside along Nebraska Highway 31, just south of Interstate 80 sits the Patterson Site, one of the premiere archeological digs in the Omaha area. Now a treed, grassy knoll, its past is visible only in the depressions where several homes once stood.

The site likely dates back 800 years or so and may have been a small hamlet or various homes built by a succession of families over a hundred years or so.

Construction of the highway went right through the site, so archeologists excavated and studied one of the homesites before the highway obliterated it.

On a recent February afternoon, Bozell walked the site and explained its history. People who lived here would have farmed corn and other produce along the creek below the bluff and hunted game around the area.

Similar farmsteads and hamlets can be found on bluffs throughout the region, he said. While the Patterson Site along Nebraska 31 is not open to the public, other sites are including at Fontenelle Forest in Bellevue and at the Glenwood (Iowa) Archaeological State Preserve. The Glenwood Preserve is located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 34 and Levi Road just southeast of Glenwood. A burial mound and homesites can be found at Mahoney State Park in Ashland.

Typically, the homesites today appear as wide depressions in the ground.

From early on, people traded widely, said Nolan Johnson, highway archeologist with the Nebraska State Archeology Office.

Nebraska archeological sites yield finds of obsidian tools, copper ornaments and marine shell jewelry. None of those materials originated in Nebraska, but instead came from as far away as New Mexico or Idaho, the Great Lakes or Gulf Coast, Johnson said.

Archeological sites also hint at the assets people native to this area may have used in trading. Caches of bison shoulder blades have been found in home storage pits. The blades would have been used as hoes, and a large collection could mean the blades were to be used as "currency" in trading.

Archeological sites also illuminate how tribes migrated across the continent. Sherds of pottery with flecks of shells tell archeologists that the Oneota people, who hailed from the upper Midwest and Great Lakes regions, also called Nebraska home.

Most archeological sites in Nebraska are located close to water, typically rivers, Johnson said.

Why? For most of the time that humans have lived in Nebraska, they've been on foot. Their only pack animal was the dog.

"Most places where Native Americans were living for long periods of time were close to permanent sources of water," Johnson said. "You just can't carry all the water you need very far. You're not going to walk a mile to get a drink of water in the morning. That was one of the limiting factors in Nebraska."

Just as eastern Nebraska is the state's most populous region today, it was in the past too, due to its more plentiful rainfall.

Another relatively rapid change in lifestyle occurred more than 300 years ago with the arrival of Europeans and then Americans, initially on military expeditions and to trade.

"It starts slowly in the 1700s and by the early 1800s, (native) cultures have been transformed," Bozell said.

Not only were whites and their trade goods arriving in the 1700s and 1800s, but so were new tribes, pushed into the area by the relentless expansion, farther east, of European-Americans.

Whites brought horses, metal cookware, guns and other items that they traded with Native Americans for animal pelts.

Contact with traders shows up in changes at archeological sites, Johnson and Bozell said.

Excavations from sites dating to this era find fewer clay pots and instead more metal ones. Fewer bison shoulder hoes and more iron hoes. Fewer stone-tipped arrows and more metal arrows and firearms.

Many of the sites were uncovered during the Works Progress Administration, the 1930s Depression era jobs program. For the most part, sites have been discovered during construction  of a highway, a reservoir or other development.

The science of archaeology has changed over the last century. Archeologists no longer excavate a site without good reason  usually if it's about to be destroyed due to construction, Johnson said. If possible, construction will be re-routed and the site will be left undisturbed. Left in the ground, the site has the potential to tell a fuller story for future archeologists.

For all that archaeology brings to the table, it has its limits. Oral history, stories passed down by indigenous peoples, also provide insights.

"There are a whole slew of questions that can be at least partially answered (by archaeology)," Bozell said. "But there are a lot of limitations to archaeology. We can't dig up conversations, we can't dig up thoughts, we can't dig up feelings and emotions. We dig up 'things,' and from those things and places, we can begin to craft a general story of past experience."

Oral history  knowledge handed down through the generations  also provides information on early cultures.

"Archaeology is like CSI, it's all about material evidence and how you interpret that evidence," said Lance Foster, historic preservation officer of the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska. "It doesn't get into how people think. When you're dealing with oral traditions, you're dealing with a deep sense of meaning, why we are here and where we are going."

In terms of paleo-history, there are areas where there is solid agreement between archaeology and the oral traditions, Foster said. Both, for example, point to a distant past when ice dominated the land and large animals roamed.

"The closer you get to our times, you start to see a whole bunch of lines of evidence work together," he said.

"A lot of people think archaeology is collecting arrowheads," Foster said. "That's not archaeology. That's collecting, that's artifact hunting. If you take an arrowhead and put it in a frame over your bed, it's like tearing a word out of a book and pasting it on the wall. It needs context, the rest of what was on the page, in the book."
Although the federal agency that issues pipeline permits said last month its approval of the Northern Access pipeline will stand, the state Department of Environmental Conservation believes the matter should be reopened.

National Fuel, the company that wants to build the pipeline, said Thursday the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission should stick with its policy of not relitigating project approvals when developers seek to extend deadlines for their completion.

In a 25-page filing in mid-February, the DEC said state and federal laws and FERC's own policies have changed since 2017, when FERC approved National Fuel's request to construct a 95-mile pipeline from McKean County, Pa., through Allegany, Cattaraugus and Erie counties.

The permit, which National Fuel's attorneys called "a final and unappealable order," allowed construction of a 24-inch-wide pipe to carry fracked natural gas to a link with a Canadian pipeline under the Niagara River off Chippawa, Ont.

The package of work also would include about four miles of extensions of existing pipelines in Niagara County, as well as construction of a large compressor station in Pendleton and a gas dewatering station in Wheatfield.

In 2019, FERC gave National Fuel a three-year extension of a deadline to complete the work  a deadline that expired Feb. 3. The company applied for another extension, to Dec. 31, 2024, blaming the DEC for causing 52 months of delays.

That's the time from the DEC's April 2017 rejection of a water quality certificate allowing the pipeline to cross streams along its route, to the August 2021 expiration of a deadline for the DEC to appeal its final courtroom defeat  a ruling in the company's favor from the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

"The commission should not entertain this improper attempt to reopen a matter that has long been closed," National Fuel's filing said.

"Following a review of National Fuel Gas extension request, DEC submitted comments opposing the request, as National Fuel failed to demonstrate any good cause for its delay," a DEC spokesman said.

It's true there was a lot of litigation in state and federal courts. There was a prolonged fight over the DEC's rejection of the stream crossing permit, as well as a battle over whether National Fuel could use eminent domain powers to seize land for the pipeline.

National Fuel won all of those cases.

"Even assuming National Fuel reasonably decided not to seek a notice to proceed until the litigation over FERCs waiver orders concluded, National Fuel fails to explain why it has done nothing since the Second Circuit upheld the waiver orders in March 2021," the DEC filing says.

The state agency argued that since FERC approved the project, New York passed its 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which mandated sharp reductions in emissions that could lead to climate change and required major reductions in electrical generation from fossil fuel sources.

"DEC subjects every application to all applicable federal and state standards to ensure the agencys decision is protective of public health and the environment and upholds environmental justice and fairness, including standards related to the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act," the DEC spokesman said.

Also, President Biden's administration has altered federal goals and policies on fossil fuel use and emission reduction since taking office last year, the DEC argued.

And FERC itself, with a new chairman and a new commissioner appointed by Biden, has changed its project review policies since Biden became president, taking greater notice of greenhouse gas emissions.

A 15-day public comment period on National Fuel's extension request drew more than 130 negative responses from local residents and environmentalists in New York and elsewhere. No one wrote in favor of the request.

Many of the writers demanded a longer public comment period, but FERC did not grant that.

Another objection to the construction deadline extension also came from a Connecticut company that plans to install a 20-megawatt solar energy project on Martin Road in Machias, Cattaraugus County.

National Fuel wants to build its pipeline through the solar site, according to the filing from Martin Road Solar.
Susan La Flesche (1865-1915) was born on the Omaha reservation in northeastern Nebraska to Chief Joseph La Flesche (Iron Eyes) and his wife, Mary (One Woman).

Her father encouraged his people to pursue education. He sent Susan to the Elizabeth Institution for young ladies in New Jersey when she was 14, and she returned home at 17 to teach for two years at the Quaker Mission School on the reservation.

Dr. La Flesches passion for health care was sparked when, as a young child, she witnessed a Native American woman die because a white local doctor would not treat her. She returned to the East Coast to resume her education at Hampton Institute, one of the first schools of higher education for non-white students.

While she was there, the resident physician, Martha Waldron, encouraged her to enroll at her own alma mater, the Womens Medical College of Pennsylvania (WMCP). Dr. La Flesche graduated from WMCP at the top of her class in 1889, did a one-year internship in Philadelphia, and then returned to Omaha, where she was responsible for the health care of 1,200 people.

After marrying Henry Picotte in 1894 and moving with him to Bancroft, Neb., Dr. La Flesche started a private practice serving nonwhite and white patients. In 1906, she lobbied for prohibition of alcohol on the reservation. Two years before she died in 1915, she opened a hospital in the reservation town of Walthill, Neb., which is now a museum.

Sponsored by AAUW La Crosse, researched by Ann Brice.
Recently, we learned about the passing of the oldest American World War II veteran, Lawrence Brooks, who died at the rightful age of 112. It is estimated that out of the 16 million Americans who served in WWII, only about 240,000 are still alive. Our magnificent WWII memorial in Washington, D.C., serves as a reminder of their service and in remembrance of the many who gave their lives.

It was most fitting when Tom Brokaw called them The Greatest Generation. Not only did he rightfully acknowledge the tremendous sacrifices these men and women made fighting in Europe and the Pacific, but also for their help in rebuilding America and Europe following World War II.

All those who were called to serve, whether voluntarily or through the draft, deserve our gratitude.

It is not without reason that the WWII era and the subsequent years are of special importance to me. My first encounter with American soldiers occurred when I was only 6 years old, on May 5, 1945, when my hometown in northern Germany was occupied by Gen. George Pattons Third Army. This remains one of the most memorable days of my life.

Although we were uncertain about what to expect from our occupiers, it was not long before we adjusted and realized how blessed we had been by this peaceful occupation period.

With the end of the war now a certainty, a Russian occupation was feared throughout Germany. We soon learned that Russian troops had occupied parts of Germany, less than 50 miles away. It also occupied Germanys capital city, Berlin. Following reassignments among the four Allied forces, Berlin became a divided city with four equal parts surrounded by Russian occupied territory.

The part now under Russian and Communist ruling would become the German Democratic Republic. While WWII had ended, the Cold War had just begun. Unable to supply the Western-occupied parts of Berlin by route, American military DC3 aircrafts began to supply the city with all its needs. This became known as the Berlin Airlift.

American DC3s landed every two minutes in an effort to keep the city from collapse. On their return flights to the West, they carried people fleeing the Communist regime as their only way to escape. These heroic actions by our military are heralded to this very day.

While visiting Berlin in 1961, I recall passing through the famous American Checkpoint Charlie. Passing our military police at the gate, it gave me a feeling of pride and that of security. While there, I coincidentally witnessed workers from the East Side raising the Berlin Wall, intended to keep its people from escaping. A rather sad but historical moment as it would tragically divide this famous city for the next 28 years.

Not until Nov. 9, 1989, through the effort of President Ronald Regan, was the wall finally demolished and the reunification of both Germanys accomplished.

I frequently find myself pondering about how fortunate we had been by our American occupation. Never could I have imagined back then that some 18 years later I would be wearing that same Third Army shoulder patch while serving my tour of duty in the U.S. Army. May God bless all our veterans  you keep us safe.
Glenn Knuth, president of Grand Islands Sunrise Rotary Club, was recently honored for his contributions to the Rotary Foundation.

Knuth has achieved the level of Major Donor Level I, which means he has donated $10,000 to the Rotary Foundation. He received a crystal engraved with his name and a diamond lapel pin.

The honor was presented to Knuth by Bob Mayber, who is Rotary district governor.

Knuth likes the way Rotary International supports projects all around the world, including some less-developed nations.

Were helping people that well never, ever meet, he said.

The district is currently doing a project in Kenya, Knuth said. The Sunrise Club had a project a few years ago in Mexico.

Knuth, 67, has been a member of Rotary since 1993. His contributions to Rotary began with a roundtable arrangement. The five members of that group each donated $25 a month.

When the kitty totaled $1,000, the roundtable members drew a name. The winner became a Paul Harris Fellow, an honor granted to a Rotary member who donates $1,000.

The group kept on giving until all five of the members became Paul Harris Fellows.

Later, Knuth began donating $50 a month.

In 2015, Scott McLaughlin and Don Peterson of Kearney spoke to Knuth at a meeting in Grand Island. They told him that since he was giving $50 a month, Why dont you give a little bit more and you can be a part of the Paul Harris Society?

A member of the Paul Harris Society donates $1,000 a year, or $85 a month.

Harris, a Chicago attorney, founded the organization that became Rotary International in 1905. The organization now has 1.4 million members around the world.

Knuth will be Rotarys district governor in 2023-24. The district consists of 30 clubs in central and western Nebraska.

The Sunrise Rotary meets at 7 a.m. Thursdays in Room 6A at CHI Health St. Francis Medical Center.

Since 1992, the Sunrise Club has donated $59,430 to the Rotary Foundation.
An afternoon of hang-gliding turned deadly for a 71-year-old man on Thursday, March 3, in Virginia, police said.

The victim, identified as Ward F. Odenwald of Woodbine, Maryland, lost control of the hang-glider and slammed into a tree before plummeting to the ground, police said.

The crash happened just after 3 p.m. at the intersection of Woodstock Tower Road and Burnshire Lane in Shenandoah County in northern Virginia, according to a news release from Virginia State Police.

Odenwald died at the scene, according to police.

He was on the only person on the hang-glider, police said, and no one on the ground was injured.

Odenwalds remains were transported to the Medical Examiners Office in Manassas for an autopsy and examination, police said. Officials are investigating the crash.

No other information had been released Sunday, March 6.

Shenandoah County is about 160 miles northwest of Richmond.

77-year-old checking mail dies in hit-and-run as Georgia cops search for SUV driver

11-year-old running to catch school bus falls under wheels and dies, Colorado cops say

15-year-old in stolen Mercedes hits van carrying 5 people with disabilities, NC cops say

Dad, 3-year-old killed when pickup truck slams into their home, California cops say
Out-of-pocket medical costs are hitting Australian households, with more than 1 million people forking out $1000 a year on out-of-hospital services and medications, while those unable to afford it miss out on care.

A Grattan Institute analysis found the biggest spenders  about 25,000 people  paid an average $3000 a year on health expenses, with fees charged by specialists such as dermatologists, obstetricians and cardiologists a major contributor after the average gap increased by 50 per cent in a decade.

The Grattan report finds almost 500,000 Australians missed out on seeing a specialist in 2020-21 because of cost. Credit:stevecoleimages

Half of cancer patients paid more than $5000 a year out of pocket on medical costs, the report said. An estimated 43 per cent of people in Australia will be diagnosed with cancer by the age of 85.

Leading cancer researcher Professor Sanchia Aranda, the former Cancer Council chief executive who chairs City Cancer Challenge, said some high-charging specialists were misleading patients and should be forced to properly disclose treatment costs.
EV

This time, a report claims two more names have joined the race to manufacture the Apple Car, as the development of the vehicle is making good progress and the Cupertino-based company is getting close to the moment where it needs to pick the firm to handle the production.Foxconn and Luxshare, two of Apples existing partners, are seen as very solid candidates for receiving a contract manufacturing deal for the iPhone makers first car, pretty much because both are investing inproduction infrastructure.Foxconn, for example, wants to make electric vehicles at a plant in North America, while Luxshare joined forces with Chery Group specifically for the production of zero-emission cars.But on the other hand, this isnt by any means a guarantee any of the two would end up handling the production of the Apple Car.Previous reports on the matter indicated a joint venture between Magna and LG was in pole-position to sign a manufacturing deal with Apple.The iPhone maker has also discussed a partnership with several traditional carmakers, including Hyundai, but the talks have ended abruptly in every single case. Hyundai was at one point favorite to sign a deal with Apple, yet the discussions were abandoned after the carmaker spilled the beans on the project The cited source seems to indicate Apple is still involved in manufacturing talks with Hyundai, but on the other hand, this is rather unlikely given the companys obsession with preventing any leaks related to its future products.At this point, its important to take everything with a healthy dose of skepticism, especially as everything can change overnight if the development of the Apple Car doesnt make the progress the American tech giant expected to make.
MERIDEN  The Central American nation of Honduras recently swore-in its first woman president after an historic election.

Xiomara Castro, sworn in on Jan. 27, campaigned on an anti-corruption agenda, also vowing to liberalize abortion laws and reduce poverty.

In November, The Freedom and Refoundation party (Libre) defeated Nasry Asfura, the capitals mayor, and National Party candidate Juan Orlando Hernandez, the outgoing president.

The self proclaimed democratic socialist won 51% of the votes and received the largest number of ballots in the countrys history, with 1.7 million votes, according to CNN. Castro, 62, is married to Manuel Zelaya, former elected Honduran president, who was ousted in 2009 by a military coup.

Honduran stage

Castros promises for change have appealed to President Joe Biden. Vice president Kamala Harris attended the inauguration and congratulated Castro, according to CNN.

The new president vowed to stifle systematic issues regarding poverty, corruption, violence, inequality and economic insecurity. She said she would legalize abortions in certain cases and cut the cost of living.

Honduras is one of six countries in Latin America and the Caribbean that bans abortion under all circumstances, and it is the only country in the region to ban emergency contraception, also known as the morning-after pill, Reuters reported.

In 2016, the World Bank,  which connects global financial resources, knowledge, and solutions to the needs of developing countries  noted Honduras had more than 66 percent of its population living in poverty. In 2019 before the impact of COVID-19, almost half of the population lived on less than $5.50 a day, giving the country the second-highest poverty rate in Latin America and the Caribbean after Haiti.

In 2018, the World Bank identified high levels of violence in Honduras, including 38 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants.

In addition, according to Female-rights, Honduran women living in rural areas faced disadvantages due to a patriarchal society. Women often do not finish school due to responsibilities at home.

Meridens Honduran resident

Meriden resident Jhennifer Aragon, born in Honduras, said she is proud the country has a female president. She would like her children to visit her homeland one day and feel proud.

More than anything, I would like the corruption to end, she said. The prior government was very corrupt there is a lot of poverty and children cannot attend a school...The hope is for things to get better and for doors to open for the younger generation. I hope women get more opportunities now too.

Corruption affects the entire town. Many people flee the country due to gangs, Aragon added. The previous government preferred to invest in arms for the military knowing the health and education are not good.

Aragon said that housing is also a problem.

jdiaz@record-journal.com203-317-2386Twitter: @jarelizz
For the past decade, South Carolina has seen one county sheriff after another violate laws they swore to uphold.

And as the train of scandals grew longer, John Crangle, the state's gruffest government watchdog, lobbied lawmakers to do something to curb the misconduct  efforts that typically fell on deaf ears.

Then Crangle stumbled on an old South Carolina law. A very old law.

One that had long been ignored.

Dating back to 1837, the law says the attorney general and solicitors should do regular examinations of sheriffs, along with other county offices.

I couldnt believe it, Crangle said. "This statute would do two things: provide oversight and deter misconduct."

Or it could be repealed. Legislation slowly working through the General Assembly would strike this long-ignored imperative. The bill is currently in the state Senate.

Some background: The laws official designation is Title 1, Section 1-7-730: Examination of offices of county officers.

And its archaic language hints at its age. Specifically, the law says the attorney general and solicitors should:

 examine into the condition of the offices of the clerk of the court of common pleas and general sessions, of the sheriff and of the register of deeds in the counties of the respective solicitors and ascertain if such officers have discharged the duties which now are, or shall be, required of them.

The attorney general and solicitors are supposed to submit annual reports to the General Assembly and state courts.

After coming across the law, Crangle polled solicitors, circuit courts and clerks with the General Assembly.

No one has done any of the reports as far as I can tell, he said.

A spokesman for Attorney General Alan Wilson confirmed the agency hasn't followed this law  and doesn't intend to in the future.

"We are aware of the law but it has never been implemented, at least not in more than a century," said Robert Kittle, communications director. "Its one of many outdated laws that are still on the books."

Kittle noted that lawmakers passed it in the 1830s, before they ratified the state's current constitution. From a practical standpoint, solicitors simply wouldn't have enough auditors to comply, he said.

He added that the attorney general is a "prosecutorial agency, not a regulatory one," and that "theres a long list of those elected officials our office has prosecuted."

In fact, since 2010, 15 sheriffs have been charged with crimes and a 16th died before charges could be brought. This includes recent corruption cases against former Chester County Sheriff Alex Underwood, former Colleton County Sheriff Andy Strickland and ex-Florence County Sheriff Kenney Boone.

Its a litany of crime that affected one out of three South Carolina counties  so embarrassing that Gov. Henry McMaster earlier this year called for legislation requiring sheriffs undergo annual ethics training.

Crangle said the sheriffs themselves have demonstrated they can't police themselves. He hopes that old law might be a new tool of deterrence. He said he's spoken with lawmakers, sheriffs and solicitors. He's asked solicitors to do a "demonstration project." He's thinking about filing a lawsuit if officials continue to ignore the problem.

"Nobody is doing what theyre supposed to under the law," he said.

First Circuit Solicitor David Pascoe, who led the Statehouse corruption probe, said he knows of no one who has used the law, but that doesn't mean it might not still be a valuable tool. The timing on the effort to strike the law is curious, he said, given the number of sheriff scandals and incidents involving other officials mentioned in the statute.

Charleston County's Register of Deeds, for example, has been embroiled in controversy over sometimes monthslong delays in the recording of property sales and other time-sensitive legal documents. And more than a half-dozen court clerks or their staff have been accused of embezzlement or other misdeeds around the state since 2010, according to The Post and Courier's corruption database.

"Why would you repeal it now?" Pascoe said of the law. "It might be good for the attorney general or solicitors to look at some of these offices."

Jarrod Bruder, executive director of the S.C. Sheriffs Association, said his group has no official position on the law.

He said his group has stepped up ethics training and is trying to find ways to "hold each other accountable."

But given the variety of crimes the state's sheriffs have committed, he said: "I just don't know how you guard against those bad decisions."

Some solicitors are leery about the old law's requirements.

Fourteenth Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone said he was familiar with the statute but has never heard of anyone actually using it.

Part of the reason, he said, is that it is a vague directive that offers no clear guidance as to how such an examination should be done.

Its asking you to try to analyze someones job and how they do it, he said. But I have never been a sheriff or a clerk of court.

Stone oversees prosecutions in Allendale, Hampton, Jasper, Beaufort and Colleton counties. And he also serves as chairman of the state prosecutors coordinating commission, a panel of law enforcement officials that looked at the law in 2018.

The panel's members couldn't find any evidence that it had been followed. It found that doing a proper investigation into a county-elected official might take a full year. The agency recommended lawmakers either eliminate the old law or find a way for solicitors to enforce it. And in late 2020, two coastal state representatives  Weston Newton, R-Beaufort, and Jeff Johnson, R-Horry  introduced the bill to repeal it.

Johnson, a member of the Legislative Oversight Committee, said the bill was part of his panels ongoing effort to get rid of antiquated laws. In the 1830s, counties were smaller so it might not have been so expensive to do what the law required, he said. But now it would be very costly to taxpayers.

But Jessica Pishko, a lawyer and former fellow at the University of South Carolina who researched corrupt sheriffs, said she thought the law was still useful.

"It's not as though South Carolina sheriffs are known for their upstanding behavior," she said, adding that the law itself dents the often-repeated argument by sheriffs that elections serve as the ultimate form of oversight.

"Because the law is from the 1830s, this implies that for almost 200 years legislators have understood that local officials, like sheriffs, need oversight," she said.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 06/03/2022 (201 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

LVIV, Ukraine (AP)  A second attempt to evacuate civilians from a besieged city in southern Ukraine collapsed Sunday amid renewed Russian shelling, while Russian President Vladimir Putin turned the blame for the war back on Ukraine and said Moscows invasion could be halted only if Kyiv ceases hostilities.

Food, water, medicine and almost all other supplies were in desperately short supply in the port city of Mariupol, where Russian and Ukrainian forces had agreed to an 11-hour cease-fire that would allow civilians and the wounded to be evacuated. But Russian attacks quickly closed the humanitarian corridor, Ukrainian officials said.

There can be no green corridors because only the sick brain of the Russians decides when to start shooting and at whom, Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko said on Telegram.

The dead bodies of people killed by Russian shelling lay covered in the street in the town of Irpin, Ukraine. (Diego Herrera Carcedo / Associated Press)

The news dashed hopes that more people could escape the fighting in Ukraine, where Russias plan to quickly overrun the country has been stymied by fierce resistance. Russia has made significant advances in southern Ukraine and along the coast, but many of its efforts have become stalled, including an immense military convoy that has been almost motionless for days north of Kyiv.

Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelenskyy rallied his people to remain defiant, especially those in cities that Russian soldiers have entered.

You should take to the streets! You should fight! he said Saturday on Ukrainian television. It is necessary to go out and drive this evil out of our cities, from our land.

Zelenskyy also asked the U.S. and NATO countries to send more warplanes to Ukraine, though that idea is complicated by questions about which countries would provide the aircraft and how those countries would replace the planes.

The war, now in its 11th day, has caused 1.5 million people to flee the country. The head of the U.N. refugee agency called the exodus the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.

As he has often done, Putin blamed Ukraine for the war, telling Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday that Kyiv needed to stop all hostilities and fulfill the well-known demands of Russia.

Putin launched his attack with a string of false accusations against Kyiv, including that it is led by neo-Nazis intent on undermining Russia with the development of nuclear weapons.

The Russian leader also told Erdogan he hoped Ukraine would show a more constructive approach (to talks), fully taking into account the emerging realities. A third round of Russia-Ukraine negotiations is scheduled for Monday.

Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke about the nuclear situation in Ukraine, which has 15 nuclear reactors and was the scene of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

The men agreed in principle to a dialogue involving Russia, Ukraine and the U.N.s atomic watchdog, according to a French official who spoke on condition of anonymity, in line with the presidencys practices. Potential talks on the issue are to be organized in the coming days, he said.

Putin also blamed the fire last week at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, which Ukrainian officials said was caused by Russian attackers, on a provocation organized by Ukrainian radicals.

Attempts to shift responsibility for this incident onto the Russian military are part of a cynical propaganda campaign, he said, according to the French official.

International leaders, as well as Pope Francis, appealed to Putin to negotiate.

In a highly unusual move, the pope said he had dispatched two cardinals to Ukraine, saying the Vatican would do everything it could to end the conflict.

With the Kremlin's rhetoric growing fiercer and a reprieve from fighting dissolving, Russian troops continued to shell encircled cities and the number of Ukrainians forced from their country grew to over 1.4 million. (Diego Herrera Carcedo / Associated Press)

In Ukraine, rivers of blood and tears are flowing, the pontiff said in his traditional Sunday blessing. This is not just a military operation, but a war that sows death, destruction and misery.

After the cease-fire in Mariupol failed to hold Saturday, Russian forces intensified their shelling of the city and dropped massive bombs on residential areas of Chernihiv, a city north of Kyiv, Ukrainian officials said.

The handful of residents who managed to flee Mariupol before the humanitarian corridor closed said the city of 430,000 had been devastated.

We saw everything: houses burning, all the people sitting in basements, said Yelena Zamay, who fled to one of the self-proclaimed republics in eastern Ukraine held by pro-Russian separatists. No communication, no water, no gas, no light, no water. There was nothing.

British military officials compared Russias tactics to those Moscow used in Chechnya and Syria, where surrounded cities were pulverized by airstrikes and artillery.

This is likely to represent an effort to break Ukrainian morale, the U.K. Ministry of Defense said.

Zelenskyy reiterated a request for foreign protectors to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, which NATO so far has ruled out because of concerns such an action would lead to a far wider war.

The world is strong enough to close our skies, Zelenskyy said Sunday in a video address.

The day before, Zelenskyy pleaded with American lawmakers in a video call to help get more warplanes to Ukraine.

U.S. officials say Washington is discussing ways to get the planes to Ukraine in a complex scenario that would include sending American-made F-16s to former Soviet bloc nations, particularly Poland, that are now members of NATO. Those countries would then send Ukraine their own Soviet-era MiGs, which Ukrainian pilots are trained to fly.

But because of production backlogs on the U.S. warplanes, the Eastern European nations would essentially have to give their MiGs to the Ukrainians and accept U.S. promises that they would get F-16s as soon as that was possible. Adding to the difficulties is the fact that the next shipment of F-16s is destined for Taiwan, and the U.S. Congress would be reluctant to delay those deliveries.

The Russian military has warned Ukraines neighbors against hosting its warplanes, saying that Moscow may consider those counties part of the conflict if Ukrainian aircraft fly combat missions from their territory.

The death toll remains lost in the fog of war. The U.N. says it has confirmed just a few hundred civilian deaths but also warned that the number is a vast undercount.

Ukrainian servicemen help an elderly woman, in the town of Irpin, Ukraine. (Andriy Dubchak / Associated Press)

Oleksiy Arestovich, an adviser to Zelenskyy, said Ukrainian officials and international humanitarian organizations were working with Russia through intermediaries to establish humanitarian corridors from Bucha and Hostomel, which are Kyiv suburbs where there has been heavy fighting.

Ukraines military is greatly outmatched by Russias, but its professional and volunteer forces have fought back with fierce tenacity. In Kyiv, volunteers lined up Saturday to join the military.

Even in cities that have fallen, there were signs of resistance.

Onlookers in Chernihiv cheered as they watched a Russian military plane fall from the sky and crash, according to video released by the Ukrainian government. In Kherson, hundreds of protesters waved blue and yellow Ukrainian flags and shouted, Go home.

Russia has made significant advances in southern Ukraine as it seeks to block access to the Sea of Azov. Capturing Mariupol could allow Moscow to establish a land corridor to Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014 in a move that most other countries considered illegal.

The West has broadly backed Ukraine, offering aid and weapon shipments and slapping Russia with vast sanctions. But no NATO troops have been sent to Ukraine, leaving Ukrainians to fight Russian troops alone.

Russias economy has been devastated by the sanctions, with the ruble plunging in value and dozens of multinational companies ending or dramatically scaling back their work in the country. On Sunday, American Express announced it would suspend operations in Russia, as well as in Russian-allied Belarus. Globally issued American Express cards will no longer work at stores or ATMs in Russia, the company said, and AmEx cards issued in Russia by local banks will also no longer work outside the country.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spent the weekend visiting NATO member nations in Eastern Europe that have taken in refugees from Ukraine. In Moldova on Sunday, he pledged support for the Western-leaning former Soviet republic that is warily watching Russias moves in Ukraine.

The U.N. said it would increase its humanitarian operations both inside and outside Ukraine, and the Security Council scheduled a meeting for Monday on the worsening situation.

The U.N. World Food Program has warned of an impending hunger crisis in Ukraine, a major global wheat supplier, saying millions will need food aid immediately.
Who, without a swelling heart, can read about the anguish of the Lockport parents who lost a son in a drunk driving crash and, more than that, offered its love and support to the driver responsible for their boys death?

Fred Roach, the father of the 22-year-old victim, Brandan Roach, told the court this week that his son wouldnt have wanted the driver  his friend, Thomas R. Townsend  to be imprisoned. Hes like family to me, the father said. Brendan wouldnt want him to go to jail.

And so, with that recommendation and after what a prosecutor said were extensive discussions with both parents, a court is prepared to sentence the 24-year-old Townsend to six months in the Niagara County Jail following his guilty plea to a charge of second-degree vehicular manslaughter. That will be followed by five years of probation.

It is, in its way, a loving story of acceptance and forgiveness, one at which an observer cant help but marvel. But theres more to it than that, an important aspect that Niagara County Judge Carolyn A. Wojtaszek and the District Attorneys office gave too little consideration: the interests of the public.

Yes, a young mans life was recklessly shortened and his family plunged into grief. They are all victims here. But as important as those factors are to this tragedy  or any similar one  its important to take into account how those cases are styled. The plaintiff is the people of New York. Their interests are, by definition, paramount in prosecuting any criminal case. But those interests are not reflected in so tender a sentence.

Drunken driving isnt as prevalent as it was before organizations such as MADD, SADD and STOP-DWI raised public awareness of the costs. But it still kills and, whether that is an outgrowth of addiction or indifference, the possibility of tragedy is no secret.

There are no drunken driving accidents. Car crashes, serious injuries and death are among the predictable consequences when anyone gets behind the wheel when intoxicated. Even the state maximum of seven years in prison doesnt reflect the seriousness of so recklessly taking a life. Six months in jail is an insult to the victim and to society.

We remain moved by the generosity of Fred Roach and his family. We hope Thomas Townsend will come out of this a better man, perhaps committed to helping others avoid his mistake. We are glad that judges and prosecutors include compassion in their evaluation of the cases before them.

But its dismaying that the publics interest in safe roads didnt play a larger role in the resolution of this case. It was the public, after all, that lodged this complaint.

  

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.
there is currently no significant research and development activity in the country and most of the researches that should have brought about great developments in the educational sector and in the nation as a whole have not been able to be fully implemented because of many challenges of which funding is on the top list and it makes this particular endeavour in the country sub-optimal.

Research and development are critical to the development of any nation as the former facilitates the latter.

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has the mandate to provide support for research and development in institutions in the country and in the light of its usual intervention in the various sectors, it recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology to boost research in the country, so as to promote national development.

While making this pact, the erstwhile Executive Secretary of TETFund, Professor Elias Sulaiman Bogoro, disclosed that the Federal Government released N5 billion last year to the agency to fund research.

He further expressed hope that the grant will be increased to further enable it to intensify the funding of so many other levels of research activities.

According to him, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) is the nerve centre for developed nations and for Nigeria to achieve development, STEM subjects must be embraced by students and researchers.

In addition to that, the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, also said that the pact is part of efforts to deepen a knowledge and innovation-driven economy, adding that research agencies will greatly benefit from this development.

Generally, the importance of research in Nigeria cannot be overemphasised as its importance ranges from introducing new ideas, helping with better discernment, getting the best information, expanding ones knowledge base, problem solving and building ones general capabilities.

However, there is currently no significant research and development activity in the country and most of the researches that should have brought about great developments in the educational sector and in the nation as a whole have not been able to be fully implemented because of many challenges of which funding is on the top list and it makes this particular endeavour in the country sub-optimal.

To meet these challenges, there is the need for a drastic and far-reaching reform in the educational policies and programmes of the country. This is because investment in education brings a greater increase in human capital or human resource.

TETFund, is the intervention agency whose main source of income for funding research and development is the two per cent education tax paid from the assessable profit of companies registered in Nigeria. It is managed by an eleven-member Board of Trustees with members drawn from the six geo-political zones of the country, as well as representatives of the Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Ministry of Finance and the Federal Inland Revenue Services and The Federal Ministry of Science and Technology. The mission of the latter is to facilitate the development and deployment of science and technology apparatus to enhance the pace of socio-economic development of the country through appropriate technological inputs.

In order to overcome the challenges of research and development in Nigeria therefore, I believe this collaboration between TETFund and the Ministry will cement synergy between research agencies and academic institutions to the overall benefit of Nigeria.

Rahma Olamide Oladosu writes from Abuja and can be reached through: oladosurahma@gmail.com.
WASHINGTON  When Matthew Parker, an American veteran with 22 years of service in the U.S. Army, heard that Russian forces had invaded Ukraine, he thought about a Ukrainian American soldier who had served alongside him with U.S. forces in Iraq and decided he wanted to help the Ukrainians defend their homeland.

I had a soldier in Iraq with me who was from Ukraine, he told VOA of his decision to join what he sees as a fight about justice and friendship. He became an American citizen, joined the Army, and he told me about his home. He told me about his family and how proud they were. I remember him telling me about his little sister.

Now  I'd like to think that by going to Ukraine, maybe I protect his mother, or his little sister or his home. Maybe in some small way, I say thank you to him for serving by doing something like this.

Parker, who fought battles in Bosnia and Iraq, is not alone.

A representative of the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington told VOA that 3,000 U.S. volunteers have responded to the nations appeal for people to serve in an international battalion that will help resist Russias invading forces. Many more have stepped forward from other countries, most from other post-Soviet states such as Georgia and Belarus.

In an emotional video posted to his Telegram channel on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy referred to an international legion of 16,000 foreign volunteers, who he said are being asked to join the defense of Ukraine, Europe and the world.

We have nothing to lose but our own freedom, the president said.

Zelenskyys appeal was echoed in a Facebook posting by Ukraines armed forces, which emphasized they are looking for people with combat experience who are standing with Ukraine against [the] Russian invasion. The government has already temporarily lifted visa requirements for the volunteers.

For Parker, a gray-haired father with four adult children, the decision to go and fight in Ukraine came even before Zelenskyys appeal.

Initially, he and 12 veterans, men he served with over the years, planned to board a plane to Poland, get to the Ukrainian border and register for territorial defense units along with other Ukrainian volunteers.

The path forward became much clearer, however, after Zelenskyy called for the formation of the international legion and the Ukrainian government laid out a procedure for people who want to help.

When we did not have the procedure, it would have been a process of showing up at the border. Maybe not knowing how to speak the language and trying to convince somebody. This way, they know our experience. They know our training. They can send us to places where they need us, he said.

Parker, a native of the U.S. state of South Carolina, said in his years with the U.S. Army, he had been an instructor as well as a combat leader who led soldiers in combat situations.

They can place me where they need me, he said. Or they can only leave me as an instructor with the legion to teach Ukrainians how to use different weapons systems. So now they have a choice, they can put me in combat or use me as an instructor, but we're happy to help in whatever.

For Parker, the fight in Ukraine is about more than the defense of one central European country that has been subjected to an unprovoked attack by a larger neighbor. Like many of the volunteers, he feels that Americans own democratic rights will be threatened if Russia is able to prevail.

What Ukrainians are fighting is a bully, they are facing someone who does not honor international law, who does not care about women and children, and we fought this type of people before, Parker said.

We're stopping a bully from hurting women and children.

Another of Parkers former combat friends was from Georgia, where Russia staged a similar war in 2008.

They served next to me, soldiers from Georgia in Iraq. And I know how it felt being around them while their country was being attacked. Now we have another free country similar to Georgia that's being attacked, he said.

Parker said he is leaving his security training business in South Carolina, his family, and three dogs and heading to Ukraine as soon as next week.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has already taken the Crimea, he said. Which should have never been allowed. That was a weakness by the international body. He can't be allowed to take the rest of Ukraine.
An ongoing issue might determine the political fate of this politico confronting a tough reelection battle.



Here's her continued push on a homespun issue . . .



Gov. Laura Kelly has ratcheted up the public pressure on lawmakers to axe the food tax with public events, media releases, newsletters and social media posts.



"I'm sure her frustration, and my frustration, too, if I was in her shoes, was this was proposed early on," said Rep. Adam Smith, R-Weskan. "And here it is March already, and there hasn't been any movement on it. So I'm sure she's just trying to maybe do that to put a little pressure on the Legislature to get moving."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .
As an Eastern European conflict continues to escalate and pushes the world closer to nuclear annihilation, inevitable outcry over racism now arises and had been mostly ignored by Kansas City mainstream media.

To wit . . .

ALLEGATIONS OF WHITE PRIVILEGE CONFRONT MIDDLE-CLASS AMERICAN SUPPORTERS OF UKRAINE!!!



Don't call this blog a pro-Putin given that we have ALWAYS documented that we think of so many white foreigners as Euro-trash . . . Except for the Irish (whom we love like our own and not just because of the San Patricios) and, also, a few kindly souls with decent cooking skillz.

But I digress . . .

The point here is that there's a racially charged angle of this story that shouldn't be overlooked because it's becoming increasingly problematic.



Here's the best summary we could find which synthesizes recent complaints . . .



"Even in times of crisis, sometimes the oppressed can also be the oppressor. In the immediate, chaotic aftermath of Russia's invasion, the United Nations admitted that non-Europeans living in Ukraine experienced "different treatment" by military officers, border guards, and groups of civilians while trying to flee the country, according to Filippo Grandi, the organization's High Commissioner for Refugees. While Ukraine was certainly not a racial utopia before Russia's invasion, it's disheartening to know that even in the midst of devastation, anti-Black racism can remain strong."

Read more of this excellent essay . . .



The invasion of Ukraine and the moral conflict of sympathizing while Black If you see Black people question their support for Ukraine, ask yourself what you'd feel in our place Like other devastating turning points in history, many of us likely remember how and where we heard last week's harrowing news: After weeks of rising tensions, Russia had invaded Ukraine.

Check even worse deets about the treatment Africans have endured in the war zone . . .



'Open the door or we die': Africans report racism and hostility trying to flee Ukraine Alexander Somto Orah, 25, was among thousands of people crowding a Kyiv train station Friday, hoping to flee Ukraine amid the Russian invasion. He said he and his friends hoped to get to safety at the Polish border quickly but that officials wouldn't allow the group of Africans to board trains out of the region.

Bombastic statements from officials directed toward Black & brown refugees have also been politely ignored . . .



They are 'civilised', 'European' and 'look like us': the racist coverage of Ukraine | Moustafa Bayoumi While on air, CBS News senior foreign correspondent Charlie D'Agata stated last week that Ukraine "isn't a place, with all due respect, like Iraq or Afghanistan, that has seen conflict raging for decades. This is a relatively civilized, relatively European - I have to choose those words carefully, too - city, one where you wouldn't expect that, or hope that it's going to happen".

To be fair, there is conservative push back against these sentiments which notes that the aggression of a nuclear power makes this war just a bit more important to the world than other conflicts . . .



The myopic focus on racism at the Polish-Ukrainian border | The Spectator There are already a hell of a lot of foreign correspondents and human-rights workers at the Ukrainian-Polish border - an immigration problem all by themselves, perhaps. Quite a few of these reporters seem to be desperately seeking 'racism' stories, since that is increasingly the only news wh...

Still, the reality is that US news watchers have been bombarded with Ukraine coverage whilst suffering in other parts of the world has ALWAYS been habitually ignored . . .



Viewpoint on Ukraine: Why African wars get different treatment In our series of letters from African writers, Algerian-Canadian journalist Maher Mezahi reflects on the different way that conflicts in Europe and Africa are viewed. We are all equal, but some are more equal than others. This play on George Orwell's adage has been brought to life as war broke out at the gates of the European Union.

Moreover . . . What really stands out is how Democratic Party pro-war cheerleaders have been allowed to ignore this issue rather than confront their hypocrisy. Again, we'd like to see our Republican friends engage in a bit of humanitarianism and win points in support of the rights of Africans, people-of-color and refugees . . . If they dare . . .



Opinion: We can't ignore the darker sides of global unity on war in Ukraine Peniel E. Joseph examines racial bias in coverage of Russia's invasion on Ukraine in historical context and says it's erased the experience of Black and brown people attempting to flee Ukraine, while reinforcing toxic assumptions about who deserves empathy when facing the perils of war.

In the final analysis . . .

The racially charge politics which confronts the Democratic Party on the topic of Ukraine can't be ignored. The party of diversity, equity and inclusion can't afford to hide from this issue if they hope to win popular support ahead of midterm elections and as they push the world closer to a dangerous standoff betwixt nuclear powers.



You decide . . .
Wanted by FBI: High school students for Teen Academy

The FBI Salt Lake City Field Office invites all interested students enrolled in accredited high schools in Utah, Idaho and Montana to apply to attend the Teen Academy, which will be held virtually April 11-14, 2022 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The FBI Teen Academy provides an opportunity for high school students to catch a glimpse behind the scenes of the FBI. Upon completion of Teen Academy, high school students will foster a greater understanding of the FBIs mission and how we serve our citizens, community and nation. During the academy, students will be afforded an opportunity to learn about how evidence and hazardous material are collected at crime scenes; discover how FBI SWAT executes arrests; learn about the domestic terrorism, civil rights, crimes against children, and cyber programs; and job opportunities and requirements.

The program is not exclusive to students interested in criminal justice. Due to the vast diversity in our workforce, any student with an interest in the FBI, what we do, and how a relationship with the FBI can help their school, is encouraged to apply. All students will be evaluated based on their application (school activities and community involvement) and an essay to determine which students will be offered a seat in the class. None of the above elements will be the sole basis of evaluation of an application, and the application process should be taken seriously by all applicants. The application, release form, and a supporting essay must be received by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office by 4 p.m. March 11. Incomplete and late applications will not be accepted. The application and more information can be found at fbi.gov/file-repository/salt-lake-city-teen-academy-application-021722.pdf/view

Nominate your Health Hero

Who went the extra mile to protect their community in the last two years? South Central Public Health District is accepting nominations for our local health heroes. The Health Hero award is for residents in south-central Idaho. This region includes Blaine, Camas, Cassia, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka and Twin Falls counties. Eligible nominees must live in one of these counties for the award. SCPHD will present two winners in each of the four nomination categories, including:

Youth: A volunteer, 18 years old or younger, who has impacted the health of their community. Please limit entries to one person per nomination.

Adult volunteer: A community member over 18 who has volunteered outside of their profession. This person must have volunteered time on a community project, initiative, or within an organization, and their efforts have helped their community become healthier. Please limit entries to one person per nomination.

Adult professional: A community member over 18 who works in health care or community health and goes above and beyond in their job or hobby to help make their community healthier. Please limit entries to one person per nomination.

Organization: Adult or youth residents who significantly impacted their community health over the last year.

On the nomination form, please include a description explaining why your nominee deserves the Health Hero Award and how they have impacted their community. Examples of qualifying activities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Promoting a healthy lifestyle through activities at schools, churches, and places of work

Programs/activities to reduce suicides

Promoting physical activity or other activities that help reduce obesity

Help to prepare a community for a disaster

Efforts to decrease workplace injuries or illness

Promoting policies that led to healthy outcomes

Helping to expand health information outreach to hard-to-reach communities

Find nomination forms on the website, at one of SCPHDs five offices, or by calling 208-737-5900. Nominations are due by the end of the business day on March 31. All mailed nominations must be postmarked by March 31. Health Hero award winners will be honored on May 18 at the SCPHD Regional Board of Health meeting.

Weve seen so many incredible people serve their communities in critical ways over the last two years, said Pam Jones, South Central Public Health board member and chair of the Health Heroes committee. This has been an especially difficult time for so many, and we want to make sure the people who go above and beyond are recognized for their care, dedication, and hard work.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett spoke on Sunday with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and continued his efforts to promote a cease-fire.

Why it matters: Bennetts overtures are part of a wider effort that includes French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The three leaders are coordinating their outreach to Putin and Zelensky.

Driving the news: Bennett visited Moscow on Saturday and met Putin in the Kremlin. He was the only Western leader to do so since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Before departing Moscow on Saturday, Bennett called Zelensky and briefed him on the meeting.

Bennett traveled from Moscow to Berlin and met with Scholz to update him on the meeting with Putin. On his way to the airport in Berlin before flying back to Israel, Bennett spoke to Macron and had another call with Zelensky.

On Sunday morning, Bennett spoke again to Zelensky. This was their third call in less than 15 hours. On Sunday afternoon, he spoke again with Putin. After the call with Putin, Bennett again called Macron and Scholz.

Israeli, German and French officials who Axios spoke with declined to give any details about the content of this flurry of phone calls and engagements between their leaders and Putin and Zelensky.

What they are saying: During a cabinet meeting on Sunday, Bennett said he went to Moscow to assist the dialogue between all sides. He stressed he got the blessing and encouragement of all players involved.

I cannot go into greater detail. We will continue to assist as needed. Even if the chance is not great  as soon as there is even a small opening, and we have access to all sides and the capability  I see this as our moral obligation to make every effort, said the prime minister.

Whats next: Bennett is keeping the Biden administration informed of his talks with Putin and Zelensky. His national security adviser, Eyal Hulata, spoke by phone on Saturday and on Sunday with U.S. counterpart Jake Sullivan to brief him, Israeli officials told Axios.

Israels foreign minister will meet Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Latvia on Monday. Israeli officials said the reason for the meeting is to coordinate positions with the U.S. regarding the cease-fire efforts.

Go deeper:
First of all, this online slap fight just makes the Missouri Guv seem like he doesn't know anything about the Internets or online security precautions that are going to be more important as we reenter a cold war with Russia.



Remember . . .

TKC actually likes this Guv. He ran a great campaign against progressive challenger who was more empty suit than savior. He rescued the GOP from the disgrace of former Guv Eric Greitens AND as a former law enforcement official his administration has served as a reminder to local activists about the political leanings of most Missouri voters.

However . . . He's just wrong about this Internet beef and, like most old school denizens of the Internets, it's hard for him to let go of an online flame war. This is understandable . . . TKC still remembers legendary "flame wars" from back in the roaring IRC 90s.



NEVERTHELESS . . .

The journalist in this instance behaved with exceptional ethics and the Missouri Guv sticking with the "blame the media" tactic locks Missouri right-wing politicos into an adversarial relationship with media that's already unnecessarily hostile.

Here's a roundup of the sitch . . .



Once the reporter confirmed the Social Security numbers of hundreds of thousands of teachers were at risk of public disclosure, he notified the state, explained how he found the flaw and promised not to publish anything until the issue was fixed.



State officials wanted to thank him. But the governor instead convened a press conference to call the reporter a hacker and push for a criminal investigation.



Even after the prosecutors public statements explaining why charges wouldnt be filed, Parson has refused to back down from his claims.



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .
Naomie Harris showed off her chic sense of style as she attended the Givenchy Womenswear Fall/Winter 2022/2023 show at Paris Fashion Week on Sunday.

The actress, 45, wore an all-black trouser suit to the event which she paired with a pair of open-toed heels to add a few inches to her stature.

Movie star Naomie carried a clutch purse in her hand as she posed-up at the event.

Fashionista: Naomie Harris, 45, showed off her chic sense of style in a black trousersuit as she attended the Givenchy Womenswear show at Paris Fashion Week on Sunday

She wore her ombre hair in loose waves with her tresses resting gently on her shoulders.

The star, who played Eve Moneypenny in the James Bond films, Skyfall and Spectre, wore lashings of make-up to highlight her pretty facial features.

Taking to Instagram before the show, she shared a snap of some gift bags she was sent by Givenchy bosses.

In style: The star carried a clutch purse in her hand as she posed-up at the event before taking her seat

She captioned the picture: 'Thank you for this gorgeous welcome to Paris @givenchyofficial @matthewmwilliams.

'I can't wait to attend the show tonight.'

Naomie is currently on screen in No Time To Die and Venom: Let There Be Carnage, disproving warnings her career would dwindle after the age of 40. But two decades ago her circumstances were very different.

In an interview with The Mail on Sunday's You magazine in December, she described how she couldn't even get shop work.

Strike a pose: Naomie wore lashings of make-up to highlight her pretty facial features as she stepped out for the evening

Fame game: The star is one of a number of famous faces to travel to Paris for Fashion Week this year

Looking good: She wore her ombre hair in loose waves with her tresses resting gently on her shoulders

Naomie recalled: 'Even Sainsbury's and Marks & Spencer turned me down. I tried waitressing  and no one would have me.

'I didn't know what to call myself. I didn't think I could say 'actress' when no one would employ me.'

Achieving professional success is not the first time she has conquered adversity  having battled to recover from surgery to correct scoliosis, a curvature of the spine, aged 15.

She explained: 'I had a rib removed, my lung deflated, then all the muscles near my spine cut through so they could insert a metal rod all the way up my back. I had to learn how to walk again. It was a horrific experience.

'Going through something so traumatic, I learned that my health is a very fragile gift.

'So at that young age, I made the decision to do everything that I possibly could to maintain it.'
Oil leaks from equipment at the Placerita Oil Field, in Santa Clarita, California on February 22, 2022, where the state is plugging 56 abandoned wells.

Bill Suan bought his family's cattle farm in the mountains of West Virginia a decade-and-a-half ago with little thought for the two gas wells drilled on the propertybut then they started leaking oil onto his fields and sickening his cows.

After taking the operator to court, Suan was successful in plugging one well, but the company has since disappeared, leaving him to contend with a small-scale environmental disaster that's a symptom of the larger problem of orphaned oil wells across the United States.

"It's shocking to think that it was like that for decades," Suan said.

From rural areas in the east where modern oil production began to cities in southern California, where pumpjacks loom not far from homes, the United States is pockmarked with perhaps millions of oil wells that are unsealed, haven't produced in decades, and sometimes do not have an identifiable owner.

The detritus of lax regulation and the petroleum industry's booms and busts, many states have struggled to deal with these wells, which can leak oil and brine into water supplies as well as emit methane, a particularly potent greenhouse gas.

In a first, Washington is making a concerted effort to plug these wells through a $4.7 billion fund, passed as part of an expansive overhaul of the nation's infrastructure.

"The money available to the states (has) never been commensurate to the scale of the problem, and now for the first time it will be," said Adam Peltz, a senior attorney at the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) nonprofit.

The funds will likely not be enough to solve the problem entirely, though, and environmentalists warn that the patchwork of state laws governing oil production include many loopholes that could allow companies to continue abandoning wells.

For the first time, the United States is making a concerted effort to address its orphaned well problem by allocating $4.7 billion to state governments for plugging operations.

Disappearing owners

Since the first commercial barrel of oil was extracted in Pennsylvania in 1859, the United States has been at the center of global petroleum production.

But in many US states, it took more than a century to pass regulations governing record-keeping for wells and their sealing, or plugging.

Today, the exact number of abandoned wells nationwide is unknown, but the Environmental Protection Agency this year estimated it to be around 3.5 million.

The EDF estimates around nine million Americans live within a mile of a well that's considered orphaned, meaning that it's neither operating, nor has a documented owner.

In southern California's Kern County, the Central California Environmental Justice Network has received reports of abandoned petroleum infrastructure leaking oil next to schools and homes.

"A lot of the infrastructure that was built, that was now abandoned... is very much centered around poor communities," said Gustavo Aguirre Jr., the network's director in the county.

The Environmental Defense Fund estimates nine million Americans live within a mile of an orphaned oil well.

States have largely been left to their own devices when it comes to addressing these wells.

California plugs a few dozen per-year, according to the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC), and is currently in the process of sealing 56 near the city of Santa Clarita, just north of Los Angeles, some of which date back to 1949.

The bulk of America's orphaned wells are thought to be in eastern states where the industry was born, and where more than 160 years later, it's not unheard of for landowners to find a hole in the ground or a pipe protruding from the earth that's leaking oil or brine.

Pennsylvania, which is thought to have the most, plugged 18 orphaned wells in 2020, according to the IOGCC. In the same year, West Virginia, which has thousands of documented orphaned wells, plugged one.

"It's been decades of neglect, just letting them get away with it, not forcing the plugging regulations," said Suan, who has had to fence off the unplugged well on his land to keep cattle from getting into the leaked oil.

"And now we're stuck with all of them."

If left unplugged, orphaned wells can leak oil, brine and the potent greenhouse gas methane, which contributes to climate change.

'Every slice'

The federal infrastructure bill Congress approved last year will likely allow a chunk of these wells to be sealed, said Ted Boettner, a senior researcher at the Ohio River Valley Institute, which studies energy in the eastern region where oil production began.

However, he warned that in some states there aren't enough inspectors or financial requirements to keep drillers from continuing to walk away from their wells.

"This is just a drop, then, and the bonding coverage is so inadequate," Boettner said.

A McGill University study published last year ranked abandoned wells as the 10th greatest methane emitter in the United States, far below industries like cattle and natural gas production.

But with President Joe Biden's administration trying to curb the country's emissions where it can, and as estimates of future damage by climate change grow increasingly dire, Peltz characterized the plugging investment as a start.

"If we have to give every slice of the pie, which we do, we have to get this slice of the pie," he said.

Explore further Interior Department approves $1B to clean up abandoned wells

 2022 AFP
WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois said he will work toward getting military equipment and humanitarian relief to Ukraine, which has been invaded by Russia.

Many places in Illinois have held vigils in support of the Ukrainian cause.

Durbin, who is in the Democratic leadership, was joined by U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, an Ohio Republican, in a phone call Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

They discussed several topics, a news release from Durbin's office said. They spoke about the need for Congress to approve billions of dollars in emergency military and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine, the need to support refugees, and possible war crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine.

Zelensky said in the call that Russia continues to target cities and civilian infrastructure, including nuclear power plants. Durbin and Portman were joined by many members of the U.S. House and Senate during the virtual meeting.

"President Zelensky is a tireless and courageous leader for the people of Ukraine. His call for unity in the face of Russian barbarity has inspired the world," said Durbin. "Today's meeting reaffirmed our commitment to do everything we can to provide military equipment and humanitarian relief. As Russia continues its unprovoked and illegal attacks, we will continue to work with NATO and our allies to support President Zelensky and the Ukrainian people."

"Today's call with President Zelensky was sobering and inspiring," said Portman.

More than one million Ukrainians have already fled Ukraine for neighboring countries while another million are displaced within Ukraine. The U.N. Refugee Agency estimates that as many as four million Ukrainians may flee in the coming weeks and months.

Earlier this week, the Biden Administration designated Ukraine immigrants for temporary protected status, or TPS, following a letter sent by Durbin, Portman, and Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Ukrainians currently in the U.S. will now be eligible for TPS, including Ukrainian students, tourists, and workers.

The White House also asked Congress for $10 billion in humanitarian and military aid for Ukraine, which can help neighboring countries like Poland and Hungary to provide emergency relief, food, shelter, and medical care. Durbin spoke on the Senate floor last week urging Congress to approve this funding.
Labor has promised he will make a public child sex offender registry if elected at the next South Australian election.

Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas announced that if he wins the next election he will introduce a series of law reforms with the aim of protecting children.

Child sex offenders would be listed on a public registry and killers who hide the body of their victim could be jailed for an extra 15 years.

Labor leader Peter Malinauskas announced his party would introduced harsher laws for child sex offenders if he was elected

Under Labor's proposed plan, child sex offenders who fail to comply with their reporting orders would be publicly identified.

Police would also be able to give parents information about people their child has regular contact with.

The proposed register is based off WA's successful public sex offender registry model.

Labor also promised to introduce indefinite detention for serious child sex offenders.

Under the proposed law, serious child sex offenders would not be released from detention until they prove they are no longer a threat to children.

Under the proposed laws, killers who hide the body of their victim could face an extra 15 years in jail, on top of a murder or manslaughter charge

They would be GPS tracked from an ankle monitor once they were released from detention.

The laws would also close a loophole that allowed the importation of childlike sex dolls and the owners of the dolls to receive sentence discounts and bail upon arrest.

Killers who hide the body of their victim could be jailed for an extra 15 years, on top of their murder or manslaughter sentence.

Mr Malinauskas said the extra jail time was important to grieving loved ones who suffered an additional loss as it provided incentive to reveal where bodies were.

'Concealing the body of a victim also adds to grief, suffering and uncertainty for the loved ones of victims,' he told Adelaide Now.

The proposal follows the case of Geoffrey Adams, who hid his wife's body for 45 years.

The additional charge proposal follows the case of Geoffrey Adams, who hid the body of his wife Colleen for 45 years

In 2018 Adams confessed to killing his 24-year-old wife Colleen Adams in 1973 at the their home at Maitland, on Yorke Peninsula; police found her body the same day as his confession

Adams in 2018 confessed to killing his 24-year-old wife Colleen Adams in 1973 at the their home at Maitland, on the Yorke Peninsula.

He said he struck Colleen on the head with a metal object and buried her in the backyard. Police found her remains the same day.

Geoffrey plead guilty to manslaughter but was acquitted of murdering Colleen.

Before his confession, Adams claimed for 45 years that his wife walked out on him and their two young daughters.

Adams died in custody in 2020, before he was sentenced.

Mr Malinauskas believes Labor's proposed plan will work to protect the most vulnerable people in South Australia's community and prioritise the safety of children and families.

The laws would also close a loophole that allows the importation of childlike sex dolls and the owners of the dolls to receive sentence discounts and bail upon arrest

'The most important responsibility of government is to protect the community, particularly the most vulnerable,' he said.

'We have listened to victims, their families and the broader community, and we know that there is a strong will for tougher action on these predators.'

Labor proposed an extra $2 million to help victims through court proceedings and the re-funding of the Victim Support Service after the Liberal party slashed the organisation's budget.

Victim Support Service offers support and counselling to victims of crime in South Australia.
The Treasury and one of Britain's leading law firms are under fire for enabling Kremlin-backed Russian bank VTB  which was sanctioned ten days ago  to pursue a claim against one of Africa's poorest nations.

Legal experts at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer said the bank has secured a special licence from the Treasury to fund its $670million (505million) claim, which began in 2019, against Mozambique in the London courts.

VTB was officially sanctioned as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions do not prohibit Freshfields from providing legal advice to VTB, but City sources say the reputational risks are clear.

Special licence: VTB was officially sanctioned as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Over the past week, a flood of City lawyers have sought to distance themselves from clients linked to the Putin regime. But at a court hearing last week, Freshfields defended advising VTB as a 'matter of professional obligation'.

In a statement to the judge, Freshfields' barrister David Railton QC said the Government issued a year-long 'general licence' for VTB on the eve of the hearing.

The MoS has obtained a copy of the licence, which was issued on March 1. It allows VTB  which is majority owned by the Russian government  to continue paying 'reasonable' fees to its lawyers.

The firm's legal fees for the case  which individuals close to the matter have said may never be paid  are not yet known.

But court documents seen by the MoS show that a senior Freshfields litigation partner charged a rate of 1,050 an hour last year while representing the Bank of Georgia.

Labour MP Chris Bryant, who sits on the Foreign Affairs Committee, described VTB's Treasury-endorsed licence arrangement as 'bizarre'. He added that it is 'extraordinary that British lawyers and companies would still want to work for the Russian state'.

Britain imposed asset freezes on funds held by the bank  Russia's second largest  and within the UK's jurisdiction, so no money can be moved without permission from the Treasury. However, the Government then granted a month-long exemption on the freeze.

Freshfields is working for VTB as part of a fraud claim against Mozambique, relating to the 'Tuna Bonds' scandal. It concerns $1.3billion of loans arranged by Credit Suisse for projects including a tuna fishery.

Freshfields said: 'We owe professional obligations  including duties to the Court  and it was in light of those that it was necessary for us to appear at the long-scheduled hearing [last week]. The firm has no intention of profiting from this.'
KARACHI, Pakistan  The reaction to Pakistans first womens march was relatively mild: criticism and condemnation from Islamist parties and conservatives, who called the participants anti-religion and vulgar.

That did not deter the organizers of the 2018 march in Karachi, the significance of which reverberates to this day.

What started as a single demonstration to observe International Womens Day has become an annual lightning rod for religious conservatives across Pakistan, who have been adopting harsher attitudes toward female activists. Now, as women prepare to march on Tuesday in Karachi and other cities, powerful figures in Pakistan want the event banned altogether.
Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik on Sunday sought urgent intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for continuance of studies of medical students who have returned from Ukraine to India. In his letter to the Prime Minister, Patnaik said a large number of medical students from Odisha and other parts of India had to return back home due to war in Ukraine. The disruption in their studies is likely to continue until cessation of the hostilities and restoration of normalcy in their universities in Ukraine, he said. "This is an unprecedented crisis that has the potential of disrupting the careers of several thousands of young men and women who have already gone through the trauma of being in the war zone," the Chief Minister pointed out. The Odisha CM sought urgent intervention of the Prime Minister with the National Medical Commission (NMC) and the ministries concerned to enable and facilitate continuance of their studies in the medical colleges in India from the stage from where their studies in Ukraine got disrupted. Patnaik assured the Prime Minister full support from his government for implementing a workable solution for this purpose. According to sources about 500 students from Odisha had gone to Ukraine to study medical courses. Many of them have returned to India in the middle of their courses following the war between Russia and Ukraine. --IANS bbm/skp/ ( 242 Words) 2022-03-06-20:24:03 (IANS)
Road construction season is about to begin.

Todd Janssen, Beaver Dams director of engineering, announced last week that the citys street reconditioning program for 2022 is expected to start today, but is dependent on weather conditions.

Top on the list of projects is the delayed reconstruction of South Spring Street from Mill Street north to Park Avenue/Front Street.

In 2020, reconstruction of South Spring Street from Mill Street south to the city limits was completed at a cost of $3.7 million. The downtown section of South Spring was planned for 2021, but was delayed to this year when bids came in approximately $1 million higher than initial projections of $1.2 million.

The project will include removal and replacement of the existing pavement structure, curb and gutter, driveway aprons, sidewalk, sanitary sewer, water main, and storm sewer. The project area will be closed to through traffic during the construction, which should be completed by Oct. 31.

Beaver Dam Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Tracy Propst said it is everyones hope that the timeline will be reduced significantly.

The businesses are very concerned, she said. We are in the process of coming up with incentives for customers to be rewarded for shopping on Spring Street while its shut down.

The city has purchased signage to make it clear that businesses are open during construction. Motor vehicle traffic will be diverted and people should be prepared to enter businesses via the tower parking lot.

Propst said both the city and the chamber are planning frequent social media posts throughout the construction.

We are going to consistently remind people that even though it may require a bit more effort than usual while the streets under construction, these are mostly small businesses here that need customers to survive, she said.

The chambers popular Taste of Wisconsin event will go on as scheduled June 18, but will be moved from South Spring Street to the tower parking lot, with access from Center Street across the foot bridge.

Road construction on Haskell Street, between West Street and Madison Street, is also set to start this week.

Crews will remove and replace the existing pavement structure, curb and gutter, driveway aprons, sidewalk, sanitary sewer, water main, and storm sewer. The project area will be closed to through traffic during the construction, which is expected to be completed by June 30.

Access to Cotton Mill and Tahoe Parks can be made via alternate routes. Those who plan on attending the Beaverland Must-Skis shows or Jam by the Dam on June 24 should follow the detour. Construction should be wrapped up before the citys Best Dam Fest on July 8-10.

At the Feb. 21 Beaver Dam Common Council meeting, Janssen said rising prices and labor shortages are driving up costs across the board.

Reconstruction bids of Haskell Street were at $559,000 which is more than $100,000 over the projected $450,000.

The bulk of 2022s Capital Improvement Plans, about $4.6 million, is for street projects. Other large projects planned include East Davis Street between South Spring Street and South University Avenue; West Third Street between West and LaCrosse streets; and Walnut Street from McKinley Street to the cul-de-sac.
Malleswaram residents, including senior citizens, held a march on Sunday morning protesting the digging up of roads and footpaths.

For the last few years, the residents of Malleswaram have been silently enduring the non-stop work on their infrastructure, said Suchitra Deep and Ravi Acharya from Malleswaram Social.

Theres practically no road that hasnt been dug up. BBMP, Bescom, BWSSB and even private telecom companies feel free to dig up any road at any time. When we leave home, we are not sure which roads are open and which ones to avoid.

In the past, roads were unsafe for children and senior citizens, but now they are virtually impassable for adults. The dust (kicked up as a result of roadwork) is leading to respiratory problems, a member of Malleswaram Social said.

The march culminated at the office of Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, who represents the constituency.

Residents also spoke of the inaccessibility of Sankey tank to senior citizens for much of the pandemic period and expressed their frustration over delayed work on Margosa Road. When it was completed, we found that ramps were unusable, making the footpaths inaccessible to senior citizens.

Malleswaram resident Preeti Sunderajan said the 17th and 18th Cross Road repaired recently have been dug up again and debris has been dumped.

We understand that most of these projects are necessary. But there is no consultation with residents. The BBMP has not even conducted ward committee meetings for the last three months, Preeti said, adding that residents are tired of the disruptions to normal life.

Malleswaram Social said projects should display information about the municipal agency, start and end date as well as contact details of the authorities concerned.

Agencies must coordinate the works so that roads are not dug up again and again, Deep and Acharya said. When diverting traffic from a major road like Sampige or Margosa, the alternate routes like 4th Main should be made ready. Residents must be consulted and informed about the projects.

They also reminded authorities that pedestrians are important just as vehicles, footpaths, road humps, and bus stops are.

Responding to the protest, Minister Ashwath Narayan said authorities have taken up the works to fulfil the localitys needs for the next 30 years.

Malleswaram is one of the oldest areas in the city. Water lines, manholes and underground drainage systems are very old. Our priority is to make it Smart Malleswaram, the minister said.

He said inconvenience to the public is temporary as the works would help avoid digging up roads in the future for laying cables or other works. All the issues will be resolved in the next two months, he said.

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An Indian student studying in Ukraine's International Black Sea University reached Indore on Sunday evening and thanked the Central government for safely evacuating from the conflict-hit country. The student, Harsh, who is studying MBBS at the University situated in Mykolaiv city, reached his hometown Mayur Nagar town and was welcomed by neighbours, who garlanded him. Pragati Mandloi, Harsh's mother, said, "I am very happy today. I thank the Central government and PM Narendra Modi. After the war broke out in Ukraine, my family members and I were depressed. I am proud that I am an Indian citizen." Harsh said, "I am a fourth-year MBBS student. On March 1, we arranged a bus and reached Moldova. From there, the Indian Embassy took us to Romania. It was very difficult to reach Moldova. We had to wait for 6 hours at the Ukraine border. Now, I am worried about further studies. It seems like it will be difficult to continue our studies in a war-torn country. My father is a photographer and he had borrowed a loan for my education. I request the Indian authorities to allow us to continue our study in India itself." India has launched Operation Ganga to evacuate Indian nationals stranded in Ukraine. The Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday said that around 13,300 people returned to India from Ukraine so far by 63 flights under Operation Ganga. (ANI)
As the Russian-Ukraine conflict continues to unfold, several tales of hope, horror and, disappointment, have emerged from the conflict zone. One such story is about a Pakistani student Misha Arshad who was among thousands of international students studying in various universities across Ukraine because of its low tuition and cost of living. Arshad, a student at the National Aerospace University, managed to flee Kharkiv after living in the basement of a hostel for a week. Slamming the behaviour of the Pakistani embassy, she said "they did nothing" to help them evacuate. "We are the future of Pakistan and this is how they treated us in this difficult time," she lamented. "When the war broke out, the university administration shifted those living in apartments to hostel basements. I stayed with some 120 students from Nigeria, China, India and even some local Ukrainians," Arshad was quoted as saying by Dawn newspaper. "It wasn't safe for us to leave our shelter or even try and flee as air strikes continued all day and night." Following her harrowing experience in Kharkiv, Arshad took a bus ride arranged by the Indian embassy to Ternopil city. "I was the only Pakistani in a bus full of Indian students," said Arshad. Contrary to the accounts of their own students, the Pakistani foreign ministry claimed that they have evacuated 1,476 Pakistani nationals stranded in the conflict zone. Their embassy in Lviv even went on to claim that they were helping Indian students, according to Dawn's report. Dismissing media reports that their embassy helped Indian students, Arshad said, "The successful evacuation by our government is fake news." Of the 76,000 international students in Ukraine, nearly 25 per cent were from India, while the rest were from Morocco, Turkmenistan, Nigeria, China and Pakistan, according to the University World News. India has launched Operation Ganga to evacuate Indian nationals stranded in Ukraine. India's Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday said that around 13,300 people returned to India from Ukraine so far by 63 flights under Operation Ganga. (ANI)
Randolph School District is looking for a new superintendent.

At a special meeting Monday, Randolph School Board will consider prospective district administrator search firm proposals from Cooperative Education Service Agency 5 and the Wisconsin Association of School Boards.

Current Randolph School District Administrator Ty Breitlow has been offered the position of district administrator in Lomira, which serves about 1,000 students across Dodge, Fond du Lac and Washington counties.

Breitlow came to head Randolph Schools in 2019 after serving as director of learning and principal of Chilton High School for seven years. He was honored as the 2019 Wisconsin Principal of the Year.

According to the Lomira School District, 18 candidates were screened by a team at CESA 6 before three finalists were interviewed by the full school board and stakeholders group Feb.16.

The Lomira School Board is set to vote on Breitlows hiring at its meeting Wednesday. If approved, he would start as of July 1, when Bob Lloyd retires after serving in the superintendent role the past nine years.

Randolph is not the only school district in the area losing its leader. Cambria-Friesland, Columbus and Dodgeland superintendents are also retiring.

After eight years at the helm, Cambria-Friesland School District Administrator Timothy Raymond announced in November his planned June 30 retirement. CESA 5 is the consultant agency being used to assist in the hire.

The Columbus School Board accepted the retirement of Superintendent Annette Deuman last month and is contemplating using a search firm to fill the position, as well.

Dodgeland Superintendent Annette Thompson officially announced her retirement last week. A succession plan was already in place with current middle and high school principal Jessica Johnson taking over the role as district administrator as of July 1.

Thompson will serve as superintendent until June 30 and then oversee the schools building project before retiring Oct. 1.
Organizers of last year's Adams Street Fair celebrating first responders is aiming to be bigger and better this year.

Second Annual Adams Street Fair to be Held on July 24

ADAMS, Mass.  In cooperation with and to benefit the town's first responders, the second annual Adams Street Fair will be held on July 24 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Hoosac Street and the Adams Visitor Center grounds.

"Every year, the Adams Street Fair Committee is going to hold a street fair for our first responders. It was very well done last year. We had a lot of compliments," said Joseph Martin, chair of the Adams Street Fair Committee. "We raised some good money for [first responders]. This year, we're going a little bigger."

Martin explained plans for the fair to the Board of Selectmen on Wednesday and said the fair will have expanded programming and festivities this year. The first Adams Street Fair was in August 2021.

"We have huge entertainment coming," Martin said. "We're going to have a mainstage set up for bands. We have a kid's area, which is going to be all for the kids. We have a magician coming, a juggler, clowns, along with our vendors."

One new event coming to the fair is a first responders parade. While the route is not yet final, Martin said he plans to speak with Police Chief K. Scott Kelley to plan that out.

"We're going to ask communities around if they'd like to participate and bring one of their apparatus and just do a little quick drive-by parade through the fairground," said Forest Warden Chief Griffin Willette, also on the fair committee. "We're going to determine a safe zone where no one will be jeopardized of getting in the way to our designated areas where we'll park our rigs. And the kids and community will be able to come up and look at them."

While the board fully supports the event, they urged the organizers to make sure vendor offerings are family-friendly after complaints about one vendor at last year's event. Martin said this should not be an issue this time around, and the contract will stipulate vendors need to keep their booths appropriate for families.

"This is a family event, and we are not going to have any of that," he said.
Russian cryptocurrency trading volume sank 50%, debunking suggestions of an upturn in digital asset buying to evade sanctions issued by much of the West.

Rouble-dominated crypto trading was US$34.1mln on Thursday, compared with US$70.7mln on 24 February, according to Chainalysis.

Despite Bitcoins 15% hike last week, Russian volumes have been relatively weak so far, "suggesting price action is more due to investor positioning for an expected increase in demand from Russia, rather than Russian demand itself", said Citigroup analyst Alexander Saunders.

In fact, several crypto exchanges blacklisted sanctioned individuals and organisations to prevent them from crypto trading.

Binance refused to ban accounts of "innocent" Russian people, though.

New York State ramped up blockchain surveillance to further halt cryptos in aiding Russian interests.

Despite experts insisting digital assets would not help Russia circumvent international sanctions, the US and EU were continuously tightening crypto regulation.
KEARNEY  People can determine the current risk of COVID-19 in their county through a new map online posted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDCs new COVID-19 Community Levels By County map has been released as nationwide mask mandates have been shelved and other preventive COVID-19 measures have been sharply reduced.

The map shows the current state of COVID in each county to help citizens and officials make decisions about masks and other COVID precautions. It was introduced at the weekly Two Rivers Public Health Departments community conference call Friday morning.

Each county on the map is colored in green, yellow or orange to reflect low, medium or high risk for COVID-19 there. Risks are determined by how many COVID-19 patients are newly hospitalized, the number of hospitalized COVID patients and the numbers of new cases in the past week, all in that county.

It can be Googled by simply calling up CDC Community Levels map.

However, Two Rivers staff noted that the map may not be quite accurate. As of Friday morning, five of the seven counties in the Two Rivers region were shaded as high-risk even though COVID-19 cases are plummeting here, with just 42 new cases in the past week, according to Susan Puckett, community health nurse at Two Rivers.

Two Rivers is now averaging just six new COVID cases each day, a figure below that of a year ago, Puckett said. That number is way, way below the 1,172 cases the week of Jan. 20-26, a rate averaging more than 160 per day.

Also, as of Feb. 25, the CDC no longer requires masks on school buses or vans in areas with low or medium COVID levels.

Katie Mulligan, Two Rivers planning section supervisor, noted that Kearney County was ranked at a high level on Thursdays map, even though it hadnt had any new cases in days. She said the map shows proportions of the population, not actual numbers.

Puckett suggesting looking at numbers on the entire district for a better peek at COVID conditions here.

Dr. Brady Beecham, the Lexington physician who sits on the Two Rivers board, said, We are happily back to low numbers of new cases. She said data about COVID comes from different sources at different times, and that trying to find a specific number or figure can get frustrating. Small numbers keep bouncing around.

She added, however, From what Im seeing, our numbers look splendid.

The Two Rivers risk dial released Thursday reflects that. It was in the lower segment of the Elevated level, nearly in the less severe Moderate level. That is its lowest level in seven months. Two Rivers includes Buffalo, Dawson, Franklin, Gosper, Harlan, Kearney and Phelps counties.

Therefore, Puckett said the map could be used as a guideline and not the final authority on the status of COVID here.

She said Two Rivers has confirmed 200 deaths due to COVID since the pandemic began March 20, 2020, but more deaths will be announced soon. COVID-19 deaths must be confirmed and pronounced on a death certificate before figures are released to the public.

Riht now, COVID patients are using five out of the districts 39 ventilators. Two children and 19 adults are hospitalized with COVID.

Puckett said that although mask regulations are no longer required here, If the risk is high, wear a mask if you are going shopping or going to school, she said.

If there is a strain on the health care system, people may choose to mask at any time. People with symptoms, positive COVID test or exposure, should wear a mask, she said. Clinics, hospitals and nursing homes still require masks, she added.

Again, as she does every week, she urged people to get vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19. Two Rivers has reduced the times and locations for vaccination clinics and its mobile trailer because of declining demand. Keep an eye on the schedule. That will probably change a bit as numbers drop off, said Von Lutz, Two Rivers clinical services supervisor.

Two Rivers trailer is now doing testing 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at its office at 516 W. 11th St. It is no longer offering tests at its trailer at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds. Pre-registration is required at trphd.org

In other topics:

n Puckett said avian influenza viruses have been detected in wild birds for the first time since 2016. It was first seen in commercial poultry plants on Feb. 9, 2022. This is generally of concern only to poultry workers in the U.S., but she cautioned that half of the 900 Americans who got the virus six years ago died, so we dont want to see this take off.

n The CDC theorizes that the sudden uptick of COID cases in Hong Kong is due to the efficacy of the vaccine being used in Hong Kong, which is different from vaccines available in the U.S.

n The public can get free COVID test kits at libraries in Cozad, Franklin, Gibbon, Gothenburg, Holdrege and Minden.

Each kit has easy, non-scientific instructions on how to perform the test, Puckett said.
The death notice read like many others in The Plain Dealer, Clevelands daily newspaper, on Feb. 19. Pearl Gover, the headline said. It noted that Pearls age was uncertain, but she had been rescued off the streets three years ago. She was pregnant then. She had three beautiful girls. In 2020, she was adopted by a woman named Carlton Gover. Pearl died on Feb. 22. Memorial gifts were suggested to the Buckeye House Rabbit Society.

A photo of Pearl  a fat rabbit as white as a snowball, like the critter in Alice in Wonderland  was plunked among the serious, sobering and sad human death notices. The obit noted that Pearl loved to spend her days munching on her salad or chasing her treat ball around the living room rug. She was the kind of bunny who inspired many late-night songwriting sessions.

Yes, Pearl was a rabbit.

When that obituary and Pearls photo appeared, cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer were barraged with fury from readers who were indignant because a pets death notice had been slipped in between obits for beloved humans.

On Feb. 26, Chris Quinn, editor of cleveland.com/The Plain Dealer, penned a sincere apology for Pearls obituary inadvertently appearing among human death notices.

It was a mistake that slipped through the cracks, and Im sorry. When pages come to our designers for review each night, the pages dont show the death notices, he noted.

As a journalist who has made my share of errors, I felt Quinns pain, but I chuckled, too. Animals are very trendy these days. Lots of people prefer animals to people. Pet stores welcome leashed pets. We have pet parades, pet swims at public pools, pet charity walks, pet costume parties and more.

Theres even the Nonhuman Rights Project, which since 2019 has been seeking a writ of habeas corpus in New York to move Happy, an 8,500-pound Asian elephant, from the Bronx Zoo to a sanctuary to improve her living conditions. This case is climbing its way up the court system, with input from a Fordham University professor, philosophers and even the Roman Catholic Church.

But back to Pearl.

I looked up the Buckeye House Rabbit Society, to where donations in Pearls memory can be sent. Its the Ohio chapter of the national House Rabbit Society, based in Richmond, California. HRS says rabbits are misunderstood companion animals. It has found homes for 40,000 of them since 1988. Its website (www.ohare.org) has appealing photos of adorable little bunnies who can be yours just in time for Easter (my words, not theirs.)

That gives me pause. Years ago, our excited kids talked my husband and me into taking home a cocoa-brown rabbit from the county fair. We found him a cage and set it up outside. We gave him a name Ive long forgotten because, frankly, he was boring. The kids soon lost interest. He didnt live very long.

I have no doubt that deep affection blossomed between Pearl and her human family; but my familys story illustrates the conundrum for newspaper between the two sides of this issue.

In his Feb. 26 apology, Quinn carefully tiptoed between calming readers and pouring more salt on the reopened wounds of Pearls grieving family. He told how a surgeon saved the life of Ella, his beloved 10-year-old golden retriever, by removing a malformed, likely cancerous bone mass on her lower jaw.

But, he added, We do know that a day will come when we will mourn her. Believe me when I say we understand why Pearl Grovers family wanted to use our platform to express their grief and ask that donations be directed to a rabbit rescue group, he wrote.

But we must also respect people who might be offended to see the whiskers of pets juxtaposed with the photos of their loved ones. We will fix our system and do better, he concluded.

Then Quinn mentioned an idea I share: Why cant newspapers print a section of death notices for cats, dogs, horses, parrots and other pets? Maybe Pearls passing is a hidden blessing. She might provide newspapers with a fresh source of revenue.
International Atomic Energy Agency informed on Sunday that Ukraine's nuclear regulator has reported problems in communicating with the staff operating at the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhya, IAEA informed on Sunday. Earlier, Ukraine authorities have reported to the IAEA that the regular staff continued to operate the plant but the plant management is under the orders from the Commander of Russian forces controlling the site. According to the official statement by IAEA, Ukraine had also complained that any action of plant management including measures related to the technical operation of the six reactor units requires prior approval by the Russian commander. IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi expressed grave concern about the recent development as it breaks pillar 3 of the seven indispensable pillars of nuclear safety and security. Pillar 3 states that the operating staff must be able to fulfil their safety and security duties and have the capacity to make decisions free of undue pressure. Furthermore, Ukraine reported that Russian forces at the site have switched off some mobile networks and the internet so that reliable information from the site cannot be obtained through the normal channels of communication. With this, the Russian forces breached the seventh indispensable pillar, which states that there must be reliable communications with the regulator and others. Despite all these problems, the regulator still managed to deliver the updated information to confirm that radiation levels there remained normal. "The regulator also reported that it was facing problems communicating with personnel at the Chornobyl NPP, which at the moment was only possible with e-mails," the statement added. Staff at Chornobyl NPP- which is under the control of Russian forces- have been on site since February 23 without being able to carry out their jobs safely and securely. Director-General Grossi has repeatedly stressed the importance of operating staff being able to rest to carry out their important jobs safely and securely. On Thursday, Ukraine informed the International Atomic Energy Agency that Russian forces had taken control of the site of the country's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). Ukrainian counterparts informed the IAEA that a projectile had hit a training building in the vicinity of one of the plant's reactor units, causing a localized fire that was later extinguished. (ANI)




Russian artillery killed Ukrainian civilians on Sunday as Russia's invasion of Ukraine stretched into its eleventh day.

At least eight civilians living in Irpin had died by Sunday afternoon as shelling continued in the city, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing the city's mayor, Oleksandr Markushyn.

Russian forces hit a house that caught fire, sending plumes of smoke rising above Irpin, according to the Journal. Ukrainian forces reportedly worked to fight off Russia's attack in the city, which is a key path to Kyiv.

On Wednesday, Ukraine's emergency service announced that more than 2,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed amid Russia's invasion.

Russia's military has said it is not taking aim at Ukrainian civilians, instead arguing, without evidence, that "nationalists" in Ukraine are targeting their own people.

The attack in Irpin came the same day a second attempt at evacuating civilians from Mariupol under a cease-fire came to a halt. The mayor of the besieged city said Russian troops breached the agreement with "intense shelling," according to The New York Times.

The same outcome occurred on Saturday, when civilian evacuations from the city stopped, which both Ukrainian and Russian forces claiming that the other side had breached the cease-fire.

Civilians have been leaving Irpin for days, according to the Journal, as Russian forces started ramping up its attacks on civilian neighborhoods. Artillery has reportedly struck high-rise apartment buildings.

Russian and Ukrainian officials have participated in two rounds of peace talks that did not bear any major breakthroughs. On Monday, they are set to sit for more discussions as the conflict continues to unfold.
06.03.2022 LISTEN

Member of Parliament for the Effutu Constituency in the Central Region, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, popped up at the ongoing ECOWAS Parliaments 1st Extra Ordinary session in Monrovia, Liberian wearing an Effutu branded customized black jalabiyah robe that won the admiration of Members and staff of the West African body.

Effutu, last year hosted two ECOWAS Parliament sessions and the constituencys name has become a fond household name among Menbers and office staff.

Afenyo-Markin, who was the leader of Ghanas delegation to the two ECOWAS Parliament sessions held in his constituency displayed is hallmark show boy attributes of warn hospitality and generosity to the guests and dignitaries.

He also showcased the rich culture and traditions of Effutuman.

Afenyo-Markin, when he appeared in his jalabiyah with Effutu written in sparkling stones, received received appellations, applauds and cheers from Members who recounted their happy stay in Effutu.

He is one of the most hard working MPs and doubles as the Deputy Majority Leader in Ghanas Parliament.

The Session ends 11th of March.
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All eyes were on Kristen Stewart as she rocked a white sequined Chanel jumpsuit with black racing stripes down the sides and a black belt to the 37th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards at the Santa Monica Pier on Sunday night.

The 31-year-old Oscar nominee, who is serving as the evening's honorary chair and a presenter, styled her slightly, damp strawberry blonde hair in cool waves and opted for a classic smoky eye.

Euphoria's Sydney Sweeney oozed elegance in a floral embellished silver midi dress while attending her first event since accepting her longtime boyfriend Jonathan Davino's proposal late last month.

Spirit Awards best dressed! Kristen Stewart, Lily James, and Euphoria star Sydney Sweeney lead the red carpet glamour in dazzling ensembles for the 37th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica on Sunday

The newly-engaged HBO star, 24, who was not wearing a ring on her left finger, also debuted her recently dyed red tresses as she strutted down the blue carpet in a pair of black high heels.

In addition to swapping out her signature blonde hair, the actress opted to apply a black liquid eyeliner above and below her blue eyes.

Lily James looked equally elegant as she turned heads in a plunging, jewel-encrusted pink crop top with flowing sleeves, which she paired with black high-waisted pants.

Film Independent Spirit Awards: Winners at a glance Best Feature The Lost Daughter Best Male Lead Simon Rex, Red Rocket Best Female Lead Taylour Paige, Zola Best Director Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Lost Daughter Best Cinematography Passing Best Documentary Summer of Soul Best First Feature 7 Days Truer Than Fiction Award Jessica Beshir, Faya Dayi Best New Scripted Series Reservation Dogs Best Male Performance in a New Scripted Series Lee Jung-jae, Squid Game Robert Altman Award Mass Best Ensemble Cast in a New Scripted Series Reservation Dogs John Cassavettes Award (Given to the best feature made for under $500,000) Shiva Baby Best Screenplay Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Lost Daughter Best First Screenplay Michael Sarnoski; Story by Vanessa Block, Michael Sarnoski, Pig Best Supporting Female Ruth Negga, Passing Best Supporting Male Troy Kotsur, CODA Best Editing Zola Best International Film Drive My Car (Japan) Someone to Watch Award Alex Camilleri (Luzzu) Best New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series Black and Missing Best Female Performance in a New Scripted Series Thuso Mbedu, The Underground Railroad Advertisement

Friendly: The Twilight alum, 31, waved at fans and photographers as she arrived

Big night: In addition to serving as the evening's honorary chair, Stewart will present an award

Dream team: Stewart posed for photos with Pablo Larrain, who directed her film Spencer

Stunning: She looked great in her stylish ensemble as she posed for official pictures

Glowing: She sported a radiant makeup look

The 32-year-old Pam & Tommy star wore a glamorous makeup look, which included a nude lipstick, and her ombre hair in pin-straight strands.

Presenters for the show include Dianna Agron, Javier Bardem, Rosario Dawson, Andrew Garfield, Regina Hall, James, Sweeney, Taika Waititi and more.

Like Stewart, Ava DuVernay, Jessica Chastain, Ang Lee and Shaka King are notable talent have all served as the honorary chair for the ceremony.

Newly-engaged: The star did not wear her engagement ring to the show

Glowing: Sweeney looked radiant as she prepared to present at the show

Ginger: In addition to swapping out her signature blonde hair, the 24-year-old Sharp Objects star opted for a smoked-out eyeliner below her blue eyes

Glowing: Sweeney looked radiant as she prepared to present at the show

The 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards nominations were announced on in December.

Beanie Feldstein, Hall, and Naomi Watts shared the list of nominations in a livestream broadcast shared on YouTube.

Zola, about strippers who travel to Florida, landed the most nods - a total of seven - for the 37th Film Independent Spirit Awards.

Maggie Gyllenhaal was one of the big winners at Sunday's ceremony.

The actress' film The Lost Daughter was awarded the show's top prize for Best Feature for her acclaimed film The Lost Daughter, while she also earned the high-profile honors for Best Director and Best Screenplay.

Pretty in pink: Lily James stunned in a pink crop top with flowing sleeves

Flawless: James looked gorgeous as she walked the blue carpet

Ab-tastic! James, who underwent a four-hour transformation every day on set to become Pamela Anderson of her Hulu series Pam & Tommy, bared her toned stomach at the event

Beautiful: James showed off her chic blouse from every angle

Gorgeous: James turned heads in a plunging, jewel-encrusted pink crop top with flowing sleeves, which she paired with black high-waisted pants.

Natural beauty: The 32-year-old Pam & Tommy star wore a glamorous makeup look, which included a nude lipstick, and her ombre hair in pin-straight strands

Stunning: She showed off her sense of style in the ensemble

Pose: She looked gorgeous

Also making a splash at the ceremony was actress Taylour Paige, who scored her first Indie Spirit win for her attention-grabbing role as the title character in the stripper comedy Zola.

The Lost Daughter  an adaptation of Elena Ferrante's novel of the same name  stars Olivia Colman as a middle-aged professor vacationing in Greece who has flashbacks to abandoning her children after another mother (Dakota Johnson) briefly loses her daughter.

In Maggie's Best Director speech, she quoted the late Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami: 'I think expressing love is as important as feeling it. I don't mean to lay down love, but I think expressing love is among its most beautiful manifestations.'

She thanked her editor Affonso Goncalves for introducing to Kiarostami and other important world cinema films before she made The Lost Daughter.

Shimmering: Hall rocked a one-shoulder gold minidress

Shimmering: Hall rocked a one-shoulder gold minidress

The film, which also stars Jessie Buckley and Ed Harris, has been a hit with critics and is nominated for three Academy Awards.

Gyllenhaal ended her speech by saying she vowed her next film would be shot on 35mm film and with a schedule of at least 35 days, a luxury for small independent films.

During her Best Feature acceptance speech, Maggie mostly let her producers Osnat Handelsman-Keren and Talia Kleinhendler do the talking, and she was joined by her husband Peter Sarsgaard and her editor Affonso Goncalves.

Handsome: Andrew Garfield cut a dapper figure in a purple jacket over a lavender shirt

Looking good: He completed his look with a pair of brown trousers and purple-tinted shades

Cool guy: Garfield is among the list of presenters, including Dianna Agron, Javier Bardem, Rosario Dawson, Andrew Garfield, Regina Hall, Lily James, Sweeney, Taika Waititi and more

The Independent Spirit Awards were back Santa Monica, California, for the first time in two years as the ceremony returned to celebrating independent cinema.

Zola star Taylour Paige was honored with the award for Best Female Lead.

She stars in the film, which is inspired by a Twitter thread by Aziah 'Zola' King, as the title character, a stripper who takes a road trip from Detroit to Tampa, Florida, with another stripper, Stefani (Riley Keough), when she tells her of a club where she's guaranteed to make a big payday.

But the trip is complicated with Zola learns that Stefani is also a prostitute who brought her meek boyfriend (Successions' Nicholas Braun) and her pimp (Colman Domingo).

She called her costar Riley her 'best friend' in the emotional speech and reserved special thanks for the real-life Zola.

'Thank you very much for everything, for every detail, for  just thank you for who you are,' she said.

Peek-a-boo: Maggie Gyllenhaal sparkled in a black floral embellished blazer with just a black lace bra underneath

Longtime love: The Lost Daughter director attended with her husband Peter Sarsgaard, who wore a white patterned shirt, red trousers and a black jacket

Before announcing the Best Male Actor category, presenter Kristen Stewart, who joked that it was her first time being at the ceremony despite having an illustrious post-Twilight career.

'And I've made so many independent movies. Now I see that you just have to make a really, really good one. I will try harder next time,' she said to laughter from the audience.

She noted that the award ceremony was standing with the people of Ukraine amid the ongoing Russian attack across the country.

'They're risking their lives to fight for their very things. We stand with the hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing this war, both Ukrainians and those of other ethnicities and nationalities who are being denied safe harbor,' she said. 'We must never, ever take for granted the importance of courage, empathy and the power of connecting, the power of understanding each other feels really good. So let's give it a shot.'

Leggy display: Jasmine Cephas-Jones wore a figure-hugging black dress with a feathered bodice and high slit

Timeless: The singer, 32, sported a red lipstick and romantic updo

Timeless: The singer, 32, sported a red lipstick and romantic updo

The award for Best Male Actor was presented to former pornographic star Simon Rex for his career-reviving lead role in Red Rocket.

The dramedy, which is directed by The Florida Project filmmaker Sean Baker, features Rex as a former porn star who returns home to Texas City after 17 years away after he's beaten up and left with almost no money.

He moves back in with his estranged wife and starts up a new relationship with her, only to put it on ice when he befriends a 17-year-old girl named Strawberry and tries to talk her into moving to Los Angeles with him to start her own pornographic career.

In his emotional speech, Rex thanked the writer and director Baker for believing in him.

'Sean baker, you took a shot on me when I could not get a callback for a Geico commercial,' he joked. 'I couldn't get arrested.'

Colorful: Daveed Diggs commanded attention in a rainbow blazer, pants, tie and shoes

Rainbow: The 40-year-old went for a colorful ensemble for the evening

He noted that he had moved out to Joshua Tree and thought his career as he knew it was over before the film opportunity.

Rex also praised his costars and all of the first-time Texan actors who worked on the film, who blew him away.

Troy Kotsur kicked off the ceremony with his win for Best Supporting Male Actor for his Apple TV+ film CODA.

The move solidified his standing as an Oscars frontrunner after his win in the same category late last month at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Having fun: Sebastian Stan wore a navy blue suit over an open black button-down

Friendly: He attended with his Fresh' costar Daisy Edgar Jones, who wore a semi-sheer black gown with cutouts

Together: They posed for a shot as a duo

Showing some skin: She flaunted her toned physique

Dapper: He looked great in his suit

Handsome: He has had a busy year with Pam and Tommy

Kotsur, who is deaf, stars in the inspiring film as a deaf fisherman who relies on his hearing daughter to help him, his wife and his other son  all deaf  navigate a fishing community that doesn't respect or understand them.

Kotsur joked in his acceptance speech that his character wouldn't fit in Santa Monica, because a fisherman from Gloucester, Massachusetts wouldn't be able to afford a beer in the coastal Southern California city.

The next prize was the John Cassavetes Award, which honors the legendary filmmaker by selecting the best film of the year made for under $500,000.

Writer and director Emma Seligman's dark comedy Shiva Baby was honored with the low-budget prize.

The film stars Rachel Sennott as a young Jewish woman who has been in a relationship with a sugar daddy while in her senior year of college.

Gorgeous: Dianna Agron oozed elegance in a floral embellished silver midi dress while attending the red carpet for 37th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica

Beaming: The Glee star, 35, even matched her manicure to the look

Their relationship gets even more awkward when she meets him at a shiva observance for one of her parents' late friends, forcing the two to act as if they've never met while she works through her feelings of inadequacy amid the family gathering.

'We made this movie almost three years ago in a very hot, sweaty house,' Seligman said at the microphone. 'There were some amazing people in that house who made this happen.'

Sennott got teary-eyed as Seligman thanked her and called her her 'best friend.'

Wild side: Helen Hunt, 58, sported a green and black animal-printed jacket over a purple skirt with a tiger on the bottom

Eccentric: The 58-year-old As Good As It Gets actress' look included a cheetah-print trim on the collar, sleeves and hem

The audience favorite Summer Of Soul took home the award for Best Documentary.

The film, directed by Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson of The Roots fame, is a portrait of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, which was largely overlooked among music festivals in subsequent years, despite it having an enormous crowd.

Summer Of Soul features incredible concert footage of Steve Wonder, Sly & The Family Stone, The Staples Singers and Gladys Knight & The Pips, among other enduring acts.

'It was so hard for people to tell stories and bring joy to the world in such a tumultuous time,' Questlove said in his acceptance speech. 'That's what real artistry is. I know all of us have this thing where the world is burning outside but we're here celebrating. For artists it's very hard to push forward.'

Flirty: Rosario Dawson wore a black minidress with green sides and matching tights

Flirty: Rosario Dawson wore a black minidress with green sides and matching tights

Michael Sarnoski won Best First Screenplay for his director debut Pig, along with his co-story writer Vanessa Block.

'It's been amazing to see how after a couple of years of a lot of grief and isolation, this film is kind of about isolation and connection. It has connected with a lot of people,' Sarnoski said.

Nicolas Cage won rave reviews for the movie, in which he stars as a hermit living in the woods with a truffle pig who was once a lauded chef in Portland, Oregon.

After his truffle pig is stolen, he ventures out into the city for the first time in years in hopes of finding his only friend left in the world.

Pretty in pink: Marlee Matlin stunned in a bold pink power suit and her blonde hair in loose waves

Beauty: She looked great in pink

Pretty in pink: The Oscar winner wore a pair of sparkly drop earrings and a hot pink clutch

Best First Feature went to the romantic comedy 7 Days, about a couple who have just had a hasty arranged marriage and are then forced to quarantine together at the start of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The Truer Than Fiction Award, which goes to an emerging non-fiction director, was awarded before the broadcast to Jessica Beshir for Faya Dayi.

Maggie solidified her expansion from acting into filmmaking with her win for Best Screenplay for The Lost Daughter, which she also directed.

The film, which stars Olivia Colman, Dakota Johnson, Jessie Buckley and Ed Harris, is based on the popular novel by the pseudonymous writer Elena Ferrante.

Happy and healthy: Bob Odenkirk attended with his Better Call Saul castmate Rhea Seehorn

Mellow yellow: She looked great in her dress

He's back! This marks Odenkirk's first major awards show since he suffered a heart attack while working on the AMC drama series in July

Gyllenhaal said viewers often think of watching films from a female perspective as if they're trying to listen to a foreign language.

'I see and I feel that there is a real conscious effort being made to make space for different perspectives and voices and I know that I have been the beneficiary of that. My film is in an unusual language,' she explained.

'It's the language of the minds of women. I've been sort of afraid to say that because my film is not just for women. It's for everyone. But as soon as I was born, I learned to speak the language of the men who were running the world around me. It was a matter of survival but it was also very interesting, like learning any language. And it meant that I could understand the roots and the subtleties of a lot of great movies,' she continued.

'So I'm suggesting that there can be a real pleasure in learning a language that's not your native one like learning French or Italian and the doors that it can open for you. And also that there can be, if it doesn't freak you out, a real pleasure in learning and seeing something new, even if it doesn't look the way you expect it to or the way you wish it would.'

If you've got it! Fox put on an edgy display at the Film Independent Spirit Awards on Sunday in a bold black dress

Pose: She put on a confident display

Sexy: The off-the-shoulder black dress showed off Julia's black bra

Famous friends: Fox propelled to stardom after striking up a romance with her now-ex, Kanye West

Pals: Julia Fox and A'Ziah King posed for photos together in their black dresses

Best Supporting Female Actor went to Ruth Negga for her performance in the black-and-white drama Passing, which is distributed by Netflix.

Negga wasn't able to attend in person, so she made a virtual appearance via video.

'I can't stop smiling,' she said calmly, adding, 'This is a really lovely honor.'

The actress, who was away rehearsing a play, stars in the Rebecca Halldirected adaptation of Nella Larson's 1929 novel as a Black woman who passes as white who reunites one of her childhood friends (Tessa Thompson), who is also light-skinned enough to pass, but opts not to.

Fashionable: Taika Waititi stood out from the crowd in a coral suit and white loafers

See him later: Waititi will be presenting at the Independent Spirit Awards

The evening's Robert Altman Award, which is given in honor of the M*A*S*H*, Nashville and Gosford Park auteur, was presented by Spider-Man: No Way Home actor Andrew Garfield to Mass, with director Fran Kranz accepting for the ensemble cast, which includes Ann Dowd, Jason Isaacs, Martha Plimpton and Reed Birney.

The award is competitive, but only the winner is announced and the other nominees aren't revealed.

Despite being named the Film Independent Spirit Awards, the ceremony also honors the best in television productions.

The Best New Scripted Series award went to Reservation Dogs, which was created by Taika Waititi and Sterlin Harjo.

Sophisticated: Michelle Yeoh stunned in a sequined white gown with floral embellishments

Casual: Questlove wore a long black jacket and Crocs while Olly Alexander wore a black ensemble with a silver arrow earring through his earlobe

Unique: He rocked his trademark short dyed red crop hairstyle with square fringe

The series features all Indigenous writers and directors and features a mostly Indigenous cast. The show follows four native teenagers in rural Oklahoma who switch between committing and fighting crimes as they try to put things in order so that they can move to California, which was the dream of one of their late friends.

The Best New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series award went to Black And Missing, which was executive produced by Soledad O'Brien.

Lee Jung-jae, the star of Netflix's massively popular South Korean dystopian thriller Squid Game, was awarded with the Best Male Performance in a New Scripted series award.

He couldn't be there in person because he was working in South Korea, so he spoke via a video screen.

Lee joked that his fans were mostly interested in when season two would be released.

Handsome: Sam Richardson wore a blue blazer, matching trousers and a white t-shirt

Looking sharp: Nick Offerman wore a charcoal three-piece suit and brown loafers

Looking sharp: The 51-year-old Parks and Recreation star wore a charcoal three-piece suit

The Best Female Performance in a New Scripted series award went to Thuso Mbedu, who starred in Barry Jenkins' Amazon limited series The Underground Railroad, which was based on Colson Whitehead's award-winning novel of the same name.

Mbedu admitted that she hadn't bothered to prepare a speech, even though she had been urged to do so several times.

Taika Waititi joked that he was 'literally giving an award to myself' when he came back on stage to present the Best Ensemble Cast in a New Scripted Series award to his series Reservation Dogs, which he co-created and helped cast.

'There are no nominees because we already f***ing won!' he shouted in triumph.

Well dressed: Simon Rex wore a black suit, matching button-down and sneakers while Colman Domingo wore a black suit with a white dress shirt

Siblings: (L-R) Mark Duplass and brother Jay Duplass attended the 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards together

The Canadian actress Devery Jacobs noted Reservation Dogs was the 'first project with all Indigenous creatives at the helm.

She dedicated the cast award to 'those who came before us,' who were forced to work in Hollywood 'playing antagonists in western movies and mythic, stoic and savage Indians.'

In the ramp up to the Best Feature prize, the Independent Spirit awards foreshadowed what will likely happen at the Academy Awards by broadcasting previously taped acceptance speeches for some of the categories deemed of lower interest by the organization.

The move to relegate some of the awards to before the broadcast, and to only show edited excerpts of those speeches, irked several viewers.

Jazzy: Barry Jenkins wore a rainbow stitch-pattern button-down and matching trousers while English actor Jason Isaacs wore a dark blazer over a light-wash denim button-down

IndieWire chief film critic David Ehrlich noted on Twitter that the decision to cut down the categories didn't make much sense, the show's broadcaster IFC was 'literally following the Indie Spirit Awards with five hours of Everybody Loves Raymond.'

Edu Grau was honored for his gorgeous black-and-white cinematography for Rebecca Hall's Netflix film Passing, and he shared his support for Ukrainians and refugees fleeing the country amid Russia's ongoing invasion.

Joi McMillon won Best Editing for her rapid-fire work on Zola, but her speech was also shuffled to the end of the broadcast.

The award for Best International Film went to the arthouse sensation Drive My Car.

Despite the film being nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, its win  which was presented by Jennifer Beals to producer Teruhisa Yamamoto  was also cut down for the broadcast
Netflix is taking additional action in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. On Sunday, the company said it was suspending its service in Russia. Given the circumstances on the ground, we have decided to suspend our service in Russia, a spokesperson for Netflix told CNBC.

The move comes after the company said last week it would not comply with Russia's Vitirina TV law, which requires that audiovisual companies with more than 100,000 subscribers carry 20 free state channels, including NTV and Spa. According to CNBC, Netflix has approximately 1 million subscribers in Russia, making it one of the company's smaller markets. That same week, Netflix said it had also "paused" all future projects it had planned to undertake within the country. The company had four original productions, including an adaptation of Leo Tolstoys Anna Karenina, underway in Russia. The fate of those projects is uncertain.
DECATUR  Police in Decatur now have one of their most wanted in custody: murder suspect Bryan C. McGee.

The 22-year-old Chicago man had been sought since the early hours of Sept. 19 when 17-year-old Demeshiona Miller-Fonville was shot to death in a parked car in the 1300 block of East Walnut Street.

No one from the Decatur Police Department was available Sunday to comment on the arrest, but Macon County Jail records show McGee was booked into the facility at 7:09 a.m. Saturday.

The charge list against him includes two counts of first-degree murder and shows his bail has been set at more than $2 million.

Police reports about the murder said McGee rode around with identified members of the Jumpout street gang hunting for members of the rival East Side Gang. They had opened fire as they drove past Miller-Fonville; a 17-year-old male in the car with her was also wounded severely but survived. Police did not describe the victims as members of any gang.

Other occupants of the car McGee was in have already been arrested and charged with murder. Drelyn M. Oneal, 20, has pleaded not guilty to four alternate murder counts and a charge of attempted murder and a further count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Quantarius S. Beasley, 20, whom prosecutors accuse of driving the vehicle McGee and Oneal were in, has also entered not guilty pleas to murder charges.

A woman police said was also present in the suspects car, 19-year-old Celeste B. Bowman of Oakley, was initially arrested on preliminary murder charges, but those were later dropped. She is now free on bail of $250,000, having posted a $25,000 bond, and it appears she may be a crucial prosecution witness against the others.
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Russian attacks halt evacuations

As Russian forces continued shelling Ukraine, at least three people  a mother and her children  were killed outside Kyiv as they tried to get to safety. For the second straight day, the authorities called off an evacuation from the besieged port city of Mariupol.

Heres the latest.

Russian forces were struggling to advance on multiple fronts. The Ukrainian military said that it was successfully defending its position in fierce fighting north of Kyiv and that troops were also holding back Russians from the east, where President Vladimir Putins forces bogged down in clashes around an airport.

Families are being torn apart. Some Ukrainians are finding that their Russian relatives, hopped up on government misinformation, dont believe there is a war. Others are splitting: Wives flee while husbands are forced to stay and fight, which some Ukrainian women referred to as a little death.
The United States has seen very credible reports of deliberate attacks on civilians by Russia in Ukraine that would constitute a war crime, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday. Speaking on CNNs State of the Union, Blinken also said Washington has seen very credible reports about the use of certain weapons.

Blinken talked about the possibility of war crimes in Ukraine days after the head prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said he would launch an investigation into allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide committed in Ukraine. The prosecutor said he was able to move quickly in launching the investigation because he had received referrals from 39 countries.

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"We've seen very credible reports of deliberate attacks on civilians"



Secretary of State Antony Blinken tells CNN's @jaketapper the US is investigating and documenting reports of Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians that could constitute war crimes. #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/yEP2NeFw0W  State of the Union (@CNNSotu) March 6, 2022

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President Joe Bidens administration has so far not explicitly accused Russia of war crimes, although the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv sent a tweet Friday pretty much saying that Russias attack on a nuclear power plant in Ukraine constituted a war crime. The State Department quickly sent a message to other embassies in Europe calling on them not to retweet that message and publicly said the issue was still under investigation. The intentional targeting of civilians or civilian objects, including nuclear power plants, is a war crime, and we are assessing the circumstances of this operation, a State Department spokesman said.

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For now, Blinken said Washington is gathering information that can help those who are investigating the possibility that war crimes have been committed. What were doing right now is documenting all this, putting it all together, looking at it and making sure that as people and the appropriate organizations and institutions investigate whether war crimes have been or are being committed, that we can support whatever theyre doing, Blinken said. So right now, were looking at these reports. Theyre very credible and were documenting everything.

Blinken also said that Washington and its European allies are exploring the possibility of banning Russian oil imports. We are now in very active discussions with our European partners about banning the import of Russian oil to our countries, while of course, at the same time, maintaining a steady global supply of oil, Blinken said in an interview on NBCs Meet the Press.
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Seoul, March 7 : South Korea will ban exports of strategic items to Belarus starting this week as the former Soviet republic has been supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the finance ministry has said.

The move came after South Korea decided to ban exports to 49 Russian organisations and firms last week, including Russia's defence ministry, Yonhap news agency reported.

Under the measure, a license is required to export or transfer major items to these entities, with limited exceptions.

"As we have concluded that the Republic of Belarus has been effectively supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine, we have decided to implement the export ban on Belarus as well," the Ministry of Economy and Finance said in a statement.

The government announced restrictions against two Belarusian entities, including its defense ministry.

"We will promptly notify the US of the decision and expand our support for South Korean firms and our nationals residing overseas that can potentially be affected by the measure," the statement said.

South Korea's exports to Belarus came to $70 million in 2021, taking up only 0.01 per cent of its total outbound shipments. Imports were estimated at $80 million, also taking up 0.01 per cent.

The ministry also plans to provide legal consulting services to South Korean businesses that can face disputes with Russian counterparts, following the global move to remove Moscow from the SWIFT global payment network.

SWIFT is a high-security network that connects thousands of financial institutions worldwide.
A Qatari firm that plans to build spy drones on Johns Island has been approved for a $250,000 state grant to help pay for public infrastructure at Charleston Executive Airport.

The S.C. Commerce Department's Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved the funding for Barzan Aeronautical's project during a March 3 meeting in Columbia. The grant will be awarded through Charleston County Council.

Barzan plans to invest $13.3 million in the project, which will create 37 jobs, according to public documents.

Barzan, which is owned by the Qatari Ministry of Defense, wants to build three structures and a 200-space parking area on about 10 acres at 2744 Fort Trenholm Road, near an abandoned runway at the airport.

Site plans show a 54,000-square-foot manufacturing plant, an 18,400-square-foot office building and another structure near the parking area with offices, a conference room and a classroom.

The defense firm has developed the Nightwarden drone, an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft that can be armed. It is based on the Aerosonde drone built by Providence, R.I.-based Textron Systems. Qatar is seeking to market its drone to NATO countries, in particular for border control in places facing significant immigration, according to the Online Intelligence website.

Barzan was formed about a month after Qatari leaders met in early 2018 with South Carolina politicians, business leaders and Boeing Co. executives at the U.S. planemaker's 787 Dreamliner campus in North Charleston. At the time, leaders with the Qatar Investment Authority said they were looking for opportunities in the Palmetto State.

A white paper distributed to members of Congress by Qatars ambassador said Barzan established its Charleston base "to build out a large military aircraft initiative that is expected to support numerous jobs."

Volvo sales

Semiconductor and other supply shortages at Volvo Cars' plants in South Carolina and elsewhere continue to dent sales, but the automaker said demand remains strong, particularly for its electric vehicles.

Volvo, which builds the S60 sedan at its $1.2 billion manufacturing campus near Ridgeville, said production volumes are still below last year's level and that's delaying vehicle deliveries by two to three months.

"Supply shortages will remain a constraining factor for Volvo Cars and the auto industry," the company said in a statement. "The escalating military conflict in Ukraine may have a negative impact on the supply chain as military conflicts cause disturbances to transport and economic activity in surrounding regions. The company is carefully monitoring the situation."

Volvo reported global sales of 42,067 cars in February  down 17.2 percent compared with the same month a year ago. Of those, 6,219 were sold in the United States.

U.S. sales of the S60 totaled 492 in February  a 58.5 percent drop from a year ago.

Plug-in hybrid and fully electric vehicles were lone bright spots, with a combined 2.4 percent year-over-year increase in global sales.

In addition to the S60, Volvos plant off Interstate 26 in Berkeley County will build the next-generation XC90 sport-utility vehicle and a high-performance Polestar 3 sedan for its sister brand.
Kate Garraway and her Covid-hit husband Derek Draper have suffered a new blow with the business they run together going bust.

The Mail on Sunday can reveal that Ms Garraway was determined to save the former Labour Party spin doctors psychotherapy company, Astra Aspera Limited, after he was struck down by the virus.

But the Good Morning Britain presenter has lost her battle and will announce in the coming days that the firm is to fold.

Kate Garraway and her Covid-hit husband Derek Draper have suffered a new blow with the business they run together going bust

Friends say the rising costs of caring for Mr Draper left no other option, prompting more agony for the family, who have endured two years of heartache since he was ravaged by the illness.

Sources suggest that the business could face bankruptcy.

One friend told the MoS: Astra Aspera was primarily Dereks company, he was the director. Kate was made director last February so that she could attempt to keep it going.

Kate has done her very best to do that while Derek has been incredibly ill. However, he has been unable to work, his revenue has stopped entirely and is unlikely to return in the near future.

Ms Garraway, 54, had kept her financial worries a secret despite making two emotionally charged documentaries about life with her husband, including one last month called Caring For Derek

Kate has other jobs on GMB and Smooth Radio, but with her massively increased costs it wasnt possible to keep the company going, so has to be folded.

Ms Garraway, 54, had kept her financial worries a secret despite making two emotionally charged documentaries about life with her husband, including one last month called Caring For Derek.

She recently became the host of ITVs Life Stories while also caring for the couples children Darcey, 15, and William, 12. But she also has to fund the round-the-clock care for her husband, 54, whom she married in 2005.

Ms Garraway was devastated when Mr Draper was hospitalised in March 2020 and became so ill he had to be placed in a medically induced coma for months

She revealed last month that she had accompanied him to Mexico for a medical assessment by a US doctor who may be able to reverse the damage Covid did to his body.

They hired a specialist nurse to care for Mr Draper on the 16-hour flight. He will return this month for a 28-day stay so doctors can monitor his brain, liver and lungs.

Last year, Ms Garraway said: Covid has devastated him. His digestive system, his liver, his heart, his nervous system. Were pretty sure the inflammation did pass through his brain. He is in a terrible state. But, look, hes alive.

A friend said: The strain on Kate is immense  she is one amazing woman and she holds it together. She will do anything to get Derek better. Nobody knows how she is doing this, it feels like one thing after another at the moment.

Ms Garraway was devastated when Mr Draper was hospitalised in March 2020 and became so ill he had to be placed in a medically induced coma for months. She and his doctors feared he wouldnt survive, but he rallied and returned to their London home in April.

He was pictured out for the first time last December during a trip to a pantomime in Richmond, South-West London, with his family.
Authorities say a 63-year-old worker died in the public bathroom of a South Carolina department store, but her body was not discovered for four days. Columbia police say Bessie Durham cleaned the Belk at Columbiana Centre for an outside company. Investigators say her body was found Monday after her family filed a missing person report. Her cleaning cart was outside the restroom. Investigators say she was seen on camera going into the restroom Thursday morning and didn't come out. The Lexington County Coroners Office says there are no signs someone killed Durham or that she was using drugs. Police say the store was open regularly over those four days and they are investigating to see if anyone was negligent.
The U.S. and its European allies are discussing a possible ban of Russian oil imports to tighten the economic squeeze on President Vladimir Putin over the war in Ukraine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

President Joe Bidens administration, wary of pushing up energy prices for Americans, faced further pressure from Congress on Sunday to impose an embargo. Blinken, who said he discussed the matter with Biden on Saturday, said oil supplies would have to be ensured if such a measure were imposed.

We are now in very active discussions with our European partners about banning the import of Russian oil to our countries while, of course, at the same time maintaining a steady global supply of oil, Blinken, who held talks in Eastern Europe on Sunday, said on NBCs Meet the Press.

Discussions on the possible impact of a ban on U.S. imports of Russian crude are taking place within the Biden administration and with the U.S. oil and gas industry, people familiar with the matter said last week. Democratic Senator Joe Manchin, whos in a bipartisan group of lawmakers backing a bill to impose the restriction, suggested Sunday that the U.S. go it alone.

I believe ... its basically foolish for us to keep buying products and giving profit and giving money to Putin to be able to use against the Ukrainian people, Manchin said on NBC, pointing to what he said are untapped resources in the U.S. energy sector. So why wouldnt we lead? Why wouldnt we show the resolve we have?

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, the chambers second-ranking Democrat, added his name to the bill on Sunday.

An embargo could extend crudes record gain last week. Vitol Group, worlds biggest independent crude trader, said the oil market could tighten further with disruptions to Russian flows and as producers such as Libya experience supply problems.

Russian oil made up about 3% of all the crude shipments that arrived in the U.S. last year, U.S. Energy Information Administration data show. U.S. imports of Russian crude in 2022 have dropped to the slowest annual pace since 2017, according to the intelligence firm Kpler.

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When other petroleum productssuch as unfinished fuel oil that can be used to produce gasoline and dieselare included, Russia accounted for about 8% of 2021 oil imports, though those shipments have also trended lower in recent months.

I think theres very strong bipartisan support to cut off Russian oil and gas sales to the United States, Representative Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, said on CBSs Face the Nation.

Russias gas and oil have been mostly excluded from sanctions introduced by the U.S. and European countries, due to concern over the economic impact, including Europes greater dependence on Russian oil and, in particular, natural gas.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hinted at the difficulty of reducing the European Unions dependence on Russian fossil fuels in the short term.

We are just discussing in the European Union a strategic approach, a plan, how to accelerate the investment in the renewables, how to diversify our energy supply, she said on CNNs State of the Union on Sunday. That could include liquefied natural gas from the U.S. and other friends around the world and investment in biogas and hydrogen, she said.

Efforts to target Russian oil revenues are a likely to be a balancing act with U.S. midterm elections in November.

I think the White House is open to this idea, Senator Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, said on Fox News Sunday. They just want to make sure that its done in a way that doesnt dramatically increase prices for American consumers.

I just would much rather do it with the Europeans, Murphy said.

With assistance from Daniel Flatley and Susanne Barton.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
Almost 100 Russian oligarchs and politicians have been sanctioned by the EU or US but not by Britain.

Many have been buying property, paying for private schools and enjoying luxury lifestyles in the UK, a joint investigation by the Daily Mail and The Bureau of Investigative Journalism can reveal.

The Prime Minister has insisted that Britain is leading the way in imposing sanctions on wealthy Russians linked to Vladimir Putin's regime, but so far only 13 have been targeted since the invasion of Ukraine began.

It has sparked fears the UK is 'trailing its allies badly' after the EU announced a raft of sanctions on oligarchs with close ties to Britain last week. There are also concerns that delays could allow Putin's associates to dispose of their assets.

Almost 100 Russian oligarchs and politicians have been sanctioned by the EU or US but not by Britain. Pictured: Alexey Mordashov, chairman of the board of directors at Severstal PJSC

Analysis by the Mail and campaign group Spotlight on Corruption shows 94 Russian individuals and 17 businesses have been sanctioned by the EU or US but not the UK.

Some have lived under international restrictions for more than half a decade, but have found sanctuary in the UK.

The total does not include the 351 members of Russia's parliament  the Duma  sanctioned by the EU. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has reportedly told MPs curbs are being held up by London law firms pushing against restrictions on their oligarch clients.

But Labour MP Chris Bryant said the Government should 'stop being so timid' and 'get its act together'. He added: 'If you're frightened of people's lawyers, get some backbone.' Ministers have announced plans for an 'Oligarch Taskforce' in response to ongoing criticism over the speed of Britain's measures.

Analysis by the Mail and campaign group Spotlight on Corruption shows 94 Russian individuals and 17 businesses have been sanctioned by the EU or US but not the UK. Theresa May with Ministers, fellow guests and Tory donor Lubov Chernukhin (fourth from right, next to the ex-PM)

It will build cases against dozens of Russians with links to Putin.

Officials are reportedly struggling to link oligarch finances to Putin, meaning they may not face sanctions for months.

It comes after No 10 was left on the back foot last week after France seized a 90million yacht belonging to Russia's oil tsar Igor Sechin, with the EU boasting Britain was now 'following our lead'.

Sue Hawley, of Spotlight on Corruption, said: 'The UK is trailing its allies badly on the number of individuals and entities it has sanctioned under its Russia regime and it desperately needs to get a move on.

Petr Aven owns Ingliston House (pictured), a mansion in Virginia Water, Surrey, that has a large art collection

'At the moment there is too much bark and not enough bite coming from the Foreign Office about how tough it's being on Russian money in the UK.'

Justice Secretary Dominic Raab told the BBC last week that the UK has sanctioned 'more Russian banks than the EU', including the biggest Russian lender Sberbank. He denied the UK has 'been slow' and is 'at the vanguard' of sanctioning Kremlin-linked money.

Boris Johnson faces a backbench rebellion today over new sanctions laws which critics say do not go far enough.

Ministers will expedite emergency legislation through the Commons to let the UK move faster to target oligarchs.

MPs are urging the Government to stop allies of Vladimir Putin facing sanctions from selling assets. Tory former Cabinet minister David Davis won cross-party support for an amendment enabling assets of anyone considered for sanctions to be frozen pending a decision.

From bankers to oil tycoons, six of the lucky oligarchs

BY MILES DILWORTH FOR THE DAILY MAIL and SIMON LOCK, MATTHEW CHAPMAN, SOOBIN KIM, and FRANZ WILD

Alexey Mordashov

RUSSIA'S richest man was sanctioned by the EU last week, which said he was 'benefiting from his links with Russian decision-makers'.

Mr Mordashov, 56, is the owner of steelmaker Severstal and owns a third of London-listed travel firm Tui.

Severstal previously released bulletins on how some of its products were used in making Russian defence equipment. It is not currently a major supplier of military grade steel. Mr Mordashov said he did not understand how his inclusion on the list would help resolve the conflict. He called for it to end, saying it was a 'tragedy of two fraternal peoples'.

Tui said: 'The EU sanctions relate to Mr Mordashov as a person, not to Tui AG, in which he is a shareholder. In this respect, these sanctions against the shareholder have no impact on the company in which he holds shares.'

No 10 was left on the back foot last week after France seized a 90million yacht belonging to Russia's oil tsar Igor Sechin, with the EU boasting Britain was now 'following our lead'. Pictured: Russian Federation Council member Suleiman Kerimov during a plenary meeting of the Russian Federation Council

Suleyman Kerimov

THE Tories have faced calls to return money from one of their biggest donors after it emerged her husband was funded by Suleyman Kerimov, who was sanctioned by the US in 2018 over his relationship with Vladimir Putin.

Lubov Chernukhin donated more than 1.5million in 2016 shortly after her husband Vladimir received 6.1million from Mr Kerimov. She denied her donations were 'tainted by Kremlin or any other influence'. Mr Kerimov, 55, said he had 'no dealings with her whatsoever'.

In 2019 French authorities opened an investigation into Mr Kerimov for complicity in tax evasion over the acquisition of villas on Cap d'Antibes, which he denies owning. His lawyer called the accusations 'unlawful and unjustified'.

Alfa Bank Chairman of the Board Petr Aven (L) and businessman Roman Abramovich at a meeting of Russia's President Vladimir Putin with Russian business community representatives, at the Moscow Kremlin

Oleg Deripaska

Known for hosting Blairite spin doctor Lord Mandelson on his yacht in Corfu, he is said to be worth 3.2billion.

He was named in the Commons as one of Putin's 'most loyal oligarchs' by MP Bob Seely. He has been sanctioned by the US since 2018 over alleged links to the Russian government, including allegations of cyber-attacks and election meddling. He called the claims 'a lie'. He was president of Russian energy company En+ Group, listed in London.

He said: 'The idea that I am some kind of 'Kremlin operative'... is clearly idiotic nonsense.'

Mikhail Fridman

The London-based billionaire put under EU sanctions last week runs Russia's largest commercial bank Alfa Bank.

The EU called him 'a top Russian financier and enabler of Putin's inner circle' with 'strong ties' to him. It said Ukraine-born Mr Fridman 'engaged in the Kremlin's efforts to lift the western sanctions issued to counter Russian aggressive policy against Ukraine'.

He was ranked the UK's 11th wealthiest man in The Sunday Times Rich List 2021, with 10.9billion. His parents live in Lviv, western Ukraine.

Viktor Vekselberg, chairman of the Board of Directors at Renova Group of Companies, president of the Skolkovo Foundation, during a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Russian Geographical Society

Petr Aven

Mr Aven heads Alfa Bank alongside Mr Fridman. Until this month, he was a Royal Academy trustee. He owns Ingliston House, a mansion in Virginia Water, Surrey, that has a large art collection. Both men issued a statement in response to EU sanctions, saying 'war can never be the answer'. They said the restrictions were 'groundless and unfair' and vowed to 'fight this injustice with every sinew'.

Viktor Vekselberg

Mr Vekselberg, 64, has invested in western cultural institutions, including London's Tate Foundation, of which he is an honorary member. The museum is under pressure to cut links with the founder of Russian energy conglomerate Renova Group. He was sanctioned by the US in 2018 under penalties on oligarchs who 'profit' from connections to the Russian state.

He helped negotiate the merger of Russian oil firm TNK with BP in 2003. In 2013 he made about 1billion from its sale to Russian oil company Rosneft.

He has used English courts and law firms in cases involving his British Virgin Islands and Cyprus registered entities.

A Tate spokesman said: 'Mr Vekselberg is not a current Tate donor and there is no ongoing connection. His membership title is honorary in recognition of a donation made seven years ago.'

A Government spokesman said: 'The UK is fully aligned with our allies and partners and have closely coordinated our collective action to amplify the cost on the Russian state for its egregious and unjustifiable acts.

'Since the invasion, 228 individuals and entities have been caught by our sanctions. As the Foreign Secretary said, there will be nowhere to hide. Nothing - and no one - is off the table.'

Additional reporting: Simon Lock, Matthew Chapman, Soobin Kim and Franz Wild
PARIS  The LVMH Prize showroom returned to Paris Fashion Week for its first physical edition since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, bringing back the enjoyment of physically touching and feeling clothes in a season with a heightened focus on craftsmanship and local production.

Seeing the products is essential. Its very difficult on Zoom to see the volume and the colors of a handbag or clothes, and so its great to be able to all meet in person today, said Delphine Arnault, the force behind the initiative and a key talent scout at family-controlled luxury conglomerate LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton. Its always refreshing to feel all this optimism and can-do spirit.

More from WWD

The 19 finalists gathered at LVMH headquarters on Avenue Montaigne to show their collections to industry experts during the two-day event, which ran from March 4 to 5. Trinidadian-British designer Maximilian Davis withdrew for personal reasons. Members of the public were able to vote online for their favorite designer, in order to help select the eight finalists.

Organizers said in light of the war in Ukraine, the prize would support its three former semifinalists from the country: Anna October, Julie Paskal and Anton Belinskiy. October used the prizes platform to let buyers know she was showing at the Paper Mache Tiger showroom in Paris until Friday.

Somehow I made it from Kyiv to Paris to present my work, she said. Business is very important for us at the moment because its the way to support the team, to support the country.

In an update earlier in the week, Ukrainian Central Saint Martins graduate Olya Kuryshchuk said Belinskiy joined as a volunteer for the city guards in Kyiv to fight the Russian army, while Paskal was sheltering in a basement with two small children.

This years contestants, chosen from among 1,900 applicants, were from the U.S., Sri Lanka, South Korea, France, China, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Ireland and Japan.

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Its highly selective, and just being here today is already a huge win for the designers. It allows them to meet industry experts ranging from editors to makeup artists, photographers, models, stylists and department store buyers. Even if they dont win, these are people that can further their career and boost their notoriety, said Arnault.

While the mood at the showroom was slightly more subdued than before the pandemic, a lightning visit by LVMH chairman and chief executive officer Bernard Arnault set hearts aflutter.

Victor Weinsanto at the LVMH Prize showroom. - Credit: Francois Goize/Courtesy of LVMH

Francois Goize/Courtesy of LVMH

Hes only the most powerful man in fashion, and almost the entire world, full stop. So it was a little stressful, but its pretty incredible, said French designer Victor Weinsanto, who was enjoying the return to IRL events.

It changes everything. People can put a face to a name. It depends on your personality, but Im quite shy and embarrassed, but very, very polite. I think it makes people feel well-disposed toward you. Ive definitely noticed that when I meet buyers in the showroom in person, they buy much more than when its just via Zoom or line sheet, he said.

The LVMH Prize is an amazing platform that allows you to meet so many people, that when its only digital, its a little frustrating, he added.

Weinsanto was showing a collection made with fabrics pulled largely from Nona Source, LVMHs platform offering deadstock fabrics and leathers from its fashion houses. Carried by 20 retailers, including Nordstrom, Selfridges and H. Lorenzo, his label received a huge boost from dressing actress Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, aka Sylvie Grateau, in season two of Emily in Paris.

Sales of her fitted knit dress have accounted for 15 percent of total turnover on Weinsantos e-commerce platform since its launch, and Leroy-Beaulieu made a guest appearance in his fall runway show.

Airei designer Drew Curry, meanwhile, showed his wares to visitors including Anna Wintour, global editorial director of Vogue. Its actually been, I would say, the perfect amount of people. Its not slow and awkward, but its not jam-packed. Weve been able to talk to everybody, but its been like a constant flow, which is really great, he reported.

The Los Angeles-based designer works with fabrics like khadi cotton, which is hand-loomed in India. The priority of the brand is to highlight the human touch, and so everything has like a hand-knitted or hand-stitched element to it that we do in Los Angeles, he said.

Im making things that hopefully people will want to keep for a lifetime and the quality is definitely there. I spend a lot of time researching these fabrics, Curry added.

Airei has six retail partners for spring, including Dover Street Market and Ssense, and will grow to 15 for the fall season. I dont want this to blow up right away. Im in it for the longevity and because of the handwork, too, I want to make sure the most amount of effort and time is going into the pieces, the designer said.

Amesh Wijesekera and a model at the LVMH Prize showroom. - Credit: Francois Goize/Courtesy of LVMH

Francois Goize/Courtesy of LVMH

Amesh Wijesekera, meanwhile, is working with artists and communities in Sri Lanka to produce his seasonless, genderless wardrobe, working with recycled yarns and fabrics salvaged from the countrys garment industry, which produces clothes for leading brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Ann Taylor and Victorias Secret.

Its giving craft kind of an elevated luxe feel and taking it out of the country, because in Sri Lanka, the way we use craft is very typical, so its how do we evolve it and move it forward? he said. We have the craft sector, we have the textile, so its about how we bring these elements together as everything is on our doorstep, but I think nobody has really appreciated that.

The designer, who is based between London, Berlin and Colombo, is the first Sri Lankan to make it to the semifinals of the award. Being here physically, where people can touch and feel the clothes and get the emotional side of things, I think its so important, especially for a brand like mine, he said.

Thats also true for Irish designer Roisin Pierce, who works only in white, using ruching techniques inspired by local craftsmanship to make her zero-waste garments, which are produced in Ireland. The collection is available exclusively in three Nordstrom Space locations.

My approach is quite maybe unique, in that I dont actually sketch or have a finished product in mind, but more that Im on the search for newness and freshness through letting the fabric manipulation guide me, she continued. It really is about a love for the craft, and a revival of the craft and pushing it through to get a new end product.

Faced with a dearth of craftspeople, she has started an initiative to teach Irish crochet to young people to prevent the skill dying off. My collections today have almost launched all digitally, except for the ones that year where there were showrooms, but it really gets a different reaction when you can see, and almost sense them and touch them, she said.

Chen Peng at the LVMH Prize showroom. - Credit: Francois Goize/Courtesy of LVMH

Francois Goize/Courtesy of LVMH

Likewise, Shanghai-based designer Chen Peng produces his collection, which is pronounced like Champagne, exclusively in China. He specializes in down material, which he used to make everything from oversized coats to ski-style pants. Peng, who last year collaborated with Moncler on a capsule collection using recycled jackets, is pushing to make the industry more environmentally conscious.

Though hes equally comfortable making physical outfits and NFTs, he prefers to have meetings in-person. Its much better because visitors can feel the designers ideas, the concept, in a physical way. They can touch the fabric, they can touch the clothes, they can feel what you are thinking about in a deep way. An online showcase is more like a catalogue, he said.

Unlike most of the designers in attendance, Eli Russell Linnetz is happy to let clothes take a backseat. Having studied screenwriting at film school, the Los Angeles-based designer is all about storytelling.

Of course, the clothes matter, but thats just about having a really good production partner. But for me, if you dont have a good story to tell, its like, why are people gonna care? he asked. Id rather tell a story with no clothes.

His ERL line for men, women and children is based on his home in Venice Beach. Everything is surf, ski and skate. California is the only place where you can do all three in a day, so everything has that in the DNA, he explained.

Linnetz got his start working alongside Virgil Abloh and Matthew Williams for musicians like Kanye West and Lady Gaga, and his new collection is also popular with performers. A lot of celebrities have worn it just because you stand out when you wear it, so I feel like it has this pop element that people respond to, he noted.

Still, he acknowledged that no matter how good a collection film is, its essential to experience the products in person. Its super important for people to touch the clothes and meet the people who are making them. You can only get so much over videos, he said.

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When the first volley of shots punched holes in our windscreen, we thought we might have stumbled upon a roadblock manned by jumpy Ukrainian conscripts.

We slumped down in our seats and shouted in English, 'Media . . . Journalists!' Our interpreter shouted the same in Ukrainian and Russian.

But it was clear almost immediately that this was no mix-up, but a professional ambush.

They had AK-47s and such good cover that we never actually saw them, maybe 100 yards away. Wave after wave of bullets smashed into the car  and fragments of the windscreen, chunks of the steering wheel and bits of the dashboard flew into the swirling vortex of chaos around us.

The fizzing and cracking noise was appalling. It was like being trapped in a washing machine, such was the sense of disorientation as the car rocked under the assault.

There were five of us in a bog-standard Hyundai saloon rental car, on assignment about 20 miles west of Kyiv last Monday. I was in the rear left seat, with my South African-born producer Dominique van Heerden in the middle, next to me. She is small of stature, but tough and cool, and the best producer I have ever worked with.

When the first volley of shots punched holes in our windscreen, we thought we might have stumbled upon a roadblock manned by jumpy Ukrainian conscripts. We slumped down in our seats and shouted in English, 'Media . . . Journalists!' Our interpreter shouted the same in Ukrainian and Russian. But it was clear almost immediately that this was no mix-up, but a professional ambush. Pictured: Stuart Ramsay in Ukraine

Target: The view from the Sky News team's hire car in the moments before the attack

Here's how YOU can help: Donate here to the Mail Force Ukraine Appeal Readers of Mail Newspapers and MailOnline have always shown immense generosity at times of crisis. Calling upon that human spirit, we are now launching an appeal to raise money for refugees from Ukraine. For, surely, no one can fail to be moved by the heartbreaking images and stories of families  mostly women, children, the infirm and elderly  fleeing from Russia's invading armed forces. As this tally of misery increases over the coming days and months, these innocent victims of a tyrant will require accommodation, schools and medical support. All donations to the Mail Ukraine Appeal will be distributed to charities and aid organisations providing such essential services. In the name of charity and compassion, we urge all our readers to give swiftly and generously. TO MAKE A DONATION ONLINE Donate at www.mailforcecharity.co.uk/donate To add Gift Aid to a donation  even one already made  complete an online form found here: mymail.co.uk/ukraine Via bank transfer, please use these details: Account name: Mail Force Charity Account number: 48867365 Sort code: 60-00-01 TO MAKE A DONATION VIA CHEQUE Make your cheque payable to 'Mail Force' and post it to: Mail Newspapers Ukraine Appeal, GFM, 42 Phoenix Court, Hawkins Road, Colchester, Essex CO2 8JY TO MAKE A DONATION FROM THE US US readers can donate to the appeal via a bank transfer to Associated Newspapers or by sending checks to dailymail.com HQ at 51 Astor Place (9th floor), New York, NY 10003 Advertisement

The guys in the front seats were the most vulnerable at that moment. Cameraman Richie Mockler cowered in the front passenger footwell, trying to make himself small.

Producer Martin Vowles, who was driving, knew he had to get out, as drivers are usually first to die in an ambush.

Martin and our locally hired translator Andrii, sitting with us in the back seat, made a dash for the side of the highway and managed to slide to relative safety down a steep verge.

I have been ambushed several times in my 25-year career as a war correspondent. Usually, they fire a few rounds at you, most of which miss.

This was different, an utterly relentless and focused onslaught.

I reckon they fired an absolute minimum of 500 rounds at us, maybe as many as 1,000. And very few of the bullets missed. Dominique squeezed her tiny frame through a crack in the door and slipped to the ground, moving in a low-belly crawl towards the motorway barrier that lined the road before diving down the embankment.

I remember peering up at the bright sky as the car roof was peeled back like a tin of sardines by the relentless barrage.

I squeezed back into my seat as I watched with a weird detachment as the car was torn to pieces all around me.

Adrenaline is an extraordinary drug. I remember feeling almost absurdly calm as I pondered what I assumed was my imminent death.

I also recall wondering with a genuine sense of enquiry how much it would actually hurt when the moment came.

I am not really religious, but I heard myself praying and talking to my wife and our three children. I muttered my goodbyes, and I said I was sorry for all the pain my job had brought them.

Then I got shot. We were all wearing body armour, but I was hit below the protective suit, in the lower back.

It's strange how the mind works in such a situation. My first response was of absurd defiance towards our invisible attackers: 'F*** you, that didn't even really hurt,' I said under my breath.

It was true, it felt more like being punched than shot. The adrenaline and shock were shielding my brain from registering that, actually, I had been badly wounded. The entry wound was in my upper leg and the exit  a much bigger hole  was in my lower back. The bullet came out very close to a kidney but, mercifully, missed all vital organs.

The firing never stopped but Richie and I knew we had to get out.

For some reason after I had started to ease my way out of the car, I leant back in calmly to retrieve my phone and Press accreditation from the passenger door as though I had just parked up at my local supermarket.

It is strange how your mind works under extreme stress.

I have no memory of this, but Richie recalls I jogged to the edge of the embankment before losing my balance and falling to the bottom like a sack of potatoes.

He had stayed wedged in the passenger footwell, with only the engine block and his body armour offering any protection.

Our yells at him to join us were met with silence and we feared the worst. But he finally emerged over the barrier and jumped down the embankment towards us, as the firing increased in intensity. Our attackers were trying to kill us even as we fled to find some cover, and when it was obvious we were not armed.

Meanwhile, our hire car was completely shredded, with large chunks of bodywork lying in the road. Put it this way: Sky won't be getting the deposit back.

The firing never stopped but Richie and I knew we had to get out. Pictured: Sky News staff flee the scene

While we had all miraculously escaped from the car, we were still in danger. Using a concrete wall as cover, we headed towards a factory unit with an open gate. Pictured: Producer Dominiqye Van Heerden runs for cover

Richie would undoubtedly have died without the military-grade body armour we were all wearing. At least two bullets had bounced off his armour with such force that he sustained painful injuries to his back, even though nothing actually penetrated his skin.

While we had all miraculously escaped from the car, we were still in danger. Using a concrete wall as cover, we headed towards a factory unit with an open gate.

One by one, we sprinted inside, searching for somewhere to hide as we were convinced the shooters would come looking for us in a bid to finish us off.

Then a door opened to reveal three caretakers who kindly beckoned us inside to their workshop.

We felt somewhat safer now, but were aware we were still in a very precarious position.

As Martin and Dominique began desperately contacting Sky colleagues by phone to arrange our rescue, a ferocious firefight erupted on the highway above, where we had been ambushed.

There was the distinctive crump of incoming and outgoing mortar fire. We knew that at any moment our attackers might burst through the garage doors to finish us off.

I was in pain, but mostly relieved that I could walk, despite taking a bullet through the back. But we had not been able to take our medical kit from the car, so there were no dressings or antiseptic.

Adrenaline was still shielding me from the full effects of the wound, but I was alert enough to worry my condition would quickly degrade if I didn't get the wound cleaned and dressed. Pictured: Stuart Ramsay takes refuge in a warehouse after his team came under fire on the outskirts of Ukraine

Adrenaline was still shielding me from the full effects of the wound, but I was alert enough to worry my condition would quickly degrade if I didn't get the wound cleaned and dressed.

We were told by our Sky News security team that the authorities said it was too dangerous to attempt a rescue now it had become dark, and we resigned ourselves to spending at least the night in the workshop.

I began to doze on a couch and I vaguely recall sensing a flashing light and the sound of heavy boots. Could this, I wondered, be the end?

We thought so, until we heard these simple, lovely words: 'Ukrainian police, come quickly.'

A local police unit had defied the warnings that it was too dangerous to move after dark, and had come to save us.

They took me to the field hospital opposite the police station where a doctor and nurse treated my wounds with antiseptic and bandaged it as best they could. Amazingly, the local chief of police insisted on putting us up in his own home, where his men could protect us.

Pictured: The rental car the Sky News team used, which was destroyed by bullets

The following day, we made it back to Kyiv after a hazardous drive and I could get my wound properly assessed.

People ask me how painful it was and the best answer I can give is that it felt like being hit by a small hammer with sparklers attached. As far as I can see, I am expected to make a full recovery.

Though we never saw the shooters, we were later informed that they were Russians, operating as an unofficial hit squad.

In fact, they were likely part of a saboteur Russian reconnaissance unit working with a military engineering squad repairing a roadway under a bridge that Ukrainian forces had destroyed to prevent Russian tanks moving on Kyiv. We had driven out west from the city on Monday towards Bucha, where Ukrainian forces had destroyed a Russian convoy the day before.

As happens in this sort of war, the battle lines keep changing, so a road you safely navigate in the morning can prove lethal in the afternoon.

Having decided it was too dangerous to film, we were trying to get back to Kyiv when we were ambushed.

I have described the attack on us in considerable detail because it highlights the pitilessness of this Russian invasion.

The Russians whom we never saw were not fighting a war against uniformed foes in armoured vehicles  but attempting to kill unarmed journalists operating in a standard saloon car in cold blood.

We were exceptionally lucky, and our experience, of course, is just a brief footnote in the wider tragedy enveloping Ukraine.

But we know from reports from all over the country that Russians are wiping out civilians, sometimes whole families with children.

People ask me how painful it was and the best answer I can give is that it felt like being hit by a small hammer with sparklers attached. As far as I can see, I am expected to make a full recovery. Pictured: The team escape the attack

Unlike the foreign Press corps operating in Ukraine, these civilians do not have the body armour and helmets which offer a measure of protection that can prove the difference between life and death.

I have reported from some 20 wars. I have been shot at numerous times, and kidnapped twice  in Chechnya and eastern Ukraine.

I have worked in the Balkans, Libya and Afghanistan  but there is something uniquely appalling about the way Russian forces operate on the ground.

When I arrived in Ukraine I had a dreadful sense of foreboding about the likely brutality that would be unleashed.

This is partly because Russians are often poor at taking on enemy armies but very efficient at levelling civilian areas, as we have seen in many theatres of war, including Chechnya and Syria.

I am afraid we are seeing it now in Ukraine, and it means cities are going to be flattened, with no regard for the humanitarian consequences.

Pictured: Boris Johnson's tweet in the wake of the attack on the Sky News team

Sky News flew us home at the end of last week, and tomorrow I see a specialist about my back.

But as one Ukrainian doctor said, if you are walking five days after getting shot, you are going to be fine.

I am very conscious that I am getting the expert medical attention that so many Ukrainians are now lacking. One slightly spooky thought still sticks in my mind.

Last Monday, my 20-year-old daughter woke up with a sense of dread so deep that she asked my son  a Sky News cameraman in Belfast  to check that I was all right.

He phoned my news desk to be told that I was on a story, was out of touch, but there was no reason to think anything was amiss and I would be fine.

That was the very moment we were encountering our would-be Russian assassins west of Kyiv.

I am, indeed, fine, albeit with a six-inch-long cavity running through my body.

When I have fully recovered, I intend to go back to Kyiv to bear witness to what I fear is an unspeakable looming catastrophe for the brave people of Ukraine.
Only an editor with Hamishs grounding in the history of design, the arts, architecture and fashion could lead World of Interiors, Ms. Wintour said in an email.

Since becoming Conde Nasts global chief content officer in 2020, in addition to editing Vogue, Ms. Wintour has focused on the companys digital and international future. That is clearly her brief for Mr. Bowles. We are all looking forward to him bringing his verve and attitude to WOIs social channels and digital projects, she said.

At Vogue, Mr. Bowles has been game to try new forms of storytelling. He starred in a video series, Vintage Bowles, that had him shopping the world for clothes, and Ms. Wintour cast him in short clips that play up his dandy image to comic effect, such as one in which he shoots hoops with Amare Stoudemire. (Ms. Wintour called him a natural on video.) More recently, Mr. Bowles hosted the podcast In Vogue: The 1990s.

Now, like every other magazine editor, he must lure young, digital-first consumers from TikTok, and create a comprehensive strategy that goes beyond an attractive Instagram account or occasional video clip.

Mr. Bowles was not all that specific about how he would create The World of Interiors 3.0, saying only, Were in the very early stages, and promising that digital content will be rolled out in a robust way in the fall.
Valentyna Pushych did not run away. In fact she was killed this weekend as she deliberately headed towards the place of greatest danger.

A Ukrainian military paramedic, she was shot dead by Russian forces as she tried to evacuate the injured from a front line on the edge of this city.

Known to her friends as 'Romashka'  Daisy  she was described by those who knew her as a 'daredevil' who was always 'running to the most dangerous places' to help others.

She has been laid to rest under a blanket of red roses, her grave covered with the blue and yellow of her country's flag.

Daisy is not the only female medical professional to have made the ultimate sacrifice here in the last few days.

Valentyna Pushych did not run away. In fact she was killed this weekend as she deliberately headed towards the place of greatest danger. A Ukrainian military paramedic, she was shot dead by Russian forces as she tried to evacuate the injured from a front line on the edge of this city

Dr Maryna Kalabina, an anaesthesiologist, died when her car came under fire as she rushed her injured nephew to hospital from the village of Kukhari, 50 miles from central Kyiv.

Volunteer Anastasiia Yalanskaya, 26, was also killed as she delivered food to a dog shelter in Bucha, 20 miles from the capital.

'I asked her to be extra cautious, that nowadays a mistake costs extremely much,' her devastated husband, Yevhen Yalanskyi, said. 'But she was helping everyone around.'

Tomorrow is International Women's Day. This year, the achievements and suffering of the women of Ukraine should be at the forefront of global attention.

One of the abiding images of this dreadful war has been the exodus of women and children. More than one million have now become refugees abroad.

Their menfolk have largely stayed here to fight. But many women have also remained to actively defy the Russian threat.

They are of all ages, from primary school girls to pensioners, and from all walks of life. They are united by a love of country and a desire to do something to show it.

Dr Maryna Kalabina, an anaesthesiologist, died when her car came under fire as she rushed her injured nephew to hospital from the village of Kukhari, 50 miles from central Kyiv

Volunteer Anastasiia Yalanskaya, 26, was also killed as she delivered food to a dog shelter in Bucha, 20 miles from the capital

Yesterday we met some of these hugely impressive females.

Between two platforms of the Metro's 'red' line, deep under central Kyiv, a number of trestle tables have been set up.

Many of the stations are now being used as bomb shelters for civilians and the tables are covered in donated foodstuffs: Cartons of yoghurt, biscuits, pastries, milk, fruit, walnuts, mineral water and urns of tea and coffee.

A bedsheet draped over one of the trestles carries the handwritten message 'Food for Children'. But children  or rather schoolgirls  are also among the volunteers running the enterprise.

Karina is the daughter of one of the Metro station's female supervisors. Both mother and daughter have stayed in Kyiv and are doing their bit.

Karina reminds me of my own younger daughter, not least because she is 16 years old and a fan of Billie Eilish. She wants to go to law school and in different circumstances would now be studying for her exams.

'Fifty of my friends have left Kyiv,' she says. 'I decided to stay because my mum works here and I believe it is my duty to help in such a dark hour.'

Refusing to flee: Volunteers Karina, 16, and nine-year-old Valeria

Beside her is nine-year-old Valeria. Why is she here, helping? 'It is important to distribute food,' she explains.

The Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday and MailOnline UKRAINE REFUGEE APPEAL Readers of Mail Newspapers and MailOnline have always shown immense generosity at times of crisis. Calling upon that human spirit, we are now launching an appeal to raise money for refugees from Ukraine. For, surely, no one can fail to be moved by the heartbreaking images and stories of families  mostly women, children, the infirm and elderly  fleeing from Russia's invading armed forces. As this tally of misery increases over the coming days and months, these innocent victims of a tyrant will require accommodation, schools and medical support. All donations to the Mail Ukraine Appeal will be distributed to charities and aid organisations providing such essential services. In the name of charity and compassion, we urge all our readers to give swiftly and generously. TO MAKE A DONATION ONLINE Donate at www.mailforcecharity.co.uk/donate To add Gift Aid to a donation  even one already made  complete an online form found here: mymail.co.uk/ukraine Via bank transfer, please use these details: Account name: Mail Force Charity Account number: 48867365 Sort code: 60-00-01 TO MAKE A DONATION VIA CHEQUE Make your cheque payable to 'Mail Force' and post it to: Mail Newspapers Ukraine Appeal, GFM, 42 Phoenix Court, Hawkins Road, Colchester, Essex CO2 8JY TO MAKE A DONATION FROM THE US US readers can donate to the appeal via a bank transfer to Associated Newspapers or by sending checks to dailymail.com HQ at 51 Astor Place (9th floor), New York, NY 10003 Advertisement

'Because people are already weak and if they do not have enough strength then we will not win this war.'

What did she think of the Russian invasion? Valeria twice tries to articulate her feelings, before giving up with a shake of her head. When you are sensitive and only nine, President Putin's actions are particularly inexplicable.

Until the war Tetiana, 30, was the manager of a branch of McDonald's in the Kyiv suburb of Borshchahivka.

Now, along with her sister Olena, 35, she is supervising the food distribution volunteers.

For nine days now the siblings have been working around the clock. They sleep in the Metro stations. Today they began at 5am.

'Yes, I was scared at first,' Tetiana says. 'But in a phone call with my parents we agreed, as a family, that we could not give up. The guys on the front line are having a really tough time and we have no right ourselves to retreat.

'So I am not going to go anywhere. This is my land and I would not be able to sit calmly in any other place during such a time.'

Did she have a message for women outside Ukraine who are watching her country's agonies unfold?

'Yes,' she says. 'You must stay strong and enjoy every single second of your lives, and not be afraid of anything.'

On platform five of Kyiv's main railway station, we find another unsung heroine.

The service to the city of Kharkiv, now under siege and enduring a savage bombardment by Russian forces, is due to pull out in ten minutes. Waiting by an open carriage door for any last-minute passengers  there are very few  is one of the train's female guards. Her name is Lesia and she is 41 years old.

Her current journey started at Kharkiv, and has taken her close to the Romanian border and halfway back again. It now takes twice as long as it did in peacetime.

'We have to do a very big detour because a bridge that we normally use has been destroyed by the Russians,' she explains.

'Going westwards, the train was very crowded with women and children. The sleeping berths are only meant for four people but there were four times as many in them. It was impossible to move about the train.'

By journey's end, she will have been travelling and working for three days solid. Surely, what awaits her in Kharkiv, the final stop of her wartime odyssey, is a terrifying prospect. Scores of civilians are reported to have been killed in Ukraine's second city by indiscriminate Russian shelling and rocket attacks. Why does she undertake such a risk?

'I got used to the situation,' Lesia shrugs. 'In any case, Kharkiv is my home. And we must all do what we can to help Ukraine in these times.'

It's a sentiment that has become a mantra here.

This week, the world will celebrate female achievement. The heroic women and girls who have chosen to stay in Ukraine and do their bit  even if it means paying the ultimate price  are an example to us all.
DAMASCUS, March 6 (Xinhua) -- As many as 13 soldiers were killed on Sunday when their bus was ambushed in the countryside of Syrian central province of Homs, state news agency SANA reported.

Officers were among the slain soldiers, whose bus was attacked in the desert region of the city of Palmyra in the countryside of Homs, said the report.

It added that 18 other soldiers were wounded by the "terrorist attack," which was carried out with the use of various weapons.

The official agency didn't name the party behind the attack. Previous similar ones were all carried out by remnants of the Islamic State (IS) group, which is still active in the desert region.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights placed the death toll of the attack at 15.

It added that the death toll is likely going to rise as most of the wounded are in critical condition.

The attack is the latest in a series of targeting by the IS against the Syrian army in the desert area.

In January, a similar attack by IS on a military bus near Palmyra killed five soldiers and wounded 20 others, according to SANA. 
Update: The judge heard arguments Wednesday in the recall dispute. Read our latest coverage.

ALFRED, Maine  Regional School Unit 21 and the Town of Kennebunk will have their day in court Wednesday, March 2, when Justice Wayne Douglas hears arguments for and against allowing the municipality to recall a member of the school board.

Voters in Kennebunk are scheduled to decide whether they want to remove RSU 21 School Board member Tim Stentiford during a special recall election on Tuesday, March 29.

The key word is "scheduled."

Tim Stentiford represents Kennebunk, Maine, as a member of the RSU 21 School Board.

If the judge decides in favor of RSU 21, then the recall in Kennebunk would be unable to proceed. (The town will still have a special town election on March 29, as voters also are set to weigh in on two zoning proposals that day.)

The hearing at York County Superior Court will start at 1 p.m. and will be conducted virtually, via the Zoom videoconferencing platform.

What happens if the judge allows the recall election to happen?

The first question on the ballot when Kennebunk voters head to the polls March 29 will be, Shall Timothy J. Stentiford be recalled?

If the "no" votes outnumber the "yes" votes, then Stentiford will remain on the board.

If, however, the "yes" votes outnumber the "no" votes, then all voters will collectively pick Stentiford's interim successor. Even if an individual votes against removing Stentiford, that individual can still cast a vote to help decide who will step into the role if he is removed, according to Town Clerk Merton Brown.

The lone candidate on the ballot will be Gayle Asmussen Spofford. Voters can pick either Spofford or a write-in candidate.

If voters decide to remove Stentiford, then the individual elected to replace him would serve on the school board for the rest of his term  which will end three months later, on June 30.

Why does the school board say the recall must be stopped?

The school board argues that its members are not subject to a town's recall provisions because board members serve the regional school unit, not the municipalities where they were elected.

Story continues

Russell B. Pierce Jr., an attorney for RSU 21, wrote that state law governs regional school units in Maine. The law outlines four situations in which a vacancy can occur on a regional school unit board. Since the result of a recall is not included as a basis for creating a vacancy on such a board, it is reasonable to infer that the Maine Legislature deliberately chose not to include a recall as part of its definition of an RSU school board vacancy, Pierce wrote.

The Legislature made this decision to prevent small groups of residents in one municipality from triggering a recall that disrupts or reverses the policies and benefits of all municipalities in the regional school unit, Pierce argued.

Pierce also wrote that the charter in Kennebunk does not expressly state that its general recall provisions apply to RSU School Board directors.

Why does Kennebunk say its recall is valid?

Kennebunk Town Attorney Natalie Burns, Brown and others have asserted that the town charter allows voters to recall any official who is elected by Kennebunk voters  not just select board members who serve the town, but others, such as board members of the local light and power district, who serve an entity that is separate from the town.

During a hearing before York County Superior Court on Feb. 2, Burns referred to the ordinance powers of municipalities under state law. Burns said the rule is that the Maine Legislature actually has to say that a municipality cannot do something under its powers of home rule. There is nothing in the state statute saying the town cannot have a recall, she said.

"This provision is key to this case," Burns said.

The York County Court House in Alfred, Maine, houses York County Superior Court.

In addition to Kennebunk, the towns of Kennebunkport and Arundel also comprise RSU 21 and have been included as parties of interest in the case. Kennebunkport also is asserting its right to recall school board members, in accordance with its administrative code.

Arundel differs from its two RSU 21 neighbors in that its charter specifies that voters cannot recall school board members. Town officials have described Arundels role in the court matter as one of an observer.

When will the judge issue his decision?

Douglas is not expected to issue his decision immediately after the hearing on Wednesday, and it's unclear when he will.

Douglas ruled quickly after the Feb. 2 hearing, during which RSU 21 sought an injunction to pause the recall process in Kennebunk. Douglas denied the request the next afternoon.

Correction: The language of this story has been updated to clarify that an individual Kennebunk voter who votes to keep Tim Stentiford on the RSU 21 School Board can also vote on who will become Stentiford's interim successor if he is removed. If voters collectively decide to remove Stentiford, then they will collectively decide who Stentiford's interim successor will be. The questions are presented separately on the ballot, and every voter can answer every question, according to Kennebunk Town Clerk Merton Brown.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Kennebunk ME recall headed to York County Superior Court on Wednesday
Sydney Sweeney looked radiant as she made an appearance at the 37th Film Independent Spirit Awards on Sunday in Santa Monica, California.

The Euphoria star, 24, wore a sensational mid-calf length grey Miu Miu gown with rhinestone details and floral embellishments.

The event marked her first red carpet appearance since she became engaged to boyfriend Jonathan Davino, 37, earlier this week.

Glowing: Sydney Sweeney looked radiant as she made an appearance at the 37th Film Independent Spirit Awards on Sunday in Santa Monica, California

The actress paired the elegant look with diamond drop earrings as well as two David Yurman rings on her fingers, which featured grey nail polish to match her dress, but appeared to have left her engagement ring at home.

The beauty - who plays Cassie Howard on the HBO hit series and who is also known for her role in Sharp Objects - wore her lovely red tresses in gentle waves.

She completed the look with a pair of stylish Christian Louboutin black pointed toe heels with silver details.

Stunner: The Euphoria star, 24, wore a sensational mid-calf length grey Miu Miu gown with rhinestone details and floral embellishments

As for glam, she wore sparkly peach-toned eyeshadow on her lids, as well as strong coal black eyeliner, a dash of mascara, and a nude lip.

Sydney is one of the presenters at the event, which is dedicated to honoring independent filmmakers.

The actress sparked engagement rumors on February 28, after she was photographed wearing a huge diamond ring on her wedding finger while out in Encino.

Chic: The actress paired the elegant look with diamond drop earrings as well as two David Yurman rings on her fingers, which featured grey nail polish to match her dress

Redhead: The beauty wore her lovely red tresses in gentle waves cascading down her back

Glamorous: As for glam, she wore sparkly peach-toned eyeshadow on her lids, as well as strong coal black eyeliner, a dash of mascara, and a nude lip

The engagement rumors were confirmed by Us Weekly on Wednesday.

Sydney and Jonathan have been romantically linked since 2018 but the star has never commented publicly on the relationship.

The two were first photographed together in October 2018 as they attended the InStyle and Kate Spade dinner at Spring Place in Los Angeles.

Designer look: She completed the look with a pair of stylish Christian Louboutin black pointed toe heels with silver details

Though the relationship has remained ultra private, the engaged pair have been captured out and about on numerous occasions.

In the summer of 2020 they were photographed enjoying a Hawaiian vacation together, where they were captured putting on a PDA-packed display on the beach.

Jonathan is based in Chicago, Illinois, and is the co-owner of a restaurant called Mista Pizza, as well as the heir to the Italian restaurant Pompei, owned by his family, according to PEOPLE.

Engaged: The event marked her first red carpet appearance since news that she is engaged to boyfriend Jonathan Davino, 37, broke earlier this week; The couple pictured in 2018
The walls of Saifullahs home in northern Jakarta show the floodwater marks  some more than one meter from the floor.

When the water gets too high, Saifullah, who like many Indonesians only uses one name, sends his family to stay with friends.

Its a normal thing here, said the 73 year old. But this is our home. Where should we go?

Indonesias capital Jakarta is sinking more than any other major city. Observers say it shows how climate change is making more places unlivable. About 30 percent of the city is expected to be under water in the coming years. This is partly because of the rising Java Sea.

The Indonesian government is planning to move its capital 2,000 kilometers northeast to the island of Borneo. As many as 1.5 million government workers will have to move their homes to the new capital.

It is part of the large movement of people which is expected to increase in the years ahead.

The United Nations published a report on Monday by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. It says 143 million people will likely be forced to move from their homes over the next 30 years. The reasons include rising sea levels, drought, higher temperatures and other climate catastrophes.

In Asia, governments are already making plans for the future.

More than 30 percent of migrants in the world today come from Asia. Asia leads the world in the number of people being forced to leave their communities because of extreme weather, said the report. Scientists believe migration flows and the need for the planned movements of entire towns and villages will increase.

Under worldwide warming levels some areas that are presently densely populated will become unsafe or uninhabitable, the report said.

One estimate suggests that as many as 40 million people in South Asia may be forced to move over the next 30 years. The reasons include a lack of water, crop failure, and other disasters.

Rising temperatures are a strong concern, said Stanford University environmental scientist Chris Field. He was responsible for the U.N. report in earlier years.

There are relatively few places on Earth that are simply too hot to live now, he said. But its beginning to look like in Asia, there may be more of those in the future and we need to think really hard about the implications of that.

No nation offers asylum or other legal protections to people displaced because of climate change. The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden, however, has studied the idea.

People leave their homes for many reasons. But what is happening in Bangladesh shows how climate change will force people to move, said Amali Tower. She founded the organization Climate Refugees.

Scientists say as many as 2 million people in the country may be displaced by rising seas by 2050. Already, more than 2,000 migrants arrive at the capital of Dhaka every day. Many are fleeing towns and villages along the coast.

You can see the actual movement of people. You can actually see the increasing disasters, Tower said.

The migration flows can be slowed if countries like the United States and European nations act to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to zero, she said. Others say rich countries that produce more emissions should offer humanitarian visas to people from countries that are affected by climate change.

Dealing with climate migrants will become a major policy issue for Africa south of the Sahara Desert and Latin America in coming years, said the U.N. report. Most people will be moving from rural areas to cities. In Asia, about 70 percent of the population could live in cities in the next 30 years.

The migration does not have to cause a crisis, said Vittoria Zanuso. She is executive director of the Mayors Migration Council, an international group of city leaders.

In northern Dhaka, for example, officials are building shelters for climate migrants and improving the water supply. They also are working with smaller cities to become climate havens that welcome migrants, Zanuso said.

Im Susan Shand.

The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English.

___________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

drought  n. an extreme lack of rain

catastrophe  n. a terrible disaster

uninhabitable  adj. not safe or able to be lived in

implication  n. something that is suggested without being said directly; something that is implied

greenhouse gas n. one of a number of gasses that trap heat and have been linked to warming in the atmosphere

emission  n. something that is released or given off

haven  n. a place where you are protected from danger, trouble or difficulties

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TOLEDO, Ohio, March 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Welltower Inc. ( NYSE: WELL) or the "Company" today announced that it plans to expand its strategic partnership with StoryPoint Senior Living ("StoryPoint"), a preeminent senior living operator based in Brighton, Michigan. The Company has agreed to purchase three distinct senior living portfolios, subject to customary closing conditions, where StoryPoint will be the operating partner under an aligned RIDEA 3.0 contract, significantly expanding its pre-existing local footprint in these markets.

The portfolios comprise 2,787 units across 33 communities throughout Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee. Assisted living and memory care account for approximately three-quarters of the units, and independent living represent the remainder. The total investment will be approximately $548 million or $197,000 per unit. The transaction is anticipated to be funded through the issuance of operating partnership units, assumed debt, and cash on hand.

With a median vintage of 2016, the communities were largely in lease-up at the onset of the pandemic and, similar to the rest of the industry, were significantly impacted by COVID-related operational challenges. With 63% current average occupancy, these properties are anticipated to generate significant occupancy, margin, and cash flow growth in 2023 and beyond under StoryPoint's enhanced operating platform. Existing owners will be able to participate in this expected growth through the ownership of the operating partnership units.

"The past four years have been a journey, with the last two being our most challenging to date. We want to have an impact on people's lives; our employees, residents, and families," said Dan Hughes, StoryPoint's CEO. "We set goals around this, then a pandemic struck  and in times like that, you need great partners to achieve success. We navigated the convoluted and demanding times without straying from our mission; that does not happen without Shankh and his team. It began with alignment and is succeeding because of trust. Shankh's position has always been  tell me what you are trying to accomplish; together, we can figure it out. Our equation for our successful partnership has been simple: alignment and trust."

"These transactions represent a further evolution in our relationship with StoryPoint and build on our two companies' success from prior investments," said Shankh Mitra, Welltower's CEO and CIO. "In fact, since our highly accretive portfolio sale in 2019, we have regrown our StoryPoint relationship from two operating communities to 74 following the consummation of the announced transactions, demonstrating the ability of great operators to gain market share in the current environment. We pivoted to offense in Fall 2020 starting with Dan and his team; we are extremely proud that the transactions are allowing us to further serve these markets with one of our best operating partners."

The execution of these transactions, which are expected to generate high-single-digit unlevered IRRs, will bring the Company's total pro-rata gross investments to $6.8 billion since October 2020 and YTD transactions to $1.2 billion, including Welltower's previously announced 1Q22 investments.

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release may contain "forward-looking" statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When Welltower uses words such as "may," "will," "intend," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project," "estimate" or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, it is making forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause Welltower's actual results to differ materially from Welltower's expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. This may be a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, those factors discussed in Welltower's reports filed from time to time with the SEC. Welltower undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements.

About StoryPoint Senior Living

With over 40 years of experience developing and operating senior housing communities, StoryPoint Senior Living is the premier choice for seniors and families looking for an individualized, purposeful and engaging senior living setting. StoryPoint, along with its sister communities, operates across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee and Wisconsin. Each of our 100 owned and/or operated locations offers unique senior living options with select locations offering independent living, enhanced living, assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing options. To learn more about StoryPoint, please visit StoryPoint.com.

About Welltower

Welltower Inc. ( NYSE: WELL), an S&P 500 company headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, is driving the transformation of health care infrastructure. The Company invests with leading seniors housing operators, post-acute providers and health systems to fund the real estate and infrastructure needed to scale innovative care delivery models and improve people's wellness and overall health care experience. Welltower, a real estate investment trust ("REIT"), owns interests in properties concentrated in major, high-growth markets in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, consisting of seniors housing, post-acute communities and outpatient medical properties. More information is available at www.welltower.com. We routinely post important information on our website at welltower.com in the "Investors" section, including corporate and investor presentations and financial information. We intend to use our website as a means of disclosing material, non-public information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Such disclosures will be included on our website under the heading "Investors." Accordingly, investors should monitor such portion of the company's website in addition to following our press releases, public conference calls and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The information on our website is not incorporated by reference in this press release, and our web address is included as an inactive textual reference only.

SOURCE Welltower Inc.
McGill University's campus is seen Tuesday, November 14, 2017 in Montreal. A group of Quebec's doctors are providing virtual training to Ukraine for basic life support and emergency life-saving procedures that can be done by non-surgeons.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Reporter

Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk).
Disgraced actor Kevin Spacey has begun to fight back against the allegations of sexual assault which ruined him  and John Barrowman will be his star witness.

The Doctor Who actor has already given evidence to the US star's legal team, it can be revealed.

Spacey, 62, now completely denies that he assaulted Anthony Rapp in 1986 and is calling for the case against him to be dismissed.

And Barrowman  who has faced his own allegations of misconduct  is the first name on the list of witnesses.

He was dropped as a judge of Dancing on Ice after allegations that he had exposed himself to colleagues on the set of Doctor Who and Torchwood.

Barrowman, 54, said his actions were 'only ever intended in good humour'.

Kevin Spacey had apologised for his behaviour, but now denies the incident ever took place, with his lawyers calling the allegations against him 'quite simply false'

He added at the time: 'I understand that upset may have been caused by my exuberant behaviour and I have apologised for this previously.'

The allegations against double-Oscar-winner Spacey emerged in 2017.

Rapp said he grabbed his buttocks and lifted him on to a bed at a house party in New York when Rapp was aged 14 and the actor was 26, Buzzfeed News reported.

When questioned by the star's lawyers under oath, Rapp said Spacey then lay on top of him but there was no groping, kissing, undressing, or verbal sexual approach from Spacey, whose hands were 'behind my back holding my shoulders'.

Spacey previously said he had 'no recollection' of the incident and offered his 'sincerest apology' for 'what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behaviour'.

Rapp is suing him for mental and emotional suffering and punitive damages after being 'touched in a sexual manner'.

But in papers filed last Friday, Spacey's legal team have asked for the case to be discontinued.

John Barrowman, pictured here after finishing third on 'I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!' in 2018, is one of Spacey's witnesses for an upcoming trial

They said there was no assault and no sexual motivation, which means the allegation cannot be brought under the New York Child Victims Act  which extended the statute of limitations in sexual abuse cases.

Spacey now denies that he assaulted Rapp, denies that Rapp attended a party at his New York apartment and denies the apartment he lived in at the time even had a bedroom, which is where Rapp said the incident took place.

'[The] plaintiff's allegations are quite simply false and never occurred,' said his lawyers.

A jury trial is expected to run for two weeks later this year.

And his legal team will refer to a 2009 memoir written by Barrowman  called Anything Goes.

In the book, he recalls visiting New York in 1986 to see his friend Rapp.

The pair also met Spacey before visiting a club in New York with him.

Rapp said the 'assault' happened 'a few days later' when Spacey invited him to a party at his apartment.

The actor has barely worked since the Rapp accusations in 2017 and has been living quietly in London.

Anthony Rapp, pictured here at the Family Festival Street Fair in New York City, said Spacey touched him in a 'sexual manner' at a house party when he was 14 and the future Oscar Winner was 26

Scotland Yard has investigated six allegations of sex attacks by Spacey between 1996 and 2013, which includes the period when he was the artistic director of The Old Vic.

The Crown Prosecution Service will decide whether to press charges.

Various other proceedings against him have failed.

A federal sexual assault case brought against him in LA by a massage therapist was dropped after the masseur died.

And the son of a TV anchor in Boston said that Spacey had plied him with booze and sexually assaulted him  but the civil suit was dropped, as was a related criminal case.

However, in 2020 Spacey lost a confidential arbitration ruling.

The production company MRC  which is behind House of Cards, the show Spacey starred in  argued he owed them millions in lost profits because his alleged misconduct on set forced them to write him out and heavily edit the series.

The judgment became public last November, when MRC filed a petition in a civil court to confirm the 23million they alleged he owed.

His lawyers have filed an opposition, arguing his behaviour was 'innocent horseplay' and did not violate MRC's anti-harassment policy.
TOLEDO, Ohio, March 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A joint venture between Related Companies and Atria Senior Living (the "Related|Atria JV"), in conjunction with Welltower Inc. ( NYSE: WELL), this quarter signed a strategic partnership to develop two world class senior living communities in Silicon Valley, one in Santa Clara, CA ("Santa Clara Development") and the other in Cupertino, CA ("Cupertino Development"), as part of a larger strategic partnership among the three companies. The Related|Atria JV was formed in 2018 to develop, own and operate modern urban communities catering to seniors living in major metropolitan areas. The Santa Clara and Cupertino Developments will be the third and fourth locations for the joint venture's new series of upscale senior living communities after the newly opened Coterie Cathedral Hill at 1001 Van Ness in San Francisco and Coterie Hudson Yards at 451 10th Avenue in New York City which will open later in 2022.

Santa Clara Development Cupertino Development

The 191-unit Santa Clara Development is immediately adjacent to a larger fully entitled 9.2 million square foot urban development by Related who commenced entitlement and pre-development work on the urban plan in 2015. Related Santa Clara will create an unparalleled new mixed-use downtown for Silicon Valley, consisting of traditional office and medical office buildings, hotel rooms, multifamily housing and retail amenities. At the apex of Silicon Valley and the growing East Bay, the Santa Clara Development is conveniently located to numerous commuting options, including a wide variety of public transit and proximity to Highways 237, 101 and Interstate 880. The senior living development is expected to break ground mid- 2022 with completion projected by 2024.

Pre-development of the 158-unit Cupertino Development began in 2019 with plans of construction start by the end of 2022 and completion in 2024. Situated on a well-located corner of Stevens Creek Boulevard, Cupertino's major thoroughfare and State Route 85, as well as adjacent to the Cupertino Senior Center, Cupertino Memorial Park, and De Anza College, this development will grant seniors unrivaled access to the best of Cupertino's amenities with convenient connectivity to Silicon Valley. The Cupertino Development will also include an outdoor community park.

ABOUT WELLTOWER:

Welltower Inc. ( NYSE: WELL), an S&P 500 company headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, is driving the transformation of health care infrastructure. The Company invests with leading seniors housing operators, post-acute providers and health systems to fund the real estate infrastructure needed to scale innovative care delivery models and improve people's wellness and overall health care experience. Welltower, a real estate investment trust ("REIT"), owns interests in properties concentrated in major, high-growth markets in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, consisting of seniors housing and post-acute communities and outpatient medical properties. More information is available at welltower.com. We routinely post important information on our website at welltower.com in the "Investors" section, including corporate and investor presentations and financial information. We intend to use our website as a means of disclosing material, non-public information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Such disclosures will be included on our website under the heading "Investors." Accordingly, investors should monitor such portion of the company's website in addition to following our press releases, public conference calls and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The information on our website is not incorporated by reference in this press release, and our web address is included as an inactive textual reference only.

ABOUT RELATED COMPANIES:

Related Companies is a global real estate and lifestyle company defined by innovation and the most prominent privately-owned real estate firm in the United States. Formed over 45 years ago, Related is the largest private owner of affordable housing and a fully-integrated, highly diversified industry leader with experience in virtually every aspect of development, acquisitions, management, finance, marketing and sales. Headquartered in New York City, Related has offices and major developments in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, South Florida, Washington, D.C., Abu Dhabi and London, and boasts a team of approximately 4,000 professionals. Related was recently named to Fast Company Magazine's list of the 50 Most Innovative Companies in the World. For more information about Related, please visit www.related.com.

ABOUT ATRIA:

Atria Senior Living is a leading operator of independent living, assisted living, supportive living and memory care communities in more than 400 locations in 45 states and seven Canadian provinces. With the addition of Holiday Retirement to its portfolio in 2021, Atria is now the residence of choice for more than 43,000 older adults, and the workplace of choice for more than 17,000 employees. In 2022, J.D. Power ranked Atria #1 in customer satisfaction among assisted living and memory care communities. Atria creates vibrant communities where older adults can thrive and participate, know that their contributions are valued, and enjoy access to opportunities and support that help them keep making a positive difference in our world. Atria operates seven distinct senior living brands: Coterie a luxury brand in a joint venture with Related Companies, Atria Signature, Atria Senior Living, Atria Park, Holiday Retirement, Atria Retirement and Gladwell. Atria's subsidiary, Glennis Solutions, is the only fully integrated cloud-based software suite specifically designed to serve the senior housing industry.

For more information about Atria, visit AtriaSeniorLiving.com or follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For career opportunities and more information about working for Atria, visit AtriaCareers.com. For more information on Glennis Solutions, visit GlennisSolutions.com. For more information about Holiday Retirement, visit HolidaySeniorLiving.com.

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release may contain "forward-looking" statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When Welltower uses words such as "may," "will," "intend," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project," "estimate" or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, it is making forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause Welltower's actual results to differ materially from Welltower's expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. This may be a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, those factors discussed in Welltower's reports filed from time to time with the SEC. Welltower undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements

SOURCE Welltower Inc.
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(Tribune News Service)  The European Union called for rapid intervention by the International Atomic Energy Agency amid growing concern about the safety of Ukraines nuclear plants, two of which have been seized by invading Russian forces.

EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson, in a letter to IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, called on Russia to return all of Ukraines nuclear facilities to the full operational and regulatory control of Ukraine, including unhindered access of staff to these facilities, both at Zaporizhzhia as well as in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.

Missile strikes at the Zaporizhzhia plant, the largest in Europe, and its takeover by the Russian military are unacceptable, Simson said in the March 4 letter seen by Bloomberg.

Ukraine told the IAEA on Sunday that technical operations at the six-reactor Zaporizhzhia plant are subject to Russian military orders and that normal communication with the site is unreliable, Grossi said in a statement.

French President Emmanuel Macron raised concern after speaking on Sunday with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and Ukraines Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

We are starting work to preserve the integrity of Ukraines civil nuclear installations, he said on Twitter.

While Russia seized the decommissioned Chernobyl plant on Feb. 24, the immediate concern is Zaporizhzhia. The facility in southern Ukraine has a capacity of 5.7 gigawatts, enough to power more than 4 million homes.

Ukrainian officials said Friday that a fire had broken out at the plant after Russian shelling. The fire was put out and the IAEA said the integrity of the reactors wasnt compromised. Stocks dropped and commodities rose on the initial reports about the fire.

Ukrainian power producer DTEK on Sunday called on Western countries, NATO and the United Nations to impose no-fly zones over all nuclear plants in the country.

There is too much at stake to just rely on luck, chief executive Maxim Timchenko said in a statement. Humanity survived Chernobyl and Fukushima, but now Russia threatens another disaster of an even greater scale.

The European nuclear regulators group ENSREG has asked its members to consider providing practical support to their Ukrainian counterpart and is ready to cooperate with the IAEA, Simson said.

The EU energy chief also criticized the position of the aggressor state in the IAEA Board of Governors. Russia is the worlds top exporter of reactors, with projects ongoing in Argentina, Bangladesh, Egypt, Hungary and Turkey.

I find it unacceptable that Russia can continue its privileged role at the IAEA in view of its irresponsible military actions on the ground in Ukraine, she said.

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

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The music director and principal conductor at Moscows Bolshoi Theater has announced his resignation over pressure to take a position on the Ukraine conflict.

Tugan Sokhiev on March 6 became the latest high-profile figure to quit his post over his loyalties.

Sokhiev said in a statement he was resigning "with immediate effect" from his post at the Moscow theater as well as his equivalent position at Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, France.

Live Briefing: Russia Invades Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, Russian protests, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

Sokhiev was appointed by the Bolshoi in 2014. He was brought in as part of moves to improve the theater's image after scandals including a 2013 acid attack on its then-artistic director Sergei Filin.

He was born in Vladikavkaz in North Ossetia, the same region of the North Caucasus that star conductor Valery Gergiev comes from, and he is considered Gergiev's protege.

Gergiev was fired on March 1 from his position as chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic. The 68-year-old's dismissal came after he did not respond to demands by the orchestra that he distance himself from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Sokhiev said he decided to resign after "being forced to face the impossible option of choosing between my beloved Russian and beloved French musicians."

He cited opposition from authorities in Toulouse to his planned staging of a Franco-Russian music festival there, saying they "want me to express myself for peace."

Sokhiev became music director of the Toulouse orchestra in 2008 and continued to work with the orchestra after joining the Bolshoi.

Sokhiev did not say whether he backs or opposes Russia's actions in Ukraine but said he has never supported and "will always be against any conflicts in any shape and form."

The Bolshoi's director-general, Vladimir Urin, told TASS he was saddened by Sokhiev's decision.

"I'm very sorry. His departure is a serious problem for the Bolshoi Theater. It's unclear how the situation will develop from now."

With reporting by AFP, dpa, and TASS
An Offaly musician is in the running to land a prestigious title in April.

Seventeen-year-old Kimberley Delaney from Kilcormac has been announced as one of just ten finalists in this year's Fiddler of London 2022 competition, the final of which will take place in the English capital on April 2.

Revealing the news on their official Facebook page on March 1, the Fiddler of London 2022 competition said, "We are delighted to announce our tenth finalist in the Fiddler of London 2022. Congratulations Kimberley, we're looking forward to meeting you in London."

The competition, which is named in honour of the late Justin Whelehan, was open to entries from all around the world and of all ages. Now in its second year, the 2021 event took place online. However, twelve months on and with a largely vaccinated world now in a safer place far as the pandemic is concerned, Kimberley will be taking to the stage in person on Saturday, April 2, for the Fiddler of London 2022 Live Gala Final at the Irish Cultural Centre in London where she'll perform two different selections of tunes.

Adjudicators Mike McGoldrick and Dezi Donnelly will choose the winner of the title on the night with the new Fiddler of London receiving the bronze perpetual sculpture Children of Lir, plus a Supreme polycarbonate Panther series Bam fiddle case. This year's winner will also record an album with Mike McGoldrick as producer.

Kimberley is a sixth-year student at Colaiste Naomh Cormac and her selection as a finalist for an event of this stature - one supported by both the government of Ireland and the mayor of London - will come as no surprise to those familiar with Offaly's rich and vibrant traditional music scene. A multi-instrumentalist, Kimberley is as much at home on the banjo, the button-accordion, the piano or the tin-whistle as she is on her beloved fiddle, something that's practically been an extension of herself since she first started learning it at the age of five.

A member of Ballyboy Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann (CCE) Kimberley also teaches fiddle in Rahan CCE. Speaking of her surprise and delight at being selected to perform at the Gala Final, Kimberley revealed that when she first spoke to the event's executive director, she found it almost impossible to believe what she was being told...

"We had to submit an online application form and videos of ourselves performing four tunes. But when I was doing that, you see, the site crashed, because so many people were trying to enter. So I contacted them - the Fiddler of London organisation - on Instagram, and I was able to send them the videos that way, but the application form still wouldn't go through. What happened next, a few weeks later, was that someone I knew called me and gave me a number that they said I had to ring. I had an idea that it might be to do with the Fiddler of London, but I thought it was going to be about the application form not working, so maybe they needed some information from me. But when I rang the number, it was actually Eilish Byrne-Whelehan, the executive director, and she said, 'Congratulations, you're a finalist!' I was stunned. I just couldn't believe it, I really couldn't. I had to ask Eilish if she was really sure, and she said she was. So yeah, I was definitely stunned, but delighted too, of course."

Kimberley was a student - and then a friend - of the late Ashling Murphy for eight years, and is very clear about the hugely positive and influential role Ashling had in her life.

"I remember the first time I saw Ashling play the fiddle when I was only about eight years old, I think, and I was convinced she was a star! I thought she just had to be someone famous. Everything about her that day, from how she played to how she looked and acted, I was just in awe. I even made my mam go up and get Ashling's autograph for me, on the back of a cigarette box! A little while after that, my mam told me to grab my fiddle one day because we were going for a drive. I didn't think anything of it because we were always heading off somewhere to play music. But when we walked into Ashling's house and mam said to me, 'This is your new fiddle teacher', I could hardly speak!"

Kimberley continued, "I thought Ashling was a star when I saw her first, but she actually became a real-life hero to me as I got to know her over the next eight years. She was like a big sister to me, but with the perfect fiddle teacher built-in too. She had so much patience and was always so kind, and she could give you advice about anything. She was like that with everyone. In my mind, no-one will ever be able to play like she could, but I try to be the same kind of teacher for others that she was for me. That's how I can honour her memory. I'll always think of Ashling when I play, and I'll always want to feel like I'm making her proud of me."

Regardless of how things turn out in London in April, Kimberley can rest assured that she's already made her family, friends, school, her wider musical family - and, we're sure, Ashling too - more than proud of her incredible list of achievements to date in her seventeen years. That list includes several Fleadh Cheoil appearances (both as a soloist and as a part of a group), including as part of the Grupa Cheoil collective that Ashling Murphy and her sister Amy guided to a 2nd place finish at the 2018 All-Ireland Fleadh. Kimberley was also awarded two scholarships before taking part in the 2019 Fleadh in Drogheda.

As impressive as that list already reads, there's still more to add in order to paint the fullest possible picture of Kimberley's talent. Among several that are noteworthy are appearances on Fleadh TV and TG4 as a member of the group Spreach (Spark) following a week at the Meitheal Irish Trad Music Summer School, and another appearance at the Irish World Academy in Limerick. Moreover, and as importantly as anything already mentioned, if not more so, when it comes to revealing the kind of person - and the kind person - that Kimberley is, is the fact that she's a familiar face at charity events of all kinds and in many local nursing homes as well.

Kimberley, should she win the Fiddler of London title, will be named Fiddler in Residence for the Irish Community and will be invited to perform at a number of high-profile events in the UK and Ireland during her year in office.
The Islamic State (IS) of Khorasan has claimed the responsibility of the terror attack on a Shia mosque in Pakistan's Peshawar during the Friday's prayer, in which at least 56 people killed.

The IS of Khorasan, which is active in the region, has claimed that it was an Afghan suicide bomber who executed the terror attack. The IS has made the claim in a press note.

Apart from 56 fatalities, as many as 194 others have recieved injuries after the alleged Afghan suicide bomber exploded himself during the Friday's prayer at the mosque.

The Shia mosque, where the explotion took place, reffered as Imam Bargah is located at Qissa Khwani Bazaar in Peshawar's Kucha Risaldar area.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan's Special Assistant Barrister Saif has confirmed that the explosion was a suicide attack.

"There were two offenders who entered the mosque and then engaged in an exchange of fire with the security forces, following which one attacker was killed by the police. An eyewitness identified a person dressed in black as the suicide bomber, saying he entered the mosque, shot and killed the security guard first and then fired five to six bullets at the police. Subsequently, he rushed towards the main hall and blew himself in front of the pulpit."

Separately, a local person claimed that despite residents urging for tighter security due to a recent hand grenade attack in the area, this suicide bombing was "neither anticipated nor prevented".

Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned the attack and ordered to provide immediate medical aid for the wounded.
David Perdue on Saturday used the war in Ukraine to push for Americans buying more firearms at a pro-Second Amendment rally organized by Georgia far-right Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene.

The former GOP Georgia senator now running for governor of the Peach State said seeing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky open up his country's armories to civilians as they entered war with Russia reminded him that Americans should be exercising their right to own guns.

'You see what happened in Ukraine? Did you see the first thing the government did when they were invaded?' Perdue asked the audience at the rally in

'They unlocked their armory, they relaxed their gun control laws and, guess what? They distributed weapons to the citizenry,' Perdue added. 'It just makes it more important about meetings like this about why we have to stand up, not just for the Second Amendment, but for all our rights.'

Women and children in Ukraine are learning to fire and operate machine guns and AK-47 after Ukraine calls on its people to fight to defend Kyiv as Russia closes in on the capital city.

Georgia GOP gubernatorial candidate David Perdue, who previously served as a senator from the Peach State, used the Russian war on Ukraine to push for Americans to buy more firearms and for there to be more relaxed gun regulations in the U.S.

'Did you see the first thing the [Ukrainian] government did when they were invaded?' Perdue asked at a pro-Second Amendment rally organized by Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (right). 'They unlocked their armory, they relaxed their gun control laws and, guess what? They distributed weapons to the citizenry'

For weeks now, ordinary citizens across Ukraine have been receiving basic combat training in everything from handling guns to making incendiary Molotov cocktails to tossing grenades. Pictured: A young boy learns how to use a gun on the outskirts of Lviv, Ukraine on Friday

Photographed on Friday, women and children in Ukraine were taught to use firearms during a civilian self-defense course on the outskirts of Lviv.

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.

Russian forces destroyed port city Mariupol, Ukraine last week, seizing the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.

Perdue told the crowd on Saturday that President Joe Biden has 'taken away energy independence' from the U.S. by relying on foreign nations' oil and natural energies exports and 'made us more dependent on foreign oil.

He also blamed Biden for 'enabling Putin to become the murdering thug that he really is now.'

'And so what we've got to do is we've got to stand up to them. That's why I'm here today,' he said.

Discussions about a multi-national ban on Russian oil are gaining traction as President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine stretches into its eleventh day.

Women and children were pictured Friday, March 4, 2022 on the outskirts of Lviv, Ukraine learning to operate and fire machine guns and AK-47s as Ukraine called up people to fight to defend Kyiv

Ukraine is holding civilian self defense courses as citizens are targeted and must contribute to defending the country against Russia. Pictured: A child learns how to use a machine gun Friday

Kyiv's ambassador to the United States urged Biden to halt Russian oil imports in an interview on Fox News Sunday, the day after Zelensky made a similar plea during a video meeting with members of the U.S. Congress.

Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova called for 'tougher' sanctions on Moscow over its behavior as a 'terrorist state' as accusations of human rights abuses and targeted civilian killings mount.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken also revealed Sunday that the US was in 'very active discussions' with European allies over a wide blockade of Russian energy dollars.

He would not say whether the U.S. was prepared to act unilaterally on such a ban, despite the wide gap between American imports of Russian oil and Europe's dependence on it.

Russia is the world's third-largest oil producer behind the US and Saudi Arabia. However its crude oil accounts for roughly 13 percent of global trade, making it the largest exporter of crude.

And while US markets only bought about 8 percent of their liquid fuel from Moscow in 2021, according to the Energy Information Administration, Europe depends on it far more.
Netflix and TikTok suspended most of their services in Russia over Russia's crackdown on reporting about Russia's war in Ukraine.



The suspensions followed a decision earlier on March 6 by the U.S. charge card company American Express to drop its operations in the country due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Live Briefing: Russia Invades Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, Russian protests, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

TikTok blocked new video posts and live-streaming, while Netflix said it was suspending its service but didn't provide additional details. The U.S.-based Netflix had already halted its acquisitions and its production of original programs in Russia.



TikTok said its action was aimed at keeping its employees and users safe and to comply with the country's new "fake news" regulations.



In light of Russias new fake news law, we have no choice but to suspend livestreaming and new content to our video service while we review the safety implications of this law, the company said on March 6 in an update to a statement issued two days earlier.

Netflix did not cite a specific reason for suspending its services. It said the decision reflected circumstances on the ground." The company had said previously that it would not air Russian state TV channels.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has intensified a crackdown on media outlets and individuals who fail to uphold the Kremlin line on Russias war in Ukraine.



The Russian president on March 5 signed a law calling for sentences of up to 15 years in prison for people who distribute "false news" about the activities of the Russian armed forces and "discrediting the use of Russian troops."



TikTok, which is part of the Chinese tech company ByteDance, said its messaging service, a feature of the app, will not be affected. It also said it would continue to "evaluate the evolving circumstances in Russia to determine when we might fully resume our services with safety as our top priority."



TikTok spokeswoman Hilary McQuaide was quoted by AP as saying the TikTok app in Russia now appears in view-only mode and won't let people post or see new videos or livestreams. They can still see older videos but not if they came from outside the country, she said.



American Express's decision follows the decisions of Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal to suspend their Russian operations.



"In light of Russia's ongoing, unjustified attack on the people of Ukraine, American Express is suspending all operations in Russia," the company said in a statement on its website.



"We are also terminating all business operations in Belarus," American Express said.



American Express said its globally issued cards would no longer work in Russia at merchants or automatic bank tellers. In addition, cards issued by Russian banks in Russia would no longer work outside the country on American Express's network.



The invasion has drawn condemnation from around the world and sweeping sanctions imposed by Western countries taking aim at Russia's economy.



Pope Frances used his weekly address on March 6 to call for an end to the fighting.



"War is madness. Please stop," Pope Francis said, adding that "rivers of blood and tears" were flowing in Ukraine's war.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, RFE/RL's Russian Service, and AFP
Russian President delivered an ominous warning Sunday, telling the 'military operation' that has killed hundreds (potentially thousands) already would only stop if Kyiv laid down arms and met all of the Kremlin's demands. Putin's thinly-veiled threat was part of a telephone call with Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, to whom he said would be better advised to adopt a 'constructive' approach to the third round of peace talks.
Braithwaite & Co Ltd is betting big on domestic demand for wagons after the Russia-Ukraine crisis has derailed its export negotiations for shipping out over 5,000 railway freight vehicles worth more than Rs 1,000 crore to war-torn Ukraine, an official said on Sunday.

The PSU under the Ministry of Railways was negotiating with Ukraine to secure an order of 5,400 wagons, the largest export bid for the company.

The war derailed the export negotiations. The company could be in trouble if it had broken out in the execution phase of the proposed shipment. However, domestic wagon requirement has gone up substantially and the delay in securing the export order has compelled us to focus on Indian supplies, Braithwaite CMD Yatish Kumar told PTI.

The engineering firm along with the Research Designs & Standards Organisation (RDSO) has been working for the "RO-RO truck on train concept", he said.

"A prototype has been manufactured with RDSO design and the conflict pushed us to focus on the extra order in the domestic market," he said.

Kumar remained optimistic about increasing Braithwaite's revenue by four-fold to Rs 2,500 crore with the strong domestic demand and order flow.

The company posted a revenue of Rs 609 crore with a net profit of Rs 31 crore in the 2020-21 fiscal (FY' 21).

It supplied 1,023 wagons to railways for Rs 322 crore in FY' 21. This year, the ministry has released more wagon orders, which will the company keep "capacity utilisation at a very high level", the official said.

Speaking on the proposed Ukraine export order, he said there was a delay due to COVID-induced disruptions but negotiations were progressing well and a positive outcome was expected.

"The war turned out to be a spoiler. We are still hopeful for future demand from the war-hit Ukraine as it will require wagons when the rebuilding of the country will begin," the official said.

Braithwaite & Co Ltd had earlier executed an export order of 350 bogies to Myanmar.

"But, now there are no export orders for the company in the last two years," he said.

The engineering firm had diversified into new areas such as construction of bridges, factories and office buildings.

The revenue dependence on the core activity of the company has come down from nearly 90 per cent to 55 per cent. However, the Ukraine export order would have helped us to grow faster, Kumar said.

He said the public sector undertaking has also forayed into manufacturing of containers as the country faced an acute shortage of such goods carriers for exports during the pandemic.

We have created a capacity of making 200 containers per month and we will take it up to 500, Kumar said.

The current order book of Braithwaite is over Rs 1,700 crore from the core and non-core activities, he added.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
NBC News reporter Ellison Barber was briefly interrupted by a sweet Ukrainian child while filming a segment about life in refugee camps.

Barber  who is on location in Poland  was reporting about the current Russian invasion of Ukraine. Her Sunday Focus segment highlighted the 1.5 million refugees who have left loved ones behind after fleeing to neighboring countries like Poland, Hungary, and Romania for safety.

Weve spoken to some people here today who told us they left now because they were trying to really wait until the very last minute, Barber said in a clip that also aired on MSNBC. They did not want to go.

She explained, But then, as they talked to their family members, friends outside of Ukraine, they convinced them to take their children and come somewhere safe to Poland until they can go back.

The camera then panned to refugees gathering necessities from tents. There were also boxes full of food and other supplies on the ground. Barber said that the Polish government has organized some of the support but many volunteers are responsible for refugees receiving help.

As she reported what the Polish government asked volunteers to send, a young girl stepped into the camera frame. This is one of our friends weve been playing soccer with all morning, Barber shared after patting the child on the head.

The child tossed the ball in the air a few times and smiled at the camera.

While Barber continued to walk with the girl around the camp, she added Try to find organized groups, volunteer aides and send money that way because they are trying at this point to not just have an immediate of things, but kind of have a more organized, structured approach to where things go from here.

Barber gestured toward the child and explained that many families, including women and children, are seeking assistance in the camps and desperately hoping they can go home.

When the girl was shown one final time, MSNBCs Chris Jansing said, Amid that desperation, it is joyful to see a child who is smiling and at least having a little fun.

Story continues

Jansing told Barber, Ill let you go back and play a little more soccer.

Barber posted the video of the adorable interaction on Twitter and called it, the best interruption of a live shot Ive ever had.

And play more soccer, we did! Barber caption a follow-up tweet of her playing with the child.

In an email to TODAY, Barber said it has been "tragic and heartwarming at the same time" to see groups of children playing together in the camps and at the border.

"I was walking near the border checkpoint today and saw a woman crying near a fence," Barber shared. "A group of kids were playing together, and she had her back to them. I heard her sobbing between their giggles."

She said, "Im not meeting victims war  Im meeting survivors."

Along with Poland, other European countries such as Hungary, Moldova, Romania and Slovakia have been accepting Ukrainian refugees.

Ukrainians are fleeing increased violence in the region as Russian troops have been trying to overtake the capital city of Kyiv. Multiple airstrikes have been unleashed on Ukraine and some of those who have not left the country have been forced to retreat underground for shelter.
Labour stands shoulder to shoulder with the Government in our support for the Ukrainian people in the face of the barbaric and senseless Russian aggression we have seen unfold over the past ten days.

There is only one person responsible for this bloody and pointless war and that is Vladimir Putin. Putin is a brutal dictator, a thug, and a war criminal.

It's only right that we pursue the strongest possible economic, cultural, and sporting sanctions to try to influence his intent in the only way he seems to care about: through his wallet and the wallets of the oligarchs who have supported him for the past 20 years.

If we're honest, there is more the UK and our allies should have done sooner. The limited response to the invasion of Crimea and Donbas in 2014 must have played a part in Putin's risk analysis of this latest invasion.

That's why taking crippling action now cannot wait a moment longer.

Labour stands shoulder to shoulder with the Government in our support for the Ukrainian people in the face of the barbaric and senseless Russian aggression we have seen unfold over the past ten days, writes Sir Keir Starmer

Labour has been pushing the Government to go further and faster in ensuring London isn't a laundry for dirty Russian money.

We have been calling for action since before Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee published its Russia report in 2020.

We have been campaigning for an Economic Crime Bill to expose companies and properties acting as a haven for stolen money.

We have been calling for an Espionage Act to crackdown on spies.

Just as Labour has supported the deployment of British troops in support of Nato and the sanctions the Government has introduced so far, we'll also support the legislation on economic crime they are bringing to the Commons on Monday.

But it doesn't go far enough.

There are two key areas that must be strengthened to truly squeeze Putin and his bandit friends.

Firstly, as it stands it will take months for the measures to come into effect. Initially, the Government was going to give 18 months for oligarchs to quietly sell off their property here without having to register it. After cross-party calls, six months is now on the table.

That is still too long, which is why Labour has tabled amendments to bring this down to 28 days. We must be united across the House to get this done.

There is only one person responsible for this bloody and pointless war and that is Vladimir Putin. Putin is a brutal dictator, a thug, and a war criminal

Secondly, we must prevent litigious Russian oligarchs from gagging the UK's media and buying their way out of sanctions.

One of the ways Putin's oligarchs have been able to avoid scrutiny for so long has been using lawsuits to intimidate those who challenge them, and to censor and threaten journalists and activists with the burden of enormous legal costs.

Those with the means essentially sue their critics into silence.

Unless cracked down on quickly, these measures will be employed to gag the press, waste court time and hamstring government's ability to act against them.

It's wrong to allow oligarchs to buy their way out of sanctions and it stains our national reputation.

I saw first-hand the creeping danger of those with extensive legal and financial resource paying their way out of challenge when I was supporting the so-called McLibel case in the early 1990s.

I provided free legal support to those being pursued, in the name of freedom of speech, and to defend those unable to respond to financially fuelled threats.

Pictured: How to donate to the Mail Force Ukraine refugee charity appeal

That case saw the use of defamation law and a vast disparity of resource suppressing the freedom of challengers to speak out. The law being disproportionately used to stifle the right to challenge is dangerous.

Lawfare, as it is known, is not the way we do things in this country.

Labour will always robustly defend the UK's free press against the weight of the oligarchs' financial ability to oppress anyone who gets in their way.

It can be done. In 32 US states, Australia and Canada they allow judges to dismiss lawsuits or cap costs at the outset on grounds of public interest or vexation, before the financial burden escalates.

Labour will put party politics aside to show that freedom of speech is not for sale here, and neither is the avoidance of sanctions.

We have an opportunity to show Putin that his aggression, whether violent and military in Ukraine, or financial and litigious here in the UK, will not triumph over democracy, freedom and peace.

But we need to act fast. Delay will not be forgiven.
She's hoping to win big tonight at the 37th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards where she's nominated for female performance in a scripted series.

And Jasmine Cephas Jones stepped out in style wearing a figure-hugging black gown with feathered trim as she took to the red carpet at the show in Santa Monica, California.

The 32-year-old Broadway star rocked a gorgeous below-the-knee dress with a thigh-grazing slit for her first major appearance after calling off her engagement to Hamilton co-star Anthony Ramos in November amid cheating accusations.

Bold and beautiful: Jasmine Cephas Jones stepped out in style wearing a figure-hugging black gown with feathered trim as she took to the red carpet at the show in Santa Monica, California

Jasmine looked simply stunning for the star-studded event wearing a David Koma gown which was cinched at the waist and featured a feathery neckline.

She added inches to her petite frame with a pair of pointy-toed pumps and showed off a classic fiery red manicure with sparkling stones underneath, courtesy of Lisa Pena-Wong.

Jose Corella made sure her glam was perfect with highlighted cheekbones to complement an already flawless complexion.

Isn't she lovely: Jasmine looked simply stunning for the star-studded event wearing a David Koma gown which was cinched at the waist and featured a feathery neckline

Perfect: Jose Corella made sure her glam was perfect with highlighted cheekbones to complement an already flawless complexion

She swiped a bright red shade of lipstick across her lips and emphasized her bold brows.

Her dark brown hair was worn up with one thick, curly tendril cascading down to the side and framing her face.

Jasmine is nominated for her role in Blindspotting, where she stars alongside Daveed Diggs, Tisha Campbell and Ethan Embry.

Star power: Jasmine is nominated for her role in Blindspotting, where she stars alongside Daveed Diggs, Tisha Campbell and Ethan Embry

Late last year, Jones ended her six-year relationship with Ramos amid allegations of infidelity went viral on TikTok.

The pair, who began dating in 2015 after meeting during rehearsals for the original off-Broadway production of Hamilton, were engaged for three years and dated for six before calling it quits on their relationship, E! News reported at the time.

A TikTok account called Dear Jane set the internet ablaze with a clip that was posted on November 29 which has since been viewed over a million times. Dear Jane is a celebrity gossip account that reenacts unverified stories sent in by strangers about run-ins with famous people.

Neither have confirmed the split or the accusations waged in the account.
I read about the woman who was shot and killed while delivering dog food to a shelter. God, how horrible.

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I read from some speculating that it's a scare tactic for humanitarians and anyone alike to stay put and not resist. As a Russian born now living in America, with still some friends and relatives in BOTH countries, this is so fucking horrific to witness. And we still can't reach our folks in Crimea, who by the way, never wanted the Russian occupation and left Russia for Crimea for that very reason. Ugh. Putin needs to rot in hell.

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Zelensky: "Russia announced that tomorrow it will be bombing our defense industry enterprises. Most of them are located in our cities, with civilians around.



Its a murder, simply a murder. And I didnt see any world leader react to it today, any Western politician."  The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) March 6, 2022 Well, it looks like even more innocent civilians are going to get bombed.

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They're targeting civilians in humanitarian corridors, just look at the Reddit front page. They're doing it on purpose. This is a genocide we're witnessing.

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Yep, you're definitely right about that. And if anyone is surprised, they shouldn't be because all they have to do is look at Syria.

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Earlier I came across the pictures of the family of four who were killed trying to evacuate. Devastating

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Thank you for continuing these posts

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Anyone else read that comment debbiesgirl added in the last one, about a supposed FSB whistleblower letter?



https://twitter.com/christogrozev/status/1500196510054637569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1500196510054637569%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com%2F122872604.html



That was some fascinating shit.



Edited at 2022-03-06 10:13 pm (UTC) Got my adblockers on, feel less bad about posting!Anyone else read that comment debbiesgirl added in the last one, about a supposed FSB whistleblower letter?That was some fascinating shit.

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With some speculation/theories that Zelensky's people got knowledge about the assassination attempts from FSB agents, it's not surprising that there would be discontent in their ranks.

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The writer seems PISSED. Translation: "they forced us to make assessments of hypotheticals and forced us to make those assessments positive. And then they went and fucking did it, without ever telling us it was a real option. Now of course we're entirely fucked."



Like I said in the other post, I hadn't even THOUGHT about how this war pushing into June might screw up food production in Europe (ouch), but feel somewhat reassured at the guy's general belief that nuclear war isn't really on the table.





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Last night, an alleged FSB whistle-blower letter was published that damned Russia's military performance in Ukraine and predicted a disaster for the RU in the next weeks and months. I wasn't sure if it was authentic - as Ukraine had previously leaked fake FSB letters as psy-ops.  Christo Grozev (@christogrozev) March 5, 2022 Here's is the tweet embed. (It's easy to do on a twitter desktop site but pretty convoluted to do on the mobile site!)

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so honestly real or not, the point towards the end that their failures in ukraine now threaten their position in syria as well (because turkey's closing of the turkish straits to russian warships may seriously impede russia's ability to supply aid to al-assad by sea) is a very, very interesting one that i had not thought of and have not previously seen discussed.



Edited at 2022-03-06 10:47 pm (UTC)

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Hard to say if this is real plus the English translation may be a bit off.



These are the points that stood out to me, separate from what weve already been witnessing by legit sources (each item comes from the English source)



1 Is there a possibility of a local nuclear strike? Yes. Not for military purposes (it will not give anything - this is a defense breakthrough weapon), but with the aim of intimidating others.



// good to know, more on this topic



2 Firstly, there is more than one person making a decision, at least someone will jump off. And there are a lot of people there - there is no "one-man red button".



// good to know, this is similar in all countries with nukes



3 I'm not sure if the red button system works as advertised. In addition, the plutonium charge must be changed every 10 years.



// jaw dropping if true. So when Biden was asked if were at threat of nuke war and he said No well maybe this is why. Those knuckleheads may not have even kept a functioning apparatus.



4 I personally do not believe in the readiness to sacrifice oneself of a person who does not let the members of the Federation Council, but his closest representatives and ministers, come close to him. For fear of the coronavirus or an attack, it doesn't matter. If you are afraid to let the most trusted people near you, then how will you dare to destroy yourself and your loved ones, inclusive?



// lol x infinity that (if true) even his own people mock him for those stupid long tables but he will allegedly sit by bored flight attendants

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Its easier to follow if anyone wants to read this version vs the google translate in the other tweet. Same original source.



My translation of the analysis of the current situation in Russia by an active FSB analyst. Buckle up for a long thread and definitely please share far & wide. The full text is over 2000 words. This is a highly insightful look behind the curtain - covers many subjects.  Igor Sushko (@igorsushko) March 6, 2022 PSA > this guy is a race at driver of all things lol but he is bilingual and has done a tweet thread on English translation of the FSB letter.Its easier to follow if anyone wants to read this version vs the google translate in the other tweet. Same original source.

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He goes into so much detail I'm leaning toward it's real tbh



The part about the nuclear strikes made me feel much better, and yeah with what we've seen with the military I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't update the plutonium.

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If anybody else but bellingcat was posting this, I'd immediately discard it; but that said, I'm still undecided on this one. It seems too on the nose about almost every major point of contention surrounding this conflict. So that triggers my warning flags. It's almost like we're being told exactly what we want to hear, something akin to confirmation bias. But, it seems real, and trustworthy people believe the source. Sigh... I just don't know what to believe!

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I read the Russian version and Igor Sushko's translation, he didn't leave out anything of note at all except 2-3 swear words. The very beginning about inevitable global hunger is very fatalistic, the source says that grain harvest in Ukraine an Russia this year will be low and logistical issues will make the situation even more catastrophic.





Read a few comments, that site said that, among other information, the same insider told them on Feb 19th that there will be a fabrication of non-existant Security Service of Ukraine/CIA 'torture' prisons with fake videos of 'prisoners' and that came true on Feb 20th-22th and Ukraine made a statement on this (my note: I don't remember this, but could be).

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#Kherson: the first reports of sexual violence by the Russian military against Ukrainian women start appearing, this has to stop!#StopRussianAggression #StandWithUkraine #StopRussia #PutinIsaWarCriminal pic.twitter.com/xqDCYo7rII  Hybrid Warfare Analytical Group/UCMC (@hwag_ucmc) March 4, 2022 This has already started to be talked about. It's horrifying but not surprising.

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Always happens, in every war, (from every side, realistically). It's also going to happen to refugees. Fucking sucks.

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I just saw on Insta that some creepy old dudes are already trying to prey on young girls arriving at the border. It's disgusting but what else do you expect from most men 

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im so exhausted by how this world treats women like we are nothing and we do not learn from past tragedies. im so tired. i just want every woman to be armed with a gun with infinite bullets and wolverine claws.

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Just soul crushing.

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Somehow, even with the threat of death coming from any and every side, they still got time to harass and assault women.

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I've been nervous about that. Soviet soldiers went on a rape rampage in Berlin after WW2. They felt it was justified since the women were nazis.



The more the russian propaganda build up the image of Ukraine as a nazi stat the more the soldiers will feel raping ukrainian girls are totaly fine.

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Just DIE already

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Somebody asked our president why we are sending weapons when it might piss off Russia and she said what do you want to send them? tissues? and tell them good luck, we're sorry.

I love that woman so much, she is such a good president.



Russia keeps threatening everybody and the reasons for what is considered "directly involving in war" are getting so specific. The propaganda is also getting more ridiculous (I read how Ukraine has labs where they are making plague, anthrax, and creating nuclear bombs in Chernobyl etc.) but I live in a country with independent press I can't imagine this bs being the only thing I have access to.

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Somebody asked our president why we are sending weapons when it might piss off Russia and she said what do you want to send them? tissues? and tell them good luck, we're sorry. I love that woman so much, she is such a good president.



You're from Slovakia, right? Zuza je bozi, kez bychom i my meli nekoho, jako je ona. :) A ne toho ozraleho blbce, ktery zmenil nazor na Putina az ted, kdyz mu nic jineho nezbyvalo.

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Aj to som videla konspiratorov, ze to Zemanovi napisal niekto iny a on je prilis mimo aby vedel co hovori. Cisty facepalm, tito ludia neuvidia pravdu ani ked ich kopne do tvare.

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she said what do you want to send them? tissues? and tell them good luck, we're sorry.



honest leadership 

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I had to take a mental health break from watching too much news coverage, so I appreciate these daily posts, so I can stay up to date.



Zelensky telling senators to mute on zoom cracked me up. And fuck Rubio who screenshotted.

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i may have missed, but OP with the links to the news agencies, what are non-allies nations? (i'm not north america or europe based so sorry if it was discussed prior).

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Meaning news outlets in a country like Belarus or some Central-South American countries, who are either fully supporting Russia, or who have hedged on supporting Ukraine, and are more known geo-politically for biased local media and therefore likely to promote Russian propaganda.

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thank you! it makes sense now i read it.

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Incredible how he hasn't been taken out yet. Everyone in his inner circle is agreeing to his every want and command, perfectly knowing he's destroying their own country and still going, "Yup. Totally acceptable. Totally logical. Let's do it!"



Edited at 2022-03-06 10:31 pm (UTC)

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there is a good article (invited op ed though) in the economist about how he is surrounded by the true elites (not super rich oligarchs type of elites but former kgb type elites) who benefit most from this war and whose worldviews were shaped by the soviet union and cold war (old boys club), and any isolation through sanctions helps their specific grip on power

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Political dinosaurs continue ruining lives EVERYWHERE, huh

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Yep, and his inner circle relies on Putin's patronage. It'd be a risk to their pocketbooks to depose him, since who knows if new leadership would keep them on the dole. I would not be holding my breath on any oligarch or elite pushing him out, unfortunately.

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Couple of interesting articles also from the BBC about what has motivated Putin into what he's done:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15047823 BBC has a similar article for anyone interested: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60573261 Couple of interesting articles also from the BBC about what has motivated Putin into what he's done: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-32066222

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On Rai they just showed a massive protest in Russia in favour of Putin, to counter the anti-Putin one. The stuff they were saying about Ukrainians sounded like Hitler talking about the untermensch. Russian society will have to take a deep look at themselves once this genocide is over.

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This is why we cant expect the group of Russians who oppose Putin to turn the tide. How can you when an even larger group continues to drink the kool-aid?

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Across Ukraine, I have been meeting people w close relatives in Russia who refuse to believe the extent of the violence their state is perpetrating.

Cities suffer missile attacks, mothers fear for sons, but fathers, sisters, brothers respond w denial. https://t.co/GLdl2BKAid  Valerie Hopkins (@VALERIEinNYT) March 6, 2022 The brainwash is strong with ordinary Russians.

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It seems so unfathomable. I saw a young woman in Kyiv video chatting with her mother in Moscow, sirens going in the background, her hiding in a bunker ... and the mother wouldn't believe her. How could you not believe your own child when they tell you that they are being bombed?



Another man had a conversation with his father and the whole things sounded so much like abuser talk. "Putin is not using bombs in Ukraine - if he is using bombs he is not dropping them on civilians - if he is dropping them on civilians they must've deserved it"



Propaganda does wild things to people's minds.

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It's so scary that facts are literally in front of them, not given by a news host or anything but their actual blood, and they still won't believe it.

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We saw this with covid a lot but there's a point where people consume enough propaganda that they're completely unable to square what they've been told with reality even when they or people close to them are personally experiencing it. There were people on their deathbeds who still refused to believe covid was real as it was killing them.



The older people especially who've exclusively consumed state tv for decades are probably going to continue to mindlessly believe all of Putin's lies. The younger people who understand the internet and know how to use VPNs to navigate around blocks seem to have a better idea of what's going on which means he's probably going to take more steps in the coming days to shut things down even more. Their police are apparently already stopping people on the street to go through their phones.



Edited at 2022-03-07 01:22 am (UTC)

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it's saddening (and maddening) but we've seen it play out in a less severe but similar way in the US, as well. i mean, how many people here have talked about their parents being brainwashed by fox news? how many families were split in half over covid because of misinformation spread by those ghouls?



this ~free market of ideas shit cannot be applied to history, economics, politics, etc. it's led to nothing but brain rot.

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Heartbreaking how effective Putin has been by breaking people's ability to think for themselves or trust their own family members.



I mean, you see it here* in America with parents/family members getting sucked in qanon.



I don't understand how one can shake sense into others. There must be a severe breaking point or something.



Edited at 2022-03-07 02:31 am (UTC)

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This reminds me of when I experienced police violence during a protest in Phoenix



My mom had called me to talk about it, "I didn't see it, I was there" and when I talked about the unwarranted police brutality on a crowd with elderly, wheelchairs and children, she told me thats not what happened and I couldn't know because "well you weren't everywhere at once, now were you?"



I was like "Mum I WAS THERE YOU WEREN'T" I felt like I was losing my mind

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Apparently Russia is now pushing the QAnon theory of Putin destroying 'US deep state biolabs' in Ukraine. *sigh*

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I feel like western media has this story backwards. 9 out of 10, the "Ukrainian biolab covid" stories in the last year were Q plants from Putin's disinfo people as part of the Ukranian disinfo effort. I feel like people keep forgetting that Putin has been prepping this stuff for at least eight years. Like, of course Ukraine was the target of the "real 2016 election fraud" disinfo, Ukraine was the center of the Hunter Biden disinfo story, that most of Trump's henchmen came directly from sowing discord in Ukraine, etc. Russia has been using America's batshit gullibility and the US GOP's rampant corruption to promote this stuff for years now.

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Yeah I've heard of that theory too and that they're now pushing it for real when they have all the Q people already believing it.

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Troll Level: Presidential 



Putin released a video but it was a fake that Putin made to show he isn't cowering away somewhere. Putins hand goes through the microphone, so Zelensky showed hes actually real, by moving the mic.#Ukraine #StandWithUkraine #PutinIsACoward pic.twitter.com/VN0LxKKiZQ  Jeffrey  (@LiftForever67) March 5, 2022

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It is pretty funny that Putin had so much distance between himself and his male military people/advisors but he's sitting right next to these women. If only one of them had poisoned him.

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That FLEX.

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I read that this was fake/the result of ~low quality video artifacting or something but I also find it totally believable that he'd be hiding somewhere and fabricating it. either way, tear him apart

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lol, I admit this made me laugh. tbh I don't believe the greenscreen thing - artifacting can cause a lot of very odd visual issues so it's believable to me that this was just a result of video compression. However even if it's fake it's still funny bc you KNOW that this whole stupid setup is because the memes about the tables made him mad lmao. His ego seems so fragile that the unflattering comparisons to Zelenskyy have him seething, I'm sure.

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3) As if the green screen and CGI conspiracy theories weren't bad enough, there's another one, pushed by @nexta_tv, claiming President Zelensky "trolled" Mr Putin tonight by mocking his "hand through mic" clip.



This clip of Mr Zelensky is from the end of his Friday address. pic.twitter.com/tGJSt3zJFV  Shayan Sardarizadeh (@Shayan86) March 6, 2022



I would recommend following this thread to avoid boosting misinformation/propaganda



This thread from the BBC's @Shayan86 is fantastic - a giant and growing list of online fakes related to the war in Ukraine. https://t.co/TEiYKGAxtL  Daniel Dale (@ddale8) March 7, 2022



This has been debunked,I would recommend following this thread to avoid boosting misinformation/propaganda

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Apparently over 10 000 Russians have been arrested for demonstrating against the war. I hope they're ok.

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My source is Twitter so take it with a grain of salt, but I read that the acquittal rate for protestors in Russia is absolutely abysmal (something like 1%). Protesting is not a right there, so that already puts you in hot water, and considering the gravity of the protest it honestly doesn't look good.

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Some of them are gonna go to jail or worse. Those people are heroes.

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This evening in Sioux City: Cloudy. Low 17F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. It will be a cold day in Sioux City Monday, with temperatures in the 30s. It looks to reach a bitter 38 degrees. A 20-degree low is forecasted. Expect periods of sun and clouds. Sioux City could see periods of brisk winds tomorrow, with winds reaching 15 miles per hour, coming from northwest. This report is created automatically with weather data provided by TownNews.com. Stay in the know. Visit siouxcityjournal.com for local news and weather.
Australia is facing its most 'dangerous' security situation since World War Two, Scott Morrison will say in a stark warning about the threat posed by Russia and China.

In a keynote speech to the Lowy Institute on Monday, the Prime Minister will urge Western liberal democracies to stand together against autocratic aggression.

He will also announce a new nuclear submarine base will be built on the east coast, with Port Kembla and Newcastle in NSW and Brisbane in the running as possible locations.

The new base will house at least eight nuclear-powered submarines to be built by 2040 using US and UK technology under the AUKUS alliance signed last year.

Ukrainian servicemen coordinate the evacuation of civilians on March 6, 2022 near Irpin, Ukraine

It comes on the 12th day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and after China banned several Australian exports last year.

Beijing has not condemned Russia's invasion and Mr Morrison says the two countries represent an 'arc of autocracy'.

An autocracy is when one person rules with absolute power unlike a democracy where there the whole population has influence.

'We condemn Russia's abhorrent actions in the strongest possible terms, as a gross violation of international law and an assault on freedom,' Mr Morrison will say in his speech.



'This is the latest example of an authoritarian regime seeking to challenge the status quo through threats and violence.

'Our rules-based international order, built upon the principles and values that guide our own nation, has for decades supported peace and stability, and allowed sovereign nations to pursue their interests free from coercion. This is now under assault.

'A new arc of autocracy is instinctively aligning to challenge and reset the world order in their own image.



'We face the spectre of a transactional world, devoid of principle, accountability and transparency, where state sovereignty, territorial integrity and liberty are surrendered for respite from coercion and intimidation, or economic entrapment dressed up as economic reward.'

HMAS Rankin conducts helicopter transfers in Cockburn Sound, Western Australia

Mr Morrison will blame the 'well motivated altruistic ambition' of international institutions for opening the door to the threat, which he says he has been warning about for years.

With a federal election due in May, he will say the 'clear eyed' coalition government has taken action to bolster the country's resilience despite criticism, but the veil is now being lifted.

'And so Australia faces its most difficult and dangerous security environment in 80 years,' Mr Morrison will say.

The speech comes after Australian missiles arrived in Ukraine as part of the federal government's promised $70 million in military assistance, in addition to non-lethal military equipment and medical supplies.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told Mr Morrison in a phone call over the weekend he deeply appreciated the support from Australia.

Australia has fast-tracked the approval of 1,700 visas for those fleeing the war and Mr Morrison is flagging a potential resurrection of the temporary safe haven program that accommodated Kosovars during the Kosovo War.

The prime minister says Europe has had 'a major wake-up call' from Russia's invasion of Ukraine and welcomes signs of a tougher stance by countries such as Germany, Sweden and Finland against 'autocrat adventurism'.

'There is a wider lesson here for Western liberal democracies as we come face to face with brutal, autocratic aggression and coercion. We must stand together,' he will say.

The burnt out remains of a building destroyed by Russian army shelling in the second largest Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, in the east of the country on March 6, 2022. Kharkiv is one of the cities worst-hit by Russian bombing campaigns in recent days, after Putin ordered his forces to engage in sustained shelling of several locations across the country

Russia has racked up considerable losses since the invasion began, with the Ukrainian Armed Forces reporting late last night that they have downed a total of 44 Russian planes and 44 helicopters in the past eleven days.

The reported losses provide further evidence of Russia's failure to gain air superiority  a tactical advantage that Putin thought would be achieved on the first day of the war.

The Armed Forces Air Command reported early this morning that one Su-25 fighter, two Su-34 fighter-bombers, two Su-30 SM planes, and three helicopters were shot down yesterday alone.

Dramatic footage showed the moment one of the helicopters was hit by Ukrainian territorial defence forces as it made a menacing low pass over a rural village about 25 miles from Kyiv.

The helicopter sustained a direct hit which sent brilliant orange flames bursting from the engine before the aircraft piled into the ground nose-first and exploded.
Fears grow for Ukrainian civilians after checkpoint is shelled and evacuations fail for a second day


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Ukraine demands termination of Russia's and Belarus' membership in the IMF and all World Bank Group organizations.

"I have just signed an official appeal to the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, and Japan with a request to terminate the membership of Russia and Belarus in the International Monetary Fund and all World Bank Group organizations. These two countries have violated their commitments and channeled their policies into war," Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal posted on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.

He noted that Ukraine made clear arguments and referred to numerous articles of the Agreement with the IMF and the Articles of Agreement of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which were neglected by Russia and Belarus.

"No action contradicts the obligation to maintain stability and orderly economic conditions more than war. That is why the IMF gives member states the right to respond appropriately to the situation and defend their mandate. We ask G7 countries to provide support in initiating and implementing the procedure for suspending the operations of the IMF and the World Bank Group with Russia and Belarus and terminating their membership in these organizations," the Ukrainian Head of Government wrote.

On February 24, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops are shelling and destroying key infrastructure, conducting massive shelling of Ukrainian towns and villages using artillery, multiple rocket launcher systems, and ballistic missiles.

Martial law was imposed in Ukraine and general mobilization was announced.

Ukraine officially filed a lawsuit against the Russian Federation at the UN International Court of Justice in The Hague. International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan launched an investigation into the situation in Ukraine.

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VANCOUVER, BC, March 2, 2022 /CNW/ - Deep-South Resources Inc. ("Deep-South" or "the Company") ( TSXV: DSM) reports that the legal counsel of the Ministry of Mines and Energy of Namibia ("Ministry") have failed to file their defense affidavit as ordered by the High Court of Namibia on November 25, 2021. The Ministry's counsels stated that they have discovered new documents, which are not part of the record of proceedings. The Ministry's counsel has requested an extension to file those documents. The legal counsel has filed a joint status report with the court on February 28, 2022. Deep South's legal counsel recorded in this status report that the Ministry's counsel previously indicated that a complete record had been filed. Since the beginning of the procedures, the Ministry has failed providing any evidence supporting the decision of the Minister to not renew the Haib Copper licence EPL 3140.

Deep-South's legal counsel vigorously oppose the extension request and requested that the judge ensure a just and speedy determination of the case.

The Court will hold another hearing on March 3, 2022. The latest request of the Ministry will be considered at that hearing.

The Company will provide regular updates in this regard and any other matter concerning this situation.

About Deep-South Resources Inc

Deep-South Resources is a mineral exploration and development company Deep-South growth strategy is to focus on the exploration and development of quality assets in significant mineralized trends and in proximity to infrastructure in stable countries. In using and assessing environmentally friendly technologies in the development of its copper project, Deep-South embraces the green revolution.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Information contained in this news release which are not statements of historical facts may be "forward-looking information" for the purposes of Canadian securities laws. Such forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking information. The words "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "contemplate", "plan", "intends", "continue", "budget", "estimate", "may", "will", "schedule", "understand" and similar expressions identify forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements relate to, among other things: the Minister's refusal to renew the Company's Licence, the Company's intention to contest the Minister's decision before the Courts of Namibia and the outcome of such proceedings.

Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Deep-South, are inherently subject to significant technical, political, business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Known and unknown factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Factors and assumptions that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things: political risks associated with the Company's operations in Namibia; the failure of the Namibian Government to comply with its continuing obligations under the Act to allow for the renewal of the Licence; the impact of changes in, or to the more aggressive enforcement of, laws, regulations and government practices; the inability of the Company and its subsidiaries to enforce their legal rights in certain circumstances. For additional risk factors, please see the Company's most recently filed Management Discussions & Analysis available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

There can be no assurances that forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as many factors and future events, both known and unknown could cause actual results, performance or achievements to vary or differ materially from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements contained herein or incorporated by reference. Accordingly, all such factors should be considered carefully when making decisions with respect to Deep-South, and prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release is made as at the date hereof. The Company assumes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect changes in assumptions, changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law.

SOURCE Deep-South Resources Inc.

For further information: More information is available by contacting Pierre Leveille, President & CEO at +1-819-340-0140 or at: [email protected]
By Jerri-Lynn Scofield, who has worked as a securities lawyer and a derivatives trader. She is currently writing a book about textile artisans.

In a speech last Thursday to the American Bar Associations Institute on White Collar Crime, Attorney General Merrick Garland outlined Department of Justice (DoJ) corporate criminal enforcement priorities.

A close look at the speech suggests that broadly speaking, nothing fundamental will change. Our oligarchs dont need to worry about seizure of their private jets or yachts. Yet.

Over to the speechs boilerplate:

Fraud, theft, corruption, bribery, environmental crime, market manipulation, and anticompetitive agreements threaten the free and fair markets upon which our economy is based. They decimate the assets of individuals, organizations, and governments alike. And they increase costs for every American. Corporate crime weakens our economic institutions by undermining public trust in the fairness of those institutions. Failing to aggressively prosecute such crimes weakens our democratic institutions by undermining public trust in the rule of law. The essence of the rule of law is that like cases are treated alike; that there is not one rule for the powerful and another for the powerless; one rule for the rich and another for the poor. To fail to aggressively prosecute corporate crime leads citizens to doubt that their government adheres to this principle. The Justice Department does not intend to fail. Last fall, Deputy Attorney General [Lisa] Monaco spoke to the 36th National Institute. Her speech covered the waterfront of the changes the Justice Department has made and is considering making with respect to our corporate criminal enforcement policies, as they relate to both companies and individuals. We will, of course, continue to hold companies accountable for their criminal conduct. Today, I want to focus on individual defendants. As the Deputy Attorney General noted, I have made it clear that the Departments first priority in corporate criminal cases is to prosecute the individuals who commit and profit from corporate malfeasance. It is our first priority because corporations only act through individuals. It is our first priority because penalties imposed on individual wrongdoers are felt by those wrongdoers, rather than by shareholders or inanimate organizations. It is our first priority because  as everyone who has counseled individual corporate officers know  the prospect of personal liability has an uncanny ability to focus the mind. That prospect is the best deterrent to corporate crime. And deterrence  after all  is what we are after. But most important, the prosecution of individuals is our first priority because it is essential to Americans trust in the rule of law. As I said a moment ago: the rule of law requires that there not be one rule for the powerful and another for the powerless; one rule for the rich and another for the poor. When people see individuals walk while their companies pay the fines, they cannot help but think that essential principle has been violated. Indeed, as Attorney General Edward Levi noted in a 1975 speech, the very term white collar crime is itself unfortunate since it suggests a distinction in law enforcement based upon social class.

All very well and good; not much here that one can disagree with. The big problem with the speech is the failure to launch any program to stem, let alone reverse, the erosion in corporate crime enforcement since at least the administration of George W. Bush. Or, to put it another way, Goldman Sachs General Counsel Kathryn Ruemmler didnt seem to be quaking in her boots after hearing Garland deliver his speech. Far from it.

Nonetheless, Ruemmler had two quibbles. The first concern: the DoJs recent shift on appointing independent monitors after criminal settlements are agreed to police compliance:

Goldman Sachs general counsel raised concerns about the Justice Departments approach to corporate crime, particularly a recent shift in appointing more independent monitors after criminal settlements. [Ruemmler], said Friday shes told Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco she disagrees with her on the effectiveness of imposing third-party monitors as part of corporate resolutions. I just dont think its a space that the department really should be in, Ruemmler said at the American Bar Associations white collar crime conference in San Francisco. Monaco, who another conference panelist described as a good friend of Ruemmlers, announced last fall that DOJ prosecutors would have more freedom to require the imposition of monitorships to police compliance by corporate wrongdoers. Businesses dislike monitorships, which they must pay for and can cost tens of millions of dollars over several years. I have long been of the view that monitors should really be reserved for the quite unusual case, that they should not be the norm, that they should be only required in very very rare circumstances, said Ruemmler, who served as White House counsel to former President Barack Obama. DOJ is at its best when its investigating and prosecuting crimes, added Ruemmler, who was also principal associate deputy attorney general under Obama. Thats what they should be doing. And when you start getting into monitors, the department starts to feel and I think look a bit more like a regulator. The department attached monitors to a pair of year-end settlements last year, after their application plunged in the Trump era.

Ruemmlers second concern, again per Bloomberg:

The Goldman executive said she is also skeptical about how DOJs commitment to prosecuting more individuals involved in white-collar crime would be implemented. Ruemmler, who as a DOJ prosecutor played a lead role in charging Enron executives in the 2000s, said Attorney General Merrick Garlands commitment to prioritize holding individuals accountable is important and a pretty noncontroversial longstanding priority. Yet she advised that the Biden DOJ must be careful that in the zeal to focus on individuals you dont start bringing cases where theres a real question about whether or not someone has really engaged in criminal wrongdoing. Sometimes what I worry about when there are kind of broad policy speeches from departmental leadership is how that gets filtered out into the rest of the department with prosecutors with less experience, Ruemmler added.

DoJ Force Multipliers

Drilling down into the details of Garlands speech, I think Ruemmler neednt worry unduly  at least with respect to two of the three areas, where the DoJ is bolstering its resources by adding force-multipliers to its prosecutors and agents:

The first force-multipliers are our partnerships at every level of government and around the world.

The targets of these efforts are fairly limited, however, with the DoJ creating two task forces, the first to pursue those pesky Russian oligarchs  rather than C-suite corporate criminal offenders who reside within U.S. borders. Per Garlands speech:

As the President noted in his State of the Union Address on Tuesday, the Department has just launched an interagency taskforce to hold accountable Russian oligarchs and others who seek to evade U.S. sanctions or otherwise profit from corrupt conduct. The taskforce will be led by veteran SDNY prosecutor Andrew Adams and overseen by the Deputy Attorney General. It will complement the work of a transatlantic task force announced by the President and European leaders on Feb. 26. Together with our federal and international partners, we will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to investigate, arrest, and prosecute those whose criminal acts enable the Russian government to continue its unjust war against Ukraine.

And the second task force will be established to target is pandemic-related fraud. But my reading of the speech suggest that firms to be targeted by will tend to be on the smaller side:

As the President also noted in his address, I will soon be naming a chief prosecutor to lead specialized teams dedicated to combatting pandemic fraud. This will build on the existing work of the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force that I established last May. That task force, led by the Deputy Attorney General, includes nearly 30 agencies that administer and oversee pandemic relief funding, including the Labor Department, the Treasury Department, the Small Business Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee.

The second force multiplier is also a bit of a nothing burger, at least in terms of putting the fear of god into large corporations:

A second important force-multiplier is data analytics. We are using big data  our own, and the data of other departments and agencies  to identify payment anomalies that are indicative of fraud. And we have provided the Criminal Divisions Fraud Section with a new, embedded squad of FBI agents to further strengthen our ability to bring data-driven corporate crime cases nationwide. This represents an enormous expansion of the data analytic work we first applied to health care fraud when I supervised the Fraud Section as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General.

The speech is short on specifics about these force-multiplies so Ill not discuss the data analytics area further at this time.

I can see that The third force-multiplier might prove to be more interesting. According to Garland:

As the Deputy Attorney General reported when she spoke with you last fall, we have restored prior Department guidance making clear that, to be eligible for any cooperation credit, companies must provide the Justice Department with all non-privileged information about individuals involved in or responsible for the misconduct at issue. This means all individuals, regardless of their position, status, or seniority, and regardless of whether a company deems their involvement as substantial. When the Justice Department offers a company the opportunity to enter into a resolution for its misconduct, it is in that companys best interest to provide us with a full picture of what happened and who was involved. When we give a company the opportunity to come clean, it must come clean about everyone involved in the misconduct, at every level. Over the past year, our U.S. Attorneys Offices, Main Justice divisions, and law enforcement agencies have successfully investigated and prosecuted cases against a wide range of company executives.

Garland rattled off some statistics about DoJ prosecutorial activity last year. Yet these enforcement activities havent yet reached into the C-suites of the largest U.S. firms. If Garland had wanted to convey the impression that the Biden DoJ had shaken off the passivity on corporate crime that had characterized its activities under Bidens two predecessors, he buried the lead.

For in one area  the realm of antitrust enforcement  DoJ prosecutors have been significantly more active during the last year:

The Departments Antitrust Division has also been busy investigating and prosecuting price-fixing and other criminal violations of the antitrust laws. It ended the last fiscal year having brought 25 criminal cases against 29 individual and 14 corporate defendants, and with 146 open grand jury investigations  the most in 30 years. The Antitrust Division is now trying or preparing to try 18 indicted cases against 10 companies and 42 individuals, including 8 current or former CEOs or company presidents.

Here, Biden policy has been more aggressive  a point Matt Stoller also makes in his latest blog post, Antitrust Cops Put Handcuffs for CEOs on the Table:

Right now, Google, Facebook, and Amazon are being sued for antitrust violations, with substantial amounts of evidence put forward by regulators, Congress, and policymakers that these firms harm small business and consumers. Dominant firms today take laws as mere suggestions; Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg might have engaged in insider trading and fraud, and Googles Sundar Pichai seems to have facilitated price-fixing over ad markets. And yet, these men, and their firms are unchastened. Why? The answer is that these executives do not personally fear any consequences. At worst, their firms will have to budget a bit more for the legal department, and a case could come down in two to three years they might have to think through.

Stoller thinks although no one in the Silicon Valley C-suite is currently afraid, that state of affairs looks to be changing. Per Stoller:

Under the leadership of new Antitrust chief Jonathan Kanter, the Department of Justice is beginning to get much more aggressive. Heres what Richard Powers, the head of antitrust criminal enforcement, just told the American Bar Associations conference on white collar crime. Wow. DOJs Richard Powers tells @ABAesq conference in SF that the division is prepared to bring criminal charges in monopolization cases. Thats quite a big deal when you think of the sort of companies facing civil cases under Section 2  Big Tech in particular.  Michael Acton (@MActon93) March 2, 2022

The Bottom Line

Ill be watching closely to see whether anything fundamental does indeed change with DoJ enforcement priorities in the near and medium term. With respect to antitrust, I think Stollers right: there has been a change. Yet with respect to DoJ white collar criminal enforcement more generally, Im much less sure. And I dont think devoting resources to Russian oligarchs and pandemic fraud would yield the most bang for the buck in terms of punishing past and deterring future corporate criminal behavior.
For any NHS doctor, bringing new life into the world is an extraordinary privilege. And for Dr Dermot Kearney, smiling fondly at the trio of babies gurgling happily by his side, the knowledge that he played a small but crucial role in their arrival is particularly poignant.

But these three infants may never have been born were it not for his courageous intervention. The battles their families  and Dr Kearney  have fought have been deeply personal as well as medical.

In each case their mothers had, for their own reasons, chosen to start an abortion using NHS pills to terminate pregnancy.

Almost instantly, each of them became consumed with regret and desperate to reverse the process after taking the first of two tablets that sets it in motion.

Scouring the internet for an answer, they came across the details of Dr Kearney who, they discovered, was prescribing a hormone naturally found in the body which supports pregnancy. He became a saviour to them and their babies.

In just 12 months, the medic says, the unlicensed treatment  not available on the NHS  has preserved the lives of up to 32 babies in the UK, and saved their mothers from a lifetime of potential turmoil at their decision.

Indeed, the babies' doting parents will forever be indebted to this softly spoken Irishman, who they describe as a lifesaver.

For any NHS doctor, bringing new life into the world is an extraordinary privilege. And for Dr Dermot Kearney, smiling fondly at the trio of babies gurgling happily by his side, the knowledge that he played a small but crucial role in their arrival is particularly poignant

However, for this compassionate service  which he provided for no fee and which is deeply rooted in his Christian faith  Dr Kearney found himself subject to an investigation by the doctors' regulator, the General Medical Council, which could have seen him struck off.

Last May he was banned from providing the treatment after complaints were made by abortion provider MSI Reproductive Choices, formerly known as Marie Stopes.

But now the GMC has dropped all sanctions against the doctor  and will no longer pursue its investigation  after concluding that there was no evidence of wrongdoing.

It speaks volumes about Dr Kearney's approach that the GMC could find no women prepared to act as witnesses to complain about their treatment.

On the contrary, the watchdog was inundated with statements from those who praised his 'kind and caring' attitude at what was undoubtedly one of the worst moments of their lives.

Today, speaking to The Mail on Sunday in his first interview, Dr Kearney is 'delighted and relieved' to have been exonerated.

When Amrita Kaur saw her healthy baby girl on an ultrasound scan, she was overjoyed  but also relieved. A week earlier, the 26-year-old model from Leamington Spa had 'panicked' and taken an abortion pill sent to her in the post following a telephone consultation with her local abortion clinic

But there is frustration, too, at his lengthy ordeal and what he says amounted to an 'orchestrated campaign' against him by the abortion lobby.

He says: 'When I look at the babies, when I speak to the women and their partners, it brings tears to my eyes.

'None of the women I helped complained to the GMC, and none of the families either. The women themselves were all very grateful, even when it didn't work. I struggle to understand why some people oppose this treatment.

'I've been the target of an orchestrated campaign by the abortion industry to stop pro-life doctors like me from offering abortion pill reversal (APR) treatment.'

Much of the criticism points to the lack of clinical trial evidence proving the treatment that Dr Kearney provides is effective.

But cradling two babies in his arms, and gesturing to another nearby, he says: 'Look at the wonderful evidence  it's right here.'

The parents of the babies could not be clearer about the impact Dr Kearney has had on their lives.

For this compassionate service  which he provided for no fee and which is deeply rooted in his Christian faith  Dr Kearney found himself subject to an investigation by the doctors' regulator, the General Medical Council, which could have seen him struck off.

One young couple, whose backgrounds meant that having a baby out of wedlock was taboo, said it 'felt like Dr Kearney was our only friend'.

Their families' opposition, their age and financial situation meant they felt on a 'conveyor belt' towards a termination. But today, beaming alongside eight-month-old son Khalid, they say the treatment was 'the best decision we've made'.

Another mother, cradling ten-month-old Sonny, said: 'Without Dr Kearney we wouldn't have him, this beautiful life. We didn't even know Dr Kearney was Christian until months later.'

Her partner added: 'He even offered to pay 70 for a private scan. To find there was such kindness in the world was phenomenal. It felt so selfless I cried.'

It's stories like these which inspire father-of-two Dr Kearney, 56, to provide his unusual service.

The consultant cardiologist and Roman Catholic from the North-East of England said: 'I just believe human life is sacred, regardless of the religious context. And I believe it's there from conception.'

He and a colleague started offering a treatment to 'reverse' medical abortions  which use drugs to induce a miscarriage  shortly before the Government gave the green light to an NHS 'pills by post' service in April 2020 at the start of the pandemic.

My adorable daughter born after a panicked abortion pill When Amrita Kaur saw her healthy baby girl on an ultrasound scan, she was overjoyed  but also relieved. A week earlier, the 26-year-old model from Leamington Spa had 'panicked' and taken an abortion pill sent to her in the post following a telephone consultation with her local abortion clinic. 'I'd just started to make some money from modelling and my friends said I had my whole life in front of me,' she said. Amrita Kaur with her four-month-old daughter Ahri-Storm 'I did it in a moment of anger and upset.' But she instantly regretted swallowing the pill and, distraught, found Dr Kearney on the internet. 'He was very understanding, telling me "There's a route we can take". So I took the progesterone pills and I've never looked back. I adore my daughter.' Ahri-Storm is now four months old, and Amrita is adamant that Dr Kearney has 'not done anything wrong'. 'This treatment should be available to those who need it and want it,' she said. Advertisement

It meant women could be assessed by telephone instead of in person, which led to concerns more would opt to go through with the procedure without thinking it through. It is not yet clear if this has increased the number of abortions overall.

If women are within the first ten weeks of pregnancy, are otherwise healthy and have considered alternative options, they are sent two pills to take 24 to 48 hours apart.

The first, mifepristone, causes the uterine wall which harbours the foetus to break down and the second, misoprostol, stimulates contractions to expel it.

There is no officially approved way to stop the process if, after taking the first pill, a woman changes her mind before taking the second. NHS advice is simply to 'watch and wait' to see if the pregnancy continues.

Some will still have babies, although the proportion is unclear. NHS England estimates the chance of such a pregnancy continuing is between 8 and 40 per cent.

Progesterone is already used as a treatment to help pregnant women with a history of miscarriage to keep their babies. However, no 'gold standard' trial has proved it works to stop abortions.

Dr Kearney began offering 'abortion reversal'  a progesterone pill taken daily for up to three weeks after checking that medical authorities did not object. Most women found him by searching online for ways to reverse an abortion, and finding a US pro-life organisation which put them in touch.

'Most were anxious, nervous and apprehensive,' he said. 'They were talking to a stranger about such a personal matter, and wanted to know their prospects for success.

'I never gave any guarantees it would work, and outlined the risks.'

Of the 150 or so women who enquired about APR, 65 went on to take a full course of progesterone.

Of those, 32 had healthy babies. Dr Kearney claims this amounts to a success rate of almost 50 per cent  saying this roughly doubles the chances offered by the NHS 'watch and wait' approach if poorly designed studies are disregarded.

Dr Kearney's wife Mary described his dedication. He would often come home after a hospital shift, mobile clasped to his ear, talking to women 'in a desperate state' and trying to find their nearest open pharmacy to maximise their chances of success, she said.

'He is such a careful doctor, and so caring,' she said.

Dr Kearney admits that it hasn't been easy. He almost gave up in the early days after the treatment failed for three women in a row.

'The hardest were those where the pregnancy persisted, only to perish a couple of weeks later,' he recalls.

Abortion providers accuse pro-life medics of 'cherry-picking' cases and fear women who only take one abortion pill may be at increased risk of heavy bleeding, compared with those who take both.

Dr Kearney admits three women they treated needed blood transfusions due to bleeding.

'I always pointed out that by not taking the second abortion pill they might bleed more. They were always happy to go ahead, knowing there was a small risk. Progesterone does not cause the bleeding.'

The GMC began investigating Dr Kearney early last year following a complaint by MSI's medical director, Dr Jonathan Lord.

He claimed Dr Kearney had 'imposed his personal beliefs' on two patients and that, as president of the UK Catholic Medical Association, it was 'highly unlikely he could offer objective, impartial advice'.

Dr Kearney was left 'perplexed' by the claims, which he says were both 'unfair and untrue'.

In the end, the GMC's case was dropped due to lack of evidence after no patients made a complaint and one said she was 'blown away by his kindness'.

Today, Dr Kearney says he is 'disappointed' the GMC took action against him in the first place. He said: 'The abortion lobby tried to use the GMC to shut us down. But the case clarified that what we were doing isn't a question of misconduct.'

Last night, Dr Lord maintained that using progesterone for APR, 'without any known benefit risks exploiting patients when they are in a distressed and vulnerable state'.

He added that research showed 'very few' women regret having a medical abortion and those who do should be seeking help from 'legitimate NHS services'.

Andrea Williams, chief executive of lobby group Christian Concern, whose Christian Legal Centre has supported Dr Kearney's case, described the medic as 'heroic', saying: 'We are delighted that justice has been served for this brilliant and compassionate doctor.'
WASHINGTON  A day after many of them spoke with Ukraines president, U.S. lawmakers are pledging to provide additional military aid to Kyiv as the government there continues to fight for its survival amid the invasion by Russia.

Congress will soon approve emergency funding, putting $10 billion into both defensive equipment for Ukraine, but also humanitarian assistance to get civilians out, said Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, on "Fox News Sunday."

That would mean "World War III, Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida told ABCs This Week program Sunday. "I think there are a lot of things we can do to help Ukraine protect itself... but I think people need to understand what a no-fly zone means."

Another senator, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a Democrat, expressed a less strict stance.

I would take nothing off the table, he said on NBCs Meet the Press.

Murphy, a Democrat, commented on Fox News: If I were President Zelenskyy, I would be asking for a no-fly zone. The problem is, there is no such thing as a no-fly zone over Ukraine."

U.S. President Joe Biden is in regular contact with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, about Ukraines request for more fighter jets, according to Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Yes, we're talking very actively about this, looking at what we could do to backfill Poland, if it chooses to send the MiGs and the SU planes that it has to Ukraine, how we can help by backfilling what they're giving to the Ukrainians, Blinken, in Moldova, told Meet the Press.

Ukraines ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, in an interview with Fox News on Sunday renewed her nations appeal for the United States to provide it with anti-aircraft weapons and other military aid, saying we should treat Russia as a terrorist state.

Zelenskyy said Russia is planning to bombard the port city of Odessa. Zelenskyy said in a televised statement Sunday that if that occurs, it will be a war crime  a historic crime.

Zelenskyy spoke in Russian for part of the statement, urging Russians to choose between life and slavery in the time when it is still possible to defeat evil without irreparable losses.

The United States has seen very credible reports of deliberate attacks on civilians which would constitute a war crime," Blinken told CNN's "State of the Union" show. "We've seen very credible reports about the use of certain weapons."

There must be an investigation into whether Russia is committing war crimes in Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a CNN interview Sunday.

Putin must be tried for war crimes  and I urge my colleagues to support my resolution to hold him accountable for the crimes he's committed against humanity, tweeted Rep. Adriano Espaillat of New York, a Democrat. History will remember.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday contended his military campaign in Ukraine was proceeding as planned and will not end until the Ukrainians stop fighting.

In a phone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who appealed for a cease-fire, Putin expressed readiness for dialog with Ukraine and foreign partners but any attempt to draw out negotiations would fail, according to a Kremlin statement.

Putins remarks came as efforts at an evacuation effort for the bombarded port city of Mariupol failed for a second consecutive day.

Amid devastating scenes of human suffering in Mariupol, a second attempt today to start evacuating an estimated 200,000 people out of the city came to a halt. The failed attempts yesterday and today underscore the absence of a detailed and functioning agreement between the parties to the conflict, said the International Committee of the Red Cross in a statement.

Pope Francis made his strongest statement yet on Sunday about the conflict.

"In Ukraine, rivers of blood and tears are flowing. This is not just a military operation but a war which sows death, destruction and misery," the pontiff said in his weekly address to a crowd in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City.

Along with its European partners, Washington is considering a ban on Russian oil, confirmed the U.S. secretary of state.

"We are now in very active discussions with our European partners about banning the import of Russian oil to our countries, while of course, at the same time, maintaining a steady global supply of oil," Blinken said in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press."

Some lawmakers want the White House to do more to increase domestic production as oil prices surge and Americans pay more to fuel their vehicles.

President Biden would rather import oil from our adversaries in Russia, Iran and Venezuela than increase U.S. energy production at home, tweeted Rep. Greg Murphy of North Carolina, a Republican, saying the energy security for the country equates to national security.

VOA State Department Bureau chief Nike Ching, National Security correspondent Jeff Seldin, Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb, Istanbul foreign correspondent Heather Murdock, White House correspondent Anita Powell, and senior diplomatic correspondent Cindy Saine contributed to this report.

Some information for this report came from The Associate Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
U.N. aid agencies are calling for unimpeded access to all areas of Ukraine in need of humanitarian assistance and protection. The call comes amid reported efforts to establish humanitarian corridors in Ukraine.

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA, welcomes a reported agreement between Ukraine and Russia to facilitate safe passage for civilians out of conflict areas. Delegates from the opposing sides proposed the agreement Monday in Belarus.

However, OCHA spokesman Jens Laerke says U.N. officials have not yet received anything in writing from the two sides on the establishment of humanitarian corridors. He says people are terrified by the violence unfolding around them across Ukraine, and millions urgently need safe passage and life-saving aid.

We look to both sides to ensure the passage is organized in a manner that allows for safety, dignity, and protection of those civilians. Humanitarian organizations stand ready to work with the parties to protect and care for the civilians, whether they choose to stay or to leave the concerned areas, Laerke said.

The U.N. childrens fund says escalating violence over the past week has forced half-a-million children to flee their homes. UNICEF spokesman James Elder, who is in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, some 60 kilometers from the Polish border, says the scale and speed of the forced displacement is unprecedented.

And if the violence, the explosive munitions do not stop, many, many more children will be forced to flee their country in a very short space of time. And we fear many more will be killed. We must also remember those who cannot escape the bombardment currently rocking Ukraine. Tens of thousands of children are in child-care institutions; many of these are disabled, Elder said.

U.N. refugee agency media chief Joung-ah Ghedini-Williams, who is in the Moldovan city of Palanca, describes the rate of the ongoing refugee exodus from Ukraine as without comparison.

We have seen the numbers increase not only day on day, but hourly, and I think that what we are seeing is the devastating toll that over a week of just unabated tragedy is having on people, Ghedini-Williams said.

The latest UNHCR figures show more than 1.3 million Ukrainians have fled to Poland, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, and other European countries. The agency is preparing to assist up to 4 million Ukrainian refugees, making this the biggest refugee crisis this century.
There is currently no safe corridor to ensure a safe change of a shift of Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant operators.

Mayor of Slavutych Yuriy Fomichov stated this during a news telethon, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Since February 24, the shift has not returned to Slavutych. They are there, at the facility, and there is no safe corridor for us to replace these people," Fomichev said.

According to the official, the shift divided into groups to ensure rest, but the inability to rotate workers remains a real threat to safety.

Read also: Zaporizhzhia NPP releases footage of its capture

Fomichev also said that the situation in Slavutych is calm and that the invaders did not enter the town. Currently, the town is cut off from the rest of the country, including from food supplies.

As reported, as a result of the Russian military attack on Ukraine from the territory of Belarus, starting at 5 pm on February 24, 2022, all Chornobyl nuclear power plant facilities in the exclusion zone have been under the control of the Russian armed forces.

Ukraine informed the IAEA of the actual loss of control over nuclear and radiation facilities and of the increase of radiation levels in Chornobyl exclusion zone. The radiation level is increased due to the movement of military equipment of the invader.
The winds were howling. The palm trees were swaying. The galleries were growing.

But Ryan Brehm seemed unfazed by it all.

Needing a top-two finish to maintain his PGA Tour status, the former Michigan State star navigated a figurative minefield at Grand Reserve Golf Club with ease on Sunday, all despite tremendous stakes. While others struggled with the wind, Brehm calmly maneuvered the course, all with his wife Chelsey on his bag.

Ranked 773rd in the world coming into the week, Brehm closed things out in style, firing a bogey-free final round 67 to finish the tournament at 20 under, capturing the Puerto Rico Open by a comfortable margin for his first PGA Tour victory.

Brehm was playing in the last event of his minor medical exemption, meaning he would have been forced to return to the Korn Ferry Tour with a finish of third or lower. This was his 68th start on Tour.

But on Sunday, knowing hed nearly completed the incredible feat, Brehm and his wife talked about taking things one shot at a time, and he looked surprisingly cool and collected amid the chaotic conditions.

Max McGreevy (14 under), favorite Brandon Wu (13 under) and Tommy Gainey (also 13 under) were the closest to Brehm, but none really mounted a charge to challenge the 35-year-old.

Brehm turned pro in 2008 after helping lead Michigan State to three Big Ten titles, and he later served as an assistant and even interim head coach for the Spartans.

Brehms last victory came on the Korn Ferry Tour at the 2019 LECOM Health Challenge at Peekn Peak Resort in Findley Lake, New York, just outside Buffalo. He defeated Tim Wilkinson in a playoff that day.
Motorists could face even higher petrol prices after the US pushed for a total ban on Russian oil imports last night, experts have warned.

Washington is in 'active talks' with European allies about targeting Russia's energy industry in the next round of sanctions, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced.

An oil import ban would be highly damaging to the Kremlin's finances.

But it would almost certainly also send oil and gas prices spiralling across the West, pushing up energy bills at a time when millions of British households are already struggling with a cost-of-living crisis.

Experts said it could be a 'disaster' for the most disadvantaged families.

The fuel prices at a petrol station off the M3 motorway near Fleet. Experts say further sanctions banning the import of oil from Russia could force prices up even more

Smoke rises from an oil depot in Chernihiv in Ukraine after it was hit by shelling. Countries around the world are working on further sanctions following the Russian invasion

Oil prices surged by more than a fifth last week after Russia invaded Ukraine, finishing at $118 a barrel at close of trading on Friday and fuel prices hit record highs last week with petrol reaching 153.5p per litre, while diesel hit 157.47p.

The RAC said petrol could hit 157p a litre if oil rose another 6 per cent to $125 a barrel. Some traders think it could even reach $200 a barrel.

RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: 'If oil reaches $125 a barrel, the average price of a litre of petrol would rise to nearly 1.57, and diesel 1.67. At $130 a barrel, unleaded would hit 1.59 and diesel 1.70.'

David Morrison, senior market analyst at Trade Nation, said: 'I think we're going to see a very sharp bump in oil prices, even without the European approval that the US says it will seek before taking action. That means more pain for all consumers.

'For some this will be a price worth paying to support Ukraine  but it's a disaster for those already struggling.'

Last night Government sources said it was too early to say whether Britain would support a total ban on Russian oil.

They pointed out that it makes up only a very small proportion of UK imports  it is estimated to be only around two per cent, with the UK getting most of its crude from Norway and the US.

The UK has so far targeted major Russian banks and individuals with sanctions while avoiding the energy sector. But there have been indications for several days that the Government is rethinking its position.

On Friday, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss indicated at a Nato meeting that Britain will look to target Russia's energy industry in future rounds of sanctions.

Analysts warned Europe was far more vulnerable to the negative effects of an oil import ban than the US.
When Turkmenistan holds a snap presidential election on March 12, it's all but certain that Serdar Berdymukhammedov -- the son of authoritarian leader Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov -- will become the country's next president.



The younger Berdymukhammedov's public profile has been rising rapidly in recent years, with multiple high-ranking posts and frequent appearances at public events as he has been groomed by his father to become the president of Turkmenistan, which sits atop the world's fourth-largest reserves of natural gas.



Despite his growing presence on the political scene, little is known about the personal life and character of the president-in-waiting, whom former colleagues once described as someone who is paranoid about his own security and looks down on subordinates.



Serdar Berdymukhammedov, 40, suddenly entered politics in November 2016, when he became a member of parliament at the same time that he was the head of the Information Department of the Foreign Ministry.



He was promoted to the position of deputy foreign minister in March 2018, and his political career has since risen fast, with a new, higher government post being added to his resume every couple of months.



Serdar Berdymukhammedov was appointed the deputy governor of Ahal Province in January 2019 and became governor six months later.



In February 2020 he was made industry minister, a post he held for a year before becoming a deputy prime minister, or deputy chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers.

The latter is an important post in Turkmenistan, since the position of prime minister doesn't exist and the president -- Serdar's father -- is also the head of the cabinet.



That effectively made Serdar Berdymukhammedov the second-most-powerful person in Turkmenistan.



Along with that portfolio, the younger Berdymukhammedov was simultaneously made a member of the Security Council and the head of the Supreme Control Chamber, a body that inspects the government budget and spending.

Fast Climber, Few Details Known



A graduate of the Turkmen State Agricultural University, Serdar Berdymukhammedov has also studied international relations in Geneva and Moscow. He is married with four children, although in the secretive country nothing more is known about his family.



His rise through the ranks began as his father was dogged by rumors of ill-heath.



Despite his carefully crafted public image as an energetic fitness fanatic who loves cycling and jogging, the elder Berdymukhammedov is said to suffer from serious health issues, including diabetes.



The president disappeared from the public eye for several weeks in the summer of 2019, prompting speculation he was in a coma or even dead. When he returned to public life, he continued to vigorously prepare his son for succession.



'I Will Twist Your Neck'



Turkmenistan's tightly controlled state media has dubbed Serdar Berdymukhammedov the "son of the nation," while portraying him as a "humble and kindhearted" family man who has earned "the respect of his colleagues."



According to some of his former subordinates, however, he is anything but modest and kind.



In a rare glimpse into his working life, a former employee at the Ahal Provincial governor's office once claimed that when Serdar Berdymukhammedov was at work the staff was ordered to be quiet, not use their mobile phones, and "not to leave their offices unless absolutely necessary."



He was also said to threaten his subordinates by saying he would "twist your neck," the former worker told the Austria-based Chronicles Of Turkmenistan website.



Serdar Berdymukhammedov also appeared to pay great attention to his own security. He came to work in a motorcade of vehicles with tinted windows, accompanied by security officers, "just like a presidential convoy," according to the former colleague.



A security guard was stationed behind his office door and only a handful of officials had permission to enter his office to speak with him.



Some Ahal residents told the Chronicles of Turkmenistan they had the impression that Serdar Berdymukhammedov was uninterested in the lives and problems of ordinary people.



They said he refused to meet people who came to the governors office to discuss their issues, despite it being part of his work as governor.



Not Quite 'Like Father, Like Son'



Along with government posts, Serdar Berdymukhammedov has also been made the head of the Turkmen Alabay Dog Association and the Ashgabat-based International Association of Akhal-Teke Horse Breeding.



The Turkmen Alabay and Akhal-Teke are the favorite breeds of dogs and horses, respectively, of President Berdymukhammedov, who has even dedicated books and erected massive gold statues to them.



It's not known if the younger Berdymukhammedov shares his father's passion for animals. He also doesn't appear to pursue the president's other hobbies, such as singing, driving fast cars, and shooting.

Serdar Berdymukhammedov will inherit a county plagued by poverty, corruption, and unemployment. Despite relatively high birthrates, Turkmenistan faces a population decline as millions of people have left the country due to a lack of opportunities and personal freedom.



It is unknown whether he will have real political power after he assumes office, or if his father will still call the shots.



One way or another, many Turkmen say they don't expect any meaningful change or real improvement in the country as long as the presidency remains in the hands of the Berdymukhammedov family.
Russia and Russian companies will be allowed to pay foreign creditors in rubles, according to a decree signed by President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, as a way to service debt while capital controls remain in place.

The decree establishes temporary rules for sovereign and corporate debtors to make payments to creditors from countries that engage in hostile activities against Russia, its companies and citizens. The government specified on Saturday that it will prepare a list of such countries within two days.

Russian corporate bonds denominated in foreign currencies have plunged to deeply distressed levels in recent days as investors weighed the impact of sanctions imposed on the country in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine. The Russian government responded to the penalties by dramatically reducing access to foreign currencies, which could restrict the ability of bondholders to receive interest and principal payments.

Separately, clearing houses Clearstream and Euroclear stopped accepting the ruble as settlement currency and have excluded all securities issued by Russian entities from all Triparty transactions, barring a traditional channel used to make payments to bondholders.

According to Saturdays decree on servicing foreign-held debt, payments will be considered executed if they are carried out in rubles at the central banks official rate.

Debtors can ask a Russian bank to create a special C ruble-denominated account in the name of foreign creditors for settlement, while local creditors will be paid through Russian depositories. The rule applies to amounts in excess of 10 million rubles ($81,358) per month.

Russias Central Bank said on Sunday that foreign creditors from countries that have not imposed sanctions may be able to receive the payment in the currency in which the debt is denominated if the Russian debtor gets a special permission to do so.

CDS hurdle

On March 2, Russia made payment on a 11.2 billion-ruble coupon for 339 billion rubles of sovereign bonds known as OFZs due February 2024. While Russias National Settlement Depository received the money, foreign bondholders werent paid because of the central banks order barring foreign payments. That triggered a debate over whether or not that constituted a default.

Story continues

Some of Russias foreign sovereign bonds do allow payments in rubles. Thats a potential problem for holders of credit-default swaps, which are derivatives that insure against defaults. JPMorgan Chase & Co. strategists led by Trang Nguyen say that the optionality to pay in rubles may render these bonds out of scope for CDS as obligations and deliverable obligations, because the ruble is the domestic currency of the issuer, and it just so happens to not be a hard currency, such as the dollar or euro.

This means that bonds with ruble fallback provisions can neither trigger CDS nor be delivered into CDS, Nguyen said in emailed comments on Sunday.

Russia has $117 million worth of coupons on dollar bonds coming due on March 16 that dont have the option to be paid in rubles, the JPMorgan strategists said. If Russia decides to pay in rubles following Putins decree, that would be an event of default and would trigger CDS, Nguyen said.

The CDS cover a gross $41 billion of Russian debt, according to the Depository Trust & Clearing Corp.

Companies with upcoming maturities of dollar-denominated notes include state oil producer Rosneft PJSC, whose $2 billion bond matures on Sunday, and state-controlled energy giant Gazprom PJSC, which has a $1.3 billion note due on Monday. The latter was already in the process of settling that payment, Bloomberg reported earlier.

Heres a selection of issuers scheduled to pay dollar-denominated notes in the coming months:

Upcoming Maturities

Issuer Maturity Face Value ($m equivalent) Rosneft Oil Co Via Rosneft International Finance DAC March 6 2000 Gazprom PJSC Via Gaz Capital SA March 7 1300 Polyus Finance PLC March 28 482.8 Russian Government April 4 2000 Russian Railways Via RZD Capital PLC April 5 624.6 Borets Finance DAC April 7 155.6 MMC Norilsk Nickel OJSC Via MMC Finance DAC April 8 500 ABH Ukraine Ltd Via EMIS Finance BV May 6 50

Upcoming Corporate Coupon Payments

Issuer Maturity Coupon Date Approx Coupon Amount ($m equivalent) Russian Railways Via RZD Capital PLC 3/6/2023 3/6/2022 23 Rosneft Oil Co Via Rosneft International Finance DAC 3/6/2022 3/6/2022 42 Gazprom PJSC Via Gaz Capital SA 3/6/2023 3/6/2022 10.9 Gazprom PJSC Via Gaz Capital SA 3/7/2022 3/7/2022 42.3 Gtlk Europe Capital DAC 3/10/2027 3/10/2022 14 MMC Norilsk Nickel OJSC Via MMC Finance DAC 9/11/2025 3/11/2022 6.38 Russian Railways Via RZD Capital PLC 3/12/2026 3/12/2022 2.1 Eurochem Finance DAC 3/13/2024 3/13/2022 19.3

Upcoming Sovereign Coupon Payments

Issuer Maturity Coupon Date Approx Coupon Amount ($m equivalent) Russian Government 9/16/2043 3/16/2022 44.1 9/16/2023 3/16/2022 73.1 3/21/2029 3/21/2022 65.6 3/28/2035 3/28/2022 102 3/31/2030 3/31/2022 87.5 4/4/2042 4/4/2022 84.4 4/4/2022 4/4/2022 45 5/27/2026 5/27/2022 71.3 5/27/2036 5/27/2022 32.3

With assistance from Laura Benitez, Richard Bravo, Ben Sills and Paul Abelsky.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
The UN's nuclear watchdog expressed grave concerns last night over the dire conditions of hostage workers forced to run the Chernobyl and Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plants under Russian control.

It is feared terrified staff who were captured along with the plants when they were stormed by Vladimir Putin's forces are being overworked in unsafe environments with limited food rations.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) also said the Russians had blocked vital channels of communication at both sites.

Director general Rafael Grossi said: 'I'm extremely concerned about these developments. In order to be able to operate safely and securely, management and staff must be allowed to carry out their vital duties in stable conditions without undue external interference or pressure.'

It comes as the Daily Mail learnt that workers held hostage in Chernobyl are surviving on just one meal of porridge a day and two hours of sleep as they are forced to run the facility around the clock.

The staff have been trapped since the plant was seized on the first day of the invasion and are said to be 'starving, exhausted and depressed' as their terrifying ordeal enters its 12th day.

It is feared terrified staff who were captured along with the plants when they were stormed by Vladimir Putin's forces are being overworked in unsafe environments with limited food rations. Pictured: Russian forces guard the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant

Around 100 workers are sleeping on their desks as they work continuously to maintain safety at the site of the world's worst nuclear disaster. It is usually run by a day staff of around 500 people.

'They are facing a very difficult situation and are starving, exhausted and depressed,' a source close to the Chernobyl crisis told the Mail.

'With nowhere to sleep and no blankets, many are only sleeping for two to four hours on desks or wherever they can find a space.

'They are running out of food and are down to one meal of porridge a day. They are fed once every 24 hours, if there is enough they might get extra bread.'

The staff have been trapped since the plant was seized on the first day of the invasion and are said to be 'starving, exhausted and depressed' as their terrifying ordeal enters its 12th day. Pictured: A Russian soldier guards the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant

The source said staff had resorted to raiding the lockers of their colleagues in the hope of finding food, medicine or hygiene products.

Local civic leader Yuri Fomichev said the terrifying situation 'posed a danger to the world'. The mayor of Slavutych, which was built in 1986 to house evacuated personnel from the Chernobyl disaster, added: 'The main thing we want to convey is that it is very dangerous.

'People are exhausted, both mentally and emotionally, but mainly physically.'

Around 100 workers are sleeping on their desks as they work continuously to maintain safety at the site of the world's worst nuclear disaster. It is usually run by a day staff of around 500 people. Pictured: Soldiers at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant

UN agency chief Mr Grossi also said he had 'grave concerns' over reports that any action by plant managers needs prior approval by a Russian commander.

'The operating staff must be able to fulfil their safety and security duties and have the capacity to make decisions free of undue pressure,' he warned.

Chernobyl staff faced 'physiological pressure and moral exhaustion', Mr Grossi added.

The plant has been undergoing decommissioning since the 1986 crisis but significant amounts of nuclear material remain in the form of spent fuel and other radioactive waste.

The IAEA also reported that it was facing problems communicating with personnel at the site which was currently only possible with e-mails.

Fears that the hostages' exhaustion could lead to disaster came as the Kremlin continued its reckless targeting of Ukraine's nuclear sites. Pictured: Chernobyl

Mr Grossi stressed his readiness to travel to Chernobyl to secure commitments to the safety and security of all Ukraine's nuclear power plants.

Fears that the hostages' exhaustion could lead to disaster came as the Kremlin continued its reckless targeting of Ukraine's nuclear sites. Authorities said Russian forces had shelled a physics institute in Kharkiv that contained nuclear material and a reactor, threatening a 'large-scale ecological disaster'.

The Russians were firing from Grad launchers, which do not have precise targeting, raising concern that a missile could go astray.

On Friday Putin's troops shelled and stormed the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station  which has six reactors and is the largest in Europe prompting worldwide outrage and condemnation.

On Friday Putin's troops shelled and stormed the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station (pictured)  which has six reactors and is the largest in Europe prompting worldwide outrage and condemnation

Staff at the massive plant are under Russian control but teams were last night said to be allowed to rotate in three shifts, letting them rest.

But there were still problems with the supply of food, which was hitting morale, the UN regulator said. It added there were major problems communicating with staff after the phone lines, e-mails and fax went dead.

Mr Grossi said this was 'also a source of deep concern, especially during an armed conflict that may jeopardise the country's nuclear facilities. Reliable communications are a critical part of nuclear safety'.

Despite the problems, the regulator was able to confirm that radiation levels at the site remained normal.
Beirut, Mar 6 (AP) Militants attacked a military bus traveling on a desert highway in central Syria on Sunday, killing 13 troops including several officers, state media reported.

State news agency SANA said the militants used a variety of weapons in attack in the Palmyra region, adding that 18 soldiers were wounded.

Also Read | Afghanistan Shocker: 5 Members of Family Beheaded in Herat Province.

No further details were immediately available and no one claimed responsibility. In the past, Syrian authorities have blamed such attacks on Islamic State group militants who have been active in southern and central Syria, despite losing territorial control in the country since 2019.

In January, IS militants fired rockets and an anti-aircraft gun at a bus traveling in the same area, killing five troops. (AP)

Also Read | Harjot Singh, Indian Student Injured in Kyiv Firing to be Brought Back to Delhi on Monday.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
SpaceX is sending more Starlink terminals to Ukraine, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. "Talked to Elon Musk. I'm grateful to him for supporting Ukraine with words and deeds," Zelensky tweeted on Saturday afternoon. Next week we will receive another batch of Starlink systems for destroyed cities.

Talked to @elonmusk. Im grateful to him for supporting Ukraine with words and deeds. Next week we will receive another batch of Starlink systems for destroyed cities. Discussed possible space projects . But Ill talk about this after the war.    (@ZelenskyyUa) March 5, 2022

SpaceX sent an initial shipment of its satellite dishes on February 26th following a Twitter plea from Ukraines vice prime minister, Mykhailo Fedorov. The delivery arrived on February 28th. Days later, Elon Musk warned Ukrainians to be careful when using the service on account of the fact that its the only non-Russian internet provider left in some of the more war-torn areas of the country. The warning came after John Scott-Railton , a researcher with the University of Torontos Citizen Lab, pointed out Russia has decades of experience triangulating and targeting satellite uplink transmissions with airstrikes.
Gigi Hadid pledged to donate her Fashion Week earnings to those affected by the war in Ukraine.

The 26-year-old supermodel shared a series of snaps from various shows and revealed she was making a sizable contribution to help those in need.

The fashion icon explained that despite her job on and off the runway, it was also her responsibility to give back, and she was doing so in a big way by giving her full earnings from the Fall 2022 campaign to Ukrainian organizations.

Hadid pointed out that her professional commitments kept her from actively reflecting on world events.

She wrote: 'Having a set Fashion Month schedule has meant that my colleagues and I often present new fashion collections during heartbreaking and traumatic times in history.'

Hadid added that she and her fellow models were interested in helping to create positive change through their work.

'We don't have control over most of our work schedules, but we would like to walk "for" something,' she wrote.

Making a difference: Hadid pointed out that her professional commitments kept her from actively reflecting on world events

Hadid then announced that she would be sending her income from walking in various shows to those affected by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

'Following in the footsteps of my friend @micarganaraz, I am pledging to donate my earnings from the Fall 2022 shows to aid those suffering from the war in Ukraine,' she noted.

She also expressed that she would continue 'to support those experiencing the same in Palestine.'

Hadid noted that she wanted to see world leaders looking past minor differences for the greater good in the future.

Hopeful: Hadid also noted that she wanted to see world leaders looking past minor differences for the greater good in the future

'Our eyes and hearts must be open to all human injustice. May we all see each other as brothers and sisters, beyond politics, beyond race, beyond religion,' she wrote.

She added: 'At the the end of the day, innocent lives pay for war- not leaders.'

Hadid concluded her message by writing: 'HANDS OFF UKRAINE. HANDS OFF PALESTINE. PEACE. PEACE. PEACE.'

Making it clear: Hadid concluded her message by writing: 'HANDS OFF UKRAINE. HANDS OFF PALESTINE. PEACE. PEACE. PEACE'; she is seen earlier this month

Hadid previously shared a statement regarding the conflict in Ukraine to her Instagram Story last month, where she noted that she was upset about the Russian invasion.

'My heart is hurting for Ukraine and all those affected by this unimaginable reality,' she wrote.

She then called out Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom she saw as the main aggressor in the conflict.

Speaking her mind: Hadid previously shared a statement regarding the conflict in Ukraine to her Instagram Story last month, where she noted that she was upset about the Russian invasion; she is seen in February

'Putin's actions are a threat to every Democratic country in the world, and must be stopped,' she wrote.

Hadid finished her message by encouraging her followers to raise awareness for the ongoing war.

'I pray that the support other countries provide can give Ukrainians what they have voted for and deserve,' she wrote.
DENVER  Across the political spectrum, Colorados elected officials say theyre facing increasingly significant threats of violence and online harassment just for doing their jobs.

Now, state lawmakers are looking for new ways to provide more security for targeted officials to keep up with the rising need, so they can feel safer going about their work.

I think any person in the middle of a national conspiracy theory about election denialism who receives threat after threat after threat would take that seriously, which I do, said Democratic Secretary of State Jena Griswold.

Griswold appears frequently on national cable news to speak out against false claims about the 2020 presidential election, and has taken steps to prevent the kinds of outside audits conducted in Arizona. She said all of this has brought a slew of threats and highlighted the need to beef up security for statewide officials in particular.

People on social media frequently call for Griswolds death, rhetoric that has also spilled into the real world. At a meeting in Castle Rock called by the right wing group FEC United last month, Shawn Smith, a prominent proponent of election conspiracy theories, claimed he had evidence of criminal conduct by Griswold.

And I think if youre involved in election fraud, then you deserve to hang, he said to loud cheers and applause in a video of the event obtained by Colorado Newsline. He added, sometimes the old ways are the best ways.

Smith then claimed he was not endorsing violence, but when you put your hand on that hot stove, you get burned and you ought to see it coming.

After that meeting, followed by numerous online threats, Griswold asked for a weekend security detail while she felt the risk was heightened, but officers were only assigned to her home for a few hours.

Colorado State Patrol is responsible for providing security to the states elected officials, but currently, the law only requires a full-time detail for the Governor. Lawmakers and other elected officials like Griswold can ask for short-term security, but how they respond to those requests is at the Patrols discretion.

I cant say, I need you here, and they have to show up, Griswold said.

She calls the kinds of threats shes getting an attack on democracy. Griswolds office has asked for $120,000 in state funding so she can hire private security.

 Griswolds request has been met with skepticism by some in the statehouse

Republican lawmakers say theyve also faced threats but oppose using state money for private security, especially if security guards could end up being used outside of official state business.

Republican state Rep. Mary Bradfield notes that Secretary Griswold is running for reelection.

And I dont know how youre going to separate her public appearances as the Secretary of State from her appearances as a candidate, because some of those get blurred, she said.

Another option would be to expand the mission of state patrol to include ongoing security for more elected officials.

Col. Matthew Packard, chief of the Patrol, agrees that the horrible comments against officials like Griswold and others have become more frequent now than at any time in recent memory.

There are people that are willing to say awful things, from the confines of their computer  (But) a lot of that is protected by the First Amendment, and so theres a balance for that, he said. To the extent that that rhetoric has a negative impact on somebodys safety, we stand poised and ready to address that, within the confines of peoples constitutional rights.

State Patrol is asking for more money to increase security at the state capitol and surrounding buildings, recruit more officers and pay for overtime to respond to some of these credible threats.

 Other lawmakers support additional security for politicians, and are also familiar with harassment

One bill this session would go further than that. As introduced, SB-133 would allow statewide officials like Griswold to appeal State Patrols security decisions if they dont agree. It would also include money to provide security for state lawmakers at public events and town halls and streamline the process to make those security requests.

Making sure that you feel safe talking to the public is an essential part of our democracy, said Democratic state Sen. Faith Winter, whos sponsoring the bill along with Republican state Sen. Kevin Priola.

SB-133 hasnt had a committee hearing yet and is expected to change throughout the process  Winter already plans to amend the bill to give all statewide officials up to 80 hours of security a week if they feel like they need it.

In general, Winter said she believes its important to set up better procedures for security and threat monitoring, in part to give people the confidence to go into public life.

I recruit and train women to run for office, and more and more frequently all over the country women have been saying, I dont know if I want to run because I dont feel safe. I dont feel safe for my family,' Winter said.

Democratic state Rep. Leslie Herod knows firsthand what it can be like to live with those kinds of threats. Shes been one of the most outspoken voices at the capitol on police reform, which has led to ongoing backlash, including being called a terrorist by the Weld County Sheriff last year.

I have had to change the way that I do certain things in my life. And I dont want to go too far into it, but my life has changed since Ive received so many threats, she said.

 There are other proposals upping protections for civil servants

Before this years debate over in-person security for elected officials, state lawmakers were already moving to crack down on those who go after people in public life.

Last year, the legislature voted overwhelmingly to increase the penalty for threatening an elected official. And theyve also made efforts to try to help lower profile civil servants too. A measure to increase penalties for threatening public health workers  or exposing their personal information to encourage others to harass them  became law with wide bipartisan support.

This year, lawmakers are working on a bill that would make it illegal to publish the personal information of election workers publicly  a practice known as doxxing  and allow those workers and their immediate family members to remove their private information from open records requests. It also increases the penalties for threats and intimidation.

Lawmakers in both political parties lament how the public discourse has deteriorated to the point where these measures are necessary. One called the entire security discussion tragic but added, This is where we are.
Ed Litton says he wont seek reelection as SBC president, prompts mixed reactions

Southern Baptist Convention President Ed Litton departed from decades of tradition Tuesday to announce he will not seek reelection this summer, prompting reactions ranging from relief to disappointment eight months into his one-year term.

Litton, who is also the senior pastor of Redemption Church in Alabama, said in a short video posted on YouTube that he felt God was calling him to continue his work in racial reconciliation, which he started in the days after a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, shot dead Michael Brown, an 18-year-old African American youth, in August 2014.

For me, this is bittersweet news, he said. The truth is that I believe this work is something that God is calling me to do and to devote myself to for the next five to 10 years of my life. But I also believe that [at] this important moment in the life of our convention, it is best for me to do so as a pastor and not from the office of President of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Litton was elected SBC president last June after narrowly defeating Georgia Pastor Mike Stone in a testy runoff vote. He vowed to build bridges, not walls. Since his election, however, Americas largest Protestant denomination has continued to battle over issues of race, sexual abuse and accusations of plagiarism.

Less than two weeks into his presidency, Litton was forced to apologize after a video posted on YouTube highlighted similarities between separate sermons delivered by the SBC leader and his predecessor, J.D. Greear of The Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina.

Both men suggested in the video that God appears to whisper about sexual sin in the Bible, but Litton did not give credit to Greear, from whom he borrowed the idea.

Its no secret that this has been a difficult year as we fought to emerge from two years of pandemic, many of our pastors and churches are struggling. Weve also navigated some painful conflicts and intense discussions right now, he said.

I want to speak as plainly as I can. As Ive previously stated, I take responsibility for my own failures and shortcomings for mistakes Ive made in the preparation and delivery of particular sermons. But we are in a critical moment, and I believe that nothing should distract us from what lies ahead.

Litton, who recently called on the SBC to remove the stains of racism and sexual abuse from the denomination, also noted that he will present his grassroots plan to promote racial reconciliation in Southern Baptist churches across the country at the annual SBC meeting and pastors conference scheduled for Anaheim, California, in June.

A report on sexual abuse in the denomination will also be presented by a sexual abuse task force appointed by Litton.

The messengers from our churches must be prepared to act upon the recommendations they bring forth. We are also at a time of increased division and polarization, and I earnestly believe that we must be united in our pursuit of that one sacred effort to reach the nations for Christ, Litton said. We must keep working to eradicate the stains of sexual abuse and racism from our convention. We must not fail to reckon with our past mistakes, but we must commit to seeking for a better future where racism and prejudice are relics of the past.

His resignation comes as critics called on Litton to resign after being accused of plagiarizing Greears sermon on Romans last summer. At the time, Greear said that Litton had asked for permission to use some of the content from the popular sermon series at his own preaching at Redemption Church.

Some Southern Baptists stated on social media after Littons announcement that they believe the SBC president should have resigned immediately after the video surfaced.

Im thankful Ed Litton will not be running for office again, Tom Buck, the senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Lindale, Texas, said on Twitter.

As I listened to Littons video, I immediately thought that stepping down now and letting the 1st VP, Lee Brand, assume the role of President would be a great first gesture toward his own stated goal, would it not?

Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Ph.D. student Corey Smith agreed.

Sermon plagiarism is not a mistake, shortcoming, or failure. It is a sin. We must call sin what it is, sin. Ed Litton should have repented publicly of sin and resigned immediately as a result. However, I am glad he will not be the SBC president next year, he said.

Others were more supportive of Litton.

Adam W. Greenway, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and one of six members of the Southern Baptist Conventions Council of Seminary Presidents, insisted in a statement that Litton deserves the prayerful support of the convention as he finishes his term.

Whatever one may think about the circumstances surrounding @EdLittons election and tenure as SBC president, and regardless of ones thoughts about whether or not he should have run for reelection, he deserves our continued prayers as he finishes his term and fulfills his duties, Greenway wrote.

Former Southern Baptist Convention President James Merritt, the senior pastor of Cross Pointe Church in Georgia, said he has the deepest love and respect for Litton. Merritt said, regardless of any other narrative, Litton is a true man of God who loves his Lord, his church and his denomination.

This was a selfless decision that God will honor and I commend and admire and thank him for his service to the SBC, Merritt tweeted.

Dwight McKissic Sr., leader of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas, and one of the Southern Baptist Conventions most outspoken black pastors, praised Littons commitment to racial reconciliation.

Ed Litton has the track record, trust, & set forth the trajectory to address race issues in the SBC & America in a constructive & redeeming manner, he tweeted. Grateful for his leadership as president. Praying & believing God will bless this well timed & needed initiative to heal the land.

Dan Darling, the director of the Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and former vice president of communications for the SBC's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, called Litton a good man and a great pastor.
The City of Orangeburg reopened its offices to the general public March 1 as COVID numbers continue to go down.

City Administrator Sidney Evering provided City Council an update on COVID, noting one employee of the city's 200 has currently tested positive. He said about 152 employees or 77.5% are vaccinated.

Evering informed council he has gotten inquiries about when the city will relax its mask mandate for city businesses since the virus numbers are going down.

Councilwoman Liz Zimmerman Keitt suggested the city leave the mask mandate in place until it expires April 16 and see how numbers are at that time.

Two readings rather than three?

Council tabled first reading of an ordinance amending the city code to require two, rather than three, readings for each city ordinance.

Council members Bernard Haire, Richard Stroman and Jerry Hannah expressed concerns because reducing the number or readings will limit the time the public will have to provide input, interact or comment on ordinance changes.

"We have had three readings ever since I have been a part of council and much longer than that," Haire said. "If the public comes to a meeting on second reading and if there are concerns they may have, it (a change) does not give council time to take those comments and concerns and think about it over a week until the following council meeting."

"All this speeding up to me is not good for the citizens having as much input as possible. I am opposed to going to two readings instead of three," Haire said.

Council tabled first reading, expressing a desire to have a work session of all the city's procedural ordinances to receive a better comprehension of what is expected and what is correct.

Keitt said three readings "does slow up the process of moving this city forward."

City attorney Michael Kozlarek said the change to two readings would align the city's code with the South Carolina code that requires an ordinance be read two times on two separate days with at least six days between each reading.

Currently, each ordinance has to go through three separate readings on three separate days.

"This is inconsistent with state law," Kozlarek said. "Please don't hear me say that I think it is unlawful, it is simply inconsistent for state law for a city."

Kozlarek said there are some city ordinances that require three readings, such as a budget.

He also said it would be up to the council's if it wanted to add a public hearing or public comments to the agenda, though he said these would not be required by state law.

Other business

Council unanimously passed a resolution to provide 10% of the matching funds toward its 2022 Spring Round Community Development Block grant application for water main improvements in the Quicktown community. The grant will be provided through the South Carolina Department of Commerce and the Lower Savannah Council of Governments.

The Quicktown community consists of these streets: Watson, Lovell, Dickson, Maxcy, Clarendon, Dorchester, Liberty, Quick, Washington and Lloyd.

The project will cost a total of $3.8 million. The grant will be between $1.5 million to $2 million.

The design of the project is complete. The project is expected to be bid out in June or July with a 12 to 18-month construction schedule.

Council recognized patience as the community of character trait for the month of March and encouraged citizens to practice the trait.

Mayor Michael Butler requested that the Orangeburg community keep South Carolina State University and the family of Zeleria Simpson and Shemyia T. Riley in their thoughts and prayers. The women were killed Feb. 26 in a fatal car crash.

A 23-year-old Greenville man is facing multiple felony charges as a result of the accident.

Council went into closed session to discuss a contractual arrangement for the proposed sale of property between the Department of Public Utilities and Calhoun County; to discuss an amendment of a lease agreement between South Carolina State University and the city; and to receive a presentation of Skatepark and Gateway Projects.

Council also received legal advice on the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA); discussed the compensation of the DPU manager as well as taken up personnel matters related to the Department of Public Safety.
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

Last summer, Congresswoman Cori Bush and St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones traveled to Denver to get an up-close look at the latest rage in public safety.

Started as a pilot project just a few months earlier, the STAR program in Denver seeks to divert 911 calls that involve mental health issues to behavioral specialists instead of police officers. It is modeled to some degree after a similar program in Oregon called CAHOOTS.

Jones predecessor, Mayor Lyda Krewson, started a version of the concept in St. Louis that Jones has continued and wants to expand: Some 911 calls here are diverted to mental health specialists, and others are answered by a police officer along with a mental health professional  a purple shirt.

The programs are popular with cops, who can focus on more serious public safety work. Theyre popular with mental health professionals, who believe such needs have been ignored for too long, as states and cities have cut mental health services and sometimes warehoused people who need help in jails.

Better yet, the programs work.

Last month, the Denver City Council voted to expand the STAR program, spending $1.4 million to grow it from one van to six. Other cities in the Denver metro area are adding similar concepts to their public safety programs. In St. Louis, officials say the program has saved about 2,000 hours of police time, my colleagues Erin Heffernan and Robert Patrick recently reported.

Someone experiencing a mental health crisis does not need to come into contact with police or be thrown in jail, Jones told reporters last month. That doesnt make our neighborhoods safer. It just introduces people into our revolving door criminal justice system while tying up police resources on a call that they may not be suited to handle.

Some, like Bush, might suggest these programs fulfill the defund the police concept she discusses and that is so often derided by her political opponents. Indeed, the concept is to save police resources, and spend that money on mental-health professionals and services.

Others might call it something else. When Bush and Jones were in Denver for their tour last summer, Police Chief Paul Pazen said this: This is not a defund the police type of program. This is an and to police, not an or. This is enhancing the type of responses to get better outcomes and free up emergency services and law enforcement.

Like politics often are, that statement is awash in semantics.

Indeed, in his own semantical flourish last week during his State of the Union address, President Joe Biden made sure to separate himself from Bushs movement: We should all agree: The answer is not to defund the police, Biden said. The answer is to fund the police with the resources and training they need to protect our communities.

Its worth noting, then, that in his American Rescue Plan, Biden and Congress provided $15 million to help 20 states fund mobile crisis intervention teams like those operating in Oregon. Both Colorado and Missouri are on the list of states to be funded. The money is budgeted through the Medicaid program.

This is a success story that becomes more difficult to tell in a political environment insistent on putting a label on everything. In this case, Bush and Biden and police officers and community activists are, mostly, all on the same side, seeking to help people in their communities who have mental-health needs, while not wasting police resources and using the wrong tool for the job, a tool that too often in such cases can turn deadly, especially for Black people.

Done right, as such programs expand, they should save enough money in public safety budgets that some of those funds can be shifted into mental-health services, with better results for everybody.

Is that funding the police or defunding them?

Call it what you will. Its a winning strategy that should be cheered by people of all political stripes.
With International Women's Day on March 8 and March being Women's History Month, it's a good time to celebrate the many women business owners and leaders in downtown Hamilton who are working to draw attention and support for two local nonprofits.

Hamilton Downtown Association Executive Director Robin Pruitt said women make the local business community thrive.

We have some really amazing women in our community that work tirelessly so that we all can enjoy unique local retail, Pruitt said. This is an opportunity to highlight the women leaders of our town, we have a lot of great ones.

Hamilton businesses owned by women include: The Closet - Tara Child, Montana Bliss Artworks  Barbara Liss, Bitter Root Water Forum  an all-female staff plus an AmeriCorps volunteer, Art Focus  Michelle Biggins with female photographer Teysha Vinsons art show this month, B&B Cabinetry  Wendy Bauder, Aspen Leaf Yoga  Val Aerni, Active Bitterroot Physical Therapy - Angela Saporita, Jessie's Wine and Goods - Jessie Trauth, Chapter One Book Store  Katrina Mendry, Marisa Neyenhuis and Mara Luther, Mikesells Fine Jewelry  Cindy Mikesell, and so many others.

Pruitt said many of the local businesswomen view Women's History Month as an opportunity to support community women by partnering with Linda Massa Youth Homes and SAFE in the Bitterroot.

[They are] providing shoppers a way to give back to those organizations while supporting local women business owners, Pruitt said.

A few of the local business owners have already decided on their method of support for the nonprofits. Pruitt said more businesses plan to join the effort all month.

The Closet owner Tara Child is partnering with SAFE by offering a 5% discount on any purchase if the customer donates a $5 gift card to SAFE, a 10% discount on any purchase if they donate a $10 or more gift card to SAFE and 20% off the customers next purchase to anyone donating a $50 gift card.

I will also be doing something special for the residents of SAFE who come in, Child said.

Her hope is that effort is just the start of deeper connections of Hamilton businesses with SAFE for awareness and community action, beyond just making financial donations.

I want to help this organization, but I want to do it in a way that the community gets involved, Child said. I think we can do more that way. When a woman feels good about herself it pays it forward in a way. It feels good, they are more patient, happier and it makes the world a little bit better.

Child will have a grand opening for her business The Cupboard, in the historic Hamilton Pharmacy building, on March 16.

Montana Bliss Artworks and ARTspace owner Barbara Liss is donating proceeds from art sales to the two nonprofits. For March, customers can purchase a digital reimagined image of one of her female sculptures and if you tell her you want to support SAFE or the Linda Massa Youth Home and she will donate 100% of the proceeds to the organization. She has 21 canvas images to choose from and they are 2 feet by 3 feet in size.

Our community has been very supportive of women in business, and I would like to encourage young women to pursue entrepreneurship or a prominent role in their career, Liss said. This celebration brings awareness of the many possibilities. 

Susan Young of Westslope Distillery will be donating $3 of every bottle sold in the tasting room in March to the Linda Massa Youth Home.

SAFE in the Bitterroot provides of emergency shelter and services in Ravalli County for survivors of domestic and intimate partner abuse. SAFE has a 24-hour Crisis Hotline 406-363-4600, learn more at https://www.safeinthebitterroot.org/.

SAFE Executive Director Stacey Umhey said the downtown businesses organizing a celebration on International Womens Day is really perfect.

SAFE was founded by the local chapter of Soroptimists International which is a womens civic organization, she said. They came together to create a pathway to safety for other women. So, the choice to have events on International Womens Day is beautiful and an honor for our organization.

Umhey said this year SAFE is getting ready to expand its emergency shelter.

This year, more than ever, we are super grateful for financial support from our community, she said.

Linda Massa Youth Home is an eight-bed group home that is dually licensed to provide short-term crisis intervention and longer-term group care for youth, ages 10 to 18. Learn more at https://youthhomesmt.org/group_homes/the-linda-massa-youth-home/.

LMYH Development Coordinator Mary Blankenbaker said awareness and donations are appreciated as the need is great.

The Linda Massa Youth Home is the only emergency shelter for kids in Ravalli County, Blankenbaker said. We are singularly filling a need and we are absolutely full. That shows you we have a need for housing for kids experiencing any number of different things.

She said the LMYH needs funding to provide the opportunity of childhood.

Our staff does an incredible job of supporting their emotional needs and helping them access any mental health care they might need, she said. But other things like taking them snowboarding, camping, taking them bowling and making sure they have clothes that they will wear costs money. We need help from our community to give them those opportunities.

She said her work is amazing, fun and never-ending.

They are teenagers, and they are hilarious, Blankenbaker said. When Im working in my office, I hear them making teenage noises and laughing and doing chores. They are just kids, and it is an honor to witness part of their childhood. Its special that we have this facility in Hamilton.

HDAs Pruitt said this effort is a start of introducing the community to businesses and nonprofits around town.

The people make our downtown so unique, Pruitt said. I really want to connect our community with the people that make our downtown run.

Pruitt said there are many more women business owners in Hamilton and shed like to figure the percentage. She will be featuring Hamilton businesses owned by women, and partners with SAFE and LMYH on the Hamilton Downtown Association's social media all month.
'Operational challenges': Burberry, modelled by Gigi Hadid

Burberry, Fortnum's and Harrods are among the latest companies to shut up shop in Russia as more businesses pile pressure on the Kremlin.

Luxury fashion house Burberry has temporarily closed its three stores in the country, following a decision to pause shipments because of 'operational challenges'.

Chanel and Louis Vuitton have taken similar steps.

Harrods has halted all deliveries to Russia  while Fortnum & Mason has also ceased its business.

Although it does not stock any Russian products, Fortnum's sells through an export partner to a few shops in Moscow and St Petersburg.

The luxury retailers are among the slew of Western businesses cutting ties with Russia over its Ukraine war.

Marks & Spencer has pulled its operations  with other supermarkets removing Russian products from shelves.
Pontus Jansson talked up the influence of superstar Christian Eriksen on the Brentford squad but declared him one of us after he took another step on his incredible comeback journey with a key role in Saturdays 3-1 win at Norwich.

The Danish playmaker made his first competitive start in almost nine months and helped the Bees end their eight-match Premier League run without a victory in the process.

Eriksens fine first-half corner was flicked on to create the opener for Ivan Toney, who would complete his hat-trick with two spot-kicks after the break.

While Toney walked away with the match ball, it was another special day for Eriksen. The 30-year-old made his Brentford debut as a substitute against Newcastle last month but stepped it up a notch with a 90-minute performance in Norfolk that showcased his quality despite a cardiac arrest last summer.

We are so happy that he can play football first of all, captain Jansson said.

Christians such a nice guy and character. Hes a superstar, if you can say that, but he is one of us. We are so happy to have him here.

He is top class and to have him on the pitch gives us something. He will grow from here.

It was probably not his best performance in his life but it was just enough for us to have him on the pitch, that makes all of us grow, not only him but everyone.

In a twist of fate, Eriksen was joined at Carrow Road by referee Anthony Taylor, who had been the main official on June 12 when he collapsed in Denmarks Euro 2020 match with Finland.

There was no special treatment with the Brentford number 21 cautioned at the end of the first half for a cynical foul on Brandon Williams, which saw the Norwich defender initially furious before it clicked who he was laying on and a hug rather than several expletives were given to Eriksen instead.

Jansson added: Everyone likes and loves him. It helps us to have him here.

Story continues

Eriksens full debut coincided with Brentford rediscovering their winning touch having been without a top flight success since January 2.

A run of eight defeats out of nine in all competitions looked to have badly hit the confidence of Thomas Franks men, who have largely been used to winning since he replaced Dean Smith in 2018.

We almost forgot the feeling of winning a football game, it is probably the best feeling in the world so of course very nice, Jansson admitted after success at bottom side Norwich.

It is something new for almost all of us as in my life I never lost more than one or two games in a row and then we have a run of seven and lost six in a row, especially with us being in the Championship and always one of the top teams you have the demands to go out and win.

Often if you lose, you win the next one but in the Premier League it is hard as you play tough opponents and we have learnt massively from it. Hopefully if we get a run of two, three or four losses in the future, we have been there before and we will learn from it. That is how we feel.

Next up for Brentford is another crunch clash with Burnley, who are in the relegation zone and six points behind the west Londoners.

Jansson insisted: If we lose against Burnley on Saturday then that feeling will come back again, so we can breathe now for a couple of days but we need to train hard and make a good result.
Britons who have refused to sever ties with Russia-focused companies netted almost 7.5m in annual payments.

The pay packets, disclosed in each company's most recent annual report, range from tens of thousands to millions of pounds.

A string of businessmen have yet to step back fully from their work with the country despite a backlash following the invasion of Ukraine.

'Untenable': A string of businessmen have yet to step back fully from their work with the country despite a backlash following the invasion of Ukraine

Many are also directors at firms the London Stock Exchange (LSE) took aim at last week  temporarily suspending shares from trading.

Former energy minister Lord Barker, ex-courtier Sir Michael Peat and a member of the Church of England assembly all retain director roles.

The Institute of Directors said it is 'untenable' for Britons to remain on the boards of Russian firms. Conservative peer Lord Barker has come under the most criticism for his links with energy giant En+  an LSE-targeted firm.

The group was founded by the sanctioned oligarch Oleg Deripaska, who is still its largest shareholder. Barker  who was paid 3m in 2020  is understood to be resigning as executive chairman.

But he will not cut ties with En+ and is reportedly looking to take over parts of the company in a restructuring to distance the group from Russia.

Another Briton on the En+ board is Carl Hughes, who is a House of Laity member for the Church of England. He made 2m from En+ in 2020.

Their stance contrasts with that of Joan MacNaughton, the former deputy chief of staff to Margaret Thatcher who stood down last week, saying the assault on Ukraine had 'changed irrevocably' the basis on which she worked at En+.

Evraz is not on the LSE's list of suspended firms but is highly geared towards Russia.

Sir Michael Peat, Prince Charles's former aide, was paid 162,000 by the firm last year  and 1.9m since 2011.

Stephen Odell, who earned 103,000, remains on the board, though James Rutherford stepped down last week.

Ian Cockerill, chairman at gold and silver miner Polymetal, netted more than 361,000 as chairman of Polymetal, while Cinven founder Simon Rowlands made 54,000 at MD Medical Group.

Phosagro directors James Rogers and Marcus Rhodes each made over 271,000 in 2020.

Directors in other firms have earned smaller amounts, making the total 7.5m.
Its time to prepare for another British invasion of The Beatles.

Unfortunately, the original Fab Four wont be performing like they did in 1964, but the tribute band Liverpool Legends promises to give a complete Beatles experience.

Courtney Dodson with the Danville Concert Association speaks enthusiastically about the concert coming to Danville on Saturday.

Their body language, voices and precise attention to musical detail are incredibly compelling as they take us on a magical, mystery tour, she said.

Louise Harrison, sister of the late George Harrison of the Beatles, elaborated.

Each member of the group is so close to the originals that I often feel like Im transported back in time with the lads, she said.

Harrison handpicked the four highly talented musicians and actors who make up Liverpool Legends.

These are exactly the kind of fun-loving quality musicians that my brother, George, would have loved to hang out with, she said.

Liverpool Legends is the only tribute band with a direct family link to the quartet who made an indelible mark on American pop culture.

Jean Carol Vernon, president of the concert association explains why Liverpool Legends was chosen to perform.

The DCA is attempting something new and authentic with this group, Vernon said. Our purpose is to invite a larger, more diverse group to our concerts.

Liverpool Legends have toured the United States and internationally. Theyve played to sold-out venues in India and Ecuador, 24,000 people in Mexico City and four times at the prestigious Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, performing for more than 160,000 people.

For their work on the Fab Four Memories album, Liverpool Legends received a Grammy nomination.

If you were not among the 3,000 screaming fans who greeted John, Paul, George and Ringo on their first American tour decades ago, this is the second chance you never thought youd have to enjoy the complete Beatles experience.

Liverpool Legends will perform on Saturday at the George Washington High School auditorium located at 701 Broad St. in Danville. Doors open at 7p.m., and the concert begins at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are available at online at eventbrite.com and danvilleconcert.org or by calling 434-770-8625. An adult ticket is $30, and student tickets are $15. The cox office will sell cash-only tickets on performance night.

To learn more, visit www.liverpoollegends.com.
(Newser)  Police arrested more than 4,300 people at antiwar protests on Sunday in 56 Russian cities. The independent monitor OVD-Info said the full total for the day wasn't in yet, the Wall Street Journal reports. The Interior Ministry said 3,400 of the 5,200 people who attended the rallies protesting the invasion of Ukraine were detained, 1,700 in Moscow alone, per the BBC. "The screws are being fully tightened, said a spokeswoman for the monitoring group, per Reuters. "Essentially we are witnessing military censorship."

The crowds turned out despite knowing the risks, urged on by opposition leader Alexei Navalny. "You may be scared, but to succumb to this fear means to take the side of the fascists and murderers," Navalny posted Friday on social media. Since Feb. 24, almost 13,000 people have been taken into custody, by the monitoring group's count. A video on social media showed a protester in Khabarovsk, a city in the far east of Russia, shouting, "No to warhow are you not ashamed?" He was taken away by two police officers, per the Guardian. Rallies were held in cities around the world, as well.

Protesters gathered along St. Petersburg's central avenue and at Manezhnaya Square, just outside the Kremlin. Protests were held in cities around the world. In Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan, protesters put blue and yellow ribbons in the hand of a Lenin statue, chanted slogans, and waved Ukrainian flags. Kazakhstan is allied with Russia. In Kaliningrad, a Russian city near the Baltic Sea, a woman was shown in a video on Twitter telling a police officer that she'd lived through the Nazi siege of Leningrad in World War II. After an exchange with the woman, the officer called over more police and said, "Arrest them all." (Read more Russia-Ukraine conflict stories.)
JACKSON  Teton County Search and Rescue dispatched its helicopter to rescue two Michigan men who had illegally ridden their snowmobiles into a clearly marked wilderness area and gotten stuck on the backside of Angle Mountain on Feb. 27.

Then Search and Rescue crews were called back Wednesday to rescue the same men, who had been permitted by the Bridger-Teton National Forest to snowshoe in and help a helicopter they had privately contracted retrieve their sleds.

Both times, it appears the men, Ryan Gibson, 29, and Keegan Pertu, 30, were in over their heads and physically unable to exit the steep drainage on their own.

Snowmobiles, like all motorized equipment, are illegal in wilderness areas under the 1964 Wilderness Act. Jason Wilmot, a wildlife biologist for Bridger-Teton, said the wilderness boundary is crystal clear and has been in place for decades.

People should know better, he said. We are very clear and very consistent in sharing the rules of wilderness travel.

Still, Wilmot didnt think the snowmobilers were intentionally breaking the law.

I think they didnt understand, he said of the two Michigan visitors, who were both issued citations.

Wilmot said he worked closely with the two apologetic men after their first rescue and gave them permits to snowshoe back into the wilderness area, because their chartered helicopter needed a ground crew to help lift the sleds out of the drainage.

It took Gibson and Pertu two hours to hike downhill to their sleds, which the helicopter successfully rescued. But with evening quickly approaching, there was little hope they would make it back out by dark, so Search and Rescue dispatched the second crew.
California drivers continue to face sticker shock at the gas pump as they are paying the highest average price per gallon in the nation  and drivers in Napa County are paying the most in the Bay Area.

Motorists are paying on average 58 cents more for a gallon of regular gasoline than they did three weeks ago, as the statewide average price reached a national high of $5.28 Sunday in response to rising crude oil prices. That is $1.28 higher per gallon than the national average.

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The Bay Areas highest average price was $5.46 a gallon in Napa County, the Automobile Association of America (AAA) reported.

Gas prices in the Stockton and Lodi areas also followed the trend and were up almost 10 cents a gallon overnight, according to AAA.

The area's gas prices on Saturday were $5.11 for regular gas and $5.37 for premium; and as of Sunday, the price had risen to $5.19 a gallon for regular and $5.48 for premium.

Just a week ago drivers in the Stockton and Lodi areas were paying $4.70, and a month ago saw prices of $4.52 a gallon.

The state average was $4.68 in early February and $3.47 a year ago. The national average one year ago was $2.50.

Average prices for regular gasoline per gallon in other regional counties:

- $5.45, Marin

- $5.43, Sonoma

- $5.42, San Francisco

- $5.40, San Mateo

- $5.35, Alameda

- $5.33, Santa Clara

- $5.32, Contra Costa

- $5.32, Solano

- $5.26, Monterey

- $5.23, San Benito

Drivers looking for low prices often turn to GasBuddy.com, which on Sunday listed the lowest Bay Area price at $4.25 a gallon at the Berryessa Road Safeway in San Jose.

In the city of Napa, gas prices listed by GasBuddy on Sunday ranged from $5.19 a gallon at Speedway stations on West Imola Avenue, Lincoln Avenue and the Silverado Trail to $5.69 at a Chevron on West Imola. The website also quoted a $5.89 price at a 76 station on Main Street in St. Helena, as well as a low of $4.85 at the Safeway on West American Canyon Road in American Canyon.

For more information, visit gasprices.aaa.com/top-trends/
KYIV, UKRAINE  The groom wore a helmet. The bride wore fatigues.

So did the priest and the wedding party with comrades in the Ukrainian defense forces who lined up for the marital procession carrying shoulder-fired rocket-propelled grenades and antitank missiles.

Others guests included Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, who wore a bulletproof vest and took a selfie with the bride, and a throng of journalists invited to watch the spectacle of a wedding next to a checkpoint in the midst of Russias war on Ukraine.

Despite the surreal nature of Lesya Filimonova and Valeriy Filimonovs marriage in the Ukrainian capital on Sunday, the moment in some ways offered a glimpse of normality amid the conflict. It showed, the mayor said, that life continues and the people live and their love helps the war.

Just over a week ago, the couple were normal people with no plans to carry weapons, he noted. Now, they want to defend our city together.

The wedding took place as Russian troops continue to press toward the capital. On Sunday, several civilians were killed in a mortar attack while trying to flee from the neighboring suburb of Irpin. With stores and businesses shuttered across the capital, civilians have joined the fight en masse. Many of them, like Filimonova and Filimonov, have joined the Territorial Defense Forces of citizen volunteers in the Ukrainian military.

Before the war, Filimonova worked as the head of a scout organization. Filimonov led an information technology company. They joined the force, Filimonova said, because here we have everything we love, and we have to defend it. We have no intention of giving it away to the enemy.

The wedding began, as they often do, with the bride walking down the aisle. In this case, the aisle was a small patch of grass off a busy road in Kyiv, next to a checkpoint and a parking garage where men and women in uniform rushed to arrange caviar and salmon hors doeuvres.

Filimonova was glowing in a simple veil clipped to her short hair, which she had curled for the occasion. Ukrainian musician Taras Kompanichenko, who plays the lira, a traditional folk instrument, provided live music. He was also wearing fatigues.

As Filimonova began to stroll down toward the makeshift arbor, marked by a Ukrainian flag erected in the ground, speakers blasted an instrumental version of Here Comes the Bride. On her sleeve was the yellow armband signaling she belongs to the Territorial Defense Forces.

It was the first time the couple had seen each other since the war began late last month. It is hard to call it unconditional happiness in this situation, but we surely feel uplifted, Filimonova said after.

The Rev. Dmytro Karan helped preside over the ceremony. His vestments and cross were draped over his military uniform. The couples 18-year-old daughter, Ruslana, was watching by video call.

The newlyweds each held a thin candle as Karan went through the rites, which included spreading incense and having the couple hold hands and walk in a circle together. When the Orthodox ceremony reached the moment at which a crown is traditionally held above the brides head, an attendee raised a military helmet above her instead.

As chaplain I cannot use any weapon. So Im left with my words and prayers, Karan said in an interview. My weapons are different, like liturgies, confessions, prayers or even wedding ceremonies like this one. He added, My duty is to be with soldiers who are fighting for our land and provide them with spiritual support.

Before the ceremony, Karan said, the couple made their confessions. They tried to purge their hearts and minds, he said. Indeed, they really wanted to get married.

Like any good wedding, the occasion also included gifts. One guest held a Philips electric kettle, a convenient present for a couple working in freezing conditions on the front line. On the box, he wrote a message denigrating Russian President Vladimir Putin. Another attendee gifted a pressure cooker.

The ceremony was also marked by a significant amount of patriotism. Shortly after the couple kissed, the crowd called out in unison, Glory to the family! Glory to the family! Glory to Ukraine! Glory to heroes! Glory to the nation! Death to the enemies! Ukraine above all!

Then flower petals began to waft down from a drone flying overhead, and the crowd burst into the national anthem. The guests held weapons in one hand and white roses in the other. One by one, they walked up to Filimonova to congratulate her, each handing her a flower until she was holding a full bouquet.
https://sputniknews.com/20220306/sbu-azov-battalion-preparing-provocation-with-possibility-radioactive-contamination-around-kharkov-1093642943.html

Ukrainian Nationalists Mined Reactor at Experimental Nuclear Facility in Kharkov, Russian MoD Says

Ukrainian Nationalists Mined Reactor at Experimental Nuclear Facility in Kharkov, Russian MoD Says

The Russian MoD stated that foreign journalists arrived in Kharkov on Sunday in advance to record the consequences of the Ukrainian radicals' provocation, in... 06.03.2022, Sputnik International

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The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), along with the Azov neo-nazi militants, are preparing a provocation with possible radioactive contamination of the area near the city of Kharkov, eastern Ukraine, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday.According to the ministry, the Ukrainian nationalists mined a reactor at an experimental nuclear facility at the Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology. The SBU and Azov battalion militants are planning to blow up the reactor and accuse the Russian military of a missile attack on the experimental nuclear facility.On Friday, Kiev attempted a provocation at the Zaporizhzhya NPP in the country's south, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, accusing Moscow of developing a source of radioactive contamination at the plant. The Russian military emphasized that a group of Russian soldiers was patrolling the area close to the station when a Ukrainian sabotage unit started firing from the windows of several stories of an educational and training complex located outside the NPP. As a result of the shootout, the Ukrainian saboteurs were forced to retreat, setting the building on fire before that.The fire was eventually put out, and the radiation level was determined to be normal.On Sunday, in a phone call with his French counterpart, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the Russian military "continue to ensure" the normal operation of the NPP together with "the Ukrainian security unit and personnel."The Russian forces are also controlling the Chernobyl nuclear site to prevent Ukrainian radicals from conducting sabotage at the nuclear facility.Notably, during Russia's military operation in war-torn Syria, the Ministry of Defense for years warned of provocations by terrorist groups and the so-called White Helmets using chemical agents to blame the Syrian government for them.Russia launched its military operation in the Eastern European country on February 24 after the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics requested assistance in defending themselves against Ukrainian forces. The goal of Russia's special operation is to demilitarize and denazify Ukraine, with only military assets being targeted, according to Russian authorities.Moscow has made it clear that it has no intention of occupying Ukraine. The purpose, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin, is to protect the people of Donbass, who have "who have been subjected to abuse, genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years."

https://sputniknews.com/20220225/russian-paratroopers-take-control-of-chernobyl-nuclear-power-plant-mod-says-1093358774.html

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Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday blasted world governments who have called on Pakistan to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine, insinuating they were treating his country like slaves.

Last week, 22 Islamabad-based diplomats released a joint letter calling on the Pakistani government to join the United Nations' resolution in condemning Russia's attack on Ukraine. Pakistan had abstained from voting on the resolution.

"What do you think of us? Are we your slaves ... that whatever you say, we will do?" Khan said during a political rally, according to Reuters.

"I want to ask the European Union ambassadors: Did you write such a letter to India?" Khan added, noting that Indian had also abstained from the vote.

In their letter, the diplomats, many of whom represent E.U. countries, wrote, "As heads of mission to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, we urge Pakistan to join us in condemning Russia's actions."

Just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an attack on Ukraine, Khan visited Moscow for a two-day state visit.

"We are friends with Russia, and we are also friends with America; we are friends with China and with Europe; we are not in any camp," Khan said.

The Pakistani leader said he planned on remaining neutral in the conflict and work with those who seek to end the war.
DPR Forces Urge Ukrainian Military to Discuss Humanitarian Corridor From Mariupol

MOSCOW, March 7 (Sputnik) - The Donetsk Peoples Republic (DPR) is ready to discuss the creation of a humanitarian corridor from Mariupol to Novoazovsk with the Ukrainian military, deputy commander of the DPR battalion Vostok Alexander Semyonov told Sputnik on Monday.

"Men, prove yourself as worthy warriors, don't hide behind women and children. Let them go. We are ready to enter into a direct dialogue with you and provide a safe corridor towards Novoazovsk," Semyonov said, referring to the Ukrainian military in Mariupol.

Since March 4, not a single refugee has left Mariupol through humanitarian corridors, but about 500 people have managed to escape from the city on their own, according to Semyonov.

Semyonov added that the safest route for evacuation from Mariupol is a Novoazovsk humanitarian corridor, because an exit towards Zaporizhzhia, proposed by the Ukrainian authorities, is dangerous due to fighting.
American hedge fund Third Point has cashed out of FTSE 250-listed Energean after soaring gas prices pushed shares close to record highs.

The aggressive investment house  which has grabbed headlines for its activist campaign at Shell  sold its remaining 9.8 per cent stake to other institutional shareholders for 170m.

It initially put 45m into the oil and gas company before its float in 2018. But a series of other share sales means the company, which is led by financier Daniel Loeb, has reaped around 275m from the investment.

Cashing out: American hedge fund Third Point has reaped around 275m from its investment in Energean

The exit from Energean comes as Third Point is targeting Shell and urging it to separate into two companies.

Loeb's group has said the British oil giant is trying to be 'all things to all people' by attempting to turn into a renewables group  though boss Ben van Beurden has vehemently opposed Third Point's calls.

Third Point sold Energean's stock for 1,010p  slightly lower than the Friday closing price. The hedge fund has left after gas prices have soared. Energean is due to launch its flagship Israeli gas project this year.

Shares closed at 1,039p on Friday and are hovering close to an all-time peak of 1,062p.

Energean is developing the Karish gas field off Israel, which was recently linked up to the country's gas network.

It produces oil and gas from other sites and has a presence in the North Sea.
A dispute Saturday between two groups in American Canyon turned physical, resulting in the arrest of a Richmond man on suspicion of assault, authorities reported.

At about 2:30 p.m., American Canyon Police officers were called to the first block of Eucalyptus Drive, where a verbal argument led to a physical fight in which a male was knocked to the ground, according to police Sgt. Chet Schneider.

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The argument initially involved two teenagers playing paintball, according to Sgt. Kyle Eddleman of the Napa County Sheriffs Office. It was not immediately clear how many people became involved in the resulting disturbance.

Afterward, officers detained 23-year-old Daniel Ruiz Jr., who Schneider said kicked a male in the head during the fight. Ruiz was booked into the Napa County jail for investigation of felony assault likely to cause great bodily injury, and was being held Sunday afternoon on $100,000 bail.
Thanks for reading todays coverage.

It has been a surreal few hours, watching a sitting Premier being berated by one of Australias top lawyers, Peter Gray SC, on the other side of the country.

Mark McGowans usual suavity took a battering in court today. Credit:Flavio Brancaleone/The Sydney Morning Herald

It is a significant contrast to Mark McGowans regular press conferences in WA, in which he runs rings around the press pack on matters of COVID.

During earlier evidence, Mr McGowans chest-beating over Western Australias COVID-19 record reared once again like muscle memory as he rattled off death and case numbers, but his cross-examination was a different story.

Huge moments and big decisions made during WAs pandemic journey in 2020 were scrutinised at a microscopic level.

The health advice the WA public took as gospel when it came to the hard borders at that time was shown to have undergone some degree of government interpretation.

But Mr McGowan was defiant that sticking by the hard border was the correct thing to do and that all the advice he received said it was an effective tool.

Frustratingly for him, he was given little opportunity to provide context for his decisions during cross-examination.

At a normal press conference he would launch into a spiel about how the health outcomes of Western Australians were better than anywhere else in the world in terms of COVID-19 and how the states economy was performing better.

Very little of this counts during this case, however.

A key pillar of Mr McGowans cross-claim is that Mr Palmer incorrectly labelled him a liar by telling the public the hard border was necessary.

Mr Palmers defence only needs to prove that Mr McGowan lied, on specific occasions, that the hard border was necessary because of health advice.

Ironically, a case of COVID-19 has now drawn out the trial by another day meaning Mr McGowan must stay in Sydney for longer.

With COVID-19 commentary out the way, the trial will move to the Balmoral South legislation that blocked any ability by Mr Palmer to seek billions in compensation from WA, which the state agreement his company signed with the state government could have theoretically allowed.

Were also expecting text messages between Mr Quigley and Mr McGowan in the lead-up to the legislation being introduced to be revealed to the court.

Tune in to WAtoday on Wednesday 6.30am WA time to read the rest of Mr McGowans evidence as well as WA Attorney-General John Quigleys. See you then.
Cook County prosecutors accused an 18-year-old man of fatally stabbing and robbing the bartender at a Hyde Park lounge as he walked home from the bar late last month.

Judge Kelly Marie McCarthy on Sunday denied bail for Keante McShan, who is accused of first-degree murder and armed robbery in the Feb. 25 death of Diego Damis, 41.

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Prosecutors indicated they had strong evidence tying McShan to the early morning slaying, including surveillance video that tracked his movements from the scene of the slaying to a nearby gas station and eventually to his home in the South Shore neighborhood. The actual stabbing was not captured on video, authorities said.

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After a surveillance operation that ended with McShans arrest on Friday, police served a search warrant that they used to recover clothing hed worn the night of the stabbing, as well as Damis wallet and bank card, prosecutors said during a bail hearing broadcast on YouTube.

On the same day as McShans arrest, Damis friends, family and co-workers gathered at The Cove lounge in Hyde Park to honor his memory, according to WGN-TV. Damis moved to Chicago from his native Italy in 2015 and was a popular member of the staff, according to news reports.

We just dont understand who did this to him and how you could do this to somebody, because youre not human, youre an animal. You deserve to be behind bars and thats what we want, is to find justice for him, Damis sister Claudia DAmico told the TV station.

Damis had just been paid in cash and was walking home from the bar when surveillance captured McShan starting to follow him a short distance from the scene of the attack in the 4900 block of South Greenwood Avenue, authorities said. Around 4:50 a.m., Damis suffered multiple stab wounds and collapsed on the street, authorities said.

Prior to the attack, surveillance also captured McShan checking the area for unlocked car doors, authorities said.

The emotions of finding out that (police) found someone, its a relief for the most part, Cove co-manager Sonnie Kireta told the Tribune on Sunday. While prosecutors said Damis was at work the night he was killed, Kireta said that Damis was off work that evening, but often came in on his off nights. Damis was a seven-year regular at the bar before starting work there just over 18 months, according to Kireta.

But even on his off nights, Damis still helped out around the bar known for its colorful assortment of neighborhood regulars and pop-ins. Diego was the greatest guy, said Kireta, who set up a Gofundme for Damis family. Its cliche, but he was there for anyone who needed a shoulder or a hand, for sure.

McShan is a young father with an eighth grade education who suffers from depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and anxiety disorders, according to his court-appointed attorney. He was also wanted for an active juvenile arrest warrant for aggravated vehicular hijacking at the time.

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Assistant Public Defender Kyle Morrison asked the judge to deny the states request for no bail, saying no DNA evidence tied his client to the slaying. But the judge found that McShan was a threat to the community.

McShan will return to court later this week.
A Ukrainian woman living in Cork who wanted to go back to her homeland to fight against the Russian invasion says she is exhausted from receiving calls from relatives saying goodbye before they go to war.

Irene Roytenko has been living in Cork since 2003 and led a group of other Ukrainians, Polish, and Romanians on Saturday to load aid for her home country, in Dripsey.

The aid has been organised by Haiti Orphanage Project Espwa. The organisation has previously sent aid to Haiti, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, and Belarus.

Ms Roytenko, who lives in Donoughmore, said her brother, who is her only sibling, went to fight on the first day of the invasion on February 24.

She says he makes contact with their parents briefly each morning to let them know he is safe.

It has consumed my time completely and my personal plans went on hold. I cant look at the people who are enjoying their life because I am not enjoying mine anymore, Ms Roytenko said.

She has not been able to go home since November 2018 because of small children and the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

She fears that if the current war is a long conflict, she may not be able to see her family for a long time; she says she has to keep going for her young children.

I felt really helpless for a few days and I had a thought in my mind to go to Ukraine and fight for my country.

But she realised she could not because her young children needed her and her husband at home.

I wanted to do something practical to help and I started raising money and doing this cause for the packing of the humanitarian aid. It makes a difference and makes me feel better about it, she said.

She is constantly in touch with family and extended relatives.

My cousin volunteered two days ago and I have more cousins to follow. It is very upsetting when they ring to say goodbye before they go.

"I am receiving their calls all the time. It is horrific and feels very unfair and very frustrating.

Her father is 60 and is not able to fight in the war because he is above the age limit.

And she says her parents will not leave their hometown of Uman because they do not want to leave Ukraine while their son is there fighting.

She describes the war as unnecessary and unprovoked.

Paul Desmond, Lilya Ivaslchuk, Onari Covaci, Irene Roytenko, Eileen Buckley, Anna Straczek, and Kieran Tansey loading containers in Dripsey. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Kieran Tansey, who is treasurer of Project Espwa, said: We are not appealing for any goods to be donated as we have at least enough of the required humanitarian aid to send three or four trailer loads.

"What we need are donations and we are appealing to the public to donate to our charity via the Donate link on our website www.4haiti.ie where the funds raised will be used exclusively for our Ukrainian Emergency Appeal.

Meanwhile, five ambulance loads of medical equipment have been flown this weekend to Ukraine from Dublin airport after a collection by Medical Help Ukraine.
A judge ordered a $1 million cash bail on Sunday for a South Side man accused of opening fire on two Chicago police officers and wounding both after his handgun fell to ground in front of one of the officers.

Kailon Harris-Caldwell was absent from his bail hearing Sunday at the Leighton Criminal Court Building, having been hospitalized for back pain after his arrest, authorities said.

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Harris-Caldwell, 24, of Chicagos Burnside neighborhood, faces two counts of attempted murder of a police officer after he allegedly shot two uniformed officers after an encounter outside the Original Maxwell Street hot dog stand in the 3800 block of West Harrison Street early Friday.

Prosecutors sought a petition denying bail for Harris Caldwell, but Judge Kelly Marie McCarthy left the question for a judge at a future court hearing, citing the state law that criminal defendants must be present at hearings where bail is denied.

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During the hearing broadcast on YouTube, prosecutors echoed the narrative of the shooting as first given by police Superintendent David Brown, saying that Harris-Caldwell dropped a handgun with an extended magazine while he was standing in line in front of one of the officers.

After picking up the weapon, he quickly fired at that officer, grazing him in the head, according to Assistant States Attorney Michelle Papa. As he ran from the scene, Harris-Caldwell fired on the second officer, who was seated in his police vehicle, striking him in the leg, Papa said.

The wounded officers gave dispatchers a description of the gunman, and Harris-Caldwell was arrested a short time later hiding under a truck in a commercial lot nearby, authorities said. In addition to the handgun, police recovered six bags of suspected cannabis and 26 bags of suspected heroin, according to Papa.

The grazed officer received six staples to his head and was released later that day. The second officer suffered nerve damage to his right leg and was released from the hospital Saturday night, Papa said.

Surveillance video captured the shooting, as well as the gunmans path of flight, authorities said. Police matched the fired bullet casings with the gun recovered near Harris-Caldwell and noted that he was wearing the same clothing as the gunman captured on video, Papa added.

Caldwell-Harris would have to pay the full $1 million to be released. His case was scheduled to return to court on Wednesday.
The Pakistani government and the opposition led by Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman have exuded confidence over their success of the no-confidence motion lined against Prime Minister Imran Khan. Pakistan media reports say both sides are confident of enjoying the support of more Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) than the other in case a no-confidence motion is tabled.News International reported that Imran Khan is also confident that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has sufficient numbers in the national assembly. Talking to party members in the national assembly on Saturday, Imran Khan said that the opposition should go ahead with its plan of a no-confidence motion as all coalition partners were with him. Riaz Fatyana, Nasrullah Dareshik and Federal ministers were also the ones who met him on Saturday.On other hand, key leaders of the opposition, former President Asif Ali Zardari, Maulana Fazlur Rehman and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif have accelerated their consultations on bringing a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan and requisitioning a National Assembly session. According to the reports, Fazlur Rehman also took Asif Zardari into confidence over his talks with Nawaz Sharif. Rehman after having the phone conversation with former President Asif Ali Zardari and with former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday, all three become satisfied that they would be able to overthrow the government in a no-confidence motion, the report said. Meanwhile, the Opposition leader in the Senate Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and Syed Khursheed Shah are expected to meet the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) president Shehbaz Sharif in Lahore on Sunday, the report said citing sources.The development comes amid the growing voices against the Imran Khan regime over misgovernance and economic mismanagement. On the following day, to distract the public anger against his government, Imran Khan announced a number of relief measures, including a reduction in fuel prices and power tariffs by Rs 10 and Rs 5 respectively. (ANI)
Eight Russian aircraft have been destroyed in just 24 hours  including one flown by a pilot who Ukraine claim was feted by Putin for his sorties over Syria.

The remarkable tally, in such a short period of time, offers further evidence of Russias military campaign going badly wrong.

The losses of strike jets and helicopter gunships will infuriate Putin, who assumed his air force would achieve superiority on the first day of the war.

Eight Russian aircraft have been destroyed in just 24 hours  including one flown by a pilot, Major Krasnoyarsk (pictured), who Ukraine claim was feted by Putin for his sorties over Syria

The pilots were filmed pleading they were 'following orders' as they were captured

The burning wreckage of a Russian Su-30 which crashed into a field in Ukraine on Saturday

Footage shared online shows a pilot, reportedly from a downed helicopter, wearing an orange jumpsuit as he gets on his knees with his hands behind his head as his capture questions him

Instead, his aircraft are proving vulnerable to Ukrainian defences, including the S-300 ground-to-air missile system and shoulder-fired rocket launchers donated by Britain and other Nato members.

Footage shows Russian pilots and navigators who survived the skirmishes telling their captors at gunpoint: We were just following orders. The release of the videos appears to breach the Geneva Convention which prohibits using prisoners of war for propaganda purposes.

In one, Ukraine claimed to have shot down a Russian SU-34 jet flying over the same region.

It was said to have been piloted by an officer who, according to Ukrainian sources, took part in illegal Russian military operations in Syria in 2016. He was shown in a bloodstained shirt with a bandage wrapped around his head.

An image also appeared online of the pilot apparently posing alongside Putin and Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.

Another video showed a bleeding Russian pilot propped up against the wall of an agricultural building.

Major Krasnoyarsk (far right), a Russian pilot shot down and captured by the Ukrainians, previously participated in the Russian aerial bombardment in Syria which killed many civilians

Its thought he ejected from his aircraft moments before it crashed and burst into flames. He suffered a head injury and appeared concussed.

In another incident, a Russian pilot was filmed kneeling in a field with his hands behind his head. He was wearing an orange jumpsuit and had parachuted out of his SU-30SM multi-role aircraft.

According to local reports it was downed by a missile from a S-300 over the Mikolayiv region of eastern Ukraine, around 40 miles from Kherson. He gave his name and told his captors he was a flight commander with Russian military unit 59882 flying out of the Black Sea Fleet base in Crimea  the peninsula illegally seized by Russia in its invasion of 2014.

Another pilot, also dressed in an orange jumpsuit and thought to be his colleague, was taken away by Ukrainian soldiers

Western officials fear the loss of more Russian jets and helicopters will persuade Putin to rely even more heavily on artillery, rather than aircraft, to bomb Ukrainian cities.

As artillery is often less accurate than ordnance released from aircraft, this could lead to more civilian lives being lost.

Russia has so far declined to use most of its estimated 300 fixed wing combat aircraft in the war. This is partly due to Russias failure to destroy Ukrainian ground-to-air missile systems.

Experts also believe Putins air force is running low on stocks of rockets after years of bombing missions in Syria.
Julia Fox made another bold fashion statement as she attended the Film Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica on Sunday.

The former girlfriend of Kanye West, 32, ensured all eyes would be on her in an edgy black dress that featured a bra top and cut out over her hip.

The Uncut Gems actress was looking as fierce as ever in her signature heavy eye makeup while she modelled a silver snake bracelet on her arm.

If you've got it! Julia Fox put on an edgy display at the Film Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica on Sunday in a bold black dress

With its off the shoulder design and hip cut out, the bold black dress ensured it showcased Julia's incredible body.

Her glossy brunette hair was styled into a center part and cascaded down sleek and straight.

She finished off the glam with a fresh slick of baby pink lip gloss.

Julia also shared the spotlight with her friend A'Ziah King, whose viral Twitter thread about a trip to Florida served as the inspiration behind the black comedy film Zola.

Working it! With its off the shoulder design and hip cut out, the bold black dress did little to hide Julia's fab body

Sexy: The off-the-shoulder black dress showed off Julia's black bra

A'Ziah wowed on the blue carpet in a plunging black dress with thigh-high slit.

A'Ziah's film, Zola, has landed the most nominations out of any film at the Spirit Awards with a total of seven nods.

Zola has been nominated for Best Feature, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Best Female Lead for Taylour Paige as well as Best Supporting Male for Colman Domingo.

Hello gorgeous: The star was looking as fierce as ever with a winged slick of black eyeshadow bringing out her blue eyes and a silver snake bracelet worn on her arm

Strike a pose! Julia shared the spotlight with her friend A'Ziah King, whose viral Twitter thread about a trip to Florida served as the inspiration behind the black comedy film Zola

The movie stars Elvis' granddaughter Riley Keough, a Hollywood veteran already. Her mother is Lisa Marie Presley. Also in the cast is Nicholas Braun.

The 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards were handed out during IFC's telecast.

Usually, the Film Independent Spirit Awards air the day before the Oscars.

Star-studded: The 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards will be handed out on Sunday, March 6 during IFC's telecast

Famous friends: Fox propelled to stardom after striking up a romance with her now-ex, Kanye West

Mingling! Fox rubbed elbows as she took a seat inside the packed party

Good times: Fox looked to be having the time of her life at the event

But this year, the Oscars will take place on Sunday, March 27, 2022.

The awards, which are returning in-person in 2022 after going virtual due to COVID in 2021, highlight and celebrate movies that are, for the most part, produced and conceived outside of the Hollywood mainstream.

In order to qualify, eligible films have to have budgets of less than $22.5 million.

Three's company! Fox, King, and Janicza Bravo attended the Film Independent Spirit Awards at the after-party held at The Victorian

Working it! Fox fought off a chill in a leather motorcycle inspired jacket

Making her exit: Fox was seen leaving the party

If the shoe fits! The star hovered her boot-clad leg above the ground

Famous fling: Julia's fame reached new heights last week when she started dating Kanye West (pictured in January). They split six weeks later
Lily James continued what is fast becoming a recurring them on Sunday evening as she stepped out in another revealing outfit, this time for the Film Independent Spirit Awards.

The former Downton Abbey actress, 32, wowed in a busty dramatic puff sleeve top while attending the Los Angeles event on Sunday - a far cry from her demure red carpet displays of old.

Fashion conscious Lily has previously opted for conventional gowns and dainty, vintage inspired dresses while promoting her growing list of film and TV credits.

But a starring role as busty Baywatch siren Pamela Anderson in recent series Pam & Tommy - a dramatisation of her controversial sex tape and its subsequent online leak - has coincided with a racy new public image.

Looking good: Lily James continued what is fast becoming a recurring them on Sunday as she stepped out in another revealing outfit, this time for the Film Independent Spirit Awards

Taking centre stage at Sunday's awards show, Lily inevitably caught the eye by revealing her abs in the baby pink balconette bra style top.

She slipped into a pair of high waisted wide legged black trousers and added some chunky soled heels to elevate her height.

The actress opted for a soft makeup palette with a subtle flick of brown eyeliner and a matte nude lipstick.

She wore her brunette locks loose in a sleek blow dry with a caramel highlights through the ends as she tucked it behind her ears.

Show stopping: The actress showcased her sophisticated sense of style in the fashion forward ensemble as she posed for photos on the blue carpet in Los Angeles

Stunning: She displayed her taut abs in the baby pink cropped number that featured a balconette bra style top with jewel embellished off the shoulder sleeves

Incredible: To accessorise, she donned a delicate pair of pair of diamond encrusted hoop earrings with drop detailing

All change: Lily's latest red carpet displays are a start contrast to the demure public appearances she made before starring in raunchy new series Pam & Tommy

Racy: Lily exposed her cleavage while attending the Versace catwalk show during Milan Fashion Week in February

Lily posed up a storm for the event which is dedicated to independent filmmakers, with this year marking its 37th anniversary.

Their website states: 'Each year, the Spirit Awards brings together top talent from throughout the world of film and television.

'In addition to traditional categories such as Best Feature and Best Director, the Spirit Awards features a number of unique honors such as Best First Screenplay and the John Cassavetes Award (best feature under $500,000).'

Old school glamour: The actress wore a billowing conventional gown for the premiere of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again in 2018 (left), while a dainty '20s style dress stole the show at the Yesterday premiere in 2019 (right)

Finishing touches: Lily wore her brunette locks loose in a sleek blow dry with a caramel highlights through the ends as she tucked it behind her ears

Awards: Their website states: 'Each year, the Spirit Awards brings together top talent from throughout the world of film and television'

They continued: 'In addition to traditional categories such as Best Feature and Best Director, the Spirit Awards features a number of unique honors such as Best First Screenplay'

Ceremony: Presenters for 2022 include Lily, Dianna Agron, Javier Bardem, Rosario Dawson, Andrew Garfield, Regina Hall, Sweeney, Taika Waititi and more

Presenters for 2022 include Lily, Dianna Agron, Javier Bardem, Rosario Dawson, Andrew Garfield, Regina Hall, Sweeney, Taika Waititi and more.

As Ava DuVernay, Jessica Chastain, Ang Lee and Shaka King are notable talent that have all been honorary chairs for the ceremony.

The awards, which are returning in-person in 2022 after going virtual due to COVID in 2021, highlight and celebrate movies that are, for the most part, produced and conceived outside of the Hollywood mainstream.

All smiles! Lily was beaming as she took to the stage to present an award at the ceremony

The winner is? The awards highlight and celebrate movies that are produced and conceived outside of the Hollywood mainstream

Role: The series finale of Lily's most recent project Pam and Tommy will air in the coming days

The series finale of Lily's most recent project Pam and Tommy will air in the coming days.

The much-anticipated series has been streaming on Hulu in the US and Disney+ in Europe, with the actress taking on the role of the iconic actress Pamela.

The star appears opposite Sebastian Stan, who plays rock star Tommy, in the series, which follows the theft of the couple's sex tape from the safe in their basement of their Malibu home in 1995.

Transformation: The much-anticipated series has been streaming on Hulu in the US and Disney+ in Europe, with the actress taking on the role of the iconic actress Pamela
The Russian army, instead of ensuring humanitarian corridors, can only make bloody ones.

This was stated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky in a video address to the nation on March 6, Ukrinform reports.

"There was a lot of talk about humanitarian corridors. Every day they talked about the opportunity for people to get out of the cities where Russia moved in, the Russian military. I am grateful to every Ukrainian and everyone who stays around to defend our cities, our freedom. But I also know that there are people who really need to flee, who can't stay, and we heard the promise that there will be humanitarian corridors. There are none! Instead of humanitarian corridors, they can only ensure bloody ones," Zelensky stressed.

He reminded that today in Irpin, Russian troops killed a family - a father, a mother, and their two children.

"Right on the street, like in a shooting range, as they were just trying to get out of the city to escape. The whole family! How many such families died in Ukraine?! We shall not forgive! We shall not forget! We will punish anyone who committed atrocities in this war, We will find every bastard who shot at our cities, at our people, who bombed our land, who launched rockets, who gave orders and pressed launch - you will have no safe place on this earth except the grave," the head of the Ukrainian state emphasized.

As reported, on March 6, the Russian military opened fire on civilians who were trying to evacuate from Irpin.

Despite the shelling and capture of Irpin by the enemy, the police and military took 200 people out of the combat zone, including 50 children. The evacuation was carried out near the village of Romanivka under enemy mortar fire.

The war with Russian invaders has been going on in Ukraine since February 24.
Two men charged with burgling a house in a case where the stolen goods were found stashed at a cemetery have appeared again at Cork District Court  one by video link from prison and the other in person.

Sergeant Pat Lyons said the case only dated back to January and that directions were not available from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Judge Olann Kelleher remanded Martin Hurley in custody for two weeks.

He remanded Christopher Nagle on continuing High Court bail for five weeks.

It was previously alleged that a locator application on a stolen Apple iPod was activated and it was possible to establish that the electrical item and other stolen property were at Shandon Park  where there is a cemetery.

This area was searched by gardai and the stolen property was found concealed behind a headstone.

These were the allegations made at Cork District Court when the two men first appeared.

It was alleged that the two men were identified on CCTV and later located at 190 Farranferris Avenue, Farranree, Cork. This address is the home of one of the accused men  49-year-old Martin Hurley. His co-accused is Christopher Nagle of Ard Aoibhinn, Banduff Road, Cork.
The first video in a series from Virginia health officials targeting the 1.6 million Virginians who have not been vaccinated features Sophie Chafin Vance, the daughter of a state senator who died of COVID-19.

We are constantly reliving that loss as the pandemic continues, Vance says, sitting near a tractor on her familys farm in Lebanon, a town in Russell County. I didnt think twice walking in those doors and getting that vaccine. I wanted to live, says Vance, whose father, state Sen. Ben Chafin, R-Russell, died in Richmond on Jan. 1, 2021.

Thats ultimately what it comes down to. Do you want to live?

The emotional video, which will launch next week, is the first in a series that will tap what state officials call trusted voices to move unvaccinated and unboosted Virginians to action. It is the primary focus of the new COVID-19 action plan from Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who is trying to increase the states vaccination rates while taking aim at any form of requirement.

Amid the uncertainty of a new COVID-19 variant, vaccines present a clear path to minimizing spread, severe cases and strain on hospitals. Politically, they could also help keep the state running without the kinds of restrictions and mandates Youngkin has heavily criticized and vowed to refrain from.

People living in rural areas across the state are less likely to be vaccinated and boosted, with particularly low rates in Southwest Virginia, state data shows. Among the states racial and ethnic groups, Black Virginians are least likely to be vaccinated at 58%, followed by white Virginians at 61%.

Men, particularly between the ages of 18 and 34, are also less likely to be vaccinated. Less than half of kids and teens under 18 are vaccinated; for children between ages 5 and 11, the vaccination rate is just over a third.

Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources John Littel said in an interview that addressing vaccine hesitancy has become the top priority for state officials to address COVID-19.

We now have a good handle on testing and treatment, so the focus is now on vaccines, because thats going to be critical for us, said Littel of the potential for another variant.

Then-Gov. Ralph Northams administration had been engaged in vaccine outreach since doses reached Virginia. The Youngkin administrations plan offers a look into the strategy of a GOP governor whose base of support includes many people skeptical about the safety of the vaccine and resistant to mandates.

Youngkin appeared in a public service announcement urging Virginians to get the shots. The video titled, Lets Tackle COVID-19 Together, shows a fleece-vested Youngkin casually walking around a diner, talking to patrons while pouring coffee.

I wont mandate it, but my family and I made the choice to get vaccinated, Youngkin says to the camera. The vaccine is the best way to protect our lives and loved ones.

Christy Gray, the states vaccine coordinator at the Virginia Department of Health, said the states strategy now revolves around pinpointing trusted voices to get at the reasons why someone is yet to be vaccinated and to nudge them toward the vaccine. Vaccine hesitancy, she said, is defined as having access but choosing against the shot.

The state is using information from marketing research conducted by Reingold Communications to craft videos, like the one featuring Vance, targeting people who havent gotten vaccinated.

This idea of trusted messengers isnt a new concept for us but its something that we are extending and targeting, Gray said. Were trying to have these stories that would have happened down the road from you  and just really brings it home and makes it real.

The state has an ongoing $1.5 million partnership with four historically Black colleges and universities  Virginia State University, Virginia Union University, Norfolk State University and Hampton University  to fund outreach to their campus populations and the communities they interact with.

Through funding it received from the federal government, the administration said it is running marketing campaigns in Spanish, and awarding grants to religious organizations hosting vaccination events.

Before Youngkin took office in January, the state in December awarded grants of up to $20,000 to 20 congregations across 13 health districts, including predominantly Black churches and rural churches. In late spring, the state will start taking applications to award 50 more grants to religious organizations to help with vaccination messaging.

Some of the lowest vaccination rates in Virginia and across the nation are found among children. Littel said parents of children under 18 present an opportunity to increase vaccine uptake.

Just under 50% of children and teens ages 5 to 17 have been vaccinated, compared with 82% for people over the age of 18. COVID-19 policies around children, most recently mask mandates, have resulted in heated backlash from some parents and conservatives.

To help with vaccinations among children and teens, the state is asking local health districts to partner with schools to host virtual town halls about vaccines where parents can get information and ask questions. A spokesman for VDH said the tele-town halls for schools are in the early planning stages, and that six school divisions have expressed interest in hosting them.

We want schools, who are trusted by the parents, to be sharing this information. We do find that schools that provide vaccine information or education to parents have higher vaccination rates than schools that dont, Gray said.

It is a way to make sure that parents are getting their information from a trusted and accredited source to be able to make the best decision for their family.
US, Poland in Discussion to Provide Ukraine With Fighter Jets, Biden Admin Says

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed on Sunday that Washington is discussing with Warsaw a proposal that would allow Ukraine to obtain warplanes from Poland to defend its skies from Russian assault.

Under the proposed three-way deal, Poland would provide Ukraine with its aging Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter jets and in return, have its hangars refilled by the United States with American-made F-16s.

The Polish Air Force, which has been retiring MiG-29s and purchasing F-16s since early 2000s in an effort to modernize its arsenal and reduce its reliance on Russian equipment, currently operates both types of aircraft.

We are looking actively now at the question of airplanes that Poland may provide to Ukraine and looking at how we might be able to backfill should Poland decided to use thoseto supply those planes, said Blinken during a press conference with Moldovan President Maia Sandu. I cant speak to a timeline, but I can just tell you were looking at it very, very actively.

Blinken added that Washington has provided over a billion dollars in security assistance to Kyiv over the past year, and is working with Ukrainian officials to get an up-to-the-minute assessment of their needs.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L) poses with Moldovan President Maia Sandu at The Presidential Palace in Chisinau, on March 6, 2022. (Oliver Douliery/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

Blinkens remarks come days after mixed messages from Europe, including the suggestion that members of the European Union, particularly those that were part of the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War, would transfer to Ukraine Soviet-era jets Ukrainian pilots know how to fly.

[Ukrainian Foreign] Minister Kuleba has been asking us that they need the kind of fighter jets that the Ukrainian army is able to operate. And we know what kind of planes, and some member states have these kind of planes, Josep Borrell, the EUs top representative for foreign affairs, said at a Feb. 27 press conference, in what appeared to be a reference to former Eastern Bloc countries such as Poland.

Shortly after the conference, The Ukrainian parliament alleged that three EU members responded to the call and pledged to donate their Russian-made jets, including 28 MiG-29s from Poland, 12 from Slovakia, and 16 from Bulgaria, as well as 14 Sukhoi Su-25s from Bulgaria. Defense officials of Bulgaria and Slovakia have since clarified that they were not planning to make such a donation.

In a March 1 appearance at a NATO air base in ask, Poland, Polish President Andrzej Duda was specifically asked whether the MiGs had been delivered to Ukraine. Duda responded that NATO would not move planes into Ukrainian airspace.

We are not sending any jets to Ukraine because that would open a military interference in the Ukrainian conflict, he said. We are not joining that conflict. NATO is not a party to that conflict.
He had also said that there was nothing called Hindu religion and had asked the Christian faithfuls to beat up anyone who says that Hinduism was a religion.

Hindu Makkal Katchi, a fringe Hindu group on its Twitter post said, "Mayor Of Chennai is a member of 'Ottery ECI Church'. She went to meet 'Bishop Ezra' to receive his blessings. Now, any doubt on Gopalapuram connection - Crypto. This is a total injustice to Dalit community."

The controversial Bishop Ezra Sargunam had also come out strongly against Prime minister Narendra Modi in an earlier speech in 2020.

When contacted a senior leader of the BJP said, "We are studying the matter and will comment on the same."

Chennai Mayor R. Priya was not available for comments even after repeated calls. DMK leaders also refrained from commenting on the matter.

--IANS aal/skp/

( 201 Words)

2022-03-06-21:32:03 (IANS)
The Bantry-West Cork area's newest councillor said she hopes to revitalise her area and party as she listed accessible housing among her top priorities.

Caroline Cronin O'Driscoll from Ballydehob will be replacing Fine Gael Councillor, Katie Murphy who previously served the area.

Ms Cronin O'Driscoll is already well-known in the locality running a fish and chip trailer with the help of her fisherman husband Sean and their daughters.

The mum-of-three said she enjoys the sociable element of running a business.

"I love what I do as I get to meet my customers and serve them something Im so proud of, she said.

I am passionate about my community and I care about everybody living in it. I have always loved helping people both young and old, no matter how big or small the problem is, Im always willing to help.

The entrepreneur described what she feels will set her apart in politics.

"I intend to be a strong, effective and a hard-working voice in dealing with the issues that matter to everyone in this area. My intention is to work hard on the need for social housing, serviced sites and affordable housing schemes.

Caroline explained why she is so passionate about housing.

"Housing really is my priority, having been there myself trying to start out with a young family 20 years ago.

"Myself and Sean struck gold the day we got a letter form Dail Eireann written by the late & great Paddy Sheehan (former TD) congratulating us on being awarded a serviced site in Schull where we built our happy home with the help of my brothers and weve been there ever since.

"I would love to see this happening in every town and every village of the three peninsulas to help young families in the area get on the property ladder, and have security for their future."

She promised to do her constituency proud adding: "I want to go forward on a positive note and represent Fine Gael to the very best of my ability. I can guarantee I will listen to all issues brought to my attention and do everything I can to help. Im new to Fine Gael, Im young and I have good ideas on how to revitalise both the area and the party."
The ministry said that Russia made another attempt to evacuate civilians from Mariupol on Sunday.

"Russia created all conditions for setting up a humanitarian corridor. We have to conclude that the Ukrainian side did not fulfill its obligations," the ministry was quoted as saying by Sputnik news agency.

The United Nations regards humanitarian corridors to be one of the key forms of a temporary pause of armed conflict.

Russia and Ukraine had agreed to organize humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians in the second round of talks in Belarus on March 4.

Russia maintained that the Ukrainian forces prevented people from leaving the city on Saturday, while the Ukrainian authorities blamed the delay on Russian forces violating the ceasefire that was agreed upon. (ANI)
A Russian governor in Siberia was confronted by angry citizens who accused the government of "deceiving" young men before deploying them as "cannon fodder" in Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Amateur footage of the testy exchange at a meeting between Sergei Tsivilyov, governor of the Kemerovo region, and locals in the city of Novokuznetsk was posted online as early as March 5.

The website of Tsivilyov's administration makes no mention of the meeting, and his office did not respond to a request for comment. But an analysis by RFE/RL reveals that the confrontation took place at the training base of riot police units, whose officers were killed or captured in combat in Ukraine after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion on February 24.

The meeting in a gymnasium at the base for OMON riot police in Novokuznetsk comes amid the Kremlin's rapidly escalating efforts to control information about its war in Ukraine, including a fast-tracked law that allows for up to 15 years in prison for those convicted of spreading "false news" about the Russian military.

As Tsivilyov addressed the gathering, a woman yelled that everyone was "deceived" about the deployments to Ukraine.

"No one has lied to anyone," Tsivilyov replied.

Another woman in the audience responded: "They were sent as cannon fodder."

As tensions escalated during the discussion, a woman in the audience asked where Governor Tsivilyov's son was.

"My son is studying at a university," he answered.

The general staff of the Ukrainian armed forces said on March 6 that more than 11,000 Russian troops had been killed since Moscow's invasion, which has triggered an unprecedented wave of sanctions targeting the Russian economy and political elite.

The number of dead could not be independently corroborated. The Russian Defense Ministry has released little information about its casualties. In its most recent account, it said on March 2 that 498 of its soldiers have died since the start of the war.

Riot Police Casualties

RFE/RL was unable to independently confirm who was in the audience in the Novokuznetsk meeting with Tsivilyov, or the exact date of the meeting. But comparing the footage with two separate YouTube videos -- including one posted on the official account of the regional branch of Russia's National Guard -- shows clearly that the meeting was held in the gymnasium at the OMON base in the city.

Members of Novokuznetsk OMON units were among the Russian fighters killed or captured by Ukrainian forces in Bucha, a city some 20 kilometers outside Kyiv, on February 28. Footage from the aftermath of the battle shows OMON gear among dead bodies and the wreckage of Russian military vehicles.

Battle footage also shows gear marked as belonging to the Russian National Guard's special rapid-reaction unit (SOBR) from Tsivilyov's region, which is also known as the Kuzbass.

At least two Russian prisoners of war in Ukraine have identified themselves as officers of the Novokuznetsk OMON, though RFE/RL could not confirm what kind of duress they may have been subjected to prior to giving testimony to Ukrainian forces.

One of the prisoners said he and his fellow fighters were told in early February that they were being sent away for a training exercise and ultimately ended up in Belarus before learning they would be invading Ukraine.

His account corresponds to that given to RFE/RL's Russian Service by the friend of another Novokuznetsk OMON officer who went missing in Ukraine.

"They told everyone that they were being sent for a training exercise in Belarus," the friend said on condition of anonymity, citing fears of facing treason charges. "The last time I talked to him was on the eve of the invasion. He sent me a video saying they'd forced them to take the plates of their vehicles and turn over their phones. That's the last I heard from him."

The friend cited survivors of the battle as saying that the Novokuznetsk OMON officer who'd sent the video had died on "that bridge" -- likely a reference to a bridge destroyed in the Bucha battle.

"The commanders are silent and don't say anything. And the guys don't like to talk much either if they call their loved ones, because it's a state secret and no one wants to go to jail," the friend said.

"Everyone is scared, and nobody understands anything."

'You Mean When Everyone Dies?'

Tsivilyov told the audience at the Novokuznetsk gymnasium that the Russian government has rightly kept details about its invasion of Ukraine -- which the Kremlin insists on calling a "special military operation" and falsely claims has not targeted civilian infrastructure -- tightly under wraps.

Live Briefing: Russia Invades Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, Russian protests, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

Told by members of the audience that "our boys" were unprepared to carry out an invasion and "didn't know their objective," Tsivilyov said:

"Look, you can shout and blame everyone right now, but I think that, while a military operation is in process, one shouldn't make any conclusions."

"We shouldn't criticize. When it ends, and it will end soon," Tsivilyov added before a woman interjected: "[You mean] when everyone dies?"

In an apparent effort to ease the audience's concerns, Tsivilyov likened the Kremlin's approach to the Ukraine invasion to the Soviet Union's bloody 1979-1989 war in Afghanistan that helped set the stage for the Soviet collapse.

"It was officially stated that we had declared war, and the first who entered Afghanistan didn't know where they were going," Tsivilyov said. "They found out when they already entered.

"By the way, there are still guys alive from that group," he added about the war that Soviet officials reckoned killed an estimated 15,000 Soviet troops and millions of Afghans.

With reporting by Siberia.Realities, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, and Mark Krutov of RFE/RL's Russian Service
History repeats itself is one of the saddest comments ever made. Unfortunately, mankind has not been able to render it wrong.

On a schedule of recurrence, the manhole covers roll back every century and out crawls a new batch of dictators, wannabes, power merchants, gangsters, con artists and just plain scumbuckets. They make wars, mass starvations and dislocations that take thousands, if not untold millions, of lives. We have a full deck of these disturbers of the peace to deal with now, just when every skill and intelligence is needed to save this wonderful blue planet.

Russias invasion of Ukraine is a throwback to Stalin, when a young KGB spy named Putin believed in Stalins empire!

After World War II, the Allies divided up Europe in 1945 with the western half of Germany going to the U.S., Britain and France, the eastern half to Russia as far as the Elbe River. Russian armies had liberated Berlin, but they finally agreed Berlin would be divided four ways.

Russia was given administrative control of Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungry, Romania, Bulgaria and a group small northern countries (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) as well as Ukraine. Few remember that 3.9 million Ukrainians were starved or killed for refusing to have their farms forced into collectives (1932 and 1933).

Act 1. Russia was embarrassed by the example of a free Western Berlin growing prosperous under a free society. The Russians decided to cut off the Allies by stopping food transported by truck or rail into Berlins western zone. President Truman created the Berlin Airlift to carry food and supplies for two years.

Outsmarted, Russia built a wall to separate East from West; it came down in 1989. Putin, a young KGB spy, barely escaped in the collapse of East Germany; he has never forgotten.

Act 2. Defeat of the Russian Army in Afghanistan took nine years with U.S.-supplied mujahedeen. Not forgotten.

Act 3. As of the date of this writing, the success of an invasion of Ukraine mirrors Hitlers Blitzkrieg on Poland in 1939. Russia has upgraded its forces, weapons and skills in the use of propaganda since the Cold War of 1947 to 1989.

When I was an engineer terrain intelligence officer from 1953 to 1955, we worked under the constant threat of invasion by divisions of modern Russian tanks and soldiers that kept the Allied Command always in a state of alert. Intelligence of massed Russian divisions were at the major entry into West Germany, the Fulda Gap! In 1953 and 1954, we had the only the 2nd Armored Division to stop or slow down the Russians!

World War III? Countries gathered under the Soviet Union at the end of WWII and now in NATO drive Putin crazy. Did Putin misread the U.S. senator who spent over 14 years stopping a functioning Congress, help elect an admirer of dictators and allow Trump to unleash a barrage of conspiracy theories, hatred and white nationalism that devoured the world?

Its no wonder that Trump deserted his country with Putin in Helsinki. Putin, by encouraging our far right, which is torn between wanting a theocracy, or government by greedy loyalty, or bands of militias roaming our streets, hopes to shred our fragile democracy.

Whatever the outcome, it spells trouble for our polarized country by disrupting the free world  and most tragically, any progress on changing the direction of climate change to save our children from a Mars landscape!
The Russian Defence Ministry showed documents from Ukrainian biological laboratories, which are funded by the US Department of Defense. The documents confirm that Ukrainian biological laboratories located in close proximity to Russia were developing components of biological weapons, Ren TV reported. "We have received from employees of Ukrainian biological laboratories documentation on the emergency destruction of especially dangerous pathogens of plague, anthrax, tularemia, cholera and other deadly diseases on February 24," the report says. The Ministry of Defence reported that after the start of the Russian special operation in the Donbass, the Pentagon had concerns that information about secret biological experiments conducted on the territory of Ukraine would be disclosed. The received documents are now being analyzed by Russian specialists from the troops of radiation, chemical and biological protection. "In order to prevent the discovery of the facts of violation by the United States and Ukraine of Article 1 of the UN Convention on the Prohibition of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons, the Ukrainian Ministry of Health sent an instruction to all biological laboratories on the urgent elimination of stored stocks of dangerous pathogens," the Russian Defence Ministry said. The list of published documents includes an order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine dated February 24, 2022, which refers to the "emergency destruction of biological pathogenic agents". Ukraine used the Chernobyl nuclear power plant zone for work on the manufacture of a "dirty bomb" and the separation of plutonium, a representative of one of the competent departments of Russia said. "It is worth noting separately the use of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant zone as a site for the development of nuclear weapons," the source told RIA Novosti. According to the source, the increased radiation background natural for the Chernobyl zone hid the conduct of such work, RT reported. --IANS san/ ( 320 Words) 2022-03-06-22:28:03 (IANS)
The Peace Corps announced last week it will start sending volunteers overseas again in the middle of March. The U.S. government agency removed volunteers from their positions around the world two years ago at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

An early group of new volunteers and those who were evacuated in March 2020 will go to Zambia and the Dominican Republic this month, the Peace Corps said in a statement.

The Peace Corps plans to return volunteers to their posts throughout the year. It is currently seeking candidates for 24 posts.

Over the past two years, our primary goal has been to return volunteers to the more than 60 countries that are enthusiastically awaiting their return, said Peace Corps chief Carol Spahn. And, we have weathered the waves and variants of the COVID-19 situation at each post and reengineered Peace Corps systems, policies, and procedures to meet the current situation, she added.

Along with their main work on local issues, Peace Corps volunteers will also be involved in COVID-19 recovery, the Peace Corps said.

In Zambia, volunteers will work with local leaders to provide COVID-19 education and promote availability of vaccinations for communities, officials said.

In the Dominican Republic, the efforts will center on helping communities deal with issues that were worsened by the pandemic. Those issues include increased school dropout rates, improving reading skills and preparing young adults for work.

The Peace Corps marks its 61st anniversary this month. Two years ago, it had 7,000 volunteers in 62 countries, when they were evacuated and sent back to the United States.

Since those evacuations, the Peace Corps has used volunteers to help with the COVID-19 response within the U.S. It also developed and tested an online service program.

More than 240,000 Americans have served as Peace Corps volunteers around the world since the program was created in 1961. The aim is to help countries meet their development needs through several kinds of programs  from education to health to agriculture. The aim also is also to help promote a better understanding of Americans and American life. Usual service lasts two years after a training period.

Im Ashley Thompson.

Lisa Rathke reported this story for the Associated Press. Ashley Thompson adapted it 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

evacuate - v. to remove (someone) from a dangerous place

post - n. the place where someone does a job

primary - adj. most important

procedure - n. a series of actions that are done in a certain way or order : an established or accepted way of doing something

promote - v. to help (something) happen, develop, or increase

response - n. something that is done as a reaction to something else
The original cast of Gogglebox Australia are reportedly up in arms after learning about how much Hamish and Zoe Foster Blake were paid for their brief stint on the show.

Comedian Hamish, 40, and his skincare entrepreneur wife Zoe, 41, will star in a one-off episode of Channel 10 spinoff show Celebrity Gogglebox this month, with reports the couple pocketed $500,000 for their appearance.

In contrast, the original Goggleboxers are said to earn a meagre $1200 'location fee' per house for each day of filming instead.

'Simply unfair in the eyes of the entire cast': The original Gogglebox Australia cast members are reportedly outraged after hearing Hamish and Zoe Foster Blake (both left) received '$500K' for their cameo appearance on the franchise. Pictured right are Hamish and Zoe Foster Blake, pictured left is Gogglebox star Di Kershaw

'Hamish and Zoe have apparently landed a pay cheque that is simply unfair in the eyes of the entire cast  mostly the families who have been there since the start and get paid far less,' a cast member told the publication on Monday.

'You can't pay one person half a million dollars and then someone else $1200  I don't care who you are,' they fumed.

Hamish and Zoe's pay check saga has reportedly reignited a long-running disagreement between cast and producers over how much the original Goggleboxers are paid.

'You can't pay one person half a million dollars and then someone else $1200  I don't care who you are': The original Goggleboxers are said to earn a meagre $1200 'location fee' per house for each day of filming instead. Pictured: Gogglebox stars Lee and Keith

Upset: Hamish and Zoe's pay check saga has reportedly reignited a long-running disagreement between cast and producers over how much the original Goggleboxers are paid. Pictured: Gogglebox star Anastasia Katselas

'Time will tell, but if things don't change, [the original cast] will be forced to walk for good,' the source warned.

It comes after the Blakes recently signed a multi-project deal with Australian pay TV service Foxtel, which airs Gogglebox as part of a unique two-network deal with Channel 10.

According to Woman's Day, this is likely to be just the first of many upcoming TV ventures for the Blakes.

Channel 10's biggest stars? It comes after the Blakes recently signed a multi-project deal with Australian pay TV service Foxtel, which airs Gogglebox as part of a unique two-network deal with Channel 10

'Australia has been crying out for the Blakes to make their own reality show for years now - and Foxtel has heard this loud and clear,' a source told the magazine last month.

'They're going to use Celebrity Gogglebox as a bit of a trial run for them to see if they could hold a show in their own right.'

Foxtel executives have reportedly already been having 'some serious meetings' about giving the couple their own show, calling it potential 'reality TV gold'.

Watch this space: Foxtel executives have reportedly already been having 'some serious meetings' about giving the couple their own show, calling it potential 'reality TV gold'

The couple's rumoured $500,000 Gogglebox salary will be a mere drop in the pond for the mega-wealthy duo, after Zoe sold off a controlling stake in her Go-To skincare company for $89million last year.

The beauty mogul sold a 50.1 per cent share to ASX-listed company BWX.

The skincare company was established by the former magazine journalist in 2014, and generated $36.8million in revenue in 2020 alone.

According to a report by the Financial Review in November 2020, Zoe's net worth was estimated to be at $36million at the time.


Dennis Cunningham, a civil rights lawyer who successfully sued the government on behalf of the Black Panthers, rebellious Attica prison inmates and fervid environmentalists who claimed they were victims of official misconduct, died on Saturday at his sons home in Los Angeles. He was 86.

The cause was cancer, his daughter Bernadine Mellis said.

Mr. Cunningham was not as well known as some of his colleagues, but he represented a wide range of protesters after being inspired by the 1963 civil rights March on Washington  the engine of my enlightenment, he called it  and attending law school at night in the 1960s.

He practiced in Chicago, where he was a founder of the storefront Peoples Law Office; in upstate New York, where a civil suit stemming from the 1971 prison riot at the Attica Correctional Facility was finally settled in 2001; and in San Francisco, where he moved in the early 1980s to be closer to his children.
As the intensity of the war increased in Ukraine, so did a wave of cyberattacks around the world. The targets were mostly large companies and individuals.

Last week, for instance, a hacker group known as Lapsus$ leaked 200GB worth of confidential data from South Koreas Samsung Electronics. A week ago, the same cybercriminals targeted US chipmaker Nvidia, stealing staff credentials and proprietary information.

In Japan, Toyota Motor Corp. suspended car production after one of its suppliers, Kojima Industries, was attacked on 28 February.

The incidents seem unrelated at first glance, but cybersecurity experts said the pattern of attacks reinforce the suspicion that criminals are trying to exploit the Russia-Ukraine war to make illegal gains.

Security experts caution that India, too, should be on alert as the attacks, even if in another country, can easily compromise its supply chain partners or business entities, given global interconnectedness.

While we have not observed any direct impact on Indian organizations yet, the correlations between technologies and infrastructure could mean any organization from a different region can become collateral and get caught in the crosshairs," said Vicky Ray, principal researcher, Unit 42 at Palo Alto Networks, a cybersecurity company.

Ray attributed this to the dependence on shared infrastructure and the interconnected and interdependent nature of technologies. For instance, a large-scale attack on a cloud hosting provider could impact all businesses using its infrastructure across the world, he said. While firms are most likely to be targeted to extort money or access the treasure trove of data they hold, attackers have not spared individual users either. According to security experts, cybercriminals are also taking advantage of the situation to dupe individuals eager to donate to Ukraines war efforts and provide aid to citizens in the war-torn country.

On 4 March, cybersecurity firm CheckPoint Research detailed several phishing emails seeking donations for Ukraine.

Researchers at CheckPoint said attackers are seeking donations in cryptocurrency, making it harder to trace the source of a hack. The conflict is polarizing cyberspace. Hacktivists, cybercriminals, white hat researchers or even tech firms are choosing a clear side, emboldened to act on behalf of their choices," said Lotem Finkelstein, head of threat intelligence at CheckPoint.

In addition to phishing emails, attackers are active on instant messaging apps like Telegram, which surpassed a billion downloads globally in August last year. Over 200 million of the apps users came from India, according to a report by analytics firm Sensor Tower at the time.

About 4% of the groups on Telegram are soliciting donations to support Russia or Ukraine, and many of them appear suspicious, CheckPoint said. Each of these groups on Telegram consists of tens of thousands of users, it added.

To be sure, there are legitimate support groups, too. CheckPoint said many hackers are also using Telegram groups to plan attacks on Russian entities. Ukraines vice prime minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, has even directed users towards Telegram channels for donations and to help what Fedorov called the IT army".

Finkelstein cautioned that people seeking to donate to Ukraine should first check the domain from which an email has been sent and look for any misspellings in it or the email to verify if the sender is genuine.
Now we understand so, so much more about Volodymyr Zelensky, the charismatic war hero president of Ukraine.

Not least of all that he was a famous entertainer in his homeland before he came to power; an actor and comedian who voiced Paddington Bear in the Ukrainian version of the film; a twinkle-toed maverick who won his country's version of Strictly Come Dancing in 2006.

Even more remarkable is that this ordinary man who became president of Ukraine made a hugely popular television series about an ordinary man who became president of Ukraine, which was instrumental in him actually becoming president of Ukraine.

Servant Of The People ran for four years, with the final episode broadcast in Ukraine at the end of March 2019  and Zelensky became president less than a month later, standing on an independent ticket.

Even more remarkable is that this ordinary man who became president of Ukraine made a hugely popular television series about an ordinary man who became president of Ukraine, which was instrumental in him actually becoming president of Ukraine

Last night Channel 4 broadcast the hour-long pilot which launched the series, plus two 30-minute episodes. Given what we know now, it is a grimly fascinating watch, one which gives rise to a complicated churn of emotions.

In Servant, we see Zelensky as a skilled comic actor blessed with deft timing and a keen sense of the absurd in a sunlit world where he burns his hand on a coffee pot and bumbles around like Mr Bean.

In real life, we see him making life or death proclamations in the films he makes and posts online from war-torn Kyiv. One of the latest was about 'brutal, cynical missile strikes' that are destroying the infrastructure of Ukraine. In another he talked of the 'darkness and evil' that has engulfed his country.

It is hard not to be moved to tears by the terrible contrast. Particularly as the series was made by Kvartal 95  Zelensky's own production company  and his wife Olena was one of the scriptwriters.

Now they are respectively number one and number two on the Kremlin kill list.

In Servant, we see Zelensky as a skilled comic actor blessed with deft timing and a keen sense of the absurd in a sunlit world where he burns his hand on a coffee pot and bumbles around like Mr Bean

How different the world must have seemed when they first made the programmes. In what is essentially a cheerful political satire, Zelensky stars as a teacher from Kyiv called Vasiliy Petrovich Goloborodko.

One day his students film him making an anti-corruption rant against the Ukrainian government. 'Our presidents come to power and make the same mistakes,' he shouts.

'They come to power and steal and steal and steal  and nobody gives a s***. If I could get in there, I'd show them!'

The students put the clip on Twitter and eight million views later, along with a crowdfunding programme, Goloborodko is indeed the leader of Ukraine.

The unspoken conceit is that the populace is so heartsick of systemic corruption that it would elect anyone who promised a fairer world  and that is more or less what happened.

That satire which then ensues is not subtle, but is there any need for it to be? It is no secret that Ukraine was one of the most corrupt countries in the world. One of the first things the real life President Zelensky did was to lift the legal immunity enjoyed for many years by members of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament.

In the early scenes of the comedy, Goloborodko is too befuddled by the demands of his new status for the grand political gesture. Would he like a limited edition Hublot watch on his wrist? Putin has one just like this, he is told. Goloborodko is not impressed.

He meets his staff, a dizzying amount of experts amassed to cater to his every whim. There are department chiefs, a therapist who needs a therapist of her own, beauty teams and even an ostrichologist to attend to the needs of any future pet ostriches, one presumes?

The unspoken conceit is that the populace is so heartsick of systemic corruption that it would elect anyone who promised a fairer world  and that is more or less what happened. That satire which then ensues is not subtle, but is there any need for it to be?

There are so many jokes and references that are clearly lost in translation but there is no mistaking Zelensky's natural star quality.

By episode two, President Goloborodko is suggesting that maybe instead of the prepared words he would write his own inauguration speech? Officials dissuade him. 'You ought to have a clear head, an unpolluted brain, spotless thoughts,' he is smoothly told.

Outside the government buildings, life has changed for his family, too. When his mother and sister go shopping for clothes for the inauguration ceremony, guess what?

Shopkeepers tell them there is a sale that means 100 per cent off. His mother buys a spotty top that 'would make Whoopi Goldberg jealous'. His father gets two free inflatable boats. Here come the good times!

On his first night as president, installed in a McMansion in a green area of Kyiv, everything is at Goloborodko's disposal, even sex. He is given a remote control. 'Press one for Angela, two for Violetta, three for Edward,' he is informed.

Instead, he is visited by the ghost of Abraham Lincoln, who urges him to release his people from slavery. Ukrainians are not slaves, cries the innocent new president.

'Look at those millions of Ukrainians who sweat their backs off to feed this arrogant so called elite. That is not slavery?' thunders Lincoln, behind his comedy beard.

As I said, subtle it is not. But in the light of the current situation, Servant Of The People seems nothing short of heroic.

'I am just an ordinary history teacher. A history teacher going down in history. Funny, isn't it?' muses Goloborodko at one point.

Like Zelensky he understands the significance of the past all too well  but what about the future?

The series was filmed in Kyiv, which looks beautiful in the summer sunshine. Back then, normal lives were being lived in the pretty squares and parks along the Dnieper River where the action takes place.

Today, I felt overwhelmed by dread watching this innocent small-screen caper. How many of those bridges across the river are still standing? How many people in those crowd scenes are still safe?

The new President Goloborodko asks the people to trust him. 'I'll figure it out,' he says. Fingers crossed that brave President Zelensky will, too.
A University of Nebraska-Lincoln student is spreading her passion for poetry as Nebraska's first ever youth poet laureate.

Jingming "Mimi" Yu, 18, first discovered she loved to write poetry in elementary school. Since then, her passion for it has grown into more than just a hobby.

The Lincoln East graduate was chosen to be the first Nebraska youth poet laureate last spring based on her creative success, civic and community engagement, social justice initiatives and leadership.

As the youth poet laureate, Yu commissions poems, displays her work and performs at public events.

Yu said she uses her personal life to drive her poetry and has found an emotional outlet through writing.

"I think creative writing in general is a thing to do when youre feeling emotional, which is really interesting" she said. "It helps you look back on your emotions and see something beautiful that came from them."

Yu primarily writes freestyle poems that focus on stories of parents, grandparents and other relationships she has.

Her work can be viewed at Parrish Studios in Lincoln during their First Friday events.

As a freshman sociology major on the pre-law track, it has been harder for Yu to find time to write, but the youth poet laureate program has helped keep her passion alive.

"Because I am still at an age where I am discovering what I enjoy, I think it has helped me realize what I want and what my passions are," she said. Its definitely an experience that I am grateful for and Ive learned a lot through."

The Nebraska youth poet laureate program  run by the Nebraska Writers Collective  is part of Urban Word NYC's National Youth Poet Laureate initiative that promotes and honors creative students.

The program was kickstarted in Nebraska in 2020 after Urban Word NYC reached out to the Nebraska Writers Collective to see if they were interested in having a youth poet laureate.

"It was heartening and hugely affirming to receive that invitation from Urban Word NYC to join their network and reassured me that Nebraska youth poets are most certainly leaving their marks in a big way," said Gina Tranisi, program director at the Nebraska Writers Collective.

Students ages 13-19 can apply to become the next youth poet laureate between early February and late March of each year. Applicants will be considered by seven judges from across the state based on a poetry portfolio, resume and essay.

The youth poet laureate receives $3,000 total  $2,000 of which goes towards a civic engagement project they create  and will perform six public readings throughout their one-year term.

The program is meant to not only shine a spotlight on Nebraska's creative students, but also to find young artists who are talented and active in their communities.

"We say that this program is not just about finding good poets, but about finding good poets who are also doing good in their communities," Tranisi said. "It's about empowering, supporting and sustaining a young leader in the state of Nebraska who can envision a better state for themselves and for others."

Yu will pass on the role in April, when the next youth poet laureate is announced.
Washington [US], March 7 (ANI/Sputnik): Government officials and stakeholders in the energy market will gather in Houston this week to dive into the challenges facing the world today, including issues related to supply chains, the economic recovery, energy transition and the situation in Ukraine. Sessions were added to the agenda for CERA Week recently to address issues emerging from the conflict in Ukraine. These sessions will dig into the implications of rising geopolitical tensions and market volatility. A session titled "Sanctions, Cyber and the Ukraine Crisis" will take place on Tuesday afternoon. BlueVoyant Senior Advisor William Crumm and US-Russia Business Council President Daniel Russell will speak on the topic. Crumm is a cyber security expert who served 31 years in the National Security Agency and retired in 2013. For about ten years, he responsible for all NSA offensive cyber operations. US Special Envoy for Climate John Kerry will kick off CERA week on Monday. Exxon Mobil Corporation Chairman Darren Woods, US Energy Department Deputy Secretary David Turk, Saudi Aramco Ahmad al Khowaiter, Shell USA President Gretchen Watkins, Chevron Corporation Chairman of the Board and CEO Mike Wirth will speak as well on the opening day. On Monday afternoon, a panel of experts will address geopolitical challenges in the world, including with respect to Russia's military operation in Ukraine, which will feature speakers from Harvard think tanks, the Atlantic Council and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo will give remarks Tuesday afternoon on assuring stability in energy markets. Saudi Aramco President Amin Nasser, ConocoPhillips Chairman Ryan Lance, and BP Chief Executive Officer Bernard Looney will deliver remarks on Tuesday related to the future of the oil and gas industry and the energy transition. Another session on Tuesday will feature Libyan National Oil Corporation Chairman Mustafa Sanall, who will talk about evolving exploration and production models, and Gazprom Neft's Head of Strategy and Innovation Sergey Vakulenko, who will discuss matters related to energy supply chain. US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm will give a keynote address on Wednesday related to geopolitics and energy markets. Egyptian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Tarek El Molla will talk Wednesday morning about Egypt forging partnership for the energy transition. Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Hagiuda Koichi is scheduled for a panel discussion Wednesday afternoon on Asia's energy transition and the role of gas. Shell Chief Executive Officer Ben van Beurden will deliver remarks about the strategies for the next decade on energy. Ford CEO James Farley will be part of a discussion on Thursday about the future of electric automobiles. US Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Joe Manchin will take part in a discussion on Friday about geopolitics and energy policy. Carlos Vecchio, who is the Venezuelan opposition's envoy to the United States, is expected to be present at the conference according to the list of guests. Other high-level government officials from Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Kazakhstan, Uganda, Argentina, Colombia, Norway, and other nations, will participate in the conference. (ANI/Sputnik)
London: The Queen is to make a permanent move to Windsor Castle after working from there for most of the pandemic.

The 95-year-old monarch has been working from home at Windsor and is to stay there as renovations at Buckingham Palace continue for another five years, The Sunday Times reported.

Queen Elizabeth II at the start of her Platinum Jubilee celebrations last month. She has since contracted and recovered from COVID-19 Credit:PA/AP

The move came as the Queen recovers from COVID and another undisclosed health issue that saw her spend a night in hospital in October and then several weeks resting on doctors advice.

At an official engagement in February she was pictured leaning on a walking stick and told visitors: As you can see, I cant move.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

UNITED NATIONS, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Mar, 2022 ) :UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Sunday called for a pause in the Russia-Ukraine fighting to allow civilians to escape zones, as the UN rights body (OHCHR) announced it had recorded 1,123 civilian casualties since the beginning of Moscow's military offensive against the country.

In a Tweet, the UN Secretary-General declared that it is absolutely essential to establish a pause in the fighting that continues unabated in Ukraine, to allow for the safe passage of civilians from all conflict zones, and also to ensure that life-saving humanitarian aid, such as the UN supplies that began arriving on Saturday, can move in to help those who remain.

Guterres singled out the cities of Mariupol, Kharkiv and Sumy as examples of hotspots where civilians are at particular risk. Attempts to allow some 200,000 civilians to safely leave Mariupol continue to be thwarted, with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reporting "devastating scenes of human suffering" in the city.

The ICRC reported on Sunday that, whilst their teams remain on standby to help with the evacuation, they need security guarantees in order to operate. These guarantees have so far not been forthcoming, and the humanitarian organization called on the warring parties to agree to specific terms that would allow for safe passage out of the city.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) warned on Sunday that the casualty figures it has reported  for the period between 04:00 local time on 24 February 2022, when the Russian Federation's armed attack against Ukraine started, to midnight on 5 March 2022  are likely to be a considerable underestimate of the true numbers.

OHCHR said that 1,123 civilian casualties in Ukraine have been verified: 364 killed, including 25 children, and 759 injured. Most of the casualties have been caused by the use of explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multi-launch rocket systems, and missile and air strikes.

However, OHCHR believes that the real figures are considerably higher, especially in Government-controlled territory, and especially in recent days, as information from some locations where intense hostilities have been going on has been delayed and many reports are still pending corroboration. In the town of Volnovakha, for example, OHCHR is aware of allegations of hundreds of civilian casualties.

The Ukraine conflict has created the fastest-growing refugee crisis since the Second World War, the head of the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), declared in a Tweet on Sunday.

Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, noted that more than 1.5 million people have crossed into neighbouring countries in just 10 days.

Grandi's comments follow warnings from the UN children's agency (UNICEF) on Friday of "unprecedented" numbers of children and families fleeing their homes, and humanitarian needs "growing by the hour".

The UN health agency (WHO) released its first Ukraine situation report on Saturday, outlining its health priorities for the country.

These include mental health care, due to what the agency calls "significant stress due to acute conflict", and conflict-related trauma and injuries, exacerbated by lack of access to health facilities due to insecurity.

WHO is also concerned about excess death from common illnesses, due to disruption in services, and acute maternal, new-born and child illnesses, as well as the spread of infectious diseases such as COVID-19, measles, polio, TB, and HIV.

Diarrhoeal diseases are also on the list of priorities, due to the widespread destruction of water and sanitation infrastructure, inadequate vaccination coverage, population movements, and crowding.
UKRAINE: Russia Warns Countries Against Hosting Ukraine Military Aircraft

Russia on Sunday warned Ukraines neighbours including NATO member Romania against hosting Kyivs military aircraft, saying they could end up being involved in an armed conflict.

"We know for sure that Ukrainian combat aircraft have flown to Romania and other neighbouring countries," defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a video briefing.

"The use of the airfield network of these countries for basing Ukrainian military aviation with the subsequent use of force against Russias army can be regarded as the involvement of these states in an armed conflict," he added.

Konashenkov also claimed that "practically all" Ukraines combat-ready aircraft had been destroyed.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly demanded that Western powers enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine to prevent more Russian attacks.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Moscow will consider any country imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine to have entered into the military conflict.

Link to original article: UKRAINE: Russia Warns Countries Against Hosting Ukraine Military Aircraft
Mark Meadows, who was former President Donald Trumps chief of staff, may have committed voter fraud when he registered a 14-by-62-foot mobile home in Scaly Mountain, North Carolina, as his residential address. Meadows has never owned that property and there is absolutely no evidence to suggest he may have spent time there, according to the New Yorkers Charles Bethea. That very well means that one of the biggest names in Republican circles who has been pushing the lie that the 2020 presidential election was plagued with voter fraud may have committed voter fraud himself.

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On Sept. 19, 2020, about three weeks before North Carolinas deadline to register for the general election, Meadows filed paperwork that listed the mobile home as his residential address, which is supposed to be where you physically live, according to the form. He said the move-in date would be the following day. His wife, Debbie Meadows, had briefly rented the home, but the previous owner of the home said Meadows never spent a night in there. At the time, Meadows had sold his previous home in the state and didnt own any property in North Carolina. Although its far from clear why Meadows would have listed the mobile home as his residence, the New Yorker speculates he may have seen it as important to keep voting in North Carolina amid feverish speculation he might run for a Senate seat in the state.

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Ken Abele, who bought the mobile home in August 2021, said he found it strange Meadows would list it as his address. Ive made a lot of improvements, Abele said. But when I got it, it was not the kind of place youd think the chief of staff of the president would be staying. The director of Macon Countys Board of Elections was also confused when asked about the registration. Im kind of dumbfounded, to be honest with you, she said. I looked up this Mcconnell Road, which is in Scaly Mountain, and I found out that it was a dive trailer in the middle of nowhere, which I do not see him or his wife staying in.
Kansas City police were investigating a homicide reported Sunday, the third this weekend.

Officer Donna Drake, a spokeswoman with the Kansas City Police Department, told media in an email that a homicide investigation was underway near the intersection at East 27th Street and Brooklyn Avenue.

Around 2 p.m. officers were called to the area on reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers found two victims inside a vehicle who were suffering from what appeared to be gunshot wounds, Drake said in an email.

Both victims were transported to an area hospital where one of the victims was pronounced dead. The other victim was listed as in stable condition.

The site of the shooting is about a block west of the police departments East Patrol Division Station.

Detectives and crime scene personnel responded to the scene and processed it for evidence and canvassed for witnesses.

The homicide marks Kansas Citys 28th killing this year, according to data maintained by The Star. There were 157 killings in 2021, the second deadliest year in the citys recorded history.

Police are asking anyone with information about the homicide to contact homicide detectives at 816-234-5043 or through the anonymous TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS. A reward of up to $25,000 is being offered for information that leads to an arrest in the case.
Twitter has banned at least 100 accounts promoting the hashtag I Stand With Putin for inauthentic coordinated behavior, indicating that the messages are a propaganda assault supporting Russias invasion of Ukraine, NBC News reported.

A spokesperson for Twitter told NBC Friday that an investigation is continuing into who is behind the accounts praising Russian President Vladimir Putin and his ruthless military operation, which violated Twitters policy against platform manipulation and spam policy.

The hashtag trended briefly on Twitter, but scores of accounts retweeting the messages had only had a few dozen followers, NBC noted. They also used stock photos for messages and profile pictures, which often indicates fake accounts.

The hashtag is still being used on Twitter, but much of the tweets are discussing banned accounts or attacking the pro-Putin sentiment.

The suspicious tweets were apparently first flagged by Marc Owen Jones, an assistant professor of Middle East studies and digital humanities at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar.

Theyre not bots. Theyre a lot harder to check than that, Jones told NBC. Imagine a call center setup. Think of the amount of damage you can do.

Jones shared his analysis of some 20,000 interactions linked to pro-Putin hashtags on his Twitter account earlier this week.

Thread 1/ This is a thread on pro-Russian propaganda & #disinformation. I analysed the hashtags "i stand with Putin" & "i stand with Russia'. I analysed around 20,000 Twitter interactions involving 9600 unique accounts



Bots 

Engagement Farming #UkraineRussianWar#Ukrainepic.twitter.com/I8XBwPlc7b  Marc Owen Jones (@marcowenjones) March 3, 2022

3/ Below. You can see three distinct clusters.

Cluster 1 (left) accounts that seem to support the hashtag (pro Putin and Russia)

Cluster 2 (middle) = accounts criticising the hashtag

Cluster 3 (bottom) = accounts and bots spamming hashtag and thus boosting it#UkraineRussianWarpic.twitter.com/VmiUskSkCH  Marc Owen Jones (@marcowenjones) March 3, 2022

Twitter, Facebook, Youtube and Reddit have restricted Russian state media access on their platforms since Putin launched the Ukrainian invasion.

Story continues

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...




Shell pledged on Saturday to put any profits it makes from the purchase of Russian oil into a special fund to assist Ukrainians after receiving intense backlash for buying a Russian oil shipment.

In a statement posted on Twitter, the oil company said it would "commit profits from the limited amount of Russian oil we have to purchase to a dedicated fund" and would coordinate with humanitarian agencies and partners for how to distribute the money.

This comes after Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Saturday morning he was made aware of Shell "discretely" purchasing oil from Russia.

"One question to @Shell: doesn't Russian oil smell Ukrainian blood for you?" Kuleba tweeted. "I call on all conscious people around the globe to demand multinational companies to cut all business ties with Russia."

In its statement, posted a few hours after Kuleba's tweet, Shell noted that Russia is a significant oil producer. Russia is the world's third-largest producer of oil after the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, producing about 10 percent of the global oil supply.

"Yesterday we made the difficult decision to purchase a cargo of Russian crude oil," the company said, saying the purchase was made with the intent of providing "security of energy supply." "We didn't take this decision lightly and we understand the strength of feeling around it.

"We will continue to choose alternatives to Russian oil wherever possible, but this cannot happen overnight because of how significant Russia is to global supply," Shell added.

On Monday, Shell announced that it would end joint ventures with Russian majority state-owned oil giant Gazprom, joining a slew of companies severing ties with Russia and Russian entities amid the country's invasion in Ukraine.

In Saturday's statement, Shell said it was still committed to ending ventures with Gazprom.

"We are appalled by the war in Ukraine," the company said.

The news comes as the Biden administration is weighing whether to ban Russian oil imports in the U.S..

The decision is complicated by rising gas prices, with average U.S. gas prices reaching $3.92 per gallon nationally as of Saturday afternoon, according to the transportation company Triple A.
Brittney Griner, WNBA star and Phoenix Mercury center since 2013, is in the custody of Russian authorities, USA TODAY learned on Saturday.

Griner faces drug smuggling charges after being found with vape cartridges in her carry-on luggage at a Moscow airport in February, Russian authorities say.

Russian Federal Customs Service announced on Saturday that a two-time Olympic basketball champion and member of the U.S. national team had been detained for carrying cannabis-derived oil cartridges, which could potentially lead to a maximum of a 10-year prison sentence.

The player was identified as Griner by the Russian news outlet TASS.

Lindsay Kagawa Colas, Griner's agent, confirmed on Saturday that she was in contact with her. We are aware of the situation with Brittney Griner in Russia and are in close contact with her, her legal representation in Russia, her family, her teams, and the WNBA and NBA, Colas said.

Brittney Griner: Mental health counseling 'does wonders' for Phoenix Mercury star

Who is Brittney Griner?

Griner has played nine WNBA seasons with the Mercury, out of which she has been named All-Star seven times. She is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and a two-time WNBA scoring leader.

She leads the league in career blocks average and has records for single-game and single-season blocks.

Besides playing for the Mercury, the 6-foot-9 star has played for the Russian team UMMC Ekaterinburg during the WNBA's offseason since 2015, which has been a chance for Griner to take advantage of the high salaries of overseas teams.

She has made as much as $1.5 million a year in Russia, while she had a base salary of $215,000 last season for the Mercury.

What was Griner doing in Russia?

Griner was among several WNBA players who had joined the Russian Women's Basketball Premier League this winter.

Many were stuck in Moscow as Russian airlines were canceling international flights because of airspace restrictions imposed by other countries including the U.S.

Story continues

The WNBA said in a Feb. 24 statement that the league was in contact with the players and their agents in Russia and would continue to closely monitor the situation as diplomatic tensions continued to increase between the U.S. and Russia after the latter's invasion into Ukraine.

The few players who competed in Ukraine have left the country, the WNBA said.

How have U.S. officials, organizations responded?

According to Colas, Griner's agent, the WNBA and NBA have been in close contact with her since her arrest. As this is an ongoing legal matter, we are not able to comment further on the specifics of her case but can confirm that as we work to get her home, her mental and physical health remain our primary concern, Colas said.

The Mercury and USA Basketball said they are monitoring the situation with Griner.

"Our main concern is her safety, physical and mental health and her safe return home," the Mercury said.

U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego's office said they reached out to the U.S. State Department as soon as they heard of Griner's arrest. "We are in contact with them on how best we can assist in (Griner's) safety and quick release," said Jacques Petit, communications director for Gallego.

The State Department issued a travel advisory on Saturday, urging Americans to leave Russia immediately, citing the "unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces in Ukraine" and the potential for "harassment against U.S. citizens by Russian government security officials."

Republic reporters BrieAnna J. Frank, Jenna Ortiz and Jeff Metcalfe and USA TODAY reporter Scooby Axson contributed to this article.

Reach breaking news reporter Laura Daniella Sepulveda at lsepulveda@lavozarizona.com or on Twitter @lauradNews.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Who is Brittney Griner? What we know about her arrest in Russia
If they are prepared to do it, and Ill be prepared to urge them along now, we would be prepared to talk financial support. Front page of The Age on February 23, 1980. Credit:The Age Archives In my opinion, we could create a major new asset for the city of Melbourne, if the area of car parking between the waters edge and the railway viaduct could be converted into a landscaped river park. I think it was a bad move to install a car park in the first place. I do not think that the cost need be prohibitively high. The real need is for grass and trees and seats.

Declaring Government support for the second target, to bring back the boats, Mr Hamer said he would encourage more boating where possible and realistic. Two major factors are the importance of safety for boat users and the rights of other users of the river. Indications were that new public boating would be best located upstream from the rowing clubs, and downstream from Princes Bridge. Mr Hamer said he had talked to the Board of Works chairman, Mr Croxford, and there appeared to be no real objection to more boats being on the river. He said launching ramps for rowboats were highly feasible. He supported the Board of Works present policy of discouraging motorboats on the river.

Mr Hamer expressed strong support for target three, to create a maritime park around the Polly Woodside, on the southern bank, west of Spencer Street Bridge. Loading The Government has already indicated to the National Trust its support for the idea. At this stage, no detailed plans or costings have been presented. The creation and operation of such a maritime park would be a function of organisations such as the National Trust, but the Government would certainly support such an initiative if practical proposals are put forward.

On target four, to clean up the water, Mr. Hamer said: I will ask the MMBW and the Environment Protection Authority to assess those specific problems raised by The Age articles, and to take action wherever possible to provide solutions. Investigations have shown that the Yarra is still being polluted by sewage upstream and discharges from stormwater drains. Mr. Hamer said there was a need for a Government authority to have the power to trace back the discharges to their source and to do something about it. Whether it should be the board or the EPA, I dont know. I think perhaps the EPA. Mr. Hamer also said he would investigate claims that the EPA was understaffed and lacked the facilities to monitor the Yarra properly. Mr. Hamer said that despite the cutting off of Federal funds, the State Government was steadily overtaking the backlog of Melbourne homes still unsewered. The latest estimate had extended to 1985, but well be lucky if we do it by then, I think.

Loading On the fifth target, to clear a path from Princes Bridge to Dights Falls, Mr. Hamer said the Government intended to produce a detailed feasibility study. I will ask the Minister for Youth, Sport and Recreation, Mr. Dixon, to instruct the department to carry out a survey on the practicality and cost of the whole project, and report to the Government. If the path can be provided at reasonable cost, the Government will work with the local municipalities and other appropriate bodies to produce a detailed design. Mr. Hamer said the ideal solution would be to have a path on both sides of the river bank. He said the Government was prepared to consider acquiring a narrow strip, initially along one bank, to provide a continuous walkway.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  With a pep rally-like atmosphere, the Democratic Party of New Mexico on Saturday introduced its slate of candidate for the June primary election  an unofficial launch of the campaign season for contested nominations to serve as attorney general and other offices.

The convention provided a chance for State Auditor Brian Colon and 2nd Judicial District Attorney Raul Torrez  the Democratic candidates for attorney general  to deliver in-person speeches to hundreds of Democratic activists and leaders gathered in Roswell or watching online.

The top-of-the-ticket nominations at stake also include races in the newly redrawn 2nd Congressional District and for state auditor and treasurer.

Colon drew on his experience growing up in poverty and losing his dad at a young age as he described himself as a candidate who would bring a broad set of skills to the Attorney Generals Office. He is a former state Democratic Party chairman and attorney in Albuquerque.

Being AG, he said, requires somebody with experience  a breadth of experience. I understand firsthand that to protect our families on crime, we cant just talk about a revolving door or point fingers.

He mentioned investments in behavioral health as key to improving public safety.

Torrez, a former federal prosecutor who now leads the District Attorneys Office in Bernalillo County, pitched himself as a lawyer for the people who has held the hand of a mother as a verdict is read and supported children confronting an abuser in court.

He mentioned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and highlighted his litigation against a heavily armed militia in New Mexico.

This is a serious time, Torrez said, and we need serious people for the battles that lie ahead.

In contrast to the Republican Partys convention last week, the Democratic delegates will cast their ballots entirely online or through telephone voting. The voting period runs from Saturday and through Wednesday, with results to be released March 13.

The candidate with the most votes in each race will be listed first on the ballot. Candidates who dont get at least 20% cant appear on the ballot unless they collect extra petition signatures.

Republicans voted and announced the results on the same day last week, albeit after an unexpected delay.

The winner of the Democratic nomination for attorney general will take on Republican Jeremy Gay, a Gallup lawyer and former judge advocate in the Marine Corps.

Incumbent Attorney General Hector Balderas, a Democrat, has served two terms and cannot run for reelection this year.

In another high-profile race, Democrats Darshan Patel and Gabe Vasquez sought support Saturday for the nomination to take on Republican Yvette Herrell in the 2nd Congressional District.

Patel, a physician who works in Lea County, said he would bring experience in health care policy and union advocacy to Congress.

Ive shown up for New Mexicans every day in our fight against COVID-19, he said.

Vasquez, a Las Cruces city councilor, said he has a track record in public service demonstrating his strength as a candidate to win the seat, which has flipped between Republicans and Democrats in the last three election cycles.

We know taking New Mexicos second district back will not be easy, he said. The future of our state and the future of our country are always worth fighting for.

Patel and Vasquez are competing in a district that was substantially redrawn based on 2020 census data. Its now much more friendly to Democrats.

The district ranges from Albuquerques West Side down into its traditional core in southern New Mexico.

Four years ago, Democrats swept every statewide office on the ballot, riding a blue wave at the midterm election of Republican Donald Trumps presidency.

But they face a different political environment now, with Democrat Joe Biden in the White House. The presidents party often loses ground at the midterm election.

Responding to questions from reporters, Democratic Party Chairwoman Jessica Velasquez said Democrats have a strong slate of candidates this year and will take nothing for granted.

We know that its going to take work, she said of the general election campaigns.

In a written statement, Republican Party Chairman Steve Pearce said Democrats know theyre in trouble. From Washington to the Roundhouse, progressive Democrats have inflicted pain on New Mexicans and destroyed our great state.

Saturdays convention featured plenty of music to introduce candidates, some dancing and periodic shouts of encouragement as the hopefuls introduced themselves.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, unopposed for the Democratic nomination, wore a bomber jacket with the word warrior on the sleeve and the state flag on the back as she urged Democrats to be their badass selves and show up in the midterm election this fall.

The primary election is June 7. Absentee balloting and in-person voting at county clerks offices begin May 10.
New Delhi: Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Saturday (March 5, 2022) urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reach out to Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop the ongoing invasion of his country.

Pointing to the "special relations" between India and Russia, Kuleba in response to Zee Media's question said, "All countries who enjoy special relations with India can appeal to President Putin. We call PM Modi to continue reaching out to President Putin and explaining to him that this war is against the interest of all."

Prime Minister Modi and President Putin have spoken twice since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. During his first conversation on February 24, PM Modi had appealed for cessation of violence and return to the path of diplomatic negotiations.

While the safety of Indian nationals has been the top focus of the talks, PM Modi, during the talks, has also emphasized "honest and sincere dialogue".

The Ukraine Foreign Minister also pointed to invasion impacting the global agriculture market, including exports to India.

"We have to take into account that India is one of the largest consumers of Ukrainian agriculture products and if this war continues, it will be difficult for us to seed new harvest and then to collect. In terms of global food security and Indian food security, it is in the best interest to stop this war," he highlighted.

India imports a huge quantity of sunflower oil from the eastern European country, which is expected to take a beating amid the ongoing escalations.



ALSO READ | Wheat price surges 55% amid Russia-Ukraine war, heres how it will affect the world



"Ordinary Indians can put pressure on the Russian embassy in India to demand from them, again to stop the war. Ukraine does not need this war," Kuleba added.

Asked about the evacuation of citizens of several countries, he said, "To facilitate the withdrawal of the foreign students from Kharkiv, Sumy, Ukraine arranged some trains, we also set up a hotline that foreign students can address. We work closely with relevant embassies and coordinate our efforts with them."

He also called on the governments of India, China, Nigeria and whose students are in Sumy and Kharkiv, to the stop fire by reaching out to Moscow.

Dismissing Russian claims of students being kept hostage, he said, "They try to win the sympathy of the countries I mentioned by accusing Ukraine keeping foreign students as hostages of violating their rights, decimating them, but I would like to say one thing again, for 30 years Ukraine was home for your students and it continues to home for them, even under fire of Russia."

Live TV
"I have joined Samajwadi Party today. Akhilesh Yadav talks about development, women's safety and youth. As a youth, I thought to stand with such a person who talks progressively. I think Uttar Pradesh's future will be safe in his hands," Mayank told ANI.

Mayank's joining the SP came ahead of the last phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. His induction was announced by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav at an election Rally in Azamgarh.

Earlier, Mayank Joshi's mother Rita Bahuguna Joshi had sought a ticket from BJP for her son to contest the UP Assembly Elections 2022 from the Lucknow Cantonment seat. However, BJP did not give the ticket to Mayank.

Rita Joshi had fought the 2017 elections and defeated Aparna Yadav, the then SP candidate from Lucknow Cantonment.

The elections for the 403 Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh are being held in seven phases starting February 10. Polling for six phases has already concluded and the seventh phase will be held on March 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
The special flight had departed from the city of Kosice in Slovakia on Saturday under Operation Ganga.

Union Minister of State of Chemicals and Fertilizers Bhagwanth Khuba received the passengers at Indira Gandhi International Airport.

Tensions have escalated following Russia's military action against Ukraine.Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting on the Ukraine crisis on Saturday. The meeting was attended by Union Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary of India Harsh Vardhan Shringla and other top officials.

The Prime Minister has held several high-level meetings over the Ukraine crisis.

Earlier on Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs said that over 13,300 people have returned to India so far under Operation Ganga from crisis-ridden Ukraine. The Ministry also informed that almost all Indians have left Kharkiv city in Ukraine and the main focus of the government is to evacuate citizens from the Sumy area as it is challenging amid ongoing violence and lack of transportation.

The government has also deployed 'special envoys' to five neighbouring countries bordering Ukraine to coordinate and oversee the evacuation process of Indian nationals.Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. (ANI)
Election filing concluded Friday, locking in a field that has few competitive races.

In Hickory, there will only be one primary this year: the race for mayor. Mayor Hank Guess will face challengers Quentae Hill and Al Hoover in the primary. The races for Hickory mayor and city council are nonpartisan.

The only other competitive race in Hickory is for the Ward 5 Hickory City Council seat. Chris Simmons filed to run against incumbent Councilman David Zagaroli.

Simmons briefly explained his decision to run when he filed for office on Wednesday.

Hickory has a long history of sort of there being an inside culture and an outside culture, Simmons said. If we dont intervene and change the directions of things, theyll just continue the way they are, and I think thats a problem right now for the way the city works and the way people in the community feel about the city, at least many people feel.

Ward 4 Councilman David Williams and Ward 6 Councilwoman Jill Patton are running unopposed.

In the town of Long View, non-incumbents Phyllis Pennington and Justin Austin are running for the Ward 5 town council seat. Incumbent Alderman Dallas Tester did not file for reelection.

Mayor Marla Thompson and Ward 2 Alderman Gary Lingerfelt, the other two Long View candidates up for election this year, are running unopposed. Like Hickory, the Long View races are nonpartisan.

The most crowded local race is the Republican primary for Catawba County commissioner. Five candidates  incumbents Randy Isenhower and Sherry Butler, Newton residents Robert Abernethy and Cole Setzer and Maiden resident Ronn Abernathy  have filed for the three at-large commissioner seats up for election this year.

Whatever the outcome, the Catawba County Board of Commissioners will be adding someone new as it loses one of its longtime members.

Commissioner Kitty Barnes wont run for reelection this year. Barnes has been on the board of commissioners since 1998.

Barnes said after 24 years on the board, it was time to step down.

Im looking forward to having time with family and more time to travel that I havent had, she said.

Barnes, 74, said she is most proud of how the county navigated the financial downturns and recession around 2008, and the growth and industry diversification the county has achieved since then.

Barnes served three terms on the Catawba County Schools Board of Education before being elected to the Catawba County Board of Commissioners. Though shes leaving public service, shell still stay in touch with county and school news, she said.

The only other competitive county race is for clerk of court, where the incumbent Kim Sigmon will face challenger Patty Cook in the Republican primary. Sheriff Don Brown is unopposed in his reelection bid.

Rep. Mitchell Setzer is the only state legislator from Catawba County facing a primary.

He is running for reelection against Newton residents Kelli Weaver Moore and Benjamin Devine in the Republican primary for N.C. House District 96, which covers eastern and southern Catawba County as well as part of Iredell County.

Rep. Jay Adams, Sen. Dean Proctor and District Attorney Scott Reilly, all Republicans, are running for reelection unopposed.

Longtime Rep. Patrick McHenry will face five challengers in his bid to win another term from North Carolinas 10th Congressional District: Richard Speer, Jeff Gregory, Michael Magnotta and Gary Robinson.

There is also a Democratic primary in the 10th District between Pam Genant and Michael Felder.

In addition, races for U.S. Senate and judicial seats ranging from district court to the N.C. Supreme Court will also be on the ballot this year.

There will be another filing period later this year for the Catawba County school board and soil and water district supervisors.

Note: This story was updated at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday to provide the correct name of Catawba County clerk of court candidate Patty Cook.
The remnants of the Hickory City Walk arches have been removed from the Main Avenue and City Walk pedestrian bridges two weeks after the 40-ton structure collapsed.

Workers, most of whom appeared to be employees of the D.H. Griffin demolition company, used chainsaws and a crane to move the damaged beams from the road piece by piece.

The work began shortly after 6 p.m. Friday. By noon Saturday, only one truckload of beams was left to be taken from the site. N.C. Highway 127, originally scheduled to be closed through Monday morning, was open by Saturday afternoon.

The N.C. Department of Transportation will be inspecting both the Main Avenue and City Walk pedestrian bridges.

The arches damaged part of the siding to the Main Avenue bridge; workers installed a piece of metal as a reinforcement on Saturday.

The removal of the arches brings an end to a year-long process that has included moments of celebration and setback.

The arches were the largest and most prominent feature of the City Walk, the enhanced walking and biking sidewalk connecting downtown Hickory to Lenoir-Rhyne University.

The $750,000 arches alone made up about 5% of the City Walk contract awarded to Neill Grading & Construction Co.

Workers installed the first set of arches almost exactly one year ago. The process hit a snag in April 2021 when the workers heard an unusual noise, later identified as a splintering of part of the wood.

By July, the second arch was erected after a repair involving adhesive and screws. Neither the city nor any other entity involved in the project identified the adhesive that was used, but at one point the manufacturer suggested Gorilla Glue.

The two arches stood together for about seven months. They were up long enough to be the centerpiece of a ceremony in December officially opening and dedicating the City Walk, a ceremony that ended with the lighting of the arches.

The removal of the arches signifies the end of one phase in the aftermath of the collapse. City leaders are focused on getting reimbursement through the warranty on the arches. The city has retained the services of the Charlotte law firm of Rosenwood, Rose & Litwak.

Additionally, many questions regarding the collapse and what happens next have yet to be answered.

Theres the matter of what, if anything, will replace the arches.

Mayor Hank Guess addressed that subject on Saturday while at the arch site checking the progress of their removal.

I think its too soon right now, Guess said. I would like to see us focus on the projects that we already have underway. I do think that eventually we will do something. I dont know what that something might be.

There also are the questions of what caused the arch collapse and if the cause will be publicly revealed.

Speaking to the Hickory City Council on Tuesday, City Manager Warren Wood said the city will not be conducting its own investigation into the matter based on the advice of the citys insurer.

He said other parties were generating their own reports; it was not clear if city leaders would be able to see those reports.

Citing the involvement of various conflicting parties, Wood also said the city would be limiting new statements and informational updates about the arches going forward.

Speaking on Saturday, Guess said he agreed with the position Wood laid out at the meeting.

Hes exactly correct, Guess said, adding: Were going to stay in our lane and were going to take advice from the insurance companies and the attorneys as far as what we do going forward.

When asked about the chances of Hickory residents learning about the cause, Guess said: I think that we will continue to take the advice of our insurance agents and our attorneys regarding that.
The founders of GiveSendGo Heather Wilson and Jacob Wells, during an interview with The Epoch Times on March 1, 2022. (The Epoch Times)

GiveSendGo Founders Want Hackers of Truck Convoy Fundraiser Brought to Justice

GiveSendGo cofounders Heather Wilson and Jacob Wells say an investigation has been opened to find the culprits who hacked their website during fundraising efforts for the Freedom Convoy protest against COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

There is an ongoing investigation right now to bring those perpetrators to justice and make them accountable to the law, because what was done was illegal, Wells told EpochTVs Facts Matter program.

Weve got forensic teams as we speak working on tracing all of this out, figuring out how in the world could it happen.  It is interesting that this hacker, whos named himself online, has connections to Canadian intel and doing work for them in the past, and the group Anonymousa very high level sophisticated orchestrated attack against GiveSendGo.

Wells said they havent seen any coverage from legacy media about the denial-of-service (DDoS) hack that targeted their company last month during a fundraiser for the Canadian trucker protests. Whats worse, some of the people who donated to the campaign have been identified and harassed.

Well, the media really hasnt approached us aboutespecially about the piece of who was the hacker, Wells said.

The Freedom Convoy 2022 organizers created the fundraiser on GiveSendGo after rival fundraising platform GoFundMe blocked potential donors and attempted to seize more than $8 million in funds.

And so they came to GiveSendGo and started a campaign, and immediately our site was hackedor a DDoS attack is a better word for it. So within that first 24 hours, we had over 10 million DDoS attacks on our site, Wilson said.

A DDoS attack is a covert effort to upend the normal traffic of a specific server, service, or network by inundating it or its surrounding infrastructure with a torrent of internet traffic.

We had a hard time even getting the site up because people were attacking, overloading our database.  The next morning, we looked and that campaign (Freedom Convoy 2022) had raised over $2 million in 24 hours, said Wilson. That is simply a God thing, because theres no way a site that we couldnt even get to would be able to process that amount of money with the amount of attacks on it.

Protesters in a truck convoy leave the CanadaU.S. border crossing after demonstrating against COVID-19 mandates for over two weeks, in Coutts, Alberta, on Feb. 15, 2022. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)

Right now the funds are in a U.S.-based bank, waiting as the trucker convoy works out legal options to get the money, Wilson said. It is safe, people are still donating, people are still behind this convoy.

Wilson and Wells say their companys guiding principle is freedom, as well as the rights laid out in the nations founding documents, as well as their Christian faith.

You have to have a moral foundation beyond just the laws of the land, and thankfully for us, we recognize one: Freedom is a foundational premise to our moral foundation, Wells said. Whats your foundation grounded in? GiveSendGo is grounded in freedom because we recognize thats what God gave us.

If somebody came and said, Were against the truckers, we need to raise money to shut it down, you dont need to know our personal opinion on that, said Wilson. We have personal opinions, we have the right to have personal opinions, but our platform is going to allow people to raise money for the things that are important to them, whether we agree with them or not.

The company did terminate a Church of Satan campaign to raise money for abortion because it went against their belief of not killing.

Masooma Haq Follow Masooma Haq began reporting for The Epoch Times from Pakistan in 2008. She currently covers a variety of topics including U.S. government, culture, and entertainment.
These Days

Lucy Caldwell Faber 12.99

Trauma and tenderness go hand in hand in Caldwells gravely beautiful fourth novel.

Her delicate delineation of the emotional states of three women is set against the brutal bombing of Belfast in the Second World War.

As married Florence Bell pines for a long-lost love, her eldest daughter Audrey questions her relationship with fiance Richard, while her youngest, Emma, falls for Sylvia, a fellow first-aid volunteer.

Caldwell writes luminously of love but her psychologically acute descriptions of the ruined citys resilient people are peerless.

Eithne Farry

Mischief Acts

Zoe Gilbert Bloomsbury Circus 17.99

The forest lies at the heart of much universal myth and legend and in her second novel, Gilbert takes us on a mesmerising journey down the byways of English folklore in a linked collection of stories featuring an antlered, shape-shifting sprite known as Herne the Hunter.

Set in South Londons Great North Wood, these tales span hundreds of years, even into the future.

Throughout, Herne appears in various guises as a disruptive and mischievous presence, offering an inventive, subversive take on English history.

Simon Humphreys

The School For Good Mothers

Jessamine Chan Hutchinson Heinemann 12.99

Freshly divorced Frida Liu is juggling new motherhood with a job in academia that she cant afford to lose. When a run of sleepless nights leads to a very bad day, she dashes out to collect some papers, leaving 18-month-old Harriet home alone.

The authorities swiftly intervene, sending Harriet to live with her father, and dispatching Frida to a dystopian reform school for mothers deemed inadequate.

Its a gripping debut  claustrophobic in its evocation of heartbreaking injustice, nightmarishly plausible in the tyrannical perfectionism that powers it.

Hephzibah Anderson

One Bad Thing

M. K. Hill Head of Zeus 18.99

Hannah Godley is an agony aunt about to jump from radio to television. But, on the last day of her radio phone-in, a caller named Diane seems to know far too much about Hannahs past  and the bad thing she did as a student.

Soon Diane is invading every aspect of Hannahs life, which starts to fall apart. Sharply observed and surprising, this is a high-quality slice of psychological suspense.

John Williams
But unlike the retailers who have announced that theyre pausing operations in Russia, some fast-food companies do not actually own the restaurants that operate there under their names. In Russia, Starbucks, Papa Johns and Yum Brands chains including KFC and Pizza Hut are mostly run by franchisees, who often have close ties to Russian banks or investors.

Franchise experts say that, depending on the agreements, it is probably up to the franchise owner to decide whether to close a restaurant because of political turmoil, rather than the brands themselves.

Fast-food restaurants and food and beverage companies were some of the earliest entrants into the Russian market, and many have nimbly operated there for decades. Even during other times of political turmoil and tensions, the companies still found consumers eager to buy American soda and gobble up burgers, chicken and pizza.

When McDonalds opened its first restaurant in Russia  in Moscows Pushkin Square in 1990  an estimated 30,000 Russians lined up to sample its hamburgers for the first time. A few years later, Mikhail Gorbachev, the former leader of the Soviet Union, appeared in a commercial for Pizza Hut.
It would be difficult to imagine a government minister these days with an appetite for reform even remotely as keen as that of Moss Cass who died, aged 95, in Melbourne on February 26.

He fought to legalise abortion and homosexual acts at a time when doctors and gays could be jailed, he was an environmentalist long before it became fashionable, a pioneer of Medicare and a media minister unafraid to criticise Rupert Murdochs media empire as paranoid.

Dr Moss Cass

In 1971, a year before the Whitlam government was elected, Dr Cass became a counter-culture champion when he invited senators to join him in smoking marijuana.

A proponent of legalising cannabis, he thought senators ought to know what they were talking about if they were going to debate the matter.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday handed over a cheque of Rs 25 lakh to the family of Naveen Shekharappa, an MBBS student who died in shelling in war-torn Ukraine. The Chief Minister also promised a job for a family member of Naveen. "I have handed over a cheque of Rs 25 lakh to the family of Naveen Shekharappa. We will also give a job to a family member. Naveen's body will be brought back here as soon as possible. I am constantly in touch with Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and officials. I am in touch with the ambassadors of Ukraine," Bommai told mediapersons here. Further taking to Twitter, the Chief Minister said, "Paid my tributes to Naveen Shekharappa, consoled his parents and expressed solidarity with them in their loss. While no one can compensate for the loss of a precious human life, still offered a cheque worth Rs 25 lacs to Naveen's family. We stand with them in their hour of grief." Naveen Shekharappa Gyanagoudar, the deceased student, was a resident of Karnataka's Haveri district. The 21-year-old Indian, a student of Kharkiv National Medical University, was reportedly standing in a queue to buy food when he was killed in Russian shelling in Ukraine's Kharkiv. (ANI)
India's Ambassador to Partha Satpathy on Saturday said that Indian nationals in the war torn Ukraine, especially students, have displayed "maturity" and "fortitude" amidst these turbulent times.

He said that over the one past week, the Indian Embassy has evacuated more than 10,000 from .

"Barring Kharkiv and Sumy, almost all Indians from the remaining regions of have been evacuated," the Ambassador said in a message posted by the embassy on Twitter.

He said in the case of Kharkiv, despite it being an active war zone with heavy shelling, the embassy has maintained "consistent and constant" efforts to evacuate every citizen.

"Towards this end, in the past two days alone, we have evacuated more than 500 Indians from Pisochyn. As on date, about 300 remain in Pisochyn and the are being evacuated today," he said.

He assured Indians in Sumy that the embassy will leave "no stone unturned" in their efforts to ensure safe evacuation of .

"For all our Indian students in transit to the western borders, I request some more hours of strength. Government of India will take you home soon," Satpathy added.

--IANS

uj/shs

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A state legislative committee tabled a bill Friday that wouldve refunded Wyomings share of an increase in federal mineral royalty revenue to coal, oil and natural gas producers.

Senate File 84, which was backed by industry but drew criticism from conservation groups, passed the Senate on Monday after several of its opponents urged patience. The House Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee decided it should not advance any further.

Uncertainty has followed the bill through the Legislature over the last several weeks. The arrangement itself is complicated. Wyoming gets half of the royalty revenue generated by its federal coal, oil and gas leases, but the state doesnt have authority over federal royalties. Under the bill, the state would instead redistribute additional royalty money to producers by refunding a portion of state-levied severance taxes. Doing all that without disrupting the rest of the budget gets tricky.

Senate advances federal mineral royalty relief State lawmakers are worried that a royalty hike on new federal leases  a move the Biden administration appears to be considering  will discourage oil and gas production in Wyoming.

According to Sen. Brian Boner, R-Douglas, chairman of the select committee that sponsored the bill, passing it would have signaled to industry that Wyoming is on its side. It would have also helped to preserve producers confidence in the states large number of federal leases.

Industry echoed that position. Pete Obermueller, president of the Petroleum Association of Wyoming, told the committee Friday that the bill would have helped industry while remaining fair to taxpayers.

Tax relief, he said, would be looking at our highest tax rate in the nation and actually offering relief. This is just slowing the rate of increase.

But because the federal government hasnt made any formal efforts to raise the royalty rate  though it appears to be considering doing so  the state isnt sure how much the royalty rate will rise. Or if it will increase at all.

The bill had also generated debate about whether a change in the royalty rate would have a significant impact on production, with conservation groups and some elected officials raising concerns that it could have amounted to little more than a giveaway of needed revenue.

After more than an hour of discussion and public comment that spanned two meetings, the committee approved a motion by Rep. Trey Sherwood, D-Laramie, to table the bill, which will be reviewed and revised after this years Legislative session concludes.

Just based on testimony that we heard earlier this week and today, theres, at least for me, still a lot of unknowns, Sherwood said. There are just broader conversations to have about the administrative impact and, really, our tax policy in general.
A hero of the Chernobyl disaster is among those to flee Kyiv.

Alexei Ananenko, 62, was one of three men who volunteered to wade through radioactive water in May 1986 to prevent a second cataclysmic explosion at the stricken nuclear reactor.

They were dubbed suicide divers for the perilous mission, but he said he was just doing his job.

Now in poor health after being hit by a car five years ago, he and his wife Valentina, 53, yesterday fled Kyiv for western Ukraine.

'I have never been so offended by Russia, but now I realise that I cannot forgive this genocide of the Ukrainian people, this destruction of us as a people,' Valentina said.

Alexei Ananenko (pictured), 62, was one of three men who volunteered to wade through radioactive water in May 1986 to prevent a second explosion at the nuclear reactor

They were dubbed suicide divers for the perilous mission, but he said he was just doing his job. Pictured: Chernobyl

Pictured: How to donate to the Mail Force Ukraine appeal

Speaking on the dangerous road out of Kyiv, she said: 'Alexei and I have left to go to western Ukraine.

'I need to stay alive to care for him, and he must stay alive. I want to save my life so I can prolong his life. Without my care he will end up helpless in a nursing home or, in the worst case, homeless.'

The explosion on April 26, 1986, destroyed Reactor No 4 at the nuclear plant, now in Ukraine but then part of the Soviet Union.

Now in poor health after being hit by a car five years ago, he and his wife Valentina, 53, yesterday fled Kyiv for western Ukraine. Pictured: People flee Irpin, Ukraine
Ukrainians in the city of Kherson took to the streets to protest against Russian forces after they took control of the city.
BOISE  Rep. Mike Moyle, R-Star, introduced a bill to the Idaho House of Representatives on Wednesday that would require graduates of the states medical school to practice in the state for at least four years or pay back any tuition that was subsidized by public dollars.

House Bill 718 outlines contract requirements for students who are accepted into the Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho Regional Medical Education Program, better known as WWAMI, at the University of Idaho or the University of Utah. WWAMI is Idahos only medical school that is partially funded by state dollars, and the medical school that produces the most rural physicians for the state, with incentives available for those who decide to practice in a rural area of Idaho. The program is part of the University of Washingtons School of Medicine, but every applicant who joins the Idaho branch is an Idaho resident. The school admits about 40 students per year, some of which are reserved for Idaho students at the University of Utah.

Moyle said he has been concerned for many years about students who graduate and do not return to Idaho to practice medicine, and Montana, Wyoming and Alaska have a similar contract with medical students.

(The bill) says were going to help you with your education, but we want you to come back to Idaho and spend some time here to help reimburse the citizens of the state who paid for your opportunity to go to that school, who helped subsidize that education, Moyle said.

The program costs about $80,000 per year at the University of Idaho, with state support covering roughly half of tuition.

Students in the program would commit to entering active, full-time professional practice in Idaho within one year of obtaining a license to practice medicine or finishing a residency or fellowship. The reimbursement obligation would not be subject to interest and could be suspended or waived based on hardship or other specific circumstances related to military service.

Idaho ranks near the bottom of states in the country for number of active primary care physicians, and 49th for active physicians overall. According to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, nearly every corner of Idaho, or 98%, has a shortage of primary care physicians.

We need doctors in Idaho, Moyle said. Were on the low end of things, and we need them back here.

The obligation would apply to students who enroll in the WWAMI program at the University of Idaho or University of Utah in fall 2023 and beyond. The bill could receive a hearing by the House Education Committee in the coming days of the session.
Montanas Republican U.S. Sen. Steve Daines drew some heat Saturday after tweeting a photo from a private Zoom meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. Congress members.

Prior to Zelenskyy joining the call, a Ukrainian ambassador had asked Congress members not to share the private call on social media during the meeting to protect the presidents safety, according to several U.S. lawmakers.

Daines, along with Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, both tweeted during the call.

Among the lawmakers critical of Daines and Rubio was Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota.

The Ukrainian ambassador very intentionally asked each of us on the Zoom call to NOT share anything on social media during the meeting to protect the security of President Zelensky, Phillips said in a tweet after the meeting.

The Representative called the move by Daines and Rubio appalling and reckless ignorance.

Colorado Rep. Jason Crow, a Democrat, also piled on.

The lack of discipline in Congress is truly astounding, he tweeted. If an embattled wartime leader asks you to keep quiet about a meeting, you better keep quiet about the meeting. Im not saying a damn thing. Lives are at stake.

Twitter officials were flooded with tweets demanding the removal of the tweets from Daines and Rubio featuring the screenshot of Zelenskyy. But, by Saturday evening, Daines' tweet was still posted and had generated more than 6,200 comments.

Rachel Dumke, a spokesperson with Daines' office, responded with this statement:

This was a well reported call with over 250 people joining, and it was not a secure or classified briefing. The photo was shared before it was requested not to and well into the call, and it had no identifying information. We should be focusing on whats important here and thats supporting Ukraine. The only reason why anyone wants to make this an issue is partisan clickbait.

During the call, Zelenskyy pleaded with U.S. lawmakers to help his military get more warplanes and to cut off Russian oil imports. He also asked for their support in having NATO designate Ukraine a no-fly zone, something NATO has so far refused to do.

Last week, Daines and Democratic Montana Sen. Jon Tester both signed onto a bill to ban Russian petroleum and liquid natural gas imports. But Daines was also critical of the bill, saying it was only a legislative fig leaf for lawmakers not pursuing a restart of federal oil and gas leases.
RALEIGH  Over the past couple of weeks, North Carolina politicos have focused intently on the outcome of the states latest redistricting saga. After the GOP-majority General Assembly saw its original set of electoral districts thrown out by the courts, lawmakers tried again. Their new legislative maps were accepted. A three-judge panel rejected the Republicans newly crafted congressional districts, however, and enacted a remedial map for the 2022 cycle.

As all this was going on, however, average North Carolinians were paying closer attention to events unfolding thousands of miles away. Russias invasion of Ukraine is a tragedy, an outrage and a wake-up call about the continued threat to liberty and order posed by dictators pursuing 19th-century aims with 21st-century arms. Here in North Carolina, it also represents a potential inflection point in our midterm elections.w

This became clear Feb. 26 when three Republican candidates  former Gov. Pat McCrory, former U.S. Rep. Mark Walker and Marjorie Eastman, an Army veteran and businesswoman  faced off in the first televised debate of the U.S. Senate primary. Held at the John Locke Foundations Carolina Liberty Conference in Raleigh, the debate made statewide headlines not only because of what the participants said, but also because of the identity of their frequent target, U.S. Rep. Ted Budd.

He wasnt there. He declined the invitation, saying he wouldnt agree even to discuss a GOP debate until the candidate-filing period closed. Event organizers put a lectern on the stage to underline his absence.

With the Russian invasion occurring in real time, Budds decision not to participate proved costly. The congressman is vulnerable on the issue. In the past, he sometimes voted against bills to sanction Russia for its conduct in Ukraine. More recently, Budd was in the audience when former President Donald Trump, who endorsed Budd, called Vladimir Putin pretty smart for launching his current invasion of Russias southern neighbor.

The day before the Senate debate, McCrory formally filed for the office and told reporters that Budd had been defending Russia and defending Putin when its indefensible. During the debate, McCrory and the other participants doubled down on the subject. Eastman called the dictator a thug and his invasion unprovoked and unjustified. Walker argued that the U.S. and its allies ought to go after Putin directly.

Asked later to respond, Budd told CBS-17 that Putin was evil and an international thug but also that he was intelligent, so we have to treat him as such. Not surprisingly, both the McCrory campaign and the Democratic Party spent the next 24 hours making hay of Budds foolish choice of words. Hed been better off showing up for the debate and defending his record, which is actually more mixed on Russia than his critics suggest. The Senate primary isnt the only race where the issue is likely to bite. Last week, GOP congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene spoke to a white-nationalist organization in Orlando where the organizer asked the audience to give a round of applause for Russia and got chants of Putin! Putin! in response. Greene tried to pretend later she didnt know what shed gotten herself into, but no one believed her. Some GOP candidates here in North Carolina have sought her endorsement or been on stage with her. Youre going to hear a lot more about that in the coming weeks.

On the Democratic side, President Bidens disastrous first year in office has set up his party for a disastrous midterm election. Now Democrats are hoping his efforts to organize an anti-Putin coalition will not only get results in Ukraine but also bring voters around to the Democratic ticket. North Carolinians do care. In a pre-invasion High Point University poll, 47% said Russias military build-up on the Ukraine border was a major threat to U.S. interests, with another 27% calling it a minor threat.

Most voters dont favor direct American military invention, of course, which isnt in the cards anyway. They do favor tough talk and tougher sanctions. And theyre right.
PORTAGE  Porter Town Council President Erik Wagner was named to the Porter County Council on Saturday, replacing the late Robert Poparad.

Poparad died Jan. 28.

Wagner was competing against fellow Democrat Becky Mateja Lombardini, who is on the ballot with him for the primary election May 3. He was selected by a 13-6 vote of Porter County Democratic Central Committee members from precincts in District 1.

This caucus was about November, Wagner said afterward. I think it shows the Democrats already behind me.

Poparads term  now Wagners term  on the council expires Dec. 31. Its March. Weve only got eight months left of this year already, Wagner said.

I do have a lot to learn going on the council, he said.

One person at the caucus Saturday asked him why he hasnt attended the County Council meetings to learn how they work. Thats because the Town Council meets on the same night, he explained.

Hes learning, though. The County Council meetings are posted online afterward, so he has been watching the recordings.

Wagner has also talked with fellow County Council member Andy Bozak, a Republican who was appointed to replace Jim Biggs, who had been elected to the Board of Commissioners in 2016.

Im glad to see the youth involved, Bozak said. Hes going to fit well in the position. Wagner is 32. He was first elected to the Porter Town Council in 2015. He began getting involved in town boards and commissions at age 21.

Now that he has been named to the County Council, Wagner intends to resign from the Town Council Ward 1 post, he said.

Lombardini is weighing her options now, including whether to seek to replace Wagner on the Town Council. The position will be filled by a Democratic caucus using a process like the one used Saturday, county Democratic Party Chair Drew Wenger said. Wagner is forced to resign from the Town Council because holding two lucrative positions is illegal under state law.

Its too late for Lombardini to withdraw her name from the ballot for the primary election, but deciding to stop campaigning would be an option. Id love to have her on my team and not running against me, Wagner said.

Were Chesterton Trojan fans. That transcends all politics, Lombardini said.

She offered perspective on the caucus Saturday. Were still very fortunate that we could even have something like this, in our country, when you look at Europe, Lombardini said.

On the Town Council, Wagner has faced a number of challenges. One issue he has been working on is expanding the wastewater treatment plant capacity. The town is hoping for a $2.5 million grant. The town is poised for growth, but it cant come until that plant is updated. Unfortunately, I wont see it as a town councilman, he said.

Wagner said he decided to try to jump to the county level of government when the opportunity arose. Ive always wanted to progress in politics, he said. Its masochistic, I know, but I love it.

As a County Council member, Wagner will have a say on how the $33 million in American Rescue Plan Act money is spent. Im happy that the government gave us that money, he said.

The budget wasnt actually hurt as much as we thought it was, Wagner learned, so that opens the opportunity to make game-changing decisions.

Porter County has a terrible homeless problem, he said. The churches alone in the area help but cant do it all.
The first notice arrived sometime in late autumn or early winter.

Given the subject matter, an alleged lapse of insurance on a car that had been traded/sold to a Nissan dealer in sunny Orlando, and the fact that the relevant, supporting paperwork regarding said sale had been mailed in August, the notice looked to be an oversight  a clerical error most likely  so it went straight into the circular file.

Also, it must be confessed, the source of the notice was factored into the decision to toss: the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles, an agency that, if were completely honest, has never been associated with quality customer service.

A subsequent notice, received in early January, carried more bite. It claimed a $50 fine, a $5 late fee and 42-cents interest and threatened a referral to a collection agency.

The total $55.42 levy amounted to a mosquito bite  a drop of lost blood but no hemorrhage.

Still, a fine? For doing the right thing?

Well see about that.

Just a few questions

The closing sentence of the January notice seemed an invitation to reason and perhaps right a wrong. But with the benefit of hindsight, it amounted to an express pass to a 10th circle of Dantes Inferno.

If you have already mailed the full amount due and feel this letter is in error, do not hesitate to contact the Division at 919-715-7000 if you have any questions.

Questions? Just a few.

Calling DMV HQ, much like visiting a local office in person, is time lost forever. Lines at a license-plate agency are nothing compared to the hold time in a phone queue. Better bring a book and a phone charger.

So we went with Option 3, sending email to an address provided online by the DMV. Note the response time  weeks, not hours or even days.

This vehicle was sold/traded to a dealership in Orlando, Florida IN AUGUST. I mailed via US Postal Service paperwork to the NC DMV as requested, I wrote in a Jan. 4 email. And yet I am still receiving letters about a $50 civil penalty, late fee and interest now, as well as a threat to refer to NC DOJ. What else needs to be done? What gives?

An answer came back Jan. 27: Thank you for providing the documents. As of today they have not been processed. Please give it a few more days. Thank You.

I freely admit that neither patience nor tact is a virtue.

OK but the documents were mailed IN AUGUST.

Glaciers move faster than the DMV.

One more slow-mo exchange provided more of the same. But at least it included additional intrigue with the introduction of a second likely suspect: the U.S. Postal Service.

Needless to say, no documents arrived. So I tried uploading early last month a copy of the one document from the August sale that could be found.

It was a bad mistake to send via U.S. mail to the state DMV.

Never did get a response to that; the result was an electronic standoff at the DMV corral.

Over $55.42.

Patience, perseverance pays off

The basic problem when attempting to fight (or reason with) with the government is the government generally holds trump cards. To wit, the ability of the DMV to hold up other transactions such as re-upping another registration on a different vehicle.

So it was when it came time to renew the registration on another older car by Feb. 28, Monday.

The usually seamless online renewal/property tax process  thanks Treasurer Dale Folwell, who spearheaded that move to modernization as a member of the General Assembly  flashed a warning.

We cant renew this registration. Contact the DMV.

Losing an entire morning (or more) on hold waiting for a bureaucrat, a bot or both could not be avoided. At least it wasnt the Department of Revenue.

A funny and completely unexpected thing happened after 40 minutes on hold, however. Competency, patience and a glimmer of hope broke through the static.

A polite, affable DMV employee named Corey got on the line. Hed received training in how to deal with curmudgeons and it showed. You have every right to be upset, he said.

He also had an explanation and an easy fix. The actual license plate should have been mailed to North Carolina either by the dealership or the first-time new car buyer, a near grown-up with my same last name.

Send a copy of the bill of sale  happily provided by the dealer  that shows the plate was turned in before the insurance was terminated. Upload a completed form MVR-18A  lost or stolen tags  and that should do the trick.

Corey also glided over my comment about not paying $55.42 now or ever.

I wouldnt have a job if not for ... how do I put it? he said before opting for a word I helpfully provided. Slackers. Well, slackers and dealerships. The (tag) might be on somebodys desk. Maybe somebody just forgot to mail it. Maybe it got lost. It is Florida so maybe they didnt know North Carolina requires the plate to be turned in.

Either way, a problem finally met a solution. And if not for some bonehead (me) not writing down correctly the 17-character vehicle-identification number on the MVR-18A, it would have been done in time to renew by the deadline.

That $15 renewal late fee Ill eat; the $55.42 apparently got waived, the work of young Corey.

Perhaps its time to rethink some of the (bad) stereotypes affixed to the DMV. Competence and professionalism exist; it just takes time and patience to locate.
Regarding Cross-country trucker protest against vaccine mandates rolls through Missouri (March 1): What can we all learn from this trucker convoy? According to former governor and senatorial candidate Eric Greitens, the truckers are firm believers in freedom who are here to take our country back. I didnt realize our country was gone, but apparently freedom will bring it back. I support that. I also want women to have freedom over their own bodies as well as to live in a country free of gun violence, free of gender and racial inequality, free of literary censorship and free of oligarchic practices that rob so many citizens of a living wage.
During the next three weeks of the Omicron outbreak, its likely well see more climbing case numbers.



However, there is some good news in sight. Aucklands Covid-19 cases may be starting to plateau, epidemiologist Michael Baker says.



The Ministry of Health announced 18,833 new community cases of Covid-19 on Saturday and 597 people with the virus are in hospital. Five more people with Covid-19 have also died in hospital. All five were at Auckland hospitals.



Its a decrease in daily cases, which have consistently been above 20,000 for the past few days.



While Covid infections are now spreading throughout the country, the vast majority of cases have been emerging in Aucklands large population.



According to Michael, the rest of the country is likely two or three weeks behind the city in terms of virus transmission.



It's going to be a fairly messy pattern across the country for the next three weeks, then see numbers fall away. It's quite marked because Auckland is so dominant in the national total.



The message is the level of exposure in the country is rising at the moment. Auckland is on a plateau, but this virus is going to be everywhere in Auckland, even if numbers have dropped.



Despite the decrease in cases, the ministry expected numbers to jump around, while Covid-19 related hospitalisations were still increasing.

Vaccination rates

More than 2.4 million booster shots have now been given nationally, with more than 16,000 administered on Saturday.



Of the eligible people aged 12 and over, 96 per cent have had their first dose, 95 per cent their second, and 72 per cent have had their booster.



For Maori, aged 12+, 91 per cent have had their first dose, and 87 per cent their second. For Pacific Peoples, aged 12+, 98 per cent first dose, and 96 per cent their second.

Global toll

Data from Johns Hopkins University shows more than 444 million people have been infected with Sars-CoV-2, and more than 5.99m have died. Vaccination efforts are continuing with more than 10.5 billion doses administered around the world.



The United States continues to record the most cases and fatalities - more than 79.2m cases and 958,224 deaths.

What should I do?

During phase 3 we must act as if we have Covid-19, Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield says.



Free rapid antigen tests can now be ordered online from a new Ministry of Health website. Anyone with symptoms can order a test on the RAT requester site and collect it from 146 sites nationwide.



Anyone who wants to get tested can find their local testing centres by visiting the Ministry of Health website.



Quarantine-free travel from Australia has been suspended.

People should use the Covid-19 tracer app. Some helpful tips on using the Covid tracer app can be found here.



If you are sick, call your GP before you visit, or Healthline on 0800 358 5453.

To avoid contracting and spreading the virus, wash your hands properly, cough and sneeze into the crook of your elbow and throw tissues away immediately.



Reach out, find support from people who care, connect with your community or help a neighbour.

Vaccination centres open this weekend:

A vaccincation drive-through in Te Puke and vaccination centres in Tauranga are open on Sunday.

There is a vaccination drive-through in Te Puke at Commerce Lane carpark, behind New World - Sunday 6, from 10 am 3 pm.

In Tauranga, vaccination centres are open from 8am to 3pm at Tauranga Central - Covid Vaccination Centre, at 87 First Avenue, Tauranga, and from 9am to 6pm at Undercover Crossing Carpark at the Crossing Shopping Centre, 2 Taurikura Drive.
EAST CHICAGO  A wanted man with three warrants led a vehicle and foot chase, crashing his vehicle into an East Chicago garage, police said.

Aarin Patrick Davidson, 23, of East Chicago, was preliminary charged with resisting law enforcement with a vehicle, resisting law enforcement, leaving the scene of a property damage crash, operating a motor vehicle without ever having received a license, reckless driving and refusal to identify, said ISP Trooper James M. Brasseur.

At 1:10 a.m. Friday ISP troopers Israel Rosillo and Joshua Luckey saw a silver 2006 Chevrolet Impala driving at high speed heading north on Indianapolis Boulevard near U.S. 20.

As the troopers drove near the vehicle, they saw the driver commit more traffic violations, such as not stopping at stop signs, police said.

The troopers tried to pull over the vehicle near 149th Street, just west of Magoun Avenue; however, Davidson refused to stop.

Brasseur said vehicle led chase traveling west on 149th Street while blowing through multiple stop signs and increasing speed.

The vehicle then turned north into an alley between Walsh Avenue and White Oak Avenue in Hammond, where Davidson abandoned his vehicle to flee on foot, police said. However, he did not put the vehicle in park, causing it to collide with a garage in the 4800 block of Walsh Avenue.

A foot pursuit ensued, and Rollio and Luckey were able to catch Davidson and arrest him without further incident.

Davidson was taken to Lake County Jail, and it was found he had three active warrants for charges of making a false statement in the purchase of a firearm, robbery and operating a motor vehicle without ever having received a license.

East Chicago Police Department, Lake County Sheriffs Department, East Chicago EMS and Caruthers Towing assisted ISP troopers at the scene.
The Ministry of Health is reporting 15,161 new community cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand. There are 937 new community cases in Bay of Plenty and 434 in the Lakes District Health Board region.

There are 618 in hospital, with ten in ICU. Sadly there has been another death since the previous Ministry of Health update on Saturday.

There have been four new cases identified at the border.

Sadly, we are today reporting the death of a person in Auckland Hospital, says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

The person had unrelated medical conditions and had tested positive for Covid-19.

Our thoughts and condolences are with their persons whanau and friends. Out of respect for privacy, we will be making no further comment.

Of the 15,161 new community cases there are 382 in Northland. 7226 in Auckland, 1334 in Waikato, 937 in Bay of Plenty, 434 in Lakes, 336 in Hawkes Bay, 378 in MidCentral, 59 in Whanganui, 239 in Taranaki, 166 in Tairawhiti, 85 in Wairarapa. 1161 in Capital and Coast, 648 in Hutt Valley, 233 in Nelson Marlborough, 1019 in Canterbury, 52 in South Canterbury, 444 in Southern, 17 in West Coast, and 11 unknown.

Of the 618 cases in hospital, 10 are in Northland, 117 in North Shore, 184 in Middlemore, 167 in Auckland, 49 in Waikato, 16 in BOP, eight in Rotorua, two in Tairawhiti, six in Hawkes Bay, six in Taranaki, 10 in MidCentral, two in Wairarapa, two in Hutt Valley, 20 in Capital and Coast, two in Nelson Marlborough, 13 in Canterbury, and four in Southern.

There are now 179,417 active community cases in NZ identified in the past 10 days and not yet classified as recovered.

While decreases in cases can be encouraging, the Ministry of Health urges caution.

The variation in reporting numbers each day means that the rolling average of cases gives a more reliable indicator of testing trends, says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

The seven-day rolling average of cases is today 17,272, up from 16,687 yesterday.

Additionally, public health officials consider that one possible reason for the decrease in cases could be related to delays in people self-reporting Rapid Antigen Test results, even if it is a negative result.

It is essential we have as much information as possible to inform public health decision-making. If you take a Rapid Antigen Test, report the result online through my COVID Record.

Instructions for self-reporting RAT results can be found on the Unite Against Covid website.

We are continuing to see increases in Covid-19 related hospitalisations, which is significantly greater than those from last year's Delta outbreak, says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

The hospitalisation figure of 544 on Thursday was six times the peak in hospitalisations seen in the Delta outbreak last year. The number of cases in hospital is currently expected to peak in the second half of this month.

The Omicron variant means people who are hospitalised are more likely to have a shorter stay and less likely to be admitted to ICU or require oxygen or ventilation support.

Most cases in the week from February 24 to March 3 have continued to be reported in Auckland where, 61 per cent of new cases were reported.

In the week from February 24 to March 3 more cases were reported in New Zealand Europeans (39 per cent), followed by Pacific people (26 per cent). However, rates of infection are highest for Pacific people (7,510 per 100,000), followed by Maori (2,465 per 100,000), Asian (2,234 per 100,000) and lowest for New Zealand European (1,322 per 100,000).

Being prepared for Covid-19

With Omicron continuing to spread, your household may be affected soon if it hasnt already, says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

If you have tested positive for Covid-19, you will need to isolate while you recover from Covid-19. Others in your household will need to also isolate with you until the end of your isolation period.

The Ministry of Health recommender stocking up on supplies before theres a Covid-19 case in your household.

In addition, organise with friends, whanau or neighbours to do contactless drop-offs of food and supplies as needed and/or discuss your medication needs with your local pharmacist ahead of time.

Being ready for getting Covid-19 is about making sure you and your household have a plan and know what to do. It will mean your whanau and community can help each other if needed.

Rapid Antigen Test Update

The Ministry would like to thank the many people reporting their Rapid Antigen Tests with more than 40,000 test results reported in the past 24 hours, of which 14,618 were positive.

We are continuing to see a high demand for Rapid Antigen Tests and the Ministry continues to assure people that we have good supply of tests.

Yesterday, 34,000 RATs order were placed through the RAT requester site. Another 3.5 million RATs are being sent out to collection sites around the country today. A total of 8 million RATs are arriving into the country over the weekend.

With tens of thousands of people collecting RATs from testing centres and collection sites, our request is to, please, be patient and kind to each other and staff, says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

If you are symptomatic or a household contact, you can order RATs through the newly launched RAT requester site.

You, or someone of your behalf, can collect your RAT order from a collection site listed on Healthpoint. Please only go to those sites that are listed as collection sites.

The priority for Covid-19 response for free RATs remains those who are symptomatic or a household contact.

Please do not order or request RATs from testing centre or collections sites unless you are unwell or a household contact.

International travel pre-departure testing is not covered under the public health response.

If you are well, you can still purchase RATs from one of a growing number of retailers which stock them.

Covid-19 vaccine update

Vaccinations administered in New Zealand

Vaccines administered to date: 4,021,280 first doses; 3,963,972 second doses; 33,999 third primary doses; 2,455,204 booster doses: 249,062 paediatric first doses and 5,006 paediatric second doses

Vaccines administered yesterday: 283 first doses; 577 second doses; 55 third primary doses; 14,666 booster doses; 2,009 paediatric first doses and 550 paediatric second doses

People vaccinated

All Ethnicities (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 4,066,046 first dose (96.6%); 4,006,864 second dose (95.2%), 2,456,859 boosted (72.4% of those eligible)

Maori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 520,051 first dose (91.1%); 500,321 second dose (87.6%), 212,192 boosted (60.1% of those eligible)

Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 281,162 first dose (98.1%); 275,305 second dose (96%), 127,574 boosted (59.6% of those eligible)

5 to 11-year-olds all ethnicities: 248,911 first dose (52.3%); 4,942 second dose (1%)

5 to 11-year-olds - Maori: 37,734 first dose (32.7%); 819 second dose (0.7%)

5 to 11-year-olds - Pacific Peoples: 22,156 first dose (44.9%); 630 second dose (1.3%)

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*

Northland DHB: first dose (90.4%); second dose (88%); boosted (70.3%)

Auckland Metro DHB: first dose (97.4%); second dose (96.2%); boosted (70.1%)

Waikato DHB: first dose (95.4%); second dose (93.6%); boosted (68.3%)

Bay of Plenty DHB: first dose (95.3%); second dose (93.4%); boosted (69.2%)

Lakes DHB: first dose (93.7%); second dose (91.6%); boosted (69.7%)

MidCentral DHB: first dose (96.9%); second dose (95.3%); boosted (74.8%)

Tairawhiti DHB: first dose (93.5%); second dose (90.9%); boosted (70.1%)

Whanganui DHB: first dose (92.5%); second dose (90.6%); boosted (74.4%)

Hawkes Bay DHB: first dose (97.3%); second dose (95.4%); boosted (72.6%)

Taranaki DHB: first dose (94.9%); second dose (93.2%); boosted (69.6%)

Wairarapa DHB: first dose (96.8%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (76.1%)

Capital & Coast DHB: first dose (98.8%); second dose (98%); boosted (80.7%)

Hutt Valley DHB: first dose (96.9%); second dose (95.7%); boosted (76.9%)

Nelson Marlborough DHB: first dose (96.9%); second dose (95.5%); boosted (76.5%)

West Coast DHB: first dose (93.1%); second dose (91.3%); boosted (74.7%)

Canterbury DHB: first dose (99.9%); second dose (98.8%); boosted (74.8%)

South Canterbury DHB: first dose (95.5%); second dose (94.2%); boosted (76.1%)

Southern DHB: first dose (98.2%); second dose (97%); boosted (75.4%)

*Partially and second doses percentages are for those 12+. Boosted percentages are for 18+ who have become eligible 3 months after having their second dose

Hospitalisations*

Cases in hospital: total number 618: Northland: 10; North Shore: 117; Middlemore: 184; Auckland: 167; Waikato: 49; BOP: 16; Rotorua: 8; Tairawhiti: 2; Hawkes Bay: 6; Taranaki: 6; MidCentral: 10; Wairarapa: 2; Hutt Valley: 2; Capital and Coast: 20; Nelson Marlborough: 2; Canterbury: 13; Southern: 4.

Average age of current hospitalisations: 55

Cases in ICU or HDU: 10

Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (78 cases / 17.9%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (11 cases / 2.5%); double vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (174 cases / 39.9%); Received booster at least 7 days before being reported as a case (95 cases / 21.8%); unknown (78 cases / 17.9%)

*While still early in the Omicron outbreak, the figures show that, based on the data available, unvaccinated people are four times over-represented in the current hospitalisation data. Just 3% of eligible people aged 12 and over in New Zealand have had no doses of the vaccine, however, of the eligible people in Northland and Auckland hospitals with COVID-19, 13% have had no doses of the vaccine.

Cases

Seven day rolling average of community cases: 17,272

Number of new community cases: 15,161

Number of new community cases (PCR): 547

Number of new community cases (RAT): 14,618

Location of new community cases (PCR & RAT): Northland (382), Auckland (7,226), Waikato (1,334), Bay of Plenty (937), Lakes (434), Hawkes Bay (336), MidCentral (378), Whanganui (59), Taranaki (239), Tairawhiti (166), Wairarapa (85), Capital and Coast (1,161), Hutt Valley (648), Nelson Marlborough (233), Canterbury (1,019), South Canterbury (52), Southern (444), West Coast (17); Unknown (11)

Number of new cases identified at the border: 4 (1 confirmed, 3 probable)

Number of active community cases (total): 179,417 (cases identified in the past 10 days and not yet classified as recovered)

Confirmed cases (total): 222,011

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
The terrible events of recent days have forced us all to concentrate our minds on what is really important.

Complacency on all subjects has come to an end. We can no longer pretend to live in a safe and stable world.

We can no longer assume that peace in Europe is permanent and can be taken for granted, while our fellow Europeans are shelled and bombed in their homes, and tanks roar and grind down their terrorised streets.

We also find that we can, in practice, do shockingly little to help and protect them from the illegal actions of Russia's increasingly erratic army.

We must cease to be self-satisfied about our own neglected defences. Exposed again to the great issues of war and peace, life and freedom, we can no longer allow politics to descend into petty squabbling about very little.

Amid our compassion for others  and we continue to urge support for our appeal to help Ukrainian refugees, which has already passed 3.5 million  we also need to worry about our own national future.

We can no longer assume that peace in Europe is permanent and can be taken for granted, while our fellow Europeans are shelled and bombed in their homes, and tanks roar and grind down their terrorised streets

Many things now need to be reassessed. We cannot be sure what shape Europe will take once this conflict is over, or even if it will be swiftly brought to an end. History shows it is always unwise to assume that any war will be over quickly.

We may need to think carefully about just how far we can extend the guarantees of Nato, and how much that will require of us in extra defence spending. But one other absolutely central thing is now clear.

Russia cannot be allowed to wield political power over Europe by virtue of its control of oil and gas supplies. Our energy policies of the past few years have been unrealistic, idealistic and in some cases downright foolish.

A strong argument can now be made, for instance, for reopening the debate on fracking in this country to ensure that we reduce our dependence on imported gas  a dependence that might, if left unchecked, have placed us at the mercy of Moscow.

Fortunately our Russian gas imports are still small, so far, but with our tiny reserves and our heavy dependence on Middle Eastern gas supplies (for which we compete with much of Asia), we are vulnerable to possible future shocks.

Germany, which chose commerce over principles in making gas deals with Moscow, now wishes heartily it had made more efforts to remain independent in its energy supplies, and may have to reverse several supposedly green decisions, including the closure of nuclear power stations and a planned phase-out of coal by 2038.

We may need to think carefully about just how far we can extend the guarantees of Nato, and how much that will require of us in extra defence spending

Perhaps, just in time, much of the rest of Europe, Britain included, might rethink some of the more utopian and impracticable pledges it made during what now looks like a period of unreality. In the light of our own vulnerability, are Britain's promises to move towards 'Net Zero' carbon production sustainable or sensible?

The former Ukip leader Nigel Farage, a man who can scent a new political opportunity long before most have seen it, thinks this is about to become a big issue in this country. He writes in The Mail on Sunday today in fierce criticism of our national aim of reaching Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The cost of pursuing this aim to this country could be well over 1 trillion. But such policies do not even work on their own terms. By exporting high-carbon activities to poorer countries, they create higher global CO2 levels.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is one of several leading Tories who likewise suspect that Net Zero is an aim this country cannot afford, and which is not justified by its practical outcomes.

Now, thanks to Russia's war crimes, it is also shown to be strategically unwise. We should take heed of this and many other dangers, while we still can.

How to donate to the Mail Force Ukraine refugee appeal (pictured)
White-supremacist groups in the U.S. are distributing propaganda at historically high rates in the past few years, says a new report from the Anti-Defamation League. It appears to be part of a backlash against Americas increasing diversity  a trend that is going to continue for the foreseeable future. Pushback to the hate-mongering must come especially from responsible conservative voices, which are less likely to be dismissed out of hand by those who might be susceptible to these toxic messages.

Because these groups usually self-identify as conservative, responsible conservatives should be taking the lead in pushing back on that misrepresentation of their ideology. More forceful and specific condemnation by GOP leaders against Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar for participating in a recent white nationalist event in Florida, for example, would go a long way toward conveying that message and countering this toxic propaganda.

Those in society who are the most susceptible to this poison arent likely to listen to the Joe Bidens of the world  but they might listen to prominent Republicans. Those leaders have a vested interest in getting out the message that, regardless of what these vile groups say, true conservatism and white supremacy arent parallel belief systems.

The Anti-Defamation League report found more than 4,800 cases of white-supremacist propaganda in 2021. Thats down slightly from 2020, but far above the three previous years during which the organization has tracked such propaganda. The propaganda includes racist, anti-Semitic and anti-LGBTQ banners, fliers, stickers and graffiti plastered around neighborhoods, on synagogues, on bridges over highways and on college campuses. It conveys messages like Hitler was right, Reclaim America and various takes on the white-nationalist trope of white replacement by non-whites.

Some of it is pandemic-themed  blaming Jews or immigrants for the coronavirus, for example  which may partly explain why such incidents began spiking in 2020, the year the pandemic began. But the broader phenomenon of the U.S. population becoming more racially diverse also seems to be a factor. The reports author, Carla Hill, associate director of the Anti-Defamation Leagues Center On Extremism, told The Washington Post that the spiking incidents reflect racist groups becoming more and more desperate, losing the chance to have America be white.

Coordination among various white-supremacist groups in distributing propaganda has also increased. This activity is more coordinated than ever before, Oren Segal, vice president of the Center on Extremism, told National Public Radio.

Recruitment of new members is a big part of what drives the propaganda. The hope is that disaffected young white people, perhaps already nervous or angry at changes in society that they believe have diminished their power, might be nudged to take the next step and join white-supremacist or anti-Semitic organizations and participate in their events (which are also growing more numerous and frequent).
A foreign hacker will face a jury in Texas after he was extradited March 3 from Bucharest, Romania, after he sold millions of credit card numbers he got using malware, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Sorin Becheru, 35, was arrested by Romanian authorities Jan. 1 and flown to Texas by the FBI to face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with access devices., according to a news release from the Justice Department. The extradition was done under a bilateral extradition treaty between the U.S. and Romania.

The Justice Department accuses Becheru of using malware that stole credit card numbers from point-of-sale devices with servers located in the U.S. At one point, he had information for more than 240,000 credit cards belonging to victims located in the (Justice Departments) Northern District of Texas and elsewhere.

Malware is an increasingly insidious threat to U.S. companies and consumers. With just a few keystrokes, sophisticated hackers can compromise millions of accounts, U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham said in the news release. The Justice Department will not hesitate to pursue cyber criminals, including those who operate abroad. In the meantime, we encourage Americans to take steps to guard their personally identifiable information online.

The investigation into the stolen credit card numbers, conducted by the FBI, Secret Service, Romanian National Police and Romanian Ministry of Justices Directorate for Investigation of Infractions of Organized Crime and Terrorism, found that Becheru used aliases online to sell the credit card numbers.

Becheru made his first appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rebecca Rutherford on March 4. If convicted, Becheru faces up to five years in a U.S. federal prison.
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has been a busy man of late, managing to make news even as the airwaves have been swamped over the war in Ukraine and the Assembly polls in five states.

Jet-setting to state capitals often to meet his counterparts, KCR, as he is popularly known, is a man on a mission.

He has bared his fangs and ambitions: to go national to take on his new enemy, the BJP.

At rallies in Telangana, he has tried to sound noble, tying his aspirations to the country's development.

Also Read | Don't call it anti-BJP, KCR now on his 'federal front' endeavor

We in Telangana are surging ahead in all sectors. The nation should also develop. We should strive for an India which would become greater than the USA, KCR said recently.

On KCR's menu is a federal front, seemingly a more serious enterprise than what he attempted just before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. And KCR's focus of attack has been none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Hence the parleys with Modi detractors: Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, BJP MP Subramanian Swamy, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait and Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren in the last fortnight.

But what role could KCR expect representing a state having only 17 Lok Sabha seats? The leaders he is associating with  Mamata Banerjee, Thackeray, DMK chief MK Stalin  all have far higher prospects in the numbers game, in the event of a non-Congress, non-BJP led government formation at the Centre.

The question of who becomes the PM is for a later day. Till then, the united fight is for people's issues, a TRS lawmaker told DH.

Early years

KCR's first brush with politics was when he joined the Youth Congress but that didn't last long. Soon after, he joined the TDP in 1983. In 1985, he contested from Siddipet Assembly seat on a TDP ticket and emerged victoriously, and there was no turning back.

He has won four times from the seat since 1985 and served as a minister in NT Rama Rao and Chandrababu Naidu Cabinets in undivided Andhra Pradesh.

In 2001, KCR set up the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) after being denied a Cabinet berth by the then CM Chandrababu Naidu. The gamble paid off as the party managed to win five Lok Sabha and 26 Assembly seats in the 2004 polls.

The turning point in his political career was when the Telangana movement was raging. KCR undertook a fast unto death deeksha in November 2009, after the death of YS Rajasekhar Reddy in a chopper crash.

The fast and student protests prompted the UPA-II to announce steps to create Telangana.

After the creation of Telangana in 2014, KCR, seen as the political face of the statehood movement, made the TRS stronger by encouraging defections from the TDP and the Congress. In 2018 polls, the TRS won 88 Assembly seats but the ruling side's strength now is 103, again a result of defections.

Credibility question

KCR is tenacious and not afraid of taking the fight to the enemy's camp. This trait he shares with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata, another ally who is at loggerheads with the BJP.

A keen reader with a Master's in Telugu, KCR is knowledgeable on many subjects and has the gift of the gab; he can also unleash profanities with ease at his detractors.

Unlike other leaders from the south, he is proficient both in English and Hindi, a talent he believes would put him at an advantage in national politics. And he has the remarkable, often criticised ability to contradict his own statements.

People who were once close to him say that he operates with two agendas: one for public consumption and the real one suiting his interests.

KCR also has the habit of burning bridges.

For example, he had allied with Chandrababu once, but in 2018 he called him Shani (lord of misfortune).

When the Bill to form Telangana was in the making, KCR said he would merge the TRS with the Congress. Later, he was accused of breaking that promise once Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated. Though KCR thanked Sonia Gandhi in 2014, she was attacked by the TRS during the 2018 polls.

KCR is a typical politician. And he has his reasons, situations, and electoral compulsions for changing stand every time, a senior party leader said.

Analysts say KCR is engaging the services of political strategist Prashant Kishor to install himself as a credible leader on the national stage while helping him deal with the BJP threat within the state.

The view in Telangana is that KCR is looking at the larger picture. After serving as the CM for about 10 years, KCR would want an important role at the Centre. When that moment arrives, he would hand over the state's reins to his son, Rama Rao aka KTR, and proceed to Delhi.

Check out the latest videos from DH:
Theres nothing like a good ol Russian invasion to recall the days of the Cold War. That was a time when there was no daylight, at least not publicly, between the two major political parties when it came to Soviet Union aggression.

Cold War propaganda became an indispensable ally toward the passage of landmark civil rights legislation of the 1960s. Global images of the violence emanating from Jim Crow segregation undercut Americas message touting the virtues of democratic rule.

For 32 years, the Cold War languished in our historical rearview mirror  mere remnants of a bygone era. Americas 2022 reaction to Russian aggression in Ukraine, though largely in agreement, is not uniformly so.

Writing for The Week, Catherine Garcia recently offered:

Russian state media personalities are lauding Russian President Vladimir Putin and his order to send troops to two separatist regions of eastern Ukraine, and using commentary from Fox News host Tucker Carlson and former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to further support his actions.

During the height of the Cold War, it would have been unfathomable to imagine that the words of a journalist and former secretary of state would be used to justify Soviet Union aggression. But here we are.

The history of invading Russia is one fraught with disaster, and that was before it became a nuclear super power. It is therefore difficult to accept Putins national security concerns, as it relates to the need to reestablish Ukraine as a Russian satellite.

If Russias invasion were to conclude at the time of this writing, the best-case scenario would most likely be the establishment of a 1940 Vichy-type government or something akin to the 1938 Munich Agreement that permitted German annexation of the Sudetenland in western Czechoslovakia. Both options are hardly ideal; but this is a fast-moving story that renders any writing antiquated by the time of completion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky demonstrates Churchillian-like valor as he urges his people to oppose the Russian aggression orchestrated by Putin.

But as Mark Twain offered, History doesnt repeat itself, but it often rhymes. Is Russia invading Ukraine the historical equivalent to Germany rolling into Poland in 1939? Is this the Cold War 2.0? It is difficult to find the overlapping historical analogy beyond the aggressive nature to acquire more land, which lurks at the heart of most wars since the recording of human history.

The yet-to-be answered question remains: How much time does Putin have to meet his objectives?

With each passing day, Russias invasion of Ukraine morphs deeper into guerilla warfare  advantage Ukraine. Wars of attrition often do not bode well for invading powers. Great Britain vs. America (1775-1783), United States vs. Vietnam (1955-1975) and the Soviet Union vs. Afghanistan (1979-1989) are examples of military powers getting bogged down in wars of attrition.

As the conflict drags on, traditional metrics such as casualty disparity and land acquired become less relevant. Time becomes the ally of the underdog.

The Russian time clock has been further reduced by the unprecedented sanctions instituted by Western nations opposed to Putins naked aggression. In spite of the reactionary musings of armchair pundits, there was very little that could have been done to prevent Putin from invading Ukraine.

But as Jessica Brandt of the Brookings Institution offered, the plan championed by President Biden and other allies has been to introduce friction into Putins plans and limit his room for maneuver.

That the sanctions will be pernicious on the Russian people (they will also hurt American consumers) will most likely have no bearing on Putin, but sanctions in the long term make it difficult for him to finance his megalomania, which further reduces his time to meet any on-the-ground military objectives.

Military conflicts often appear more enticing in the planning stages than the actual application. On paper, the betting money is clearly with Russia, but whats on paper cannot calibrate the resolve of Ukrainians, having already drunk from the well of self-determination.

Hopefully the collective opposition to the Russian invasion will suffice. Any negotiations that produce results reminiscent of Vichy or the Munich Agreement become a win for Putin and the cause of authoritarian rule.

Time will reveal how this crisis ultimately ends. But in spite of Putins strongman posturing, and desires to reintroduce Russias sphere of influence in the region, time may not be on his side.
(Newser)  Thermobaric bombs have grabbed headlines lately as fears grow that Russia will intensify its assault on Ukraines major cities. There is no confirmed evidence that the Russians have used them yet, but a CNN crew spotted thermobaric rocket launchers crossing into Ukraine in the wars opening days. It is a matter of time, say some experts, including Dr. Marcus Hellyer of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, interviewed recently by the Guardian. Unlike conventional explosives that contain a mix of fuel and an oxidizer (such as black powder), thermobaric weapons are essentially 100% fuel.

Per the BBC, A vacuum bomb, also called an aerosol bomb or fuel air explosive, consists of a fuel container with two separate explosive charges. When it strikes the target, the primary charge scatters the aerosolized fuel, igniting a blast that sucks up all surrounding oxygen. The blast can vaporize human bodies if they are close enough, but the typical effects involve the lungs and other internal organs. The US developed airborne thermobaric bombs in the 1960s to counter Vietcong tunnel networks, but they were only tested on a limited basis in combat.

In 2001, the US was not shy about its use of thermobaric weapons against Taliban cave complexes in Tora Bora (per this contemporaneous CNN report). The Russians also tried thermobaric weapons in Afghanistan in the 1980s, and later in Syria. The weapons now play an expansive role in its modern arsenal. Russia has systems right across the spectrum  from quite small tactical weapons to huge, air-launched bombs, says Hellyer, who goes on to explain that Russian-backed separatists in Donbas have been using tactical thermobaric weapons for years.

Kyiv is not Tora Bora. All buildings and even bomb shelters in urban areas are vulnerable. One of the things we know about Russian tactics is that they are willing to destroy everything, says Hellyer. Already, there is growing evidence of the use of cluster munitions, per Reuters. Russia (like the US) is a non-signatory to the international cluster munitions ban, and there are no restrictions on the use of thermobaric weapons. (Read more thermobaric stories.)
ST. CHARLES  A crowd of about 400 people marched past the storefronts and cafes on historic Main Street here Saturday afternoon, calling for the end of war in Ukraine.

Stand for Ukraine! a leader of the group repeatedly yelled to those behind him, to those sitting on benches along the route watching.

Stand with Ukraine!

Many did stand. Others didnt get up from their beers and lunches. Still, the peaceful march stretched two blocks, with many of them carrying the yellow and blue flag of Ukraine and other signs of unity against the Russian invasion.

The impassioned crowd caught many bystanders by surprise. While St. Charles County isnt known for street protests, its home to a large part of the St. Louis regions Ukrainian population, organizers said.

Ive seen a lot of parades but nothing to support something like this, to support another country, Tom Wapelhorst, 79, said of the march. Bustle from the event drew him out of Walters Jewelry, his familys business that he said has been at the intersection of North Main and Monroe Street since 1935.

St. Charles Mayor Dan Borgmeyer marched with the group. At an earlier rally at nearby Frontier Park, he encouraged everyone to contact their representatives in Washington.

Tell them to get off their rear ends and get something done, he said from a microphone.

In an interview, he said there should be sanctions levied against Russian oil, the main driver of the countrys economy.

Oil would bring them to their knees, he said. People would tolerate $7 gas if they saw it end the killing of women and children. They would be angry about it, but they would still do it.

Viktoriya Dilay told the crowd about her personal story of leaving Ukraine when she was 7. Like many of the others, she still has family there. She, too, encouraged people to ask elected officials to fight for tougher sanctions. She also wanted a no-fly zone ordered over Ukraine to stop the bombing. She wanted better resources for refugees.

Make sure that Ukrainian refugees can come here, said Dilay, 24, of Chesterfield, a scientist at a pharmaceutical company.

Out in the crowd, Igor Holdaiy, 60, was thinking of his older sister and her husband in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. He said his sister uses a walker and cant easily get to the basement to be safer from bombs. They live on the fourth floor of a nine-story apartment building.

They spend a lot of time in the bathroom to protect themselves, said Holdaiy. They have water and food there.

He said his cousin was near a dozen people killed Friday in Kyiv at a factory that makes airplanes.

Hes still there, protecting that plant, said Holdaiy, whose family runs an ice cream truck business in the St. Louis region.

Vadim Panfilov, 42, said hed recently been posting information to Russian websites about the bombings and killings of innocent people. In response, he said, Russians said his comments were propaganda for the Americans.

They called it fake news, he said. They told me to go back where I came from.

But Panfilov came from Russia. He said he moved to Missouri two decades ago to study computer science at Truman State University. Now he works in IT for a large company.

Illustrating the complexities of the conflict, his parents stood with him Saturday, natives of Ukraine.

Its no different, Panfilov said. Putin is destroying lives everywhere  in Ukraine and in Russia.

He and the others took that message, and many others, to streets of St. Charles after the rally. First they marched up Riverside Drive, then down Main Street.

If the Ukrainians stop fighting right now, theres going to be no more Ukraine, said Yuriy Safronov, a leader of the march.
The invasion of Ukraine has sent a chill through the London property market.

But one business big shot is doing his best to keep agents happy.

Stocks To Watch hears that Brian McNamara has sold $2.4million (1.8million) of GlaxoSmithKline stock to fund the purchase of a house in West London.

Finger on the pulse: Brian McNamara was last year named chief executive of Glaxo's consumer arm

The American was last year named chief executive of Glaxo's consumer arm, newly named Haleon, which owns brands such as Sensodyne and Advil.

He had been renting in the capital and has now splashed out on an abode in leafy Kensington.

McNamara joined Glaxo in 2015 and previously worked in consumer goods at Novartis and Procter & Gamble.

Glaxo intends to spin off the division and list it in London in July.

The plan was almost derailed when Unilever made a trio of bids for the business culminating in a 50billion offer, before walking away.

The spin-out is expected to be the biggest London listing in a decade, creating a titan in the top 30 largest FTSE100 companies.

GSK insiders said McNamara's purchase 'shows his commitment to the firm and his faith in London as a place to list a new global company'.

The listing comes amid a tussle between London and New York to lure high-profile firms to float.

Choppy markets as a result of the war in Ukraine could also disrupt the spin-out.

McNamara will hope not  and that he can at least sleep comfortably in his new home.

Music mogul Grainge sticks it to rivals in streaming battle

Music mogul Sir Lucian Grainge has stuck it to his rivals in the fight for streaming rights.

After his Universal Music Group's first results since listing in New York, he told investors UMG stood ready to snap up lucrative artists' work 'but only the best catalogues at the right price'.

He then laid out his investment thesis.

It was a pointed intervention as he faces competition from the likes of specialist investor Hipgnosis.

The gloves are off.

Coup for hedge funds betting against Petropavlovsk

A coup for hedge funds betting against Petropavlovsk, after Russia invaded Ukraine.

The Russian gold miner's value has nosedived by more than 90 per cent since Russian stocks became a no-go for Western investors.

Polygon Global Partners and the European arm of Citadel, which was set up by the exuberant Republican party donor and art collector Kenneth Griffin, are estimated to have scooped more than 27million.
The Queen has decided to make Windsor Castle her permanent home and main residence, it was reported last night.

It is understood the 95-year-old monarch will never fully return to Buckingham Palace, where she is not believed to have spent a night since March 2020.

She is instead opting for more of a 'work from home' approach to engagements, and is expected to meet dignitaries and officials at her Berkshire home.

It is believed courtiers are also keen to cut down on The Queen's travel, after she admitted to feeling frail by joking 'as you can see, I can't move' during a recent engagement with two Defence Services Secretaries.

The Queen spent much of lockdown at Windsor with Prince Philip until his death in April last year - with sources saying the couple 'rediscovered the happiness of their early years together' while only being attended to by a skeleton staff.

The Queen has decided to make Windsor Castle her permanent home and main residence as she opts for more of a 'work from home' approach. Pictured: Her Majesty during a virtual audience to receive the High Commissioner of Malawi

She is instead opting for more of a 'work from home' approach to engagements, and is expected to meet dignitaries and officials at her Berkshire home

Her decision may have been influenced by the ongoing reservicing of her central London residence, where renovators or carry out works that will last until 2027.

This means Buckingham Palace will next be occupied by Prince Charles and Camilla when they become King and Queen Consort upon the Queen's death.

Royal author Hugo Vickers told The Sunday Times: 'Windsor is the place she loves. She has her memories with Prince Philip there, she has her ponies there and family nearby. It makes sense.'

Windsor also puts the monarch closer to two of her four children.

Her decision may have been influenced by the ongoing reservicing of her central London residence, where renovators or carry out works that will last until 2027

Andrew, the Duke of York, lives at Rowe Lodge on the Windsor estate. Prince Edwards and his wife Sophie Wessex are a 10-mile drive away at Bagshot Park.

Prince Charles, the Duke of Cambridge and the Princess Royal also visit the Queen regularly at Windsor.

It is also believed The Queen now holds her weekly meeting with Prime Minister Boris Johnson by telephone rather than in person - this has been the case throughout much of the pandemic.

The Queen had found solace in her work following the death of Prince Philip, but she was forced to slow down on medical advice in October last year.

The palace was forced to confirm that she had an overnight stay in hospital after going in for unspecified tests - and since then her appearances have become rarer.

And two weeks ago she was forced to cancel several engagements after catching coronavirus and suffering from 'mild cold-like' symptoms.

The Queen spent much of lockdown at Windsor with Prince Philip until his death in April last year - with sources saying the couple 'rediscovered the happiness of their early years together' while only being attended to by a skeleton staff

The Queens next planned engagement outside Windsor Castle is the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey on March 14, her first official event away from a royal residence in five months.

She is also expected to attend a service of thanksgiving for Prince Philip at the abbey on March 29, together with other members of the royal family.

There is also the matter of a four-day period of national celebrations in June marking her Platinum Jubilee, with events including a Platinum Party at the Palace and a Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral.

A royal aide told The Times that the Queen 'will want to take part' in the festivities.

Until then her schedule has been dramatically reduced.

Her eldest son and heir Charles meanwhile remains in London at his official Clarence House residence.

While he is known to prefer the 200-year-old royal residence a short walk down The Mall, the Prince of Wales is said to have 'conceded' that Buckingham Palace should remain the official residence of the monarchy when he ascends to the throne.
Everyone agrees it was crazy.

A 23-year-old content creator from New Jersey decided to travel wherever a dart lands on a map of the United States. He ended up in Staplehurst, Nebraska, population 240.

When he arrived Feb. 25, Adam Boro was adopted by some locals at the towns lone bar and enjoyed the adventures of a lifetime. At least for a kid who grew up on the East Coast.

Boro roped a fake steer head and drove a tractor. He had a whole school of kids pray for him, asking that he stay safe on his trips around the world.

It was the most random and unexpected thing to happen in the tiny Seward County town in a long time, said Harlan Anson, principal of Our Redeemer Lutheran School.

Of all the places in the world, why here? Anson  and everyone else in Staplehurst  wanted to know that day.

Boros full-time job is making travel videos that he shares on Instagram and TikTok, where he has 60,000 and 520,000 followers, respectively. Last year alone, he explored South America, Central America, the Middle East and lots of places across the U.S. Through clothing and travel endorsements, he makes enough money to live on while he roams the globe.

I really love spontaneously traveling, Boro said in a phone interview. I put it out (to his followers) that for the next 24 hours, I want you guys to decide where I spontaneously travel to.

One response in particular resonated with Boro. It was the one that suggested he throw a dart at a map of the U.S. and go where it landed. So that's what Boro did.

It was insane, he said. I was honestly really nervous. I dont know why.

Boro questioned his decision even more when, after flying into Lincoln, he drove through the empty main street of Staplehurst, which is about 8 miles northwest of Seward.

He described Staplehurst as desolate that day.

Anson said they don't call it a town. Its a village, with a school, a church, a bar, a post office that is open only four hours a day, a veterinary clinic and a co-op.

Boro didnt know where to start, so he picked the bar called the Good 'Ol Days because it had the most cars parked out front.

There, after awkwardly talking with the bartender for a while, his luck changed.

Jason Luebbe and his cousin Brandon Luebbe were finishing lunch when they struck up a conversation with Boro. They were as curious about life in New Jersey as he was about rural life in Nebraska.

He was just a real engaging person, and he was easy to talk to, Jason Luebbe said. It just kind of turned into what it was.

Neither Luebbe is on social media, so TikTok videos meant little to them. But Boro had brought along his map, with the area around Staplehurst circled, he was excited about being there and they decided to show him the sights.

They visited the vet clinic and the school, saw the waterfall on the Blue River, visited Jasons parents and stopped at Brandons farm, where Boro got to lead a steer around and drove a tractor. After a stop at their uncles place, they ended up back at the bar, where they listened to a two-person guitar concert and ate fish. They all exchanged phone numbers, too.

It didnt seem like it was going to be that big of a deal, Jason said, surprised when Boros posts about his visit started garnering attention. But its pretty cool.

Boro was amazed about how excited everyone was to see this foreigner from back East. He said it was insane and unforgettable to think of a whole school praying for his safe travels.

I spent, like, 12 hours with these strangers I just met, Boro said. By far, my most favorite thing was just how serendipitous it was. It was just so random.

He said hes never felt so welcomed in any other place hes traveled in the U.S.

The people and the landscape, too, are dramatically different from the highways and suburbs of East Brunswick, where he grew up.

The people in Nebraska were so much more community-oriented, friendly and proud of being from Nebraska, he said. It was really overwhelming how friendly people were. It was awesome.

Everyone, Boro said, liked his posts about the visit, and everyone in Staplehurst liked Boro. Thats the way things are there.

The people in this town are just genuinely good people, Anson said. Everybody was just welcoming. Thats what we want to be known for.
Nick Clegg has returned his parliamentary pass after The Mail on Sunday revealed he retained security access despite working as a lobbyist for Facebook.

The former Deputy Prime Minister was one of more than 300 former MPs with a controversial 'Category X' pass which allowed them uncontrolled access long after they left Parliament.

Sir Nick's pass was deactivated in early 2022, Commons authorities confirmed.

Last month the former Lib Dem leader was promoted to president of global affairs at Facebook, now called Meta, where he will lobby against tough new regulations that could affect its business.

He will reportedly be paid up to 15 million a year in his new role.

Nick Clegg has returned his parliamentary pass after The Mail on Sunday revealed he retained security access despite working as a lobbyist for Facebook

Last April The Mail on Sunday first reported that Sir Nick retained a security pass to Parliament.

He agreed to relinquish it after being contacted by this newspaper but Parliament said it remained active as recently as December 2021.

Transparency campaigners have called the ex-MP pass system a 'free-for-all' that allows lobbyists into the corridors of power long after leaving Westminster. In government Sir Nick had vowed to reform lobbying and bring in a 'cleaner, better politics'.

'Westminster remains a place where power is hoarded, decisions are opaque and the people who take those decisions are not properly held to account,' he said in 2013.

Other Category X pass holders include Michael Dugher, Labour vice chairman, who is chief executive of the Betting and Gaming Council, and Sir Michael Fallon, the former defence secretary who is deputy chairman of an oil firm.

Other Category X pass holders include Michael Dugher (pictured), Labour vice chairman, who is chief executive of the Betting and Gaming Council, and Sir Michael Fallon, the former defence secretary who is deputy chairman of an oil firm

The passes give unfettered access to Parliament's restaurants and bars, including MP-only areas. Category X pass holders are not required to register their financial interests.

A spokesman for Sir Nick said he did not use his pass while he had it.

Last month, the MoS revealed Sir Nick is at the centre of a Whitehall leak inquiry after Ministers raised concerns he was receiving secret information about Government plans to regulate Meta.

A spokesman for Meta strongly denied Sir Nick had sought information from officials, describing such claims as absurd and false.
The BBC last night insisted the safety of its journalists was its 'top priority' as its reporting team remains in the besieged Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.

Presenter Clive Myrie and chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet have kept millions gripped with their harrowing dispatches from the frontline in Kyiv.

The danger they face was brought into sharp focus last week when a Sky News journalist was shot in the back as his crew came under attack from a Russian 'death squad'.

Presenter Clive Myrie (pictured) and chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet have kept millions gripped with their harrowing dispatches from the frontline in Kyiv

Last night a spokesman for the BBC said: 'The safety of our teams working and reporting from Ukraine is our top priority and we have a range of measures in place to support staff as well as highly skilled teams working to assess and mitigate any risks.'

Sky News presenter Mark Austin revealed last week that he and his team had fled Kyiv for a 'more secure location in Ukraine' but Myrie explained why he and other journalists are remaining in Kyiv. 'We all feel that we want to tell the story of this war and tell it accurately and fairly,' he said.

Boris Johnson yesterday praised the 'astonishing courage' of Sky News journalists ambushed in a hail of bullets while reporting in Ukraine.

Local resident walks through the rubble as a result of shelling in Markhalivka, March 5, 2022

This handout picture released by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine on March 5, 2022, shows what is said the wreckage of a Russian military aircraft on the outskirts of the city of Chernihiv

Neighbours and relatives help remove the rubble of a house destroyed with shelling on March 5, 2022 in Markhalivka, Ukraine

Pictured: A burned car where 4 people died as a result of a shelling on March 5, 2022 in Markhalivka, Ukraine

Chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay was hit by a bullet in his lower back after their car came under fire on Monday.

Footage of the incident shows the five journalists ducking for cover as bullets whizz past. Footage shows them desperately shouting to their attackers that they are journalists in the mistaken belief it was a Ukrainian army checkpoint firing on them. But they were later told that they had been ambushed by a 'saboteur Russian reconnaissance squad'.

Two bullets also hit camera operator Richie Mockler in his body armour before the group managed to escape.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister tweeted: 'The courage of these journalists, putting themselves in terrifying and dangerous situations, is astonishing to watch. They're risking their lives to ensure that the truth is told.'

The Sky News crew is now back in the UK while a local producer who was with them, Andrii Lytvynenko, is back with his family in Ukraine.
Trump said the Afghan governmentas ability to defend itself from the guerrillas after US forces pull out was unknown. (Photo Credit: Reuters)

New Delhi:

US President Donald Trump has said the Taliban could overrun the Afghan government after the United States withdraws from the country. This comes days after Trump spoke to deputy Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and discussed development towards attaining peace in Afghanistan.

Countries have to take care of themselves. You can only hold someones hand for so long. Asked if the Taliban could eventually seize power, Trump said its not supposed to happen that way but it possibly will. We cant be there for the next 20 years. Weve been there for 20 years and weve been protecting the country but we cant be there for the nexteventually theyre going to have to protect themselves, he said.

Trump said the Afghan administrations ability to protect itself from the guerrillas after US forces pull out was unidentified. I dont know. I cant answer that question, he said. Well have to see what happens.

The intra-Afghan discussions are due to start on March 10, according to the US-Taliban deal, but a clash over prisoner exchange has raised queries. The pact includes a pledge for the Taliban to release up to 1,000 prisoners and for the Afghan government to free around 5,000 rebellious captivessomething the militants have cited as a precondition for talks. However, President Ashraf Ghani has declined to do it before the talks start. Under the US-Taliban agreement retained in Doha, the US has agreed to decrease its troops in Afghanistan from 13,000 to 8,600 in the next 130 days and pull out all its armed forces in 14 months.

Earlier also, Donald Trump had said, he planned to see Taliban leaders in the not-too-distant future. "I will be meeting personally with Taliban leaders in the not-too-distant future. And we will be very much hoping that they will be doing what they say they are going to be doing: they will be killing terrorists. They will be killing some very bad people. They will keep that fight going," Trump told reporters.

Asserting that war against terrorism must be fought by the countries in the specific region, Trump said, "We have had tremendous success in Afghanistan in the killing of terrorists, but it is time, after all these years, to go and bring our people back home. We want to bring our people back home."

"We just signed an agreement that puts us in a position to get it done, bring us down to in the vicinity of 8,000 troops. The United Nations was informed of everything," Trump added.

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My doctor persuaded me to stop taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) three years ago after Id been on it for seven years.

She refuses to re-prescribe it saying at 66 Im now too old.

The symptoms are now flooding back making my life hell. What can I do?

Today's reader has asked Dr Ellie whether she can go back on hormone replacement therapy as she is suffering major symptoms which affects her quality of life

It is a common misconception that every women has to stop taking HRT after a certain point.

In fact, theres no official time limit on its use. Women should keep taking it for as long as the benefits outweigh the risks.

Doctors should consider the potential risks and benefits of long-term use. This is particularly important if there is a personal risk of breast cancer, as the medication is thought to slightly increase the chance of developing the disease in some women. The same is true for blood clots.

Usually, doctors advise women to keep taking HRT if they feel it is helping. But there are things we can do to reduce the risks. For example, GPs can prescribe HRT at a lower dose, or as a patch or vaginal pessary.

It is always better to trial a lower dose of an effective treatment rather than stopping it completely at an arbitrary age.

If patients are suffering the whole catalogue of menopause symptoms, it makes sense to use HRT as a treatment. But if the symptoms are specific, it might be worth chatting to the GP about treatments for individual issues.

Excellent guides are available from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists website (rcog.org.uk), and your GP can refer you to a hospital menopause specialist.

My daughter has had stomach cramps, bloating and nausea and lost weight after having norovirus five years ago. Despite many tests, no diagnosis has been given and she has been put on antidepressants. Could SIBO be the cause?

SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) is a common problem that causes erratic bowel habits.

The gut is full of friendly bacteria that help regulate digestion and are important for keeping the bowel healthy. But the upper part of the small intestine  the first part of the gut that food travels to after the stomach  should carry very few bacteria. This is because it is full of stomach acid, which interacts with the bacteria.

Normal digestive function keeps the bacteria where they are supposed to be. But in some, they can grow and multiply in the small bowel, resulting in an overgrowth. This commonly happens after an infection, surgery or bowel disease.

SIBO symptoms include wind, diarrhoea, bloating and abdominal pain. Tests involve taking a sample of tissue during an endoscopy (where a camera is inserted down the throat and into the stomach), and a breath test, but they arent particularly accurate.

An overgrowth of bacteria usually results in an abnormal production of specific gases, which can be detected in a breath test. But all of these tools may fail to spot the problem.

Treatment involves a specific antibiotic called rifaximin to kill off the excess bacteria.

If a doctor strongly suspects SIBO, he or she might prescribe antibiotics without doing the tests. Benefits are usually seen within a few days of treatment. Some experts recommend taking antibiotics for one week every month until symptoms vanish.

It soon becomes clear if there is an underlying problem triggering SIBO, such as bowel disease, because the pills dont resolve it.

I have had a problem with cystitis for 40 years.

It is always connected to having sex with my husband, though it doesnt happen every time.

Ive tried drinking lots of water, rigid cleanliness regimes and antibiotics, but nothing works. Ive even started having bad reactions to antibiotics.

Is there anything else I can do, apart from avoiding sex completely?

Recurrent urine infections (UTIs) are extremely common, especially in older women.

Doctors have clear guidelines on how to treat this problem, so there is no reason for patients to struggle on without medical help. And women certainly shouldnt feel that the only option is to stop having sex. UTIs are sometimes related to sex, but the infections arent sexually transmitted. Its actually to do with the various parts of the female genital anatomy being so close together. This makes it very easy for bacteria to transfer from one area to the other.

The most common cause of a UTI is bacteria moving from the bowel to the urinary tract. Gynaecological procedures and surgeries can also cause this to happen, resulting in a UTI.

Another reader suffers urinary infections after she has sex with her husband (Picture posed by models)

Hygiene is important, including avoiding putting soap inside the vagina, drinking plenty of fluids and wiping from front to back. Also, try to pass urine as soon as possible after sex.

If patients are post-menopausal, oestrogen cream can help. This female sex hormone keeps the genital area healthy, preventing dryness.

GPs often prescribe antibiotics, but not the seven-day courses we usually offer. Instead, a GP can give a single dose of an antibiotic to use straight after intercourse.

If this doesnt help, a low-dose antibiotic, taken at night, can keep infections at bay.

A supplement called D-Mannose may be effective at reducing UTIs and is worth trying for a few months to see whether it helps.

Cranberry is widely talked about as a treatment for urine infections. In fact, there is very little scientific evidence to prove that it helps.

Two years writing about it... now I've finally got Covid

After two years of talking and writing about it, my time finally came. I got Covid. And I am delighted to say that, thanks to having my vaccines, it has been only mildly unpleasant. So far, Ive had a bit of annoying chest pain and a tickly cough. Even better, on day five of my infection, my lateral flow test read negative. This means that my immune system cleared the virus pretty quickly and I am probably no longer infectious.

One thing that has struck me is that neither of the two teenagers in my house caught it from their parents (my husband was infected in January). In fact, they still havent had it  despite the fact that theyre out with different friends most weekends.

And yet, for so long children were considered a hotbed of infection, and schools the epicentre of local outbreaks.

I never quite bought that view, and always thought closing schools would lead to more harm than good. Its good to know that my hunch was correct.

Dr Ellie Cannon, pictured, has caught Covid 19 after spending the past two years writing about the virus

End prescription fees muddle

It's about time NHS England rethought our prescriptions payment system.

At the moment, who pays and who doesnt is incredibly random. Patients with some conditions are exempt and others are forced to fork out thousands of pounds during the course of a year.

And now its about to get worse. The Government is considering raising the age at which patients are eligible for free prescriptions from 60 to 66, in line with the state pension age. It is another confusing and unfair decision, with no logical reasoning behind it. I am sure it will leave thousands worse off.

What do you think about it? Write and tell me how the age increase would affect you.
She's never been shy about baring her flesh on social media.

And Abbie Chatfield took her peep show to the streets on Saturday, when the Bachelor star, 26, head to Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in a very revealing outfit.

The radio host wore a sheer lilac sarong over a matching G-string for the very cheeky Bondi outing.

Daring to bare! The Bachelor's Abbie Chatfield, 26, (left) put on a racy display as she headed to Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras with Khanh Ong, 27, (R) and friends

The reality TV star strolled hand-in-hand with MasterChef star Khanh Ong, 27, as the pair left a pal's apartment in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

On her upper half, Abbie wore a white knit bikini, and covered her trademark blonde curls with a straight, brunette wig.

She completed the look with a pair of white sneakers and long lilac gloves.

The look: The radio host wore a sheer lilac sarong over a matching G-string for the very cheeky Bondi outing

Colourful duo: The reality TV star strolled hand-in-hand with MasterChef star Khanh Ong as the pair left a pal's apartment in Sydney's eastern suburbs

Survivor star Khanh meanwhile looked sensational in a black tank top covered with a loose, black blouse.

He also wore wide-legged floral print trousers with black chunky boots.

The cookbook author wore his wavy raven tresses loose and flowing for the big evening.

Taking the plunge: On her upper half, Abbie wore a white knit bikini, and covered her trademark blonde curls with a straight, brunette wig

Finishing touches: She completed the look with a pair of white sneakers and long lilac gloves

Back in black: Survivor star Khanh meanwhile looked sensational in a black tank top covered with a loose, black blouse

Her outing comes just days after she glumly admitted something had 'gone wrong' in her open relationship with boyfriend Konrad Bien-Stephen.

Abbie, who confirmed the pair were non-exclusive last month, said on her radio show Hot Nights with Abbie last Monday that she was annoyed her boyfriend had slept with two other women while she hadn't been with anyone else.

'Everyone's going to be very happy, but something's gone wrong,' she confessed. 'Well, it's not gone wrong. Everyone's waiting for the demise [of my relationship].'

'So obviously being open means we can sleep with other people. [That's the] whole point. Unfortunately, I'm not doing the second part. So I'm being monogamous!' she said.

Flower power: He also wore wide-legged floral print trousers with black chunky boots

Good hair day: The cookbook author wore his wavy raven tresses loose and flowing for the big evening

Both sides now: Abbie turned around to give onlookers a very cheeky display

Abbie explained that while she wanted to have sex with other people, her hectic schedule and growing fame had made it difficult for her to find a suitable partner.

'I wanted to and I still want to, but the issue is Konrad is the only one that seems to be able to get laid around here,' she laughed with her co-host Rohan Edwards.

'He's a good-looking bloke,' Rohan said, to which Abbie replied: 'But I'm hot!'

Trouble in paradise? Chatfield's outing comes just days after she glumly admitted something had 'gone wrong' in her open relationship with boyfriend Konrad Bien-Stephen

Filling his boots: Abbie, who confirmed the pair were non-exclusive last month, said on her radio show Hot Nights with Abbie last Monday that she was annoyed her boyfriend had slept with two other women while she hadn't been with anyone else

She continued: 'I'm over it. I'm so busy. It's been how long, four months? I'm so busy and also I find it really hard to find people I want to sleep with and that don't know who I am. And when I go out, Rohan, people just take photos of me the whole time.

'So I just am like... I'm upset because he's now slept with two people and I'm happy for him obviously.

'But I'm also like, when will it be the Chatfield's turn? I have no prospects in sight. And that's fine...'

She then said she felt like 'a bit of a loser' in the relationship.

'I think the issue is, girls get turned on by whatever level of Instagram fame and being on a reality show. Men get turned off by it. Babe, I'm trying!' she said.

Cry me a river: Abbie explained that while she wanted to have sex with other people, her hectic schedule and growing fame had made it difficult for her to find a suitable partner.

One-sided: 'I wanted to and I still want to, but the issue is Konrad is the only one that seems to be able to get laid around here,' she laughed with her co-host Rohan Edwards

Abbie concluded by saying it was likely she'd failed to find a match because she hadn't been out without Konrad in a while, before revealing how much she was looking forward to Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras this weekend.

Speaking on her podcast It's a Lot in February, Abbie revealed she and Konrad, 31, had agreed to go non-exclusive after three months of dating.

'Everyone, mummy and daddy aren't breaking up. We're just having a different structure to our relationship,' she explained.

Brag: 'He's a good-looking bloke,' Rohan said, to which Abbie replied: 'But I'm hot!'

Her chance to shine: Abbie concluded by saying it was likely she'd failed to find a match because she hadn't been out without Konrad in a while, before revealing how much she was looking forward to Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras this weekend

Agreement: Speaking on her podcast It's a Lot in February, Abbie revealed she and Konrad, 31, had agreed to go non-exclusive after three months of dating

Konrad added: 'Someone we met on the weekend gave us some good tips, [which included] see a sex therapist, talk about your boundaries, it's not like you go and sleep with anyone.'

'There are rules [but] you can still cheat on each other,' Abbie chimed in.

'I feel like there's so much more to a relationship than just sex,' Konrad replied.

Trying it out: 'Everyone, mummy and daddy aren't breaking up. We're just having a different structure to our relationship,' she explained

Safety first: Abbie said she isn't jealous by nature so doesn't have a problem with Konrad sleeping around, but would be upset if he lied about it or didn't wear protection

Abbie said she isn't jealous by nature so doesn't have a problem with Konrad sleeping around, but would be upset if he lied about it or didn't wear protection.

'I don't care about someone's genitals going near someone else's genitals,' she said. 'I care about the lying. I care about getting an STI.'

She went on to say that hearing about her boyfriend's sexual escapades, and telling him about her own, is actually one of her 'kinks'.

Konrad, who appeared in Brooke Blurton's season of The Bachelorette, then revealed that when he did sleep with someone else for the first time, he called Abbie the next day and she told him: 'Yeah hot, tell me all about it.'

The pair have been dating for about four months, with Abbie confirming their romance back in November.
The Buffalo Niagara Partnership wants to help minority-owned businesses grow, and create a pathway for them to become Partnership board members.

Those goals are the driving forces behind the Partnership's new Minority Business Initiative, which has kicked off with five participating companies.

"I hope they're going to get more customers, that they're going to tap into networks they haven't had access to and make it easier for them to do that," said Dottie Gallagher, the Partnership's president and CEO.

The five businesses will receive two years of sponsored membership in the Partnership, including one year of enrollment in Executive Exchange, a peer-to-peer program that allows CEOs to share ideas with each other.

The participants will also get to take advantage of networking and educational events, as well as a financial training curriculum from Bank of America.

"We have minority-owned businesses that are paid members of the Partnership, but this is really reaching out into those businesses that have either a real or a perceived financial barrier to participation," Gallagher said.

The Minority Business Initiative is the latest step the Partnership has taken to put a focus on diversity issues.

The organization a year ago hired Karen Brown as its director of diversity, equity and inclusion.

In summer 2020, the Partnership surveyed businesses about diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace, and holds an annual symposium on those issues.

The Minority Business Initiative is geared toward established businesses  rather than an entrepreneur just getting off the ground  which could benefit from the networking available through the Partnership, Gallagher said.

"You look at our board of directors  it's imposing, they're CEOs of major companies in town," she said. "So how do we help these businesses plug into that network in a way they haven't before?"

And ideally, some of those businesses will turn into board members themselves, she said.

"We want to make our board more diverse, and you have to be a member in order to be on the board of directors of the Partnership," Gallagher said.

National Grid and Bank of America are covering the costs of the two-year memberships for the five businesses.

Ted Janicki, Bank of America's regional president, said the bank works with community partners to help small businesses and entrepreneurs. "Our goal is to address systemic barriers where they exist, drive more opportunity and sustain progress," he said.

Ken Kujawa, National Grid's regional director, called the Partnership program "a perfect fit with our values, and a pathway to help minority-owned businesses in Western New York.

Gallagher said the program will be offered annually.

"We can go and try to pitch membership, and we can and will and we do, but let's give a lift up and help these businesses grow," she said.

The Partnership chose the five participants after outreach through the Buffalo Purchasing Initiative, the Beverly Gray Business Exchange Center and its own Diversity, Equity and Inclusion council.

The five are: Blanc Global Dynamism/Blanc Photographie; Strickly Business Safety Solutions; Right Fit Recruiting; Kiper Moving and Transportation; and Dyno Construction.
Paul McCartney and Pamela Anderson Once Urged Indian Officials to Release an Elephant Injured in Captivity

Paul McCartney and Pamela Anderson dont have much in common except that they have had their own interesting battles in animal rights activism. Theyve both worked for PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) but have campaigned in their own way. Although, they put their brains together once.

Pamela Anderson and Paul McCartney | S. Granitz/WireImage

Paul McCartney and Pamela Anderson have campaigned for PETA in their own ways

The ex-Beatle and the Baywatch actor have tread very different paths in terms of activism.

In 2009, the CNN Airport Network refused to play a video of Anderson stripping to raise awareness for PETA. In 2010, Anderson posed for another controversial PETA ad wearing a bikini. Canada banned the vegetarian campaign claiming it was sexist.

In a city that is known for its exotic dancing and for being progressive and edgy, how sad that a woman would be banned from using her own body in a political protest over the suffering of cows and chickens, Anderson said in a statement released to Us Magazine.

In some parts of the world, women are forced to cover their whole bodies with burqas  is that next? I didnt think that Canada would be so puritanical. In 2014, Anderson also stripped for the camera for a racy Valentines Day-themed ad for PETA.

Meanwhile, Paul, a long-time vegetarian, has taken another approach with PETA. He narrated their video Glass Walls, which examined slaughterhouses. Hes also done much more work for the organization, just not as controversial as Andersons.

RELATED: Paul McCartney Said a Revisionism Happened After John Lennon Died Which Put Him Down

Paul and Anderson urged Indian officials to release an injured elephant in captivity

After PETA exposed the living conditions of an injured elephant named Sunder in 2012, Paul and Anderson jumped into action.

According to Express, PETA claimed the elephant had been kept chained in the dark for seven years at the Jyotiba Temple in Maharashtra. Both Paul and Anderson sent letters to Indian officials urging them to help free Sunder.

Then, they received the news. Officials planned to move the elephant to a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center near Bangalore. This decision was made after the countrys Forestry Minister, Dr. Patangrao Shripatrao Kadam, intervened.

However, the process was slow. When a fan asked Anderson for an update on Facebook, the actor replied, Poor beautiful Sunder  its progressing  but not fast enough. A lot of politics. PETA has lawyers  undercover footage  its a desperate situation. Heart Breaking (sic).

They had to move Sunder before monsoon season. It took two years for him to arrive in the sanctuary.

A PETA spokeswoman said (per Contact Music), Despite every obstacle thrown in his path, this abused young elephant will now be on his way to safety. Sunder has known only cruelty, misery and neglect.

By upholding the Bombay High Court order, Indias Supreme Court has made clear that cruelty to elephants, even in the name of religion, will no longer be tolerated. We are grateful to the Indian judiciary for giving Sunder the opportunity to be rescued.

RELATED: Paul McCartney Received Strange, Metaphysical Signs From Linda McCartney Telling Him to Move On

The ex-Beatle awarded Anderson with a PETA award in his wifes honor

In 1999, Paul awarded Anderson the first Linda McCartney Memorial Award at PETAs Party of the Century and Humanitarian Awards. The award honors Pauls late wife, Linda.

MTV reported that they honored Anderson because she posed for the organizations first-ever billboard in New Yorks Times Square in the Give Fur the Cold Shoulder campaign. Paul also performed during the event and continues to today.

Lets hope Paul and Anderson continue doing great work with PETA, freeing one wrongfully imprisoned, injured elephant at a time.

RELATED: Paul McCartney Designed Emma Stones Touching Tattoo
Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) addresses reporters during a press conference on Monday, February 28, 2022 to discuss the Womens Health Protection Act prior to its vote.





Senate Democrats on Saturday called on the Biden administration to end the use of Title 42, a Trump-era immigration rule enacted in the early days of the pandemic to immediately expel migrants at the border under a public health emergency.

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) as well as Sens. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), issued a statement that it is time to officially end the policy.

"The continued use of Title 42 has created life-threatening conditions for vulnerable migrants, enriched human smugglers, and significantly increased the number of dangerous border crossings," the senators said. "We urge the Biden Administration to fulfill its early promise to restore access to asylum and end the usage of Title 42 once and for all."

The Department of Homeland Security is still operating under Title 42 two years after former President Trump implemented the order, expelling hundreds of thousands of migrants.

The Biden administration, however, carved out an exception for unaccompanied migrant children, but a Texas judge ruled against the exemption on Friday.

A separate judge on Friday ruled migrants can be expelled under the order, but not to countries where they face risk of persecution or torture.

In their joint statement, the senators cited last summer's crisis at the border, when Haitian families gathered in encampments in Del Rio, Texas, and were later expelled, as a concerning use of Title 42. At the time, Haiti was reeling from political chaos and natural disaster.

"We all watched in horror as thousands of Haitian families, including infants, were returned to Haiti without the opportunity to seek asylum," the senators said. "Turning away families seeking protection from torture or persecution is not who we are."

The lawmakers also said that the use of Title 42 needed to be reassessed as a public health measure, given that the United States appeared to be entering a new stage of the pandemic.

"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should review their current order given the progress our nation has made in its pandemic recovery," the senators said. "As we emerge from this pandemic, it is time for the Administration to reinstate humanitarian protections at our borders."
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky discussed with Prime Minister of Israel Naftali Benner his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Ukrainian president wrote this on his Twitter account following a phone conversation with the Israeli prime minister, Ukrinform reports.

Prime Minister of Israel Naftali Bennet called me after his meeting with Vladimir Putin. We continue dialogue, Zelensky wrote.

As Ukrinform reported, earlier President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that he had good relations with the Israeli leadership, but did not feel that it was "wrapped in the Ukrainian flag."

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Ghulam Hassan Mir, Former MLAs of PDP-Dilawar Mir, Noor Mohd Sheikh, Ashraf Mir and Former Congress MLAs - Farooq Andrabi, Irfan Naqib are some prominent faces in the party. (Photo Credit: Twitter-ANI)

New Delhi:

Former Jammu and Kashmir finance minister Syed Altaf Bukhari on Sunday launched a new political party called the 'Jammu and Kashmir Apni (own) Party making it the first political activity after nearly 7 months. New Delhi on August 5 announced abrogation of provisions of Article 370 and decided to bifurcate the state into Union territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh - hours after Kashmir was placed under a total clampdown. The two Union territories came into existence on October 31.

Soon after the launch, Bukhari said, "It is a very happy occasion that finally we have come up with our party known as Apni Party. It puts a lot of responsibility on us as the expectations and challenges are huge. I assure people of Jammu and Kashmir that my will is strong."

Jammu&Kashmir: Ghulam Hassan Mir, Former Minister,& Chairman Democratic Party Nationalist, Former MLAs of PDP-Dilawar Mir, Noor Mohd Sheikh, Ashraf Mir & Former Congress MLAs- Farooq Andrabi, Irfan Naqib & others to join Syed Altaf Bukhari's Apni Party today . https://t.co/APToQVXHix  ANI (@ANI) March 8, 2020

Bukhari (60), a graduate in Agriculture Science, has been joined by politicians from various other parties, including the National Conference (NC), the PDP, the Congress and the BJP. Ghulam Hassan Mir, Former MLAs of PDP-Dilawar Mir, Noor Mohd Sheikh, Ashraf Mir and Former Congress MLAs - Farooq Andrabi, Irfan Naqib are some prominent faces in the party.

Bukhari said that in the new scenario, every political party should educate people about the changed realities of the erstwhile state.

He was the first mainstream politician in Kashmir who said publicly to move beyond the abrogation of Article 370. Altaf Bhukhari was expelled by the PDP last month after he along with his party colleagues met a delegation of foreign envoys and diplomats in Srinagar.

Altaf Bhukhari had also praised the Modi government for ensuring no loss of life in the Kashmir Valley after the revocation of Article 370 and 35A in August. "After the abrogation of Article 370 there has been no bloodshed, no killings happened. The credit goes both to the people and government," Bukhari had said.

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Officials said at least seven people were killed in Iowa over the weekend due to an outbreak of severe weather that unleashed more than two dozen tornadoes, including one EF3 twister. By Monday morning, the weather pattern had shifted to a wintry one and residents in several of the hard-hit areas were dealing with fresh snowfall.

A confirmed tornado tore through the Des Moines area on Saturday as a potent storm system made its way through the Midwest. At least seven fatalities were reported between two Iowa counties after a large and damaging tornado caused significant damage to the towns of Winterset, Iowa, and Patterson, each located to the southwest of Des Moines, making this the deadliest tornado to hit Iowa since 2008, according to reporting from the Des Moines Register.

As of Sunday morning, preliminary results from Saturday night suggest that at least EF3 tornado damage had been caused by the deadly storm. This rating uses the Enhanced Fujita Scale for wind and indicates severe damage and wind speeds of 136 to 165 mph.

Diogenes Ayala, director of the emergency management agency in Madison County, where six of the reported fatalities occurred, estimated that at least 25 to 30 houses had been destroyed by the tornado.

After the severe weather system cleared out, winter weather quickly swept in behind it and from Sunday night into Monday morning, Des Moines picked up 5 inches of snow. Places surrounding Des Moines picked up anywhere from 3 to 5 inches of snow and temperatures were in the low 20s throughout much of the area early Monday.

The severe weather ramped up early Saturday afternoon. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a tornado watch for parts of Nebraska, Missouri and Iowa in preparation for the incoming severe weather. About an hour later, the first tornado warning of the day was issued in Iowa.

Damage in Avon, Iowa, after a tornadic storm hit the area. (AccuWeather)

Throughout the afternoon, several additional tornado warnings were issued in Iowa. Just after 4 p.m., local time, the NWS said a confirmed tornado was located near Corning, Iowa, and Prescott, Iowa, on Saturday afternoon.

Story continues

Not long after that, a multi-vortex tornado was spotted in Patterson and Winterset, Iowa, before heading closer to the Des Moines area. A tornado warning was issued for Des Moines shortly after 4:30 p.m., local time, as the tornado approached closer to the city.

Structural damage was reported near Patterson as a result of the storm. Several trees were also down and there was damage to buildings.

Des Moines International Airport was in the path of the tornadic storm as it moved to the northeast, threatening air traffic and those inside the airport. As the dangers of the storm became clear, the airport decided to stop all air traffic and evacuate everyone to tornado shelters under the airport.

Just after 5 p.m., local time, the confirmed tornado was near the southernmost part of Des Moines. Possible damage associated with the tornado was spotted in Winterset, Iowa, by storm chasers in the area.

The tornadic storm crossing Interstate 35 near Cumming, Iowa, on March 5, 2022.

METAR data at KDSM (Des Moines Airport) recorded a "+FC" code, which means a funnel cloud was observed. This is only the third +FC code on record for KDSM, according to IEM.

As the tornadic system made its way through the Des Moines area, it also crossed Interstate 35, resulting in traffic cameras in the area capturing the storm coming through.

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In Norwalk, a town just south of Des Moines, tornado damage was reported by a KCCI news crew in the area. Several homes were damaged and power lines were down after the storm came through in Avon, a small town south of Des Moines.

The tornado continued to move to the northeast, putting more of the Des Moines area at risk of the destruction caused by the storm. When the storm approached the northeast side of Des Moines, the tornado crossed highway 117 in Colfax, which is just northeast of Des Moines, according to a CBS 2 Cedar Rapids reporter.

After impacting downtown and southern Des Moines, the tornado headed toward the northwest side of Newton, Iowa. While the storm was crossing Interstate 80, a semi-truck flipped over just west of Newton as the tornado-warned cell moved through.

At 10:45 p.m. CST on Saturday, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation following the impactful weather that swept through the region, according to the Des Moines Register. The announcement came after the severe storms turned deadly and 6 fatalities were reported in Madison County, Iowa, including 2 children.

Another fatality was reported in Chariton, Iowa, located in Lucas County, according to a local report.

As of early Sunday morning, there were a total of 42 preliminary tornado reports, largely sent in from Iowa. Damage reports began to flood in with some reports citing snapped trees, downed power lines and extensive barn and home damage.

Even during the early morning hours on Sunday, tornado warnings were still being issued across central Indiana as storms rolled eastward.

Power outages across Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana added up to more than 70,000 early Sunday morning as a result of the storms and damaging winds shifting through the region, according to poweroutage.us. Power was gradually restored to residents across Iowa throughout the night and outages declined to about Saturday evening to just above 2,000 by early Sunday morning.

Storm surveys were being conducted across the region throughout the day on Sunday by the Des Moines National Weather Service Office. Locations in Iowa being surveyed include Winterset, Norwalk and Chariton.

On Sunday afternoon, the National Weather Service confirmed another tornado had touched down in Iowa on Saturday. An EF1 tornado with a path length of 8.4 miles tore through Benton County, Iowa, for about 11 minutes on Saturday evening. The tornado started about 3 miles east of Garrison, Iowa, and dissipated about 2 miles south-southwest of Cheney, Iowa. Maximum winds were estimated to be around 110 mph, putting it as a strong EF-1 tornado.

At least one tornado injured five people and damaged two homes and several trees east of Zion, Arkansas, on Sunday at around 8:15 p.m., and structures were also reported damaged north of Dover, Arkansas. At least two people were reported injured from this tornado that also damaged the Martin Township fire station. Power outages occurred in the Theodosia, Missouri, area on Sunday not long after. Minor injuries were reported in Izard County, Arkansas, as well after a home was completely destroyed.

For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
A Davenport man serving three years on federal supervised release after being released from federal prison in April on a felon-in-possession-of-a-firearm conviction was sentenced to three years in federal prison Wednesday after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

During a sentencing hearing Wednesday in U.S. District Court, Davenport, U.S. District Chief Judge Stephanie Rose sentenced David James Baber, 53, to 36 months in prison for the weapons conviction, and a consecutive term of 24 months, or two years, for violating his supervised release, for a total of five years in prison.

The case began at 12:20 a.m. July 29, 2020, three months after Baber was released from federal prison on supervised release, when Baber was seen by an Iowa Department of Natural Resources Officer riding a Moped scooter on Scott Park Road from 240th Street.

According to the arrest affidavit filed by Iowa Department of Natural Resources Officer Travis Graves, the scooter did not have rear lights, was difficult to see and did not have a visible rear license plate.

Graves attempted a traffic stop, but Baber fled on the scooter. Baber drove the scooter onto the shoulder of the road and into a ditch. The scooter continued in the ditch for about 75 yards before driving into a cornfield just south of 230th Street.

Once in the cornfield, Baber fled on foot and was not immediately located. Tied to the scooter was a backpack with two firearms inside, a Mossberg shotgun and a sawed-off Savage .22-caliber long rifle.

Baber was located about 6 a.m. walking across U.S. 61 near the cornfield where he was last seen.

The scooter was reported stolen out of Davenport and valued at $1,500. It had originally been white but had been painted green and black with spray paint.

At the time of his arrest Baber was supposed be living at 605 Main St., Davenport, which is the Iowa Department of Corrections Residential Correctional Facility.

In addition to being charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, Baber also was charged with second-degree theft and eluding.

A federal grand jury indicted Baber on a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm in Dec. 8, 2020, and he was taken into federal custody on Dec. 14, 2020. The Scott County charges were dropped.

Baber pleaded guilty to the charge on Sept. 13, 2021.

Baber had been released from federal prison on April 28, 2020, four months before being arrested by the Iowa DNR.

On Feb. 23, 2012, federal authorities arrested him for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He pleaded guilty to the charge July 24 of that year. He initially was sentenced Nov. 16, 2012, to 188 months, or 15 years and eight months, in federal prison, plus a consecutive term of one year for violating his federal supervised release on another federal case.

Baber was resentenced in that case on Nov. 17, 2016, to 96 months, or eight years in prison, plus a consecutive term of one year for the supervised-release violation.
In Karong, police opened fire when some people tried to snatch the EVM from a polling station after beating up the official

Manipur Chief Electoral Officer Rajesh Agrawal told reporters that 4,988 personnel were deployed in 1,247 polling stations in the six electoral districts to conduct the exercise. (Representational Image/ PTI)

Guwahati: Amid reports of sporadic incidents of violence, the final phase of Assembly elections for 22 seats in Manipur recorded a voter turnout of 76.04 per cent on Saturday.

According to police one person was killed and another was injured during the police firing at Karong in Senapati district, which incidentally also had the highest voter turnout, while in Thoubal district a BJP activist was gunned down allegedly by a Congress worker.

In an incident in Thoubal in the early hours when the victim, L. Amuba Singh, along with other BJP activists, went to the residence of the Congress worker and asked him to stop campaigning as the stipulated time was over, a police officer said. During an altercation, the Congress worker allegedly fired at Singh. In Karong, police opened fire when some people tried to snatch the EVM from a polling station after beating up the official.

The Congress activist, who is yet to be arrested, was also injured after BJP workers hurled stones at him when Singh was shot.

In another incident, unidentified miscreants lobbed a crude bomb at the residence of expelled BJP leader Ch Bijoy in Lamphel area in Manipurs Imphal West district, police said. No one was injured during the incident.

Polling halted at the 36 Tobumai polling station after the clash between supporters of both the Naga Peoples Front and Independent candidates. It is said that clashes broke out when two buses carrying voters from Kohima in Nagaland were attacked by miscreants.

While the Thoubal district falls in the valley area, the other five electoral districts are in the mountainous areas bordering Assam and Nagaland, as well as Myanmar, making security forces maintain maximum vigil along both the international and the inter-state borders. Manipur Chief Electoral Officer Rajesh Agrawal told reporters that 4,988 personnel were deployed in 1,247 polling stations in the six electoral districts to conduct the exercise.

The second phase of polling was extremely crucial for all parties as it would play a decisive role in formation of the next government in the state. Of the total 92 candidates in the fray, 22 candidates are from the BJP, 18 from the Congress, 10 each of Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and Naga Peoples Front (NPF), 11 of National Peoples Party (NPP), two each of Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), three of Republican Party of India-Athawale (RPI-A), one each of Rashtriya Janhit Sangharsh Party (RJSP) and CPI, and 12 independent candidates.
Hyderabad: Vexed with the lethargic approach of authorities, a paddy farmer from Mahbubnagar district has approached the National Green Tribunal (NGT) over contamination of his agricultural fields for 26 years. He claimed compensation of over Rs 43 lakh from multiple agencies, claiming that untreated effluents from a yarn processing unit had destroyed his livelihood.

This forced the NGT to appoint a committee for conducting a field investigation and submit a detailed report by March 8.

In his application, the farmer, Dara Nagaraju, from Gundlapochampally village in Rajapur mandal, claimed that 2.28 acres of his, as well as the neighbouring lands, have been adversely affected due to discharge of untreated effluents. He has claimed that the yield had reduced after the yarn processing unit began operations in 1996.

Nagaraju claims that even though the industry closed last year, it had affected the soil so much that even now they were not able to carry out any agricultural activities.

Though the unit (GTN Engineers) gives him some compensation, the farmer claims it is not enough. In his claims, he has sought Rs 25 lakh compensation due to damage to 2.28 acres at Rs 10 lakh per acre and Rs 15.6 lakh for crop losses over the last 26 years.

The farmer has stated that the yarn processing unit has only paid him Rs 71,250 as compensation and is yet to pay him Rs 14.89 lakh, which the balance of the compensation amount. Nagaraju has also sought Rs 2 lakh for damage to an old well on his land and Rs 1.85 lakh for the loss to a borewell.

A three-member committee appointed by the NGT inspected his fields on Friday. The Tribunal has asked the committee to submit a factual as well as action taken report if there was any violation.

The committee consists of the Mahabubnagar district collector or a nominee, a senior TSPCB officer, and the joint director of agriculture or a nominee. The committee has been asked to ascertain the extent of damage caused by the effluents to the land, soil, and groundwater, and the remediation to be carried out.

The respondents include Union ministry of environment, TSPCB, district magistrate and collector, general manager of district industries centre and GTN Engineers Ltd., the yarn processing unit.
The humanoid robot Sophia, the world's first robot citizen, will arrive in Dubai this week to participate in the 20th Annual Regional Audit Conference (ARAC) which will run from March 7 to 9.

The largest smart conference for internal auditors, Arac provides an opportunity for attendees to receive more than 22 CPE credits, in order to enhance their professional development process.

Participants will have the opportunity to learn from over 40 international speakers, leaders and authors who will share their experiences, best practices, trends and case studies, through more than 44 sessions moderated by some of the biggest names in the field of internal auditing.

Sophia, which holds Saudi citizenship, became the world's first robot citizen after the kingdom granted her citizenship in October 2017.

It will conduct an interactive session on the future of artificial intelligence entitled "Artificial Intelligence in the Internal Audit Profession", on the second day of the annual regional conference on internal auditing, hosted by the Association of Internal Auditors in the UAE at the Dubai World Trade Center under the theme "The Revolution and Transformation in Internal Audit".

Special attractions are some high-profile speakers such as Terry Cutler, CEO, Cyology Labs Canada and Ethical Hacker, who will conduct a session on "Insider Secrets to How hackers are getting in, and why". Participants will get to learn a lot on Cybersecurity from Terry Cutler as he has been voted Top Influencer in Cybersecurity.

Jordan Belfort, American author, The Real Wolf of Wall Street, motivational speaker and former stockbroker, will talk on "Leveraging Risk to Elevate your Business and Life".

Henrik Stein, Former President of European Confederation of the Institutes of Internal Auditing (ECIIA), will address the participants on "Continuation and Innovation: A Challenge to evolve Internal Audit in a strongly regulated environment".

Panel discussions and workshops will cover topics such as: Digital, Cyber Security and Resilience Trends; Tech Talk: Reimagining Digitization of the Information Security World; Building a Successful Competency Framework for Auditors; "Auditing the new world of AI & automation and your place in it".

The other major topics to be discussed at the conference include: Cracking the Code: Emerging Risks; Re-imagining Risk Management; Building a modern audit function: A Take-to-enterprise Road Map; Cracking the Code: Digital Risk / Cyber Security; Procurement fraud; Balancing product sustainability against business profitability: Sustainability reporting practices and corporate governance; Regulatory compliance; Robotics Risk Monitoring; Audit transformation with data analytics; Audit Departments Road Map to Success.
Elsa Klensch was one of CNN's first hires. (Anderew Eccles)

Elsa Klensch, who over two decades brought fashion news to CNN's global TV audience, has died in New York City, according to the network.

CNN did not give a cause of death. Klensch was 92.

Klensch hosted the weekly series "Style With Elsa Klensch" from 1980 to 2001. She traveled to major fashion centers around the world and presented trends and designers every Saturday morning.

"Style" became one of CNN's most popular programs in its early years and Klensch emerged as one of the network's signature on-air talents, especially as the channel's reach expanded internationally.

Klensch gave dedicated followers of fashion in-depth reporting in an age before social media and bloggers, when consumer coverage of the industry was largely the province of glossy monthly print magazines. Broadcast TV network news divisions covered fashion, but did not have the time that CNN was able to provide as a 24-hour news service starting out in the 1980s.

For years, Klensch was the only TV reporter at many fashion shows, elevating her status and giving her greater access to big names as coverage of the industry became more prevalent.

Designers such as Miuccia Prada, Marc Jacobs and Karl Lagerfeld and supermodels such as Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington all sat for Klensch interviews. Journalists covering fashion today cite Klensch as an inspiration.

In 1999, the New Yorker said Klensch "reports on developments in design, on innovations in fabrics, and on mutations of hemlines as soberly as if she were covering the State Department."

Klensch became a style icon herself, inducted into the International Best-Dressed Hall of Fame in 1990. She did not accept garments from the companies she covered and received no clothing allowance from CNN, which was notoriously tight-fisted in its early years.

Born Elsa Aeuschbacher just outside Sydney, Australia, Klensch began her journalism career in London in the 1960s. She began as a freelance business writer for Women's Wear Daily. While working in Hong Kong, she met her husband, journalist Charles Klensch, then the Saigon bureau chief for ABC News. They were married in Vietnam in 1966.

Klensch moved to New York in the 1970s and toiled as a fashion editor for WWD, Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. She freelanced for New York newspapers until an 84-day strike shut them down in 1978, which led her to try television.

Klensch was among the original cadre of specialty correspondents and experts hired by CNN founder Ted Turner when the network launched in 1980  a hedge against the possibility of slow news periods.

Klensch left CNN in 2001 after its then-parent Time Warner merged with AOL. She continued to write and lecture on fashion and wrote several mystery novels.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Raymond Blanc has warned that Britain is in danger of following his native France by adopting a 35-hour working week.

The celebrity chef, who has lived here for more than 40 years, said this could hit the UK's hard-working culture and destroy 'the spirit of the entrepreneur'.

The 72-year-old, who worked his way up from a dishwasher to become one of the world's most respected chefs, praised the opportunities afforded by 'liberal' Britain but said he was concerned those days may be over.

Mr Blanc said the Coronavirus pandemic had changed people's attitudes towards work

Mr Blanc said the pandemic had changed people's attitudes to work.

While this could be a good opportunity for notoriously overworked chefs to 'revolutionise' kitchen culture, redressing this balance could easily go too far.

Mr Blanc  patron of Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, the hotel and restaurant in Oxfordshire that has held two Michelin stars for more than 30 years  drew parallels to the French 35-hour week to caution against what could happen in Britain.

'It is a nightmare because we completely murdered the sanctity of work and killed the spirit of the entrepreneur,' he said at a Royal Ascot fine dining event last week.

The celebrity chef, who has lived in the UK for more than 40 years, said this could hit Britain's hard-working culture and destroy 'the spirit of the entrepreneur'

'It's really killed our craft in many ways, whereas England embraces liberalism and 48 hours and plus you can sign a piece of paper and you can work 50. Now it's over.'

In 2000, the French Socialist Party introduced a 35-hour working week as part of a labour law reform in an effort to reduce a record high unemployment rate.

Critics of the policy argue that it has done little to improve employment, which is still routinely more than eight per cent.

Even French president Emmanuel Macron has questioned whether the policy still serves its purpose.

Despite his concerns, Mr Blanc said there was a 'fantastic opportunity' for the industry  notorious for overwork in hot, stressful kitchens  to reinvent itself and abandon 'cruel' practices such as split shifts.
It came after guards began finding stashes of illicit alcohol - known as 'hooch'

Inmates are banned from buying 1lb bags of sugar and 500g of demerara sugar

Bosses at HMP Channings Wood prison in Devon have banned the sale of sugar

Prison bosses have banned the sale of sugar following a surge in the amount of illicit super-strong alcohol being made.

Inmates are having to do without sweetening their tea or porridge following the crackdown at HMP Channings Wood in Devon. The decision was made after guards began finding stashes of 'hooch'.

Inmates are now banned from buying 1lb bags of sugar and 500g of demerara sugar from the canteen.

Inmates are having to do without sweetening their tea or porridge following the crackdown at HMP Channings Wood in Devon

An Independent Monitoring Board report said: 'Illicit alcohol (hooch) was found to be present within the establishment for periods of the year, and this has resulted in the intermittent removal of sugar from the canteen.'

Prisoners have complained, but the report added: 'Most men understand the rationale.'

The most common way to make prison hooch is to mix fruit  most commonly oranges  with sugar and yeast, or bread, before placing it 'somewhere warm' for ten days or more.

The Prison Service said: 'Illicitly brewed alcohol fuels violence and crime which is why we are cracking down on it.'
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 05/03/2022 (202 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  The Canadian government has updated its advice for anyone considering travelling to Russia.

In a new post on the governments website, it says all travel to Russia should be avoided, and any Canadians who are already there should leave while commercial means are still available.

The post says the advice is due to the impacts of the armed conflict with Ukraine, including limited flight options and restrictions on financial transactions.

Aeroflot's passengers planes are parked at Sheremetyevo airport, outside Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. The Canadian government says travel to Russia should be avoided. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Pavel Golovkin

Visa has announced that it is working to cease all of its transactions within Russia over the coming days due to the conflict.

When its done, the company says in a statement that Visa cards issued within Russia wont work outside the country, and cards issued by banks outside of Russia will no longer work inside the Russian Federation.

Mastercard says in a statement that it, too, has decided to suspend its network services in Russia.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 5, 2022.
Former Wahoo Police Chief Bruce Ferrell abruptly resigned in November after he was caught having sex with a Wahoo resident, two law enforcement officials say.

The way he was caught, according to the sources? His body camera was recording.

Now Ferrell, who became Wahoos police chief after retiring from the Omaha Police Department, is under investigation by the Nebraska State Patrol, the sources said.

Asked a series of questions Friday  including why he resigned and whether he attempted to have the body camera footage deleted  Ferrell said: Im not gonna comment. He gave the same response when asked if he had an attorney.

Ferrell abruptly resigned Nov. 11 without giving notice. In an interview less than a week later, he told the Lincoln Journal Star it was just time.

"Nothing nefarious," Ferrell said. "No smoke, no mirrors  nothing at all."

Turns out, there was a mirror, of sorts.

The body camera footage showed Ferrell, partially clothed in his Wahoo police uniform, having sex with the woman who had called police about an estranged boyfriend, the sources told the Omaha World-Herald.

The patrol investigation is looking into whether the woman consented to the sexual activity or felt that she had the choice of whether she could consent. One of the sources said the woman has suggested that the sex with Ferrell was consensual.

Patrol spokesman Cody Thomas confirmed that an investigation of Ferrell is "ongoing" but declined to specify the nature of the investigation. He said results will be forwarded to Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson's office to determine whether charges will be filed.

Other states have laws that make it illegal for an officer to have sex with a person while on duty, regardless of consent. The closest thing Nebraska has to such a law is a statute that makes it a felony for a jailer or prison guard to have sex with an inmate.

That prison ban and the other states bans on officers having sex while on duty operate under a simple principle: that a person may not think they have a choice of whether they can consent to an officer wearing a badge and/or a gun.

Nebraska prosecutors have charged officers before under normal first-degree sexual assault statutes. In a 2005 case, an Omaha police officer was convicted of first-degree sexual assault after he made a prostitute perform oral sex on him in his cruiser.

Absent a sexual assault charge in this case, Ferrell could face a felony charge of tampering with evidence, one of the sources said. A source alleged Ferrell deleted or attempted to delete the body camera footage.

Authorities were able to preserve it. Under state law, any agency that has body cameras is required to keep the footage for at least 90 days.

Ferrell also is being investigated over his activity following up on the Wahoo womans claims that she was abused. A source said he hounded the man accused of the abuse.

Wahoo City Administrator Melissa Harrell said Friday that she didn't have "anything to share at this point." At the time of Ferrell's resignation, she told the Journal Star that officials didn't have any indication Ferrell planned to resign before he did so, effective the same day, Nov. 11. In fact, she said, the city didn't receive his letter of resignation until the day after his departure because of the Veterans Day holiday.

The investigation into Ferrell is the second in a year involving a member of the Wahoo Police Departments leadership. Wahoo, a city of about 4,800 people 40 miles west of Omaha, has a police force of about a half-dozen officers.

Last year, Sean Vilmont, 51, was charged with two felony counts of sexual assault by touching and one felony count of unlawful intrusion after allegations were made of ongoing abuse of a preteen girl. Vilmont has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting a hearing.

Ferrell had promoted Vilmont to lieutenant in the summer of 2019.

Before Ferrell became police chief in Wahoo in February 2018, he worked for 23 years as an Omaha police officer. At OPD, he was one of the leading gang-unit investigators and led national and regional coalitions of gang detectives. He later served as an investigator for Bellevue police and as a part-time officer in Valley.

Wahoo suspended its use of body cameras in January 2017 because then-Police Chief Ken Jackson said it was too expensive to meet the state's requirements for storing the footage.

After Ferrell took over, Wahoo applied for and received a federal grant in 2020 to fund body cameras for he and his officers.
As Becky Sharp in ITVs adaptation of Vanity Fair, Olivia Cooke schemed her way into high society.

Now the Oldham-born actress can boast a regal connection in real life after signing a lucrative deal to endorse Garrard, designers of jewellery for the Royal Family.

The Mayfair company, which made the sapphire engagement ring once given to Princess Diana and now worn by the Duchess of Cambridge, thinks Ms Cooke is the perfect person to endorse its exclusive designs  which can cost up to 300,000.

Last week the 28-year-old actress took part in a photoshoot in an East London studio to create an ad with film-making duo Warren Du Preez and Nick Thornton Jones that will be unveiled later this year.

Last week the 28-year-old actress took part in a photoshoot in an East London studio to create an ad with film-making duo Warren Du Preez and Nick Thornton Jones

The pair have previously created television commercials for upmarket brands including Lancome, BMW and Perrier Jouet and photographic campaigns for Issey Miyake and Cartier.

One source said: Olivia is one of this countrys biggest young stars, and Garrard is proud of his British roots. The adverts will be absolutely spectacular, and they will be seen everywhere soon.

Miss Cooke, 28, previously dated the former EastEnders actor turned Hollywood star Ben Hardy, but they broke up during lockdown.

Garrard has been responsible for creating some of the most stunning pieces of jewellery in the royal collection, including the crowns worn by Queen Mary for her coronation and by Queen Elizabeth, later the Queen Mother, for the coronation of King George VI in 1937.

The Oldham-born actress can boast a regal connection after signing a deal to endorse Garrard

The Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau, worn by the Duchess of Sussex when she married Prince Harry in 2018, was also created by Garrard in 1932.

The firm, founded in 1735, was appointed the first-ever Crown Jeweller by Queen Victoria in 1843 and held that title until 2007 when Buckingham Palace said it was time for a change.

Garrard still holds a Royal Warrant from Prince Charles.

Ms Cooke also starred in the Oscar-nominated drama Sound Of Metal and Steven Spielbergs adventure Ready Player One.
Britain's offices are seeing an increase in generational workplace friction, a report has found.

Almost half of office workers  40 per cent  say there are in constant disagreement with either millennials or baby boomers over work practices following the pandemic.

Phrases like work/life balance, just get the job done, Ive got a long commute and health and wellness are leading to conflicts which didnt previously exist, researchers found.

A quarter of baby boomers  those aged 55 to 74  are thought to be out of touch by younger workers because of their just get on with it at all costs approach to work.

But 42 per cent of Generation Z workers  those aged 18 to 24  are so keen on health and wellness that it affects their work

But 42 per cent of Generation Z workers  those aged 18 to 24  are so keen on health and wellness that it affects their work, according to 62 per cent of baby boomers.

Some 55 per cent of millennials  those aged 25 to 39  are too keen on working from home and often play the family or long commute card  according to 37 per cent of all those polled.

It appears that it is falling to Generation X  those aged 40 to 55  to keep the peace, with them saying they place a high-value on being self-sufficient and resourceful.

The differences lead to clashes on email, over Zoom and face-to-face according to researchers from recruitment specialists Robert Walters who polled 4,000 UK adults.

But the disputes do not stop there, with a third of workers aged under 30 unhappy with outdated technology and 27 per cent of millennials disliking emails as a form of communication.

A spokesman for the firm Robert Walters said: It is clear there are some significantly different opinions between age groups that have been exacerbated by the pandemic.

Our 2022 data reveals the stark impact of the pandemic and how the long periods of remote working have fragmented workplace culture and the values which colleagues once upon a time may have shared.

As companies continue to return to the office, identifying the common sources of conflict and addressing them head on will be essential to creating and retaining cohesive teams of professionals from varied generations and diversity of opinions.
Michaela Coel has reportedly raked in 3million since starring in the critically-acclaimed drama I May Destroy You in 2020.

The actress, 34, turned down a 750,000 offer from Netflix for the show because it meant giving up the copyright, according to The Mirror, but the decision has paid off in the long run.

I May Destroy You followed Michaela as the main character Arabella who tries to piece together a night out where she was sexually assaulted.

Star: Michaela Coel has reportedly raked in 3million since starring in the critically-acclaimed drama I May Destroy You in 2020

According to the publication, Michaela's first accounts for her company Falkna Ltd show she paid 766,593 to creditors last year.

But that left her with net assets of over 2.6million, according to records filed last week at Companies House seen by the newspaper.

A representative for Michaela has been contacted by MailOnline for a comment.

Michaela began pitching the show in 2017 and Netflix offered 750,000 for full rights but Michaela refused, wanting copyright over her ideas.

Plan: The actress, 34, turned down a 750,000 offer from Netflix for the show because it meant giving up the copyright, according to The Mirror, but the decision has paid off in the long run

She said afterwards of the streaming giant's reaction: 'There was just silence on the phone.

'It's not how we do things here. Nobody does that, it's not a big deal'. I said, 'If it's not a big deal, then I'd really like to have 5% of my rights'.'

Michaela rose to stardom after growing up on a council estate in London with her sister and mother.

The star won the award for Outstanding Writing for I May Destroy You at the Emmys last September.

Wow! Michaela took home BAFTA gongs for Leading Actress and Mini-series for the series at the ceremony at the Television Centre in June

Michaela, who both created the series and plays the lead character Arabella, delivered a poignant acceptance speech on stage, while dedicating the award to sexual assault survivors.

She is a sexual assault survivor herself, with her experiences serving as the basis of her show I May Destroy You.

'Write the tale that scares you, that makes you feel uncertain, that isnt comfortable. I dare you,' she began.

'In a world that entices us to browse through the lives of others to help us better determine how we feel about ourselves, and to in turn feel the need to be constantly visible, for visibility these days seems to somehow equate to success  do not be afraid to disappear from it, from us for a while, and see what comes to you in the silence,' she added.

Plot: I May Destroy You followed Michaela as the main character Arabella who tries to piece together a night out where she was sexually assaulted

She concluded her speech by stating, 'I dedicate this to every single survivor of sexual assault.'

Coel was also nominated for Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, Outstanding Lead Actress for Limited or Anthology Series or Movie and Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.

I May Destroy You was one of last summer's most critically-acclaimed shows around the world when it aired on BBC One and HBO.

Michaela took home BAFTA gongs for Leading Actress and Mini-series for the series at the ceremony at the Television Centre in June.

Having her say: In her BAFTAs speech (pictured) she called for intimacy coordinators on film and TV sets to stop actors being 'exploited'

There she called for intimacy coordinators on film and TV sets to stop actors being 'exploited'.

Taking to the stage to accept her award, Michaela dedicated her win to intimacy coordinator Ita O'Brien and thanked her for 'making the space safe... so we can make work about exploitation, loss of respect, abuse of power, without being exploited or abused in the process.'

Michaela was snubbed for her work in the critically acclaimed series at the Golden Globes this year.

She has previously won two BAFTAS in 2016 for her hit E4 comedy Chewing Gum in the Breakthrough Talent and Best Female Comedy performance categories.
Officials in Mariupol, delaying an evacuation of the civilian population, accused Moscows troops of breaking a ceasefire

People cross on an improvised path under a bridge that was destroyed by a Russian airstrike, while fleeing the town of Irpin, Ukraine, Saturday, March 5, 2022. (AP photo)

Kyiv: Officials in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, surrounded by Russian forces, said on Saturday they were delaying an evacuation of the civilian population, accusing Moscows troops of breaking a ceasefire.

Due to the fact that the Russian side does not adhere to the ceasefire and has continued shelling both of Mariupol itself and its environs and for security reasons, the evacuation of the civilian population has been postponed, city officials said.

Mariupol, a southern city of about 450,000 people on the Azov Sea, was scheduled to begin the evacuations after Russian forces agreed a ceasefire to allow civilians to leave the fighting.

We ask all Mariupol residents to disperse and head to places where they can shelter. More information about the evacuation will be posted soon, municipal officials wrote.

At the moment, negotiations are underway with Russia to establish a ceasefire and ensure a safe humanitarian corridor, the statement added.

Russias defence ministry later accused Ukraine nationalists in Mariupol and Volnovakha  a town of 20,000 people near the rebel centre of Donetsk  of blocking Ukrainians from leaving towards Russia. The same is happening in Kharkiv and Sumy, as well as in a number of other settlements, the defence ministry said in a statement, referring to two other cities in eastern Ukraine at the centre of fighting. It said it respected the ceasefire and accused Ukrainian forces of shoring up defences during the halt.
Portland is already on track to surpass last year's record-breaking homicide rate with murders up 10 percent as the progressive policies of America's most woke city struggle to curtail violent crime.

The liberal Pacific Northwest bastion topped off February with 22 murders so far this year - up from the 19 in 2021 - and is on track to hit around 130 by December, according to the Oregonian.

The city, which slashed its police budget in the wake of protests over George Floyd's murder, set a record last year with 92 homicides - the highest since there were 70 homicides in 1987.

The Portland Police Bureau suffered through a rash of retirements and resignations after Portland politicians embraced calls to defund the police. A total of $15million was initially chopped from the city's budget, with progressive Portland prosecutors also blamed for the spiraling crime for refusing to charge 70 percent of people arrested by the city's police.

The record violence comes despite the police department introducing a new Focused Intervention Team that hit the streets in January. The team is designed to address gun violence and the proliferation of the deadly weapons in a city where around 75 percent of victims are killed through gun violence.

Portland has already had 22 murders since the start of 2022, up from the 19 in the same period last year and is predicted to have up to around 130 by the end of December. If it reaches 126, 2022 will surpass the record-breaking 2021, which had 92 murders - breaking the 34-year record of 70 murders in 1987

The unit was initially met with backlash, as some believed the police were reviving the Gun Violence Reduction team, which was accused of racial profiling, but Police Chief Chuck Lovell assured the public the team would focus on guns, not gangs.

The police department has also partnered with community outreach programs to fight the violence, including a Crisis Response Team - a group of trainee individuals that respond to critical incident calls involving death or other traumatic events, among others to 'organize resources and to focus on chronic offenders and locations to address neighborhood concerns.'

'What we want to see is that people start getting the resources that they need, so theyre not turning to violence. And then hopefully, well start to see not only our homicide, but also our shooting numbers, go down,' Assistant Police Chief Jami Resch told the Oregonian.

Other groups include Girl Strength - a self-defense class for girls 10 to 14, the African American Advisory Council and the American Muslim Police Advisory Committee.

'Were trying to take a holistic approach, knowing that we cant just have a law enforcement, punitive answer,' Resch said.

The holistic approach has yet to yield results.

In addition to the surging murder rate, the city has also seen a significant number of shootings in the first two months of the year, totaling 264, up from the 190 during the same time last year. Gun-related injuries are also up - 68 compared to 64.

The Portland Police Bureau also reported that out of the 22 murders this year, all but one have been gun-related. Portland's 21st murder happened in Dawson Park during the daytime, a third murder there in the last 15 months.

The Portland Police Bureau has partnered with outreach programs to hopefully lower the risk of crime in the city, which rose dramatically after the death of George Floyd. The city saw a 250 per cent increase in murders within the first six months of Floyd's death and shootings rose almost 175 per cent

Portland saw a dramatic increase in shootings and murders after Floyd's death. The city saw a 250 percent increase in murders within the first six months of Floyd's death and shootings rose almost 175 per cent.

In 2019, there were only 36 murders throughout Portland, but that increased to 57 in 2020 and 92 in 2021 - breaking the historical record.

Violent crime has risen across the board throughout the Rose City, with assaults, kidnappings and rape all seeing sharp increases.

The total number of crimes rose from 9,600 in 2020 to 10,200 in 2021, an almost six percent increase.
Visa, Mastercard Abruptly Suspend All Operations in Russia

Two of the biggest payment processing firms in the world on March 5 announced they are suspending operations in Russia.

Mastercard and Visa said Russian banks would be cut off from their networks and their cards wouldnt work at Russian merchants or ATMs.

We dont take this decision lightly. Mastercard has operated in Russia for more than 25 years. We have nearly 200 colleagues there who make this company so critical to many stakeholders. As we take these steps, we will continue to focus on their safety and well-being, including continuing to provide pay and benefits, Mastercard said in a statement.

When it is appropriate, and if it is permissible under the law, we will use their passion and creativity to work to restore operations.

Mastercard said it heard from employees, consumers, and shareholders before deciding on the course of action.

Al Kelly, chairman and chief executive officer of Visa, said in a statement that company executives were compelled to act following Russias unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, and the unacceptable events that we have witnessed.

We regret the impact this will have on our valued colleagues, and on the clients, partners, merchants, and cardholders we serve in Russia. This war and the ongoing threat to peace and stability demand we respond in line with our values, he said.

Russia has dealt with backlash from countries and businesses since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Mastercard said its cards would stop working immediately, while Visa indicated the action could take multiple days. Once complete, no Visa card issued outside Russia will work in the country and no Visa card issued there will work anywhere else, the company said.

The moves by the U.S.-based companies follow just hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during a virtual meeting with hundreds of members of the U.S. Congress, asked them to push for Mastercard and Visa to stop processing payments in Russia as a way to apply pressure on Putin.

Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said after the announcements that other major card companies should follow suit and that Belarus, which has helped Russia in the war, should also be cut off.

Rep. Bill Keating (D-Mass.) called the moves an important step to demonstrate to Vladimir Putin our unwavering support for Ukraine.

Some lawmakers acknowledged that many Russians would be affected, even those who dont support the war, but alleged that taking action was necessary.

Even though Putins our enemy, the Russian people need to feel this for our response to be effective, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said in a video after meeting with Zelensky.

Putin didnt appear to immediately respond to the moves. The Central Bank of Russia said that Visa and Mastercard cards issued by Russian banks would still be operational within Russia, according to state-run media.

All cards of international payment systems Visa and Mastercard, issued by Russian banks, will function as normal on the territory of Russia until their expiry, the bank said in a statement.

Operations inside the country are processed by the National Payment Cards System and are not affected by sanctions. The money of clients, deposited on accounts linked to such cards, are fully safe and accessible.
LONDON, U.K.Londoners were out for a night of cultural revival on March 4 at the Eventim Apollo. Shen Yun, a New York-based classical Chinese dance and music performance, is in town.

Financial adviser, Richard King was mind-blown from the moment the curtain went up.

The opening scene when you just see it, all the costumes and the color, its just mind-boggling in so far as youre not expecting anything like this, he said.

Shen Yun combines a patented digital backdrop, live orchestra, colorful costumes, and dynamic dance.

The whole thing is totally sensational, said Mr. King. Its just so unexpected, magnificent really, I was not expecting this at all!

Shen Yuns mission is to revive 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture on stage. After 70 years of communism, Chinas traditional heritage has suffered great losses. Shen Yun brings a taste of the old world to audiences worldwide. Sadly, because of this, Shen Yun is not allowed to be performed in mainland China.

I heard them (the emcees) saying they couldnt do this in China; I could understand why, but it is their losstheyre very good, said Mr. King, adding that he encourages what Shen Yun is doing to bring back the culture.

Shen Yun Telling an Amazing Story

Dr. Mathi Woodhouse at the March 4 performance of Shen Yun in London. (NTD)

Dr. Mathi Woodhouse is a clinical lead for the NHS applauded the courage of the performers to carry the mission they do.

I think what theyre doing, theyre very brave. Theyre telling an amazing story, she said. And theyre obviously supported by lots of us outside of that environment (of China). And I think theyre doing a good job telling a good story.

She described the experience as amazing, really exciting, colorful, bright, added that its interesting to see how life probably was before communism.

Reporting by Mary Mann and NTD

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006.
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks during a press conference at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo, Japan, on April 7, 2020. (Tomohiro Ohsumi/Pool via Reuters)

Japanese Politicians Dispute Over Whether to Host Nuclear Weapons Amid Ukraine Crisis

Japan will likely revamp its military beyond its self-defense force, expert says

Japanese politicians from both ruling and opposition blocs have called for an active debate on its nuclear weapons policyin the wake of Russias invasion of Ukraine. Meanwhile, experts believe Japan will likely revamp its military beyond its self-defense force, potentially changing the world security landscape.

In a recent televised program, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) said Japan should break a long-standing taboo and discuss the idea of sharing nuclear weapons with allies by letting them base some of the weapons on Japanese soil.

Japan is a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and has its three non-nuclear principles, but it should not treat as taboo discussions on the reality of how the world is kept safe, Abe said, The Japan Times reported.

However, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of LDP swiftly rejected the idea of hosting U.S. nuclear weapons as a deterrent.

It is unacceptable given our countrys stance of maintaining the three non-nuclear principles, Kishida said in parliament on Feb. 28, following Abes call for a debate.

Japans Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, speaks during a press conference in Tokyo, Japan, on Dec. 21, 2021. (Yoshikazu Tsuno/Getty Images)

After Japans defeat in World War II, the three non-nuclear principles called for the country not to produce or possess nuclear arms or allow them on its territory.

However, there are different voices within the ruling party. Some LDP officials believe a revision of the three non-nuclear principles should be discussed under the current crisis in Ukraine, according to The Japan Times.

On March 1, LDP General Council Chairman Tatsuo Fukuda told reporters that no debate [on nuclear deterrence] should be avoided.

The same day, LDP policy chief Sanae Takaichi said, You shouldnt contain discussions on whether to make an exception to the three non-nuclear principles calling for not allowing [nuclear weapons to be] brought into the country.

The head of the opposition Japan Innovation Party, Ichiro Matsui, has also called on discussions to be held.

Chinas attitude toward Russians invasion of Ukraine has remained ambiguous. Beijing has continued to walked a cautious line on the conflict, seeking to maintain its relationship with Moscow but unwilling to openly back either side.

According to the readout of a call on Feb. 25, Chinese leader Xi Jinping told Russian President Vladimir Putin that hed respect the reasonable security concerns of all countries without directly mentioning Russias invasion of Ukrainian terrotories a day earlier.

The two leaders exchanged warm welcomes during the call and agreed to maintain close contact.

Military commentator and host of The Epoch Times Military Affairs column in its Chinese edition, Sia Luoshan believes that Japans post-war culture of anti-militarism has weakened its military over the decades. Meanwhile, Chinas ruling communist party, the North Korean regime, and Russias military expansion over the years has become a threat to Japans security, causing many Japanese politicians to change their anti-militarism mentality.

Sia believes that Japan will start shifting its military policies beyond just self-defense in the wake of Russias invasion of Ukraine and Chinas aggressive military expansion.

Although the three non-nuclear principles still represent the mainstream mentality of the Japanese people, the escalating nuclear threats from China, Russia, and North Korea will inevitably shake those principles. Especially when Putins threat of using nuclear weapons is so close to reality, Sia said.

An annual report by Japans Defense Ministry, 2021 Defense of Japan (pdf), highlights Chinas unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas, with the Chinese Coast Guard vessels repeatedly intruding into Japans territorial water. It emphasizes the need to cooperate with the United States and its allies in response to the rising threat from China.

While both China and Japan have ongoing territorial disputes with Russia, the report underscores close military ties between China and Russia.

In December 2020, the Russian military deployed its new S-300V4 missile defense system for combat duty on a chain of Russian-held islands off Hokkaido. The same month, Russian Tu-95 bombers along with Chinese H-6 bombers carried out long-distance joint flights from the Sea of Japan to the East China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The joint flight was the second China-Russia exercise following one in July 2019.

Meanwhile, China and Russias defense ministers also agreed to extend their nations bilateral cooperation agreements on the launch notification for ballistic missiles and other missiles for ten years.

The report also noted Chinas intensified military activities around Taiwan, including the frequent incursion of Chinese aircraft into the islands air defense identification zone amid the Chinese Communist Partys growing threats to claim Taiwan.

Stabilizing the situation surrounding Taiwan is important for Japans security and the stability of the international community, the report reads.

According to Sia. The unofficial military ties between China and Russia will cause instability in East Asia and inevitably threaten Japans regional security.

Right now, any conflict in the Taiwan Strait, Senkaku Islands, and the Kuril Islands will attract international attention. All these factors would encourage Japan to bolster the offensive capabilities of its armed forces as a deterrent rather than simply being self-defense, he added.

Like Japan, Germany, following its defeat in World War II, has embraced decades of anti-militarism.

However, the Russian invasion of Ukraine marked a turning point, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in the countrys parliament on Feb. 26, undoing decades of German foreign and defense policy. Scholz even proposed massive investments in Germanys defense and security, reversing its reluctance to build up its military.

Last week, Berlin sent 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 anti-aircraft defense systems to Ukraine and revoked its opposition to other European Union nations sending German-made equipment to Ukrainian forces in the conflict zones.

On Feb. 22, Germany halted its certification of Russias Baltic Sea gas pipeline project Nord Stream 2, which would double the flow of Russian gas direct to Germany. Germany has also declared that it will adjust its energy policy to rid its dependence on Russia.
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.
GIBBON  People in the Platte River's Big Bend region look to the sky in early March when they hear familiar notes sung by a few high-flying sandhill cranes. They know the full-throated chorus isn't far behind.

This year, as the cranes return to central Nebraska, area business and tourism leaders believe American tourists  and their dollars  will return as well. For three straight disappointing years, natural disasters and a pandemic kept them away.

Leaders are buoyed by the half-million dollars in advertising the Nebraska Tourism Commission is spending to attract tourists from cities such as Denver, Kansas City and Minneapolis.

And they are confident because, while pandemics eventually end, the cranes annual trek carries on.

Its certainly a well-known bucket list kind of thing, said Brad Mellema, executive director of the Grand Island Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Every March and early April, nearly 1 million cranes spend their days feeding in grasslands and harvested fields, their nights roosting on river sandbars, primarily between Grand Island and Kearney.

Their mid-migration stop is necessary to rest and rebuild body fat before continuing to breeding grounds in Canada, Alaska and Siberia.

Sandhill cranes came as usual the past three years, but flooding and COVID-19 made it difficult or impossible for Audubon's Rowe Sanctuary southwest of Gibbon and the Crane Trust south of Alda to host crane watchers.

The problems started March 13, 2019, when flooding sparked by a bomb cyclone made Rowe Sanctuary's Iain Nicolson Audubon Center inaccessible for much of crane season.

In 2020 and 2021, COVID-19 forced the two nonprofits to close visitor centers and cancel or severely limit tours to view cranes on river roosts, education programs, fundraising activities and other events.

Crane season visitor numbers  usually 30,000-plus annually at each site  plummeted. Revenues too.

Back in 2019, the main problem: Mud. Thawing of saturated soils after the bomb cyclone turned many of Nebraska's rural gravel roads into bogs, including Elm Island Road along the Platte River  the only access to the Nicolson Center.

Day-to-day, even hour-to-hour, decisions to host or cancel 2019 tours to river blinds were based on road conditions.

One particularly gooey spot was in front of Rowe Sanctuary Director Bill Taddicken's house a mile west of the center. If we got a tenth of an inch of rain, you couldn't get here, he said. It was a total mess.

He assisted drivers with stuck vehicles, including on a night when it rained while guests were in crane viewing blinds. Eight vehicles leaving the parking lot succumbed to the mud.

Taddicken freed seven. One car required professional help. After that, local tow truck operators said they wouldnt come back until the road dried out.

The day-to-day decisions were pretty difficult, he said. How many critical decisions can you make in one day without going crazy?

Crane season revenues, usually about one-third of Rowe's annual $1 million budget, dropped significantly.

Crane Trust roads held up better, but president Brice Krohn said, The visitor appeal wasn't there. Because of the high water, the cranes weren't roosting on the river channel. Some tours were canceled because one river blind was inaccessible.

About half of the trust's $1.8 million annual revenue comes during crane season. In 2019, visitor numbers were down 25%.

In 2020, it got worse.

Rowe Sanctuary opened crane blind tour reservations in January that year, expecting to host 30 guests in each blind for morning and evening tours March 7 through April 11. Four new discovery stations were prepared as blinds and year-round education centers.

But after COVID-19, guests and out-of-state crane season volunteers canceled their travel plans. The Nicolson Center and grounds closed March 16. The Crane Trust, which had more than doubled its crane watching capacity with help from Grand Island Tourism, shut down even earlier, on March 11.

Rowe lost nearly 90% of its annual budget. The Crane Trusts annual revenues fell 70%, though some losses were covered by federal COVID-relief funds.

Everything was shut down through 2020 except the online gift shop, Taddicken said.

In 2021, both sites scaled back their normal operations.

Trust officials had hoped to return to full programming, but lingering COVID-19 dropped that to a third of normal.

Virtual crane watching helped, as new fiber optics enhanced the online viewing experience for people paying a $75 membership fee.

Rowe had severely limited 2021 river blind tours  one a day, with 10 people per blind. The sanctuarys website also has crane-related programs and virtual tours. Access to a live crane cam focused on river roosts is available at explore.org.

Summer youth camps and the Blues on the Banks fundraiser were fully outdoors.

Taddicken and Krohn said donors' contributions allowed Rowe Sanctuary and the Crane Trust to cover operating costs and continue conservation work the past three years.

Cranes are big business in central Nebraska. Crane season has an estimated $14.3 million annual economic impact on the Kearney-Grand Island area, according to a 2017 study led by the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

The areas hotels, restaurants and other businesses that annually rely on crane tourists were wounded by the shutdowns, said Roger Jasnoch and Mellema, the Kearney and Grand Island visitors bureau directors.

And that, in turn, hurt local governments.

One example: Grand Island's March lodging tax collections dropped from $42,000 in 2018 to $20,000 in 2020. Jasnoch and Mellema said 2020 was the worst year because of crane season issues, plus cancellations of conventions and other events, and less travel in general.

Rowe Sanctuary and the Crane Trust plan to host nearly normal 2022 crane season activities.

Rowe's river blinds will be at 75% capacity, with masks required on tours and in the Nicolson Center.

Masks are requested, but not required, at the Crane Trust Nature and Visitor Center.

We overcame a lot of challenges the past three years, Krohn said about his trust staff.

Rowes Taddicken agreed, but said there is one reliable thing, past, present and future.

As long as there is a river, as long as there is open water, the cranes will be here.

The Flatwater Free Press is Nebraskas first independent, nonprofit newsroom focused on investigations and feature stories that matter.
Jurassic Parking - Traffic was halted along West Aero Road on Wednesday morning as Freedom Convoy 2022 trucks passed through the area. For story, see Page 8.

WEST SPOKANE  Hundreds of area residents lined up with flags and signs in hand behind the Freedom Convoy 2022 in parking lots along Aero Road to show support for the truckers heading to Washington D.C. in protest of COVID mandates. Parking spots went extinct quickly as area drivers filled in the lot.

The group arrived late-night on March 1 and left the following day at 8:30 a.m., heading east toward Idaho. The convoy's next planned stop is Missoula, Montana.

Residents and participants echoed similar concerns over mask and vaccine mandates and showed up in support of personal and individual freedoms.

Matthew O. Stephens Angie Seubert rushed down to the Geiger overpass to show her support for the convoy heading east on I-90 Wednesday morning.

"My wife and I are former public defenders from Kootenai County. We tried to fight the COVID mandates through the court system, and they wouldn't allow us. So effectively, our voices were silenced," said Air Force Veteran Jason Lambert. "Since we were silenced, we are going to go to Washington D.C. and have our voices heard.

"Since the suit and tie didn't work, I'm going to dress in a dinosaur suit and I have a bullhorn to make a peaceful statement."

While some supporters plan on driving the entire way with the convoy, other people offer donations to help the convoy continue along the way.

"Today, we drove over from western Washington to bring some money that we raised in a fundraiser, which was about $4,000," said Sara Jones, who follows the convoy as far as Idaho. "We brought that along with food and goods donations to the truckers because they are fighting for our freedoms. So we needed to support them, and that's the way we knew how to do it."
Calling Ukraine's leader "a modern-day hero," U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn said President Volodymyr Zelensky's private video call with U.S. lawmakers Saturday morning conveyed the urgency of responding quickly as the Russian invasion of its European neighbor enters its 11th day.

Lamborn, a Colorado Springs Republican and a member of the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus, took part in the hourlong Zoom call along with nearly 300 senators, fellow House members and their aides.

"He is showing so much bravery, along with the Ukrainian people, and that comes through with everything he says," Lamborn told The Gazette. "It felt like I was part of history, being able to interact with him."

Lamborn said the U.S. should facilitate efforts to transfer military aircraft from nearby Eastern European countries to Ukraine in response to Zelensky's plea, though the lawmaker expressed skepticism about establishing a NATO-enforced no-fly zone.

"He said they need airpower. The Russians dominate in the air, and they need aircraft," Lamborn said, noting that ground-to-air Stinger missiles supplied to Ukraine by the U.S. have a limited range, leaving the Ukrainian Air Force heavily overmatched by the Russians.

"He said that, or he wants a no fly zone  either of those two things, aircraft or a no-fly zone," Lamborn said. "And those are both hard things to do in the middle of a war. In fact, I'm not even sure we can do a no-fly zone without getting into a war with Russia ourselves."

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that Moscow would consider any third-party declaration of a no-fly zone over Ukraine as participation in the armed conflict," The Associated Press reported.

NATO has refused Zelensky's recent requests for a no-fly zone, saying the likelihood of direct military confrontation with nuclear-armed Russia could provoke a widespread war, a conclusion Lamborn said he shares.

Another member of Colorado's congressional delegation, U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, participated in the videoconference with Zelensky but declined through a spokeswoman to comment on what was said during the call.

The Centennial Democrat  like Lamborn, a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus  took to Twitter on Saturday, however, to rebuke fellow lawmakers who ignored a reported request from the Ukrainian ambassador at the beginning of the meeting to refrain from posting anything during the call in order to protect Zelensky from threats of assassination.

"The lack of discipline in Congress is truly astounding," wrote Crow. "If an embattled wartime leader asks you to keep quiet about a meeting, you better keep quiet about the meeting. Im not saying a damn thing. Lives are at stake."

Republican U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Steve Daines of Montana came under heavy criticism for posting screenshots of Zelensky speaking on the call during the Zoom meeting. Other lawmakers described the call and its contents in social media posts and interviews after it had concluded.

Calling Rubio and Daines "two great guys," Lamborn told The Gazette he wasn't aware of the controversy over their posts and said he was "hesitant to criticize them," adding, "Hopefully, it's just an oversight, but it does run the risk of a security breach. My understanding is there are assassins looking for Zelensky right now."

Zelensky, who opened the call by telling lawmakers it could be the last time they see him alive, made clear the heavy toll the invasion has taken on civilians, Lamborn said.

"He first talked to us about some of the atrocities and, frankly, war crimes that the Russians are committing, including  maybe not intentionally, but they're ending up killing a lot of men, women and children," Lamborn said.

The U.N. human rights office said Saturday that it has confirmed the deaths of 351 civilians in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began, along with 707 civilians injured, the AP reported. The office said it believes the actual figures are considerably higher because confirming casualties in areas with intense fighting has been delayed.

Lamborn reiterated his support for a U.S. ban on importing oil from Russia, something else Zelensky told lawmakers will help his country defend itself from the Russian invasion. Lamborn said he doesn't understand why the Biden administration has been resisting the ban, which has gained widespread, bipartisan support, including from Colorado's two Democratic U.S. senators, Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper.

"Seems to me he's putting domestic political considerations above the survival of a democratic country," Lamborn said, referring to Biden.

While Lamborn suggested that the administration is worried about provoking from American consumers if a ban increases prices at the pump, officials have said they're concerned the move would drive the worldwide price of oil higher, which could result in rewarding Russia if it's able to evade sanctions and sell its oil elsewhere.

In addition, Lamborn said it's time for Biden to reverse his decision to shut down the Keystone XL pipeline, which would move oil from Canada to the Gulf Coast for refining, and to allow more drilling on federal lands.

Hours after the call, Hickenlooper posted to Twitter that he had taken part in the meeting.

"The U.S. unequivocally stands with Ukraine," he wrote. "We need to send humanitarian aid and ban Russian oil imports."

Lamborn said he was encouraged at the broad support among his colleagues for standing with the U.S. ally.

"I think everyone is supportive, and that's heartening to see  it's very bipartisan  to see this support for Ukraine," he said.

When asked what average Coloradans can do to help, Lamborn said, "Keep Ukrainians in your thoughts and prayers, and if called upon to sacrifice through higher gas prices, know it's for a very good cause."

 Gazette editor Vince Bzdek and The Associated Press contributed to this story.
RICHMOND  Rep. Donald McEachin, D-4th, visited a cemetery on the campus of the University of Richmond on Saturday to advocate for his bill to provide $3 million annually to preserve and restore Black cemeteries.

In 2018, a UR researcher rediscovered a cemetery on the school's campus for enslaved workers who lived at a nearby plantation 180 years ago. Now the university is planning to build a memorial.

The African American Burial Grounds Preservation Act, announced two weeks ago, would allow cemeteries to apply for grants for restoration. While tens of millions of dollars have been spent on preserving Virginia's battlefields, farmlands and parks, little to none has gone to cemeteries for Black and other minority communities.

Preserving these areas, McEachin said, "provides a better, more comprehensive understanding of our nation's history."

There are a number of Black cemeteries in Richmond, including the African Burial Ground in Shockoe Bottom, Shockoe Hill, Evergreen, East End, Woodland and Barton Heights, that often depend on volunteers for maintenance. Some have become overgrown with trees and brush, and in the case of UR, a road was built over the cemetery.

It's unclear how many Black cemeteries there are nationwide, so McEachin and Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., have supported creating a database.

The bill, cosponsored by Reps. Alma Adams, D-N.C., and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., would give the National Parks Service $3 million annually to award grants to cemeteries that apply. Senators Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, also support the legislation.

At the state level, Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Chesterfield, introduced a bill this year to create the Virginia Black, Indigenous and People of Color Historic Preservation Fund, which the House and Senate recently passed. The proposed budget would allot $5 million for it during the next two years.

"Our story of Virginia has been absolutely incomplete without this level of support," Hashmi said.
1883 creator Taylor Sheridan teased the death of the shows narrator in the very first episode. Still, many fans held onto the hope that Elsa would survive in the end. Unfortunately, that wasnt the case. Many of the characters in 1883 died, but the story of the 19th century Duttons isnt over yet. 1883 will release additional episodes, though this wont be a full second season. Sheridan recently commented on James, Margaret, Thomas, and Noemis stories in a way that could hint at whats to come in the additional episodes.

Isabel May as Elsa in the 1883 finale | Emerson Miller/Paramount+

1883 will return with additional episodes

The Yellowstone prequel 1883 ended in tragedy for many of its characters. The majority of the immigrants died on the journey, including Josefs wife Risa. Josef appears to have made it to Oregon, but he is alone with only one leg. Shea ends his life, and Elsa dies in Montana. Luckily at least, Thomas, Noemi, and her sons make it to Oregon in one piece.

Still, Taylor Sheridan has more plans for 1883. The series is expected to release additional episodes to Paramount+ in the fall, The Wall Street Journal reports. These additional episodes are not anticipated to be a full second season of 1883. Sheridan has also hinted that 1883 fans might not get a perfectly tied-up story for all their favorite characters.

1883 creator Taylor Sheridan hints additional episodes might not tie up all loose ends

1883 was always about the Dutton family and how they reached their home in Montana. Still, many fans grew attached to the other characters on the journey, and questions were left unanswered in the 1883 finale. Whats next for Thomas and Noemi? Does Josef find a new wife or any semblance of happiness?

Its possible that these questions will go unanswered. Sheridan, for his part, appears to be fine with that. I created this peek through time to show you this one specific journey, he told Deadline. Im not someone who likes to tie everything up in a bow and explain how everyone lived happily after or didnt. Id rather you imagine it, and wonder what Thomas and Noemi made of their lives.

Gratiela Brancusi as Noemi and LaMonica Garrett as Thomas of the Paramount+ original series 1883 | Emerson Miller/Paramount+

With Sheridans work so tightly focused on the Dutton family, there is a possibility that fans may have seen the last of Thomas, Noemi, and Josef, though the cast for the additional episodes hasnt been confirmed.

The finale ended shortly after Elsas death in Paradise Valley. Viewers never witnessed what happened when Margaret and John arrived in the Valley. They never saw a funeral for Elsa, and perhaps they never will. You never get to see how James and Margaret move on, Sheridan continued in the Deadline article. You did seem them in a flashback as having moved on, and so thats what I cared to explore.

1932 will continue the story of the Dutton family

1883 might not answer every question about its characters, but the history of the Dutton family will continue with another series titled 1932. 1883 executive producer David Glasser told The Hollywood Reporter that 1932 was always intended to be the second season of 1883.

Taylor sort of teased you with it in the beginning, and what you really understand at the end of the day is that the entire journey comes together at the end, Glasser said of 1883. While that might not mean showing exactly what Thomas and some of the other characters do with the rest of their lives, theres more than enough information for fans to see where the Duttons are headed.

All episodes of 1883 are currently streaming on Paramount+.

RELATED: 1883 Episode 8: 3 Hidden Easter Eggs Yellowstone Fans Will Love
In this special episode, we sat down with Joe Micallef, a historian and military analyst. After a little more than a week, how has the Russia-Ukraine crisis been playing out, and what does that mean for China? He sheds light on all that and more.

Micallef said, Whats different about this war, what is unprecedented is that this is a war that is being fought in real time across social media. And that has never happened before. And that has been one of the factors that has galvanized public opinion as extensively as it has.

He adds that Beijing has been surprised by how the rest of the world has responded, by the outpouring of support on social media. And I think, more importantly, by the boycott of Russian goods, whichwhile is relatively irrelevant to Russia and the Russian economywere it to be applied to China, would become very serious. And I think thats probably a greater threat right now in Beijings eyes than any military response that the United States and its allies might undertake, in the event of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. So I think China at the moment is backpedaling, rather furiously calling for diplomatic solutions. It has not yet volunteered or offered to mediate.

And at the Conservative Political Action Conference last weekend, we got to sit down with Andrew McCarthy, a military intelligence analyst and Air Force veteran. He sheds light on why its so hard to predict what Vladimir Putin might do, the hybrid warfare playing out, and if world powers will shift.

McCarthy said, Ukraine was a huge gateway into Europe, or at least China views it as such, on the telecom and espionage level. Huawei has been banned  throughout many parts of the West, but not in Ukraine. So I think they look at Ukraine as a gateway, prior to everything that happened. However, I think a big catalyst recentlyit was reported on this, public information as wellthe U.S. shared intelligence with China on the situation in Ukraine. The U.S. did this from a diplomatic, sort of global community perspective, to say, What are we going to do about this, which I thought was, you know, very diplomatic, it was with good faith, which you cant operate with the PLA or the CCP. What they did then was rebuff that intel, and then give it to the Russians and say, This is what the U.S. knows about your positions. This is what theyre sharing with the Ukraine. So China showed their hand there. And then on the third level, Id say the bottom line, is that China and Russia see a future. That is not overt. There are many problems there. And its not going to be as clean cut as, say, an alliance in the West between the U.S. and UK, right, where theres natural homogeny, theres natural shared history. China and Russia have an interesting history. But they really fill each others gaps, like a puzzle piece, right? Demographically, space, tech, cyber, natural resources, they sort of fill in each others gaps where the other one lacks, and I think China sees that Russia depends on it. And the future, the bigger picture  is going to override anything that happens in Ukraine. And we, just like I said, saw them show their hand within the last 36 hours on that intelligence sharing.

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Xiplomacy: Decipher China's development philosophy in Xi's "two sessions" remarks

Xinhua) 09:18, March 06, 2022

The fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) opens at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2022. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- China's national lawmakers and political advisors have gathered in Beijing for the annual sessions of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), also known as the "two sessions."

Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to join in discussions to set the national agenda for the year. His remarks, including those he made in the previous gatherings of the "two sessions," can offer guidance for the international community to comprehend China's development path, and have resonated with many experts across the globe.

Aerial panoramic photo taken on Dec. 19, 2021 shows China's Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) under maintenance in southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Xinhua/Ou Dongqu)

INNOVATION

Implementing a strategy of innovation-driven development will be fundamental in accelerating the transformation of China's growth pattern, solving deep-rooted problems concerning economic development and enhancing economic vitality, Xi said in 2013 while participating in a panel discussion with political advisors from the science and technology sector at the annual session of the CPPCC National Committee.

Speaking of innovation, Anna Malindog-Uy, a professor and researcher with Manila-based think tank Philippines-BRICS Strategic Studies, told Xinhua that China's push for high-quality innovation and entrepreneurship "is no doubt a phenomenal success," which has led to the rapid transition of China to a new economic development phase based on high-tech production and national breakthrough technologies.

Because of these steps, she noted, the Chinese economy has transitioned to a more technology-driven one, adding that the Philippines should learn from China to tap economic potential and enhance competitiveness.

Kiyoyuki Seguchi, research director at Japan's Canon Institute for Global Studies, pointed out that innovation capacity will be the driving force of China's macro-economy in the future.

Aerial photo taken on Nov. 3, 2021 shows a wind power field in Luduo Township of Baoying County of Yangzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua/Li Bo)

COORDINATED, GREEN DEVELOPMENT

In March 2021, Xi joined discussions with fellow lawmakers from northwest China's Qinghai Province, saying that local authorities should promote coordinated development between rural and urban areas, advance rural vitalization on all fronts, improve people's well-being and build a new socialist countryside that is beautiful, prosperous and harmonious.

Nadia Helmy, an assistant professor of political science at Egypt's Beni Suef University, said that China has followed a positive path in improving education, eliminating poverty and boosting development and prosperity in all provinces and cities.

The living standards of the Chinese people have improved and their rights have become better protected, Helmy observed, adding that China also shared its experience with the rest of world and made a great contribution to the international cause of human rights.

In March 2015, Xi asked the Chinese people to protect the environment as if they were "caring for one's own eyes and life," while reviewing the work report of the State Council together with national lawmakers from eastern Jiangxi Province.

"Protecting environment is ensuring livelihood," Xi stressed.

British author and political commentator Carlos Martinez said that China, as a responsible country with significant economic strength and technological capability, has ensured the Beijing Winter Olympics as the greenest games ever -- with zero-carbon venues, zero-carbon transport, low-carbon artificial snow production, and the re-use of venues.

This has set a crucial example for the world to battle climate breakdown, he added.

Aerial photo taken on Dec. 5, 2021 shows the sunrise scenery of the Yangpu international container port at Yangpu economic development zone in south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)

OPENNESS

When joining a panel discussion attended by national political advisors from the economic sector in 2020, Xi called for unwavering efforts to make economic globalization more open, inclusive and balanced so that its benefits are shared by all, and to build an open world economy.

Cavince Adhere, a Kenya-based international relations scholar, said that China is a staunch supporter of multilateralism and economic globalization.

The Global Development Initiative, the Belt and Road Initiative and other initiatives proposed by China have shown that China is ready to build a new pattern of global cooperation with peace and development as its main pillars, said Adhere.

In the view of Serik Korzhumbayev, editor-in-chief of the Delovoy Kazakhstan newspaper, the international community has benefited from China's opening-up and gained experience in such fields as research and development of new technologies, information technology, industrial development and logistics.

A staff member checks vials of inactivated COVID-19 vaccine on an automated packaging line of Sinovac Life Sciences Co., Ltd. in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 23, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei)

SHARED BY ALL

In a deliberation with fellow lawmakers from Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at the third session of the 13th NPC in May 2020, Xi stressed acting on the people-centered philosophy in every aspect of work.

He also stressed adhering to "people first" in coordinating epidemic control and economic and social development.

Jose Ignacio Martinez Cortes, a researcher at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, said China reached out a helping hand in time during the critical period of the COVID-19 pandemic to Mexico and other countries.

He added that China has provided solid support to others in fighting COVID-19 and helped them tackle the pandemic and shortage of vaccines.

Humphrey Moshi, director of the Center for Chinese Studies at the University of Dar es Salaam of Tanzania, pointed out that China's success in poverty alleviation has set a good example for other countries and China's polices are practical and effective.

In particular, China's targeted poverty alleviation strategy has brought real changes to poor households, he noted, adding that developing countries, especially African countries, can learn from China's experience.

(Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji)
Chinese FM holds phone talks with U.S. secretary of state over bilateral ties, Ukraine

Xinhua) 09:21, March 06, 2022

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi addresses the Manila Forum for China-Philippines Relations via video on Jan. 17, 2022. (Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

Wang said that the evolution of the Ukraine issue is something China does not want to see.

BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday held a phone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken over China-U.S. relations and the Ukraine issue at the latter's request.

Wang said that at present, the top priority in China-U.S. relations is still to advance and implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state in their video meeting, adding that China expresses grave concern over recent words and deeds of the U.S. side which run counter to the above-mentioned objective.

Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and the Taiwan question is China's internal affair, Wang said, urging the U.S. side to return to the true meaning of the one-China principle, stop encouraging and supporting "Taiwan independence" moves, stop interfering in China's internal affairs, and safeguard the overall situation of China-U.S. relations with concrete actions.

The two sides exchanged views on Ukraine.

Blinken briefed the Chinese side on the U.S. views and position on the current situation in Ukraine. Wang said that the evolution of the Ukraine issue is something China does not want to see.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Rome, Italy, Oct. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Jin Mamengni)

The Ukraine issue is complicated, which not only concerns the basic norms of international relations, but also is closely related to the security interests of various parties, Wang said, urging for focusing on not only solving the current crisis, but also maintaining long-term stability of the region.

As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China always forms its own position and policy according to the merits of the matter itself, Wang said, adding that China believes that the Ukraine crisis should be resolved in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

Firstly, all countries' sovereignty and territorial integrity should be respected, Wang said. Secondly, he called for peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue.

Wang said that the Chinese side hopes that the fighting will stop as soon as possible, the situation on the ground will be eased, the security of civilians and property will be effectively guaranteed, and a large-scale humanitarian crisis will be prevented.

Wang pointed out that the Ukraine crisis can only be solved through dialogue and negotiations.

The Chinese side supports every effort conducive to de-escalation and political settlement of the situation, while opposing any moves which are adverse to promoting a diplomatic solution and add fuel to the flames, he said.

China will continue to speak out and do its best for peace, Wang said, adding that China encourages direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.

Though negotiations may not go smoothly, he said, the international community should continue to cooperate and support such efforts until results and peace are achieved.

The Chinese side, Wang said, also encourages the United States, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and the European Union to engage in equal dialogue with Russia, face up to the frictions and problems accumulated over the years, pay attention to the negative impact of NATO's continuous eastward expansion on Russia's security, and seek to build a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism in accordance with the "indivisibility of security" principle.

The two sides also exchanged views on the current situation of the Korean Peninsula.

(Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji)
Iran has agreed to supply answers long sought by the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, Tehran and the U.N. agency said Saturday, as talks in Vienna over its tattered atomic deal with world powers appear to be coming to an end.

A joint statement by Mohammad Eslami, the head of the civilian Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, and Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy, came hours after the two met in Tehran.

It envisions the issue of the discovery of uranium particles at former undeclared sites in the country being wrapped up by June  a move that is separate from the talks over the nuclear deal but could help push them to a conclusion.

But meanwhile, Russia's foreign minister for the first time linked American sanctions on Moscow over its war on Ukraine to the ongoing Iran nuclear deal talks  adding a new wrinkle to the delicate diplomacy.

Grossi said in Tehran that "it would be difficult to believe or to imagine that such an important return to such a comprehensive agreement like the (nuclear deal) would be possible if the agency and Iran would not be seeing eye to eye on how to resolve these important safeguards issues." Safeguards in the IAEA's parlance refer to the agency's inspections and monitoring of a country's nuclear program.

Grossi for years has sought for Iran to answer questions about human-made uranium particles found at former undeclared nuclear sites in the country. U.S. intelligence agencies, Western nations and the IAEA have said Iran ran an organized nuclear weapons program until 2003. Iran long has denied ever seeking nuclear weapons.

Eslami said the men had reached an "agreement" that would see Iran "presenting documents that would remove the ambiguities about our country." He did not elaborate on what the documents would discuss.

The later joint statement said that Eslami's agency will by March 20 give the U.N. nuclear watchdog "written explanations including related supporting documents to the questions raised by the IAEA which have not been addressed by Iran on the issues related to three locations."

Within two weeks, it said, the IAEA will review that information and submit any questions, and within a week of that the two agencies will meet in Tehran to address the questions.

Grossi will then aim to report his conclusions by the time the IAEA board of governors meets in June.

The nuclear deal saw Iran agree to drastically limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of crushing economic sanctions. But a 2018 decision by then-President Donald Trump to unilaterally withdraw America from the agreement sparked years of tensions and attacks across the wider Middle East.

Today, Tehran enriches uranium up to 60% purity  its highest level ever and a short technical step from weapons-grade levels of 90% and far greater than the nuclear deal's 3.67% cap. Its stockpile of enriched uranium also continues to grow, worrying nuclear nonproliferation experts that Iran could be closer to the threshold of having enough material for an atomic weapon if it chose to pursue one.

Undeclared sites played into the initial 2015 deal as well. That year the IAEA's then-director-general also came to Tehran and visited a suspected weapons-program site at Parchin. Inspectors also took samples there for analysis.

Grossi's inspectors also face challenges in monitoring Iran's current advances in its civilian program. Iran has held IAEA surveillance camera recordings since February 2021, not letting inspectors view them amid the nuclear negotiations.

In Vienna, negotiators appear to be signaling a deal is near  even as Russia's war on Ukraine rages on. Russia's ambassador there, Mikhail Ulyanov, has been a key mediator in the talks and tweeted Thursday that negotiations were "almost over." That was something also acknowledged by French negotiator Philippe Errera.

"We hope to come back quickly to conclude because we are very, very close to an agreement," Errera wrote Friday on Twitter. "But nothing is agreed until EVERYTHING is agreed!"

British negotiator Stephanie Al-Qaq simply wrote: "We are close."

But comments Saturday by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov for the first time offered the suggestion that the Ukraine war  and the stinging sanctions that Americans and others have put on Moscow  could interfere.

"We need guarantees these sanctions will in no way affect the trading, economic and investment relations contained in the (deal) for the Iranian nuclear program," Lavrov said, according to the Tass news agency.

Lavrov said he wanted "guarantees at least at the level of the secretary of state" that the U.S. sanctions would not affect Moscow's relationship with Tehran. There was no immediate American response to Lavrov's comments.

Meanwhile on Saturday, Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard unveiled what it described as two new underground missile and drone bases in the country. State TV said the bases contained surface-to-surface missiles and armed drones capable of "hiding themselves from enemy radar."
Southern Californians partake in the 55th Annual Patriots Day Parade in Laguna Beach, Calif., on March 5, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Laguna Beach Celebrates Patriots Day Parades Return

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif.Lets give it up for Laguna Beach Fire Department for the amazing work they do for us here! the parade announcer shouted as multiple fire vehicles drove past Laguna Beach City Hall. Thank you for keeping us all safe today!

Along the sidewalk, hundreds of Southern California residents watched the Annual Laguna Beach Patriots Day Parade on March 5.

Some of them already found their spots and posted up their blankets and chairs an hour before the parade started at 11 a.m.

After last years cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 return marked the 55th Laguna Beach Patriots Day Parade, honoring local heroes who have served the community and the country at times of emergencies and warby showcasing civic and veterans organizations, school bands, vintage cars, and multiple novelty groups.

Southern Californians partake in the 55th Annual Patriots Day Parade in Laguna Beach, Calif., on March 5, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Southern Californians partake in the 55th Annual Patriots Day Parade in Laguna Beach, Calif., on March 5, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

I thought it was very organized this year, Stan Fine of Laguna Woods told The Epoch Times. They did a great job keeping things in order and we had a great time.

Fine, who was in the parade dressed as a clown, was joined by two other Laguna Woods neighbors, Debbie Spangenthal and Margo Bender, who also enjoyed making people laugh.

This was one of my first parades since graduating clown college, Spangenthal, who goes by the clown name of Tootsie, told The Epoch Times. It just went by too fast!

Southern Californians partake in the 55th Annual Patriots Day Parade in Laguna Beach, Calif., on March 5, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Beginning at Park Avenue and Legion Street, the parade routed with a right-hand turn on Glenneyre Street, before swinging another right on Forrest Avenue and finishing shortly past Laguna Beach City Hall.

In the early morning, Laguna Beach Police Department officers closed off roads along the parade route as well as portions of downtown Laguna Beach to accommodate pedestrians and those partaking in the parade.

You do have to wait a long time, but we had so much fun, Bender said as she handed The Epoch Times reporter a small toy monkey. Even with all this wind, we had such a wonderful time out there!

Southern Californians partake in the 55th Annual Patriots Day Parade in Laguna Beach, Calif., on March 5, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

The onshore cool ocean breeze was met with a sunny but cloudy blue sky contrasting vividly with the bright red, white, and blue American flags being waived by parents and children as parade participantsincluding multiple high school bandsmarched past spectators.

As the Palmdale Highschool Band paraded past the Laguna Beach Fire station, one homeless gentleman wearing a bright red jacket encouraged the teens as they were approaching the finish line.

Atta kids, keep turning it up! the man shouted. You got this, make it loud!

Southern Californians partake in the 55th Annual Patriots Day Parade in Laguna Beach, Calif., on March 5, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

As the parade wrapped up shortly before 1 p.m., children who were marching without parents quickly joined them near the finish line.

Even the brisk ocean breeze could not hinder the smiles blossoming throughout the event.

Southern Californians partake in the 55th Annual Patriots Day Parade in Laguna Beach, Calif., on March 5, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Before Bender and her fellow clown volunteers backed up their small SUV to return to Laguna Woods, she pulled out a deck of cards to perform one last guess the card trick, which she guessed correctly right away as being the seven of diamonds.

Oh, its an easy trick! she said. Here Ill teach you, really quick!

Southern Californians partake in the 55th Annual Patriots Day Parade in Laguna Beach, Calif., on March 5, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)
Maureen and Bruce Potter at the March 5 matinee of Shen Yun in London. (Mary Mann/The Epoch Times)

LONDON, U.K.With a splash of color and soaring music, Shen Yun Performing Arts lit up the day for thousands of theatergoers at the Eventim Apollo this week.

Bruce Potter works in psychiatric care in the NHS. He and his wife Maureen Potter, finance systems manager at University for the Creative Arts, attended the March 5 Shen Yun matinee.

They are frequent showgoers and were impressed with Shen Yuns performance.

I like the mens dances where they show the strength as well as the graceand its beautifully choreographed, colors are wonderful. Very exciting to watch, said Mrs. Potter.

Shen Yuns work over the last 16 years has been to revive Chinese culture facing destruction under communist rule. As part of its program, it shows the faith-based traditions that are hard to see in China today due to religious persecution.

I think its sad that that still happens in China today, said Mrs. Potter.

Mr. Potter said its important that we maintain our past because thats why were here today because of what we were then. I think its very, very important that all these traditions are maintained not just from China, but from all over the world.

James Pickavance at the March 5 matinee of Shen Yun in London. (NTD)

Lawyer James Pickavance came to the show with his wife and his son Andy.

The diversity of dance was really special, he said. And I felt it demonstrated the Chinese culture immensely well.

Six-year-old Andy was overjoyed by what he saw.

My son was jumping up and down really enjoying the dances but also I think he learned a lot during the dances, which is one of the most important things, said Mr. Pickavance. Its immensely important for us that he learns different cultures. Hes only six, but no better time to start.

Through the universal language of music and dance, he saw a message of unity which he said has longevity.

Its interesting how the values of courage really translate over thousands of years, he said. And it doesnt really matter whether its a modern-day performance, or a modern day tale or a tale set back in ancient timesthe message of courage is really the same throughout the different performances.

He said hes looking forward to an all-new Shen Yun program next year.

Reporting by Mary Mann and 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 lot of positive things have happened for the Rooster Walk Music & Arts Festival in the years since William Baptist co-founded the Martinsville-area event.

Rooster Walk, meant to honor posthumously the lives of Edwin The Rooster Penn and Walker Shank, has grown into a nonprofit regional institution that has donated more than $100,000 to a scholarship program directed at Martinsville High School. And it has developed a reputation as a family-friendly event on beautiful grounds that brings in great touring performers from across the country.

After two years off because of COVID, the festival is scheduled for its 12th edition, May 26-29 at Pops Farm. Baptist, however, wont be at the center of the action. The festival announced this week that he has decided to leave.

Baptist, who was the events chief of operations, founded Rooster Walk alongside Johnny Buck in 2009. Baptist and Buck, the executive director, created Rooster Walk in memory of the childhood friends, Martinsville natives who passed away while in their mid-20s.

Baptist, in a message exchange on Facebook, said that he was thankful for his coworkers, board members, supporters, sponsors, artists and especially Rooster Walk fans for making the last 15 years of my life so rich with memories and experiences.

We started this thing when we lost two very special people. My experiences with Rooster Walk have allowed me to feel a closer presence to Edwin and Walker (and others weve lost along the way) and all they stood for. I never would have been able to process losing my two best friends without finding my joy in bringing joy to others.

He said he is looking to learn new skills and to create, and that he is moving to Charlottesville. Baptist has lived on Pops Farm much of the time since Rooster Walk moved there in 2015.

Itll be interesting to try a 9-5 job, he wrote. Im hoping that I can leave work at work for a little while and spend more time with family and my friends that are like family. I promise this isnt the last that our music scene has seen of me.

Rusty Lacy, the Rooster Walk Inc. board president, said in a festival news release that he and everyone associated with the festival are grateful for Baptists time and efforts.

Without him, the company and the festival wouldnt exist as we know them today, Lacy said in the release. His countless hours of work, plus his vision and imagination will leave an indelible mark. We wish him nothing but the best as he moves on to new pursuits.

The festival has launched a search to fill the position.

Grace Potter, Little Feat, Lettuce and Moon Taxi top the bill for this years version. Hit roosterwalk.com for more info and tickets.

Opera and poetryOpera Roanoke and The Spot on Kirk are combining on March 17 to explore the intersection of music and poetry with two MacArthur Genius Fellows.

A Way With Words: A Celebration of Black Voices in Poetry and Music will feature Terrance Hayes and Tyshawn Sorey. Hayes is a poet and English Professor at New York University. Sorey is a multi-instrumentalist and composer. The men co-wrote Cycles of My Being with internationally recognized tenor Lawrence Brownlee, who will perform it on May 1 at Jefferson Centers Shaftman Performance Hall. Opera Roanoke is funding the project with a $15,000 National Endowment for the Arts grant.

At the March 17 event, Hayes and Sorey will share stories and music from their perspective as black artists, according to an Opera Roanoke news release.

Having artists of this caliber here in Roanoke is going to be an unforgettable experience, the operas general director, Brooke Tolley, said in the news release. We want people to know that while opera is our bread and butter, offering unique experiences that wouldnt exist without our communitys arts organizations is important to us as well.

Tickets are $20 via 540-982-2742 or operaroanoke.org.

Girls Rock! Roanoke adds music listingsAre you a woman, non-binary or gender diverse person looking to get your music out there? Girls Rock! Roanoke has a service for you.

The after school and summer school program for musical girls has added a band directory to its website. Go to girlsrockroanoke.org/band-directory to post your acts information. The orgs executive director, Lacey Levy, said in an email that the free listing, called the Girls+ Rock Roanoke Collective, is meant to help venues, festivals and talent bookers easily find performers.

Were working on doing our part to make sure music is equitable and accessible! Levy wrote.
Andy Castle at the Shen Yun Performing Arts performance at the Eventim Apollo, in London, on March 5, 2022. (NTD)

LONDON, U.K.A top executive of a multinational tech firm enjoyed Shen Yun Performing Arts so much last time around that he took his family to see the show again this year and said he will come again next year as well.

Andy Castle is a London-based vice-president of Network Operations and Engineering at Equinix, an American multinational company that specializes in Internet connection and data centers.

He said this was the second time he and his family had seen the show, adding, Id recommend anyone to come and see it.

Based in New York, Shen Yun presents classical Chinese dance and music.

It was just magicalthe dancing, the colors, the lighting, Mr. Castle said. Its just one of the best shows weve ever seen at the theatre, and well come again next year as well.

Shen Yun presents story-based dances, colorful costumes, an orchestra that combines classical Western and traditional Chinese instruments, and animated backdrops creating unique effects.

The history learning about China, the performers, the musictheres not one thing you can call out. Its a performance beyond all performances.

Surgeon Felt Overwhelmed

Tom Browne, a consultant vascular surgeon, said he was overwhelmed by Shen Yun.

I love the color, the drama, the choreographyfantastic, he said.

Tom Browne at the Shen Yun Performing Arts performance at the Eventim Apollo, in London, on March 5, 2022. (NTD)

He described being fascinated and surprised to learn about the background of the company.

Some Shen Yun artists have suffered persecution by the Communist Party in China for their spiritual beliefs.

In addition to stories about Chinas ancient dynasties, Shen Yun also uses dance and music to depict stories from modern China. In particular, it is known for raising awareness of the story of the Chinese regimes persecution of Falun Dafa, a spiritual movement based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance.

Dr. Brown said that his uncle was a Jesuit priest in China for many years before the Chinese Communist Party came to power, giving him some insight into Chinas modern history.

Feedom of speech is to be cherished, because it is the higher calling in all of life.  Tom Brown

He said he was fascinated to see Shen Yun explore principles relating to the divine, to religion, and to religious freedom, taking inspiration from the performance that freedom of speech is to be cherished, because it is the higher calling in all of life.

He said he was particularly interested in the dance titled Insanity During the End of Days, which recounts the events surrounding forced organ harvesting in China, which has been documented since 2006.

Dr. Browne said he found it disturbing that such things can go on under a regime that could distort the medicine.

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.
People attend a funeral of victims following a blast in northwest Pakistan's Peshawar on March 5, 2022. (Str/Xinhua)

The terrorist attack claimed by the Islamic State (IS) has killed 63 and injured nearly 200 in Peshawar city of Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, leaving people in panic and grief.

by Misbah Saba Malik

ISLAMABAD, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Hussain Ali, a local journalist in Peshawar city of Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, was offering usual Friday prayers when he received a phone call about a blast in a mosque in the downtown city.

"I rushed to the site for coverage. I saw gruesome images...," Ali told Xinhua.

Suddenly, among the rescue workers and people who reached the mosque to find their relatives, "I saw my cousin hysterically sifting through the dead bodies and screaming in panic, and he also caught a glance of me and rushed to me to break the news that my uncle, also his father, came to offer prayer in the mosque and went missing after the explosion."

A few minutes after a failed search, they decided to go to Lady Reading Hospital where the bodies and the injured were being shifted and found out that the 55-year-old, was among the over 30 deaths at that time.

"He was a gentleman, always smiling and forthcoming in helping others. Everyone in the family and community liked him. I wonder why he and other innocent people like him were attacked? We are so panicked that even our own shadow scares us and we don't want to leave our houses in the fear of more attacks," Ali told Xinhua.

People transfer victims to a hospital following a blast in Peshawar, Pakistan, on March 4, 2022. (Photo by Saeed Ahmad/Xinhua)

According to a spokesperson of the Lady Reading Hospital, 57 bodies were handed over to relatives on Friday, and six more succumbed to injuries at the hospital, raising the death toll to 63.

The spokesperson added that about 200 injured were also shifted to the facility, out of which 37 are still being treated, while others were discharged after treatment.

The Islamic State (IS) terror group has claimed the attack in a Twitter post.

In a press briefing on Saturday, Capital City Police Officer of Peshawar Muhammad Ijaz told media that a "well-trained" suicide bomber entered the mosque after shooting one policeman dead deployed on the security of the mosque and injuring the other, and blew himself up among the people who were gathering inside the prayer hall.

Security has been beefed up in the province and across the country, following the attack and an additional police force has been deployed at religious places.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned the attack and said that he had been personally monitoring operations and coordinating with the counter-terrorism department in the wake of the terrorist attack.

Rescuers cordon off the blast site in northwest Pakistan's Peshawar on March 4, 2022. (Photo by Saeed Ahmad/Xinhua)

"We now have all info regarding origins of where the terrorists came from and are going after them with full force," he added.

The country's Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad also said in a video message on Saturday that the handlers of the suicide bomber have been identified and the law enforcement agencies will be able to apprehend them.

Peshawar used to be a hotbed of militancy as it is located next to formerly restive tribal areas along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, but the security situation remarkably improved after military operations in the tribal districts to eradicate militancy.

The attack also brought back the gory memories of past attacks to the rescue workers.

Sher Gul from the non-governmental rescue organization Edhi Foundation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said "This level of havoc was wrecked after years in Peshawar. The terrorism was defeated and people were living in peace. The shadow of the painful past during which we lost thousands of people to terrorism was almost removed, but this fresh attack has once again sent shockwaves to the whole country and this wound will take a lot of time to heal." 
Americas decades-old casual drug habit has suddenly shifted into a new nightmare realm.

No longer are illicit drugs a recreational, renegade, college kind of thing to do. Now they could actually kill you in seconds.

Because drugs of all sorts are being laced with the powerful opioid fentanyl, dying of a drug overdose is no longer just a phenomenon of addicts or people with mental health issues. Folks who are not intending on abusing drugs but think they're simply taking a Xanax, a party drug like cocaine or even Adderall are now dropping dead of overdoses.

Thats apparently what happened in Commerce City recently, when five people who thought they were doing cocaine at a party all wound up dead in what is being called the worst single case of mass fentanyl overdose in the country.

"This is the nightmare scenario, 17th Judicial District Attorney, Brian Mason, told our reporter, Lindsey Toomer. This is five people dying without realizing the drug they're putting into their bodies.

Our reporters have documented far too many heart-breaking cases in Colorado lately in which parents have lost children who had no idea they were taking a deadly drug. As a father of two college-age kids, these stories keep me awake at night worrying about their safety.

So after hearing from several of our reporters about the noxious deadliness of this new scourge, Ive assembled a Horrified Dads Blatantly Alarmist Guide to the Dangers of Fentanyl. To wit:

Are the risks of my kids dying from fentanyl higher in Colorado?

Yes. The number of fentanyl fatalities in Colorado is rising faster than in every other state, except Alaska. In 2021, illegal fentanyl killed 709 people in Colorado  which is 645 more people than in 2015, according to CDC data from Families Against Fentanyl.

Why is this so bad in Colorado?

Colorados highways  I-25 and I-70  are major transport corridors for fentanyl smuggled in from Mexico. Colorado had more drug seizures, per pound, from 2017 through 2021 than any other state in the country, a 403 percent increase, according to the Denver field division of the Drug Enforcement Administration. And right now, possession of less than four grams of fentanyl in Colorado is only a misdemeanor, which many in law enforcement believe encourages dealers to come here.

What should I tell my kids about the risks of fentanyl?

Tell them what DA Mason said: No drug is safe right now. Tell them fentanyl has been found mixed with cocaine, meth, heroin, oxycontin, Adderall, Xanax, and in some cases, even marijuana, so they should stay away from everything except their prescriptions.

Why would drug dealers sell something that can kill their clients?

David Olesky, acting special agent in charge of the DEA office in Denver, told our reporters that fentanyl is so cheap, available and powerful it increases the potency of the drugs they sell, making them more addictive, and that in turn increases their profit margins.

"The nature of how cheap it is," Olesky told our reporter "and there is no care for human life by the traffickers when they are deciding what to put inside their package, their concoction, so to speak. They're not concerned about the end user and their wellbeing."

If a drug dealer knowingly sells someone a lethal dose of fentanyl, isnt that attempted murder?

Yes.

In Boulder County, the local drug task force is investigating four recent overdose deaths in hopes of filing criminal charges, possibly homicide, according to an Associated Press report.

Federal prosecutors can now levy a distribution resulting in death charge, but they must show that the fentanyl sold to the person was the sole cause of their death and that the dealer knew it was fentanyl.

Attorney General Phil Weiser said he supports a sentence enhancement or additional homicide charge for dealers in Colorado, but others worry that such charges would be further criminalizing drug use rather than focusing on public health efforts to solve the fentanyl problem.

How deadly is fentanyl?

Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and heroin, according to Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen.

According to the DEA, 2 milligrams of fentanyl is generally considered a lethal dose for most people. One pound of fentanyl could kill as many people as have died to date in the U.S. from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the DEA.

Is China trying to purposefully kill Americans with fentanyl?

Good question. Currently, China is the primary source of fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances trafficked into the United States, according to the DEA.

James Rauh, founder of Families Against Fentanyl, has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit alleging that Chinese supplier Fujing Zheng and others shipped the fentanyl that killed Rauhs son. Rauh wants the Chinese government also held accountable for not doing more to stop the trafficking.

How does fentanyl work?

Fentanyl works by binding to the body's opioid receptors, which are found in areas of the brain that control pain and emotions. Its effects include extreme happiness, drowsiness, nausea, confusion, constipation, sedation, tolerance, addiction, respiratory depression and arrest, unconsciousness, coma, and death, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

.

How do people use fentanyl?

When prescribed by a doctor, fentanyl can be given as a shot, a patch that is put on a persons skin, or as lozenges that are sucked like cough drops, according to NIDA.

The illegally used fentanyl most often associated with recent overdoses is made in labs. This synthetic fentanyl is sold illegally as a powder, dropped onto blotter paper, put in eye droppers and nasal sprays, or made into pills that look like other prescription opioids, according to NIDA.

How do you treat someone who has taken fentanyl?

Naloxone is a medicine that can reverse a fentanyl overdose when given right away.

Medication combined with behavioral therapies has been shown to be effective in treating people with an addiction to fentanyl and other opioids.

Can I do anything to help my kids avoid fentanyl?

Three things: Education. Education. Education. And the Colorado Health Network provides fentanyl test strips that can detect the presence of fentanyl in substances and naloxone to anyone that asks for it.

What do I do if I think my son or daughter has overdosed?

Call 911 immediately. Once medical personnel arrive, they will administer naloxone if they suspect an opioid drug is involved.

If I catch a dealer trying to sell drugs to my kids, what should I do?

I refuse to answer that on the grounds that it may incriminate me.
The (IS) of Khorasan has claimed the responsibility of the terror attack on a Shia mosque in Pakistan's Peshawar during the Friday's prayer, in which at least 56 people killed.

The IS of Khorasan, which is active in the region, has claimed that it was an Afghan suicide bomber who executed the terror attack. The IS has made the claim in a press note.

Apart from 56 fatalities, as many as 194 have recieved injuries after the alleged Afghan suicide bomber exploded himself during the Friday's prayer at the mosque.

The Shia mosque, where the explotion took place, reffered as Imam Bargah is located at Qissa Khwani Bazaar in Peshawar's Kucha Risaldar area.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan's Special Assistant Barrister Saif has confirmed that the explosion was a suicide attack.

"There were two offenders who entered the mosque and then engaged in an exchange of fire with the security forces, following which one attacker was killed by the police. An eyewitness identified a person dressed in black as the suicide bomber, saying he entered the mosque, shot and killed the security guard first and then fired five to six bullets at the police. Subsequently, he rushed towards the main hall and blew himself in front of the pulpit."

Separately, a local person claimed that despite residents urging for tighter security due to a recent hand grenade attack in the area, this suicide bombing was "neither anticipated nor prevented".

Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned the attack and ordered to provide immediate medical aid for the wounded.

Incidentally, the suicide attack took place a day after DG ISPR Lt Gen Babar Iftikhar denied the reports about former DG ISI Lt Gen Faiz Hameed (recently posted in Peshawar as Corps Commander) networking with opposition members to foil the proposed no-trust movement against the Prime Minister.

--IANS

atk/shs

(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.)
More than 100 people came to downtown Roanoke Saturday afternoon to show solidarity with Ukraine as it remains under Russian invasion.

The peaceful rally put together by Ukrainian Americans living in Roanoke started at the downtown public library, with some participants holding signs and singing songs in Ukrainian before heading toward Elmwood Park. The rally moved to Market Square, where speakers denounced Russian leader Vladimir Putin and his decision to invade Ukraine a little more than a week ago.

Anna Miroshnychenko, 31, said she and some other Ukrainian-born residents put the event together to help support families in their native country.

We want to bring awareness and support to Ukraine, she said. We want to help raise money for soldiers and families and just do what we can  Whats happening is wrong and the more people that stand up against Putin, the better it is.

Miroshnychenko, a U.S. citizen whos lived in Roanoke for nearly a decade, said many in her family chose not to leave the country. They live in Enerhodar, a city in the northwestern part of Ukraine with more than 50,000 residents.

She said she speaks with them almost daily, and said they remain strong, despite the atrocities taking place through much of the country.

They [Ukrainian citizens] are asking for help, Miroshnychenko said. They are scared for the women and children  The people of Ukraine will tell you  seeing all of the support online and the gatherings, its giving them so much energy.

She and others were taking donations to help those in Ukraine, stating that all funds raised will be given to the proper channels to help those in need.

Those interested in donating can do so through Venmo by sending money to the @Support-Ukraine account.

Miroshnychenko also noted that she and others are starting a local Facebook group to keep citizens up-to-date with information on what they can do to help the people of Ukraine.

Tatyana Munsey, who teaches Russian at Roanoke College and has lived in Roanoke for 17 years, is from Dnipro. A U.S. citizen, Munsey still has family in Dnipro and in Kyiv.

She noted that while much of the country still speaks Russian, and that the cultures are similar in many ways, the people of Ukraine want to be free and live independently of Russia.

Munsey, 53, said some of her family are hiding in bunkers underground, but her sister and mother remain at home, due to health complications that have kept her mother from being able to seek shelter.

I feel awful fear for them. I also feel proud of them for helping when they can, she said, noting members of her family have been helping the people defending the country however they can.

Martha Kuchar, 70, also a professor at Roanoke College, said she is the first person in her family born in the U.S., but still has strong ties to the country her family used to call home.

She spoke to the crowd at the library prior to the march about how she and many other Ukrainian people in the U.S. and abroad feel about the invasion.

We are living in times that can hardly be believed, that one man has the power to control our destiny by pressing his finger against a nuclear button, she told the crowd.

She also spoke glowingly about Ukrainians and the war theyve fought, while also saying that her and others anger is not towards the people of Russia, but for Putin and Putin alone.

We stand with Ukraine because we stand with freedom, she said. Putin is a war criminal and he needs to be held to account  We have many friends, by the way, from the Russian community here in Roanoke. We love them and we take pity on them for what is happening in their country.

Its Putin we have an argument with, not the Russian people.
John and Zohra Lack at the March 4, Shen Yun performance in Phoenix. (Linda Jiang/The Epoch Times)

PHOENIX, Ariz.Professional dancer Zohra Lack and her husband John Lack were in tears from the evenings performance. Shen Yun moved them in ways hard to articulate. They saw the March 4 performance at the Orpheum Theater.

It was amazing; it was everything, Mrs. Lack said, sobbing. The costume, the beauty, the music, the people working together.

In tears, no words, inspiring, touching, Mr. Lack said, also wet-eyed. It makes me want to be a better person.

Shen Yun is a New York-based classical Chinese dance and music performance that has performed across the world annually since 2006.

The Lacks live between New York, where Mrs. Lack teaches dance, and Phoenix. They have known about Shen Yun for 3 or 4 years, and now that shes finally seen Shen Yun, Mrs. Lack says she can finally report back to her friend in New York whos already seen Shen Yun twice.

Tonight I have to tell her it was amazing too, she said.

Shen Yun Is Extraordinary

Melissa Green, a dancer with Southwest Valley Theater, was captivated by the talent and artistry of the dancers.

It was very graceful, very divine, really lovely. It could really feel the passion behind how they dance. It was extraordinary, she said.

Melissa Green (L) at the March 4 Shen Yun performance in Phoenix. (Linda Jiang/The Epoch Times)

For 5,000 years of Chinese culture before the communist takeover, spirituality was the center of civil life. Shen Yun brings back this heritage, something that Ms. Green felt deeply.

I really felt the presence of God during that time. It really spoke to me so that was very lovely.  Melissa Green

I really felt the presence of God during that time. It really spoke to me so that was very lovely, she said. We all need more God in our world today so that was refreshing to see them singing and talking and dancing about God.

She loved being in a theater with other art lovers, especially after a pandemic that kept so many isolated.

I felt joy during the whole time, she said. I feel very positive and Ill definitely return again.

Everything Is Fantastic

Jeri and David Starbuck at Shen Yun Performing Arts at Phoenix Orpheum, in Phoenix, on March 4, 2022. (Alice Sun/The Epoch Times)

Oil painter David Starbuck and his wife, sculptor Jeri Starbuck, hail from Tuscon. Mr. Starbuck said Shen Yun is positive and full of life, and Mrs. Starbuck said that she was refreshed after having seen it.

The colors filled the auditorium. When the lights came on, it was beautiful.  David Starbuck

Mr. Starbuck loved the colors in the performance.

The colors filled the auditorium. When the lights came on, it was beautiful, he said. The colors, the dedication to the dance and everything is fantastic!

Referring to a traditional Chinese dance using water-sleeves, Mrs. Starbuck found it fascinating how the dancers used their costumes to convey feeling, such as how they used their sleeves, being just able to put them out and retract them, the control!

They loved discovering the spiritual nature of Chinese culture through the songs and stories featuring faith.

Thats so nice to hear in public nowadays, commented Mr. Starbuck.

I love the old history from any culture, having the knowledge of it and keeping it alive; I think thats wonderful, added Mrs. Starbuck.

Reporting by Linda Jiang and Alice Sun.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 05/03/2022 (202 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (AP)  Residents of hundreds of Florida Panhandle homes were evacuated as a wildfire destroyed two houses and damaged 12 others in an area that has spent years recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Michael, officials said Saturday.

Hundreds of thousands of acres (hectares) of downed trees from the 2018 hurricane, along with low humidity and strong winds, have created the perfect storm for hazardous fire conditions in Bay County, Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a news conference in Panama City.

This is not a surprise, DeSantis said.

A fast-moving wildfire looms over homes outside of Panama City, Fla., Friday, March 4, 2022. More than 200 firefighters and emergency workers from throughout the Florida Panhandle worked overnight into Saturday, to strengthen containment lines and protect homes. (Mike Fender/News Herald via AP)

More than 200 firefighters and emergency workers from around the Panhandle worked overnight to strengthen containment lines and protect homes. As of Saturday morning, the 1,500-acre (607 hectare) Adkins Avenue Fire was 30% contained, according to the Florida Forest Service.

The agency has deployed more than a dozen tractor plow units as well as multiple helicopters, and burn bans were in effect in parts of the region, officials said in a news release.

At least 600 homes had been evacuated as of Saturday morning, but that figure was expected to grow as new neighborhoods were placed under evacuation orders throughout the day.

DeSantis praised firefighters for saving scores of homes overnight.

This is a really significant, fast-moving fire, DeSantis said.

Michael was the first Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. since Hurricane Andrew in 1992, and only the fourth on record, when it tore through Mexico Beach and Tyndall Air Force Base in October 2018. The hurricane was directly responsible for 16 deaths and about $25 billion in damage in the U.S., according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

It also left behind 2.8 million acres (about 1.1 million hectares) of shredded and uprooted trees in the Florida Panhandle, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried said at the news conference.

Hector Rivera and Wandi Blanco put water on hotspots behind their home in Panama City, Fla., Saturday, March 5, 2022, following a wildfire that started Friday. The fire destroyed two homes next to them and melted the siding off of their home. (Mike Fender/News Herald via AP)

Hurricane Michael left an additional threat to our communities  wildfires, Fried said. Wildfires are never easy control. This added fuel and dense pockets of vegetation from Hurricane Michael will increase the intensity of wildfires.

Officials with the Florida Forest Service said there was no timeline for when residents would be allowed to return to their homes. At the news conference, Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis recommended that evacuated homeowners contact their insurance companies since it will speed up the claims process should their homes be damaged or destroyed.

Have patience as we ask you to evacuate from your homes, Patronis said.

Dry conditions in Florida have created elevated fire dangers, with 148 active wildfires burning across the state, including the 3,000acre (1,214-hectare) Bertha Swamp Fire in neighboring Gulf County, according to the Florida Forest Service.
Girl Scout cookie booths are back after a pandemic break  and they are featuring a new cookie, while others are in short supply.

Girl Scouts of Western Washington kicked off cookie sales outside of local stores Friday. Only up to two scouts are allowed at each booth, said Kristy Coons, whose daughter is a Longview scout.

The return of in-person sales comes with a ninth cookie to add to the long-standing collection: a sea-salt and caramel brownie-like treat called Adventurefuls. But production issues have shorted some troops orders.

Production issues

A New York troop reports supply chain issues and labor disruptions created a nationwide shortage of the latest cookie.

The Girl Scouts of Western Washington havent released information about such disruptions, but the newest treat cant be ordered online. Coons said the online orders stopped about a week during pre-orders to ensure the organization could supply the boxes already promised.

I think a lot of people are wanting to try them, she said.

Coons' daughter, Carly Coons, 12, set up her one-man shop outside Safeway Saturday with Adventurefuls, but no Smores  the graham cracker sandwich cookie filled with chocolate and marshmallow.

Sean Rutherford, whose 11-year-old daughter Annitka sold cookies at Safeway earlier on Saturday, said production issues caused them to receive a late order of Do-si-dos  an oatmeal sandwich cookie filled with peanut butter. Now they cant restock their Smores.

How to order Visit www.girlscoutsww.org/en/cookies/Find-Cookies.html Enter your zip code. Order online from a nearby troop or find locations and dates of local booth sales.

Online orders

Jason Cowan of Longview was sure to grab four boxes  including Adventurefuls  Saturday when he saw Carly setting up. The Lowes employee said he had heard about a shortage of Girl Scout cookies on the radio and wanted to ensure he grabbed his stash.

Finding a cookie seller in person can be hard these days, Cowan said.

Whos your dealer? he said he had asked a Lowes coworker with boxes in the breakroom next-door earlier that day.

The Girl Scouts of Western Washington encourages potential buyers to search for nearby cookie booths or troops online to order. Selling to family and friends started Jan. 21, online orders started Feb. 11 and booths opened Friday. Cookie sales end March 20.

Online sales are working well for Carly. The sixth-grade student is hoping to sell 1,900 boxes to win an iPad, she said, and shes already sold almost 1,000 as of Saturday. If she wins a Nintendo Switch by selling a lower amount like last year, she said she promised the gift to her cousin.

The organization says 100% of cookie proceeds go to troops to pay for adventures like outdoor camps and workshops on STEM, or Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics.
The U.S. remains in discussions with Poland to potentially backfill their fleet of fighter planes if Warsaw decides to transfer its used MiG-29s to Ukraine, four U.S. officials tell POLITICO.

The ongoing talks, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pleads with Congress for help, underscore the frantic push to find weapons to equip Ukrainian forces as they continue to fight off the massive Russian invasion.

As Poland weighed sending its warplanes to Ukraine last week, Warsaw asked the White House if the Biden administration could guarantee it would provide them with U.S.-made fighter jets to fill the gap. The White House said it would look into the matter. The Biden administration didnt oppose the Polish government giving Kyiv the MiGs, which could potentially escalate tensions between NATO and Moscow. Poland, for now, has held on to its fighter jets.

Discussions between Warsaw and Washington are still underway, though authorization for new, replacement fighter jets to Poland could take a long time.

We are working with the Poles on this issue and consulting with the rest of our NATO allies, a White House spokesperson told POLITICO. We are also working on the capabilities we could provide to backfill Poland if it decided to transfer planes to Ukraine.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed Sunday morning that the U.S. is working with Poland on plans to supply Ukraine with these planes. We are working with Poland as we speak to see if we can backfill anything that they provide to the Ukrainians, he said on CNNs State of the Union.

Poland, at least officially, says it has no plans to transfer the jets. "Poland won't send its fighter jets to #Ukraine as well as allow to use its airports. We significantly help in many other areas," the chancellery of Polish Prime Minister Andrzej Duda tweeted early Sunday morning before Blinken made his comments.

Several Eastern European countries like Poland, Bulgaria and Slovakia retain dozens of Russian-made aircraft in their inventories and have been hesitant to give up those planes without guarantees from the U.S. that they could replace them.

Story continues

Poland has been modernizing its aircraft fleet since 2006, when it first started flying F-16s, and in 2020 signed a $4.6 billion deal for 32 F-35s, the first of which will arrive in 2024, making those older Russian-made planes expendable.

The issue of sending aircraft into the fight is more complex than the effort underway by over two dozen European countries to send anti-armor and anti-air defensive weapons to Ukraine. A steady stream of U.S. and British military planes have been landing in Poland in recent days filled with those missiles, along with other munitions, rations, and small arms and ammunition.

Over the past several weeks the U.S. has sent 12,000 troops to Europe to backstop nervous allies along NATOs Eastern front, the majority of which went to Poland to join the 4,000 U.S. troops already stationed there. The troops are conducting training missions with the Polish military, and could be called on to assist with a humanitarian emergency if the flood of war refugees overwhelms Polish and E.U. authorities.

The White House has in no way opposed Poland transferring planes to Ukraine, the spokesperson added, pointing out how difficult an operation it would be to get the planes into Ukraine. Russian officials have pledged to attack any convoys carrying weapons entering the country.

The issue of transferring American F-16s to Poland is a complex one, given the sensitive avionics on American planes that may not always be legal to transfer overseas.

After Zelenskyys impassioned Zoom call with senators on Saturday, during which he urged the U.S. to send planes, drones and Stinger missiles to Ukraine and impose oil sanctions on Russia, Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) sent a letter to President Joe Biden throwing their full support behind backfilling Poland with F-16s if they were to hand over their Russian planes, saying they would work to ensure there was funding to finance the transfer.

The on-again, off-again effort to get MiGs into Ukraine started last weekend, when European Union security chief Josep Borrell made the startling announcement that several countries would soon ship fighter jets to the border for transfer to Ukraines armed forces.

Ukrainian officials told POLITICO at the time that several of their pilots had already arrived in Poland for the handoff, but the deal stalled out. Bulgaria and Slovakia also rejected the idea, and the Ukrainian pilots left empty-handed.

The U.S. has already shipped $240 million of the $350 million in military assistance Biden approved recently, with the rest expected to arrive in the coming days.
Elon Musk called himself a 'free speech absolutist' in defending why he would not block Russian state media from Starlink internet satellites in Ukraine, claiming 'all news sources are partially propaganda.'

Musk, 50, sent a collection of antennas to Ukraine this week after their president voiced concern that Ukrainians could lose internet access if Russia continues to attack communications towers, as it did with the bombing of a Kyiv TV tower on Wednesday.

However, the tech mogul said he would not block Russia state media - like Russia Today, which laid off all its US staff on Friday - because he's not 'sorry to be a free speech absolutist.'

'Starlink has been told by some governments (not Ukraine) to block Russian news sources. We will not do so unless at gunpoint,' he tweeted on Saturday.

When a commenter questioned Musk's position and referred to Russian media as 'propaganda resources,' the Tesla founder was undeterred, replying: 'All news sources are partially propaganda, some more than others.'

Musk, 50, sent a collection of antennas to Ukraine this week after the prime minister voiced concern that Ukrainians could lose internet access. He also claimed that in some parts of Ukraine, Starlink is the only 'non-Russian' connection available

Elon Musk called himself a free speech absolutist' on Saturday after stating he would not block Russian state media from Starlink internet satellites in Ukraine because 'all news sources are partially propaganda'

Musk issued an 'important warning' on Thursday, stating that in 'some parts of Ukraine' Starlink satellites were only 'non-Russian communications system still working' and could be targeted for attacks.

'Please use with caution,' he tweeted.

He also stated that SpaceX would 'reprioritize' signal jamming and up cyber defense and told Ukrainians to 'hold strong' and have his 'sympathies to the great people of Russia, who do not want this.'

Despite Putin's attempts to disconnect Ukrainians from the internet, Russia has threatened its own independent journalists with jail time if they report 'fake' news about the war.

A man ran from a burning home on Friday uin Irpin, right outside of Kyiv as Russian forces continue toward the capital

Ukrainians looks terrified as man with a gun moves toward them as Russia becomes more aggressive. Russian leader Vladimir Putin has escalated his rhetoric in his confrontation with the West, saying that sanctions against Russia are tantamount to a declaration of war and threatening to treat any country that declares a no-fly zone over Ukraine as part of the conflict

Ukrainian soldiers with shoulder-fired missiles look on people evacuate the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv, on Saturday

In the US, stated-back media outlet Russia Today laid off all of its staff, effectively shutting down amid backlash over the war in Ukraine.

'Unfortunately, we anticipate this layoff will be permanent, meaning that this will result in the permanent separation from employment of most T&R employees at all locations,' General Manager Misha Solodovnikov wrote. 'We deeply regret and understand the uncertainty this action will cause our valued employees.'

RT America has been sidelined in the US and most of Europe since Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

The network, seen as one of Putin's main mouthpieces in the US, had referred to the unprovoked invasion as a 'minor incursion intended for defensive purposes.'

Their stance quickly drew backlash and some of RT's own staff publicly resigned, and multiple television providers, streaming tech service Roku and social media outlets severed ties with the network.

Satellite TV company DirecTV recently announced it would be pulling the plug on the channel on March 1, ahead of a contract that was going to expire later this year.

'In line with our previous agreement with RT America, we are accelerating this year's contract expiration timeline and will no longer offer their programming effective immediately,' a spokesperson said.

Dish, which also carries the network, did not comment on its relationship with the Kremlin-backed channel. Formerly known as Russia Today, RT has sister stations across the globe, including United Kingdom and France, which have also been recently booted off-air.

YouTube, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook parent company Meta have also banned RT content on their platforms in Europe, with Meta executive Nick Clegg hinting that a decision was made in relation to 'the exceptional nature of the current situation' in Ukraine.

RT's app will no longer be available on Microsoft and Apple app stores in all countries except for Russia.

Earlier this week, Must told Ukrainians to 'hold strong' and sympathized with Russians 'who do not want this.' He also issued a stark warning that Starlink satellites could become a target

Spotify and Roku have also removed RT-linked podcasts from its platform.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has escalated his rhetoric in his confrontation with the West, saying that sanctions against Russia are tantamount to a declaration of war and threatening to treat any country that declares a no-fly zone over Ukraine as part of the conflict.

The threats came as Moscow's brutal assault on Ukraine saw a mass civilian evacuation from the city of Mariupol derailed when Russian forces ignored a promised humanitarian ceasefire and continued shelling the southern city.

Russian troops continued to bombard encircled cities and the number of Ukrainians forced from their country grew to 1.4 million. The UN says more than 350 civilians have been killed since Russia's invasion last week.

On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky repeated his plea for NATO to establish a no-fly zone in a meeting with the US Congress -- but the idea faces strong bipartisan opposition in America, and NATO leaders have rejected it, pointing out that it would draw the alliance into direct military confrontations with nuclear-armed Russia.

A no-fly zone could only be enforced by shooting down Russian aircraft, and Putin on Saturday made clear that he would view such a move as joining the conflict.

'We'll instantly view them as participants in a military conflict,' the Russian leader told a group of female employees of Russian airlines, according to Russian state media. 'We'll view any movement in this direction as involvement in an armed conflict by the country from whose territory threats to our military service members are posed.'

At the same meeting, Putin issued bellicose threats in response to the punishing economic sanctions leveled against his country by the US and Europe.

'These sanctions that are being imposed are like the declaration of war,' said Putin. 'A lot of what is happening now, of what we now see and what we face is undoubtedly a means of fighting against Russia.'

Despite Putin's saber-rattling, bipartisan members of Congress expressed support for ratcheting up sanctions and increasing lethal military aid to Ukraine after speaking with Zelensky on Saturday morning.

In his Zoom meeting with Congress, Zelensky repeated his plea for NATO to impose a no-fly zone over his country to blunt Russian air superiority, according to sources familiar with the matter.

However, the Biden administration and lawmakers from both parties have expressed strong opposition to the idea of a no-fly zone, because enforcing it would require shooting down Russian planes, drawing NATO into direct conflict with Russia.
BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland on Saturday reported 175 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission said Sunday.

Of the new local infections, 88 were reported in Shandong, 25 in Jilin, 20 in Guangdong, 14 in Hebei, nine in Inner Mongolia, five in Guangxi, four each in Jiangsu and Yunnan, two each in Zhejiang and Shaanxi, and one each in Shanxi and Henan, the commission said in its daily report.

A total of 154 imported COVID-19 cases were reported on Saturday, said the commission.

Two new suspected cases, all arriving from outside the mainland, were reported in Shanghai, said the commission. It added that no deaths from COVID-19 were reported on the day. 
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Vladmir Putin's invasion of Ukraine plunged to new depths of barbarism yesterday as his troops flouted a promised ceasefire and shelled fleeing refugees.

Some 200,000 civilians were set to leave the port city of Mariupol and 15,000 from Volnovakha in eastern Ukraine at 7am yesterday (UK time) as part of a temporary ceasefire deal overseen by the Red Cross.

Under the agreement, the refugees had five hours to flee the cities and evacuate westwards along humanitarian corridors.

But at 9.45am the evacuation was thrown into chaos as Russia resumed its blitz against Volnovakha, while attacks were also launched on the evacuation route leading out of Mariupol, according to Ukrainian authorities.

Ukrainians crowd under a destroyed bridge as they try to flee across the Irpin River in the outskirts of Kyiv

'I'm right now in Mariupol, I'm on the street, I can hear shelling every three to five minutes,' said Alexander, a 44-year-old engineer. 'I can see cars of people who tried to flee and they are coming back. It is chaos.'

Mariupol deputy mayor Serhiy Orlov said: 'The Russians are continuing to bomb us and use artillery. It is crazy. There is no ceasefire in Mariupol and there is no ceasefire all along the route.

'Our civilians are ready to escape but they cannot escape under shelling.'

Just 400 refugees managed to flee Volnovakha before the ceasefire was shattered. It is unclear how many  if any  families escaped Mariupol.

A woman is assisted while people cross a destroyed bridge as they evacuate the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv, during heavy shelling and bombing yesterday

Pictured: A burned car where four people died as a result of shelling in Markhalivka, Ukraine

People talk next to a burned car in Donetsk, Ukraine on February 28

Pictured: Houses destroyed by shelling in Markhalivka, Ukraine

Firefighters work to extinguish a fire at a damaged logistic center after shelling in Kyiv, Ukraine yesterday

A view shows a residential building damaged by recent shelling, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, in Chernihiv, Ukraine

British military intelligence believe the proposed ceasefire was actually a cynical attempt by Moscow to reset its forces and prepare for a new military onslaught.

'Russia's proposed ceasefire in Mariupol was likely an attempt to deflect international condemnation while resetting its forces for renewed offensive activity,' an intelligence update by the Ministry of Defence said.

Tory MP Tobias Ellwood, chairman of the Commons' Defence Select Committee, last night urged the West to do much more to prevent further ceasefire breaches and atrocities. 'Putin will not stop until he is stopped,' he said.

'As long as he goes unpunished, the genocide will continue. He has established there is zero appetite in the West to directly assist Ukraine, even when war crimes are committed, let alone when a ceasefire is breached.'

A burning building is pictured after the shelling is said by Russian forces in Ukraine's second-biggest city of Kharkiv on March 3

A Ukrainian serviceman and a civilian carry a wounded man who was injured by shelling in a hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine yesterday

People place a man in a wheelchair in Irpin, Ukraine after a bridge was destroyed by a Russian airstrike

Medical workers try to save the life of Marina Yatsko's 18 month-old son Kirill, who was fatally wounded by shelling, at a hospital in Mariupol

People flee the town of Irpin, Ukraine on foot near a collapsed bridge in Irpin, Ukraine, yesterday

Multiple cities were hit yesterday, including Bila Tserkva, south of the capital Kyiv, and Kharkiv

A Ukrainian serviceman carries a child while assisting people to cross a destroyed bridge as they evacuate the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv, during heavy shelling and bombing yesterday

People cross a destroyed bridge as they evacuate the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv, during heavy shelling and bombing yesterday

A woman sits while people cross a nearby destroyed bridge as they evacuate Irpin yesterday

Women hold hands while crossing the Irpin river on an improvised path under a bridge that was destroyed by a Russian airstrike, while assisting people fleeing the town of Irpin, Ukraine yesterday

Neighbours and relatives help remove the rubble of a house destroyed with shelling in Markhalivka, Ukraine yesterday

Former RAF Air Marshal Edward Stringer said: 'Even if this is a conspiracy or an accident, breaking the ceasefire like this just shows how untrustworthy Putin is. If this is deliberate, then it goes to show how heinous the Russian troops are.'

Capturing the south-eastern port of Mariupol represents a huge prize for Putin because it will deliver a major blow to Ukraine's maritime links and connect his troops in eastern Ukraine with those in Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014.

Russian forces have launched ruthless artillery attacks and imposed a blockade, which has seen power and water shut off to the city's 450,000 residents.

Now try to deny you're targeting children Fedor is carrying Marina Yatsko's 18-month-old son Kirill, wrapped in a blue blanket They are pictures that will horrify the world  and skewer the lie that Vladimir Putin's forces are not killing innocent civilians. Many readers will be shocked, but we are publishing them so no one is left in any doubt about the indiscriminate killing in Ukraine. The images show a distraught Marina Yatsko, covered in blood, running into a hospital in besieged Mariupol on Friday. Ms Yatsko's boyfriend Fedor is carrying her 18-month-old son Kirill, wrapped in a blue blanket. The toddler was hit by shrapnel in a Russian artillery strike. Six doctors fought to save Kirill but were unable to resuscitate him. He is one of dozens of children to die since Putin's forces invaded. Another image shows Ms Yatsko embracing Kirill's body as he lies on a bloodied stretcher. An exhausted doctor sits on the floor after the unsuccessful attempt to save the youngster's life. During a phone call with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz last week, Putin cynically denied that Russia was bombing Ukrainian cities.

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An unnamed aid worker for the medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) described the horrific conditions endured by those trapped in Mariupol.

'This night the shelling was harder and closer. We collected snow and rain water yesterday to have some utility water. We tried to get free water today but the queue was huge. Still no power, water, heating and mobile connection. Pharmacies are out of medicine.'

With its invasion stalled after ten days of bloody fighting, Moscow is using the indiscriminate shelling of civilians to sow panic.

Multiple cities were hit yesterday, including Bila Tserkva, south of the capital Kyiv, and Kharkiv, where residents spent another night in underground shelters and metro stations.

There was also fierce fighting in Bucha, north-west of Kyiv, with reports of civilian casualties.

In the nearby town of Irpin, hundreds of desperate civilians were yesterday pictured sheltering underneath a destroyed bridge that connects the town to Kyiv. The bridge was blown up last week by Ukrainian forces to stall the Russian advance.

While Ukrainian troops helped wheelchair-bound pensioners and mothers with prams cross a few wooden planks tossed over the river, families crammed together under the bridge's shattered concrete slabs and waited for their turn to cross.

Those fleeing Bucha and Irpin said their determination to stay had been shattered when Russian planes began bombing residential areas.

'They are bombing residential areas  schools, churches, big buildings, everything,' accountant Natalia Dydenko, 58, said.

'It began two days ago. It wasn't as heavy before, but two days ago it started getting really heavy.'

Galina Vasylchenko, who was walking with her 30-year-old daughter towards the makeshift bridge, said: 'We were waiting it out. But yesterday, when a plane flew by and dropped something on us, we simply had to run.'

The Red Cross last night said it remained in dialogue about the safe passage of civilians from cities in Ukraine. A spokesman added: 'The scenes in Mariupol and in other cities today are heartbreaking.'

Officers of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) inspect a damaged house following recent shelling in the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk, Ukraine on March 3

Locals carry a coffin as the city was hit by shelling in the small city of Borodyanka near Kiev, Ukraine on March 3

A house is on fire following shelling on the town of Irpin, west of Kyiv, Ukraine yesterday

Pictured: How to donate to the Mail Force Ukraine refugee appeal
Hong Kong, March 6 (ANI): As many as eight people were sentenced to prison in Hong Kong on Saturday for participating in "rioting" in Tsim Sha Tsui in August 2019.

A Hong Kong district court gave terms of imprisonment between 42 months to 45 months, Xinhua news agency reported.

Also Read | Russia Ends Ceasefire Due to Unwillingness of Ukraine, Says Igor Konashenkov.

The judge said that there were people at the scene attacking police with petrol bombs and bricks, while some threw tear gas grenades at the police station.

The 2019 Hong Kong protests were a series of demonstrations in response to the introduction of the extradition bill by the Hong Kong government.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War: Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Address Bipartisan Group of US Senators as Vladimir Putin Warns Over Imposing No-Fly Zone.

Earlier this week, another activist was convicted on charges linked to pro-democracy street protests two years ago, in a ruling that critics say deals blow to the city's rapidly decreasing freedom of expression.

Rights activists argue that the city's security law is designed to extinguish political opposition to the Chinese Communist Party in the former British colony Hong Kong. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Hofit Golan proudly mirrored the colours of the Ukrainian flag as she took a stance over the Russian invasion on Saturday.

The Israeli socialite, 36, stepped out in a sparkling blue and yellow ensemble as she attended the Elie Saab show for Paris Fashion Week.

She put on her usual stunning display as made a political statement in the sequin yellow maxi dress and blue blazer.

Support: Hofit Golan, 36, donned the colours of the Ukrainian flag as she made a statement against war in a sparkling blue and yellow outfit at Paris Fashion Week on Saturday

The incredible semi-sheer maxi dress had a thigh split and cut out panels at her waist.

She elegantly draped the cropped blazer over her shoulders and carried a blue metallic clutch bag.

To complete her outfit, the influencer slipped into a pair of perspex stiletto heels with a circular cut out that was framed with glitzy crystals.

Love: Hofit showed her support for Ukraine alongside her friends Patricia Contreras (centre) and Maja Malnar (left) as they wore the colours in unison

Jaw-dropping: The incredible semi-sheer maxi dress had a thigh split and cut out panels at her waist as she attended the Elie Saab show

All in the details: She elegantly draped the cropped blazer over her shoulders and carried a blue metallic clutch bag

Her bright blonde locks were styles in voluminous curls with a centre parting and sweeping curtain bangs.

She added a feline flick of blue eyeliner with a sweep of yellow underneath as it winged out towards her hairline.

Hofit showed her support for Ukraine alongside her friends Patricia Contreras and Maja Malnar as they wore the colours in unison.

Powerful: She added a feline flick of blue eyeliner with a sweep of yellow underneath as it winged out towards her hairline

Statement: Fashion blogger Maja Malnar sported a vibrant trouser suit with a stunning fringe embellished blazer and a metallic handbag

Model Patricia Contreras wore a sheer sequin halterneck cropped top that faded from blue at the neck, to yellow as it reached her midriff.

She added a pair of wide leg cobalt trousers and matching heeled sandals alongside a quilted shoulder bag.

Fashion blogger Maja Malnar sported a vibrant trouser suit with a stunning fringe embellished blazer and a metallic handbag.

Taking to Instagram to document the moment, Hofit penned: 'Making a statement for #nowar.'
British intelligence services helped to monitor the Russian invasion of Ukraine by tracking the soldiers' use of social networking sites  including the gay dating app Grindr.

As Russian forces mobilised on the Ukraine border, UK spies grew increasingly certain that Vladimir Putin was planning a full invasion after tapping into messages exchanged on sites such as VKontakte, known as VK for short, which is the Russian equivalent of Facebook.

A source said secrets were also shared on dating sites such as Grindr. Putin banned homosexual 'propaganda' in 2013, but the app is still used discreetly, even in the military.

British intelligence services helped to monitor the Russian invasion of Ukraine by tracking the soldiers' use of social networking sites  including the gay dating app Grindr. Pictured: Russian prisoners of war in Ukraine

The source said: 'These sites were a treasure trove for our spies, and the dating apps in particular  soldiers and those involved in the military effort were particularly unguarded. It meant we were very au fait with the plans and the imminence of the invasion, right down to details such as the movement of blood supplies to the Russian troops.'

The source added that the amount  and the quality  of the intelligence shared with the Ukrainians was highly unusual.

'We are basically giving them unexpurgated access to our intelligence to help them as best we can, only keeping back details to protect sources and to disguise some of our methods.'

The source added that the amount  and the quality  of the intelligence shared with the Ukrainians was highly unusual. Pictured: Ukrainians hold off Russian forces

Pictured: How to donate to the Mail Force Ukraine refugee charity appeal
KYODO NEWS - Mar 6, 2022 - 10:45 | World, All

North Korea's latest launch was conducted to develop a reconnaissance satellite, state-run media reported Sunday, a day after what was described by neighboring countries as a ballistic missile launch toward the Sea of Japan.

Saturday's test indicated that North Korea is seeking to develop its weapons capabilities while the United States is focused on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, some foreign affairs experts said.

The missile is believed to have fallen outside Japan's exclusive economic zone after flying around 300 kilometers apparently on a lofted trajectory and reaching an altitude of about 550 km, the Japanese Defense Ministry said.

North Korea also carried out a test for the development of a reconnaissance satellite system last Sunday.

Pyongyang has fired projectiles nine times this year but did not test weapons during the 17-day Beijing Winter Olympics through Feb. 20 in consideration of China, its close economic and security ally.

North Korea's National Aerospace Development Administration and Academy of Defense Science "confirmed the reliability of data transmission and reception system of the satellite," the official Korean Central News Agency reported.

Related coverage:

North Korea fires ballistic missile in 9th round of launches this year

North Korea says it conducted test for reconnaissance satellite on Feb. 27

North Korea fires ballistic missile toward Sea of Japan

At the congress of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea in January 2021, leader Kim Jong Un pledged that Pyongyang would secure reconnaissance and information gathering abilities with the operation of satellite systems.

North Korea fired what it called an Earth observation satellite on a carrier rocket in 2012 on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the birth of the country's late founder Kim Il Sung on April 15, although the launch ended in failure.

Launches of long-range ballistic missiles carrying warheads and rockets capable of delivering satellites use similar technology. Pyongyang is banned from launching ballistic missiles under U.N. Security Council resolutions imposing sanctions on the country.

In January, North Korea hinted at the resumption of nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests, saying it may restart all "activities" that were temporarily suspended to build trust with former U.S. President Donald Trump, the predecessor of incumbent Joe Biden.

Speculation is growing that North Korea might fire an ICBM on the 110th birthday of Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Un's grandfather. Saturday's launch also came ahead of South Korea's presidential election on Wednesday.
US President Joe Biden and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Kyiv [Ukraine], March 6 (ANI): US President Joe Biden on Saturday spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and discussed issues concerning security and financial support for Ukraine.

This is the second phone call between the two leaders this week.

Also Read | Russia Ends Ceasefire Due to Unwillingness of Ukraine, Says Igor Konashenkov.

"As part of the constant dialogue, I had another conversation with @POTUS. The agenda included the issues of security, financial support for Ukraine, and the continuation of sanctions against Russia," Zelensky said in a tweet.

The White House press pool said the conversation between Biden and Zelensky lasted about half an hour.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War: Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Address Bipartisan Group of US Senators as Vladimir Putin Warns Over Imposing No-Fly Zone.

On Thursday, Biden had received an update from Zelensky regarding the situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

"President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine this evening to receive an update on the fire at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant," said White House.

Earlier on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called Zelensky after Bennett discussed the situation in Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a Saturday meeting in the Kremlin. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
London [UK], March 6 (ANI): The UK Ministry of Defence said Saturday called Russia's proposed pause in fire in Mariupol a likely "attempt to deflect international condemnation" while they resettled forces for "renewed offensive activity."

This comes after the Russian defense ministry declared a pause in fire in the southeastern cities of Mariupol and Volnovakha to facilitate the opening of evacuation corridors.

Also Read | Russia Ends Ceasefire Due to Unwillingness of Ukraine, Says Igor Konashenkov.

The ministry said that evacuation was not taking place as civilian populations were being "held by nationalist formations as human shields".

"Russia's proposed ceasefire in Mariupol was likely an attempt to deflect international condemnation while resetting its forces for renewed offensive activity. By accusing Ukraine of breaking the agreement, Russia is likely seeking to shift responsibility for current and future civilian casualties in the city," the UK ministry said in its statement posted to Twitter.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War: Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Address Bipartisan Group of US Senators as Vladimir Putin Warns Over Imposing No-Fly Zone.

Earlier, the UK government had announced a range of economic, humanitarian, and defensive military assistance to Ukraine.

It has provided humanitarian aid for vital medical supplies and other help, including supporting non-governmental organisation responders through public donations.

Also, it has provided defensive military aid to Ukraine, continuing to work with international partners to supply vital weapons to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

The UK government said that it is coordinating with partners on sanctions aimed at starving the Russian government of funds to further its unprovoked war against Ukraine, imposing wide-ranging sanctions on Russian businesses, banks and individuals. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)


Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

Authorities have determined that the woman who claimed she had been kidnapped at knifepoint on Wednesday, setting off a chain of events that resulted in the deaths of a Santa Fe Police officer and a retired firefighter, made the whole thing up.

New Mexico State Police have arrested Jeannine Jaramillo, 46, and charged her with two counts of first-degree murder, receiving or transferring a stolen motor vehicle, aggravated fleeing and tampering with evidence.

State Police Deputy Chief Carolyn Huynh said during a Saturday evening news conference that Jaramillo and other witnesses initially told authorities a male suspect fled the crash on foot. After an investigation by State Police, that turned out to be false.

There was never a kidnapping or a male suspect involved, Huynh said. We believe Jaramillo led officers on a chase driving the suspect car and causing the fatal crash. We have evidence that backs up this conclusion. She noted that this isnt the first time that Jaramillo has fled police and then claimed to have been kidnapped at knifepoint.

Wednesdays pursuit ended in a five-vehicle crash on Interstate 25 that killed Santa Fe Police Officer Robert Duran, 43, and retired Las Vegas, New Mexico, firefighter Frank Lovato, 62. Duran was the first Santa Fe officer killed in the line of duty since 1933.

Huynh said Jaramillo was arrested in Albuquerque on Saturday afternoon and has been booked into the Santa Fe County Adult Detention Center. A criminal complaint was not available in online court records as of Saturday evening.

There is, without question, sufficient cause to assert that Jaramillo was driving the stolen vehicle willfully and freely from any kind of duress, First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said. I am confident in saying that Jaramillo acted on her own accord and in a manner that is consistent with her recent criminal behavior of deceit and disregard for public safety.

Carmack-Altwies said her office plans to file a motion to keep Jaramillo behind bars until trial, adding through this horrific chain of events we have seen the danger and damage that Ms. Jaramillo is capable of if she is to remain out in public.

Huynh said Jaramillos actions put the entire public in danger and took the lives of two dedicated public servants.

She caused a senseless tragedy that has impacted the community of Santa Fe, Las Vegas and all of New Mexico, she said. The pain her actions have caused will not be alleviated by this arrest alone, there will be lasting consequences, but we do hope that holding her accountable will provide some solace.

Not the first time

Huynh said the incident started around 11 a.m. when Jaramillo told someone at the Rancho Vizcaya Apartments in Santa Fe that she was being kidnapped. That person called 911 and Santa Fe police responded, pursuing the suspect car when they spotted it.

Police pursued the car as it drove north in the southbound lanes of I-25 and crossed the dirt median, before traveling the wrong way on I-25 at approximately 90 miles per hour.

After the crash, a Santa Fe officer told investigators that Jaramillo was driving the car and the only person inside the vehicle, which was stolen in Las Vegas days earlier when the owner left the keys inside.

Initially, Jaramillo was treated at a hospital and released but Huynh said late Friday night State Police received confirmation from DNA evidence that she was driving the car and had made the kidnapping story up.

This is not the first time that Jaramillo has been accused of this type of behavior, Huynh said.

Court records show Jaramillo was arrested in Cibola County in September after leading authorities on a reckless chase through Grants in a stolen vehicle. Afterward, Jaramillo told authorities a man with a knife had forced her to do so. Those charges were later dismissed pending further investigation.

Her statement in (Septembers) incident is suspiciously similar to her statement in this incident, including a male subject holding her against her will with a knife to her neck, Huynh said.

On Friday, Jaramillo spoke with KOB-TV and reiterated the claims that she had been kidnapped by a man and blacked out briefly before the crash.

When asked about her history of alleging a man forced her to lead authorities on pursuits after being arrested, Jaramillo told KOB-TV, My life has been pretty rough lately and I havent made the best choices in relationships at all.

A manipulative pattern

Jaramillos history of stolen vehicle arrests dates back to 2014, when police found a stolen Chrysler PT Cruiser and two motorcycles at her Albuquerque home.

While awaiting trial in that case, Jaramillo was arrested three more times for shoplifting, burglary and  in her most serious charges until now  aggravated battery upon a peace officer when she tried to drive off in a stolen truck as a Bernalillo County deputy held onto her.

Jaramillo was sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to receiving or transferring stolen motor vehicles, auto burglary, shoplifting and attempted aggravated battery upon a peace officer.

Over the next few years Jaramillo lost custody of her children, battled a methamphetamine habit and repeatedly violated probation by picking up new charges and avoiding, or outright lying, to probation officers, according to court records.

When she was arrested for stealing hot cocoa packets from a Starbucks at Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino, Jaramillo cited memory issues to plead ignorance to her probation officer. When the officer showed Jaramillo surveillance video of the theft, she then recalled the incident.

While it may be the case that (Jaramillo) has a cognitive issue that causes memory problems, she is highly functioning and savvy enough to be able to feign it in a manipulative manner when it serves her personal interests, the officer wrote.

After violating probation for a fifth time in 2017, an officer wrote Jaramillo had demonstrated a pattern of deceit and manipulation and she was unsatisfactorily discharged.
RABAT, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The Moroccan police on Saturday seized 1.4 tonnes of cannabis and arrested two suspects for alleged links to an international drug trafficking network, official news agency reported.

The operation was carried out in Bouarg locality near the northern city of Nador, it said, adding that an investigation is being operated to determine the trafficking routes of the seized drug.

Despite efforts to crack down on cannabis during the past decade, Morocco remains one of the world's largest producers of the narcotic plant, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. 
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian are going through a very public divorce. The rapper has repeatedly declared that he wants to reunite his family and get the reality star back. But his actions, particularly dating a string of models, dont align with his words. Fans are curious to know why West can have a girlfriend, yet he slams Kardashians new boyfriend, Pete Davidson. Heres what they are saying and the answers they came up with.

FLAVOR FLAV::: celebrating my adopted son Pete Davidsons birthday wit the legendz @KimKardashian and @KrisJenner ???? Pete,,, I never took a clock off my neck to give to someone and you will be the last person I do this for,,, it lookz real good on you,,,, happy birthday,, pic.twitter.com/IYiCN3d0Gz  FLAVOR FLAV (@FlavorFlav) November 17, 2021

Kim Kardashian has been dating Pete Davidson amid her divorce from Kanye West

Shapewear mogul Kim Kardashian filed for divorce from Kanye West in February 2021 after seven years of marriage. She was recently granted her request to be legally single and drop the last name West, which she filed for in December 2021.

Kardashian has been dating Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson since October 2021, when she hosted the long-running comedy show. The two celebrities sparked rumors that they were dating when they were spotted holding hands on a roller coaster over Halloween weekend.

Shortly after their Halloween date in California, Kardashian West and Davidson took their budding romance to Davidsons hometown, Staten Island. In November 2021, they had a private dinner on the rooftop of Campania, an Italian restaurant.

Rapper and reality star Flavor Flav posted the first official photos of the couple on social media, effectively making them Instagram official. Kardashian and Davidson have reportedly traveled to the Bahamas since then, marking their first international trip together.

Kanye West & The Game dropped their visual for EAZY ??? Yall feeling it?! pic.twitter.com/NsaihQGsdq  935 KDAY (@935KDAY) March 2, 2022

Rapper Kanye West has been saying that he wants to reconcile with Kim Kardashian, but his actions prove otherwise. In November 2021, West visited Skid Row, where he claimed that God would reunite him with the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star.

If the enemy can separate Kimye, theres going to be millions of families that feel like that separation is OK, the rapper said (per US Weekly). When God  brings Kimye together, theres going to be millions of families that are going to be influenced and see that they can overcome the work of the separation, of trauma of the devil thats used to capitalize and keep people in misery while people step over homeless people to go to the Gucci store.

But the rapper hasnt let his dream of reuniting his family stop him from dating a bevy of other women during their separation. He has been spotted with Irina Shayk, Vinetria, Julia Fox, and Chaney Jones since Kardashian filed for divorce.

West has also been slamming his exs new boyfriend, Pete Davidson, on social media. He threatened the SNL star in his song Eazy, and buried the comedian alive in the tracks accompanying music video.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West | David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian fans have been wondering why the rapper can date other people amid his divorce and even publicly slam his exs new partner, yet its unacceptable (at least, to West) for Kardashian to enjoy her romance with Pete Davidson.

They speculated over this very question in a Reddit thread titled, Why is Kanye allowed to have a girlfriend but Kim cant have a boyfriend?

The most widely accepted reason is that West wants to make Kardashian jealous by flaunting his new relationships. Hes saying Kim cant have a boyfriend, he wants Kim to say he cant have a girlfriend. Then if his plan works they can get back together, one Reddit user responded. And its a stupid plan lol.

Another fan agreed by writing, Hes doing it to make Kim jealous. Its tit for tat. Also I guess Kanye knows Pete personally so maybe theres some extra bad blood because of that. Although, as one Reddit user pointed out in a reply, Kanye had a girlfriend before Kim was dating Pete.

Textbook manipulation tactic to try and make your ex jealous, one Reddit user chimed in. Lots of people do it, and just coz Kanye is a celebrity doesnt mean he is above doing petty s like that as we all know all too well by now. And him dating a girl who is basically a knock-off clone of Kim K is no accident.

Other fans pointed to a larger issue in society, or perhaps just in Wests mindset, that could be contributing to the matter. The patriarchy, is because, one Reddit user wrote, while another commented, Cause Ye a man and Kim a woman.

RELATED: Kanye West Accuses Kim Kardashian Wests Family of Playing With Black Mens Lives
For Reya Sharma Thakur, her Dibrugarh home, with its quiet moments, has been a refuge in the past few days. But when she thinks back to the days leading up to March 3, she feels uneasy.

I try not to think about it, she says.

Reya is a second year medical student at Vinnitsia National Pirogov Memorial Medical University in Ukraine. And as the war broke out, she says, several students stayed back after the dean of her college assured them that no harm would come to the students. Once the hostilities began, they made their way to the Romanian border. An eight-hour bus journey followed by a 13-kilometre trek amidst snow and shelling led them to the border.

To cross a length of 10 metres, we stood in the biting cold for two days, she recalls.

The harrowing experience has shaken her.

Reya is one among 18,095 students who were suddenly out of college as hostilities by Russian soldiers in Ukraine began. A majority of these students study medicine. As Indian authorities scramble to bring them back home safely, there is a renewed focus on the phenomena of Indian students heading to countries in East Europe for a medical degree.

Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary, Nepal, China, and in some cases Kyrgyzstan are some countries that students head to.

At a webinar on February 26, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wondered why Indian students were going to small countries for study, especially in medical education.

Our children today are going to small countries to study, especially in medical education. Language is a problem there. They are still going Can our private sector not enter this field in a big way? Can our state governments not frame good policies for land allotment regarding this? he said.

So why do Indian students head to countries which are not the usual preferred destinations to study medicine?

The answer, experts as well as students say, is money  the difference in the cost of a medical degree in these countries  as well as the paucity of medical seats in India.

In India, a medical degree in a private college can cost anywhere between Rs 30 lakh and upwards of Rs 1 crore for a four-year degree. In countries like Ukraine, Russia and China, it costs a fraction of this. A six-year course costs between Rs 10 and Rs 35 lakh.

It was the affordable cost of a medical degree that led Sneha Issac to move from Kochi all the way to the Bukovinian State Medical University in Chernivtsi in 2017. In the fifth year of her six-year course, Sneha left for the Romanian border 40 km away on February 25, a day after the war broke out.

She considers herself lucky, as she did not have to face any difficulty in reaching India.

Dr Shiv Kumar Sarin, Director of the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, who has previously served as the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Medical Council of India (now known as the National Medical Commission) says that the lack of seats in medical colleges in India is one of the primary reasons for this trend.

Every seat in a medical college in India has 16 or more aspirants vying for it. Passing the tough entrance exam is not enough, you will have to be good enough to get into a good college, Dr Sarin says.

In 2021, 16 lakh students appeared for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test - NEET (Undergraduate) for 90,000 seats across government and private colleges in India. Of these, just over half the students (8.7 lakh) made the cut.

Students who have scored above 50 percentile in the NEET are technically eligible to apply to colleges in India. In reality, the cut-off percentage for Indian medical seats is much higher. But the eligibility also lets them apply to courses in other countries. Since 2018, NEET has been made mandatory for students seeking admission abroad.

Former All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Director Dr RC Mishra says that since there are so many aspirants in India, NEET is a process of elimination, not of selection.

In India, unlike in the US or UK where anyone can appear for a medical course, the NEET serves as the qualifier. In these countries, a student has to study a four-year undergraduate course as a precursor to a medical degree.

Issac says that in Ukraine, unlike in China, students are taught in English. She now plans to sit for the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE) which allows those with foreign medical degrees to practise in India. The FMGE is notoriously difficult, and has a bleak pass percentage.

In 2021, the success rate was only 23.83%. Among the 41,739 who sat for the exam, 9,948 got through. In 2020, only 5,897 of the 35,774 who appeared managed a licence.

Dr Mishra says that the dearth of faculty in medical colleges is a factor too. While there has been debate about the exact number of medical faculty in India, the Medical Council of Indias database has 2.6 lakh faculty till 2019.

The Ukrainian crisis has prompted an emergency relook at Indias medical education. We need to have flexibility in admissions without diluting quality, he says.

Following the crisis, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has written to the Centre saying that the students returning from Ukraine should be adjusted as a one-time measure across medical schools in India in an appropriate dispersed distribution, keeping in mind geographical constraints.

Dr Jayesh M Lele, secretary general of the IMA, says that these 18,000 students can help India plug the gap in shortage of medical staff. The last two years, under Covid, have shown us the shortage in our system. The government should take steps to accommodate these children, and perhaps give them temporary certification, he says.

Dr Lele says that long-term planning is the need of the hour. Medical colleges come with infrastructure and hospitals, and there is a strong need for these, especially in rural areas where adequate healthcare is missing, he says.

Over the years, there have been measures to increase medical seats. In July 2021, data provided by the health ministry showed that in the last three years, the government had established 90 new medical colleges, and 157 new colleges have been approved.

On Friday, the National Medical Council issued a circular stating that foreign medical graduates nearing completion of their courses can apply for year-long internships in state medical colleges, under certain restrictions, and state colleges can reserve up to 7.5% of their total seats for these students.

Dr Mishra says that one of the challenges of allowing foreign medical graduates is that smaller countries do not have the same teaching methods as India. In many of these countries, exposure to patients is limited. Our experience with many students from these countries is not very encouraging; their basic understanding of clinical medicine is not ideal, he says.

Rajiv Chhibber, Joint Coordinator Policy and Government Affairs at Association of Indian Manufacturers of Medical Devices, says these students could be given opportunities in the Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) under the Ayushman Bharat scheme through tailor-made courses.

A mapping of these students, looking at their core competency should be done immediately, Chhibber says. He says that unlike in countries like the US, UK and Israel where paramedical professionals are an interdependent cadre recognised professionally, in India, the apathy towards nurses and technicians is appalling.

Dr Sarin says that like in the system of chartered accountants, India can look at a system in medical education where it allows people to study medicine but has an exit exam for licensing.

We should allow more people to read, but not all to pass. New ideas have to come in to make a real change, Dr Sarin says.

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On Jan. 11, 1989, President Ronald Reagan delivered his farewell address from the Oval Office. It was the close of his second term, and Reagan was reflecting on his two terms. He asserted that his presidency was about restoring America in its role as a shining city on a hill.

Reagan recalled the words and beliefs of John Winthrop, an early pilgrim and an early freedom man. Winthrop journeyed here on what today wed call a little wooden boat; and like the other Pilgrims, he was looking for a home that would be free. Ive spoken of the shining city all my political life, but I dont know if I ever quite communicated what I saw when I said it.

Reagan described his own vision of a land teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace; a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity. And if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here. Thats how I saw it and see it still.

Reagan took an aggressive stance toward the Soviet Union, calling it an evil empire. His challenge to Moscow and communism led to the end of the Cold War and the Soviet Unions collapse. He told the National Association of Evangelicals in 1983 that the Soviets must be made to understand we will never compromise our principles and standards [nor] ignore the facts of history and the aggressive impulses of an evil empire. To do so would mean abandoning the struggle between right and wrong and good and evil.

Gone are the days when the GOP championed freedom and understood the threat from Moscow. The Republican Party of Reagan is dead. And that makes me incredibly sad.

As Russia sent troops into Ukraine, the U.S. and other NATO countries began imposing sanctions, targeting Russian banks and limiting Russias ability to access financial markets. All the while, many influential members of the Republican Party continued to side with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Somehow the GOP has lost its way and has found itself at the bottom of that hill. The fall has been deservedly bumpy.

On Feb. 23, former President Donald Trump in a radio interview called Putins military move on Ukraine genius.

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo took to cable news and social media praising Putin and castigating President Joe Biden. Pompeo has called Putin a very talented statesman. In January, Pompeo went on Fox News and spoke of Putin, saying: He was a KGB agent, for goodness sakes. He knows how to use power. We should respect that.

Fox News host and right-wing political commentator Tucker Carlson uses his show on an almost daily basis to push Russian-style propaganda. He asserts that the Democrats have trained us to hate Vladimir Putin, and that Ukraine is not a democracy.

Conservative commentator Candace Owens has been suggesting that the U.S. and NATO are at fault for Putins threat to invade Ukraine.

This descent from the shining city on a hill did not just start over Ukraine. Back in 2018, Trump met with Putin in a closed-door meeting during the Helsinki summit. At a news conference after the summit, Trump was asked if he believed his own intelligence agencies or the Russian president when it came to the allegations of meddling in the 2016 elections. Trump answered, President Putin says its not Russia. I dont see any reason why it would be.

The House speaker at the time, Republican Rep. Paul Ryan, said Trump must appreciate that Russia is not our ally. There is no moral equivalence between the United States and Russia, which remains hostile to our most basic values and ideals.

It was not that long ago that the Republican Party not only understood but fought for the sacred right to self-government. What Putin is doing in Ukraine is an attack on Ukraines national sovereignty. It is also an assault on global democracy and the very freedom that Reagan cultivated.

Will the Republican Party be able to climb back up the hill? Or will another political party attempt to make the ascent? Either way, it will be a long way back up.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined President Joe Biden of the United States and his Japanese and Australian counterparts, Fumio Kishida and Scott Morrison, for a virtual summit of the Quad on March 3. Soon after the video-call ended, Biden posted on Twitter that he and three other leaders had discussed Russias ongoing attack on Ukraine and the commitment of the four nations to sovereignty and territorial integrity around the world, including in the Indo-Pacific. The readouts issued in Canberra and Tokyo too quoted Morrison and Kishida echoing Biden in strongly condemning Russias aggression against Ukraine. Modi, however, underlined that the Quad should remain focused on its core objective of promoting peace, stability and prosperity in Indo-Pacific, thus arguing against any move that could shift the focus of the four-nation-coalition from dealing with increasing belligerence of China  be it along its disputed boundary with India in the Himalayas, or in the South China Sea and the East China Sea or the Taiwan Strait.

New Delhi resisted the pressure from Washington DC and succeeded in keeping out any direct condemnation for Russia for its invasion of Ukraine from the joint statement, which was issued after the virtual summit of the Quad. But the Biden Administration did manage to get the Quad agree on a mechanism, which would not only help the four nations coordinate responses to any humanitarian challenges in Indo-Pacific in the long-term, but would also open immediately a channel of communication among themselves as they each address and respond to the crisis in Ukraine. So, the US, with support from Japan and Australia, did succeed in widening the ambit of the Quad, despite resistance by India.

Ever since tension between Moscow and US-led West escalated over Ukraine, New Delhi has been worried over the possibility of a shift in the Biden Administrations focus from countering China in the Indo-Pacific to dealing with the aggression of President Vladimir Putins Russia. When External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his counterparts from Japan, Australia and the US met in Melbourne on February 11, Bidens Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, was clearly more focussed on securing support of the Quad against Russias military build-up around Ukraine. Blinken also had a bilateral meeting with Jaishankar on the sideline of the conclave of the Quad Foreign Ministers. The argument he tried to put forward was that if the Quad now remained quiet on Russias aggression against Ukraine, it would end up encouraging China to step up its military aggression further in the Indo-Pacific region.

Blinken managed to get Foreign Ministers of Australia and Japan, Marise Payne and Yoshimasa Hayashi, to condemn Russia during a joint news-conference after the conclave. Jaishankar, however, remained silent, not only because New Delhi did not want to publicly condemn Moscow, given Indias long-standing special and privileged strategic partnership with Russia, but also because the Modi Government was apprehensive about the imminent US-led move to shift the focus of Quad  from responding to Chinas territorial aggression against India and other nations in the Indo-Pacific region to dealing with Russia.

Bidens approach during the virtual summit of the Quad on March 4 proved that Indias apprehension was not baseless. The US officials, however, argued that the Biden Administration itself had mooted the proposal to hold the virtual summit of the Quad to send out the message to Beijing that even as the world was grappling with the consequence of Russias military operations into Ukraine; India, Japan, Australia and the US would continue to work together to counter the expansionist aspirations of China in the Indo-Pacific region.

Putins February 24 move to send troops into Ukraine has triggered a global geostrategic churn and New Delhi is of course not liking it at all. Not only has it made it difficult for India to maintain the delicate balance in its ties with Russia and the US, but may also end up offering a strategic advantage to China.

Ever since the Indian Armys counter-deployment in response to Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys unilateral move to push the Line of Actual Control (LAC) westward started the military stand-off in eastern Ladakh in April-May 2020, the strategic convergence between India and the US has been deepening, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region, with a series of joint navy drills. New Delhi did resist the pressure from President Donald Trumps administration to turn the Quad into a NATO-like entity for the Indo-Pacific region, but later accepted the Biden Administrations proposal to elevate the four-nation coalition to the level of the leadership. India also broad-based its cooperation in Indo-Pacific, by starting engagements with the United Kingdom, Germany, France and the European Union on the region. It is essential that greater power and stronger capabilities lead to responsibility and restraint. This means, above all, respect for international law, territorial integrity and sovereignty, Jaishankar said, participating in the opening session of the EU Ministerial Forum on Indo-Pacific, which was hosted by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian in Paris on February 22. But with the Russian Army marching into eastern Ukraine just a couple of days later, New Delhi has reasons to anticipate that countering Chinas hegemonic aspirations in the Indo-Pacific might no longer be the priority for Germany, France and the UK too.

Moscow in 2020 and 2021 did quickly act on New Delhis request for emergency supply of arms and ammunition to bolster Indias defence capabilities in the wake of the stand-off with China along the LAC. It also quietly mediated between New Delhi and Beijing and helped them restart stalled negotiations to resolve the stand-off. But India may now find it difficult to continue sourcing military hardware from Russia, which has come under tougher sanctions imposed by the US and other western nations in the wake of its aggression against Ukraine. Denis Alipov, Moscows newly-appointed envoy to New Delhi, said that Russia would deliver the S-400 missile defence systems to India on time despite new sanctions by the US. He, however, also acknowledged that the latest sanctions would hit bilateral trade.

The only way Russia can soften the impact of the western sanctions is to seek deeper economic and strategic ties with China, which will surely cause unease for India.Even if Beijing cannot make Moscow snap its decades-old defence cooperation with New Delhi, it may now have enough leverage over Russia to slow down the supply of ammunition to India.

As Biden and Putin clash over Ukraine, it may not take long for Xi Jinpings China to take advantage and step up its aggression, not only across the Taiwan Strait and elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific region, but also along its disputed boundary with India.

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After Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down as senior royals in 2020, many fans were excited to see what the couple would do without the confines of the monarchy. The Duke and Duchess of Sussexes signed up for several different projects in the United States, though a brand expert believes they might have over-extended themselves in the past two years.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry | Victoria Jones/AFP via Getty Images

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have taken on various projects in the U.S.

Since moving to California in 2020, Harry and Meghan have taken on some big projects to become financially independent from the royal family.

For example, the couple signed deals with Netflix and Spotify to produce content for the streaming giants. These deals are reportedly worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

The Sussexes also have a publishing deal with Penguin Random House to release books.

Additionally, Harry has taken on the role of chief impact officer at the mental health startup BetterUp.

The Sussexes may have over-extended themselves, expert says

RELATED: Prince Harry and Meghan Markles Lack of Social Media Presence Could Be Making Them Less Popular, Royal Expert Says

So far, Harry and Meghan have not released much for Netflix. The couple has only released one podcast episode for Spotify and a childrens book written by Meghan called The Bench.

According to Pauline Maclaran, who co-wrote Royal Fever: The British Monarchy in Consumer Culture, Harry and Meghan might have over-extended themselves.

It does seem that Harry and Meghan may have over-extended themselves in terms of the Netflix and Spotify deals, although, of course, we have to recognise that producing content does not just happen overnight and high-quality programmes will take many months/years to generate, Maclaran said (via Express). However, they do seem to be involved in so much at present  building a media empire with insufficient foundations  that its hard to see where their focus really lies.

She added, Certainly, there is a lot of doubt now surrounding their abilities to produce content at the level and quality required for both media outlets.

Maclaran believes there could be a chance that Harry and Meghans lack of content might make other companies think twice before working with them.

Im sure it could. It really depends on what the Netflix/Spotify executives think and whether they consider there has been a failure to deliver, Maclaran explained. Perhaps they are willing to wait for higher quality productions. However, I imagine they will be wondering if the couple have over-extended themselves.

Another royal expert believes the Sussexes may have underestimated the work involved

Royal journalist Richard Eden shared during an episode of Mail Plus Palace Confidential series that Harry and Meghan could have underestimated how much work would be involved in producing all this content.

I do wonder if they kind of underestimated how much effort goes into these programs, Eden speculated. He also added, Remember in the Oprah interview, Harry sort of just said, Oh yeah, we were short of money, so I thought wed better do a deal with Netflix or something like that. It didnt seem to be any kind of enthusiasm or commitment.

During the interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021, Harry talked about signing deals with streaming companies to make money after leaving the royal family.

Ive got what my mum left me, and without that, we would not have been able to do this, the duke said. During COVID, the suggestion by a friend was, What about streamers?  We hadnt thought about it. So, there were all sorts of different options. And look, from my perspective, all I needed was enough money to be able to pay for security to keep my family safe.

RELATED: Prince Harry and Meghan Markles Diva Demands Are Being Ignored by Other Royals, Expert Claims
This is the second phone call between the two leaders this week.

"As part of the constant dialogue, I had another conversation with @POTUS. The agenda included the issues of security, financial support for Ukraine, and the continuation of sanctions against Russia," Zelensky said in a tweet.

The White House press pool said the conversation between Biden and Zelensky lasted about half an hour.

On Thursday, Biden had received an update from Zelensky regarding the situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

"President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine this evening to receive an update on the fire at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant," said White House.

Earlier on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called Zelensky after Bennett discussed the situation in Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a Saturday meeting in the Kremlin. (ANI)
QUEENSBURY  County officials are looking to use federal stimulus funding for immediate needs such as providing money for emergency services, information technology, the Warren County airport and Countryside Adult Home.

The Warren County American Rescue Plan Act Advisory Committee on Tuesday discussed how to spend the $12.4 million, the first half of which has been received by the county.

County Administrator Ryan Moore explained each of the six items to the committee, which in total came to roughly $2 million.

Moore said that the county had all major equipment requests from each department pulled from the 2022 budget, and instead paid for them immediately at a cost of $251,580. Stimulus money could be used to reimburse the county.

At the airport, there was a cost overrun with a snow removal equipment building due to escalating costs associated with the pandemic. The project was supposed to be 90% funded through the state and 10% through the county.

The county Department of Public Works has been able to secure grant funding for the project thus far, but any cost overrun has to be covered 100% from the county. The overrun total is $68,308.

Moore said that $100,000 could be allocated to the Office of Emergency Services in case there are supply needs associated with the pandemic for things such as masks and test kits.

Thankfully we had a great partnership with the state of New York and weve gotten our test kits and our masks, large supplies of them, through the state, he said. So this is essentially an item that we could still consider as a what if. Claudia Braymer, Glens Falls 3rd Ward supervisor and co-chair for the ARPA committee, asked for clarification from Moore on the allocation of funds.

Moore responded by saying that if funds are allocated for a project, they dont need to be spent there. He said they are able to be shuffled to other areas of need.

The committee is also looking at allocating $250,000 for information technology. Moore said the county had to go remote immediately at the start of the pandemic and for the most part it worked out well, but there are expenses associated with that.

It gets into county resiliency and our ability to weather another one of these (crises), Moore said.

Moore cited the investments made in the countys meeting room for the board to utilize Zoom and YouTube to stream meetings and better function for the public.

Braymer asked Moore if the figure came from rough estimates. She said that it seemed a little high. Moore said that it would just be an allocation and could be moved elsewhere.

Wayne LaMothe, county planner and committee member, said it is a five-year funding allocation.

Its not all going to be spent day one. In my mind I programmed it out three different years  $100,000 up front, another $100,000 the next year and $50,000 the year after that. Not all of this is an up-front expense.

Moore said that for Countryside Adult Home, the need is more than the $950,000 they are looking to use. Among the improvements needed is a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.

Funding also would be set aside to cover administrative costs for the amount of work and time that the process of documenting how stimulus funds are spent will take the county.

Mike Wild, Queensbury at-Large supervisor and committee member, initially said he could only support moving forward with Countryside.

Were talking about impacted residents, and the seniors have been the most impacted of any through the pandemic, and that is the only one that I can support, he said. The county with its financial position can absorb many of these other costs because we have done so well during the pandemic compared to other counties.

However, he later changed his mind and agreed that the administration of ARPA funding would need immediate response and the county would have to replace any new IT equipment eventually. He said that would come out of the countys general fund.

Mike Bittel, president and CEO of the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce and committee member, said he believes immediate would mean something that the county would have to spend money on within the next six to 12 months.

When people are hungry and have food insecurity, Im just trying to balance out the hardworking people of the county and if they need computers compared to the mental health and anguish that has happened here over the last two years, he said.

Queensbury at-Large Supervisor and committee member Rachel Seeber said that, to Bittels point, there are crisis-related needs throughout the county that she feels arent being taken into consideration.

I would like to see, at least this first batch of the $6 million, that were really taking a look at where is that immediate need. Where is that crisis? Seeber said.

Dennis Dickinson, Lake George supervisor and co-chair for the committee, said the committee is identifying the immediate needs that should be looked at now.

He said they are trying to move this short list forward.

We picked these out and said these should be taken care of immediately, and youre talking $2 million. I would like to see us move them out, Dickinson said.

Braymer wanted to see more information.

While I agree with my co-chair that it would be great to move some of these forward, I think that it may be beneficial to have some of the itemized lists of these things, from the six, flushed out a little bit better and provided to the committee, Braymer said.

The committee voted in favor of a resolution to have itemized lists brought from the planning department to the next meeting for discussion and consideration before moving anything forward. Those speaking on items would also have to fill out a project solicitation form and discuss why these items are in need of immediate response.

The next meeting will be this Tuesday at 3 p.m.
A White House statement said Biden noted his administration is surging security, humanitarian, and economic assistance to Ukraine and is working closely with Congress to secure additional funding.

"President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke this evening with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine. President Biden highlighted the ongoing actions undertaken by the United States, its allies and partners, and private industry to raise the costs on Russia for its aggression in Ukraine," the statement said.

Biden reiterated his concern about the recent Russian "attack" on a Ukrainian nuclear power plant, and he commended the skill and bravery of the Ukrainian operators who have kept the reactors in a safe condition.

The leaders also discussed the recent talks between Russia and Ukraine.

The White House said Biden welcomed the decision this evening by Visa and Mastercard to suspend service in Russia.

Earlier today, Credit card and Payment giants Mastercard and Visa announced that they were suspending operations in Russia and that their cards issued by Russian banks will no longer work outside the country.

The companies explained that its decision stems from the Ukraine crisis. (ANI)
China's decision to increase its military budget by 7.1 per cent, has caught the eyes of several analysts who believe that decision to spend more on defence-related research and development, was made after restrictions were imposed on the flow of technology from the US and Europe. China is going to increase its military budget to USD 229.5 billion in 2022, according to the draft budgetary proposals released on Saturday. The draft budget was released at the opening of the annual session of the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature. "The main expenditures budgeted at the central level include the following: 1.45045 trillion yuan [USD 229.5 billion] on national defence, up 7.1 per cent," the draft budget read. Another government report said that the country would boost military education and combat training in 2022. China has the world's second-highest military budget after the United States and is investing in long-range, nuclear-capable missiles and other weapons to extend power beyond its shores, Washington Post said. In March 2021, China had announced a defence budget of 1.35 trillion yuan (USD 209 billion), a 6.8 per cent increase, higher than the 6.6 per cent enhancement in 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The money will be used to boost the modernization of the Chinese military, including procuring and commissioning more advanced weapons and equipment in terms of both quality and quantity, strengthening the realistic combat-oriented training, and the welfare of military personnel, the report said citing experts. The Chinese government has pledged to strengthen its national defence and military capability, according to the annual government work report delivered on Saturday morning by Premier Li Keqiang at the fifth session of the 13th NPC. The report said that the armed forces must continue upholding the Xi Jinping "Thought on Strengthening the Military", sticking to the goals set by the Communist Party of China, conducting combat training and exercises, and employing firm and flexible countermeasures against provocation to better safeguard sovereignty, security and national interests. According to US analysts, China is now forced to spend more on defence-related research and development because the U.S. is cutting off the flow of technology and there are similar actions in some European countries. A report published in the Voice of America (VOA) said China may also reconsider planned arms purchases from Russia because the performance of Russian weapons in Ukraine has reportedly disappointed some arms experts. Experts believe that a major area of focus is China's military behaviour in its neighbourhood. According to VOA, most of China's neighbouring countries feel threatened by the rise in the strength of the People's Liberation Army. (ANI)
FORT EDWARD  A Hampton woman who failed to register as a sex offender has been sentenced to 3 years in prison. She will also face 10 years of post-release supervision.

Robin L. Baker, 50, pleaded guilty on Feb. 16 in Washington County Court to a felony count of failure to register. On Oct. 25 she was arrested after she failed to report an email address, according to police.

She was charged with the felony following an investigation by the Washington County Sheriff's Office and Washington County Probation Department.

Baker's prison term will run concurrent to another pending case.

She is a Level 3 sex offender, which is deemed the highest risk for reoffending. Baker was previously convicted of first-degree criminal sex act in 2015.

She knew the victim, who was younger than 11 years old.
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If you stand on a small lane at the west end of Taipeis Songshan airport at just the right moment, you can feel the hot air of a jet engine as it begins its takeoff run. On any given weekend, before the pandemic, dozens of people could be found milling about waiting for the next brief thrill as landing aircraft roared just above their heads and departures rustled the wind in their hair.

For most people, the only time we think about the wonders of aviation is when were strapped into our seats. But spotters, the uber-enthusiasts who camp out at airfields to watch and document aircraft at work, have continued to maintain humankinds sense of awe at a magical ability we discovered only 120 years ago.

In mid-February, as storm Eunice battered Europe, a livestream of the worlds biggest aircraft bounce and wobble their way to Londons Heathrow airport attracted almost 8 million views. Big Jet TV, a Youtube channel founded by spotter Jerry Dyer, kept enthusiasts and casual viewers enthralled for hours as plane after plane descended sideways through the overcast and blustery skies in an attempt to bring their cargo safely to the ground. Strong winds spurred some to take a second, or third, attempt. Some diverted to other airports. But they all made it.

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Those aircraft still operate under principles that German pioneer Otto Lilienthal and his contemporaries experimented with in the late 19th century. Rather than lighter-than-air ships, such as blimps and hot-air balloons, those early engineers found that by shaping a flat surface in just the right way, you can form differential air pressure below and above, which creates lift.

If you compare a modern Boeing or Airbus to the very machine flown  for just 12 seconds  by Orville Wright at Kitty Hawk on Dec. 17 1903, you can see that the fundamentals of aviation have barely changed. The main areas of advancement have been in propulsion, structural engineering and navigation systems, rather than the underlying physics of flight. The world, however, is vastly different because of it.

Among the Wright Brothers early backers was the British War Office  the U.S. government initially rebuffed them  so when the Great War broke out in 1914, the use of aircraft irrevocably reshaped combat. As the fighting ended in 1918, Orville Wright was quoted as telling a friend, The Aeroplane has made war so terrible that I do not believe any country will again care to start a war.

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He was tragically wrong, with aviation becoming a key component of military conflict over the past century. The worlds most deadly weapon was ferried to its target over Hiroshima by a U.S. aircraft in 1945, while aerial assaults have evolved to be conducted by uncrewed drones in all corners of the world. Russias invasion of Ukraine this month has seen battles between forces play out at sea, ground and air to devastating effect. In addition to thousands of lives lost, the only model of the worlds largest aircraft  Ukraines Antonov AN-225  was wrecked by bombing.

Despite all the death and destruction enable by aircraft, it can be argued that more good than harm has come of their invention. Aviation opened up the movement of people and goods, while advancing cooperation among nations. Instead of sailing past the Statue of Liberty, todays immigrants fly in to New Yorks JFK airport. Rather than a weeklong voyage on the high seas, travelers can now have breakfast in London then dinner in New York.

Flying is much safer than sea travel, too. More souls were lost on the Titanic than in aviation accidents over the past five years, and the maritime industry records more than 1,500 accidents per year compared to around 85 annually among commercial aircraft operators. Although ships shuttle far fewer people around the world annually, over 1,000 people died or were lost in maritime incidents in the five years through 2019, compared to 1,459 for aviation.

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If you can drive a car, you can fly a plane, is the common mantra for flight schools around the world. And theyre right. Flying an aircraft is easy. Landing one is hard. The missed approaches on that wintry day in London are evidence that even the best pilots can struggle. Theyre also proof of the limits of technology. Todays two-person flight deck is seen as confirmation that more sophisticated systems are justified in current aircraft. The net benefits  including efficiency and flight safety  make it hard to put forward the opposing argument.

Yet its worth noting that in the early days aircraft had just one pilot. The Wright Brothers flew together only once, and many early pioneers including Amelia Earhart(1), the first female to cross the Atlantic Ocean alone, flew solo. Even modern small and medium planes often have just a single person at the controls. More people were added to the cockpit of airliners in the mid 20th century because increasingly complicated electronics kept finding their way on board  from navigation aids to radio communications equipment. A minimum of two are need these days simply to handle the computers and checklists.

Advancements in that technology may be reaching their limit, with modern electronics starting to become too much for even an experienced pilot to handle when they malfunction. Captain Kevin Sullivan barely managed to wrest back control of Qantas Airways Ltd. flight 72 when his Airbus SE A330 suddenly pitched toward the earth, twice, on its way from Singapore to Perth in October 2008. In No Mans Land: The Untold Story of Automation on QF72, the former U.S. Navy pilot later wrote he felt like hes in a knife fight with this aeroplane, and it has cut me twice.

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A decade later, system malfunctions ended in greater tragedy. Having decided to recycle the design of an existing aircraft, rather than start from scratch, Boeing Co. came out with the 737 Max. The placement of larger, more fuel-efficient engines meant the company had to tinker with some of the fundamental physics that govern balance and lift in an aircraft, and opted to adjust for these changes with software that runs the flight controls. Pilots were unaware, resulting in two separate crashes and the loss of more than 340 lives.

Boeing has since been chastened, and the world has learned from those disasters, putting us back on a path to even safer flying just as the global pandemic recedes. In coming years, even more aircraft with their sophisticated control systems will be taking to the skies and reconnecting the world. Aviation enthusiasts, affectionally called AvGeeks, will be documenting their journeys and reminding us of all thats been accomplished.

But you dont have to be able to distinguish a Boeing from an Airbus, or a wingtip from a winglet, to appreciate aviation. You need only marvel that we can fly.More From This Writer and Others at Bloomberg Opinion:

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 Electric Flying Cars Are Just Dirty Helicopters: David Fickling

 One Pilot in the Cockpit Is a Terrible Idea: Fickling and Culpan

 Aircraft Retirement Party Has Been Postponed: Brooke Sutherland

(1) Little progress has been made since Earhart paved the way, with women comprising just 5.8% of the worlds airline pilots.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Tim Culpan is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering technology. He previously covered technology for Bloomberg News.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

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With an IIT-Kanpur study predicting the fourth wave of Covid-19 in July this year, the government on Thursday said it looks at such studies with due respect but it is yet to examine whether this particular report has a scientific worth or not.

Addressing a press conference here, NITI Aayog Member (Health) V K Paul said that the IIT Kanpur study is a "valuable input" produced by eminent people.

"...it has been our endeavour to look at science of the pandemic, its epidemiology, trend and virology. All projections are based on data and assumptions and we have seen divergent estimates from time to time. They are sometimes so divergent that decisions based on just a set of projections will be very unsafe for the society. The government looks at these estimates with due respect because these are scientific works produced by eminent people," Paul said.

He said the government's approach is to be completely prepared for the unpredictable virus but whether the IIT study has a scientific worth or not is yet to be examined.

"We saw the news item and found out that this project is carried out by a group in a particular institution. We would like to see it published in a peer reviewed journal. We should be carefully watching the assumption that has been used. Only on a single estimate or projection, one is not taking any decision of significance. We value it as an input. Whether it has a scientific worth and mathematical underpinning will be examined," Paul said.

"Our approach is to be absolutely prepared for this unpredictable virus and at the same time carry on with our work and activities in a responsible way. We are sharing on a regular basis with you our understanding and the dynamics of the pandemic and how the nation is responding to it," he added.

A modelling study by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur suggested that the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in India may start around June 22 and peak from mid to late August.

The yet-to-be peer-reviewed study, recently posted on the preprint repository MedRxiv, used a statistical model to make the prediction, finding that the possible new wave will last for four months.

The study led by Sabara Parshad Rajeshbhai, Subhra Sankar Dhar, and Shalabh of IIT Kanpurs Department of Mathematics and Statistics shows that the severity of the fourth wave will depend on the emergence of a possible new coronavirus variant, and vaccination status across the country.

Check out the latest videos from DH:
A temporary ceasefire will be observed in Ukraine's Mariupol to evacuate stranded citizens. The number of Ukrainian refugees was expected to reach 1.5 million on Sunday as Russia continued its attack 11 days after invading Ukraine and Kyiv pressed for further Western action, including more sanctions and weapons. Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force evacuated more than 210 Indians from the war-hit country under Operation Ganga and more flights are on the way. Stay tuned to DH for the latest updates.
(Natural News) Why parents continue to fund public schools with their tax dollars, much less send their kids to them, is a mystery given the open, blatant attempts by the lunatic leftists running them to destroy their kids.

Case in point: A California school has set up a so-called transition closet full of clothing that students can change into, in order to match their chosen gender.

Chosen gender.

Harbingers Daily has more:

A high school in Oakland, California, is creating a transition closet that will allow students to come to school in clothes that their parents approve of and change into the clothing of their selected gender identities.

A Facebook post announcing this insanity notes: We are extremely excited to begin our journey in working with Fremont Highschool [sic] of Oakland California  The near future holds transition closet(s) and services throughout the school district for students of the Trans/Nonbinary/Intersex and additional LGBTQIA+ Community Members.

Mind you, based on the reporting, parents have not approved of this  it was literally done behind their backs. And while there will no doubt be some cowardly parents who will go along with this because they are afraid to speak out, others most certainly will. And they should; this is sanctioned child grooming and child abuse:

The Post Millennial reported that the concept emerged from Good Shepard Lutheran Church in Fayetteville, Arkansas, to help children experiment with transgenderism without their parents knowledge.

The Transition Closet is partnering with Thomas Martin-Edwards  a Spanish teacher at the Oakland Unified School District and founder of the Queer Teacher Fellowship  to launch the project. The social media account Teacher Exposed unearthed footage of the teacher discussing the initiative on TikTok.

The goal of the transition closet is for our students to wear the clothes that their parents approve of, come to school and then swap out into the clothes that fit who they truly are. pic.twitter.com/Ba4EN8OfNw  Teachers Exposed ??? (@Teacher_Exposed) February 15, 2022

The goal of the transition closet is for our students to wear the clothes that their parents approve of, come to school and then swap out into the clothes that fit who they truly are, Martin-Edwards said in the video.

And I use the idea that this is like Superman changing in a phone booth. But that idea actually goes a lot further than that. Because Superman isnt Clark Kent. Clark Kent is actually the disguise, he claimed, using pop culture linguistical gymnastics to justify his lunacy.

And when Clark Kent goes into the phone booth, he transforms into Superman, who is really just who he truly is, Kal-El. So this gives our trans students the opportunity to be the superheroes that we know they are, he added.

The Teachers Exposed account followed up its initial post with additional information that lays bare this diabolical plot to literally co-opt parents in an effort to harm as many young people mentally as possible.

Wow!!! For those who have been following this story, Mr. Martin-Edwards teaches @OUSDNews. He is a Spanish teacher and is teaming up with The Transition Closet. This organization claims that this will be the first school-based transition closet. pic.twitter.com/Pp7q7Dj8vI  Teachers Exposed ??? (@Teacher_Exposed) February 16, 2022

For all the trolls with anime profile pictures. It isnt just that they are providing clothes in a secret manner which is still asinine. They are also giving students binders and tucking underwear which has lasting results, the account added in a post featuring a video providing evidence of its claims.

For all the trolls with anime profile pictures. It isnt just that they are providing clothes in a secret manner which is still asinine. They are also giving students binders and tucking underwear which has lasting results.https://t.co/CqAz2pmb1h  Teachers Exposed ??? (@Teacher_Exposed) February 20, 2022

The Oakland example is not the first instance of this lunacy taking place in a public school in California.

California mother Jessica Konen, whose sixth-grade daughter was allegedly recruited by teachers and pushed to change her name to a that of a boy while being instructed not to inform her mother, is taking legal action against the Spreckels Union School District.

Teachers encouraged Jessica Konens daughter to change her name to a boys name as an expression of her new identity and specifically instructed her not to tell her mother about her new identity because her mother couldnt be trusted. Then, they gave her articles  and required her to read them  on how to hide her transgenderism from her mother, the Center for American Liberty, which is representing Konen, noted.

Still without Jessicas knowledge, teachers and administrators created a Gender Support Plan instructing faculty to refer to her daughter by a new name, male pronouns, and to let her use the unisex teachers restroom, the legal group added.

The people who engage in this and who enable it are predators, period. They should be treated as such by the law.

Sources include:

HarbingersDaily.com

DailyWire.com
Earlier, Zelenskyy said on Twitter that he held phone talks with Biden on Saturday, discussing Western support for Kyiv and anti-Russia sanctions.

"President Biden highlighted the ongoing actions undertaken by the United States, its allies and partners, and private industry to raise the costs on Russia for its aggression in Ukraine. In particular, he welcomed the decision this evening by Visa and Mastercard to suspend service in Russia," the White House said in a Saturday statement following the Biden-Zelenskyy conversation.

According to the release, Biden and Zelenskyy discussed the recent talks between Russia and Ukraine.

The White House said that the Biden administration is boosting assistance to Kyiev and is "working closely with Congress to secure additional funding." (ANI/Sputnik)
Residents in the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia shared messages of defiance on March 2 amid Russias ongoing military invasion of the country.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) footage captures the emotions of locals in the area. One local says, Its very hard. My nerves are shredded. Another mentions the long lines and low stock at drug stores.

Russians, look at us. We are people just like you, a man says to the camera. We did not attack you. You attacked us. So think about it  there is still time for you to sit down in peace. Well give you tea, [warm] clothes, we wont kick you out. But if you come with weapons, well tear you apart.

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Putin says Ukraine's future in doubt as cease-fires collapse

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Saturday that Ukrainian statehood is in jeopardy and likened the West's sanctions on Russia to declaring war, while a promised cease-fire in the besieged port city of Mariupol collapsed amid scenes of terror. Read more here:

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Zelenskyy's 'desperate' plea to Congress: Send more planes

Fighting for his country's survival, Ukraine's leader made a desperate plea Saturday to American lawmakers for the United States to help get more warplanes to his military and cut off Russian oil imports as Kyiv tries to stave off the Russian invasion. Read more here:

***

Analysis: Brace yourself for a new world order, a lot like the Cold War order

JIM VAN NOSTRAND, executive editor of the Missoulian, shares his view: "This former soldier sees a cold war turning hot, and quickly. The Ukrainians are living the nightmare that haunted our waking dreams more than three decades ago."

***

TRACK LIVE UPDATES:

PHOTOS FROM DAY 10 OF THE UKRAINE WAR
GLENS FALLS  Mike Thompson saw the writing on the wall. He tried to convince his expat friends and students to leave while they still could. Many did not believe him and even mocked him for being too paranoid.

His Ukrainian colleagues and friends knew he was right, but they wouldnt leave because, for them, their fight for independence has been going on for a lot longer than this latest conflict.

Thompson is an American who taught English in Kyiv, Ukraine, where he lived for five years. As someone who studies geopolitical analysts and trends, its safe to say he has a finger on the pulse. Everything he was seeing, including mainstream headlines, led him to believe that major conflict was going to break out between Russia and Ukraine.

Even his wife  who he met through his English classes  Yulia Pylypchak, was skeptical of imminent battle. However, reluctantly, they made plans to leave in this past December, and by January they left and moved to Glens Falls, and are now alive to tell their story and inspire others.

While they probably would have liked to stay and fight with their friends and family, they have a 3-year-old son, Timofey, to think of.

Before Thomson became a teacher and moved to Ukraine, he worked as a bartender in Glens Falls, Lake George and New York City for a time. His natural curiosity led to him to getting his TEFL English certification and he ended up moving to the capital of Ukraine, where he said the work visa rules were accepting to foreigners.

It would take Thompson a 10-minute walk to the metro and then another 8-minute ride to the center of Kyiv. When he first got there, he taught at the American English Center, the oldest private English school in Ukraine.

He lived in a district called Rusanivka. The first few months were challenging, but it was exciting. He felt like he was doing something worthwhile and he got paid well too.

I would ride around the city in what was called a marshrutka, a very small trolley bus. They go places where other public transports wont go, Thompson said.

The people in Kyiv are very similar to us. In ways they are politically divided in the same ways that Americans are. While corruption is a very real thing in Kyiv  tax evasion and working off the books is common, even joked about  theyre making a real effort for democracy. One good thing thats come out of this (conflict) is Putins helped unify us, Thompson said.

Thompson noticed that the people there squabble over similar divisive issues that Americans do here, such as COVID or their equivalent of the Democrat vs. Republican political paradigm, but ultimately they agree to disagree. In other words, freedom of speech and press exists and Ukrainians are afforded the luxury of public disagreement, Thompson observed.

Thompson said that a very heated topic that most Ukrainians do agree on, and in fact unifies them even more so, is that despite their main language being Russian (Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys first language is Russian), they do not want to identify as Russian. In fact, they despise Russias president, Vladimir Putin.

When Thompson was trying to convince the people around him of impending doom, some of his Ukrainian colleagues and students believed him, but they assured him that the political and social tension that was constantly lingering in the air had always been there and that they were used to it.

After all, struggle and bloodshed have been part of Ukrainians history for as long as theyve tried to identify as an independent nation separate from the Soviet bloc and now Putins Russia. Its only been 30 years that Ukraine has been independent.

Putins comments spark concern

The aha moment for Thompson and Pylypchak came this past December when Putin made a public announcement saying Ukraine was not a legitimate country. During this announcement, Putin alluded to reuniting the Soviet Union. This was a big red flag.

This reporter asked Pylypchak, as a Ukrainian, why she thinks this may be happening. In her mind, the invasion began in 2013 to 2014, when Putins Russia took back Crimea.

It was illegal what he did then, she said.

Then in 2015, he moved into eastern Ukraine, the Donbas Region, and everyone knew we were fighting against the Russian army, she said.

Western Ukrainian officials have called the conflict in the Donbas region a stealth invasion.

He wasnt punished then, either, besides light sanctions, Pylypchak added.

For many Ukrainians, the fight against Russia has been going on for a very long time, which may shed light as to why Thompsons Ukrainian colleagues and friends refuse to leave when he tries to help them.

Two ex-students of mine have died because of the conflict, Thompson said.

Many of his ex-students either refuse to leave or simply do not have the means to leave, according to Thompson.

Like countless other Ukrainians, Pylypchak and Thompsons fight is far from over. Far away in Glens Falls, they are constantly online and on the phone trying to help coordinate rides and routes for their friends to leave Ukraine. They still try to help them.

Pylypchaks mother and her niece are an hours drive outside of Kyiv, in a basement of an apartment, trying to keep safe.

Pylypchaks brother and sister-in-law are both deployed and fighting in Ukraine.

Thompson, along with Robin Barkenhagen of 42 Degrees, are organizing a fundraiser event called Sing for Ukraine to raise money for refugees. The event is Thursday at 6 p.m. at 42 Degrees on Glen Street in Glens Falls.
Refugees patiently wait in line for three hours at the border crossing between Ukraine and Poland. Millions refugees have fled their towns following the Russians invasion. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has forced more than three million people to flee the country in search of safety, according to U.N. data.

On one day alone, 106,400 people entered Poland, the Polish Border Guard said.

The Times' Wally Skalij gives a first-person account of what he is seeing in Poland and the western Ukrainian city of Lviv.

Saturday, March 19, 2022

A man comforts his wife in Lviv, Ukraine before she boards a train to Przemysl, Poland. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

Refugees wait for the next train in Lviv, Ukraine trying to flee to Przemysl, Poland. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

A train engineer takes a cigarette break in between before transporting people at the main station in Lviv, Ukraine. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

Thursday, March 17, 2022

A man prays during a funeral service for Ukrainian soldier Ivan Skrypnyk at the Church of St. Peter and Paul in Lviv. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

A woman pays her respects during a funeral service for Ukrainian soldier Ivan Skrypnyk in Lviv on Thursday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

Ukrainian soldiers carry the casket of Ivan Skrypnyk at the Church of St. Peter and Paul in Lviv on Thursday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

Wednesday, March 16, 2022

A woman kisses the forehead of a Ukrainian soldier during a funeral in Starychi, Ukraine. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

Two Ukrainian soldiers are buried in a cemetery after being killed at the International Training Center by a Russian missile in Starychi, Ukraine. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

A funeral procession carrying the casket of two Ukrainian soldiers makes its way through the streets of Starychi, Ukraine. The men were killed at the International Training Center by a Russian missile strike. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

Local residents kneel to pay their respects during the funeral procession. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

Monday, March 14, 2022

Ukrainian soldiers walk through a central square in Lviv, Ukraine, on Monday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

A singer performs in a central square in Lviv, Ukraine, on Monday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

A Ukrainian who gave her name as Koma relaxes in Lviv, Ukraine, on Monday. Life seems normal in the big city in the western part of the country, although air raid sirens wail through the night. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

A man walks toward a central square in Lviv, Ukraine, on Monday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Pedestrians walk near a central square in Lviv, Ukraine, on Monday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Friday, March 11, 2022

Young Ukrainian refugees listen to a piano player as they cross the border into Medyka, Poland, on Friday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

Ukrainian refugees on a bus in Medyka, Poland, on Friday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

A young Ukrainian refugee outside a tent in Medyka, Poland. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

A boy waits with other Ukrainian refugees in Medyka, Poland. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Ukrainian refugee Orest Hromnadzkiy gets a hug from sister Yuliia and mother Alla after he crossed the border into Medyka, Poland. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Wednesday, March 9, 2022

A mural painted along an abandoned building at the border in Medyka, Poland. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Ukrainian refugees board a bus in Medyka, Poland. More than 2 million refugees have fled Ukraine in 12 days. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Tuesday, March 8, 2022

Members of the Polish military stay warm by a fire after helping Ukrainian refugees board a train to Krakow, Poland. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Ukrainian refugees board a train to Krakow after crossing the border in Medyka, Poland. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Ukrainian refugees board a train to Krakow after crossing the border in Medyka, Poland. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Ukrainian refugees hike to a train station to be transported to their next location after crossing the border in Medyka, Poland. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Monday, March 7, 2022

Young Ukrainian refugees play in the hallway of a school in Przemysl, Poland. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Przemysl emerged as a principal focus of the ongoing exodus because it is the first major city to the west of Medyka, the busiest crossing point along the 300-mile Polish-Ukrainian border.

Clockwise from top left; A Ukrainian refugee sits alone in the Ukrainian House in Przemysl, Poland. The historical building is run by Ukrainians for its people and any guests of Przemysl; Romana Kovaliak writes a message on a chalk board while being sheltered at Helena Modrzejewskka private school in Przemysl, Poland; a Ukrainian refugee, holding her dog, sits in a tunnel leading to the main train station in Przemysl, Poland; and a doll sits near a trash can as Ukrainian refugees walk by outside the main train station in Przemysl, Poland. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

Members of the U.S. Army in Przemysl, Poland. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Sunday, March 6, 2022

The influx of refugees is constant and daunting, but workers provide them food, clothes, blankets and phone chargers. It was managed chaos at the main train station Sunday. I think a bottleneck is happening at the station because of a lack of trains. We could see a crisis if the influx increases.

Ukrainian refugees board a bus after crossing the border in Medyka, Poland. The refugees are transported to an empty warehouse, then to a train station, where they will be taken to their next destination. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

A Ukrainian refugee cries after arriving at the main train station in Przemysl, Poland. Thousands of refugees pass through the station on the way to their next destination. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

As refugees flee, a British volunteer soldier prepares to cross the border into Ukraine from Medyka, Poland. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Volunteers serve coffee to Ukrainian refugees on a cold evening in Medyka, Poland. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Volunteers try to stay warm next to a donation of clothes for Ukrainian refugees in Medyka, Poland. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Saturday, March 5, 2022

A refugee in Medyka, Poland, waits on a bus. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

A mother and son wait on a bus at the border in Medyka, Poland, after fleeing Ukraine. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Refugees walk past a cemetery in Medyka, Poland, after crossing the border from Ukraine. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

All these people passing, they have heard bombs, cannons, MIGs, now I want them to hear music, said Davide Martello while playing Simon & Garfunkel's The Sound of Silence. And I also want to send a message of love to Vladimir Putin. Maybe its going to open up his heart a little bit. I dont know.

A woman smokes in front of a bus carrying Ukrainian refugees at the border in Medyka, Poland. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Refugees hold each other as they talk to an officer in Medyka, Poland, after crossing the border from Ukraine. Refugees were given food and clothing and were taken to a shelter. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

A refugee family from Ukraine eats in Medyka, Poland. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
By Pavel Polityuk and Aleksandar Vasovic

LVIV/KYIV, Ukraine (Reuters) -Fighting stopped about 200,000 people from evacuating the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol for a second day in a row on Sunday, as Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed to press ahead with his invasion unless Kyiv surrendered.

Most people trapped in the port city are sleeping underground to escape more than six days of near-constant shelling by encircling Russian forces that has cut off food, water, power and heating supplies, according to the Ukrainian authorities.

In a phone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Putin said he was ready for dialogue to end the fighting but that any attempt to draw out talks would fail, according to the Kremlin.

The suspension of what Moscow describes as a special operation, "is only possible if Kyiv stops military operations and carries out well-known Russian demands," the Kremlin said in a readout of the Putin-Erdogan call.

The civilian death toll from hostilities across Ukraine since Moscow launched its invasion on Feb. 24 stood at 364, including more than 20 children, the United Nations said on Sunday, adding that hundreds more were injured.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said most civilian casualties were caused by the use of "explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multi-launch rocket systems, and missile and air strikes."

Russia has launched about 600 missiles so far, according to a senior U.S. defense official.

The general staff of Ukraine's armed forces said the Russians were "beginning to accumulate resources for the storming of Kyiv".

Moscow has repeatedly denied attacking civilian areas.

In Irpin, a town some 25 km (16 miles) northwest of the capital Kyiv, men, women and children trying to escape heavy fighting in the area were forced to take cover when missiles struck nearby, according to Reuters witnesses.

Soldiers and fellow residents helped the elderly hurry to a bus filled with frightened people, some cowering as they waited to be driven to safety.

Story continues

The invasion has drawn widespread condemnation around the world, sent more than 1.5 million Ukrainians fleeing from the country, and triggered sweeping Western sanctions against Russia aimed at crippling its economy.

The Biden administration said on Sunday it was exploring banning imports of Russian oil, despite concerns the move would drive prices even higher.

Oil prices have soared to their highest levels since 2008 and jumped 10% in early Asian trade on Monday. Russia provides 7% of global supply.

"War is madness, please stop," Pope Francis said in his weekly address to crowds in St Peter's Square, adding "rivers of blood and tears" were flowing in Ukraine's war.

Russian media said Putin also spoke by phone for almost two hours with French President Emmanuel Macron. Macron told Putin he was concerned about a possible amphibious attack on Ukraine's historic port city of Odessa, Macron's office said.

The United States does not believe such an attack is imminent, the senior U.S. defense official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

'NO TO WAR'

Anti-war protests took place around the world, including in Russia itself, where police detained more than 4,600 people, an independent protest monitoring group said.

The interior ministry said 3,500 demonstrators had been held, included 1,700 people in Moscow and 750 in St Petersburg.

Thousands of protesters chanted "No to war!" and "Shame on you!", according to videos posted on social media by opposition activists and bloggers. Reuters was unable to independently verify the footage and photographs.

Demonstrations also took place in Western capitals as well as in India and Kazakhstan, after jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny called for worldwide protests against the war.

In the besieged city of Mariupol, authorities had said on Sunday they would make a second attempt to evacuate some of the 400,000 residents. But the ceasefire plan collapsed, as it had on Saturday, with each side blaming the other.

"They're destroying us," Mariupol mayor Vadym Boychenko told Reuters in a video call, describing the city's plight before the latest evacuation effort failed. "They will not even give us an opportunity to count the wounded and the killed because the shelling does not stop."

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States has seen credible reports of deliberate attacks on civilians in Ukraine, adding that Washington was documenting them to support a potential war crimes investigation.

Moscow says it has no plans to occupy Ukraine.

The U.S. defense official estimated Russia has deployed about 95% of the combat forces it had staged outside Ukraine.

In the capital, Ukrainian soldiers bolstered defences by digging trenches, blocking roads and liaising with civil defence units as Russian forces bombarded areas nearby.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russian rockets had destroyed the civilian airport of the central-western region capital of Vinnytsia. Troops who committed atrocities against civilians would ultimately face punishment, he said.

"For you there will be no peaceful place on this earth, except for the grave," he said in a televised evening address.

Russian forces opened fire at a protest against their occupation of the southern Ukrainian city of Nova Kakhovka on Sunday, wounding five people, Ukrainian news agency Interfax Ukraine said, citing eyewitnesses.

PLEA FOR MORE WEAPONS

Kyiv renewed its appeal to the West to toughen sanctions and also requested more weapons, including Russian-made planes.

Speaking on a trip to neighbouring Moldova, Blinken said Washington was considering how it could backfill aircraft for Poland if Warsaw decided to supply its warplanes to Ukraine.

Putin says he wants a "demilitarised", "denazified" and neutral Ukraine, and on Saturday likened Western sanctions "to a declaration of war".

The West, which calls Putin's reasons for invading baseless, has expanded efforts to rearm Ukraine, sending in items from Stinger missiles to anti-tank weapons. But Washington and its NATO allies have resisted Ukraine's plea for a no-fly zone, saying it would escalate the conflict beyond Ukraine's borders.

Ukrainians continued to pour into Poland, Romania, Slovakia and elsewhere. The United Nations said over 1.5 million had fled in Europe's fastest growing refugee crisis since World War Two.

Western sanctions have pushed many companies to exit investments in Russia, while some Russian banks have been shut out of a global financial payment systems, driving down the rouble and forcing Moscow to jack up interest rates.

On Sunday, more companies cut ties with Russia: American Express Co, Netflix Inc., accounting giants KPMG and PwC, and video sharing app TikTok.

But Chinese firms so far are staying put.

Ukraine's military said more than 11,000 Russian troops had been killed so far and 88 Russian aircraft shot down since the start of the invasion. Reuters could not corroborate the claim. Russia has not given regular updates on its death toll.

Tass news agency cited Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov as saying virtually the entire Ukrainian air force had been destroyed. In the last 36 hours alone, he said, Ukraine had lost 11 combat aircraft and two helicopters. Reuters had no way of corroborating the claim.

(Reporting by Pavel Polityuk, Natalia Zinets, Aleksandar Vasovic in Ukraine, Simon Lewis in Moldova, Olzhas Auyezov in Almaty, Matthias Williams in Medyka, Guy Faulconbridge in London, John Irish in Paris, Francois Murphy in Vienna, David Ljunggren in Ottawa, Jarret Renshaw, Idrees Ali, Humeyra Pamuk and Daphne Psaledakis in Washington and other Reuters bureaus; Writing by Kim Coghill, Edmund Blair, William Maclean and Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by William Mallard, Frances Kerry, Daniel Wallis and Lincoln Feast.)
Mekong Delta to have 800 km of expressways by 2030

The Trung Luong - My Thuan Expressway in the Mekong Delta, November 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Hoang Nam

The government has passed a master plan until 2030 to develop the Mekong Delta into a key economic region, including major infrastructure developments.

By 2030, the region will have 830 kilometers (515 miles) of expressways, including new and upgraded routes, and 4,000 kilometers of national highways, according to the Master Plan for Mekong Delta Development in the 2021-2030 period approved by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Friday.

According to the plan, the Mekong Delta will become "a sustainable, dynamic and highly efficient agricultural economic center of the country, region and world."

Along with highway construction, the delta will have four airports, 13 seaports, 11 passenger ports and 13 inland waterway cargo port clusters to boost both regional and international connectivity.

All new infrastructure projects will be built in response to climate change demands.

Three ecological sub-regions will be formed in the delta.

The freshwater eco-region in the upstream and central part of the region will be key to the production of rice, freshwater aquatic products, and fruits.

Coastal saline - brackish ecological zones will develop saltwater and brackish water aquaculture on shore and in the sea, fishing, mangrove restoration, as well as ecotourism.

The freshwater - brackish transition zone will develop brackish water fisheries with rice and suitable vegetables.

The plan aims to make the region an international brand for agricultural-rural tourism and eco-tourism, with Can Tho City and Phu Quoc Island set to become two international tourist centers in the region.

The Mekong Delta, which spans over 3.9 million hectares, is Vietnam's rice basket that contributes over 17 percent of the GDP, 54 percent of rice, 70 percent of fishery products and 60 percent of fruits in the country.

It is also home to around 20 million people.

Under the master plan, the average economic growth rate is targeted for the delta at 6.5 percent per year until 2030.

The gross regional domestic product (GRDP) in 2030 is set to rise 2-2.5 times against 2021, with the proportion of agriculture, forestry and fisheries accounting for 20 percent of the GRDP, industry - construction 32 percent, services 46 percent.

Three strategic products of the region will be fisheries, fruits, and rice, of which the proportion of rice will gradually decrease.

The master plan also states that by 2030, the delta will not develop additional coal-fired power plants aside from those that have already been implemented, which are Duyen Hai No. 2 in Tra Vinh Province, Long Phu No. 1 in Soc Trang Province, and Song Hau No. 2 in Hau Giang Province.

More wind power and solar power projects will be in the making across the delta in future.
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New York's mayor paraded through the streets of Queens on Saturday proudly proclaiming the 'Big Apple is back!' - ignoring the city's major problems including levels of rising crime and homelessness which is at its highest for almost a century.

Eric Adams took part in the borough's St. Patrick's Day Parade having earlier said the city had become 'boring' during the pandemic and that it was now time to change that.

'This parade was the first to stop during COVID, so it's important that it's the first to open  that we say our city is back  bigger, stronger and better than ever,' Adams said at the start of the parade route in the Rockaways.

'We are back to being this exciting place we call New York,' he told The New York Post. 'People want to be out. They want to enjoy their city.'

But the Mayor's desire for everything to be peachy ignores the brutal reality of life on the nation's biggest city where residents are having to endure homelessness in the wake of the pandemic and rising crime levels above and below ground in the city's subway system.

New York Mayor Eric Adams led the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Queens, Saturday

Mayor Eric Adams marched in a St. Patrick's Day Parade in Queens, where he insisted the Big Apple was 'back'  and no longer boring

During the month of February, the NYPD reported a 58.7 percent increase in total crime. The latest figures showed 9,138 incidents as opposed to 5,759 in 2021 - with double-digit surges in nearly every major category

Some of New York City's younger residents took time out to enjoy the parade

Figures released this week detailed how New York City is reeling from a February crime wave that saw a nearly 60 percent spike in incidents over last year.

The city's latest crime figures show there were 9,138 incidents last month, as opposed to 5,759 during the same period in 2021  with double-digit surges in nearly every major category.

There were 32 murders in February  three more than the same month last year.

Multiple other categories saw shocking jumps, including car theft, which soared by nearly 105 percent; grand larceny, which jumped nearly 80 percent over the previous year; robberies, which surged 56 percent; a 44 percent bump in burglaries and a 22 percent spike in assaults. Rapes also saw a terrifying 35 percent rise in February.

The number of people experiencing homelessness in New York City is the highest since the Great Depression, with nearly 50,000 people counted last December according to the Coalition for the Homeless.

The number of people experiencing homelessness in New York City is the highest since the Great Depression

Nearly 50,000 people were counted last December according to Coalition for the Homeless

Mayor Adams, left, can be seen with New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Cousins, center, and Speaker of the New York State Assembly, Carl Heastie, right. Although he called the talks constructive, they were ultimately unsuccessful last month

Adams has said previously that he knows bail reform laws need to change, but he has also suggested white reporters and editors have misinterpreting stories about his fight to crack down such laws.

Last month, Adams, 61, met with Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie to discuss removing the cash bail system as the city faces a 40 percent surge in crime this year.

Although Adams claimed that the meeting was constructive, his visit was described as unsuccessful by both New York City tabloids after Assembly members said they would 'hold the line' on the bail reforms and New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that revisiting the law would likely not be included in this year's annual budget.

The Rupert Murdoch-owned New York Post ran a Page 2 story headlined 'Reform rollback hits Albany speed bump.' The usually left-friendly Daily News devoted even more ink, spreading a story across Pages 4 and 5 headlined 'Eric strikes out with Albany pols' in all capital letters.

Christina Yuna Lee, 35, left was found dead last month after being stabbed in her own apartment. Michelle Go, 40, right, was at the Times Square subway platform when she was shoved onto the tracks

Gui Ying Ma, 62-year-old grandmother from Queens has died last month, weeks after she woke up from a coma after she was bashed in the head with a rock more than two months ago

The former cop, who was endorsed by both papers in his run for mayor, said: 'I went to the Assembly conference. People raised the issues that they had and we talked. Black mayor, black Speaker, black majority leader, coming together and talking to each other.'

'And if you would have turned on the news this morning, you would have said, 'It was all hell up there.''

Adams suggested the negative coverage was due to a disconnect between the black mayor and white reporters and editors, even threatening to stop speaking to the press and no longer accept off-topic questions if the negative coverage persisted.

'I'm not saying it out of hate, I'm saying it out of love,' Adams said at the time. 'I'm a black man that's the mayor, but my story is being interpreted by people who don't look like me. We gotta be honest about that.'

He went on to question the racial composition of newsrooms.

'How many blacks are on editorial boards? How many blacks determine how these stories are being written?' he said.

'How many Asians? How many East Asians? How many South Asians? Everyone talks about my government being diversified, what's the diversification in the newsrooms?'

He also called on media outlets to diversify their newsrooms and have more reporters and editors of color so they would better tell his version.

'That's why I am covered the way I am covered,' he said. 'We really need to stop distorting the news.'

Adams, pictured, has suggested that he receives negative coverage was due to a disconnect between the black mayor and majority white reporters and editors

On the streets, tesidents have also reacted with horror to a string of high-profile incidents, including the vicious battering of a woman with a hammer by a homeless man in Queens and the smearing of feces on another woman in the Bronx - after which the alleged perpetrator, a violent criminal with a history of 44 arrests, was released without bail.

These incidents were in addition to the murder of Asian woman Christina Yuna Lee, 25, who was tailed to her apartment by another homeless man, Assamad Nash, 35, and stabbed to death in her own apartment.

One month earlier, Michelle Go, 40, was waiting on the platform at the Times Square subway station was killed when she was shoved onto the tracks.

The New York subway has been ground zero for the latent crime wave after an alarming 73.3 percent increase in underground incidents - including 182 in February alone.

A revolting attack where a man smeared feces over the face of a 43-year-old woman was caught on camera, last month

Hate crimes have also doubled since last year  with anti-Asian attacks more than tripling and anti-Jewish complaints up by a whopping 54 percent over the same time last year, from 134 to 207 incidents.

One recent poll revealed that nearly 75 percent of all New York City voters consider crime to be a 'very serious' problem  the highest number since polling began in 1999.

The one small ray of light for New York is that shootings declined slightly in February, by 1.3 percent over the same period in 2021.

'The men and women of the New York City Police Department are proactively addressing the deep-rooted causes of criminal behavior,' Police Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said in a statement.

'The NYPD will never relent, and the department has made far too much progress over the decades  and invested far too much in the communities it serves  to fall back by any measure. New Yorkers deserve better.'

Christopher Herrmann, a former Crime Analyst Supervisor with the NYPD and a Professor in the Department of Law & Police Science at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, told DailyMail.com he finds the new numbers startling.

'All of these numbers are bad, to be honest,' Herrmann said Friday. 'Generally, increases and decreases in crime would be in the single digits. These new numbers are not good.'

Herrmann says the increase can be traced back to lax bail laws, which mean perps often can walk out of jail quickly after being arrested - a situation that leads to more repeat offenses.

'There are certainly enough cases of people being released from incarceration who should have stayed in jail,' he said.

Herrmann added that the new numbers for February - typically a low-crime month due to weather and other factors - portend poorly for the rest of the year to come.

'There is no easy solution - these are longer term problems,' the crime analyst said. 'This is a new crime rate ... People should be worried.'

In addition, experts say the state government needs to address glaring issues, like homelessness and offenders' mental health, if New York City has any hope of quelling the crime wave.

The crime wave comes during Mayor Eric Adams' first few months in office. The former NYPD cop has vowed to crack down on the influx of incidents on the city's streets and subway system - which has seen a rash of violent incidents in recent weeks. Former Mayor Bill De Blasio's policies contributed to the current crime wave, experts said

Former NYPD officer and celebrity civil rights attorney Peter Gleason told DailyMail.com that the crime increase stems at least in part from policies implemented by Adams' predecessor Bill De Blasio, including the failed $850 million Thrive NYC plan meant to assist New Yorkers with mental health issues.

'New York's subterranean transportation hub, or subways, was commonly referred to as sewer transport back in the dark days of the 1970s - 1980s,' Gleason said.

'Should Adams rebrand the DeBlasio failure of Thrive New York and other policies, then he alone will own the failure of the mental health crisis that infects New York City both above and below ground.'

Adams has said he wants to see changes in bail reform laws and other criminal justice measures, saying they will bring down crime rates in the city and reduce gun violence.

In his first visit to the Albany since becoming mayor, Adams said he knew what needed to be done.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the new Subway Safety Plan initiative last month as a way to crackdown on crime and violence in the city's transit system. So far, statistics show that it has been largely unsuccessful

'We walked away saying we're not going to fall into the trap of saying we can't have justice and safety. We can have the justice we need and the safety we deserve. I've said this over and over again.'

Last week, Adams, who campaigned last year on getting people to get back to work amid the pandemic and cleaning up the crime-ridden subway system, outlined his plans for city bail laws, which can allow for suspects to roam the street often within hours of an arrest.

'Let's remove the cash bail system, because one should not be able to get out of jail just because you can pay bail. Let's take that away. Judges should look at the case in front of them and say, 'This person has two gun arrests, and he's continually saying to the people of the city that I don't care about the safety of you.'' the mayor said.

'That judge should have the right to make the discretion that this person just be held.'

Many of New York City's most recent violent crimes have been perpetrated by repeat offenders - a development that comes after Manhattan's District Attorney Alvin Bragg, 48, downgraded many crimes to misdemeanors.

Last month, the mayor announced that the NYPD would deploy 1,000 additional officers and separate teams of health workers to the city's subway system to crack down on the influx of underground crime.

'No more smoking. No more doing drugs. No more sleeping. No more doing barbecues on the subway system. Not more just doing whatever you want,' Adam said at a press event announcing the plan, alongside New York Governor Kathy Hochul.

'Those days are over. Swipe your MetroCard. Ride the system. Get off at your destination.'
Ned Kelly was a crime boss and cold-blooded cop killer who does not deserve his folk hero status, according to a new book

Ned Kelly was an organised crime boss and cold-blooded cop killer who does not deserve the status he has gained in the 142 years since his death as a national folk hero.

Australia's most infamous bandit was not a champion of the poor and stole from struggling farmers as willingly as he did from wealthy landowners.

His lawbreaking was not motivated by injustices perpetrated on his family, he was not the leader of a popular uprising and he did not have widespread support.

Kelly did not even come up with the idea of making the iconic suit of armour he wore in 1880 at the siege of Glenrowan.

These are some of the conclusions of a historian who has researched the two years the Kelly Gang was on the run to tell the story of the police who eventually caught them.

David Dufty takes a fresh look at some of the legends surrounding the bushrangers' crimes and what motivated them in a new book called Nabbing Ned Kelly.

'If the Kelly Gang were around today they'd probably be smuggling and distributing meth,' Dufty tells Daily Mail Australia.

Dufty describes Kelly as a major organised crime figure of the late 1870s who ran an 'industrial-scale' horse stealing operation from north-east Victoria.

Recent books about Kelly have moved away from portraying the outlaw as a romantic Robin Hood figure and depicted him as a merciless murderer but Dufty goes further.

The Kelly Gang wore suits of armour made out of plough mouldboards before the 1880 siege at Glenrowan to protect their heads and torsos. A new book contends the first suit may have been shaped by a blacksmith as a hobby project years earlier. Ned Kelly's armour is pictured

Author David Dufty takes a fresh look at some of the legends surrounding Australia's most notorious bushranger's crimes and what motivated him in a new book called Nabbing Ned Kelly. The book tells the story from the perspective of police (above) who hunted down Kelly

One of his major contentions is that Kelly and his family were not the victims of police persecuting poor Catholic Irish-Australians but rather that he ran a 'large, intercolonial criminal syndicate'.

Dufty says the scale of the Kellys' horse stealing operation was 'mind-boggling'. It involved re-branding, forging paperwork, and taking animals back and forth across the New South Wales border.

'They were stealing stock, predominantly horses, on an industrialised scale,' Dufty says.

'They would do raids on wealthy stations and take extremely valuable horses netting more than 100 pounds in one night, which was a huge amount.

'They would steal horses form poor struggling farmers as well as squatters. They would steal from anybody and most people in north-eastern Victoria were afraid of them.'

Ned Kelly is pictured left in chains before he was hanged in 1880 in Melbourne Gaol. Steve Hart (right) was a friend of Dan Kelly's and died when the Kelly Gang engaged in a siege with police at Glenrowan

Author David Dufty says the Kelly Gang was a Victorian organised crime syndicate that reached into New South Wales. Joe Byrne (right) was close to Ned Kelly and murdered police informer Aaron Sherritt. Byrne and Kelly's brother Dan (left) died in the siege at Glenrowan

The Kelly Gang were dangerous career criminals who burnt down property to punish opponents and intimidate witnesses.

'There was a lot of peripheral violence going on,' Dufty says. 'But the main game as with any criminal enterprise was money making and that came from horses.'

Asked if Kelly had any redeeming features, Dufty had to think.

'He was obviously smart, cunning, tough, charismatic,' he says. 'A very skilled horseman, very skilled with weapons, so he was a very competent and talented criminal.

'He was by all accounts a superb horseman. So you can't take those things away from him.'

Dufty, whose interest in bushrangers began in childhood, says Kelly has already been the subject of at least 30 serious books, more than any other Australian.

'I'm not the first person to question the idolisation of Ned Kelly, that's been going on for about 10 to 15 years.'

Recent books about Kelly have moved away from portraying the outlaw as a romantic Robin Hood figure and depicted him as a merciless murderer but to many he is still a folk hero. Pictured is a social media post on Australia Day 2019

A 2,500 reward for the capture of the Kelly Gang was posted after they murdered three policeman at Stringybark Creek. Ned Kelly had a 1,000 bounty on his head, while 500 was offered for each of Dan Kelly, Steve Hart and Joe Byrne

Dufty went back to primary sources including memoirs, police reports and the royal commission into the so-called 'Kelly outbreak'.

'I had an idea about writing the story of the Kelly Gang from the perspective of the police,' he says.

'I didn't come into it with any agenda other than I thought I had a fresh and interesting angle on a well-known story.'

Dufty researched as much original source material as he could before reading what other authors had written about the gang.

'And I found that there were big discrepancies,' he says.



Dufty believes he has shown the famous 'Jerilderie Letter', a 56-page manifesto in which Kelly tried to justify his lawlessness, was not dictated by Kelly to gang member Joe Byrne.

'Without being a snob about it Ned Kelly had less than two years of schooling,' Dufty says. 'Joe Byrne could write but he only had a few more years of schooling.'

Author David Dufty believes he has shown the famous 'Jerilderie Letter', a 56-page manifesto in which Kelly tried to justify his lawlessness, was not dictated by Kelly to gang member Joe Byrne. Dufty believes the letter (above) was written by school teacher James Wallace

Instead, Dufty concludes the 8,000-word document was likely written by local school teacher James Wallace.

Wallace had been a childhood friend of Byrne's who became a double-agent giving information to both sides of the law during the Kelly outbreak.

An enormous trove of Wallace's handwriting exists and to Dufty's eye it matches that of the Jerilderie Letter's author.

'I'm not saying Ned Kelly wasn't involved,' Dufty says. 'He was obviously deeply involved and a lot of the words would have been his.

'But in terms of who helped him actually turn it into a written document, who crafted it, you'd need someone who is highly literate.'

Dufty notes most of the claims that Kelly was persecuted by police can be sourced to the man himself and his lawyers.

'I'm not the first person to claim that he was not persecuted by the police - that's an increasing theme to come of out of the historical work,' he says.

'But I suppose what I'm doing is I'm making quite a strong claim he was not persecuted by the police, at all.'

Dufty shoots down another main part of the Kelly myth, that Constable Alexander Fitzpatrick molested the bushranger's sister Kate at the family home.

The Kellys lived in a two-room slab hut at Eleven Mile Creek near Greta, and Fitzpatrick went there in April 1878 to arrest Dan for stealing horses.

Fitzpatrick said after arresting Dan older brother Ned burst into the house and the boys' mother mother Ellen hit him over the head with a fire shovel.

Ned shot Fitzpatrick in the wrist, according to the policeman. The bushranger later claimed to have been 200 miles away at the time.

Dufty says the story about Fitzpatrick assaulting Kate could be traced to a trashy newspaper report and that Ned eventually admitted if it had happened Fitzpatrick would not have survived.

After what became known as 'the Fitzpatrick incident', Ned and Dan rode into the hills and were joined by their mates Steve Hart and Joe Byrne.

Author David Dufty shoots down another main part of the Kelly myth, that Constable Alexander Fitzpatrick molested the bushranger's sister Kate at the family home. Fitzpatrick (above) had gone to the house at Eleven Mile Creek to arrest Dan Kelly for stealing horses

This photograph of the Kelly home at Eleven Mile Creek near Greta in north-eastern Victoria was taken in February 1881. At left are Kate Kelly with her daughter Alice, at centre are mother Ellen seated with her children Grace, Jack and Ellen Jr. Reverend William Gould is in top hat

On October 25, a party of police led by Sergeant Kennedy with Constables Michael Scanlan, Thomas McIntyre and Thomas Lonigan headed into the Wombat Ranges to search for the Kellys.

The next day the police were ambushed by the gang at their camp on Stringybark Creek and Ned Kelly shot Kennedy, Scanlan and Lonigan dead.

McIntyre escaped to describe how his colleagues were slaughtered, but Kelly insisted until his death the police had come to kill him.

Dufty believes the search party only ever hoped to capture the gang and could find no evidence that Kelly acted to protect himself.

'It wasn't in self-defence,' Dufty says. 'The one thing that you might be able to say in Kelly's defence is that he wanted instead to take them prisoner.

'Having delusional beliefs that the police are going to kill you is not justification for murdering them.'

Sergeant Michael Kennedy (left) was born in Tonaghmore, Ireland. The 36-year-old had five children when he was murdered by the Kelly Gang. Constable Michael Scanlan, 34, was born in Foosa, Ireland. Scanlan (right) did not have any family in Australia

Constable Thomas McIntyre, 32, was born in Belfast, Ireland. McIntyre (left) was the only one of the four police to come back from Stringybark Creek. Constable Thomas Lonigan, 34, was born in Sligo, Ireland. Lonigan (right) had four children

After Stringybark Creek all the Kelly Gang members were declared outlaws with a 2,500 reward on their collective heads.

They could now be lawfully shot on sight by anyone but their criminal exploits only escalated.

'It would be as if a bunch of meth dealers went into hiding and started doing hit and runs on banks, which is basically what they did,' Dufty says.

On December 9 the gang held up a station near Euroa, taking all of its occupants hostage and cutting the town's telegraph wires. The next morning they robbed the local bank.

On February 8 the following year the gang took over Jerilderie in southern NSW for three days, robbing the bank and locking the local police in their cells.

Dufty says the notion that Ned Kelly was widely admired by the general population for these escapades or shared his stolen booty with poor farmers was incorrect.

Victoria Police commemorate the lives of Sergeant Michael Kennedy, Constable Michael Scanlan and Constable Thomas Lonigan in a 2018 ceremony, 140 years after they were shot dead by Ned Kelly at Stringybark Creek

In early November 1878, Melbourne photographer Arthur Burman went to Stringybark Creek to document the scene of the murders. He was joined by members of the original search party who had retrieved the bodies. They posed for Burman in this re-enactment

The gang only had widespread support among the broader criminal networks in north eastern Victoria, some of whose members did benefit from their robberies.

'There were plenty of poor farmers who were watching these buys getting drunk down in the Benalla pubs who didn't see a cent of that,' Dufty says.

'This idea that they were helping poor farmers is just wrong.'

After Jerilderie the gang returned to Victoria and prepared for their last stand when they would attempt to kill an entire trainload of police.

Those preparations included sourcing four sets of armour to protect the gang's heads, torsos, groins and shoulders from bullets.

Dufty rejects the theory a network of sympathetic blacksmiths worked on the armour, which was fashioned from plough mouldboards.

He thinks Beechworth blacksmith Tom Straughair probably made all four suits and the first could have been shaped as a hobby project years earlier.

A police officer adjusts the helmet of Dan Kelly's armour which is displayed alongside that of Steve Hart at the Victoria Police Museum. Ned Kelly's armour belongs to the State Library of Victoria and Joe Byrne's is in private hands

The suits differ in design and quality of craftmanship. The prototype Steve Hart wore at Glenrowan was more primitive than those worn by Ned Kelly and Byrne.

'People have interpreted that as meaning they were made by different blacksmiths but what it might mean is one blacksmith getting better at making suits of armour.'

'I think it was a long-term project that was accelerated in the lead up to Glenrowan.'

Nabbing Ned Kelly by David Dufty and published by Allen & Unwin is available now

The gang rode into Glenrowan on June 26, 1880. Joe Byrne murdered police informer and lifelong friend Aaron Sherritt and local labourers were ordered to tear up the train tracks.

The next day the gang rounded up the town's residents at gunpoint and herded them into the Glenrowan Inn where they waited for a train carrying police from Melbourne to be derailed.

The gang's plan was foiled when Ned Kelly allowed school teacher Tom Curnow to leave the hotel and he flagged down the locomotive.

When police arrived the gang donned their suits of armour and stepped out of the inn to face a barrage of gunfire.

Byrne, Dan Kelly and Steve Hart were killed in a subsequent siege and Ned was captured after being shot in his unprotected legs at dawn June 28.

He was charged with the murders of Scanlan, Sherritt and Lonigan and convicted of murdering Lonigan. He was hanged in Melbourne Gaol on October 11, 1880, aged 25.

A royal commission held the following year heard from more than 60 witnesses and found much evidence of police incompetence in the hunt for the Kellys but none that they had ever been persecuted.

Dufty sees Kelly as the tragic product of a childhood spent in poverty and surrounded by drunkenness and violence.

'He had a very rough start to life,' Dufty says. 'He was very angry at the police and wealth farmers nearby and I can understand him being an angry young man, I suppose.

'But honestly, it was more about his immediate family and home environment that made his life so tough at the start, not the police.'

A man is pictured standing near the burnt remains of the Glenrowan Inn where Australia's most notorious criminal Ned Kelly made his last stand in June 1880

In his Dufty's telling of the Kelly story the real hero, apart from Tom Curnow, is the unsung Detective Michael Ward.

Ward organised spies, recruited informers and conducted surveillance against the Kellys, at one stage going undercover as a swagman.

'The more I researched this whole thing the more I grew to like Michael Ward,' Dufty says.

'He was the only police officer in Victoria who was constantly assigned to the Kelly case, from the Fitzpatrick incident until past Glenrowan.

'The book isn't about him but to the extent that there is one character who is a common thread through the book and who I regard as an unlikely hero it's him.'

Nabbing Ned Kelly by David Dufty and published by Allen & Unwin is available now from bookstores and online from here.
KEARNEY  Kimberly Kriger Riggert was just five hours old when she became the first patient transported in what was then the Good Samaritan Hospital AirCare helicopter on March 4, 1982.

She needed immediate life-saving surgery because she had been born at Good Sam with her intestines, liver and other internal organs on the outside of her body, a condition called omphalocele. Normally, an ambulance would have sped her to Childrens Memorial Hospital in Omaha, but heavy snow had closed the interstate, so Good Samaritan called in its new helicopter. The 181-mile flight would be its very first.

Good Sams AirCare service marked its 40th anniversary Friday, and for Kimberlys father John Kriger, who now lives near Riverdale, memories of that first flight are still fresh.

He and his wife Vicky lived on Kearneys east side, near the old-drive-in theater. As Kriger pulled out of the driveway that morning to take Vicky to her scheduled C-section at Good Samaritan, he got stuck in the snow.

After we got out, I heard that the interstate was closed from York to Omaha. I didnt think too much about that, but as I was sitting in the waiting room, pediatrician Dr. Kenton Shaffer came in and said, You have a new daughter, and we need to get her to Omaha. We have a helicopter that Id like to fly her in. What could I say?

The helicopter landed in the hospitals north parking lot, but it had to wait for the weather to clear in Omaha before it could take off. As it waited, doctors brought the infant to John. Vicky was still in recovery.

I got to hold her for a minute or two, Kriger said. Then they put her back into the incubator and got her ready to go in the helicopter. Boarding along with tiny Kimberly were Dr. Dennis Edwards and nurse Syndie Brueggemann (now Beavers.) The pilot was Ron Rodgers, who also owned the chopper.

I stood there watching that helicopter take off, Kriger said. I just hoped everything would work out.

He didnt know it, but Edwards had never flown in a medical helicopter before, either. The main concerns were making sure all the equipment would fit in the helicopter and still give us adequate access to the infants we treated, he said.

Later that afternoon, as Kriger sat in Vickys hospital room, he saw Edwards and Bruggemann dressed in flight gear coming down the hospital hallway. Just then, his phone rang. It was the doctor in Omaha who did the surgery. He said Kimberly was going to be just fine, he said.

Theres your helicopter

The helicopter was referenced, at first, as simply The Good Samaritan. Around June 1983, it was referred to as AirCare in the Heligram, a quarterly flight services newsletter that circulated at the time. That name stuck.

As Kimberly grew up, her parents would stop and point whenever they saw that helicopter overhead. They would say, Thats your helicopter. It was interesting, but I didnt know much about it, Riggert said.

She grew up, became a nurse and first worked in the NICU at Childrens Hospital in Omaha. As she learned about the helicopter, she became fascinated with it, so she applied to become a flight nurse.

She served as a flight nurse at Childrens from 2009 until 2018, when the demands of her husband and three children, now aged 9, 6 and 2, conflicted with the around-the-clock hours of that job. Now living in Waverly, she is a school nurse at Maxey Elementary in Lincoln.

AirCare grows up

Good Sams AirCare service was launched in 1982 as a partnership between Good Sam and the Rodgers Helicopter Service of Kearney, owned by Rodgers. That first helicopter that carried Riggert to Omaha was an orange Fairchild-Hiller FH 1100.

AirCare is the longest-operating original air ambulance service in Nebraska and the first service outside of Omaha. Two air services were launched in Omaha before AirCare, but they are no longer in operation.

For its first five months, the service flew only infants, but it added patients of all ages after becoming fully operational on July 21, 1982. That first year, it completed 55 transports, mostly newborns. In 2021, AirCare completed 344 missions.

The 10-year-old Bell429 helicopter used today is the seventh in the history of the program. It is owned by Rodgers Helicopter Service. Apollo MedFlight provides operational support and resources for it at Kearney Regional Airport.

AirCare has up to three seats for Good Sams medical crew and a stretcher ready with items such as a portable ventilator, a video laryngoscope and a machine called a Lucas device, which performs CPR and frees the medical crew to tend to patients.

Safety first

AirCares top concern is safety, followed by speed. The average air speed of the Bell429 is 170 to 174 miles per hour. It can get to Broken Bow in 20 minutes, North Platte in 30 minutes and Ogallala in 55 minutes, roughly one-third the driving time.

The AirCare coverage area includes, but is not limited to, central Nebraska west to McCook, north to South Dakota and south into Kansas. In 2021, it took patients to hospitals in Denver and South Dakota and the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

Because Good Samaritan has the only Level II trauma center between Lincoln and Scottsbluff, about 65 percent of AirCare flights bring patients to Kearney. The remaining flights take patients, once stabilized, to Omaha, Lincoln, Denver or Kansas City and beyond.

Were able to do what we do as a flight team thanks to forward-thinking individuals who wanted to provide leading-edge emergency care to the vast area we serve, Kyla Trumble, an R.N. and flight nurse, said. We are here when you need us. Thats a legacy were proud to carry forward for the next 40 years and beyond.

Edwards, now vice president of Medical Operations at Good Sam, recalls AirCares early days. Lifesaving care was now available in minutes, but it took lots of dedicated people to get the program off the ground. Emergency medicine was still in its infancy. We were honored to provide air transport to help further the advancements already happening in central Nebraska, he added.

Kriger still remembers his daughters little bit of red hair, as red as it could be, when he and Vicky visited her at Childrens in Omaha after her life-saving surgery 40 years ago. Fifteen years ago, on AirCares 25th anniversary, Kriger, Kimberly and Vicky, who has since passed away, were invited to take a ride in the helicopter.

It was just a 15-minute ride, but kind of fun. We got to fly around Kearney, he said. It hard to believe that its been 40 years since that very first flight.
The current crisis in will have consequences for the whole world, including for Russia-India relations, and the extent of its impact cannot be envisaged now, Russian Ambassador Denis Alipov said on Saturday.

At the same time, he said India can take advantage of the situation to bolster economic ties with as Moscow's Western partners have refused to cooperate with it.

The Russian envoy said the current situation has presented a "window of opportunity" for Indian businesses to expand their presence in and that it would make sense for India to take a closer look at economic cooperation with .

The remarks of the ambassador featured in a video posted by the Russian embassy on its Twitter handle.

"This crisis will have consequences for the whole world, including for the Russia-India relations. To what extent, it will be reflected, probably no one can say now," Alipov said.

"We perceive from the fact that our relations are developing in the interests of the two countries and they are of strategic nature. There may be an impact in terms of transactions," he said.

Referring to the possible impact of the Western sanctions on India-Russia ties, he said there is a bilateral mechanism for mutual settlements of transactions in national currencies.

"There is a working bilateral mechanism for mutual settlements in national currencies which is already being used. The only question is how to use it on a wider scale," he said.

The ambassador suggested that the use of the mechanism widely will help in offsetting the impact of the sanctions.

"It makes sense for the Indians to take advantage of the situation when many Western partners refused to cooperate with us, and more actively penetrate the Russian market," he said.

"This is a window of opportunity for Indian businesses. It also makes sense for India to take a closer look at cooperation with Russia," Alipov said.

The ambassador also complimented India for its "independent" foreign policy.

"We have repeatedly stated that we welcome the independent foreign policy of India and strengthening of its role and influence in the arena," he said.

India has abstained from resolutions at the United Nations which were brought up to criticise Russia for its military aggression on . "We never put any pressure on her (India) and do not set any conditions as you know. The Indians are now under severe pressure in the US," Alipov said.

On the evacuation of stranded Indians from conflict zones in Ukraine, the Russian ambassador said his government has been trying its best to take them out from eastern Ukrainian cities of Kharkiv, Sumy and Pisochyn.

Alipov claimed that around 3,000 Indians are stuck in Kharkiv, nearly 900 in Pisochyn and 670 in Sumy.

However, at a media briefing on Saturday, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the safe exit of Indians from Kharkiv and Pisochyn is almost complete.

"Pisochyn has been evacuated of all Indian citizens. The mission will continue to remain in touch with them through their journey," the Indian embassy in tweeted in the evening.

Bagchi said India is now focusing on evacuating around 700 Indian students from Sumy, a city in eastern Ukraine that is around 60 km from the Russian border.

"The Indians turned to us for help and we responded. We created special groups that are ready to take the Indians to Russian territory and then transport them to India.

"But the catch is that the fighting in these areas continues and where the Indians are, our forces are not. There is no way to pick them up. We have to meet in some places that are not under fire from Ukraine," Alipov said.

He said the Russian side doesn't have access to these areas and that fighting has been going on with the Ukrainian troops.

The envoy said Russia has kept ready hundreds of buses along its borders for transporting the stranded Indians.

"Our buses are waiting and will wait as long as it takes," he 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.)
KEARNEY  There were plenty of smiles, cheers, hugs and laughs. Even some tears were shed.

Dozens of people and leaders from the Kearney community, as well as Columbus, Omaha and Lincoln, packed the upstairs space of 5609 First Ave. Building A in north Kearney on Feb. 22 to celebrate two major business milestones: The expansion of kwELITE Real Estate and Aksarben Mortgage into Kearney, following in the footsteps of successful and established operations in Omaha and Columbus.

Longtime community member and real estate broker/owner Wendy Kreis of Kearney said having so many people in attendance to help celebrate her offices transition to kw and welcoming Aksarben was almost overwhelming.

This night means everything to me, Kreis said among the crowd moments after cutting the ceremonial ribbon to celebrate kw and Aksarben.

Having the energy from the kw team, from Columbus and Omaha, having my own realtors and our volunteers. Theres just so much emotion when I think of how far weve come and how far were going, Kreis said.

Sally Bernard, who is the face of Aksarben Mortgages Kearney operation, was alongside Kreis and echoed her sentiment.

Im so incredibly blessed for the amount of people that showed up to support not only myself, but Wendy and her staff, she said, noting she felt blessed to be part of the Aksarben Mortgage team. Our community is something that we strive to serve every single day. And we can do this by the values and our core beliefs we lived by.

Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce President Derek Rusher and Kearney Mayor Stan Clouse offered some high praise for Kreis and Bernard, as well as kw and Aksarben, for their investments in the community.

The construction of Building A, adjacent from the present kwELITE office, still is a few months away from being completed. But attendees got a feel for the vision kwELITE takes pride in  being a one-source tech-powered hub for every step of a real estate transaction.

The goal of kwELITE was to provide the traditional broker with solutions that arent typically seen in the real estate industry. We wanted to give the consumer a one-stop solution to the entire real estate transaction, said Jeff Cohn, the CEO of kwELITE and Elite Real Estate Systems. And we wanted it to be packaged in one place that could be received both virtually and physically, that includes the mortgage, the title, the insurance  anything and everything from A to Z surrounding a real estate transaction  so the consumer can save time and money.

The kwELITE Kearney team will be located upstairs in Building A, which will also be the home of Aksarben Mortgage when all is said and done.

Kreis spent much of the evening mingling with guests and reflecting on those who helped make it a reality, one of whom was kwELITE Columbus Broker/Owner Renee Mueller.

It was just super awesome to meet up with Renee, hear her vision and how it lined up with my vision, said Kreis, who is president of the Kearney Public Schools Board of Education. To see the energy that comes out of her and her belief in people, just cut into my heart and was what I wanted to do with my team.

A few years ago, Mueller successfully transitioned her office to kwELITE and now has a one-stop shop of real estate services including kw and Aksarben at her Parkway Plaza complex in north Columbus, much like what Kreis now is establishing in Kearney.

I firmly believe you attract what you are and this group of individuals is amazing, Mueller said of the Kearney team. I think they have the right mindset. They know what exactly its going to take to keep growing and expanding.

Cohn praised Mueller and Kreis for believing in the vision for kw and helping the business grow in both markets.

Seeing the launch of Kearney is a testament to the fact that Columbus is offering great value to their community, because if it was something that wasnt succeeding, then of course people wouldnt want to partner with that business entity, Cohn said. Wendy saw an opportunity that was different from the opportunity she currently had and that difference is what makes the experience with kwELITE better.

Despite her happiness seeing so many people she knew on hand, Kreis couldnt help but feel a little somber when thinking about one person who wasnt there. The late Darlene Cepel, a beloved kwELITE Columbus realtor, passed away unexpectedly in 2021 after battling COVID.

Although not physically there, Cepels spirit was undoubtedly felt in the room. Kreis recalled how she met Cepel a couple of years ago through a real estate training course they were both in. They had numerous conversations in the last couple of years, whether on Zoom or in person  once Cepel brought an earnest deposit to her while she was visiting Columbus. Cepel was instrumental in getting Kreis to think about kwELITE, and above all, a dear friend.

So it was only fitting that Kreis showed off a painting of Cepel by a Nebraska artist that will proudly be on display in the office. Members of the Cepel family were among those in attendance to enjoy the festivities. The family and Mueller had previously gifted the painting to the Kearney team.

Its very interesting how our lives intertwined, Kreis said of Cepel. And to be able to know she was part of this and that shes looking at us today, is pretty powerful.
By Xin Ping

Common sense tells us that sometimes the one weeping by the side of the victim at a crime scene by and large turns out to be the murderer, whose tears are not for the victim but for himself in an attempt to cover up his crime. That's why the whole plot sounds extremely familiar when the British government recently declared to co-host a summit to address Afghanistan's humanitarian crisis and especially when British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss boasted that "the UK is determined to lead the global effort".

Is Britain, for the past and the present, the savior of Afghanistan, or the maker of its problems, the murderer of its people, and the plunderer of its wealth? Straightening out Britain's involvement in Afghanistan from the very beginning, people could naturally find the answer from the old script of British colonialism with its toxic legacy left until today.

Three Anglo-Afghan wars were started by Britain from the mid-19th century. Although the attempt to exert influence in Afghanistan ended up with the finale of British invincibility, the seed of conflict and chaos was planted on the South Asian subcontinent in the same way as on the vast lands of other parts of the world. As a result of the colonial wars, parts of southern Afghanistan were incorporated into British India. In 1893, the Durand Agreement was imposed by Britain onto Afghanistan and British India. It was later known as the Durand Line serving as the "boundary" between Afghanistan and Pakistan after the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947. It was Britain's ambition to seek expansion that led to the border conflict still haunting Pakistan and Afghanistan even today.

If colonial trauma is not "enough" to leave Afghanistan in need of a savior today, then the turmoil and troubles Britain and its allies caused during the 20-year invasion of Afghanistan played a key role for Afghanistan's current woes. According to Brown University statistics, about 47,245 Afghan civilians were killed in the war, most of them in Helmand province, the main battlefield of British forces. In 2011, in the name of "searching for the Taliban", British Special Forces SAS killed 33 Afghan civilians with extremely brutal methods such as "kneeling and shooting". British Ministry of Defence was clearly aware of such cases and but attempted to cover them up. Statistics show that only a dozen out of more than 3400 war-related crimes charges have entered the formal investigation process, and some 90% are not investigated. More unfortunately, the families of the victims only received 104.17 in compensation for the crime.

Undoubtedly, the current humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan has everything to do with the hasty withdraw of the American and British forces. During the catastrophic retreat in August 2021, Britain discarded thousands of Afghans working for its forces. At a time when the war-torn country is on the brink of collapse, Britain and its allies, in response to the Taliban takeover, imposed a policy of starvation, including suspended financial assistance and heavy economic sanctions, onto a country where 75% of its spending came from international aid and 95% of its people lack sufficient food. Is that what Britain calls humanitarianism when it exploits Afghan lives as a political leverage against the Taliban governance and when its closest ally the U.S. seized half of the $7 billion of Afghan assets frozen in the U.S. banks to compensate to families of 9/11 victims?

Historical facts show that for almost two hundred years, the British government has never been the savior of Afghan, but originator of most of its misfortunes. Even today when the British officials touted its leadership in offering humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, what it really wants is nothing but a flashback of its good old days of global influence under the new disguise of a grand savior.

The dead cannot speak, but history remembers. Just ask all the people still in the struggle against colonial and hegemonic legacy: who would ever wish to be saved by Britain at all?
A hard-earned thirst once required a cold beer, but now you also need a matching coat, jumper and shirt. Melbourne label Strateas Carlucci has collaborated with VB on a collection for beer tastes with a champagne budget, featuring graphics inspired by the alcohol brand.

With reputations for deconstructed tailoring that explores the tension between the masculine and feminine, while keeping you looking sharp, designers Peter Strateas and Mario-Luca Carlucci seem unlikely choices for cracking cold ones on the runway. For Carlucci, however, it is a timely tap into the nostalgia of childhood as the pair take a moment to look back on the labels tenth anniversary, celebrated with a show as part of the Melbourne Fashion Festival.

Strateas Carlucci designers Mario-Luca Carlucci and Peter Strateas have launched a designer collaboration with beer brand VB as part of the Melbourne Fashion Festival. Credit:Simon Schluter

Being a Victorian-based brand built on hard work we felt that we shared an ethos with VB, Carlucci said. From a personal and sentimental view, with Peter and I, coming from families with Greek and Italian heritage, we saw the value of hard work in our family homes and businesses.

While the VB brand is synonymous with beer, for Carlucci amber long neck bottles bring back the aromas of sweet tomatoes rather than malt and bitter caramels.
Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott wants rapid antigen tests and N95 masks to be free for all Australians living with a disability  and to address national cabinet next Friday.

In his first direct intervention into politics since winning the award, the Paralympic champion and tennis golden grand slam winner wrote to the Prime Minister and all state and territory leaders on Friday to place the two requests on the national agenda.

Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott has made it clear he wont shy away from political debate. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The call comes as Australias internal and external borders come down and as the country learns to live with the Omicron strain of the virus  another 28,032 cases and 37 deaths were reported on Friday. Mr Alcott said in his letter that he supported and embraced the opening up of the country.

However, Mr Alcott said that one in five Australians lived with some form of disability and some faced greater risk of serious illness, hospitalisation and death from COVID-19 too.
One can only say that Ukraine is preparing for the defence of Kyiv as purposefully as Russia is preparing for its attack on Kyiv, Podolyak said. This war has become a peoples war for Ukrainians, he continued. We must win the war. There are no other options. Volodymyr Ariev, a member of Ukraines parliament from the opposition European Solidarity party, expressed confidence that the Rada, Ukraines parliament, would continue to be able to meet despite the wartime situation and noted that many lawmakers remain in Kyiv. People cross on an improvised path under a bridge that was destroyed by a Russian airstrike outside Irpin. Credit:AP In our party, we didnt discuss any plan of evacuation, because we dont want to give up, Ariev said. We are not in this government, but we have arms, and we will fight against invaders here, together with the people. This is the only plan we have  no evacuation, nothing.

Nevertheless, European diplomats, like their American counterparts, are starting to prepare for how to support the Ukrainian government if Kyiv falls or the country is entirely occupied by Russia. A United Nations resolution this past week condemning the invasion, which drew 141 votes, is one element of laying the groundwork to recognise Zelenskys administration as Ukraines legitimate government and to keep it afloat even if it no longer controls territory, said a senior European diplomat. We havent made a plan yet, per se, but it would be something we would be ready to move on right away, the diplomat said. In our experience, it helps to know generally you have international support. As early as last December, some US officials saw signs that the Ukrainian military was preparing for an eventual resistance, even as Zelensky downplayed the threat of invasion. During an official visit, a Ukrainian special operations commander told congressmen Michael Waltz, and Seth Moulton as well as other lawmakers that they were shifting training and planning to focus on maintaining an armed opposition, relying on insurgent-like tactics.

Ukrainian officials told the lawmakers that they were frustrated that the United States had not sent Harpoon missiles to target Russian ships and Stinger missiles to attack Russian aircraft, Moulton and Waltz said in separate interviews. The United States diverted some military aid to Ukraine that it had planned to send to Afghanistan, but that package mostly included small arms, ammunition and medical kits meant for a fight against the Taliban, not Russia, said Waltz, who served in Afghanistan as a Special Forces officer. As the Russian military struggles with logistical challenges  including fuel and food shortages  Waltz anticipates that the Ukrainians will repeatedly strike Russian supply lines. To do that, they need a steady supply of weapons and the ability to set improvised explosive devices, he said. Those supply lines are going to be very, very vulnerable, and thats where you really literally starve the Russian army. Moulton, who served in Iraq as a Marine Corps infantry officer, said that he is in favour of sending Harpoons and Stingers  the administration has decided to send the latter weapons, according to a US official and a document obtained by The Washington Post  but that using them also will require training. You cant ship them to Ukraine at the last minute and expect some national guardsman to pick up a Stinger and shoot down an aircraft, he said. Continuing a resistance campaign will require continued clandestine shipments of small arms, ammunition, explosives and even cold-weather gear.

Think about the kinds of things that would be used by saboteurs as opposed to an army repelling a frontal invasion, Moulton said. Officials remain cautious about overt support for a Ukrainian insurgency lest it draw NATO member countries into direct conflict with Russia. In Moscows eyes, support for a Zelensky government operating in Poland could constitute an attack by the alliance, some officials warned. But Ukraines leaders and its citizens arent likely to be deterred by NATOs concerns. I doubt very much that the Ukrainians will not continue an underground resistance campaign even after the Russians establish control, said a senior Western intelligence official. Moscow has grossly underestimated Ukraines ability to resist, the official said. Im reminded, especially by my eastern colleagues, about Ukrainians themselves. Ukrainians were some of the fiercest fighters . . . for the Soviets during World War II. He predicted that a resistance would continue for months and possibly years.

The United States has backed and fought against successful insurgencies. Veterans of such conflicts say that the Ukrainians so far have demonstrated the key ingredient. Loading The number one thing you have to have is people on the ground who want to fight, said Jack Devine, a retired senior CIA officer who ran the agencys successful covert campaign to arm Afghan fighters who drove out the Soviet military in the 1980s. If Russian and Ukrainian negotiators who have been meeting near the border in Belarus reach some settlement, that will likely diminish the momentum for an insurgency and support for it, Devine predicted. Marta Kepe, a senior defence analyst at the Rand Corp. who studies resistance movements, said that they often change during the course of a war.

As occupation progresses and extends for a longer time, what can start out as a more centralised resistance often changes into smaller resistance groups or units. It is not a negative thing, she said. In fact, smaller groups allow more resilience. NATO policymakers admire the spirit of the Ukrainian forces, but they also say that their ability to hold out against Russia is not unlimited, especially as stocks of ammunition dwindle and the Russian military extends its encirclement of major cities. Russia has more troops than Ukraine, said a second senior European diplomat. Ukrainian troops are very brave, but they are already fighting more than a week. Experts in resistance and urban warfare said Russian occupation forces will try to squeeze supply pipelines and cut off cities. Rita Konaev, director of analysis for Georgetown Universitys Centre for Security and Emerging Technology, said Ukraine should be preparing its citizens for combat in cities accompanied by mass air and artillery bombardment, which Russia will use to try to reduce the amount of door-to-door fighting that taking cities requires.

Konaev said that Ukrainians should also lay in supplies in advance, because Russian forces will likely disable the electrical grid and cut off access to water in the cities, and that they should establish safe areas underground to survive the aerial bombardment. Loading Once Russian forces try to move into the cities, Ukrainians will have an advantage because they know the terrain, she said. They can build barriers, destroy bridges to limit entrances into the city, and place snipers on rooftops. In urban warfare, defence has the advantage, Konaev said. European leaders have been trying to game out what Russian President Vladimir Putin would accept as a potential end state for a defeated Ukraine. Policymakers say they dont have a clear sense, although the first European diplomat said that Putin might attempt to reduce Ukraine to a much smaller state.

Under that scenario, western Ukraine would remain independent. The other territories would be incorporated into Russia, occupied, or declared independent states, as the Kremlin has already done with the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. But Russias ability to impose that vision is most improbable, the diplomat said, given the profound anger in Ukraine against the Russian invasion. Loading This is a country of 40 million [people], the diplomat said. The Kremlin can try to have a strategy. But I think in our strategic calculations we are always forgetting one small obstacle, and thats the will of the people. Putin has forgotten how to be elected in a democratic way. NATO leaders also say that even if Russia captures Kyiv, that would not end the resistance, nor the existence of the Ukrainian state.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will today (March 6, 2022) visit Pune (Maharashtra) to unveil the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on the premises of Pune Municipal Corporation. The Statue, which is made up of 1,850 kg of gunmetal and is about 9.5-feet tall, will be unveiled by the Prime Minister at around 11 AM.

On the occasion of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's Jayanti on February 19, the Prime Minister had said that his outstanding leadership and emphasis on social welfare has been inspiring people for generations.

"Bowing to one of the greatest sons of Mother India, the embodiment of courage, compassion and good governance, the exceptional Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his Jayanti. His life continues to motivate millions. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj made a mark as a valorous warrior and an outstanding administrator. From building a strong navy to ushering several pro-people policies, he was outstanding in all spheres. He will always be remembered for his opposition to injustice and intimidation," the PM had tweeted.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj made a mark as a valorous warrior and an outstanding administrator. From building a strong navy to ushering several pro-people policies, he was outstanding in all spheres. He will always be remembered for his opposition to injustice and intimidation.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 19, 2020

After unveiling the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, PM Modi will then inaugurate the 12-km stretch of the total 32.2 km Pune metro rail project at around 11:30 AM. This project, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said, is being built at a total cost of more than Rs 11,400 crore and is an endeavour to provide world-class infrastructure for urban mobility in Pune.

The foundation stone of the project was also laid by the Prime Minister on December 24, 2016.

He will also inaugurate and inspect the Exhibition at Garware Metro Station and will undertake a metro ride from there to Anandnagar Metro Station.

At around 12 noon, Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate multiple developmental projects. He will also lay the foundation stone of rejuvenation and pollution abatement of the Mula-Mutha River projects. A rejuvenation will be done in a 9 km stretch of the river at a project cost of more than Rs 1,080 crores.

"It will involve works such as river edge protection, interceptor sewage network, public amenities, boating activity etc," the PMO said.

Mula-Mutha River pollution abatement project will be implemented on the concept of One City One Operator at a cost of over Rs 1,470 crore. A total of 11 sewage treatment plants will be constructed under the project, with a combined capacity of around 400 MLD. Prime Minister will also launch 140 e-buses and e-bus depot constructed at Baner.

The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the RK Laxman Art Gallery-Museum constructed at Balewadi in Pune. The main attraction of the Museum is a miniature model based on the village of Malgudi which will be made alive through the audio-visual effects. Cartoons drawn by cartoonist RK Laxman will be showcased in the Museum, the Prime Minister's Office said.

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Perhaps the best adjectives we can apply to two recent Montgomery County School Board meetings are bumpy, uneasy, painful and awkward. Maybe outrageous is a worthy term, too.

My colleague, reporter Yann Ranaivo, phrased it another way. He called the confrontation at the boards Feb.15 meeting among the most heated interactions seen in recent years at Montgomery County school board meetings.

The video is out there on YouTube, and his characterization seems to fit.

The dustup was between school board Chair Sue Kass and Alecia Vaught, a Christiansburg resident who told me she has two children and two grandchildren in Montgomery County schools.

At the meeting, Vaught was clearly frustrated that the school board had not canceled an in-school mask mandate after newly inaugurated Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued an executive order canceling them in schools across Virginia. That happened minutes after Youngkins Jan. 15 inauguration.

Vaught argued that Montgomerys school board had previously followed former governor Ralph Northams 2020 executive order imposing mask mandates in schools. But the board would not follow Youngkins executive order that reversed the earlier one issued by Northam.

You dont want to follow [Youngkins] orders, Vaught added. Why is that?

It makes no sense, Vaught added. It makes all of you a bunch of hypocrites. She explicitly suggested it was all about political party labels.

Well examine that argument later in this column, because we havent yet gotten to the meetings spicy part. That came seconds later in Vaughts remarks, as she displayed photos on her smartphone to the board members.

Vaught, who held a mask in her hand, complained that Kass had yelled at her during a previous school board meeting for not wearing her mask.

Heres a picture of you, right here on Facebook, with a crowd of people with no mask, Vaught charged. (Vaught later acknowledged to me that the photos depicted Kass in a setting outside of a school.)

At that point, Kass began banging her gavel, and said Thats it! And the two parties began talking over each other.

Im sorry, Ms. Vaught, but you are done, Kass announced. If you are going to disparage a member of our school board, you can sit down. She also said Vaught was welcome to address the board on board policies, on students or any other germane matter.

When Vaught continued to speak about the photos, Kass called for a sheriffs deputy in the back of the room, and asked him to ask Vaught to leave. He approached Vaught and requested she allow other speakers to have their say.

Vaught refused and continued speaking. The deputy backed off. When board members Dana Partin and Jamie Bond said Kass should let Vaught finish, and added they had experienced worse attacks from speakers in 2021, Kass replied, those are my, thats my family!

What do you think about our family? Vaught shot back. Our family is being suffocated to death because of your policies.

At that point Kass said, Im done! and walked out of the meeting. Vaught continued and finished her remarks.

This past Tuesday night, Kass apologized to the board and her constituents for her actions at the Feb. 15 meeting. She read a 429-word statement, with the explicit apology up front. Heres part of that:

Local elected officials have been challenged in ways that they have never been before. Im not the only one who has felt these pressures. Every Board member that sits with me tonight has felt them, Kass said,

COVID and the undue burden that has been placed on school boards across the Commonwealth has strained our public education system and has tested the very institutions we have come to rely on. We all need to be reminded, including myself, that we can disagree without being disagreeable.

But together, right now, we can turn a page on the division that exists within our community. One that returns civility to our work. One that accepts each other for the people that we all are. And one that understands that every time we lose sight of the greater goal were only hurting the children and students we are both seeking to help.

The apology was a good one, because shes right about the bigger picture. It was also the right thing to do because Kasss actions were wrong in the Feb. 15 meeting. Evidently, she realized that afterward. So at Tuesdays meeting, she acted like an adult should.

All of us lose our tempers now and then, and later regret things we said and did on the occasion. Apologies are the civil way to handle that. Thats the way everyone can move on.

But Kass isnt the only person who should be offering an apology. Vaught should apologize, too. For one thing, her argument charging Kass and the board with hypocrisy is weirdly illogical and wrong.

Yes, school boards followed Northams 2020 executive order regarding mask mandates in schools. But then later, in 2021, the General Assembly enacted a law that required schools to follow COVID guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

The Montgomery County School Board was adhering to that law, which Youngkin didnt have the power to override with his executive order.

Other school boards got caught by that 2021 law, too, when they attempted to remove their mask mandates too early. That happened twice with the Roanoke County School Board. (The General Assembly repealed the 2021 law this year, and that repeal took effect March 1.)

Thats why Vaughts hypocrisy charge is nonsense. The Montgomery County School Board carefully and faithfully followed state law  which is exactly what its members should be doing.

Vaughts effort to shame Kass by displaying photos of her maskless, outside a school setting, as some kind of evidence of hypocrisy, was even worse.

First, it personalized a dispute about public policy. Thats a futile road to travel on almost any occasion, because it only ratchets up emotions. Second, if Vaught truly believes Kass should be masked outside schools, then shes holding Kass to a higher masking standard than the school board held its students to.

Thats what truly makes no sense about her argument. And its why Vaught owes an apology, too.

When we spoke Friday, Vaught said, I dont agree with that at all.

Why do you think I should apologize to her? Vaught said. I am the parent. I am the boss.  She works for me. If I want to go in there and sing the ABCs song, that is my right.

Notice the juvenile attitude in those remarks. They bring us to a larger point.

Yes, there was an ugly dispute. The citizen started it, in a school board meeting, by displaying personal pictures of a public servant while attempting to make a ridiculously irrelevant point. The public servant ended it by stomping out of the room in anger.

But only one party in this dustup acted like an adult and apologized. Kass came back to the next meeting and delivered a lesson in public civility.

The other party, meanwhile, still hasnt learned it.
The National Weather service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for northern Dane County and other areas of south-central Wisconsin shortly after 5 p.m. Saturday.

The storm could bring quarter-size hail and winds up to 50 mph, the Weather Service said. The warning is in effect until 5:45 p.m. Saturday.

Trained weather spotters identified the severe storm at 5:06 p.m. near Lake Wisconsin, moving northeast at 55 mph, the Weather Service said.

The warning is for southwestern Green Lake County, central Columbia County, northern Dane County, southeastern Marquette County and east-central Sauk County.

Madison is not one of the cities included in the warning, but will be under a wind advisory later in the evening.

The wind advisory is in effect from 12 a.m. to 9 a.m. Sunday morning for south-central and southeast Wisconsin, including Dane County and the surrounding area. Gusts of up to 50 mph are possible, the Weather Service said.
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Thousands of Ukrainians protested against Russian troops in occupied Kherson and demonstrated incredible bravery and defiance in the face of an invading army.

Residents poured out into the main square of the Black Sea port on Saturday to wave blue and yellow flags and chant at Vladimir Putin's forces, as Russian combatants reportedly responded by firing automatic weapons into the air to disperse the crowd, before leaving the city centre themselves.

In Kherson, the only major city to have fallen to Russian forces so far, 2,000 people took to the streets as demonstrators chanted 'Glory to Ukraine' and 'Death to the enemy'. One protester was seen climbing on top of a Russian armoured vehicle while holding the blue and yellow flag of Ukraine, The Mirror reported.

There had earlier been signs of defiance from the population of Melitopol, which was taken over by the Russians this week. Locals shouted 'Go home!' and 'Melitopol us Ukraine', and demonstrators have been saying 'out with the orcs' at Russians - comparing them to the malevolent invaders of JRR Tolein's The Lord of the Rings.

The show of defiance came after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Saturday that Ukrainian statehood is in jeopardy and likened the West's sanctions on Russia to 'declaring war,' while a promised cease-fire in the besieged port city of Mariupol collapsed amid scenes of terror.

With the Kremlin's rhetoric growing fiercer and a reprieve from fighting dissolving, Russian troops continued to shell encircled cities and the number of Ukrainians forced from their country grew to 1.4 million.

By Saturday night Russian forces had intensified their shelling of Mariupol, while dropping powerful bombs on residential areas of Chernihiv, a city north of Kyiv, Ukrainian officials said.

Bereft mothers mourned slain children, wounded soldiers were fitted with tourniquets and doctors worked by the light of their cellphones as bleakness and desperation pervaded. Putin continued to pin the blame for all of it squarely on the Ukrainian leadership and slammed their resistance to the invasion.

'If they continue to do what they are doing, they are calling into question the future of Ukrainian statehood,' he said. 'And if this happens, it will be entirely on their conscience.'

He also hit out at Western sanctions that have crippled Russia's economy and sent the value of its currency tumbling.

'These sanctions that are being imposed, they are akin to declaring war,' he said during a televised meeting with flight attendants from Russian airline Aeroflot. 'But thank God, we haven't got there yet.'

Russia's financial system suffered yet another blow as Mastercard and Visa announced they were suspending operations in the country.

In Kherson, the only major city to have fallen to Russian forces so far, 2,000 people took to the streets as demonstrators chanted 'Glory to Ukraine' and 'Death to the enemy'. One protester was seen climbing on top of a Russian armoured vehicle while holding the blue and yellow flag of Ukraine

Thousands of Ukrainians protested against Russian troops in occupied Kherson (left) and demonstrated incredible bravery and defiance in the face of an invading army. There had earlier been signs of defiance from the population of Melitopol (right), which was taken over by the Russians this week. Locals shouted 'Melitopol us Ukraine', and demonstrators have been shouting 'out with the orcs' at Russians - comparing them to the malevolent invaders of JRR Tolein's The Lord of the Rings

Gulayim Tolibaeva, 30, sobs as she watches local residents help clear the rubble of a home that was destroyed by a suspected Russian airstrike which killed at least six people in Markhalivka, Ukraine, Saturday, March 5

A temporary reception area has set up at a warehouse at the city skirt of Przemysl, Poland, in order to cope with hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees fleeing through the Medyka-Shehyni border

ODESSA: Ukrainian civilians weave camouflage netting by hand, surrounded by donated cloth and stretched fishing nets, to support Ukrainian armed forces against an expected Russian attack on March 5

ODESSA: Ukrainian civilians fill sandbags with Black Sea sand, along a tourist beach, for use in defensive positions in the city before an expected Russian assault in Odessa, Ukraine, on March 5

LVIV: Civilians learn to use AK47 rifles in a cinema at the Lviv Film Center on 5 March 2022 in Lviv, Ukraine

ODESSA: Ukrainian civilians weave camouflage netting by hand, surrounded by donated cloth and stretched fishing nets, to support Ukrainian armed forces against an expected Russian attack on March 5,

Ten days after Russian forces invaded, the struggle to enforce the temporary cease-fires in Mariupol and the eastern city of Volnovakha showed the fragility of efforts to stop the fighting across Ukraine.

Ukrainian officials said Russian artillery fire and airstrikes had prevented residents from leaving before the agreed-to evacuations got underway. Putin accused Ukraine of sabotaging the effort.

A third round of talks between Russia and Ukraine will take place Monday, according to Davyd Arakhamia, a member of the Ukrainian delegation. He gave no additional details, including where they would take place.

Previous meetings were held in Belarus and led to the failed cease-fire agreement to create humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of children, women and older people from besieged cities, where pharmacies have run bare, hundreds of thousands face food and water shortages, and the injured have been succumbing to their wounds.

In comments carried on Ukrainian television, Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko said thousands of residents had gathered for safe passage out of the city of 430,000 when shelling began and the evacuation was stopped. Later in the day, he said the attack had escalated further.

ODESSA: Ukrainian civilians fill sandbags with Black Sea sand at the Odessa Yacht Club, for use in defensive positions in the city before an expected Russian assault in Odessa, Ukraine, on March 5

'The city is in a very, very difficult state of siege,' Boychenko told Ukrainian TV. 'Relentless shelling of residential blocks is ongoing, airplanes have been dropping bombs on residential areas. The Russian occupants are using heavy artillery, including Grad multiple rocket launchers.'

Russia has made significant advances in the south, seeking to cut off Ukraine's access to the sea. Capturing Mariupol could allow Russia to establish a land corridor to Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.

Meanwhile the head of the Chernihiv region said Russia has dropped powerful bombs on residential areas of the city of the same name, which has a population of 290,000. Vyacheslav Chaus posted a photo online of what he said was an undetonated FAB-500, a 1,100-pound (500-kilogram) bomb.

'Usually this weapon is used against military-industrial facilities and fortified structures,' Chaus said. 'But in Chernihiv, against residential areas.'

In a speech to Ukrainians on Saturday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pointed to 'the 500-kilogram bombs that were dropped on the houses of Ukrainians. Look at Borodyanka, at the destroyed schools, at the blown-up kindergartens. At the damaged Kharkiv Assumption Cathedral. Look what Russia has done.'

The West has broadly backed Ukraine, offering aid and weapons and slapping Russia with vast sanctions. But the fight itself has been left to Ukrainians, who have expressed a mixture of courageous resolve and despondency.

LVIV: Civilians learn to use AK47 rifles in a cinema at the Lviv Film Center on 5 March 2022

The money raised by the Mail Force charity  in record-breaking time  has already been put to good use, with mothers and children arriving over the border to Slovakia yesterday greeted by aid workers funded by our generous readers

'Ukraine is bleeding,' Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in a video released Saturday, 'but Ukraine has not fallen.'

Russian troops advanced on a third nuclear power plant, having already taken control of one of the four operating in the country and the closed plant in Chernobyl, Zelenskyy told U.S. lawmakers.

Zelenskyy pleaded with the lawmakers for additional help, specifically fighter planes to help secure the skies over Ukraine, even as he insisted Russia was being defeated.

'We're inflicting losses on the occupants they could not see in their worst nightmare,' Zelenskyy said.

The Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday and MailOnline UKRAINE REFUGEE APPEAL Readers of Mail Newspapers and MailOnline have always shown immense generosity at times of crisis. Calling upon that human spirit, we are now launching an appeal to raise money for refugees from Ukraine. For, surely, no one can fail to be moved by the heartbreaking images and stories of families  mostly women, children, the infirm and elderly  fleeing from Russia's invading armed forces. As this tally of misery increases over the coming days and months, these innocent victims of a tyrant will require accommodation, schools and medical support. All donations to the Mail Ukraine Appeal will be distributed to charities and aid organisations providing such essential services. In the name of charity and compassion, we urge all our readers to give swiftly and generously. TO MAKE A DONATION ONLINE Donate at www.mailforcecharity.co.uk/donate To add Gift Aid to a donation  even one already made  complete an online form found here: mymail.co.uk/ukraine Via bank transfer, please use these details: Account name: Mail Force Charity Account number: 48867365 Sort code: 60-00-01 TO MAKE A DONATION VIA CHEQUE Make your cheque payable to 'Mail Force' and post it to: Mail Newspapers Ukraine Appeal, GFM, 42 Phoenix Court, Hawkins Road, Colchester, Essex CO2 8JY TO MAKE A DONATION FROM THE US US readers can donate to the appeal via a bank transfer to Associated Newspapers or by sending checks to dailymail.com HQ at 51 Astor Place (9th floor), New York, NY 10003 Advertisement

Russian troops took control of the southern port city of Kherson this week. Although they have encircled Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv and Sumy, Ukrainian forces have managed to keep control of key cities in central and southeastern Ukraine, Zelenskyy said.

Diplomatic efforts continued as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Poland to meet with the prime minister and foreign minister, a day after attending a NATO meeting in Brussels in which the alliance pledged to step up support for eastern flank members.

In Moscow, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met with Putin at the Kremlin. Israel maintains good relations with both Russia and Ukraine, and Bennett has offered to act as an intermediary in the conflict, but no details of the meeting emerged immediately.

However, Bennett's office said he spoke twice with Zelenskyy afterward. Bennett also had a conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron.

In the wake of Western sanctions, Aeroflot, Russia's flagship state-owned airline, announced that it plans to halt all international flights except to Belarus, starting Tuesday.

The death toll of the conflict was difficult to measure. The U.N. human rights office said at least 351 civilians have been confirmed killed since Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, but the true number is probably much higher. The Russian military, which doesn't offer regular updates on casualties, said Wednesday that 498 of its troops had been killed.

Ukraine's military is vastly outmatched by Russia's, but its professional and volunteer forces have fought back with fierce tenacity. Even in cities that have fallen, there were signs of resistance.

Onlookers in Chernihiv cheered as they watched a Russian military plane fall from the sky and crash, according to video released by the Ukrainian government. In Kherson, hundreds of protesters waved blue and yellow Ukrainian flag sand shouted, 'Go home.'

A vast Russian armored column threatening Ukraine's capital remained stalled outside Kyiv. Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovich said Saturday afternoon that the military situation was quieter overall and that Russian forces hadn't 'taken active actions since the morning.'

Zelenskyy has pleaded for a no-fly zone over his country and lashed out at NATO for refusing to impose one, warning that 'all the people who die from this day forward will also die because of you.'

Putin warned that a no-fly zone would be considered a hostile act, and NATO has said it has no plans to implement one. Western officials have said a main reason is a desire to not widen the war beyond Ukraine.

The U.S. Congress is considering a request for $10 billion in emergency funding for humanitarian aid and security needs. The U.N. said it would increase its humanitarian operations both inside and outside Ukraine, and the Security Council scheduled a meeting for Monday on the worsening situation.

As Russia cracks down on independent media reporting on the war, more major international news outlets said they were pausing their work in that country. Putin said nothing warrants imposing martial law at this point.

And in a warning of an impending hunger crisis yet to come, the U.N. World Food Program has said millions of people inside Ukraine, a major global wheat supplier, will need food aid 'immediately.'

Kyiv's central train station remained crowded with people desperate to flee. 'People just want to live,' one woman, Ksenia, said.
Kochi: Kerala Police took a tattoo artist into custody in Kochi on Saturday for allegedly sexually assaulting several women.

Police said six cases have been registered against the accused Sujeesh PS who runs a tattoo studio at Edappally at Kochi. An 18-year-old girl alleged that she was raped by Sujeesh inside the tattoo studio while she was getting inked.

Kochi City Police Commissioner CH Nagaraju said that Sujeesh has been taken into custody and that further proceedings will be done on Sunday. Sujeesh was taken into custody by Cheranalloor Police. Cases under sections 354 and 376 of the Indian Penal Code have been registered against him. The investigation is underway.

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New Delhi: Stepping into the role of a mediator to resolve the conflict between Moscow and Kyiv, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin on Saturday (March 5) to discuss the war in Ukraine. He later dialed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Bennetts spokesperson informed.

In his three-hour long meeting with Putin, the Israeli PM also raised the issue of the large Jewish community caught up in the war in Ukraine, Reuters cited an official as saying.

Bennett is coordinating his efforts in the crisis with the United States, France and Germany, an Israeli official said.

Israel played mediator at the behest of the Ukrainian president, however, officials earlier played down expectations of any breakthrough in the ongoing conflict.

Israel has decided to send medical teams to Ukraine next week to set up a field hospital to provide treatment for refugees, its Health Ministry announced. Russia's invasion has led to nearly 1.3 million refugees escaping westward into the European Union. the head of the U.N. refugee agency predicted that the number of Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian invasion could rise to 1.5 million by the end of the weekend from a current 1.3 million.

Israel has denounced the Russian invasion and backed Ukraine, saying it will maintain contact with Moscow in the hope of helping to ease the crisis.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the West on Saturday and said that the Western sanctions were akin to a declaration of war. Moscow and Kyiv blamed each other over a failed ceasefire to enable civilians to evacuate two cities besieged by Russian forces.

(With agency inputs)

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When the Elm Duo sings these words on March 18, Mike Bell will be thinking of his grandfather, and millions more:

Sorrow, sorrow, for my beloved

For my cherished native lands

Sorrow, sorrow, my heart does weep so

Never will I be able to see it again

The words are translated from the Ukrainian song Hej Sokoly, which Bell and his daughter Eleanor Mayerfeld, the other half of the Elm Duo, will perform later this month at North Street Cabaret.

The show will feature the father-daughter duo as well as the Madison klezmer group Yid Vicious, and is a benefit for the humanitarian aid nonprofit UnitedHelpUkraine.org.

Musicians from both groups also were at Saturdays Rally in Support of Ukraine on Capitol Square. Four members of Yid Vicious  horn and accordion player Kia Karlen, percussionist Geoff Brady, clarinetist Greg Smith and vocalist Anna Purnell  played with the Forward Marching Band to welcome hundreds of participants to the rally.

I think its really important for the artistic community here in Madison to band together and show support for artists and everybody in Ukraine, Karlen said.

Yid Vicious also will perform March 19 at the International Festival, a free, annual, all-day event that is returning to the Overture Center after a pandemic-induced hiatus.

The festival fills Overture with concerts and performances by local artists featuring arts and cultural traditions from around the world. That includes the UW Russian Folk Orchestra, a long-standing feature of the festival.

Honestly, I hate whats going on in Ukraine, said Victor Gorodinsky, founder and director of the UW Russian Folk Orchestra, who placed a We stand with Ukraine! message on the orchestras Facebook page.

Its absolutely horrific. I have friends in Ukraine, he said.

About the music

Still, Gorodinsky felt compelled to reach out to his orchestra members and to International Festival organizer Karra Beach to make sure they were comfortable with the idea of the orchestra performing.

Weve played the International Festival for years, Gorodinsky said of his apolitical group. I assume most people who attend our concerts are smart and intelligent enough to realize that all we do is play music.

The orchestra plays some Russian music, but we also do some Ukrainian numbers, as well as music from Poland and other eastern European countries, said Gorodinsky, who emigrated from Russia to the U.S. 40 years ago. Our programs are always mixed.

The 36-member UW Russian Folk Orchestra, composed of UW-Madison students, retired faculty and community members, has been around for 25 years and plays music on traditional instruments. The Slavic-style costumes the group purchased just before the COVID-19 shutdown were made in Ukraine, Gorodinsky said.

Overtures International Festival is designed to create a safe space for community performers and cultural traditions to come together, Beach said. Although performers are bound by their contracts not to make political statements at the festival, Beach said she would not be surprised if some express sympathy for the people of Ukraine from the stage.

I dont consider that political, she said. Its solidarity.

Klezmer roots

The Elm Duo used to play more bluegrass and Americana music, but about two years ago Mayerfeld became increasingly interested in Yiddish and klezmer music, which draws on the traditions of Ashkenazi Judaism and eastern European folk music.

Bells grandfather, Joshua Beliavsky, was from Lubny, Ukraine, but left in 1903 for the U.S. rather than fight in the Russian czars army.

A lot of klezmer music comes from that area, Mayerfeld said. A lot of songs, both in Yiddish and Ukrainian, talk about exactly my great-grandfathers experience of having to go out and fight this war and be separated from your family for a cause that means nothing to you, but you have no choice in the matter.

A former Wisconsin state fiddling champion, Mayerfeld teaches voice and violin, sings in the Madison Opera Chorus and next year will enter a masters program in classical voice. Her father, who plays guitar in the duo, is a sociology professor at UW-Madison and a part-time composer.

When Elm Duo and Yid Vicious decided to share the bill at the March 18 show at North Street Cabaret, the venue was excited to have an-all klezmer evening, Bell said.

Some of the music Yid Vicious will perform comes from the region that is modern-day Ukraine, Karlen said.

Wed like to make it into a celebration of resilience and keeping the culture alive, she said, and doing what we can to help.
Damaging wind gusts and stormy weather are headed for parts of Central Illinois on Saturday night, according to the National Weather Service at Lincoln.

The greatest threat for severe storms will be along and northwest of Interstate 55, the weather service said. Damaging wind gusts over 60 mph will be the main threat. A few brief tornadoes could occur, mainly northwest of the Illinois River.

The Lincoln branch of the agency tweeted at 8:15 p.m. that meteorologists were keeping an eye on a line of strong to severe storms tracking across eastern Iowa and northeast Missouri.

A wind advisory is in effect until 6 a.m. Sunday for much of the region. Strong south winds gusting up to 50 mph are expected, shifting to westerly later in the night.

Westerly winds gusting up to 40-45 mph will gradually decrease into the early morning hours on Sunday, the weather service said.

Minor snow accumulations are possible Monday, and again Thursday night and Friday. Amounts are uncertain at this time.
Behind some of the most fascinating scientific discoveries and innovations are women whose names might not be familiar but whose stories are worth knowing.

Of course, there are far too many to all fit on one list.

But here are five profiles from The Conversations archive that highlight the brilliance, grit and unique perspectives of five women who worked in geosciences, math, ornithology, pharmacology and physics during the 20th century.

1. Revealing and mapping the ocean floor

As late as the 1950s, wrote Wesleyan University geoscientist Suzanne OConnell, many scientists assumed the seabed was featureless.

Enter Marie Tharp. In 1957, she and her research partner started publishing detailed hand-drawn maps of the ocean floor, complete with rugged mountains, valleys and deep trenches.

Tharp was a geologist and oceanographer. Aboard research ships, she would carefully record the depth of the ocean, point by point, using sonar. One of her innovations was to translate this data into topographical sketches of what the seafloor looked like.

Her discovery of a rift valley in the North Atlantic shook the world of geology  her supervisor on the ship dismissed her idea as girl talk, and Jacques Cousteau was determined to prove her wrong. But she was right, and her insight was a key contribution to plate tectonic theory. Thats part of why, OConnell writes, I believe Tharp should be as famous as Jane Goodall or Neil Armstrong.

2. Sympathetic observation of bird behavior

Margaret Morse Nice was a field biologist who got into the minds of her study subjects to garner new insights into animal behavior. Most famously she observed song sparrows in the 1920s and 30s.

Rochester Institute of Technology professor of science, technology and society Kristoffer Whitney recounted what Nice called her phenomenological method, acknowledging the obvious affection and anthropomorphism you can see in her descriptions.

When I first studied the Song Sparrows, Nice wrote, I had looked upon Song Sparrow 4M as a truculent, meddlesome neighbor; but  I discovered him to be a delightful bird, spirited, an accomplished songster and a devoted father.

Despite earning no advanced degrees and being considered an amateur, Nice promoted innovations like the use of colored leg bands to distinguish individual birds, gained the respect of her better-known peers and enjoyed a long, successful career.

Read more: Margaret Morse Nice thought like a song sparrow and changed how scientists understand animal behavior

3. A medical researcher in Maoist China

At the height of Chinas Cultural Revolution, a young scientist named Tu Youyou headed a covert operation called Project 523 under military supervision. One of her teams goals was to identify and systematically test substances used in traditional Chinese medicine in an effort to vanquish chloroquine-resistant malaria.

Historian Jia-Chen Fu described how contrary to popular assumptions that Maoist China was summarily against science and scientists, the Communist party-state needed the scientific elite for certain political and practical purposes.

Tu followed a hunch about how to extract an antimalarial compound from the qinghao or artemisia plant. By 1971, her team had successfully obtained a nontoxic and neutral extract that was called qinghaosu or artemisinin. In 2015, she was honored with a Nobel Prize.

4. A mathematician who wouldnt be diverted

Not everyone gets called a creative mathematical genius by Albert Einstein. But Emmy Noether did.

Mathematician Tamar Lichter Blanks wrote about the roadblocks Noether faced as a Jewish woman who wanted to pursue a math career in early 1900s Germany. For a while, Noether supervised doctoral students without pay and taught university courses listed under the name of a male colleague.

All the while, she conducted her own research in theoretical physics, contributing to Einsteins theory of relativity. Her most revolutionary work was in ring theory and is still pondered by mathematicians today.

Noether died less than two years after emigrating to the U.S. to escape the Nazis.

5. Testing nuclear theories one by one

While sometimes called the Chinese Marie Curie in her home country, nuclear physicist Chien-Shiung Wu is less well-known in the U.S., where she did the bulk of her work. Rutgers University-Newark physicist Xuejian Wu considered Chien-Shiung Wu (no relation) an icon who inspired his own career path.

As a grad student, Wu traveled by steamship to California in 1936, where she fell in love with atomic nuclei research at UC Berkeley, home of a brand new cyclotron. She worked on the Manhattan Project during World War II.

Among her many accomplishments, Wus careful experimental work discovered whats called parity nonconservation  that is, that a physical process and its mirror reflection are not necessarily identical. Her colleagues who focused on the theoretical side of this breakthrough won the 1957 Nobel Prize in physics, but Wu was overlooked.

This story is a roundup of articles from The Conversations archives.

___
Here are todays leading news stories:

COVID-19 Updates

-- Vietnams Ministry of Health documented 131,817 COVID-19 cases on Saturday, raising the countrys tally to 4,232,520, with 2,616,002 recoveries and 40,726 deaths.

-- The health ministry has proposed that COVID-19 patients with no symptoms be allowed to work online during their quarantine time, while their direct contacts should be permitted to either work from home or in the office.

-- A shipment of three million COVID-19 vaccine doses for children aged five to below 12 is expected to arrive in Vietnam by the end of this month, according to a source close to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

Society

-- A 55-year-old man and his 29-year-old son were killed after their truck had a brake failure and tipped over in northern Yen Bai Province on Friday night, police confirmed on Saturday.

-- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh officially inaugurated the first phase of the VND3.3 trillion (US$144 million) Cai Lon-Cai Be irrigation system during a ceremony in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang on Saturday.

-- Police in north-central Quang Binh Province confirmed on Saturday they had imposed over VND7 million ($306) worth of fines on two teenage boys, both 17, who had posted a video of themselves riding a motorbike with one foot on TikTok.

-- Officers in northern Vinh Phuc Province arrested a 45-year-old murder suspect as he attempted to escape to Laos on Saturday, about 36 hours after having committed his crime.

-- Police in north-central Thanh Hoa Province confirmed they had detected three cases of transporting and trading nearly 6,000 COVID-19 test kits of unknown origin on Friday and Saturday.

Lifestyle

-- The eighth annual Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Festival kicked off on Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street in District 1 on Saturday evening. The event will last until April 15.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Ukrainian refugees at a train station in Przemysl, Poland, on Sunday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Ukrainian refugees have flooded into European Union countries in recent days, with about 787,300 people fleeing to Poland and 30,000 to Germany, the authorities in Warsaw and Berlin reported Saturday.

More than 11,000 have also been recorded in Italy, most of them crossing the border with Slovenia, according to the Interior Ministry in Rome.

On Friday alone, 106,400 people entered Poland, the Polish Border Guard said.

The Times' Wally Skalij gives a first-person account of what he is seeing in Poland.

Ukrainian refugees board a bus after crossing the border in Medyka, Poland. The refugees are transported to an empty warehouse, then to a train station, where they will be taken to their next destination. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

A Ukrainian refugee cries after arriving at the main train station in Przemysl, Poland. Thousands of refugees pass through the station on the way to their next destination. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

As refugees flee, a British volunteer soldier prepares to cross the border into Ukraine from Medyka, Poland. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Volunteers serve coffee to Ukrainian refugees on a cold evening in Medyka, Poland. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Volunteers try to stay warm next to a donation of clothes for Ukrainian refugees in Medyka, Poland. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

A refugee in Medyka, Poland, waits on a bus. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

A mother and son wait on a bus at the border in Medyka, Poland, after fleeing Ukraine. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Refugees walk past a cemetery in Medyka, Poland, after crossing the border from Ukraine. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

A woman smokes in front of a bus carrying Ukrainian refugees at the border in Medyka, Poland. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Refugees hold each other as they talk to an officer in Medyka, Poland, after crossing the border from Ukraine. Refugees were given food and clothing and were taken to a shelter. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

A refugee family from Ukraine eats in Medyka, Poland. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.




Senior U.S. officials on Saturday went to Venezuela, a Russian ally, to meet with the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, people familiar with the matter told The New York Times.

A delegation including senior State Department and White House officials is traveling to the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, sources told the Times.

It is not known how long the officials will stay in Venezuela or who they will be meeting with.

This comes as Venezuela and fellow Latin American Russia allies Nicaragua and Cuba this week abstained or did not vote on United Nations resolutions condemning Russian aggression, according to the Times, indicating that the countries may be distancing themselves from Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Maduro has also signaled that he would be open to restarting Venezuela's oil trade with the U.S. as President Biden mulls reducing U.S. imports of Russian oil.

"Here lies the oil of Venezuela, which is available for whomever wants to produce and buy it, be it an investor from Asia, Europe or the United States," Maduro said Thursday, according to the Times.

This will be the most high-level meeting between the U.S. and Venezuela in Venezuela's capital city in years, the Times noted.

Venezuela and the U.S. severed all diplomatic relations in 2019 following the Trump administration's recognition of opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's interim president after Maduro secured a second term in an election deemed illegitimate by most of the international community.

The Trump administration then imposed sanctions on individuals with ties to Maduro's government and on companies involved in exporting Venezuelan oil in an effort to provoke regime change in the country.

In response to the sanctions, Venezuela turned to Russia, as well as Iran and China, for diplomatic and economic aid, the Times reported. Russian energy companies and banks have since played a major role in Venezuela's exporting of oil.

The Hill has reached out to the State Department and White House for comment.
Russian troops killed a Ukrainian volunteer and her two colleagues while she was delivering dog food to a shelter near Kyiv, according to her friends and family.

Anastasiia Yalanskaya was driving home Friday after making the delivery in Bucha, about 15 miles west of central Kyiv, when her car was shot up, Global News reported. Her friends said the vehicle was targeted at close range by heavy weapons.

A wrecked car sits in central Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Tuesday.





A wrecked car sits in central Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Tuesday. (Pavel Dorogoy/)

Her family had asked her to leave, but Yalanskaya insisted on staying behind and helping people.

I asked her to be extra cautious. That nowadays, a mistake costs extremely much, her husband Yevhen Yalanskyi told Global News. But she was helping everyone around. I asked her to think of evacuation but she did not listen.

The United Nations has confirmed more than 750 civilian casualties since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. Earlier this week, Ukrainian officials said more than 2,000 civilians had been killed.

Putin warns world: Ukraine no-fly zone means youre part of the war

Yalanskaya was desperate to reach the dog shelter, which had been without supplies for three days, according to Global News. Earlier in the week, shed provided food and clothes to young schoolchildren.

We are not scared. We are united like never before. We help each other. We stand for hours at roadblocks and thank those who protect us, she wrote in a social media post. We will win.

Anastasiia Yalanskaya was working as a volunteer throughout the Kyiv area before she was killed by the Russian military.





Anastasiia Yalanskaya was working as a volunteer throughout the Kyiv area before she was killed by the Russian military.

Yalanskaya and two men volunteering with her delivered the food and were driving home to Kyiv when they were killed, Global News reported.

Not being able to help her last journey is very painful for me, said Yalanskyi, whos currently in Sri Lanka. She was one of the best human beings I knew. She was committed to help, to help her friends and relatives and whoever needed help.

The world should know that shes a hero, her friend Valeriia Gorska said. She was helping people. She believed in people.
By May Masangkay, KYODO NEWS - Mar 6, 2022 - 10:54 | Arts, All, Japan

For Kateryna Gudzii, the Ukrainian traditional instrument she plays has been her way of sharing the culture and music of her homeland with Japan -- and this more than decade-long personal mission takes on a deeper meaning now Ukraine has been thrust into the global spotlight following Russia's invasion.

"When I perform, I do so with thoughts that the war would end and there will be peace in the world," said Gudzii, who is only one of two "bandura" players actively performing in Japan where she began living in 2006.

The 35-year-old who goes by the stage name Kateryna and lives in Yokohama, near Tokyo, said the 65-stringed bandura, which dates back to the 12th century and is traditionally played by blind performers, is a "unique musical instrument like no other and one that is connected to the culture, tradition and ethnicity of Ukraine."

Music is deeply rooted in Ukraine's way of life and Gudzii has been immersed in it since childhood. She was born in Pripyat, a town about 2.5 kilometers from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, in March 1986, a month before a reactor at the plant exploded in what would become one of the world's worst nuclear accidents.

She has no memory of Pripyat, which existed for workers at the plant and their families and is now a ghost town, as she and her family had to move to Kyiv after the accident. For now, her 68-year-old mother remains in the capital in housing dedicated to Chernobyl evacuees.

A music teacher who also evacuated went on to eventually form a musical group for children impacted by the accident. Gudzii joined from age 6 and through that group first came to Japan in 1996 for performances held across the country.

Now performing solo, she makes it a point to introduce the Ukrainian culture to her audience.

"There are similarities with Russia, but Russia has its own culture and Ukraine has its own culture, and it has been that way since long ago," she said.

The bandura has a sad history, Gudzii said, citing an incident in which about 300 bandura players were said to have been killed and their instruments destroyed when Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin tried to deny world exposure to Ukraine's culture.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who defied international warnings and invaded neighboring Ukraine in late February, believes Russians and Ukrainians are "one people."

As attacks and fighting continue in parallel with diplomatic negotiations and the establishment of humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians, there seems to be no clear, immediate sign a breakthrough in the crisis is imminent.

Gudzii thinks every day of her mother who is living on her own in Kyiv. "I get in touch with her every hour and as much as possible I talk to her" to ease her fears, said the youngest of four daughters.

In their latest conversation before the weekend, she sought to cheer up her mother, who looked "emotionally tired." The bandurist talked about how people in Japan are thinking about her mother and also of plans to someday bring her to Japan.

Initially, her mother did not think of evacuating from Kyiv as she had "never imagined a full-scale war would break out."

But tensions have since escalated, with Russian forces continuing their advance.

Gudzii said she knows she has only limited power but is determined to do her bit as a Ukrainian interpreter for Japanese television to "convey the latest information on Ukraine."

While juggling that job, she continues to prepare for upcoming performances in Japan, one of which takes place on the eve of March 11 to commemorate the massive earthquake-tsunami disaster and Fukushima nuclear accident that hit Japan's northeast.

For the past years, she plays with the 2011 disaster in mind, but for this year, she said, her performance would also be a prayer for peace in light of the Ukraine crisis.

In a similar chord to challenges faced by children in Fukushima, she also faced discrimination as someone who was born near Chernobyl, where the accident was ranked 7 on an international scale of nuclear crises, the highest rating and on a par with Fukushima.

"Some would not play with me or touch me for fear they would get radiation if they did so," she recalled. Her father died around 10 years ago due to radiation-caused cancer linked to his work related to the Chernobyl plant.

As a bandurist in Japan, she has reached out to a broader audience by playing and singing to the tunes of traditional Japanese songs such as "Furusato" (Hometown).

Before the Russian attacks ever took place, she had planned to bring people to Ukraine.

But the coronavirus pandemic deterred her envisioned tour of the Eastern European country. Now, the invasion has made her dream even more distant, with the deaths that Ukraine says already number in the thousands, including its civilians, as well as the destruction of vital infrastructure, making any journey impossible.

Gudzii had hoped to bring her mother to Japan but this also fell through due to COVID-19.

"I wish I can bring her here. Until I have her by my side, I don't think I will feel at ease," she said.
Unlike existing nuclear power plants in the U.S., most next-generation nuclear designs, including the one proposed for Kemmerer, require a type of fuel with only one commercial source: Russia.

Wyoming leaders have pushed TerraPower to power its facility with local uranium since the project was announced last summer. In the days after Russia invaded Ukraine, with the U.S. and its allies now looking to cut ties with the Russian energy sector in the coming years, those calls have intensified.

We shouldnt be dependent on Russia for anything, Sen. John Barrasso, R-WY, said before the state House of Representatives on Friday. America is an energy superpower. We need to continue to act like it.

On Tuesday, a proposed amendment to a bill modifying Wyomings nuclear siting requirements, which wouldve barred TerraPower from using Russian uranium in its reactor, failed in the House. A budget amendment that would give tax breaks to nuclear plants in exchange for using domestic uranium passed and was adopted, but has yet to clear the Legislature.

A few decades ago, Wyoming was one of the biggest uranium producers in the world. Its still the No. 1 uranium state. But the U.S. uranium industry is in rough shape, and establishing a domestic nuclear supply chain isnt as simple as it sounds.

Nuclear fuel production is a multi-step process. After uranium is extracted, usually through a method called in-situ leaching, it has to be processed into a concentrated powder known as yellowcake. That powder must then be enriched before it can be turned into the fuel rods used to power reactors.

While the U.S. relies primarily on uranium imported from Canada, Kazakhstan, Russia and a number of other countries, its home to plenty of uranium deposits, especially in Wyoming. It has a number of mines  though most are inactive or operating very little  and the ability to process current production.

What commercial enrichment capacity the U.S. does have is only equipped to make the fuel used in todays reactors, which contains up to 5% of the fissile isotope U-235. TerraPowers plant would use fuel enriched to about 19.5% U-235.

According to Jeff Navin, director of external affairs for TerraPower, using more highly enriched fuel boosts the reactors energy efficiency and reduces its waste.

Efforts to produce the fuel in the U.S. are gaining momentum, but commercialization is still years away. TerraPower has allocated a portion of its $2 billion Department of Energy grant in an effort to get there more quickly.

This investment was made with the knowledge that we cannot rely on unstable countries like Russia for advanced reactor fuel, Navin said in a statement emailed to the Star-Tribune on Wednesday. We knew this before the invasion of Ukraine, but Russias recent actions make this even more clear today.

TerraPower has said since summer that it hopes to use Wyoming uranium  eventually. Bound to a tight seven-year timeline mandated by Congress, its also been up-front about the limitations of sourcing the more highly enriched fuel.

There isnt time to use Wyoming uranium in this reactor, because it needs to be enriched and manufactured into fuel assemblies, TerraPower CEO Chris Levesque said during a meeting with Glenrock community leaders in June.

But in the wake of Russias invasion of Ukraine, the company has been clear: TerraPower does not want Russian HALEU in our reactor, Navin said. He said Congressional action, including funding for the Advanced Fuel Availability Program, can help ensure TerraPower has an alternative supplier in time.
CALISTOGA  During the 15 years the nonprofit has been in operation, Calistoga's Sunrise Horse Rescue has never owned its own vehicle. Instead, it has been relying on staff and volunteers to carry out the multitude of daily tasks.

All that changed last month, with the delivery of a Ford F-250 donated by the new owner of Sager Ford in St. Helena.

This is huge for us, said Sunrise business manager Kelly Licina.

Board member Shari Bluband agreed. This is a game-changer, she said.

The truck will serve a multitude of duties, including pulling one of the rescues two trailers and taking horses to Napa Valley Equine or UC Davis when they are ill or injured. It will also be used when traveling to assess horses that need help in surrounding communities and throughout northern California. Then there is picking up hay and feed and delivering it to horses in need in surrounding communities, and delivering supplies to satellite pastures.

Even more importantly, during fire season, staff will be able to have the trailer hooked to the truck and ready to go at a moments notice.

In a low-key but heartfelt ceremony, Cal Sager handed over the keys to the 6.4-liter diesel truck to Bluband, then explained the various bells and whistles to a handful of staff and volunteers.

The 2010 pickup is fully reconditioned, with power everything." Itll go for one million miles, Sager said, adding its a favorite model for agricultural workers in the Valley. Along with the donation, maintenance of the vehicle is also included in the donation. They have my cell phone number, actually, he said.

Not only to have a truck, but to have one of this caliber that can do all these things for us  thank you, Bluband said.

Sager, who ran a Ford dealership in Fresno, took over the 55-year-old Zumwalt Ford dealership late last year, saying he was very eager to carry on the dealerships relationship with the community.

Sager also said he has a soft spot for horses and respects and admires Sunrise for taking care of injured or neglected horses. He chose to donate the truck to the organization, he said, recalling his childhood experience with horses. His father is from Jordan and would take Sager to the Arabian Desert. The tribes there treated their horses with something like reverence.

The horses tent was better looking than their tent, he said. Its a heritage from thousands of years ago.

Staff and volunteers took Sager and his family on a tour of the sanctuary, relating each horses story.

Sager Ford is new to town, and Im sorry I couldnt get them a brand new one. But hopefully one day, because they deserve it.
Senior US officials are travelling to Venezuela on Saturday to meet with the government of President Nicolas Maduro, according to people familiar with the matter, as the Biden administration steps up efforts to separate Russia from its remaining international allies amid a widening standoff over Ukraine.

The trip is the highest-level visit by Washington officials to Caracas, Venezuelas capital, in years. The United States broke off diplomatic relations with Maduro and closed its embassy in Caracas in 2019, after accusing the authoritarian leader of electoral fraud. The Trump administration then tried to topple Maduros government by sanctioning Venezuelan oil exports and the countrys senior officials, and by recognising the opposition leader, Juan Guaido, as Venezuelas lawful president.

Also read: Russia-Ukraine: Their war, our worries

Maduro responded to the sanctions by seeking economic and diplomatic help from Russia, as well as from Iran and China. Russian energy companies and banks have been instrumental in allowing Venezuela to continue exporting oil, the countrys biggest source of foreign currency, despite the sanctions, according to US officials, Venezuelan officials and businessmen.

Russias invasion of Ukraine has prompted the United States to pay closer attention to Russian President Vladimir Putins allies in Latin America, which Washington believes could become security threats if the standoff with Russia deepens, according to current and former US officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive policy matters.

As Russias economy craters, the US is seizing on an opportunity to advance its agenda among Latin American autocracies that might start seeing Putin as an increasingly weak ally.

Also read: Ukrainians run for their lives from Russian bombs

When the US and its allies began considering sanctions on Russian oil and gas exports this month to punish the country for devastation wrought in Ukraine, prominent voices affiliated with both major American political parties pointed to Venezuela as a potential substitute.

Well-connected Republicans have been involved in talks about restarting the oil trade, including Scott Taylor, a former Republican congressman from Virginia who is working with Robert Stryk, a Washington lobbyist who briefly registered to represent Maduros regime in 2020 and remains in contact with people around it.

Taylor said he spoke on Friday night to a Venezuelan businessman who signalled that Maduros team was eager to reengage with the United States.

We should take this opportunity to achieve a diplomatic win and a wedge between Russia and Venezuela, he said in a statement.

Trish Regan, a former Fox Business host and conservative media personality, called for an alliance with Venezuela to displace Russian oil from the US market.

Venezuela has THE largest source of oil reserves, yet, were handing that to the Chinese and Russians? she wrote on Twitter on Friday.

Shortly before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Yuri Borisov, Russias deputy prime minister, travelled to Caracas to meet with Maduros officials. Maduro has spoken to Putin by telephone at least twice in the past month, according to statements from both governments.

It is unclear how long the US delegation, which includes senior officials from the State Department and the White House, will remain in Caracas or with whom the group will meet. Spokespeople for Maduro and for the State Department and the National Security Council in Washington did not respond to requests for comment.

Before the US imposed sanctions, Venezuela sent most of its oil to the US Gulf Coast, whose refineries were built specifically to process Venezuelas heavy grades of crude.

Also read: Russian prisoners and Ukrainian soldiers describe two sides of the conflict

If the United States curtails the imports of Russian oil, Venezuela would be able to replace some of the lost supplies, said Francisco Monaldi, an expert on Venezuelan energy at Rice University in Houston.

Maduro appeared open to discussing oil deals with the United States.

Here lies the oil of Venezuela, which is available for whomever wants to produce and buy it, be it an investor from Asia, Europe or the United States, he said in a public speech Thursday.

Maduro and other Russian allies in Latin America have begun to distance themselves from the war in Ukraine. Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba abstained or did not vote on the two resolutions proposed at the United Nations this past week to condemn Russian aggression, and the leaders of Venezuela and Cuba have called for a diplomatic solution to the crisis.
CONCORD, NH  Here are the Top 10 most popular stories and posts from around New Hampshire Patch sites last week.

Officials say Roland "Kenny" Beaudry, missing since Friday morning, matches the description of a man found on a harbor beach on Saturday.

119 Highland Road in Bartlett, New Hampshire, offers expansive living, privacy, a bar and game room, library, an inground pool, and more.

Hunter Drew faces felony charges after being accused of firing a handgun, threatening to shoot 2 people after an incident on Village Street.

This 1960s home, on more than 3 acres, is a diamond in the rough and has dual zoning. But bring your toolbelt.

Wind knocks out power; fatal officer-involved shooting; burrito joint caught up in tip pool flap; Granite Shield roundups; new super hired.

Harmony Montgomery has not been seen since 2019; New Hampshire officials promote cross-border collaboration; strengthening family services.

Injured people from the building were brought to Concord Hospital, one reported with serious burns. Route 114 shut down for hours

Also: Harmony Montgomery missing child case update; town elections heat up; Seacoast felon won't face homicide charge after 2019 shooting.

A mid-1990s Colonial, on more than 4 acres and with 6 garages, has a number of updates.

Stephen Hall, of Franklin, and Charles Jansen, of Concord, will both spend nearly a decade behind bars after admitting to raping children.

Story continues

Here are some other posts readers may have missed:

NH's Fugitive Of The Week Wanted By U.S. Marshals

Tilton Man Arrested On DUI Charge: Concord Police Log

Litchfield Man Accused Of Throwing Feces At Nashua Police Officer

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Multi-Vehicle Crash In Bedford Backs Up Traffic At 101 and 114

Convicted Sex Offender Accused Of Six Counts Of Sexual Assault

Route 4 In Chichester Closed For Hours After Crash: Video

Police Arrest Second Person In Child Endangerment Investigation

Concord Felon Faces Criminal Threat, Reckless Conduct Charges

Concord Man Accused Of Strangling Wife Found Not Competent

2 Nashua Men Arrested On Robbery Charges

Concord police were sent to the Jet Stream Car Wash on Loudon...

Amherst Area Real Estate Roundup

As Criticism Mounts, Bedford's Shaughnessy Takes His Defense Public

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Thank you for reading Patch.com in New Hampshire.

Got a news tip? Send it to tony.schinella@patch.com. View videos on Tony Schinella's YouTube.com channel or Rumble.com channel.

This article originally appeared on the Concord Patch
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a desperate plea Saturday to U.S. senators to send more planes to help the country fight the Russian invasion, according to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Zelenskyy met virtually with more than 300 people, included senators, some House lawmakers and aides, during which Schumer vowed to do all he can to help the administration to facilitate their transfer.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken conferred Saturday with Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau in Rzeszow, on the border with Ukraine.

Blinken crossed the border, briefly touching Ukrainian soil, to meet Foreign Minister Dymtro Kuleba, who asked for more military assistance to defeat Russia.

After the meeting with his Polish counterpart, Blinken reiterated at a news conference that the U.S. will defend every inch of NATO territory" and announced the Biden administration is preparing to allocate an additional $2.75 billion in humanitarian aid for Ukrainian refugees.

Blinken also praised Poland for assisting hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians who have fled their home country, saying The people of Poland know how important it is to defend freedom.

Polish Foreign Minister Rau said, Poland will never recognize territorial changes brought about by unprovoked, unlawful aggression."

While Zelenskyy has criticized NATO for not imposing a no-fly zone, Putin said during a meeting Saturday with Aeroflot workers that doing so would have colossal and catastrophic consequences not only for Europe but also for the whole world.

Additionally, Putin said he currently has no plans to declare martial law in Russia because martial law should be only introduced in cases where there is external aggression, adding, we are not experiencing that at the moment, and I hope we wont.

On the ground



Ukraine says Russian forces are shelling evacuation routes from Mariupol, as well as the city itself, breaking a cease-fire that was to have gone into effect Saturday at 7 a.m. UTC, as the southern coastal city continued to endure days of relentless aerial attacks.

We are simply being destroyed, Mayor Vadym Boichenko said of his city of nearly 450,000 people on his Telegram channel.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a broadcast video that, "Today, March the fifth, from 10 a.m. Moscow time (0700 GMT), the Russian side declares a cease-fire and the opening of humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to leave Mariupol and Volnovakha. Humanitarian corridors and exit routes have been agreed upon with the Ukrainian side.''

Mariupol officials said they are delaying the evacuation plans that called for routes to be open to vehicular traffic for five hours, and they urged residents to take shelter.

Volnovakha, a southern city of about 21,000, also was targeted with Russian heavy artillery attacks during the temporary cease-fire, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said Saturday in a broadcast video.

Russias defense ministry, however, accused Ukrainian nationalists of preventing civilians from fleeing Mariupol, according to RIA, Russias state-owned news agency. They cited no evidence to substantiate these claims.



Despite its heavy shelling of Mariupol and Volnovakha, there were fewer Russian aerial and artillery attacks in Ukraine over the past 24 hours compared with previous days, the British defense ministry tweeted Saturday on the 10th day of Russias attack on its western neighbor.

The ministry said Ukraine continued to control the northern cities of Kharkiv and Chernihiv, as well as Mariupol in the southeast. The ministry cited reports of street fighting in the northeastern city of Sumy and said it is highly likely that all four cities are encircled by Russian forces as they advance toward the southwestern city of Odesa.

Possibility of more sanctions

Blinken said Friday the United States was considering additional sanctions against Russia.

"Nothing is off the table. We are evaluating the sanctions every day," he said.

The number of Ukrainians seeking refuge in other countries could reach 1.5 million by the end of the weekend, the head of the United Nations refugee agency said Saturday, an increase from the 1.3 million who have fled.

Amin Awad, U.N. crisis coordinator for Ukraine, who is meeting in Ukraine with local and international officials, said in a statement Saturday that efforts are underway to urgently find operational modalities to scale up operations across lines and from outside into areas impacted by the conflict.

VOA State Department Bureau chief Nike Ching, National Security correspondent Jeff Seldin, Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb, Istanbul foreign correspondent Heather Murdock, White House correspondent Anita Powell, and senior diplomatic correspondent Cindy Saine contributed to this report.

Some information for this report came from The Associate Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
Somalia is in the middle of its worst drought in decades, with millions of people in need of aid and thousands on the brink of starvation. The United Nations estimates 4.3 million Somalis are affected by the drought and more than half-a-million displaced.

Baidoa already hosts over 400,000 internally displaced Somalis but more people affected by drought are flocking to the town every day in search of food, water, and shelter.

Somalia's Southwest State is one of the areas worst hit by a record drought not seen in decades.

Forty-seven-year-old Ali Adan Hassans livestock died in the drought, and in late February his family of seven ran out of food.

A blockade by al-Shabaab insurgents made it impossible for aid to reach his district in the Bakok region. So Hassan set out on foot to Baidoa, a journey that took two weeks.

He said his family didnt have a car or money to pay for a donkey cart, so they trekked more than 200 kilometer for 15 days to reach Baidoa. During the journey, he said, his wife and 3-year-old child died from hunger and thirst. He had to bury them along the way.

Baidoa is battling water shortages and an influx of villagers like Hassan, fleeing drought and starvation.

Single mother Mumino Moalim Osman, 40, lives in one of the Baidoa's internally displaced persons camps with her 10 children. Her husband died seven years ago.

She told VOA they arrived in late February after walking for two weeks from Bokoro village.

They had a mother camel for milk, said Osman, but it died and only the baby camel remains.

She feeds the baby camel the same tea she gives her children, said Osman. The camel is her life, said Osman, and it must survive.

Adan Farah is an adviser for U.K.-based aid group Save the Children. She told VOA millions of Somalis are in dire need.

"According to rapid needs assessment conducted by Save the Children, 3.9 million people across Somalia are not able to access food, in which 1.8 million people are facing severe food insecurity, she said. The ongoing drought has plunged the majority of the population into food insecurity. The key drivers of acute food insecurity in Somalia include the combined effects of consecutive seasons of poor and erratic rainfall distribution and conflict."

Daud Adan Jiran, Somalia director for the U.S.-based aid group Mercy Corps, recently visited Baidoa and met with displaced families.

"Somalia's situation is deteriorating, he said. There is a severe water and food shortage. Most of these communities' primary source of income is livestock, which has died. Crops have failed, so there is no food. Families have depleted what little reserves they had. If we don't get rain in April, we may be on the verge of a repeat of the 2011 famine disaster."

The U.N. says the 2010-12 famine, at the time the first in nearly a decade, killed a quarter-million Somalis, half of them children under the age of 5.

Baidoa community activists Nadeef Abdishakur Mohamed told VOA there is still time to prevent another famine.

"The government and humanitarian agencies must act now to avert a crisis similar to the famine of 2011, Mohamed said. As someone who is working with the people on the ground, I am here to tell everyone that it's not too late to provide. They can provide emergency water trucking, medicine for the dehydrated and malnourished, and fodder for the livestock of nomads. They cannot liquidate their livestock assets to buy food and water for themselves, let alone for the animals. Some people will even pay you to take the livestock off their hands, that's how bad the situation has gotten."

Somalia in late November declared a state of emergency over the drought and appealed for international assistance.
Express Train, left, gallops ahead of Warrant to win the Grade I, $650,000 Santa Anita Handicap on Saturday. (Associated Press)

Trainer John Shirreffs is notorious for sneaking away after a big win and putting all the attention on everyone else connected to the horse. But Saturday was different. It took modest prodding, but there he was in the winners circle with Express Train after winning his first Santa Anita Handicap.

Oh, yeah, this is the Santa Anita Handicap, Shirreffs said. You dont have to ask me twice.  Im really over the top about [winning] it. Ive been it a few times and never won. Seabiscuit won this race. Its one of those icon races.

Seabiscuit won in 1940 by about two lengths. It wasnt so easy for Express Train, who looked as if he had the race won down the stretch but a game Warrant kept coming back on the 5-year-old horse. In the final strides, Express Train got just enough in front to win the Grade 1 $650,000 race by a head.

Yeah, I was nervous [down the stretch], said the 76-year-old Shirreffs, who has been a trainer for more than four decades.

The 1-mile race unfolded with American Theorem going to the lead. Victor Espinoza, aboard Express Train, was content to sit in fourth. Coming off the clubhouse turn, he moved up a little on the outside down the backstretch until entering the far turn where he came even with Warrant. Heading into the homestretch it looked as if Express Train would take command, but Warrant would not give in and continued to fight until the wire.

He just gave me a little bit of a hard time at the end to get me excited and pump up my muscles, Espinoza said. I thought it was an exciting race.

Express Train paid $4.20, $2.60 and $2.10. Warrant was second and then it was nine lengths back to the rest of the field starting with Stilleto Boy, Spielberg, Why Why Paul Why, American Theorem and Soy Tapatio.

It was Express Trains third straight win after winning the San Pasqual and San Antonio. The winning returned when Shirreffs made a rider switch to Espinoza.

Victor is a very talented rider and hes a big race rider and he doesnt make mistakes, Shirreffs said. All those things play a factor because when youre on a horse and youre in a race, you dont have a lot of time to think about what to do. You have to be somewhat instinctive and somewhat experienced. He blends the two in just the right combination.

Story continues

Shirreffs is unsure what race is next for Express Train, although the fact he won a Grade 1 makes him a much more attractive stallion prospect and could spell the end of his racing career at years end.

With temperatures in the low 50s and an occasional drizzle, the on-track crowd was small for Big Cap Day at 12,187. But among those in attendance was winning owner Lee Searing, who also grasped the significance of Shirreffs first Big Cap win.

The first thought that came into my mind when they said that John Shirreffs had never won a Santa Anita Handicap is [getting that win for John came] before me or my family, Searing said. To own a horse like this and win a Santa Anita Handicap, it doesnt get any better than that.

That seemed to be a common sentiment Saturday.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The US must close the Guantanamo Bay detention camp because it is making a mockery of the rule of law and human rights, according to a former detainee.

Mohamedou Ould Slahi spent 14 years incarcerated without trial after being accused of involvement in planning the September 11 atrocities.

He arrived in Guantanamo Bay in 2002 after secret rendition through Jordan and Afghanistan, where he was then subjected to torture, including assault, being blasted with heavy metal music and strobe lighting and deprived of sleep for 70 days.

Mohamedou Ould Slahi spent 14 years incarcerated without trial at Guantanamo Bay (Nick Smith Photography/University of Bristol/PA)

Mr Slahi, 51, detailed his experiences in his book, Guantanamo Diary, which was published in 2015 and remains the first and only memoir by a still-imprisoned detainee.

His memoir was later turned into the film, The Mauritanian, starring Jodie Foster, Tahar Rahim and Benedict Cumberbatch.

He is in the UK for a speaking tour to mark the 20th anniversary of the opening of Guantanamo Bay and to continue the campaign against torture.

Speaking ahead of the first event, at the University of Bristol, Mr Slahi said he was not surprised the camp remained open.

Mohamedou Ould Slahi (centre) was speaking at the event at the University of Bristol with lawyer Nancy Hollander (left) and Sir Malcolm Evans (Nick Smith Photography/University of Bristol/PA)

Of course, I can believe that its still open, its very painful, but from what I had seen, from what I have witnessed and, unfortunately, I say this with a broken heart, Im not surprised, he said.

After 9/11 the US acted  at least when it came to certain ethnicities, like young Muslim men  acted as a fascist regime.

They said we didnt deserve human rights, we dont deserve due process and the government that is the executive power can decide everything  playing the judge, the jury and the executioner.

People always ask me what is the biggest casualty of 9/11, and I always say human rights and the rule of law.

Days after becoming US president, Barack Obama signed two executive orders, which ordered the removal of prisoners from Guantanamo Bay and the closure of the detention centre, but today it remains open with around 40 held there.

Mohamedou Ould Slahi is taking part in a speaking tour across the UK with lawyer Nancy Hollander (Nick Smith Photography/University of Bristol/PA)

I remember the day they came to us with two executive orders from president Barack Obama, Mr Slahi said.

I remember the director of intelligence who said it would not be closed. I said why and he said because the president does not know what hes doing.

The deep state is much stronger and we hope and we pray because I think America deserves better than dictatorship.

Mr Slahi was speaking at the event with US lawyer Nancy Hollander, who eventually secured his release, and Sir Malcolm Evans, professor of public international law at the University of Bristol.

Ms Hollander got involved in his case after being asked by another lawyer, who believed he was in Guantanamo Bay.

I knew nothing about him. All I knew was that there were some allegations about 9/11 and that was it, she said.

We went in, not knowing who we were meeting or what he would be like. We walked up to him and he hugged us.

He said, My liberators. It was an incredible moment, incredible and thats how it started.

I never knew whether Id get him released or not. We promised him that we would come to visit him as long as he was there, but we could never promise that he would leave because we didnt know.

Ms Hollander described as hypocrisy the US criticism of the Russian invasion of sovereign Ukraine.

(Former US secretary of state) Condoleezza Rice had the nerve on television the other night to say invading an independent country is a war crime, she said.

Well, it may be, and I have great sympathy for the Ukrainian people and what theyre going through and fear about where this could go.

The US is not innocent in this and has done exactly the same thing. I dont think the US had any moral authority to begin with nor does it have any now.

Mr Slahi said: The US uses human rights as a stick to beat countries it does not like.
Cameroon has sent military and senior civilian officials to ask residents not to flee from Ekondo Titi, an English-speaking western town where anglophone separatists this week killed seven people, including the most senior administrative official, the mayor and traditional ruler. The government says hundreds of civilians are fleeing to safer locations.

In a video, armed men identifying themselves as Ndian warriors brandish assault rifles and pledge total allegiance to what they say is their fight for the independence of Cameroon's English-speaking western regions.

In the video, widely circulated on social media platforms including Facebook and WhatsApp, they display two assault rifles, an undisclosed amount of money and Cameroonian military uniforms.

They say the rifles, money and uniforms belonged to Cameroonian military and government officials they killed Wednesday in Ekondo Titi -- a district in Ndian, an administrative unit in Cameroon's English-speaking South-West region.

The main speaker in the video claims to be field marshal of anglophone separatists. He says fighters are developing a new modus operandi in their battle to achieve independence for Cameroon's English-speaking western regions.

He says besides eliminating government troops, fighters have decided to target and kill all civilian workers representing Cameroon's central government in the English-speaking western regions. He says those posted by the central government in Yaounde should resign or refuse to work in English-speaking towns and villages.

Cameroons military said the video is that of fighters who killed seven people and government troops in Ekondo Titi this week.

A government release read Friday on Cameroon state radio, CRTV, said Paul Timothee Aboloa, highest government official and representative of President Paul Biya in Ekondo Titi, was among the officials killed by fighters.

The release said Nanji Kenneth, mayor of Ekondo Titi, and Ebeku William, the Ekondo Titi president of Cameroons ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement party, also died.

The Cameroon government Friday said hundreds of civilians, especially government workers, have escaped from Ekondo Titi since Wednesdays separatist bomb attack.

Bernard Okallia Bilai is the governor of the South-West region, where Ekondo Titi is located. He said he was sent to Ekondo Titi on Friday to ask frightened residents to stop fleeing. Bilai spoke via a messaging app.

He said he is at the head of a delegation of top government and military officials, politicians and clerics sent to Ekondo Titi by Biya. He said the delegation is telling people of Ekondo Titi who are going through terrifying moments that Biya and government troops will crush separatists who do not surrender.

Bilai said civilians should be vigilant and report suspects and strange people in the towns and villages to government troops or administrative officials.

Officials reported in November that a separatist attack on a school in Ekondo Titi killed four students and a teacher. Hundreds of teachers and students stopped going to school.

Timothe Abolo, before he died in Wednesday's attack, said enough security measures had been taken to protect schools, teachers, students and government workers from further attack.
Members and supporters of the US Ukrainian community attend a protest against the Russian invasion and call for a no-fly zone, in Times Square, New York

Thousands of people gathered Saturday in Times Square in New York in support of Ukraine, demanding the United States, NATO or the European Union intervene to stop the unfolding war.

Some were Ukrainian-American, while others were just New Yorkers who wanted to express their opposition to Russia's invasion of the former Soviet republic.

The iconic New York square, known for its giant billboards, was a sea of blue and yellow, the colors of the Ukrainian flag. Protesters of all ages waved signs for hours calling for the end of the war, a no-fly zone over Ukraine and to simply "stop Putin," with some photo collages comparing Russian President Vladimir Putin to Hitler.

The rally easily filled Times Square, which extends for several blocks in the heart of Manhattan.

Cars parked along the edge of the square revved their engines, as people stood out of the sun roofs waving Ukrainian flags.

A protester demands a no-fly zone over Ukraine at a rally in support of the eastern European country in New York's Times Square

Protester Tania Schneider, 32, called for "more military support, more humanitarian aid, medical aid, more ammunition, just support in general."

"NATO needs to get involved. (The) European Union should get involved," she told AFP.

Another demonstrator was Vasyl Koval, 31. The web developer, who had left his parents in Ukraine, came to Times Square to demand that Western nations "close the sky" over his home country to Russian fighter jets.

He urged the United States and NATO to act.

In tears, Tatiana Dyakun, a 38-year-old Ukrainian who has lived in the United States for six years, denounced the Russian invasion of Ukraine as "terrorism" and a "crime."

"We ask for help... Please don't wait!" she said to AFP, adding she was grateful for the "huge support" already coming from Western countries.

When asked if she thought Europe and the United States should intervene in Ukraine, she said "yes," even if it risked a third world war.

"It's going to be anyway, tomorrow or after tomorrow," she said.

Thousands of people gathered in Times Square in New York in support of Ukraine

Many of the slogans on the signs at the protest were in response to Putin's statement that an attempt by any country to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine would be considered "participation in an armed conflict."

Kyiv's request to impose a no-fly zone was rejected by both NATO and the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley.

Milley said doing so would mean taking on Russian air forces.

Protests in support of Ukraine blossomed all over the United States Saturday, with sister rallies taking place in Miami and Los Angeles.
Lawyers for Gov. Kim Reynolds, facing two separate lawsuits alleging Open Records Law violations by the governor and her staff, are fighting to have all the claims dismissed before going to trial.

One of the lawsuits is already headed to the Iowa Supreme Court, which has agreed to review a lower court decision denying Reynolds motion to have the case dismissed. In the other case, a district court hearing is scheduled for later this month to hear Reynolds arguments for dismissal.

The latter case stems from a lawsuit filed in December by the ACLU of Iowa on behalf of the Iowa Capital Dispatch, the Iowa Freedom of Information Council and Bleeding Heartland, a progressive, political news and commentary website.

That lawsuit alleges the governors office violated the law in failing to respond to three organizations formal requests for access to various government records. The lawsuit seeks a declaratory ruling that Reynolds and her staff repeatedly violated the law, as well as an order directing the governors office to comply with future requests for information.

In court filings made on the governors behalf, Assistant Attorney General Samuel Langholz has argued that the plaintiffs sued Reynolds only because they didnt receive responses to their information requests as fast as they desired.

Langholz has asked the court to dismiss the case, noting that less than three weeks after the lawsuit was filed, the governors legal counsel provided all records responsive to (the plaintiffs) requests. He told the court that the plaintiffs case is moot because theyve received their requested records.

In response to the Langholzs claims, Leah Patton, attorney for the ACLU of Iowa, has told the court the governor and her staff still have not provided the plaintiffs with all of the requested records. She cited letters from the governors own legal counsel, Michael Boal, who stated in January that some of the requested records will not be made public either because theyre considered attorney work product or because the governors office is asserting attorney-client privilege.

Noting that the Open Records Law specifies a 20-day timeframe for government officials to determine whether a record should be treated as public information, Patton said Reynolds delayed months to years in providing some of the documents and then did so only after a lawsuit was filed.

Patton told the court Reynolds actions set a terrible precedent for other state agencies as well as local governmental bodies. These entities are likely to follow the governors lead in terms of their own responses to open records requests. Those governmental bodies, she said, are likely to point to the governors office, with all of the resources and dedicated communications and legal staff at its disposal, and reason that if the governors office can ignore (the Open Records Law) in times of stress and strain, for years, surely their offices, with fewer resources, can as well.

A hearing on the matter is scheduled for March 25.

A separate lawsuit over the governors alleged failure to comply with the Open Records Law was recently put on hold pending an Iowa Supreme Court review.

That litigation stems from a set of public-records requests Utah attorney Suzette Rasmussen filed with Reynolds office in March 2021, asking for all correspondence regarding the states contracts with Nomi Health for COVID-19 testing.

By mid-August 2021, the governors office had yet to turn over any of the records and Rasmussen went to court, filing two separate lawsuits, each pertaining to one of the two requests.

On Sept. 2, after the lawsuits were filed, Reynolds lawyers turned over what it said were all of the requested public records and then asked the court to dismiss the lawsuits, claiming they were moot. They also argued that the timeliness of the governors response to public-records requests shouldnt be an issue for the court since the states Open Records Law contains no hard deadline for responding to a records request.

The two cases were later consolidated, and after a district court judge rejected the governors argument that Rasmussens claims should dismissed, lawyers for the state asked the Iowa Supreme Court to hear their appeal of that decision.

On Feb. 14, the Supreme Court agreed to grant the states application for appeal, and ordered the district court proceedings to be stayed, or put on hold, pending its review.

In speaking to the Iowa Capitol Press Association in early January, Reynolds said her offices response to public-records requests has not been adequate and indicated new policies were being put in place.

It was not acceptable, I wont allow that to continue to happen, she said. Ive made that clear to my team and my staff. In their defense, in 2020 we received an unbelievable amount of requests  I believe in transparency.
Kyiv [Ukraine], March 6 (ANI): Demanding fresh rounds of sanctions against Russia, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Saturday called on governments of several countries including India to appeal to Russia to stop the ongoing conflict.

During a televised address, Kuleba accused Russia of violating the ceasefire agreements and urged it to stop shooting to allow civilians, including foreign students, to evacuate.

Also Read | Russia Ends Ceasefire Due to Unwillingness of Ukraine, Says Igor Konashenkov.

"For 30 years, Ukraine was a welcoming home for thousands of students from Africa, Asia... to facilitate their (foreign students') movement, Ukraine arranged trains, set up hotlines, worked with embassies... The Ukrainian government is doing its best," he said.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister claimed that Russia's trying to "win the sympathy" of countries that have foreign nationals in Ukraine.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War: Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Address Bipartisan Group of US Senators as Vladimir Putin Warns Over Imposing No-Fly Zone.

He said that if Russia stops "manipulating" the issue of foreign students, they will all be safely evacuated. "I call on the governments of India, China, and Nigeria, to appeal to Russia to stop the fire and allow civilians to leave," he said.

Further, Kuleba said all countries, including India, who enjoy special relations with Russia, can appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin that "this war is against the interest of all."

Arguing that end of the conflict is in the best interest of all countries, he said, "India is one of the largest consumers of Ukrainian agricultural products and if this war continues, it'll be difficult for us to seed new harvests. So, even in terms of global and Indian food security, it's in the best interest to stop this war."

He further called on ordinary Indians to put pressure on Russia to demand from them to stop the war. "Ukraine is fighting only because we were attacked and we have to defend our land because Putin does not recognize our right to exist."

Kuleba claimed that humanitarian corridors and ceasefires do not exist because Russian forces violated the agreement reached in the morning to arrange humanitarian corridors. "We urge Russia to stop shooting to allow civilians, including foreign students, to evacuate."

Around 13,300 people returned to India from Ukraine so far by 63 flights under Operation Ganga, Ministery of External Affairs said on Saturday, adding that 15 flights have landed in the last 24 hours carrying around 2,900 onboard.

In a daily briefing, the MEA official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said: "15 flights have landed in the last 24 hours with around 2,900 onboard. Approximately 13,300 people returned to India so far by 63 flights under Operation Ganga. 13 flights scheduled for the next 24 hours."

He noted that over 21,000 people have left Ukraine. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
With hands still dirty from the battlefield, a dozen Russian prisoners of war sat, stony-faced, in a conference room of a Ukrainian news agency Saturday and described being captured after their armoured columns were ambushed.

Lt. Dmitry Kovalensky, who had fought in a Russian tank unit and spoke at the behest of his Ukrainian captors, said he recently came under fire from an armed drone and shoulder-launched anti-tank missiles on a road near Sumy in northeastern Ukraine. The whole column burned, he said.

Around the same time and a few miles away, at a makeshift Ukrainian military base in an abandoned building on the western edge of Kyiv, Ukrainian soldiers prepared for the same sort of ambushes that took out Kovalenskys unit.

Also read: Russia-Ukraine: Their war, our worries

Lt. Yevgeny Yarantsev of Ukraine said his countrys soldiers fight differently than the Russians. The troops under his command organise in small, nimble units that can sneak up on and ambush the lumbering columns of Russian tanks.

They have a lot of tanks, we have a lot of anti-tank weapons, said Yarantsev, who previously fought with a volunteer group against Russia in eastern Ukraine. In the open field, it will be even. Its easier to fight in the city.

The two young officers  the same rank, but each representing a different country  gave some of the few firsthand accounts of the fighting that have emerged in the 10-day war. The Russian was a prisoner of war speaking under the watchful eye of heavily armed Ukrainian security officials. The Ukrainian spoke as he displayed newly obtained, sophisticated weapons from the United States.

The accounts of soldiers from both sides give a small glimpse of how the war is being fought around Kyiv in the north. There, relying largely on ambush tactics, Ukrainian forces have slowed the Russian campaign to encircle and capture the capital, even as Russian troops barrel across the south.

Kovalensky and the other Russian prisoners were presented at a news conference intended to support Ukraines claim that it had captured a significant number of Russian soldiers. In their statements, the prisoners blended woodenly phrased condemnations of their own countrys leadership with genuine-sounding details of the conflicts early firefights.

Also read: Ukrainians run for their lives from Russian bombs

According to the rules governing treatment of prisoners of war under the Geneva Conventions, governments are supposed to protect a prisoner of war from being made into a public curiosity, a concept that is sometimes interpreted as not presenting them in any public setting. The Russian soldiers looked exhausted but showed no outward signs of having been mistreated.

The prisoners comments and the fact of their capture supported descriptions by Western military analysts and governments of a Russian offensive that has suffered grave setbacks. The Russian armys superior numbers and equipment, however, could well reverse that trend.

Near the end of the days movement on February 27, our column was attacked, Pvt. Dmitry Gagarin of the Russian army told reporters. My commander burned and died. I ran into the forest and later surrendered to local people.

Kovalensky said he learned Russia would invade Ukraine only the evening before the tank columns began moving, and that soldiers at the rank of sergeant and lower were not told where they were driving until after crossing the border.

All the prisoners described being captured after their armoured columns were ambushed on roads, accounts that supported Ukraines assertions that its military had made good use of Western-supplied anti-tank weaponry, such as the US-made Javelin missile. But independent analysts have also described more mundane problems for the Russian army, including logistical snarls and a lack of fuel.

Yarantsev commands what he described as a mobile group of about 500 soldiers who are skirmishing with the Russians on the western approach to Kyiv. He said the group's prospects were bolstered three days ago when they received Barrett 50-calibre sniper rifles in a shipment from the United States.

Sleek and black, with barrels so long they look almost like spears, the rifles were being unpacked and inspected. One sniper, who declined to offer his name, said he had fired one in combat on the outskirts of Kyiv.

Yarantsev said the troops were more comfortable being able to garrison in buildings than in fields or forests. Ive noticed something about war, he said. Soldiers want to be somewhere where cellphones work and where there is internet.

The building where the soldiers were garrisoned, in a leafy residential area of the city, was cluttered with ammunition boxes. Two hand grenades sat on the floor beside a sofa. The soldiers had an electric kettle and offered coffee. In a hallway, a soldier oiled his Kalashnikov rifle.

The fighting has been inching closer to the capital. Ukraines defense minister, Oleksii Reznikov, said in a statement Saturday that the Russian forces primary objective is to encircle Kyiv, following the tactic they have pursued with smaller cities such as Mariupol on the Sea of Azov, which is now surrounded with its heat and electricity cut off.

The fighting around Kyiv is mostly in Irpin and Bucha, two outlying towns to the northwest, where conditions are grim. A central street in Bucha is clogged with the burned husks of Russian armoured personnel carriers, destroyed in an ambush.

Stanislav Bobrytsky, a computer programmer reached by phone in Irpin, said he had not left his apartment since Tuesday. All the windows are shaking from blasts, he said. Its very scary.

In the centre of Kyiv, at the news conference with captured Russian soldiers, the Ukrainian security officials present refused to speak. A moderator passed around a microphone, offering reporters an opportunity to question the prisoners.

Kovalensky said he was appealing to the Russian people to rise up and overthrow President Vladimir Putin because the Russian leadership had deceived the armys officers about the aims of the war and had used the guise of a military exercise to prepare for an invasion.

The prisoners said they did not know what would happen to them after the news conference. While they said they were treated well, days after their capture it was unclear if they had showered or been offered clean clothes.
Missing Indigenous people in Yakima County and on the Yakama Reservation

The Washington State Patrol has a Missing Indigenous Persons section within its Missing and Unidentified Persons Unit. For more information, visit www.wsp.wa.gov/crime/alerts-missing-persons/missing-indigenous-persons/, email mupu@wsp.wa.gov or call 1-800-543-5678.

State Patrol has two tribal liaisons. Reach Dawn Pullin (Eastern Washington) at 360-890-0150 or Dawn.Pullin@wsp.wa.gov. Contact Patti Gosch (Western Washington) at 360-280-0567 or Patti.Gosch@wsp.wa.gov.

At least once a month, State Patrol publishes an updated list of active missing Indigenous person cases on its website. This list is updated as of March 1.

Anyone with information about any of these cases should call the reporting agency. People may provide information anonymously by calling Yakima County Crime Stoppers at 800-248-9980. Tips can be submitted online at www.crimestoppersyakco.org.

The FBI has jurisdiction to investigate all serious crimes involving Native Americans on tribal lands. Call the FBI at 206-622-0460 or submit tips online at https://tips.fbi.gov.

Toppenish Police Department, 509-865-4355

Roberta Jean Raines (also spelled Ranes), missing since April 14, 2002. She would be 40 today. Case number 17P2008.

Yakama Nation Police Department, 509-865-2933

Eric Cloud-Washington, missing since Nov. 22. He is 16. Case number 21-007231.

Elias Chief Culps, missing since Oct. 29, 2018. He would be 28. Case number 19-009167.

Adam Cavall George, missing since July 22, 2019. He would be 43 today. Case number 19-007228.

Clayton George Gibson Jr., missing since June 25. He is 18. Case number 20-004012.

Talan Goggles Obendorf, missing since Feb. 16. Talan is 15. Case number 22-000984.

Michael Eric Hansen, missing since Nov. 4, 2007. He would be 60. Case number 07-5617.

Ira Earl Kahclamat, missing since Aug. 4. He is 17. Case number 21-002763.

Rosalita F. Longee, missing since Sept. 18, 2015. She would be 25. Case number 15-006682.

Justin Lee McConville, missing since Jan. 11, 2015. He would be 31. Case number 16-010019.

Alisha Montez, missing since Sept. 28. She is 16. Case number 21-006058.

Freddy Nightwalker, missing since Nov. 14. Freddy is 73. Case number 21-007532.

Earl Nicolas Patrick, missing since March 9, 2015. He would be 41. Case number 18-003294.

Anthony Tony Colfax Peters, missing since June 1, 2014. He would be 63. Case number 15-006132.

Daniel Donnie Temartz Sampson, missing since Oct. 30, 1994. He would be 99. Case number 944028.

Roland Jack Spencer III, missing since May 25, 1984. He would be 41. Case number 405273.

Daisy Mae Heath (previously known as Daisy Tallman), missing since late summer 1987. She would be 63. Case number 873732.

Cynthia Umtuch, missing since Feb. 21. She is 15. Case number 22-001146.

Janessa Jane Villa, missing since Sept. 16. She is 16. Case number 21-005802.

Karen Louise Johnley Wallahee, last seen in Harrah on Nov. 7, 1987. She would be 63. Case number 87-3486.

Olivia Wyena, missing since Feb. 18. She is 14. Case number 22-001040.

Ira Kennedy Yallup Sr., missing since May 20, 2010. He would be 59. Case number 75515.

Yakima County Sheriffs Office, 509-574-2500

Janice Marie Hannigan, missing since after she was discharged from the hospital on Christmas Eve, 1971. She would be 67. Case number 17C00300.

Yakima Police Department, 509-575-6200

Eleanor Marie Trujillo, missing since Feb. 1, 1996. She would be 63. Case number 97-0062.

Raymond Jimmy Hinus Watlamet, missing since June 9. He is 17. Case number 21Y020533.

Klickitat County Sheriff's Office, 509-773-4455

Roland Sconawah Sam, missing since No. 20, 2013. He would be 32. Case number 13-004109.
After years of hard graft searching for a safe Labor seat, Luba Grigorovitch had finally done it. In late December, the Rail Tram and Bus Unions state secretary convinced the partys national executive to parachute her into Victorias fourth-safest state Labor seat, Kororoit, held by a margin of 20 per cent.

The rail union chiefs ascension to a job she had coveted since 2010 came  she told the 7800 train, tram and bus drivers, ticket inspectors, V/Line conductors and station staff she represents  after having fought countless disputes alongside members.

Luba Grigorovitch will be Labors candidate for Kororoit at Novembers state election, replacing former minister Marlene Kairouz. Credit:Eddie Jim

But as the 36-year-old prepares to depart for greener pastures after eight years as the first female leader of a predominantly male union, an acrimonious dispute with her fellow members threatens to leave behind a union riven by animosity.

Ms Grigorovitch has been accused by two senior union officers  with whom she has fought an increasingly nasty battle in recent years  of what they claim was a failure to declare a serious conflict of interest.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- "I've been looking forward to this my entire life," says Elizabeth Shaw, a Senior at Parkland.

Prom is right around the corner.

And every teen has that dream dress in mind. But the price of that dream dress can be  well  sort of a nightmare.

The YWCA of Bethlehem is a nonprofit group all about empowering women, so stepping in to help high schoolers find that perfect gown for a good price, was a no brainer.

"This event is a great way for us to give back to young women who may not be in a position to experience prom in a way they want to," says Annmarie Supinski, Pop Up Prom Committee member.

The YWCA of Bethlehem hosted a POP-UP-PROM shop at ArtsQuest Saturday, showcasing around 1500 dresses, priced fairly for those who want to look pretty, but not spend a pretty penny.

"We heard about this we figured we'd give it a shot see if we found anything," says Lisa Lance, a mom of a high school senior.

High school juniors and seniors had the opportunity to select two dresses for $20 total, along with accessories of their choice, free of charge.

And because of the help of volunteers, local businesses, and donations, those highschoolers get to not only experience prom day, but get to do it in style.

"This year it's gonna be a real prom that we get to experience," says Gabrielle Lance, a senior at Whitehall High School.

"I'm really excited, I wanted to get something to match my friends, we're gonna go together," says Elizabeth Shaw, a Senior at Parkland.

"We are excited, it'll be our last one together so we're excited," says Shayla Dowdy, a Whitehall Highschool Senior.
MEXICO CITY  Facing condemnation from most of the world and stiff sanctions from Europe and the United States, Russia appears increasingly isolated as its president presses on with his invasion of Ukraine.

But Vladimir Putin has found some measure of support in Latin America from the authoritarian governments of Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua.

In a televised speech this week, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro denounced U.S. sanctions against Russia as a crime against its people and said that he had just spoken with Putin and noted serenity, wisdom and moral conviction.

In an effort reminiscent of the Cold War, when Latin America was an ideological battleground for the Soviet Union and the United States, Russia has been trying to expand its influence in the region for more than a decade.

The pandemic provided one broad opportunity. Russia developed one of the first COVID-19 vaccines and delivered it to Argentina, Bolivia and to other countries that had limited access to other options.

Trade between Russia and Latin America also has been growing, though it barely registers compared with Chinas economic footprint in the region.

Russia has an interest in meddling in what has traditionally been considered a U.S. sphere of influence, said Cynthia Arnson, director of the Latin American Program at the Wilson Center in Washington.

Putins biggest inroads have come with governments that have bad relationships with the United States.

Russia has granted Cuba  which had been the Soviet Unions staunchest ally in the region  massive debt relief, forgiving $32 billion of Soviet-era debt in 2014. It also sent hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil during shortages.

Russia has also been a lifeline for Venezuela, supplying it with billions of dollars in arms and investing in its oil industry after Hugo Chavez became president in 1999 and embraced socialism.

That support has continued under Maduro. In 2019, as he was fighting a U.S.-backed effort to oust him from power, Russia sent specialists to service military equipment.

In Nicaragua, Russia has opened an anti-narcotics training center and sold the government military tanks.

When the United States suspended aid to Nicaragua because of concerns of fraud in local elections in 2008, Russia paraded warships off the coast in an apparent show of support.

Russia also came to the defense of President Daniel Ortega  a former guerrilla leader backed by the Soviet Union  after many governments refused to recognize his reelection last year because his government had jailed his potential political challengers.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held a news conference saying the election was held in an orderly manner, in full compliance with Nicaraguan legislation.

Ryan Berg, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a think tank in Washington, said Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua cant really afford to lose one of their biggest patrons.

In the days before the invasion of Ukraine, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov visited Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela  a trip that experts say was an attempt to demonstrate his countrys international clout as it prepared for war.

Still, when it came to the United Nations General Assembly vote this week calling on Russia to immediately withdraw its troops, the three countries stopped short of offering Putin their full support.

Nicaragua and Cuba abstained. Venezuela could not vote because it had not paid its member dues.

Experts said Nicaragua and Cuba made a calculation that they had too much to lose by joining Russia, Belarus, Syria, North Korea and Eritrea as the only countries to vote against the resolution. Cuba in particular did not want to burn all its bridges with the United States, said Vladimir Rouvinski, a political scientist at Icesi University in Colombia.

During the administration of President Obama, the countries restored diplomatic relations. Cuba would like the United States to ease sanctions that limit remittances to the island.

Still, Jennie Lincoln, a senior adviser on Latin America at the Carter Center think tank, called the abstentions a kick in the shins to the U.S. and a way of expressing their anti-imperialist view of the West.

Apart from abstentions from El Salvador and Bolivia  also places where anti-U.S. sentiment runs high  the rest of Latin America supported the U.N. resolution.

Notably, the two most populous countries in the region, Brazil and Mexico, have not been unequivocal in their condemnation of Russia.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who had met with Putin in Moscow days before the invasion to discuss trade relations, said this week before the U.N. vote that his country would remain neutral, and disparaged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a former comic who has rapidly turned into a war hero.

Ukrainians had placed the hope of their nation in the hands of a comedian, he said.

Mauricio Santoro, a political scientist at the State University of Rio de Janeiro, said Bolsonaro, who is running for reelection, may have been appealing to far-right supporters. Many of them are also supporters of Putin because they perceive Putin to be a real model for a conservative leader, he said.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said this week that Mexico will not issue economic sanctions against Russia because we want to maintain good relations with all the governments of the world and want to be able to talk to the parties in the conflict.

Trade between Mexico and Russia topped $2.1 billion in 2019, according to the Growth Lab program at Harvard University.

At rallies attended by dozens outside the Russian Embassy in Mexico City, Mexicans and Ukrainians have called on Lopez Obrador to take a stronger position.

Rodrigo Jara, a 25-year-old Mexican music producer whose girlfriend is Ukrainian, said at a gathering Monday night that the Mexican presidents stance was practically neutral.
Police believe a missing and as-yet unidentified man may have entered the Brisbane River before dawn in an effort to avoid them.

According to the Queensland Police Service, officers were conducting looting patrols on Macquarie Street, St Lucia at around 3.45am on Tuesday when they spotted the man acting suspiciously.

Patrolling police located the man who subsequently ran from police in the direction of the Brisbane River, the QPS said in a statement.

The man was described as Caucasian, with a large build and wearing long pants and a singlet.

A search involving land and water police assets is being conducted and investigations are continuing regarding the identity of the man, the statement said.
Artist Stanislava Pinchuk stands surrounded by her plinth blocks of marble sheets patterned like treacherous water and chiselled by a Melbourne tombstone engraver. The past weeks destruction of the beloved city where she grew up compounds her sense of dislocation.

Pinchuk, 34, was born in Kharkiv, her family leaving for Australia when she was 10. In recent days, Russians intensified their airspace attacks and shelling on the northeast Ukrainian city.

Ukraine-born Stanislava Pinchuk (aka Miso) at her Melbourne home. Credit:Jason South

Ukrainians today are fighting for freedom because we know the cost, she says. We have been so extraordinary because we are a free people in our minds.

Pinchuks beautiful marble forms, titled The Wine Dark Sea, are placed in the Art Gallery of South Australia vestibule room. Chiselled phrases on the blocks from Homers Odyssey are matched with quotes from leaked cable reports about the poor state of asylum seekers in Australias offshore detention prisons, the attributions deliberately ambiguous.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged citizens to fill their vehicles with a full tank of petrol/diesel as the Centre would raise the fuel price soon after the result of the state's assembly election 2022 . The counting of votes of the current phase of elections will take place on March 10.

Taking to Twitter, Gandhi wrote, "Quickly get your petrol tanks full. The 'Election' offer of the Modi government is going to end soon". The Wayanad MP also used a caricature of the fuel pump that said "hike" and "coming back to fuel station near you".

Congress has been accusing the BJP government of stalling the hike in fuel prices during elections and raising the prices soon after the polls are over.

In view of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, oil marketing companies (OMCs) are bearing the pain of surging crude oil prices with marketing margins severely hit. Oil prices rose above $111 a barrel on Friday.

According to the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC), the cost of the Indian basket of crude, which averaged $69.88, $60.47, and $44.82 per barrel in FY19, FY20, and FY21, respectively, averaged $94.07 in February. however, it surged to $117.39 a barrel on 3 March.

The Indian basket represents the average of Oman, Dubai, and Brent crude.

Therefore, the ongoing rally in global crude oil prices will impact Indias oil import bill and trade deficit. Wholesale inflation will see a larger direct impact than retail inflation because of the higher weight on fuel in the Wholesale Price Index. Petrol and diesel have around 2.5% weight in the Consumer Price Index and 13% weight in the wholesale Index.


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BEIJING (Reuters) -The Chinese port city of Qingdao reported 88 new coronavirus cases for March 5, all of them of the Omicron variant, fuelling China's highest number of daily locally transmitted cases so far this year.

China recorded 329 new coronavirus cases on the mainland on Saturday, 175 of them locally transmitted, the National Health Commission (NHC) said on Sunday, compared with 102 local cases a day earlier.

The Qingdao outbreak was mainly among middle school students in Laixi county, the Qingdao Municipal Health Commission said.

Laixi county will implement a second round of mass testing on March 7, a Qingdao official said at a news conference on Sunday, adding that there was no major risk of further outbreak.

China's "dynamic clearance" approach to COVID-19 aims shut off transmission routes as soon as new cases are detected.

The Qingdao outbreak helped send China's total local confirmed case count to its highest since Dec. 31, with other cases reported mainly in Jilin, Guangdong and Hebei provinces, according to the NHC.

The number of new asymptomatic cases, which China does not classify as confirmed cases, stood at 209, compared with 166 a day earlier.

As of March 5, mainland China had confirmed 110,868 COVID-19 cases and 4,636 fatalities.

The Qingdao health authority also reported 27 new cases for Sunday as of 0600 GMT, all among people already under quarantine in Laixi county. China's total Sunday figures will be released on March 7.

(Reporting by Min Zhang and Tony Munroe; Editing by David Gregorio and Christopher Cushing)
Hyundai Motor's electric vehicle, the IONIQ 5 / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor





By Kim Jae-heun







Hyundai Motor's IONIQ 5 electric vehicle beat out Mercedes-Benz's EQB in an evaluation conducted by a leading German car magazine, the carmaker said on Friday.







Auto Bild magazine gave the IONIQ 582 points out of 800, which nudged out the 562 points the EQB had received in the seven assessment categories, including body, powertrain and connected car and driving performance. Hyundai Motor's electric vehicle was appraised as either superior or equal to Mercedes-Benz's electric vehicle in all categories except two.







The recent evaluation is especially meaningful as it was the first time that a non-European car won more recognition for its pure performance and technical side than a German car.







In particular, Auto Bild gave higher points to the IONIQ 5 in the powertrain technology and driving performance criteria, with the Korean electric car scoring higher than the EQB in four of nine technical areas. The IONIQ's scores in the remaining five were equal to that of the Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle.







The IONIQ 5 operates on Hyundai's E-GMP electric car platform, which enables superfast charging of 200 kilowatts, to which Auto Bild gave 9 points. On the other hand, the EQB obtained only 5 points out of 10 in the fuel charging performance sector.







The IONIQ 5 is also more fun to drive, considering its agility, traction and braking.







Hyundai Motor's electric vehicle is a better value for its price too, and the local carmaker said that its quality aftercare service elevates the value of the IONIQ 5 above other premium cars on the market.







"It is an achievement to receive an excellent review of our IONIQ 5 in Europe, the most advanced electric vehicle market in the world, and in Germany especially, which is home to premium car brands," a Hyundai Motor official said. "We will continue to lead the market based on our competiveness in electric vehicles."


The Centre has allocated about 5.2% of its total budget for 2022-23 to the country's programme. A crucial safety net, the is used to protect farmers against low market prices and provide consumers with affordable food grains through the public distribution system (PDS).

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People wait in line to cast their early votes for the March 9 presidential election at a local polling station in Seoul, March 5. AP-Yonhap





Two-day early voting for the March 9 presidential election ended Saturday with a record turnout of 36.93 percent, reflecting high voter interest in what is expected to be one of the closest presidential races in history.







More than 16.3 million of the country's 44.2 million voters cast their ballots Friday and Saturday, topping the previous record turnout of 26.69 percent during early voting for the 2020 parliamentary elections, according to the National Election Commission (NEC).







Voting closed about four hours after the designated time of 6 p.m. as polling stations scrambled to accommodate COVID-19 patients and those in quarantine who were told to arrive at a polling booth between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. in order to vote.







Some patients said they waited for up two hours, while others reportedly fainted. Moreover, some patients complained of possible electoral fraud because their ballots were collected in boxes or shopping bags instead of regular ballot boxes.







Both the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) had encouraged people to vote early, claiming high turnout would benefit their respective candidates in the tight race.







DPK presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung and PPP candidate Yoon Suk-yeol cast their ballots Friday, as did President Moon Jae-in.







On Saturday, the rival candidates ramped up their campaigns in swing provinces, with Lee focusing on his home turf of Gyeonggi Province. He was the governor of South Korea's most populous province before he became the DPK presidential candidate.






Surging rents and flat wages are forcing critical childcare, aged care and supermarket workers deeper into rental stress in four marginal seats that will be integral to the outcome of the next election.

New research from the Everybodys Home campaign group has found that workers in the seats of Flinders (Victoria), Gilmore (NSW), Bass (Tasmania) and Longman (Queensland) have seen the share of their income spent on rent rise by between five and 13 per cent between February 2021 and February 2022.

Tania Maguire, 46, a single mother of two and aged care worker on the Mornington Peninsula. Credit:Chris Hopkins

In practice, that means that these critical workers on the Mornington Peninsula, in Launceston, Wollongong and the NSW south coast in North Brisbane and on the Sunshine Coast are now scraping by on between $189 and $375 per week, depending on the sector, after paying rent.

At the same time, polling of 3273 residents in the seats conducted by the Redbridge Group for Everybodys Home found that 61 to 72 per cent of residents believed the federal government had not done enough to address housing affordability.
Bank of Chosen in Seoul circa 1920-1930s Robert Neff Collection



By Robert Neff



In early December 1897, rumors began to circulate that Russia was going to attempt to take control of Korea economically  it was going to establish a bank in Seoul. On Dec. 8, J. Hunt, the commissioner of Korean Customs at Fusan, sent a missive to John Jordan, the British consul-general in Seoul, in which he reported that a Russian from Vladivostok named V.M. Koreylin would soon travel to Jemulpo and take up residence.



Koreylin was "ostensibly as [an] agent for the Russo-Corean Bank" but was in reality a commercial agent for the Russian government and would remain at Jemulpo for no more than three years, during which time he would try to obtain all the concessions he could  through loans to the Korean government  so that Russia could "grab" Korea.





Ad in the Korea Repository March 1898

Jordan agreed that there might be some truth to the claim, as St. B. Gabriel arrived in Jemulpo on Dec. 13 aboard the steamship Baikal and was joined about a month later by Koreylin and a Scotsman named W.H. Campbell.



Horace N. Allen, the American minister to Korea, was also concerned about this new Russian venture. He suspected the Russian government had agreed to provide Korea with a load to "pay off Korean financial obligations to Japan" in return for the establishment of a bank  possibly to "take over and conduct a Korean bank that is just now being started by influential Koreans."



By the end of January 1898, the local newspapers began to advertise the imminent establishment of the Russo-Korean Bank (British documents refer to it as the Russo-Corean Bank). In a report to his government, Jordan explained:



"A site has been secured in the vicinity of the Russian Legation, on which it is intended to erect extensive premises, and, in the meantime temporary quarters have been obtained in one of the many foreign buildings which have sprung up here recently in anticipation, doubtless, of the coming influx of Russians."



The temporary quarters were in a large brick building just within the West Gate and next to the Presbyterian chapel.



On March 1, 1898, the bank formally opened its doors to numerous visitors. According to The Independent (a newspaper published in Seoul), "There were many gratulatory remarks for the managers"  Gabriel and Koreylin, who "were both Russian gentlemen of ability and prominence in the financial circles of Russia and China"  and their "bright and well-informed" Scottish assistant. The newspaper also noted that everyone wished them great success in their enterprise  but this wasn't necessarily true.



From the beginning, Russian newspapers declared the establishment of the bank "as one of the most important steps in developing commerce and industrial enterprises between Russia and Korea." When Alexis de Speyer, the Russian representative to Korea, announced that his government had authorized the establishment of the bank, he stated the purpose was so that "the two governments may become joint partners in the undertaking."





Bank of Chosen in Seoul in 1948 Robert Neff Collection



However, Jordan noted "the principal object of its establishment [was] that it should fill the functions of a Corean Government Bank, and receive the Government revenues." This, as well as many other proposed Russian enterprises, had "alarmed the [Korean] King and his Ministers, and have opened their eyes to the gravity of the change that was forced upon them by de Speyer" and that the Korean monarch was "exercising his ingenuity in endeavoring to find a way of escape from an arrangement which places him under the financial tutelage of Russia"



Three weeks prior to the bank's formal opening, Jordan warned his government that the bank "embraces amongst its privileges and rights 'the transport of goods by sea and land'  a provision which bears the appearance of having been framed with a view to future contingencies rather than present requirements."



One of the first proposed operations of the bank was to establish a company to construct a railroad to Russian-controlled Port Arthur (Lushun), China. This and the increased requests for land and naval concessions alarmed the Korean populace and the various foreign representatives in Seoul.





A Russian coin from 1899 Image from a video exhibit at the Bank of Korea Money Museum in September 2018.

According to the Choson Shimpo  a newspaper published in Jemulpo  the bank also claimed the privileges to issue notes and mint coins, be entrusted with paying interest on foreign loans the Korean government made with other nations, the collection of Korean revenue and payment of salaries for Korean officials and to establish branch offices at other ports within the kingdom.



When the leaders of the Independence Club learned of the bank's privileges, they sent a letter of protest to the minister of finance which was subsequently published in The Independent:



"The public has been informed that the Finance Department drew the deposits of Government money from the two local Korean banks and deposited it in the Russo-Korean Bank. Besides there is a rumor to the effect that your department has transferred a large sum of money from the treasury vault to that of the Russian bank. Furthermore, the said bank has been authorized to collect and disburse all the Government revenues for the Finance Department. This matter concerns the people and they ought to know the facts of the case. If these rumors are true we must consider that the Russo-Korean Bank is practically our treasury and your department will be a figure head. We hope this is not true but after hearing such rumors we are, in the sense of our moral obligation which we owe to the Government, deeply interested and are anxious to know the exact relation and privileges which the said bank has obtained from the Government."





A Korean coin from 1901 Image from a video exhibit at the Bank of Korea Money Museum in September 2018
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks to representatives of the flight crew of Russian airlines on a visit to Aeroflot Aviation School outside Moscow, March 5. AP-Yonhap





Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the West, Saturday, of a wider war if a no-fly zone is set up, as his forces resumed an offensive against a key Ukrainian city where a planned evacuation of residents failed to take place over security fears.







With his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky criticizing NATO for ruling out a no-fly zone for fear of sparking nuclear conflict, Putin spoke of "colossal and catastrophic consequences not only for Europe but also the whole world," if such a zone was set up.







"Any movement in this direction will be considered by us as participation in an armed conflict by that country," Putin said.







For Zelensky, on day 10 of the invasion, under an escalating bombardment that has flattened more and more infrastructure and sent nearly 1.4 million civilians fleeing for their lives, the Western military alliance's "no" to a no-fly zone had essentially given "the green light for further bombing of Ukrainian cities and villages".







The strategic city of Mariupol proudly resisted Moscow-backed rebels during a 2014 conflict, but the Azoz sea port has for days been without electricity, food and water in the dead of winter and people began gathering for the evacuation.







After Russia's defense ministry declared the ceasefire  to open a humanitarian corridor out of the war's fiercest battles  officials said the city's 450,000-strong population could begin to leave by bus and private cars.







However city officials then called a delay in the evacuation, saying: "The Russian side does not adhere to the ceasefire and has continued shelling both Mariupol itself and its environs, and for security reasons, the evacuation of the civilian population has been postponed."







Russia later announced the assault was back on. "Due to the unwillingness of the Ukrainian side to influence nationalists or extend the ceasefire, offensive actions have been resumed," at 3 p.m. (GMT) a Russian defense ministry spokesman said.







The siege came as more Russian forces inched closer to the capital.







The western edge of Kyiv bears witness to a human tragedy whose scale grows ever greater as Russia's assault becomes more determined and indiscriminate.







Working class towns such as Bucha and Irpin are in the line of fire and air raids Friday broke many people's resolve to stay.







"Warplanes. They are bombing residential areas  schools, churches, big buildings, everything," said accountant Natalia Dydenko said after a quick glance back at the destruction she left behind.







Dozens of civilians have been killed in assaults on the northern town of Chernihiv. Those remaining live among the town's ruins and in craters.







A view shows a building in Kharkiv, Ukraine, March 4, which city officials and locals said was damaged by recent shelling, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues. Reuters-Yonhap









"There were corpses all over the ground," Sergei told AFP, as air raid sirens wailed once more. "They were queuing here for the pharmacy that's just there, and they're all dead."







AFP reporters saw scenes of devastation  despite Moscow's insistence it is not targeting civilian areas.







Zelensky remains defiant, announcing Saturday that Ukrainian forces were counterattacking around Kharkiv, the country's second largest city, which has seen Russian incursions and fierce bombardments.







Canada urges citizens to leave Russia Ukrainian refugees near 1.5 million as Russian assault enters 11th day Visa, Mastercard suspend operations in Russia over Ukraine invasion Ukraine's Zelenskyy says he held phone call with Biden "We inflict such losses on the invaders that they have not seen even in their worst dream," he said.



Since Putin's army invaded on February 24, Russia has pummeled Ukrainian cities, with officials reporting hundreds of civilians killed. Europe's largest atomic power plant has even come under attack sparking fears of a catastrophic nuclear accident.



But Moscow has so far only seized two key cities in its 10-day-long invasion  Berdiansk and Kherson on Ukraine's southern Black Sea coast.



Capturing Mariupol represents a bigger prize for Russian forces as it would deal a severe blow to Ukraine's maritime access and connect with troops coming from annexed Crimea and the Donbas.



The Kremlin said it was waiting for a third round of talks with Ukraine in Belarus, and one of Kyiv's negotiators said it hoped to hold them this weekend.



A third round of talks would take place Monday, the Ukrainian side said Saturday.



Zelensky was to appeal to Washington for more assistance Saturday with an address to the U.S. Senate after some lawmakers urged President Joe Biden to take tougher measures, including banning Russia's oil imports.



With fears growing of direct conflict between NATO and Russia  both nuclear armed  the U.S. and Moscow have set up a new direct phone line to reduce the risks of "miscalculation," the Pentagon said Friday.



U.S. chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley became the latest Western figure to rule out a no-fly zone, saying it would mean taking on the Russian Air Force.



"That is not something that NATO Secretary General (Jens) Stoltenberg or any member states senior political leadership has indicated that they want to do," Milley told reporters in Riga.



A Twitter logo and Russian flag are seen through broken glass in this photo taken March 1. Reuters-Yonhap

Media exodus



Russian authorities have imposed a news blackout and multiple media outlets have halted operations. Twitter was restricted and Facebook blocked in Russia.



A host of news outlets including the BBC, and Bloomberg said they were suspending work in Russia after lawmakers in Moscow passed legislation to impose fines and jail terms of up to 15 years for publishing "fake news" about the army.



CNN said it would halt broadcasting in Russia, while independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta said it would remove Ukraine content.



The Kremlin defended the new law Saturday, saying it was "necessary as the country was facing "an unprecedented information war."



Global hunger



Putin has been unmoved as Russia has become isolated in the economic, sporting and cultural fields.



But that did not stop tens of thousands of people from taking to the streets of cities across Europe, from Berlin to London, Geneva, Paris, Prague, Madrid and Vilnius to protest the invasion.



And the list of major companies suspending operations in Russia grew again with Spanish clothing giant and Zara fast-fashion chain owner Inditex calling a halt.




BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Dressed in geek chic in front of a camera in her California office, Liu Shan, a distinguished scientist of Chinese internet giant Tencent, is holding a livestreamed meeting with her colleagues in China.

During an interview with Xinhua, the words technology, standard, immersion and compression were uttered most frequently by the general manager of Tencent Media Lab.

It is Liu's hope that Chinese internet companies could make greater contribution to the development of core technical standards.

Her team contributed to the development of the new generation of international video codec standards H.266/VVC and submitted hundreds of technical proposals to the standards.

More than 100 of their proposals have been adopted.

"The new generation of video codec standards has doubled the compression efficiency, which means that we need half of the bandwidth for the same picture quality," said Liu.

Looking back on her research journey, Liu thinks her curiosity toward the sciences came from the way that her parents raised her. "My dad would tell me how Newton discovered the law of gravity when I ate an apple."

Since middle school, Liu has shown outstanding performance in mathematics and physics. Later, she obtained her bachelor's degree in electronic engineering from Tsinghua University, and her master's and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Southern California.

Liu played an important role in the development and application of several of Tencent's key products. She is also the inventor of more than 200 U.S. and global patent applications and the author of more than 60 journal and conference articles.

At present, she spends 40 percent of her time in China, 40 percent in the United States, and the rest around the world. She manages a team that speaks eight languages.

In the future, her research will cover virtual reality (VR), according to her colleague Zhang Yihan.

The commercialization of VR previously faced many challenges, Liu said. But she still believes that the cutting-edge media technology will boom again in the era of 5G.

"I'm not an extremely smart person," said Liu, "but I work really hard since I believe that success originates from diligence, and diligence from love."

Research requires long hours, and is full of uncertainty and sometimes can be dull, she said. "Without love, it is easy to give up." 
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin toasted a friendship with "no limits" at a warm meeting in February, but just one month later that bond is being tested by the war in Ukraine.

With international outrage and sanctions mounting against Russia, Beijing is scrambling to avoid being tainted by association with Moscow while also maintaining their increasingly close ties.

Once bitter Cold War rivals, China and Russia have moved closer than ever since Xi Jinping took power nearly a decade ago, driven by their shared desire to confront US power.

But China seems to have been caught flat-footed by Russia's military offensive, fierce Ukrainian resistance, and the volume of the resulting international anti-Kremlin backlash.

Also Read | Visa and Mastercard suspend operations in Russia over Ukraine invasion

Beijing, which has long demanded respect for territorial integrity in border disputes with its own neighbours, has been forced into rhetorical contortions on Ukraine to avoid upsetting Russia.

While maintaining lip service to national sovereignty, China has insisted that Moscow's security concerns regarding Ukraine and the broader expansion of the US-led North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) are valid.

It has refused to condemn Moscow, with Chinese government spokespersons remonstrating foreign journalists at press conferences who refer to the assault on Ukraine as an "invasion".

At the same time, censors on the tightly controlled Chinese internet have struggled to shape domestic public discourse, initially allowing vociferous posts that tracked Beijing's anti-US rhetoric, before pivoting to scrub lewd messages objectifying women fleeing Ukraine as well as the anti-war sentiment.

Also Read | Putins war has brought Xi factional trouble

"You could see the bewilderment in the early statements," said Sergey Radchenko, a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Failure to finesse the situation puts Beijing at risk of being labelled a Putin enabler, potentially alienating Western trading partners and endangering the tenuous balance of links China has cultivated in recent years with both Russia and Ukraine.

The situation has effectively paralysed China, according to Richard Ghiasy, an expert at the Hague Centre for Strategic Studies.

"Security interests virtually always trump economic interests" in China's calculus, and it will not fundamentally shift toward a more pro-Ukraine stance, he told AFP.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine: Their war, our worries

Russia is "a giant, nuclear-armed and resource-rich neighbour" that China won't risk agitating, Ghiasy said.

Beijing's difficult position is compounded by the plight of its 6,000 citizens in Ukraine, who are now being gradually evacuated by road and rail to neighbouring countries along with other displaced persons.

More than a dozen governments urged their citizens to leave Ukraine by mid-February, but China refrained from doing the same.

It instead urged its citizens to "remain calm" and stay at home even as Russian troops moved onto Ukrainian soil, and was forced to cancel a proposed airlift after Ukraine closed its airspace to civilian planes.

Also Read | Ukraine's Zelenskyy asks Biden for more support

In a hint of how Beijing misread the situation, its embassy in Ukraine initially urged its citizens to display China's distinctive red flag on their cars as a protective measure, quickly retracting that advice after some reported subsequent hostility from locals.

The "political position that the Chinese government has adopted has made things difficult for Chinese citizens there," said Manoj Kewalramani, China studies fellow at the Bangalore-based Takshashila Institution.

"If we see Chinese casualties in Ukraine, then the pro-Russian neutrality of the Chinese government that we are seeing today will become harder to maintain," Kewalramani added.

With little room to manoeuvre, China is adopting the mantle of a mediator.

Also Read | Any countries imposing no-fly zone over Ukraine party to conflict: Putin

Xi urged Putin in a call last week to resolve the crisis by forming a "sustainable European security mechanism through negotiations", and China's foreign minister told his Ukrainian counterpart that Beijing "regrets" the conflict and hopes the two sides can find a diplomatic solution.

But any mediating role assumed by China would stop short of using its influence to get Putin to change, said Steve Tsang, director of the China Institute at London's School of Oriental and African Studies.

"It is outward neutrality, but in reality, still on Russia's side," said Tsang.

A negotiated solution is now China's least-bad scenario, according to analysts.

The worst case, said Tsang, would be for the tightening sanctions on Russia -- or a failure of its military objectives in Ukraine -- to result in an uprising that ousts Putin from power, potentially leading to a pro-Western government in Moscow.

"I doubt Xi wants to see the war in Ukraine escalate further," Tsang said.

"But he would want to see Putin be able to get what he wants without causing too much collateral damage ... for China and its ties with the rest of the world."

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Participants in the opening ceremony of practical training for Level-2 Field Hospital No. 4

(Photo: qdnd.vn)

Addressing the opening ceremony in Hanoi, Maj. Gen. Hoang Kim Phung, Director of the department under the Ministry of National Defence, said thorough preparations have been made for the hospital which has undergone training in expertise, military, politics, and foreign languages as required by the UN.



Maj. Gen. Nguyen Truong Giang, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Military Medical University, noted practical training is necessary for assessing the field hospitals capacity, adding that this is a good chance for its staff members to learn from foreign lecturers and experts experience so as to fully gear up for the coming duties.

Meanwhile, Director of the hospital Lt. Col. Vu Minh Duong pledged all-round preparations will be made to complete the training course with the best possible results.

The first Level-2 field hospital of Vietnam departed for UNMISS in October 2018, the second left for the mission in November 2019 and was replaced by the third in early 2021./.
A woman enters a booth to cast her early vote for the March 9 presidential election at a local polling station in Seoul, March 5. AP-Yonhap





South Korea's national election commission apologized Sunday for alleged poor management of the early voting for the March 9 presidential election, but it dismissed any suggestion of electoral foul play.





"We are sorry and regretful for having caused inconvenience during the early voting for COVID-19 patients yesterday," the commission said in a statement, vowing to swiftly address the issue for the upcoming election.





The two-day early voting ended Saturday with a record turnout of 36.93 percent, reflecting high voter interest in what is expected to be one of the closest presidential races in history.





Polling stations accommodated COVID-19 patients and those in quarantine for one hour starting at 5 p.m., during which some voters complained over long waiting times and possible electoral fraud as their ballots were collected in boxes or shopping bags instead of regular ballot boxes.





"The voting process at the temporary polling stations was in accordance with law and regulations, and there was no chance of foul play in the procedures," the commission said, adding the same method was used for the 2020 general elections and the 2021 by-elections.









Wednesday's election has shaped up to be a two-way race between former Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and former prosecutor-general Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party.





In the polls, the two have long competed within the margin of error at around support of 40 percent each.





More than 44 million people are eligible to vote in this year's election. Voting for overseas South Koreans took place over six days until Feb. 28, while sailors aboard ships cast their ballots from March 1 to 4. (Yonhap)


War refugees stay near the Polish-Ukrainian border in Dorohusk, Poland, March 5. EPA-Yonhap





The number of Ukrainian refugees was expected to reach 1.5 million Sunday as Russia continued its attack on their country 11 days after invading, and Kyiv pressed for further Western action, including more sanctions and weapons.







Moscow and Kyiv traded blame over a failed ceasefire plan that would have let civilians flee Mariupol and Volnovakha, two southern cities besieged by Russian forces. Another round of talks was tentatively planned for Monday as Ukrainians who could escape spilled into neighboring Poland, Romania, Slovakia and elsewhere.







In a televised address Saturday night, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on people in areas occupied by Russian troops to go on the offensive and fight.







"We must go outside and drive this evil out of our cities," he said, vowing to rebuild his nation. "My confidence in this is reinforced by the energy of our resistance, our protest."







Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier reiterated that he wanted a neutral Ukraine that had been "demilitarized" and "denazified," and likened Western sanctions "to a declaration of war," adding: "Thank God it has not come to that."







Ukraine and Western countries have decried Putin's reasons as a baseless pretext for the invasion he launched Feb. 24 and have imposed sweeping sanctions aimed at isolating Moscow and crippling its economy.







Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, after meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the Ukraine-Poland border, said he expected new sanctions and weapons for Ukraine in coming days.







The United States has said it would give Ukraine more weapons and has repeatedly warned it could escalate sanctions, with President Joe Biden seeking $10 billion in emergency funding to respond to the crisis.







Washington is working with Poland as Warsaw considers whether to provide fighter jets to Ukraine, a White House spokesperson said late Saturday, adding that the United States could replenish Poland's supply of jets if they did, although challenges remain given the contested airspace.







Zelenskiy had asked for help securing aircraft from European allies in a video call with U.S. lawmakers earlier Saturday. He also called again for more lethal aid, a ban on Russian oil, a no-fly zone and an end to Visa and MasterCard privileges in Russia, U.S. media reported.







Biden spoke with Zelenskiy for about 30 minutes Saturday evening in Washington as Sunday broke in Ukraine, the White House said. They discussed security, financial support for Ukraine and the continuation of sanctions against Russia, Zelenskiy wrote on Twitter.







NATO, which Ukraine wants to join, has resisted Zelenskiy's appeals to impose a no-fly zone over his country, saying it would escalate the conflict outside Ukraine.







Seeking to mediate, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met with Putin at the Kremlin, Saturday, and later spoke to Zelenskiy, Bennett's spokesperson said.







"We continue dialogue," Zelenskiy tweeted after the call.







British Prime Minister Boris Johnson issued a six-point plan to respond to Russia's invasion ahead of meetings with leaders from Canada, the Netherlands and Central Europe in London next week.







Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan is expected to talk with Putin, Sunday. Turkey, a NATO member, shares a maritime border with Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea.







Ukrainian negotiators said a third round of talks with Russia on a ceasefire would go ahead Monday, although Moscow was less definitive.







Surveillance camera footage shows a flare landing at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant during shelling in Enerhodar, Zaporizhia Oblast, Ukraine, March 4. Reuters-Yonhap








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This article is the sixth and final in a series about the 2022 presidential election candidates' campaign pledges. In this article, their pledges for inter-Korean relations are examined and compared. ED



Lee stresses balance between deterrence, dialogue; Yoon vows 'peace through strength'



By Kang Seung-woo



With North Korea steadily modernizing its arsenal of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, the new president of South Korea will have to work hard to deal with the decades-long unresolved issue upon inauguration in May.



The two leading presidential candidates for the March 9 election  Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP)  are open to inter-Korean dialogue and economic cooperation, but they differ in their solutions.





Lee Jae-myung, left, of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, and Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party / Joint Press Corps



Lee, 57, is following in the footsteps of previous liberal presidents who took the path of "reward first, denuclearize later" in order to engage the reclusive state proactively. The former Gyeonggi Province governor believes that pre-emptive inter-Korean economic cooperation could pave the way for the North to give up its nuclear program over the long term, so he proposes the conditional lifting of sanctions on Pyongyang in return for steps toward denuclearization.



"It would be better to begin by pushing for North Korea to take meaningful steps for denuclearization in return for partial rewards," Lee said in his Feb. 23 contribution to Foreign Affairs magazine, titled, "A Practical Vision for South Korea."



In addition, Lee claims that the international community could deploy "snapback" sanctions to reimpose sanctions immediately if North Korea fails to comply with its denuclearization promises.



The U.S. government has urged the North Korean regime to abandon its nuclear weapons first in exchange for economic rewards, but Pyongyang has pushed back on this demand, denouncing it as immediate and unilateral.



Lee is also expected to succeed the Moon Jae-in administration's pursuit of a declaration putting an official end to the Korean War, while seeking to play a mediator role in U.S.-North Korea relations, should he be elected president.



President Moon Jae-in floated the idea at the United Nations last September, believing it could serve as a catalyst for denuclearization negotiations with North Korea, but the Kim Jong-un regime has remained unresponsive to it. As for the mediator role, Seoul was recognized for setting up the first-ever summit between the United States and North Korea in 2018, but after their 2019 summit ended up without a deal, the South Korean government has been struggling to connect the two sides.





This photo, released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Jan. 28, shows a long-range cruise missile being launched from a transporter erector launcher on Jan. 25. Yonhap



On the other hand, Yoon, 61, insists that without North Korea's sincere commitment to denuclearization, the sanctions must continue.



"Pyongyang's sincere and complete declaration of its existing nuclear programs would be the first milestone step in restoring trust. Sanctions against North Korea might then be eased in line with verifiable and irreversible steps Pyongyang must take toward denuclearization," Yoon wrote in his Feb. 8 contribution to Foreign Affairs magazine, titled "South Korea Needs to Step Up."









"Negotiations should rest on the idea that if the North Korean leadership makes the bold decision to denuclearize, the South will offer economic support and discuss cooperation projects, including an inter-Korean joint development plan to guide economic relations in a post-denuclearization era," he said.



Yoon opposes the push for an end-of-war declaration, arguing that there would be considerable consequences if it were signed before the security threats from the North are removed.



In accordance with its leader's pledge at the Eighth Congress of the Workers' Party in January 2021, North Korea has been doubling down on its military build-up, resulting in a mounting threat to South Korea.



Entering January, the country launched 11 missiles through seven rounds of testing, which included an intermediate-range ballistic missile. Following a hiatus in February while its ally China hosted the Winter Olympics, it resumed missile testing, firing a ballistic missile on Feb. 27.



Amid the series of missile tests from the North, there have been growing calls for actions from the South Korean government stricter than its repeated expressions of regret.



Yoon believes that the Moon administration has turned a blind eye to North Korean provocations for four and a half years, thereby changing inter-Korean ties into a "master-servant relationship" and weakening the South's national security.



"Relations between the two Koreas have been distorted by Pyongyang's provocations and Seoul's subservient reactions," Yoon wrote in his contribution, citing what he described as Seoul's yielding response to North Korea's unilateral destruction of the joint inter-Korean liaison office in Gaeseong in 2020 and its series of missile launches in January.



In contrast, he stressed that South Korea should seek to establish "peace through strength" by building up its military capabilities.



"For the South Korean government, protecting the lives and property of its people should be the main priority. Seoul must neutralize North Korea's nuclear and missile capabilities by strengthening South Korea's air and missile defenses and reinforcing Washington's extended deterrence against North Korea."



In addition, as part of enhancing deterrence against North Korea's threats, Yoon said that he will deploy an additional THAAD battery here and launch a preemptive strike on North Korea if necessary.





President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un hug each other during their summit at the truce village of Panmunjeom in the Demilitarized Zone, April 27, 2018. Yonhap




Vietnamese citizens coming to Hungary from Ukraine welcomed at Budapest train station

(Photo: dantri.com.vn)

The embassy sent a note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Border Guard of Hungary requesting coordination and creation of favourable conditions to support Vietnamese citizens to seek refuge in Hungary. In addition, it has closely followed Hungarys regulations on entry and stay for refugees from Ukraine, and continuously updated information through the channels of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Vietnamese community in Hungary.



The embassy has coordinated with the Association of Vietnamese People in Hungary to set up a working board and issued a notice calling on the Vietnamese community in Hungary to promote solidarity, which has been warmly received by the expatriates.

On March 4, Vietnamese Ambassador to Hungary Nguyen Thi Bich Thao and representatives of the Vietnamese Association in Nyiregyhaza city, 65 km far from the Ukraine-Hungary border, delivered charitable goods to the Zahony border gate, where there many refugees travelling from Ukraine to Hungary by train. According to Hungarian police statistics, on March 3, more than 3,300 refugees, including many Vietnamese people, took the train from Zahony to Budapest.

As of March 4 evening, the embassy and the Vietnamese community in Hungary had provided assistance for 125 Vietnamese citizens from Ukraine./.
New Delhi: As Russias attack continues on Ukraine, US President Joe Biden discussed the ongoing conflict with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday (March 5).

The Ukrainian President took to Twitter saying that he discussed financial support for Ukraine and the continuation of sanctions against Russia with Biden.

As part of the constant dialogue, I had another conversation with @POTUS. The agenda included the issues of security, financial support for Ukraine and the continuation of sanctions against Russia, Zelenskyy tweeted.

As part of the constant dialogue, I had another conversation with @POTUS. The agenda included the issues of security, financial support for Ukraine and the continuation of sanctions against Russia.   (@ZelenskyyUa) March 6, 2022

The White House said the call between Biden and Zelenskyy lasted about half an hour.

During his call, Biden also welcomed decisions by Visa and Mastercard to suspend their operations in Russia. "President Biden noted his administration is surging security, humanitarian, and economic assistance to Ukraine and is working closely with Congress to secure additional funding," the White House said, as per Reuters.

"President Biden highlighted the ongoing actions undertaken by the United States, its allies and partners, and private industry to raise the costs on Russia for its aggression in Ukraine. In particular, he welcomed the decision this evening by Visa and Mastercard to suspend service in Russia," the White House readout added.

Biden and Zelenskyy also discussed the recent talks between Russia and Ukraine to resolve the ongoing conflict.

Earlier on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin to discuss the war in Ukraine. He later dialed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Bennetts spokesperson informed.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the West on Saturday and said that the Western sanctions were akin to a declaration of war. Moscow and Kyiv blamed each other over a failed ceasefire to enable civilians to evacuate two cities besieged by Russian forces.

In a televised address on Saturday night, Zelenskyy had urged people in areas occupied by Russian troops to go on the offensive and fight. "We must go outside and drive this evil out of our cities," he said, as per ANI. "My confidence in this is reinforced by the energy of our resistance, our protest," the Ukrainian President said vowing to rebuild his nation.

(With agency inputs)

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Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police have identified three suspects involved in the Peshawar mosque suicide blast, said Pakistan Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed on Saturday.

Sharing a video message on his Twitter handle, Rasheed said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police, along with the investigation agencies, have identified all three suspects involved in the blast.

He added that the police and investigation agencies have closed in on the suspects, who are likely to be arrested in the next two to three days.

On Friday, an explosion at a Shia mosque in Peshawar had claimed the lives of 57 people and injured nearly 200. City officials termed the incident a suicide attack and said that two attackers were involved in the incident.

Notably, two terrorists opened fire at police officers near the mosque in Peshawar, after which one of them entered the building and set off the explosion. The Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the explosion.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) strongly condemned the suicide blast which it said was intended to target Shia worshippers.

"The assault was clearly intended to target Shia worshippers and bears the hallmarks of sectarian outfits that have been allowed to run amok in recent years," the HRCP said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the death toll in the incident rose to 63 after six more injured succumbed to their injuries on Saturday, Daily Times reported citing a spokesperson of the Lady Reading Hospital.

(ANI)

Also Read: Mastercard, Visa suspend operations in Russia over Ukraine invasion
Chicago police investigate the scene where two police officers were shot at the Original Maxwell Street hot dog stand in the 3800 block of West Harrison Street in Chicago. njuries (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

A Burnside neighborhood man is expected in court Sunday, accused of shooting two Chicago cops who were on break at a popular West Side hot dog stand, police said.

Kailo Harris-Caldwell, 24, was charged with two counts of attempted murder, possession of a controlled substance and possession of cannabis, which is a misdemeanor, Chicago police said.

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Just before 3:30 a.m. Friday, two officers were on a break at The Original Maxwell Street, a hot dog and hamburger stand in the 600 block of South Independence Boulevard in the Lawndale neighborhood, police said.

A man standing in front of them, now known as Harris-Caldwell, went to pull money from his pocket but dropped a handgun, Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said Friday.

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Harris-Caldwell picked up the gun and shot at the officer standing near him, grazing the officers head, Brown said Friday. He then shot three times into the drivers side of a police car, striking the second officer in the leg.

A nearby undercover officer pursued Harris-Caldwell, and he was arrested blocks away.

One of the two officers was released from the hospital Friday.

Harris-Caldwell, of the 400 block of East 89th Place, is scheduled to appear in a bond court hearing Sunday.
The owner of a third of the properties on the real life Ramsay Street has a wild plan for the iconic Neighbours location, following news that the soap has been axed after 37 years.

Australian expat Andrew Whitney, who now lives in Yorkshire, wants the two homes he owns on Pin Oak Court in Melbourne's Vermont South to be turned into sets for a reality TV series 'like The Only Way is Essex, or Geordie Shore'.

'It would be amazing to get some real families in there,' the entrepreneur told the Daily Telegraph.

New Neighbours? The owner of a third of the properties on the real life Ramsay Street has a wild plan for the iconic Neighbours location. Pictured: Neighbours actor Matt Wilson (left) with Geordie Shore's Scotty T

Geordie Shore is the British offshoot of MTV's Jersey Shore and follows the lives of hard-partying and often scantily-clad housemates in the town of Wallsend.

Whitney owns 3 Pin Oak Court and 6 Pin Oak Court, and once tried to buy No.5 as well, before being outbid at auction.

'The opening bid was $1.2m and I had to put my collar up and get out of there,' said the property mogul.

Big plans: Australian expat Andrew Whitney, who now lives in Yorkshire, wants the two homes he owns on Pin Oak Court in Melbourne's Vermont South to be turned into sets for a reality TV series 'like The Only Way is Essex, or Geordie Shore'. Pictured: 3 Pin Oak Court

New look: Geordie Shore is the British offshoot of MTV's Jersey Shore and follows the lives of hard-partying and often scantily-clad housemates in the town of Wallsend. Pictured: Geordie Shore star Chrysten Zenoni

Whitney also announced his intentions to sell No.3 Pin Oak Court this year.

The property, which on Neighbours serves as the fictional home to Toadfish and Nell Rebecchi, will go to auction on April 9.

He bought the home at auction in 2013 for $867,000, and the home is expected to fetch far more later this year.

Under the hammer: The property, which on Neighbours serves as the fictional home to Toadfish and Nell Rebecchi, will go to auction on April 9

Buyer: Whitney (pictured) owns 3 Pin Oak Court and 6 Pin Oak Court, and once tried to buy No.5 as well, before being outbid at auction

Whitney's comment come after Whitehorse City Council last month said they were hoping to preserve 'iconic' Ramsay Street with heritage protection.

As reported by the Herald Sun, councillors 'passed a motion' with 'eight votes to three' to protect the properties that make up Pin Oak Court and Weeden Drive in Vermont South, Melbourne, where the Aussie soap is predominantly filmed.

Councillor Andrew Davenport described the real life Ramsay Street as an 'iconic street and precinct within the City of Whitehorse,' according to the publication.

Protecting 'iconic' Ramsay Street: Local council is hoping to preserve 'iconic' Ramsay Street with heritage protection, according to a report by the Herald Sun

'We should not wait until production ceases before acting and give the owners of the properties the opportunity to be part of a process, rather than have it imposed on them,' he continued.

However not all are in favour, with councillor Andrew Munroe reportedly describing the motion as a 'terribly unfair burden for a bit of pop culture nostalgia'.

It comes after Network 10 and Fremantle, the show's producer, confirmed the news that Neighbours was cancelled on Thursday, and said the final episode will be filmed in June.

Exploring options: Whitehorse City Council councillors 'passed a motion' with 'eight votes to three' to protect the properties that make up Pin Oak Court and Weeden Drive in Vermont South, Melbourne, where the Aussie soap is predominantly filmed

In a statement issued to MailOnline, they confirmed: 'It is with sadness that after nearly 37 years and almost 9000 episodes broadcast, we are confirming that Neighbours will cease production in the summer.

'Following the loss of a key broadcast partner in the UK, and despite a search for alternative funding, we currently have no option but to rest the show.

'Everyone at Neighbours has been overwhelmed by the love and support from the audience since the news came out. The show has brought a sunny slice of Australia into the homes of millions of viewers around the world launching the careers of dozens of household names along the way.

'But as this chapter of Ramsay Street comes to a close, we promise to do everything we can to give the show the send-off it deserves.'

In a separate statement, they added that the series would 'not air on 10 Peach beyond September 2022', marking the end of its decades-long run.

Gone: In a statement earlier this month, Channel 5 confirmed their decision not to renew their contract to air the Aussie soap with producers Fremantle Australia. Pictured: the show's 2021 cast

The beginning of the end was first signalled last month, when UK broadcaster Channel 5 confirmed their decision not to renew their contract to air the Australian soap with producers Fremantle Australia.

Fremantle later emailed staff saying filming would end on June 10, and absent any new broadcaster emerging to provide the funds to resume production, the show looked to be at an end.

Channel 5's statement read: 'It's been a much-loved part of our schedule for more than a decade, and we'd like to thank the cast, Fremantle and all of the production team for their fantastic work on this iconic series.

'We'd also of course like to thank the fans for their loyal support of Neighbours across the years.

'We recognise that there will be disappointment about this decision, however our current focus is on increasing our investment in original UK drama, which has strong appeal for our viewers.'

Not enough: Despite recent high-profile casting like Aussie expat Tammin Sursok, the show was officially axed last Thursday
Conditioner Rod Starkewski scored a hat trick on the 11-race card at Century Downs on Saturday (March 5) which included a victory in the $10,500 co-featured pace by Crackle N Burn.

Driver Phil Giesbrecht grabbed command with Crackle N Burn from the outermost post in the field scratched to five. On the point, the six-year-old Blue Burner gelding received nothing but respect and dictated a tempo of :27.1, :56.2 and 1:25.2 under minimal pressure. The main challenge came in the stretch when Shark Week surged down the center of the course to try and take the lead late, but Crackle N Burn held firm at the cones to win by a neck in 1:55. Outlaw Gunsablazin sat a pocket trip to finish third and Codename Cigar Box took fourth.

Owned by Starkewski, Crackle N Burn won his second race from six starts this season and his 18th from 78 overall, lifting his earnings to $223,572. He paid $4.70 to win and was the second winner of Starkewskis hat trick, with his first on the day being Outlaw Blue Isle ($3.70) and his last coming with YV Angels Envy ($74.70).

If Only Id Known popped pocket to win the $10,500 co-featured pace for fillies and mares earlier in the card. The four-year-old Shadow Play mare led the field by a :27.4 first quarter before yielding control to Stash The Cookies, who then led uncontested to a :56 half and three-quarters in 1:24.4 Driver Dave Kelly mounted his bid out of the pocket with If Only Id Known coming into the stretch and they edged by the pacesetter to land a half-length victory at the beam in 1:53.3. Pure Addition finished third, another five lengths behind, with Bearcat Josi taking fourth.



Co-owned by trainer Chris Lancaster with Rob Stashek Holdings Ltd., If Only Id Known won her first race from eight starts this season and her eighth from 30 overall, pushing her earnings to $90,422. She paid $15.30 to win.

Trainer Robert Smith of St. Albert, Alta. collected the first training victory of his career early in the card. With 26 starts spanning back to 2011, the conditioner visited the winners circle for the first time after Dubai Seelster ($7.30) posted a 1:59.1 victory in a $4,900 conditioned pace with Dave Kelly in the bike.

To view Saturdays harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results  Century Downs.
She is a native of Yarguppi village in the Dharwad district. She was evacuated from Ukraine under the ongoing 'Operation Ganga'.

Her parents were also present at the airport.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has regularly been chairing high-level meetings over the Ukraine crisis.

Earlier on Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs said that over 13,300 people have returned to India so far under Operation Ganga from crisis-ridden Ukraine. The Ministry also informed that almost all Indians have left Kharkiv city in Ukraine and the main focus of the government is to evacuate citizens from the Sumy area as it is challenging amid ongoing violence and lack of transportation.

The government has also deployed 'special envoys' to five neighbouring countries bordering Ukraine to coordinate and oversee the evacuation process of Indian nationals.

Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. (ANI)
IAF, in a tweet, informed that as of March 6 at 7:30 am, the Air Force has sent 11 sorties, evacuating 2,266 Indians and providing 26.25 tons of relief material using airfields of Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.

The Air Force was pitched in the rescue operations to augment the level of Operation Ganga.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting on the Ukraine crisis. The meeting was attended by Union Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary of India Harsh Vardhan Shringla and other top officials.

The Prime Minister has been regularly chairing high-level meetings over the Ukraine crisis.

Earlier on Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs said that over 13,300 people have returned to India so far under Operation Ganga from crisis-ridden Ukraine.

The Ministry also informed that almost all Indians have left Kharkiv city in Ukraine and the main focus of the government is to evacuate citizens from the Sumy area as it is challenging amid ongoing violence and lack of transportation.

The government has also deployed 'special envoys' to five neighbouring countries bordering Ukraine to coordinate and oversee the evacuation process of Indian nationals.

Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. (ANI)
Kerala Congress (B) will focus on social and welfare measures in a bid to reach out to the poor and vulnerable in the state, said party MLA K B Ganesh Kumar. Speaking to ANI, Kumar said that the party will have to rigorously work for the welfare of the poor, besides taking up social activities, including garbage management and cleaning of hospitals. "The party has decided to involve in more charity works, mainly for the welfare of the poor and poorest people of the society. Those in the party will work especially in the (scheduled castes, scheduled tribe) SC/ST colonies. They will take up charitable works and social services like managing garbage. Now they will involve in hospital cleaning activities and report to higher committees about their services. This is the way the party will gain accountability," Kumar said. Kumar, an actor, said that Kerala Congress (B) is the first political party to use software for party membership. "We are using software similar to the tools used by the Election Commissions. We are collecting photos, ID cards and Aadhaar numbers. There is no nomination of candidates. Everything is done by the selected committees," he added. Kumar also revealed that he has decided to donate his organs, adding that he will then serve as a role model for the party workers. "Organ transplantation is a serious issue in our community and I have already decided to donate my organs. Some of my colleagues can do the same to help society. I am appealing to them to think about it. I think it will change our society," he said. (ANI)
Olivia Culpo was captured mingling with fellow social media sensation Addison Rae on Saturday night during Paris Fashion Week.

The dynamic duo appeared to be having a blast as they posed for snapshots together ahead of the star-studded Monot runway show at La Perouse.

Olivia, 29, put her svelte physique on display for the evening in a daring cut-out dress that barely concealed her ample bust.

Mingling: Olivia Culpo was captured mingling with fellow social media sensation Addison Rae on Saturday night during Paris Fashion Week

The former Miss Universe's dress flowed down to the floor and featured a sexy thigh-slit that gave a peek at her toned legs.

She slipped her feet into a pair of strappy black sandals.

Olivia sported a noticeable tan and styled her shoulder-length brunette hair in waves.

As for makeup, the Paradise City star intensified her gaze with some smudged winged eyeliner and a pair of fluffy faux lashes.

Sizzling: Olivia, 29, put her svelte physique on display for the evening in a daring cut-out dress that barely concealed her ample bust

Fun times: The dynamic duo appeared to be having a blast as they posed for snapshots together ahead of the star-studded Monot runway show at La Perouse

She rounded out the look with a glossy nude lipstick and a generous amount of glowy bronzer.

Olivia proudly showed off her sizzling getup while posing for snaps in front of a decked out dinner table, where she'd dine with Addison and her boyfriend Omer Fedi.

After getting in her solo shots, Olivia let Addison in on the fun.

Daring: The former Miss Universe's dress flowed down to the floor and featured a sexy thigh-slit that gave a peek at her toned legs

Glowing: Olivia sported a noticeable tan and styled her shoulder-length brunette hair in waves

Soft glam: As for makeup, the Paradise City star intensified her gaze with some smudged winged eyeliner and a pair of fluffy faux lashes

She warmly wrapped her arms around the 21-year-old TikTok star before pressing her head close to hers for a kiss-face photo.

Addison put on a leggy display for the event in an oversized black graphic tee and a pair of bright white platform boots.

She layered up the look with a beige trench coat that consumed her petite 5foot6inch frame.

Come on in! After getting in her solo shots, Olivia let Addison in on the fun

Group shot: Addison and Olivia also posed with Addison's boyfriend Omer Fedi and Monot designer Eli Mizrahi

Leggy: Addison put on a leggy display for the event in an oversized black graphic tee and a pair of bright white platform boots

The He's All That actress wore her brunette hair in straightened strands that flowed from a precise middle part.

After hanging with Olivia, Addison cozied up to her musician boyfriend Omer.

He cut an edgy figure in a black leather coat, a black tee and what appeared to be a white and black floral patterned skirt.

Layers: She layered up the look with a beige trench coat that consumed her petite 5foot6inch frame

Sleek: The He's All That actress wore her brunette hair in straightened strands that flowed from a precise middle part

Lovebirds: After hanging with Olivia, Addison cozied up to her musician boyfriend Omer

The lovebirds have been romantically linked since the summer of 2021.

Monot, which is a new clothing line by designer Eli Mizrahi, unveiled their highly-anticipated collection for Autumn/Winter 2022.

According to the official website, the collection is 'comprised of 28 signature pieces in modern, timeless silhouettes at a contemporary price point.'

Mizrahi is described as having a 'unique and daring style' which is reflected in his clothing.
It was announced on Thursday that Neighbours would be coming to an end after 37 years.

And on Friday, the show's beloved stars Jemma Donovan and Ben Hall were spotted filming scenes at the iconic fictional Ramsay Street in Melbourne.

The Jemma, 21, appeared in good spirits as she filmed the outdoor scenes with her on-screen partner, 29.

Action! Neighbours stars Jemma Donovan, 21, (right) and Ben Hall, 29, (left) were spotted filming scenes on Friday after it was announced that the soap has been cancelled after 37 years on air

The pair appeared to be filming a dramatic scene, which saw them being confronted by their co-star Jacinta Stapleton.

Jemma looked chic in a long-sleeved floral dress and block heels.

She wore her long blonde tresses out and relaxed.

No hard feelings! Jemma, who is 21-year-old daughter of Neighbours alum Jason Donovan, appeared in good spirits as she filmed outdoor scenes with her on-screen partner

Romance: The pair were seen strolling down the road hand-in-hand, as the cameras captured every moment

Drama: Another dramatic scene saw the couple confronted by their co-star Jacinta Stapleton (right)

Ben opted for a white long sleeve T-shirt which he teamed up with black jeans and sneakers.

It comes after Network 10 and Fremantle, the show's producer, confirmed the news that Neighbours was cancelled on Thursday, and said the final episode will be filmed in June.

In a statement issued to MailOnline, they confirmed: 'It is with sadness that after nearly 37 years and almost 9000 episodes broadcast, we are confirming that Neighbours will cease production in the summer.

Intense: The scene saw Jacinta coming towards the pair in a fit of rage

'Following the loss of a key broadcast partner in the UK, and despite a search for alternative funding, we currently have no option but to rest the show.

'Everyone at Neighbours has been overwhelmed by the love and support from the audience since the news came out. The show has brought a sunny slice of Australia into the homes of millions of viewers around the world launching the careers of dozens of household names along the way.

'But as this chapter of Ramsay Street comes to a close, we promise to do everything we can to give the show the send-off it deserves.'

Tense: At one point the pair looked a tad stressed while speaking to a crew member

That's better! Moments later the pair were seen laughing it off

The show will be taken off-air indefinitely after an 'extensive search for alternative funding' ended in failure.

News of its abrupt departure from UK's Channel 5 sent the show into a tailspin, with network bosses in Australia scrambling to find a new international broadcasting deal to cover production costs or face the closure of Ramsay Street for good.

Network 10 addressed the end of the series in a statement to Australian media on Thursday, admitting it had been a 'difficult decision'.

Over: Network 10 and Fremantle, the show's producer, confirmed the news that the show was cancelled on Thursday, and said the final episode of the iconic soap will be filmed in June. Pictured: The 2021 cast

'This difficult decision came after the search for an alternative UK broadcast partner proved unsuccessful.'

They added that the series would 'not air on 10 Peach beyond September 2022', marking the end of its decades-long run.

'A much-loved stalwart of our program schedule for over 35 years it has been a staple of Australian television drama, and Australian cultural exports,' they added.

Over: The series announced that production would be ceasing on the long-running soap in June on Thursday

Out of luck: More than 60,000 viewers of the Melbourne-based series signed a petition to keep it on British TV, but to no avail

'We are so sorry to say that after nearly 37 years and almost 9,000 episodes broadcast we have to confirm that Neighbours will cease production in June,' they wrote

'Following the loss of our key broadcast partner in the UK and despite an extensive search for alternative funding, we simply have no option but to rest the show,' they announced

'Ramsay Street, Erinsborough, is a cul-de-sac recognised all over the world and has been home to Scott and Charlene, Des and Daphne, Dr Karl and Susan, Dee and Toadie, Aaron and David and many, many more neighbours.

'Network 10 thanks the cast, crew, all the production team and Fremantle for bringing the perfect blend of soap and sunshine to audiences in Australia and around the world.'

They also praised 'the Australian fans and audiences for their continued support of the series'.

'Their encouragement particularly in the past few weeks has been incredible. It shows that our audience still want Australian scripted drama,' continued the statement.

'To our amazing, loyal fans, we know this is a huge disappointment, as it is to all of us on the team,' they wrote

'This difficult decision came after the search for an alternative UK broadcast partner proved unsuccessful,' Network 10 said in a statement

Heartache: Network 10 addressed the end of the series in a statement to Australian media on Thursday, admitting it had been a 'difficult decision'

'We have listened to them and there are exciting new local projects in the pipeline, which is great for our audience and for the local industry.

'We are confident that the cast, crew and writers will bring their distinctive warmth, style and humour to the Neighbours set as they embark on filming the final episodes over the coming months.'

Meanwhile, British broadcaster Channel 5 confirmed the end of its 14-year deal with Neighbours in February, with a spokesperson telling MailOnline that the decision to axe the soap comes as the channel's 'current focus is on increasing our investment in original UK drama.'

'We recognise that there will be disappointment about this decision, however our current focus is on increasing our investment in original UK drama, which has strong appeal for our viewers,' they said.
Bandipora [India], March 6 (ANI): In a major airlifting drive, 230 stranded passengers were airlifted to and fro Gurez valley in Bandipora on Saturday.

The airlifting drive was conducted by Bandipora District Administration in coordination with the Indian Army and other authorities.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Conflict: No Indian Left in War Torn Kharkiv, Says MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.

Notably, there were 84 candidates who were expected to appear in the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) examination on Sunday among the passengers.

Deputy Commissioner, Bandipora Owais Ahmad said that with improvement in the weather on Saturday MI-17 and Aryan Private Helicopter were put into service to airlift the stranded passengers. He said more than 230 passengers were airlifted in 17 air sorties.

Also Read | Gujarat Shocker: 30-Year-Old Man Arrested for Raping 10-Year-Old Daughter in Surat.

"114 passengers were airlifted from Dawar, Kanzalwan, Neeru and Baduaab areas of Gurez Valley to Bandipora while 103 adults and 13 infants were airlifted from Bandipora to Dawar, Kanzalwan and Baduaab areas of Gurez Valley," he added.

Owais said the passengers including JKSSB aspirants were stranded and due to bad weather no flight could be operated till Saturday. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New York [US], March 6 (ANI/Xinhua): UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres held a telephone call on Friday with Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah, Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity of Libya to discuss the latest developments in the country, Guterres' press office said on Saturday. The secretary-general expressed deep concern at the current severe political polarization in Libya which carries significant risks for Libya's hard-won stability, said the press office in a readout. The secretary-general stressed the need for all actors to preserve calm and reiterated the United Nations' firm rejection of the use of violence, intimidation and hate speech, said the readout. The Libyan House of Representatives, the country's parliament, on Tuesday, granted confidence to a new government to replace the government led by Dbeibah. The new government was sworn in on Thursday. The House of Representatives withdrew confidence from Dbeibah's government in September 2021 and kept it as a caretaker government. On February 10, it unanimously voted to appoint Fathi Bashagha as the new Prime Minister. However, Dbeibah said his government would remain in office until an elected government is established. On February 21, he announced a plan to hold general elections in June. Dbeibah's government on Tuesday accused the House of Representatives of approving the new government "without achieving quorum" during the session, confirming that it would continue to work and prepare for elections in June. Guterres on Wednesday voiced concern over Tuesday's vote in the House of Representatives. He expressed concern over reports that the vote fell short of the expected standards of transparency and procedures and included acts of intimidation prior to the session. In Friday's phone call, Guterres said the current stalemate required urgent dialogue to find a consensual way forward and reiterated his full support for mediation efforts such as those carried out by his special adviser on Libya, Stephanie Williams. (ANI/Xinhua)
https://sputniknews.com/20220306/russian-ambassador-says-us-rhetoric-becoming-irresponsible-calls-for-dialogue-1093626772.html

Russian Ambassador Says US Rhetoric Becoming Irresponsible, Calls For Dialogue

Russian Ambassador Says US Rhetoric Becoming Irresponsible, Calls For Dialogue

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov says that Washingtons anti-Russia rhetoric is starting to pose a risk to... 06.03.2022, Sputnik International

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anatoly antonov

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US Senator Rick Scott said in an interview on "Full Court Press with Greta Van Susteren" that will air on Sunday that sending US troops to Ukraine should not be completely excluded. "You should always keep all your options open  I don't think you should ever take it off the table," Scott said as quoted by The Hill.Commenting on Scotts remarks, Antonov told journalists that the "anti-Russian rhetoric in the US has reached the point of absurdity."The Russian ambassador pointed out that Scotts remarks could be interpreted as a call for a direct confrontation between the major nuclear powers and urged US lawmakers to return to common sense and work on restoring dialogue.Last week, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that under no scenario does the US administration intend to send American troops to Ukraine.

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A tornado in Winterset, Iowa, on March 5, 2022, in a still from video. (Courtesy of SCV/Trey Greenwood/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

Officials: 7 Dead After Tornado Tore Through Central Iowa

WINTERSET, IowaSeven people were killed, including two children, when several tornadoes swept through central Iowa, destroying homes, and knocking down trees and power lines in the states deadliest storm in more than a decade, authorities said.

Emergency management officials in Madison County said four were injured and six people were killed Saturday when one tornado touched down in the area southwest of Des Moines near the town of Winterset around 4:30 p.m. Among those killed were two children under the age of five and four adults.

In Lucas County, about 54 miles southeast of Des Moines, officials confirmed one death and multiple reported injuries when a separate tornado struck less than an hour later.

The state Department of Natural Resources said that person who died was in an RV at a campground at Red Haw State Park in Chariton, Iowa.

Thunderstorms that spawned tornadoes moved through much of Iowa from the afternoon until Saturday night with storms also causing damage in the Des Moines suburb of Norwalk, areas just east of Des Moines and other areas of eastern Iowa. The storms were fueled by warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico.

Officials reported a number of homes were damaged or destroyed, roads were blocked by downed lines and tree branches were shredded by the strong winds. At one point, power outages affected more than 10,000 in the Des Moines area. About 800 customers remained without power Sunday evening.

The storms are the deadliest to occur in Iowa since May 2008 when one tornado destroyed nearly 300 homes and killed nine people in the northern Iowa city of Parkersburg. Another tornado a month later killed four boys at the Little Sioux Boy Scout ranch in western Iowa.

Northern Illinois University meteorology professor Victor Gensini said there have been plenty of examples of deadly storms in March even though they are more common in April and May. Saturdays storms were not nearly as unusual as the mid-December tornado outbreak that Iowa saw last year, he said.

The storms that produce these tornadoesthese supercell stormsthey dont care what the calendar says, Gensini said. It doesnt have to say June. It doesnt have to say May. They form whenever the ingredients are present. And they were certainly present yesterday.

Gensini said Saturdays storms likely caused more than $1 billion in damages over their entire track when the severe damage in Iowa is combined with wind damage as far away as Illinois.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for Madison County, which allows state resources to be used to assist with response and recovery efforts. Madison County Emergency Management Director Diogenes Ayala said 52 homes were damaged or destroyed across nearly 14 miles.

The White House said President Joe Biden was briefed Sunday on the storm devastation in Iowa. Biden reached out Reynolds and directed the leaders of the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency to remain in close contact with state and local officials as they assessed damage and determined what federal assistance was needed, the White House said in a statement.

After touring the storm damage near Winterset, Reynolds described unimaginable destruction.

Reynolds teared up as she described the hundreds of people who streamed into the area to volunteer their help to clear debris that blocked roads and littered the hardest hit areas. Homeowners and volunteers were picking up wood debris and beginning to clear it away Sunday in the rolling hills south of Winterset as chainsaws whirred away in the background.

Its just unbelievable. I tried to walk through and thank them and over and over (and) the response was, were Iowans and thats what we do, she said.

The foundation was all that was left of several homes. The tornado carved a path of destruction along a ridge while several hundred feet away other homes were undamaged.

Ayala said emergency responders navigated narrow roads blocked by downed trees and debris Saturday night to help after the storm.

With trees and debris and everything around, just to go out there and start the search and rescue and get the people affected out of there, I cannot express the heroism of the first responders who were out there last night, Ayala said.

Officials identified the six people who were killed in Madison County as Melissa Bazley, 63; Rodney Clark, 64; Cecilia Lloyd, 72; Michael Bolger, 37; Kinlee Bolger, 5; and Owen Bolger, 2. The victims came from three different households.

Lucas County officials didnt immediately identify the person who died there Sunday afternoon.

Six people hurt in Madison County, which is known for the Bridges of Madison County book and movie, were being treated for injuries Sunday, but their conditions werent immediately available.

The National Weather Service in Des Moines said Sunday that the tornado that killed one person in Lucas County remained on the ground for more than 16 miles (25.75 kilometers) and rated an EF-3 on the Enhanced Fujita scale with peak winds of 138 mph. The damage assessment for the Winterset tornado isnt likely to be completed until Monday, but the Weather Service tweeted Saturday that initial photos of the damage there suggested that tornado was also at least an EF-3 tornado.

Elsewhere, the National Weather Service said the storms generated an EF-1 tornado in southeastern Wisconsin near Stoughton that included winds up to 80 mph. The storm flattened trees, snapped power poles and blew out windows in homes. No injuries were reported.
The Health Matters public speaker series returned last month to Powell Wellness Center in the Town of Culpeper for the first time in two years, signaling the beginning of the end of a difficult pandemic.

Dr. John Cullen Hardy, a cardiologist with UVA Health Culpeper Medical Center, gave the featured talk Feb. 22 on an apropos topic, COVID and Heart Health.

Were just happy to have you and happy to be back after a two-year hiatus. Hopefully we will do monthly events like we were pre-COVIDstarting now, said Whitney Propps, medical program & fitness manager at Powell Wellness.

More than a dozen senior citizen gym members attended the talk with Hardy, a Powell Wellness Center board member. He noted the gym still has not been quite as busy this time of year compared to what it used to be before COVID.

The local cardiologist recalled speaking for Heart Health Month in February of 2020 and then everything shutting down soon after.

He and his wife were vacationing in Ireland in March 2020 and had just landed at Heathrow Airport when the pilot informed them the U.S. had just closed it borders.

We ended up shortening our trip, Dr. Hardy said, noting how swiftly it spread. When we landed it said in Ireland, there were 20 cases. As we left a week later, there were 200 cases. When we got back the next week there were 2,000 cases.

Coronavirus appears

Latin for crown, corona virus got its name for the crown-like balls attached to proteins on the virus, as viewed under a microscope, he said. Hardy recalled earlier versions of the coronavirus starting with SARS in China in 2003. Of the 8-9,000 cases, about 1,000 people dieda 10 percent death rate, the doctor said.

MERS in Saudi Arabia in 2012, is still ongoing, Hardy said, but is much less infectious. Of the 2,500 cases in the Middle East, around 900 dieda 36 percent death rate.

There have been more than 442 million cases of COVID-19 worldwide since it was first detected in China at the end of 2019 and some 6 million deaths. Thats a lot of fatal cases, but percentage-wise the death rate is about 1.2 percent, Hardy said.

Not as deadly as SARS or MERS, but much more widespread, much more infectious, the cardiologist said. Once people had it and they were travelling, it spread very rapidly around the world.

Hardy reviewed ensuing waves of the virus in the summer and winter of 2020.

Preventive measures

With prevention measures in place like handwashing, staying home and masks, influenza during this time period surprisingly disappeared from Culpeper, the doctor said. Yet COVID cases kept rising. There was a drop in cases for a time back in April 2021.

It almost looked like we had made it last summer, he said. It looked like case numbers were way down. Then Delta (variant) came10 times as infectious as the first virus.

Deltas effects

The change this time were the vaccines, which were about 90 percent effective in those first several months of availability. Effectiveness waned to about 80 percent against Delta so the recommendation was to get a booster.

As the variant spread and rates went up again, people locked down again, got second and third shoots and kept on their masks, the doctor said. Delta ran through the local cardiology department, Hardy said.

With five of us out, had to close the office downno one got seriously ill, we had all been vaccinated, but it wasnt 100 percent effective so everybody got boosted, he said of the 2021 wave. Now were back in the winter, everybodys inside, people gathering again, getting (virus) fatigue.

Omicron kills

Delta was about as deadly as the first phase of COVID-19 cases. Then came Omicron, the last spike in cases that blew all the others away.

We had rates per day much higher than any other time because it was much more infectious, Hardy said, noting death rates were lower than Delta but there were more due to the sheer number of cases.

Many, many more people, the doctor said. 80 percent of them had mild disease but 20 percent of a big number is just as much as 50 percent of a smaller number. Not as deadly but so many more.

Not vaccinated at all

By this point, for the last wave in January 2022, vaccines were around 60 percent effective. At Culpeper Medical Center during this time, 90 percent of people admitted were not vaccinated at all, Hardy said.

We were very fullworse than any other timewe had about 65 percent of the hospital was COVID. All beds were full and more than half of them were COVID patients, the cardiologist said.

It sort of proved that while vaccine wouldnt prevent people from picking up highly contagious variants, you didnt get as sick, Hardy said. Virus symptoms local hospital workers saw were fever, cough, shortness of breath, some chest pain and congestion, which the cardiologist said he experienced.

I didnt even know I had it, thought it was allergies, didnt feel bad, nose running, ended up infecting two other people, Hardy said.

Loss of taste and smell are classic symptoms of COVID patients, he added, describing a second phase of the virus where people dont get back to normal.

Your immune response is so overwhelming that it causes inflammatory syndrome, leading to fluid on the lungs and trouble breathing, Hardy said.

A lot of people were upset when they had to come back to the hospital because they had shortness of breath and fever and had been diagnosed with COVID.

Why did they send me home or my family member home? Its because 80 percent of the people stay in that first phase and they never go to phase two. Basically thir body takes care of it, the local doctor said, noting patients were instructed to return to the hospital if they didnt get better.

That occurred day seven or eight we saw 20 percent of folks come back to the hospital, he said. Now their oxygen levels are low, theyre still having fevers, not breathing very well. Then they can be admitted.

Treating COVID

Medical staff deployed a whole host of therapies, including giving antibodies to the unvaccinated, to try and decrease the immune response and keep patients well enough until the virus could be killed off, Hardy said.

The cardiologist spoke about risk factors for getting seriously ill with COVID, saying there was a 10 percent greater risk for people with heart disease or a history of strokes, diabetes, high blood pressure or COPD. Obese patients have about the same elevated risk.

However, he added, the greatest risk factor is age, with a 30 percent higher risk for severe illness for those 65 and older, double the risk for those in their 70s and 10 times the risk for 80 and above.

They sort of knew that, but they didnt push that a lot early on, Hardy said of the numerous nursing home deaths due to severe reactions by senior citizens to the coronavirus.

The cardiologist said at the recent talk that the virus is in the endemic phase as omicron cases fall. He cautioned there could be a next phase, but likely less impactful.

Most people will eventually have it or be vaccinated against it, Hardy said.

COVID and the heart

The cardiologist said COVID-19 has not been shown to cause direct infection of heart muscle cells. It can cause elevated heart enzymes in some cases due to overwhelming stress and low oxygen flow due to the virus, Hardy said.

It will typically will get better as long as your body gets through the infection, transient heart damage, he said, noting, Blood test elevations are much more common if you have an underlying blockage.

People with heart disease are at higher risk of having severe disease and micro-damage from COVID, Hardy said, adding, most of that tends to get better.

The cardiologist addressed the very rare risk for inflammation of heart muscle cells in boys ages 12-15 who get the vaccineabout 70 cases per million. Its one of the talking points for vaccine pushback, but the condition does not last long and severe cases are very rare, Hardy said.

The local doctor said he considers the risk and benefit ratio to getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

The risk is infinitesimal versus the benefit of not getting the virus, he said.

Other problems

A major secondary health effect of COVID was it kept people from going to the ER, urgent care and primary care for both emergency and preventative care.

People show up 18 months later not having seen us for a while and theyve been out of their medicines for six months, Hardy said.

During the pandemic, the rate of Type 1 diabetes went up about 15 percent. Type 2 diabetes went up 82 percent, Hardy said.

Cant go to the gym cause theyre all locked down. Most people dont love exercise, the doctor said from the open wellness center.

Ok, how about walkingits really cheap, you dont have to pay a gym membership. Youre not going to get COVID walking outside.

Well, yeah, but no, no, his patients repond. Your mind will find reasons to not do what you dont want to do so they dont exercise.

Weight gain

Probably on average at our clinic through the two years people gained eight pounds, Hardy said. Lots of weight gain which feeds into the diabetes, blood pressures have gone up, worry, anxiety gone up.

In general people have let their health go during this time, but we can be proactive and make a difference, the cardiologist said, concluding his hour-long talk.

Get vaccinated especially if youre over 40 years old. We need to get back in our regular lifestyle. Still uncomfortable at the gym? Go out walking 30 minutesget your heart rate up and your heart pumping.
WASHINGTON, March 5 (Reuters) - Senior U.S. officials traveled to Venezuela on Saturday to meet with President Nicolas Maduro's government, seeking to determine whether Caracas is prepared to back away from its close ties to Russia amid its invasion of Ukraine, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The trip is the highest-level U.S. visit to Venezuela in years after the two countries broke diplomatic relations amid a campaign of U.S. sanctions and diplomatic pressure aimed at ousting Maduro, a longtime ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

(Reporting By Matt Spetalnick; Editing by William Mallard)
While passengers and airplanes wait, airlines are losing money through burnt fuel, and the world loses a bit of its shine as more harmful gasses are thrown into the atmosphere. Fast and safe, but by no means effective, the aviation industry is.There are a lot of factors contributing to this reality, and chances are well never be able to tackle them all. But there are some things we can improve upon. Like, say, air traffic management.As things stand at airports today, separate groups of people have to comb through immense amounts of data concerning arrivals, departures, surface traffic, delays, and changes in weather. While combing, they must also track and communicate them, but also adjuste strategies for safe operations.Separately, once an airplane is ready for departure, it gets in line on the runway, waiting for its turn to take off, engines running. Ideally, the groups of people we talked about above should be able to keep things in check and allow departure at the scheduled time, but as reality keeps proving, thats an almost impossible task, as planes get delayed (sometime, the delay is included in the scheduled flight time as a buffer).Additionally, airport traffic management is handled by separate systems for arrivals, departures, and surface traffic. And thats highly ineffective as well.For a while now, NASA (yes, the NASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have been trying to come up with something that could help with all that. A solution that not only will allow better scheduling of arrivals and departures, thus helping cut fuel consumption, but also help passengers not waste their time waiting.The joint research project is called Airspace Technology Demonstration 2 (ATD-2), and the solution Integrated Arrival, Departure, and Surface Operations (IADS). In a nutshell, were talking about a software that can predict airport traffic conditions and determine the best time for departing flights to push back from the gate.Bringing together all phases of flight (arrival, departure, surface traffic), the system gets its data from both the FAA and the airlines, and shares it with interested parties.Using that data, it is capable of creating a virtual queue of airplanes, allowing for wait times to be spent at the gate, with the engines off. Only when its close to the departure time, pilots are instructed to proceed to the runway.It sounds so simple it kind of makes you wonder how comes this thing was not implemented before. No matter the reason, it should forever change the experience for millions of passengers, and save airlines billions in the long run.Back in 2017, NASA started a test of the IADS at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport in North Carolina. By September 2021, it ended up saving one million gallons of jet fuel by not allowing the planes to run their engines at idle unnecessarily. This saved airlines $1.4 million in-flight crew costs, while passengers were prevented from throwing out the window 933 hours in flight delays.It was last September when the system was transferred to the FAA . The agency plans to start rolling it out at 27 airports across America from 2023.The IADS is not the only flight-related tech being developed by NASA . ATD-1 was devised to look into new ground-based and flight deck technologies that could help save fuel throughout the entire arrival phase of flight.Separately, ATD-3 is looking at way to provide pilots and air traffic managers with options for adjusting aircraft flight paths based on real-time input including wind and weather conditions and other air traffic.There is no word yet on when these other two will be ready.
A mum-of-two has been left shocked after claiming she received a note from a teacher about what she packed in her son's lunchbox for snack time.

Mum Jenna shared an image online of the contents of the lunchbox which included sliced cucumber, yoghurt, sultanas, almonds and a ham and cheese sandwich.

At first glance it's difficult to see the 'error' as the lunchbox was filled with healthy options, but it was the quantity and not the quality of the food that was noted.

'Can someone enlighten me [as to] why teachers think it's too much for a snack if he eats it all?' Jenna wrote.

At first glance it's difficult to notice the 'error' teachers seemed concerned with as the lunchbox was filled with healthy treats, but it was the quantity not the quality of the food that was noted

Poll Did the mum pack too much food in her son's lunchbox? No, it's the perfect amount Yes! Did the mum pack too much food in her son's lunchbox? No, it's the perfect amount 472 votes

Yes! 135 votes Now share your opinion





Other parents initially thought it was the almonds that caused a stir among the teacher, but that wasn't the case.

Instead, according to the teacher, too much food was packed for the 10-minute morning snack.

The note was sent home as a 'gentle reminder' to pack 'snacks not lunches', but others on Facebook didn't see the quantity as an issue.

Others questioned if the child takes too long to finish the food.

'I'm thinking he probably takes longer than the other kids to eat. It's messing up [the teacher's] schedule,' one person wrote.

'They have a policy of not taking food away from kids who are still eating so he's holding up class,' another parent added.

Earlier this year an Australian nutritionist has revealed what the perfect school lunchbox looks like as students across Australia prepare to return to the classroom.

Rebecca Gawthorne, known as Nourished Naturally, begins packing the lunchbox with vegetables and made easy homemade chips with a hummus dip.

She also suggests adding bite-size cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks or celery sticks and even mixing roast veggies with pasta.

Vegetable frittatas are great for children, as well as legumes like chickpeas.

The mum then moves onto adding in protein: tinned tuna, a hard boiled egg, legumes, chicken or other lean meats.

Rebecca also adds chopped peach, banana, strawberries and dried or tinned fruit before adding grains in the form of grain wraps, bread, bars and even rice.

To finish she adds in dairy or dairy alternatives; Rebecca incorporates either Greek yoghurt or cheese.
Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Mohammad Eslami, right, and International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi shake hands after a news conference in Tehran, March 5. Reuters-Yonhap



Iran and the U.N. nuclear watchdog agreed Saturday on a three-month plan that in the best case will resolve the long-stalled issue of uranium particles found at old but undeclared sites in the country, removing an obstacle to reviving the Iranian nuclear deal.



Eleven months after indirect talks between Iran and the United States on salvaging the 2015 deal began in Vienna, delegates are trying to settle the final thorny issues within days as Western powers say time is running out since Iran's nuclear advances will soon make the deal redundant.



One unresolved issue, diplomats say, has been Iran's demand for the closure of the International Atomic Energy Agency's investigation into uranium particles found at three apparently old but undeclared sites, which suggest that Iran had nuclear material there that it did not declare to the agency.



The agency has long said Iran has not given satisfactory answers on those issues, but it announced Saturday a plan for a series of exchanges after which IAEA chief Rafael Grossi "will aim to report his conclusion by the June 2022 (IAEA) Board of Governors" meeting, which begins June 6.



The joint plan clears the way for a possible agreement to revive the 2015 deal, though Grossi emphasized that his conclusion would not necessarily be positive. Where anything other than full resolution would leave implementation of any agreement, however, remains to be seen.



"It would be difficult to imagine you can have a cooperative relationship as if nothing had happened if the clarification of very important safeguards issues were to fail," Grossi said in a news conference when asked what the effect on reviving the deal would be if the issues were not closed.



Grossi also suggested the presentation of his conclusion would happen before "Re-Implementation Day"  the day by which the bulk of U.S. sanctions-lifting and Iranian implementation of nuclear restrictions will have happened under any future agreement  even though they are officially unrelated.



"It is obvious that for Iran it is important to try to have the processes I wouldn't say running in absolute synchronicity, but there is a sort of a loose relationship," he said when asked if the three-month timeframe was based on the timing of Re-Implementation Day.





International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi speaks during a meeting with Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Tehran, March 5. Reuters-Yonhap
Residents in the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia shared messages of defiance on March 2 amid Russias ongoing military invasion of the country.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) footage captures the emotions of locals in the area. One local says, Its very hard. My nerves are shredded. Another mentions the long lines and low stock at drug stores.

Russians, look at us. We are people just like you, a man says to the camera. We did not attack you. You attacked us. So think about it  there is still time for you to sit down in peace. Well give you tea, [warm] clothes, we wont kick you out. But if you come with weapons, well tear you apart.

TOP STORIES

Putin says Ukraine's future in doubt as cease-fires collapse

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Saturday that Ukrainian statehood is in jeopardy and likened the West's sanctions on Russia to declaring war, while a promised cease-fire in the besieged port city of Mariupol collapsed amid scenes of terror. Read more here:

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Zelenskyy's 'desperate' plea to Congress: Send more planes

Fighting for his country's survival, Ukraine's leader made a desperate plea Saturday to American lawmakers for the United States to help get more warplanes to his military and cut off Russian oil imports as Kyiv tries to stave off the Russian invasion. Read more here:

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Analysis: Brace yourself for a new world order, a lot like the Cold War order

JIM VAN NOSTRAND, executive editor of the Missoulian, shares his view: "This former soldier sees a cold war turning hot, and quickly. The Ukrainians are living the nightmare that haunted our waking dreams more than three decades ago."

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TRACK LIVE UPDATES:
https://sputniknews.com/20220306/poland-us-reportedly-considering-supplying-ukraine-with-aircraft-from-soviet-era-1093625902.html

Poland, US Reportedly Considering Supplying Ukraine With Aircraft From Soviet Era

Poland, US Reportedly Considering Supplying Ukraine With Aircraft From Soviet Era

After the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, former Soviet bloc members, including Poland, received armaments, ammunition, and other equipment. For instance, some... 06.03.2022, Sputnik International

2022-03-06T03:33+0000

2022-03-06T03:33+0000

2022-03-06T03:33+0000

russia's special operation in ukraine

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poland

ukraine

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soviet-era

soviet army

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The US is considering a deal in which Poland would deliver Soviet-era aircraft to Ukraine in exchange for American F-16 jet fighters, in the latest effort to provide Ukraine with lethal weapons in the current crisis, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.According to sources within the US government, the agreement would require White House approval, as well as congressional approval.The development comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's request to Congress for assistance in acquiring more lethal military aid, particularly Russian-made jet fighters.Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) reportedly asked Zelensky to tell him the one item he needed the most. The president of Ukraine responded by emphasizing the necessity for jet fighters. He also mentioned establishing a no-fly zone above Ukraine, but reportedly stated, through a translation, "if you cant do that, at least get me planes."Russian-made military jets are in the hands of Eastern European NATO member states, and could be moved to Ukraine, according to the outlet. Senator Dick Durbin, the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate representing Illinois, suggested that the United States assist with the aircraft transfer.However, it is unclear how many Soviet-era planes Poland has. According to the report, the Polish Air Force has a fleet of at least a few-dozen F-16s. There are a number of "challenging practical questions," the sources said, including getting the planes to Ukraine. They reportedly claimed that whether or not to provide Soviet-era planes is a "sovereign decision" for Poland, and that the details of any deal would need to be worked out with Warsaw.Despite Ukrainian leadership's entreaties, the US and NATO have refused to directly intervene in the crisis. Zelensky has advocated for a no-fly zone above his country, but Biden and other allies have dismissed the proposal as it could be seen by the Kremlin as an escalation leading to further violence. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stated earlier in the week that the organization is a defensive alliance that does not seek conflict with Russia.Zelensky was speaking with Congress' members via video chat earlier on Saturday, reportedly backing a proposal to prohibit Russian oil exports into the US. According to the report, there were around 200 members of the House and Senate in the call.Over the course of the ongoing operation, Biden has reiterated on several occasions that the US military will not enter Ukraine, but he did indicate that up to $350 million in additional military assistance would be sent, including "lethal defensive assistance."Moscow has repeatedly warned the West about the dangerous consequences of pumping lethal weapons into Ukraine. Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry noted that the supply of weapons to Ukraine by other countries would lead to an increase in losses and the spread of weapons in European countries.Last week, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine after the Donetsk and Lugansk Peoples Republics appealed for help in defending themselves against forces from Kiev. In response, Western countries around the world have rolled out multiple sanctions against Moscow. Russia has announced that the aim of the special operation is to demilitarize and "de-nazify" Ukraine and stressed that only military infrastructure is being targeted. Moscow has repeatedly insisted that it has no plans to occupy Ukraine.

https://sputniknews.com/20220305/lavrov-zelensky-is-trying-to-provoke-conflict-between-nato-and-russia-1093612240.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220305/us-has-been-sending-weapons-to-ukraine-since-december-2021--media-1093618400.html

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Kirill Kurevlev

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Managing editor for innovation

Larry Parnass joined The Eagle in 2016 from the Daily Hampshire Gazette, where he was editor in chief. His freelance work has appeared in the Washington Post, Boston Globe, Hartford Courant, CommonWealth Magazine and with the Reuters news service.
MEXICO CITY  Facing condemnation from most of the world and stiff sanctions from Europe and the United States, Russia appears increasingly isolated as its president presses on with his invasion of Ukraine.

But Vladimir Putin has found some measure of support in Latin America from the authoritarian governments of Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua.

In a televised speech this week, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro denounced U.S. sanctions against Russia as a crime against its people and said that he had just spoken with Putin and noted serenity, wisdom and moral conviction.

In an effort reminiscent of the Cold War, when Latin America was an ideological battleground for the Soviet Union and the United States, Russia has been trying to expand its influence in the region for more than a decade.

The pandemic provided one broad opportunity. Russia developed one of the first COVID-19 vaccines and delivered it to Argentina, Bolivia and to other countries that had limited access to other options.

Trade between Russia and Latin America has also been growing, though it barely registers compared with Chinas economic footprint in the region.

Russia has an interest in meddling in what has traditionally been considered a U.S. sphere of influence, said Cynthia Arnson, director of the Latin American Program at the Wilson Center in Washington.

Putins biggest inroads have come with governments that have bad relationships with the United States.

Russia has granted Cuba  which had been the Soviet Unions staunchest ally in the region  massive debt relief, forgiving $32 billion of Soviet-era debt in 2014. It has also sent hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil during shortages.

Russia has also been a lifeline for Venezuela, supplying it with billions of dollars in arms and investing in its oil industry after Hugo Chavez became president in 1999 and embraced socialism.

That support has continued under Maduro. In 2019, as he was fighting a U.S.-backed effort to oust him from power, Russia sent specialists to service military equipment.

In Nicaragua, Russia has opened an anti-narcotics training center and sold the government military tanks.

When the United States suspended aid to Nicaragua because of concerns of fraud in local elections in 2008, Russia paraded warships off the coast in an apparent show of support.

Russia also came to the defense of President Daniel Ortega  a former guerrilla leader backed by the Soviet Union  after many governments refused to recognize his reelection last year because his government had jailed his potential political challengers.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held a news conference saying the election was held in an orderly manner, in full compliance with Nicaraguan legislation.

Ryan Berg, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a think tank in Washington, said Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua cant really afford to lose one of their biggest patrons.

In the days before the invasion of Ukraine, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov visited Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela  a trip that experts say was an attempt to demonstrate his countrys international clout as it prepared for war.

Still, when it came to the United Nations General Assembly vote this week calling on Russia to immediately withdraw its troops, the three countries stopped short of offering Putin their full support.

Nicaragua and Cuba abstained. Venezuela could not vote because it had not paid its member dues.

Experts said Nicaragua and Cuba made a calculation that they had too much to lose by joining Russia, Belarus, Syria, North Korea and Eritrea as the only countries to vote against the resolution. Cuba in particular did not want to burn all its bridges with the United States, said Vladimir Rouvinski, a political scientist at Icesi University in Colombia.

During the administration of President Obama, the countries restored diplomatic relations. Cuba would like the United States to ease sanctions that limit remittances to the island.

Still, Jennie Lincoln, a senior adviser on Latin America at the Carter Center think tank, called the abstentions a kick in the shins to the U.S. and a way of expressing their anti-imperialist view of the West.

Apart from abstentions from El Salvador and Bolivia  also places where anti-U.S. sentiment runs high  the rest of Latin America supported the U.N. resolution.

Notably, the two most populous countries in the region, Brazil and Mexico, have not been unequivocal in their condemnation of Russia.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who had met with Putin in Moscow days before the invasion to discuss trade relations, said this week before the U.N. vote that his country would remain neutral, and disparaged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a former comic who has rapidly turned into a war hero.

Ukrainians had placed the hope of their nation in the hands of a comedian, he said.

Mauricio Santoro, a political scientist at the State University of Rio de Janeiro, said Bolsonaro, who is running for reelection, may have been appealing to far-right supporters. Many of them are also supporters of Putin because they perceive Putin to be a real model for a conservative leader, he said.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said this week that Mexico will not issue economic sanctions against Russia because we want to maintain good relations with all the governments of the world and want to be able to talk to the parties in the conflict.

Trade between Mexico and Russia topped $2.1 billion in 2019, according to the Growth Lab program at Harvard University.

At rallies attended by dozens outside the Russian Embassy in Mexico City, Mexicans and Ukrainians have called on Lopez Obrador to take a stronger position.

Rodrigo Jara, a 25-year-old Mexican music producer whose girlfriend is Ukrainian, said at a gathering Monday night that the Mexican presidents stance was practically neutral.

2022 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com.
Waco advocates, parents and social workers said Gov. Greg Abbotts directive to investigate medical care for transgender kids as child abuse is not legally binding, but that will not stop the order from harming kids, even if it is blocked.

Ron Beal, who retired from Baylor Law School after 38 years and has expertise in administrative law, said the directive is not binding, and a related opinion issued by Attorney General Ken Paxton is just that, an opinion. Officials at an agency can disagree and do what they believe the law requires instead, but Beal said many will feel pressured to comply.

Many agencies tend to follow what the Attorney General says, because the agencies arent lawyers, usually, Beal said.

Christi, a lifelong Waco resident who did not want to use her full name in this article, said she did not know where to start when her son, Noah, informed her he was her son at age 13. Three years later, Christi said she is angry and scared by what her friends and some close family members believe about parents like her.

Everyone around us is saying that we are child abusers, she said. Its all around us, and its just because theyre not educated.

Christi said she comes from a conservative background and sought the most conservative counselor she could for her teenager, searching for hard proof that he really was trans.

I hate saying that now, because Im more educated about it, she said. But she confirmed that yes, this is real.

She said Noah and their family have not yet sought puberty blockers, a treatment that delays puberty, buying time for a trans teenager to seek other treatments as an adult, but when lawmakers talk about banning the option, she wishes they had started sooner.

Paxtons opinion and Abbotts order both include references to puberty blockers and surgeries for minors, which they refer to as genital mutilation. Surgeries are rarely if ever an option for minors, according to the World Professional Association for Transgender Health. Puberty blockers, which are also used for children who are not transgender, are completely reversible.

Christi said she has friends and family with the same misconceptions she sees expressed by the elected state officials.

There are a lot of steps before you get to that, she said of physical medical interventions. The language they use, its just scare tactics.

Beal said it would be very disconcerting if the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services were to treat the opinion and subsequent order as law.

If theyre just doing what Abbott and Paxton told them to do and they didnt put one ounce of analysis into Do we really have the authority to do that? That is really bad, Beal said. We cant have government work in that way.

Texas attorney general opinion KP-0401: "Whether certain unnecessary medical procedures performed on children constitute child abuse."

The directive puts social workers, nurses and other health professionals in a bind by diametrically opposing their codes of ethics, said David Pooler, an associate professor of social work at Baylor.

It doesnt fall under any definition of child abuse my profession has ever seen, it doesnt follow best practices, it doesnt follow the science of the literature, and its really disappointing to have political leaders so far out of their lane, Pooler said.

Pooler said research overwhelmingly confirms allowing someone to transition is the best way to ensure a transgender persons well-being, and to manage gender dysphoria, a profound and enduring distress that comes from the mismatch between a trans persons identity and the gender they were assigned at birth.

Not giving gender-affirming care would be at least a form of neglect. Its the exact opposite, Pooler said.

Pooler said the investigations ordered by Abbott would be at best a waste of Child Protective Services resources and at worst a catalyst for serious abuse of the minors the agency is meant to protect.

You have various levels of training, high case loads, theyre already dealing with issues that should be considered child abuse, and then you add this burden in, Pooler said. Thats going to add stress, weaken and dilute an already overburdened system.

A Texas district judge last week issued a temporary restraining order stopping a Department of Family and Protective Services investigation of one transgender teenagers parents, and Paxton filed an appeal the next day, according to Texas Tribune reporting. The judges ruling does not stop other investigations from being opened, and the appeal delays the potential for a ruling that could apply more broadly, according to The Texas Tribune.

Helen Harris, another associate professor of social work at Baylor, said the directive has less to do with childrens well-being and more to do with politics, in her opinion.

As a social worker, I can say that a family thats responding to their childs pain and confusion and struggles, who seeks help for that child, is a family I would be supporting as they seek help, Harris said.

She said gender dysphoria and transphobic bullying can lead to depression that a parent should seek counseling and therapy for, often the first step parents take toward learning their child is transgender.

I could see a social worker getting caught in a space where children and parents have conflicting points of view about this, but that happens frequently in our profession, Harris said. Its our job to provide a safe context and help them figure that out as a family.

The directive may not be legally binding, but Jeffrey Vitarius, director of the support group Waco Pride Network, said even empty threats take a deep toll on the mental health of transgender kids and their families, and that fear ripples through every letter of the LGBTQ community.

Even beyond the fact this could result in denial of care, the fact its been labeled this way causes harm to people, Vitarius said. Every step like this makes people fear, makes people anxious, and they just mount and accumulate. We have seen a lot of local folks sharing messages of support for trans youth, and that is just critical.

Josh Tetens, Republican candidate for McLennan County district attorney, said the state Legislature likely will consider the directive during its next session, which is next year.

Simply stated, its possible such actions could be considered child abuse, much like just about anything else could be used to harm a child, Tetens said. The opinion did not provide any additional guidelines, and like any claim of abuse, the Department of Family and Protective Services is obligated under the law to investigate.
UNIONVILLEA veteran-owned garment company that supports veterans mental health and honors the fallen recently, in a quiet affair with loved ones, recognized a Barboursville Army veteran tragically shot to death at his home last year.

Florida-based Til Vilhalla Project crafted a customized plaque, Always With Us, in memory of 36-year-old James Manning, who died June 16, 2021. He left behind a wife, Jessica, and three children.

A specially selected Legacy Guardian from the area made the plaque presentation Jan. 30 at veteran-owned Unionville Brewing Co.

Jessica Manning nominated her husband for the plaque because she wanted their son and two daughters to have it to remember him by. Specialist Manning, an Arizona native, served with the 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade in Germany and Afghanistan.

James was such a selfless, giving person who deserved to be honored for the sacrifices he gave to his country, his friends and his family, said his wife.

Jessica Manning said her husband was young when he joined the Army, and it was something about which he was proud. And so are his kids, she said. Manning thanked the company for honoring her husband.

Created by a veteran in 2016, Til Valhalla Project comes from Norse mythology for hall of the fallen. It is said among service members, Until we meet again in Valhalla, a sign of respect that they will meet again.

Til Valhalla Project employs veterans in its St. Augustine facility, where printing, bagging, packaging, shipping, and customer service for its clothing products is done.

The company was set up to raise money to support veteran suicide prevention and to make the plaques that are hand-crafted and hand-delivered to veterans families at no cost to them, more than 1,500 so far. The plaques also honor law enforcement officers and firefighters.

Theres a long waiting list for people wanting a plaque for their loved one, according to Til Valhalla Project community coordinator Angela, a retired military and law enforcement veteran who preferred not to publish her last name. She is part of the four-person Fallen Hero Team responsible for creating the memorial plaques and Legacy Stories.

Currently we are only able to honor 64 heroes a month and we have over 1,200 applications, so there is an extensive waiting period, but we do we our best to honor all of the heroes, Angela said.

She approved Mannings plaque application and said it was truly their privilege to be able to honor his service to the country and his legacy.

We were humbled by his story and everyone at T.V.P. was deeply saddened by the circumstances of his tragic passing, especially knowing he left a wife and three young children behind. SPC Mannings story is absolutely heartbreaking, Angela said.

Mannings former Army mate, SFC Joel Harmon, of Newport News, helped write the Legacy Story, having served with James in Afghanistan. The story was printed on poster board with photos and displayed at the plaque presentation.

Manning served his country with pride. Assigned to mail duty in Germany while a PFC, he sometimes worked 18 hours straight, wanting to ensure that each piece of mail was sorted and delivered to the soldiers waiting for word from family and friends.

Manning also completed a 14-month tour of duty in Afghanistan. While deployed, he assisted with air operations that ensured soldiers received necessary life-sustaining supplies and their much-anticipated care packages and communications from home, the plaque read.

The fallen soldiers volunteer duties included base protection, late-night tower guard and primary entry gate guard, among many others, according to his Legacy Story.

He never complained, lived the Army values and was the ultimate quiet professional, his story says.

Manning, as a civilian, drove a UPS truck to support his family and was a favorite delivery person among the dogs on his route, for the former soldier always had a ready treat.

Manning was a devoted family man whose wife and three children honor his legacy and keep his kind and loving spirit alive. Rest easy, selfless hero. Til Valhalla, soldier! the Legacy Story stated.

Herman attended the recent plaque presentation along with fellow servicemen Larry Gonzalez, of Alexandria and David Ortiz, who traveled from Florida for the poignant program in Orange County.

What we remember most about James is how quiet and professional he was, Herman said in a message Wednesday. Always helping out, volunteering to help us do the things he didnt have to do. He was easy to make laugh, too, I remember lol.

Unionville Brewing Co. was an apt place to hold the plaque presentation, endorsed by Legacy Guardian Grace Mullinax, a U.S. Marine veteran who graduated in 2016 from Culpeper County High School.

It was her first time delivering a plaque to the family of a fallen veteran so she did it at a familiar venue, pro-military, police and first responder, with snow on the ground.

Mullinax signed up for the volunteer role with Til Valhalla Project to stay connected to her own service.

I wanted to give back to the families who lost their loved ones, and help honor my fellow military members, police, and firefighters, Mullinax said.

She didnt know the Mannings before the presentation, but soon got familiar with their circumstances.

It was more rewarding personally than I imagined, but extremely difficult to hold it together for the sake of the family, Mullinax said. It absolutely broke my heart, but Im glad they have a good way to remember their father and husband for who he was and not how he was taken from them.

Til Vilhalla Project selects Legacy Guardians who live in plaque recipients local areas. The majority, like Mullinax, are are veterans, family members of veterans and Gold Star family members, according to Angela.

The Legacy Guardian for SPC Manning was selected based on her name Grace, often defined as Gods intervention and support in everyday moments of life, said Angela.

Knowing everything that Jessica and her children have been through by having SPC Manning taken from them... I thought Grace would be a good fit, Angela said.

The impactful plaque presentation, quiet all around, lasted just a few moments as the Legacy Guardian saluted, handed the plaque to Jessica Manning and stated, From a fellow veteran and sister-in-arms, please accept this plaque in honor of your fallen hero.

Family from out of town, including James Mannings siblings and his mother, joined the presentation event via Facebook Live while dozens filled the brewing company to honor the local veteran.

There were stacks of tasty pizza, sub sandwiches, local beer from the tap, juice and soda for the kids, and something called Tractor Juicespiked, flavored seltzer for adults.

The mayor of Gordonsville attended the program along with Gordon-Barbour Elementary School family, Orange County sheriffs office investigators, friends from all around and cousins who traveled from a distance with children to attend.

A plaque presentation can be an emotional experience for everyone involved. Regardless of how long ago a hero may have passed, the circumstances of their passing, or the recipients relationship to the hero, a plaque presentation can generate a myriad of feelings and emotions, happy, sad, pain, and everything in between, Angela said.

A feeling of support was also felt for the Manning family. Purchase James Manning wrist bands in support of the Project at: tilvalhallaproject.com/products/spc-james-darren-manning-memorial-band-hosted-by-the-manning-family
CRUDE OIL HIGHLIGHTS:

Headline Risk Remains Elevated for Crude Oil Traders

Iran Nuclear Deal Also in Focus

Headline Risk Remains Elevated for Crude Oil Traders

Another bout of risk aversion stemmed from reports that Russian troops had seized Europes largest nuclear power plant, which in turn saw oil prices retain a bid, meanwhile European equities extended their recent run of losses, posting the worst weekly performance since Q1 2020. Adding to this, the price action, does appear to be somewhat of a deleveraging in order to reduce weekend gap risk. Therefore, IF there is no significant escalation across the weekend, markets may see a slight recovery at the beginning of the week.

Iran Nuclear Deal Also in Focus

As geopolitical conflict shows very little signs of receding in the near-term, oil prices will remain elevated. That said, headline risk will persist and given the average daily range over the past week of $8/bbl, remaining agile will be key for traders, given plenty of risks on both sides. As such, in this current backdrop, sources such as Twitter can be vital in current times with the possibility to provide a time advantage for traders. This had been evidenced during yesterdays session in light of reports that an Iranian nuclear deal could be brokered within 72 hours. In reaction, Brent crude futures fell 1.5% initially, with a total drop of 6% in the following 30 minutes.

Source: Twitter

Brent Crude Futures Intra-day Chart

Source: Refinitiv

TRADE THE NEWS

An area that has been covered extensively by DailyFX is trading global macro news, which ties in quite nicely as to how you can approach social media for analysing financial markets. Therefore, it is important that at first, you have a firm understanding of the fundamental drivers for the assets that you trade and are also constantly up-to-date with the current themes/narratives. With this knowledge of key market drivers, alongside current market positioning/sentiment, as a trader, this will better prepare you as to how markets will react to new information. Keep in mind that the current price of an asset reflects all available information (or so it should, according to the Efficient Market Hypothesis). Subsequently, whenever new information is released, whether that be economic data or central bank rate decisions, the price of an asset will typically move to find a new price, which reflects that information.

That said however, there is an argument that a lot of macro newsflow is simply noise and does not have a significant impact on the assets you trade, now while I do sympathise with that view to an extent. In regard to that point, when incoming newsflow is flashing on your screen, you can break this down by asking yourself two questions:

Is this information new and if so, does it deviate from the market narrative (consensus/expectations) Is this information noteworthy

If your answer to both questions is no, then you can say with good authority that the new information is not notably market moving. While I appreciate that this is a skill that will not be mastered immediately, and quite frankly may never be completely mastered. As is usually the case with anything you do in life, experience over time is what counts, which will go a long way in helping your ability to digest key macro newsflow efficiently.

As I mentioned above, DailyFX has covered this topic in great detail, so for a complete comprehensive guide on trading the news, click on the link below.

Recommended by Justin McQueen Trading Forex News: The Strategy Get My Guide

TWITTER AHEAD OF TRADITIONAL NEWSWIRES

Over the years and more recently given notable political events, namely Brexit and US-China Trade Wars, there have been numerous occasions where Twitter has been quicker to report breaking macro and company news than traditional newswires (Bloomberg and Refintiv). When this occurs, I judge this as providing traders with an edge over the market. What I mean by the market is algos trading off Bloomberg and Refinitiv headlines. But to save column inches I will go through a few noteworthy examples where Twitter has provided an edge.

CASE STUDY 1: OIL MARKET, APRIL 2020

Oil prices had collapsed as traders responded to the onset of the coronavirus crisis with the first wave of global lockdowns prompting oil demand to plunge by 1/3. Matters had been made worse for the oil market with oil plummeting to an 18-year low after Russia and Saudi Arabia had engaged in a price war.

On April 2nd, 2020 at 15:30GMT, CNBC published the tweet below. In the following 42 seconds, Bloomberg had published the original tweet, while a flashing red BBG headline occurred at 15:34.49. Refinitiv on the other hand had run the full tweet at 15:32.39. In an 8-minute period from Tweet to peak, Brent crude oil rose over 37%.

Source: ICE, DailyFX

How to Create a Trading Plan
Kolkata, March 6 : In the recently concluded municipal polls, the Trinamool Congress won 102 of the 108 municipalities preceded by the resounding victory in the assembly elections, proclaiming an unquestionable political supremacy in the state. However, the victory in all these elections has been marred by controversies and the ruling party has been accused of political violence.

Take the example of the recently concluded municipality polls where allegations of violence by the ruling party were widespread. At least nine journalists were injured while trying to show the violence allegedly perpetrated by the ruling party. The BJP called a bandh for 12 hours protesting against the violence during the election throughout the state.

Not only the municipal elections, there were allegations of widespread violence across the state after the assembly polls. There was an allegation that the Trinamool Congress after coming to power for the third time unleashed violence against supporters of the BJP. The National Human Rights Commission in its findings not only accused several Trinamool Congress leaders and cabinet ministers for their direct involvement in the violence but mentioned that in the state of West Bengal - 'There is no rule of law rather it is the law of the rulers'.

Even though the number of cognizable crimes per lakh of population in 18 Indian states is higher than that of West Bengal, the latter has acquired the dubious distinction of recording the highest number of incidents of political violence for quite some time.

According to the latest report of the National Crime Records Bureau, the crime rate -- the number of cognizable crimes under IPC per lakh of population -- was the highest in Kerala (499.7) in 2019, followed by Haryana (386.4) and Assam (358.9): Bengal stood 19th (162.3). In terms of the number of murders per lakh of population, Jharkhand (4.3), Arunachal Pradesh (4.0) and Haryana (3.9) occupy the first three positions.

Bengal (2.0) ranks 17th. In economic offences, the rank of the state is 15th. In all these headers, Bengal's crime rate is lower than the national average. As far as crimes against women per lakh of population is concerned, the first three spots have gone to Assam (177.8), Rajasthan (110.4) and Haryana (108.5) with Bengal being 8th (64.0). Crimes against scheduled castes are the lowest in Bengal (excluding the predominantly tribal states).

The above set of data is enough to prove that the law and order situation in West Bengal is far better than many other states of the country but the murders committed due to 'political reasons' are the highest in Bengal (12), followed by Bihar and Jharkhand (6 each) and Andhra Pradesh (5). Murder for political reasons is perceived differently when compared to other motives for murder - property or family disputes, personal vendetta, illicit relationship, dowry, insurgency, dacoity, serial killing, honour killing, killing due to religious or caste reasons and so on. When the first kind is thought to be directly linked to the democratic entitlements of the people, the other motives are considered to be related to the criminal instinct of an individual or a mob.

From a historical perspective violence owed its political allegiance during the Naxal period in the seventies when a group of ultra-Left radical extremists resorted to violence to fight against imperialism and capitalism. The mayhem between the Naxals and the ruling Congress in the early seventies led to one of the dirtiest bloodthirsty battles of the century.

The chief minister, Siddhartha Shankar Ray of the Congress Party, instituted strong counter-measures against the Naxalites. The West Bengal police fought back to stop the Naxalites. The house of Somen Mitra, the Congress MLA of Sealdah, was allegedly turned into a torture chamber where Naxals were incarcerated illegally by police and the Congress cadres. CPI(M) cadres were also involved in clashes with the Naxals.

The legacy of political violence was carried on by the Left Front. During the Left Front's rule in Bengal, the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance at the Centre often talked of the 'deteriorating law and order' in the state citing instances of violence rooted in partisan politics. There were allegations that political violence in Bengal is not reflected in police records as the police stations refused to register such complaints.

The narrative did not change when the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power at the Centre and the Trinamool Congress in the state. In order to understand the roots of political violence in Bengal, we need to look into the evolution of grassroot politics in Bengal in the last four decades.

There is another reason why political violence is so rampant in West Bengal and it is rooted in the political and administrative system of the state. It started during the Left Front regime when the red brigade implemented a three-tier panchayati raj system in 1978 and delegated enormous financial and administrative powers to zilla parishads, panchayat samitis and anchal panchayats.

It was unique because the financial and the administrative powers delegated to these grassroot institutions were considerable and the elections were fought right up to the village level on party lines. The decentralization of power transformed rural Bengal in the initial years and set up the base of the popularity of the Left Front that enabled it to rule for the next three decades.

With elections at every level of the social and administrative structure -- from a remote village upto state-level -- politics and violence to control this power equation became an integral part of the social and administrative mechanism.

The introduction of electronic voting machines enabled political parties to get an idea about how many votes have been polled in a booth and perhaps even who supported them and who didn't. As a result, political parties started taking 'remedial' steps at the booth level. Enhanced 'booth management' facilitated bitterness among villagers and, sometimes, within families. One consequence has been the intensification of political violence before or after elections.
Lucknow, March 6 : A 43-year-old railway employee has been found dead under mysterious circumstances.

The deceased has been identified as Ajay Kumar Mishra of Mawaiya area in Alambagh.

Police officials said that they received the information about the suicide on Saturday and by the time they reached the spot, the family had already bought the body down from the noose.

However, police called the ambulance and rushed Mukesh to KGMU Trauma Centre where doctors declared him dead.

Investigating officer Pramod Kumar Singh said: "We sent the body for the post-mortem but the family members of the deceased kept on arguing and tried to stop the post-mortem. Further action will be taken based on the post-mortem report." The victim's family, meanwhile, claimed that he had an argument with his wife and after that, he went to his room, and family members found his body hanging on the noose later.
An exhibitor makes coffee during the coffee festival in Cairo, Egypt, on March 5, 2022. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa/IANS) Image Source: IANS News

An exhibitor makes coffee during the coffee festival in Cairo, Egypt, on March 5, 2022. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa/IANS) Image Source: IANS News

An exhibitor makes coffee during the coffee festival in Cairo, Egypt, on March 5, 2022. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa/IANS) Image Source: IANS News

Cairo, March 6 : The warm fragrance of coffee wafted through a hotel in Egypt's capital Cairo during the third edition of the country's annual coffee festival.

Dubbed Coffestival, the three-day event which concluded on Saturday, brought together professionals, local specialty coffee brands, cafes, distributors and caffeine lovers, reports Xinhua news agency.

With live jazz music playing at the gala, visitors have explored many different coffee specialties, preparation methods as well as coffee-making and grinding machines.

"We aim to develop the culture of coffee in Egypt and market our new products to coffee lovers," Mohammed Amir, a manager of a local coffee brand, told Xinhua.

"It is a celebration of coffee and it is important for Egyptians who love coffee," Amir added.

According to the coffee division of the Cairo Chamber of Commerce, Egypt imports about 70,000 tonnes of coffee annually, and the most populous Arab country imports all its coffee consumptions because of its unsuitable climate for coffee cultivation.

Coffee is the second main popular drink after tea in Egypt, said the chamber.

"We care about the customers' taste. That is why we work to develop our coffee products and serve the greatest value of coffee," Khater Abdul-Mohsen, an employee from a Yemeni company working in Egypt, told Xinhua.

Abdul-Mohsen said his company uses high-quality coffee beans grown in Yemen, and their brand is working to attract more Egyptian coffee lovers by serving delicious and affordable coffee.

For a newly established company in Egypt, the festival is a great chance for the company to market its products and let coffee lovers watch the art of coffee making with their own eyes, he noted.

"We can also meet industry professionals from other Egyptian companies to exchange expertise and make business deals," Abdul-Mohsen revealed.

For coffee lovers, the festival gave them a glimpse of the best specialty roasters and coffee shops to enjoy a unique coffee culture.

"I'm a coffee addict, and I want to learn more about coffee. That is why I'm here," Abdul-Aziz al-Fiqi, a doctor from Cairo, told Xinhua during his tour through the festival's booths.

"Seeing so many coffee brands helps me choose the best taste and the highest quality ... The festival allows lovers to pick their favourite coffee from a large variety of products."
Title: Managing director of innovative data solutions at Keiter, an accounting firm based in Henrico County

Born: 1988 in San Antonio, Texas

Education: ECPI College of Technology, bachelor of business administration, 2013; Virginia Commonwealth University, master of data science, 2016

Career: Southern States Cooperative, December 2015-July 2016; United Network for Organ Sharing, August 2016-January 2018; Precizion Solutions, CEO, February 2018-present; Keiter, managing director of innovative data solutions, September 2021-present

In which part of the metro area do you live: West End

Best business decision: Ive been fortunate to have invested in several startups which have proven successful. One of them included research and development from a company specializing in crane cameras. The company invented the first camera on the hook and is based out of Richmond. By bringing us onboard, we saw an opportunity to partner in a manner that would unlock reoccurring revenue to the hardware business, but would require them to dive into the algorithm and cloud business. We came in and helped build out a product that is being adopted by many large construction companies as a main line. As we grew, we have become noticed by the DOD, which has turned this high growth investment into a hyper growth deal.

Worst business decision: Partnering with everybody in my first six months as CEO of Precizion Solutions. Taking on too many partners can cause conflict.

Mistake you learned the most from: Taking too much risk by guaranteeing prediction accuracies without charging a premium for it.

What is the biggest challenge/opportunity for you in the next two to five years: Data science and data analytics is a fast-growing field and one that businesses recognize the need for. That presents a number of opportunities for our team at Keiter, but it also presents some challenges because we always want to increase the quantity of our work while enhancing its quality as well.

First job after college: Management at Panera Bread for two years.

If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently: I think I picked the best choice. With the skills I have gained by running my business in a certain way, I have been able to help a variety of businesses and industries.

Book/movie that inspired you the most: 4 Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss
Imphal, March 6 : On the backdrop of the strong agitations in the Northeastern states to repeal the Armed Forces (Special Power) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) and realignment of the alliance between the political parties, the Assembly elections in Manipur were held in two phases on February 28 and March 5.

Political pundits observed that the outcome of the Manipur Assembly elections would be an important ramification in Meghalaya and Nagaland, the two Northeastern states along with Tripura would go to the Assembly polls early next year.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its two estranged allies -- National People's Party (NPP) and Naga People's Front (NPF) -- fought the elections to the 60-seat Manipur Assembly separately. Over the two month-long elections campaign, the relations among the three parties worsened and each made allegations and counter allegations against one another.

Headed by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, the NPP is the dominant party of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government, in which with two MLAs the BJP is the partner.

The NPF with 25 MLAs is a major ally of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) led India's first all party and opposition less government in Nagaland. With 21 members Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and BJP with 12 MLAs, are the two important constituents of the UDA.

The NPP, a national party, NPF, NDPP led by Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and many other regional and state parties are the allies of the BJP-led anti-Congress alliance of regional parties -- North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), the Northeast unit of the National Democratic Alliance at the center.

Assam Chief Minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma Sarma is the convener of the NEDA.

Sushanta Talukdar, a renowned political commentator in the Northeast region and a celebrity writer, said: "With the dwindling relations between the BJP and its allies in the Northeastern states, specially the NPF and NPP, there is bound to be a serious electoral ramification in the near future especially during the Assembly elections in Meghalaya and Nagaland in early next year." "The BJP wrested power in Assam (in 2016 and 2021), Manipur (in 2017) and Tripura (in 2018) with the support of the local and regional parties. The saffron party's current relations with its several allies in the Northeastern states are very unpleasant," Talukdar, the editor of multilingual online portal 'Nezine', told IANS.

During the election campaign, in a series of scathing attacks, Assam Chief Minister and BJP's top strategist in the Northeast region Himanta Biswa Sarma mocked ally, NPP, saying no one in India knows the party and voting for its candidates in Manipur elections would be fruitless as the party has "no value".

Sarma said that the Ministers from the NPP were earlier chosen in the Manipur government because of the BJP.

"The NPP has no government at the Centre. Why would you go to the central government through the NPP. If you install a BJP government in Manipur, then you would be able to go directly..." Sarma had said.

Development, militancy, illegal trade of drugs, repeal of the AFSPA, women's empowerment, rising unemployment and corruption are the main issues highlighted by the political parties in their campaign.

In the run-up to the Manipur Assembly elections, the Northeast region's dominant militant outfit Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) has undertaken a campaign in the Naga-dominated areas of the state to make the people understand the importance of the ongoing talks with the Centre with reference to the 2015 Framework Agreement.

In another unprecedented development, the militant outfit Kuki National Organisation (KNO), who are under Suspension of Operation (SoO) with the government, announced support to all the candidates of the ruling BJP for the Manipur Assembly election.

President of KNO, P.S Haokip in a statement had said: "In line with the ongoing political dialogue between KNO and Government of India, the central government and ruling BJP leadership have promised swift settlement of Kuki political aspirations. Union Home Minister Amit Shah ji have announced the same in his public address on February 23 at Churachandpur public Ground." The opposition Congress strongly reacted to the development and urged the Election Commission to take appropriate and strong actions against the KNO outfit.

In a sensational revelation, former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh 48 hours before the second phase of elections claimed that around Rs 16.63 crore given to the banned militant groups under Suspension of Operation in Manipur and he alleged that "this is bribery to influence the voters in the poll-bound state".

Ramesh, who is the election in-charge in Manipur on behalf of the Central Congress leaders, said that in a shocking and flagrant violation of the Election Commission's Model Code of Conduct, the BJP government in Manipur released Rs 15,70,32,000 to banned militant groups under the Suspension of Operation on February 1.

He said another amount of Rs 92,65,950 was given to the banned militant groups on March 1 and both the payments have been released by the Union Home Ministry and made by the state government.

Regarding these payments, the Manipur Election Department referring to the reports of the state's Home and Finance Departments said that these amounts are the outstanding stipend and financial benefits of the militant groups -- Kuki National Organisation and United People's Front -- who are under Suspension of Operation deal with the government and the surrendered militants.

Besides many issues, the AFSPA, termed as a "draconian law", has also dominated the election campaign in Manipur.

The main opposition Congress and all other local parties in Manipur after last December's Nagaland incidents in which 14 people were killed in the firing of the security forces, have been strongly demanding to repeal the AFSPA.

The Congress leaders, including Jairam Ramesh and three-time (2002-2017) former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, questioned that when the BJP leaders in the state and the Centre, including the Prime Minister and Home Minister, claimed the law and order of the state had remarkably improved so why the AFSPA not being withdrawn? In an interview with IANS, Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh said that the Army is also not doing excessive action in Manipur, or meting out inhumane treatment to the people taking advantage of the AFSPA.

"You know the hostile situation in Myanmar. Considering all aspects, immediately we cannot withdraw the AFSPA. We are trying to lift the AFSPA and we are requesting the Centre in this regard and we -- also as responsible people, are trying to create a conducive atmosphere so that the Centre would not extend it further in near future," said Singh, who is the BJP's Chief Ministerial face in the ongoing elections.

The main opposition Congress did not field candidates in five Assembly seats and political pundits opined that Congress in these five seats is tacitly supporting the candidates of NPP.

The Congress, which governed the state for 15 consecutive years till 2017, had formed a Manipur Progressive Secular Alliance after forging a pre-poll alliance with four Left parties and Janata Dal-Secular.

With four MLAs in the outgoing Assembly, 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.

Among the other major political parties, Janata Dal (United), which has put up 38 candidates out of the 60 seats, might play a vital role in government formation if they get a reasonable number of seats.

The BJP had bagged 21 seats in 2017 and came to power in the state for the first time, after stitching alliance with various parties including the NPP and the NPF.

(Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in)
Shamli : , March 6 (IANS) Three women employees of a spa, allegedly consumed poison outside a police station in Shamli after they were accused of being involved in a sex racket.

The women, all in their twenties, were unable to bear the humiliation and consumed poison after which they were taken to a hospital. Their condition is said to be stable.

The police said the incident is linked to a case registered against seven people, including six women, on January 4.

They were all accused of indulging in 'immoral activities under the garb of running a spa'. The three women are among the accused.

The women, in a suicide note addressed to SP Shamli Sukirti Madhav, said, "All the charges against us were false. We were humiliated at the police station. One of our weddings also got cancelled." One of the relatives alleged, "The cops demanded bribes from those working at the spa centre. They illegally kept them in custody for over 24 hours for not paying the money." Dismissing the allegations, SP Shamli Sukirti Madhav said, "Police had inputs of immoral activities and so we raided the spa. Seven people, including six women, were arrested. The probe has been handed over to Shamli ASP. Appropriate action will be taken once we collect all the details." Meanwhile, Dr Upkar Malik from Shamli CHC said, "The three women probably consumed mosquito repellent. They are recovering."
Saharanpur : , March 6 (IANS) A 16-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly raped and then forced to consume poison by the accused which resulted in her death.

The accused, a 19-year-old student, her senior in the same school, has been arrested.

The incident took place two days ago. The girl had gone missing from her class and was later found in an unconscious state in an agriculture field on the outskirts of her village.

The family rushed her to a hospital where she died.

Saharanpur Superintendent of Police (city) Rajesh Kumar said, "We have booked the accused on charges of rape, murder and other relevant sections of the IPC. The accused has been arrested and sent to jail." The girl's parents told police that the accused lured her out of the school on the pretext of buying her presents. Her brother, who first called the police helpline, said his sister had left home for school as she had an exam. A teacher contacted her parents after realising that she was not in class, but her bag was on the desk.

"We got worried and called the police and then started searching for her. We found her lying in a semi-conscious state in a field near her school. When I asked her what had happened, she said that a senior student of her school took her to a hotel room, raped her and forced her to consume poison," a relative of the girl said.

When the girl's cousin called, the accused abused the former and said that he had dumped the girl in the field and that he could 'take her from there'.
Seoul, March 6 : South Korea will push to commercialise sixth-generation (6G) services by around 2028, the country's Science Minister has said.

Science and ICT Minister Lim Hye-sook made the remarks during her speech at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2022, a mobile technology trade fair underway in Barcelona, reports Yonhap News Agency.

The MWC is one of the top three annual tech events in the world, along with the Consumer Electronics Show in the US and the IFA in Germany.

"We are continuing our preparations for the 6G era with the aim of commercialising 6G from 2028 to 2030 ... it will offer a network 50 times faster than the current service and an expanded coverage of up to 10 kilometres above the ground," Lim said.

Lim added that South Korea has made meaningful progress in 5G network speed and coverage since it became the first country to commercialise 5G services in April 2019.

South Korea will push ahead to unfold a new age with innovative digital technologies, including metaverse, blockchain, artificial intelligence and cloud, she said.

The Minister also held bilateral talks with officials from the US, Finland and Indonesia to discuss partnerships in 5G, 6G and metaverse, the ICT ministry said.

This year's MWC marks its first offline event in three years as the trade fair was canceled in 2020 and held online last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
New Delhi, March 6 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed deep grief over the demise of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's long-time close aide Shiv Kumar Pareek.

Pareek passed away on Saturday evening.

In a tweet, Prime Minister Modi said, "Saddened by the passing away of Shri Shiv Kumar Pareek Ji. Firmly rooted in our Party's ideology, he devoted himself to service, nation building and worked closely with Atal Ji. Will cherish my interactions with him over the years. Condolences to his family. Om Shanti." Pareek worked with former Prime Minister Vajpayee from Jana Sangh days.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had tweeted, "Deeply saddened by the news of the passing away of Shri Shivkumar Pareek ji, a close associate of Prime Minister Shri Atal ji since Jana Sangh days. He also worked to nurture innumerable workers with nationalist ideas, human values and ideals."
Indore, March 6 : The Holi procession or 'Faag yatra' or 'Gair', different names with one meaning, throws light on the way the festival of colours is celebrated in the Madhya Pradesh capital Indore.

If we talk about the Holi festival in Madhya Pradesh's Malwa and Nimar, it is incomplete without 'gair' in Indore which fills everyone with excitement and fun.

'Gair' transcends all class barriers and gives the message of social harmony.

In the past two years, the Holi festival was celebrated under the shadow of Covid and that is the main reason people did not feel like they have celebrated the festival of colours as 'gair' was not taken out.

With Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announcing taking out 'gair' on the occasion of Rang Panchami, people are brimming with excitement and enthusiasm.

Preparations have begun for the event which transcends class barriers.

Sangam Corner Rang Panchami Festival Committee director Kamlesh Khandelwal says: "Our organisation is taking out gair for the past 68 years. But this time the joy will be different as it is being celebrated after a gap of two years." The administration is also gearing up for the organisation of the event and the route is being decided. It is making all out efforts for the smooth conduct of the event.

Administrative officers and political parties are also taking stock of the route where 'gair' will be taken out.

The tradition dates back to the Holkar dynasty. At that time, the who's who of the dynasty used to take to the streets to play Holi with the common people. Bullock carts were filled with herbal colours and flowers and whosoever used to meet each other on the way, they used to smear gulal.

With the passage of time, some changes have come in 'gair' too. Now, a big vehicle carries flower, gulal and water tankers are also there. Colours are spread in the air using motorpumps, post which all the streets become colourful. Moreover people who are standing in the balconies of the high-rise buildings also get coloured when gulal is spread with motorpumps. Colours are spread everywhere.

'Gair' is taken out on various routes and then the people assemble at Rajbada, the palace of the erstwhile Holkar rulers.

Revellers take part in the tradition and make the atmosphere colourful by dancing and singing.
Kiev, March 6 : In another video address to the nation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged the people of the country "to go on the offensive" as Russia has continued its war on Kiev.

In the video posted on Facebook late Saturday night, the President said: "Every meter of our Ukrainian land won by protest and humiliation of the invaders is a step forward, a step towards victory for our entire state.

"This is a chance to live. Ukrainians! In all our cities where the enemy entered. Feel it. Go on the offensive." As Russia's offensive against Ukraine entered the 11th day on Sunday, Moscow's forces have continued to to heavily shell many cities.

As artillery and air strikes have caused severe damage in the city of Irpin, about 20 km north-west of capital Kiev, evacuations of local residents were underway, the BBC reports.

The aerial attacks led to an almost complete destruction of a residential tower block.

On Saturday, Russian forces continued to shell the city of Mariupol, despite agreeing to a ceasefire just hours earlier.

Three hours after the ceasefire was supposed to begin, at 9 a.m. (local time), Mariupol authorities announced they had postponed a planned mass evacuation because of the continued bombardment.

Russia later announced that it had resumed its assault on Mariupol "due to the unwillingness of the Ukrainian side to influence nationalists or extend the ceasefire".

Meanwhile in Kherson, the first major city to fall to Russian forces, some 2,000 people marched through the city centre, waving flags and singing the Ukrainian national anthem.

They shouted patriotic slogans including "Russians go home" and "Kherson is Ukraine", said the BBC report.
Los Angeles, March 6 : Rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers' bassist Flea says the group were "against the hair-metal scene" in Hollywood.

The 'Californication' hitmakers rose up through the Hollywood music scene in the mid-1980s where they focused on the art punk underground, and bassist Flea shared there was a lot of "petty bulls*** at that time", reports femalefirst.co.uk.

He told Classic Rock magazine: "We were definitely against the hair-metal scene. We were like, 'F*** them. We're the underground, art-rock, get-weird east side guys; those guys are just rehashing Aerosmith and KISS'. In retrospect it was all petty bulls***. A lot of those bands were f****** great. Guns N' Roses was a great band."There were also some similarities between Red Hot Chili Peppers - completed by drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante - and their rivals on the Sunset Strip.

Frontman Anthony Kiedis said: "We were a party band, but you have to bring something to the party. Flea was instrumental in saying, 'We have to be good, we have to write some new s***, we have to have osmething to move these people'.

"We always came fully loaded." Meanwhile, Flea admitted there was a level of "arrogance" in their early years as they saw themselves as genuine rock stars.

He added: "We were going hard and being wild." Kiedis explained how the band - whose 12th studio album 'Unlimited Love' will release on April 1 - didn't have ambitious beyond the underground scene at that pont.

"It didn't dawn on us that there was something other than selling out clubs and making people happy and being original."
The 51 license-plate readers that Carlsbad installed last year have been so successful at finding cars and criminals that the Police Department wants to add 35 more.

The automated cameras placed in combinations at 14 key intersections so far had photographed 48 million plates as of July 1, police Capt. Mickey Williams said Tuesday. Those license plates turned up 267 stolen or wanted vehicles, leading to 63 arrests.

Im glad we are using technology to our benefit, said Councilman Keith Blackburn, a retired police officer. It saves a lot of other people from being victims.

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The council voted 4-1 Tuesday morning, with Councilwoman Cori Schumacher opposed, to expand the system at a cost of more than $537,000.

This has been an eye-opening foray into privacy challenges to me, Schumacher said.

Carlsbad shares the license-plate data it collects with hundreds of other agencies, she said. Despite the citys stringent precautions, she added, there is no way to know whether any of those agencies are using the data in ways not authorized by the city.

For example, Sacramento County welfare fraud investigators used license-plate numbers from a database owned by Vigilante Solutions, the same vendor Carlsbad uses, according to an Aug. 10 story in the Sacramento Bee. The civil liberties group Electronic Frontier Foundation called the states use of the data disturbing.

Carlsbad already has a low crime rate, Schumacher said, and without more privacy protections she could not justify the additional expense.

Other than Schumacher, no one at the Carlsbad meeting opposed expansion.

A few residents spoke against the approval of the initial cameras last year, saying the system smacked of mass surveillance and had the potential to invade peoples privacy. Other residents have supported the system, emphasizing the need for public safety.

Several other law enforcement agencies in San Diego County, including the Sheriffs Department, use mobile license-plate readers in a few of their patrol vehicles. But hardly any use the fixed cameras, and none to the extent of Carlsbad.

The Carlsbad City Council approved the existing system of stationary license plate readers, to be mounted on public utility poles, on March 14, 2017, and completed the installation on Dec. 20.

Information gleaned from the system so far has helped with a number of cases unrelated to auto theft.

Multiple suspects have been arrested for burglary, and even attempted murder. Police located a missing woman reported as suicidal and took her to a hospital for an evaluation.

In one case, three suspects stole $5,000 worth of property, including an AR-15 assault rifle and two other firearms, from a Carlsbad residence. A neighbors surveillance camera recorded the incident and provided the make, model and color of the suspects vehicle.

Working with the state Department of Motor Vehicles, Carlsbad police obtained the vehicles license plate number, found the number in their database and located the suspects. The items stolen in Carlsbad and other things taken in previous burglaries were found and returned to their owners, Police Chief Neil Gallucci told the City Council.

Its been effective, Gallucci said. We are detecting and arresting criminals that in the past we would not have.

Two-thirds of the 63 people arrested had a history of prior crimes and were either on parole or probation, and 18 of them had committed violent crimes, said Cindy Anderson, the citys crime analyst. About 70 percent of the people arrested were from homes outside Carlsbad.

The cameras approved last year were installed primarily at key intersections near the citys borders. The contract also included the installation of mobile license plate readers on six patrol cars, for a total cost a little over $800,000.

The request approved Tuesday will add cameras near the citys larger shopping centers on El Camino Real and Calle Barcelona, neighborhoods around motels on Avenida Encinas, and intersections on Carlsbad Village Drive, Carlsbad Boulevard and Tamarack Avenue.

No additional mobile plate readers were approved, but at Blackburns request, the council voted 4-1, with Schumacher opposed, to consider possible additional mobile cameras at a future meeting.

philip.diehl@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @phildiehl
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

When cannabis was legalized for recreational use in New Mexico, Chris Tapia didnt hesitate to jump into the new industry.

Tapias company, Sawmill Cannabis Co., planned to open five dispensaries in and around Albuquerque, along with a grow operation and a pair of manufacturing facilities that could supply the stores.

But on April 1, when recreational cannabis sales are expected to begin, Sawmill Cannabis wont be among the dispensaries selling products. Instead, Tapia said Sawmill now plans to wait until the summer to open, citing licensing delays and concerns that there wont be enough cannabis available to keep its stores stocked.

I think everybodys doing all they can to make this happen, I just think that the demand is going to exceed the supply for a little bit of time, Tapia said.

In the meantime, the startup, which is operated by Tapia and members of his family, will pay rent on buildings with no way to make money.

It is a drain on resources to continue to carry the properties without having them generate income, Tapia said.

Sawmill Cannabis isnt the only new company in this position. Across New Mexico, cannabis producers are bracing for recreational demand to temporarily outstrip supply when the program launches, leaving stores potentially missing key products. Smaller producers targeting the recreational market, like Sawmill and Enchanted Botanicals in Albuquerque, are opting to delay opening until they can supply their stores consistently rather than disappointing customers.

Were moving as fast as we can to get ready on time with the product, said Pierre Amestoy III, owner of Enchanted Botanicals.

Industry leaders, including Kristen Thomson, director of the states new Cannabis Control Division, said supply shortages have occurred in most states that have launched recreational cannabis. Thomson said she believes that any disruptions will be short-lived once sales go live.

That initial demand and excitement about a new product can lead to very short-term shortages that dont hurt the industry, Thomson said.

However, some in the industry, including the founder of the states largest cannabis company, are convinced the shortages will not be short-lived.

The reality is, its going to be quite the ugly scene for quite a while, Ultra Health founder Duke Rodriguez told the Journal.

How did we get here?

Rodriguez, a longtime and vocal critic of New Mexicos limits on cannabis production, has expressed concern about a potential shortage since the Cannabis Regulation Act was signed into law last year.

The law tasked the state Regulation and Licensing Department with creating rules that govern the newly legal industry. The departments Cannabis Control Division originally capped the number of mature cannabis plants individual license-holders could grow at 10,000. Ben Lewinger, executive director of the New Mexico Cannabis Chamber of Commerce, said the cap on production ensures that the state wont have a dramatic oversupply of cannabis, as is still the case in Oregon and California, that would eventually force the state to step in and curb production.

That would be an issue that would be much more difficult to rectify and manage than a short-term supply-constrained scenario, Lewinger said.

In January, the state announced that it was doubling plant caps for all license levels, excluding micro-businesses, which are subject to plant counts written into statute. Thomson told the Journal the change was needed to bolster the states supply of cannabis.

It was the right thing to do to help our businesses gear up and be ready to backstop the economic opportunities created by the new industry, she said.

However, Thomson acknowledged that the timing of the rule means that the additional cannabis wont be available for harvest until after April 1, adding that the focus was on building supply for future grow cycles.

Hopefully those businesses are using this opportunity to scale up, Thomson said.

But the scale-up for micro-businesses will not occur. Small producers entitled to grow a more limited amount of cannabis required a legislative fix that failed to materialize.

Senate Bill 100 would have increased the limit on the number of plants a micro-business can possess from 200 to 1,000. The bill passed in the Senate but ultimately died in the House Judiciary Committee. Lewinger and Thomson both expressed disappointment that the increased plant caps failed to become law.

That was a very important provision that would not only help small businesses get started in this industry in New Mexico, but would help to minimize any supply constrained environment, Lewinger said.

How severe will shortages be?

Even with the increase to plant counts for larger licensees, Rodriguez, who favors getting rid of caps on cannabis production entirely, believes the market will be well short of the amount of cannabis flower it will need to satisfy recreational and medical demand.

The Cannabis Control Division and industry leaders have pledged to protect medical cannabis patients, noting that the law requires producers to make one-fourth of their sales to medical patients each month through the end of the year, although concerns remain.

Im expecting it to be very hard on patients, said David White, founder of Organtica, a New Mexico medical cannabis business with dispensaries in Albuquerque, Silver City and Truth or Consequences.

On the recreational side, most people who spoke to the Journal agreed that some amount of shortages were inevitable. Rodriguez cited a study, conducted by MPG Consulting on behalf of Ultra Health, showing that New Mexico will need around 428,607 individual cannabis plants to meet projected demand in 2022. The company estimates the industry has between 100,000 and 115,000 plants currently licensed.

Rodriguez noted that the vast majority of producers in the state are planning to grow less than the maximum allotted number of plants.

He predicted that shortages could linger for 12 to 18 months.

However, most in the industry disagree. While acknowledging that specific strains or edibles may be hard for recreational customers to come by initially, Thomson said shes not concerned about widespread shortages, noting that CCD is targeting much lower levels of production than Rodriguezs study.

The market, we anticipate, will quickly smooth out, as it has in the other markets, Thomson said.

Whatever the scale of the shortage, most producers agreed that cannabis will likely be more expensive at the outset than recreational cannabis available in states like Colorado. Amestoy, with Enchanted Botanicals in Albuquerque, said hes expecting a gram of top-shelf cannabis flower to run between $16 and $20 in New Mexico for the first 12 to 18 months of recreational sales.

The price of cannabis is going to be very high, he said.

Lewinger maintained that even a longer shortage would be less harmful to the state long term than an oversupply that would force state regulators to restrict the industry, forcing operators out of business.

Its not necessarily what was right for any business now, but thats what was right for the state, and thats what was right to give homegrown businesses the opportunity to thrive in what is a very competitive and highly regulated business, Lewinger said.

Producers in limbo

Given the uncertainty, a handful of producers are opting to sit on the sidelines until theyre sure they can keep their shelves stocked and state permits in order.

Amestoy worked in cannabis during transitions to recreational in two other states  Colorado and California  before moving to New Mexico to be closer to family.

In the lead-up to sales starting, Amestoy and his brother, Adam, identified two storefronts  one at Menaul and San Mateo Boulevard NE, the other at the former home of Frost Gelato in Nob Hill.

Were grateful that were going to be a staple of this community and this area, Amestoy said of the Nob Hill space.

As of late February, however, the store is still largely empty, which Amestoy attributed to delays getting permits approved. Amestoy said Enchanted Botanicals had originally planned a soft opening on April 1, with a limited supply of product. But as the spring began closing in and permits from the state failed to arrive, Amestoy realized the stores wouldnt be able to grow enough biomass by April to justify opening.

We cant open with nothing on the shelves, so were timing it as fast as the market lets us, he said.

For Tony Martinez at Lava Leaf Organics, a vertically integrated cannabis business in Farmington, the plan is to sit tight in April and delay opening until they have more than one harvest in place. Martinez said a typical harvest, using the companys mix of indoor and outdoor growing facility, would provide enough product for about three weeks.

It doesnt really move the needle that far as far as having backstock, Martinez said.

Martinez, who worked in the states medical industry for years, said hes seen the reaction when dispensaries have bare shelves.

What I didnt want to do is come to the market and be having to apologize to these medical patients, because theyre going to take it out on whoever they can, Martinez said. In their mind, theyre gonna think you just sold all your flower  and now youre giving them the shaft.

Each of the producers expressed optimism about the long-term future of the industry and the current management of CCD, but acknowledged that costs will be a burden in the short term.

Its going to cost us money, but we feel this location, and our product, and our brand and our business acumen are going to be able to bring enough to the table to where well be able to make that up, Amestoy said.
The troubles of the students returning from Ukraine to India are not over yet. Most of the Indian students have returned to their homes safely, but their future now hangs in the balance.

Among them, there are about 4,000 students who were in the final year of the MBBS course. There is no option available to these students who have spent 5 years of their life and lakhs of rupees on MBBS studies.

Deshraj Advani, an expert and mentor of medical education in the country, says that the biggest problem before the students is that how will it be confirmed that which student has studied in which university for how many years and how was his performance in the last semester.

According to Advani, these students do not even have concrete provisional proof of their partially-completed studies that they have done in Ukraine.

Live news updates on Russia-Ukraine crisis on DH

Although such provisional proofs are not recognised anyway, it can at least for the satisfaction of the students, who are hopeful that soon the war between Russia and Ukraine will end and they will be able to go back to Ukraine to complete their studies.

However, even if the war ends soon, it will not be possible for every student to return to Ukraine and resume their studies.

Randeep, a student who returned from Ukraine, said that he was studying at the Medical University in Lugansk State, but his university has been destroyed in missile attacks. In such a situation, he is worried that even after the war gets over, how he would resume his studies there.

According to educationist C.S. Kandpal, there were about 18,000 Indian students studying medicine in Ukraine, it is not possible to provide immediate admission (in Indian colleges) to all these students.

Kandpal says that seats are already full in almost all medical colleges. In such a situation, it does not seem to be possible to have any immediate arrangement for these students.

Students returning from Ukraine are also aware of the current situation. Shreya Sharma, doing MBBS from Vinnitsa National Medical University, Ukraine, said that it is a reality that the Indian government cannot accommodate all 18,000 students here.

Also read: Russia-Ukraine: Their war, our worries

Not only this, the rules of the National Medical Commission of India regarding foreign medical graduates are also very strict. Furthermore, there is no such rule in the country according to which those returning from abroad in mid of their MBBS course can get admission in the medical colleges here.

Even for those who have completed medical studies from abroad, there are strict criteria, which they need to fulfill before starting their practice in India.

Despite its small population, Ukraine has about 20 medical universities.

There are three types of universities in Ukraine -- National Medical University, National University and State University.

About 6,000 Indian students go to Ukraine every year to study MBBS and BDS.

In India, every year about eight lakh students appear for the MBBS entrance exam, out of these, only one lakh students get admission in Indian medical colleges. This is the reason why every year thousands of Indian students have to move to other countries, including Ukraine, to study medicine.

According to the Government of India, there are a total of 88,120 MBBS seats and as many as 27,498 BDS seats in government and private medical colleges in the country, and about 50 per cent of MBBS seats are in private colleges.

Also read: Zelenskyy asks Biden for more support for Ukraine

Data suggests that only five per cent of the total students who appear in the NEET exam get admission in the government medical colleges.

Devansh Gupta, an Indian student who has studied MBBS from Ukraine, says that in government medical colleges in India, a student needs to spend around Rs 15 to Rs 20 lakh on his fees to complete his MBBS. Whereas in private medical colleges, each student has to spend more than Rs 80 lakh to complete the course.

"On the other hand, the best private medical colleges in Ukraine charge fees up to Rs 5 lakh annually, due to which the entire MBBS course gets completed in about Rs 25 to Rs 30 lakh," Gupta asserts while explaining why many students flee to Ukraine for studying medicine.

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Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

A southern New Mexico county is spending nearly $50,000 of taxpayer money on a so-called audit of the 2020 presidential election over objections from the county attorney and clerk.

Now the states top prosecutor and election official are warning of problematic reports coming out of Otero County, where people are going door to door asking questions about how people voted. And the state Auditors Office is examining if the county complied with rules and regulations for awarding government contracts.

Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver said Wednesday that this canvassing could amount to voter intimidation or harassment. She said people are going door to door asking questions about how Otero County residents voted in the 2020 presidential election.

Its just a really scary, unfortunate and nonsensical situation, she said this week during a news conference. This is a vigilante audit. You know, theres nothing that is legitimate about this process, in my point of view.

She advised voters that they are not required to participate in the audit. She also stressed that ballots are secret, and that not even election administrators can see how a person voted.

Attorney General Hector Balderas said his office also received reports and complaints.

Our partnership with the SOS ensures residents of the county are fully informed and we are able to monitor the situation for any illegal conduct, he said in a statement.

The canvassing is the result of a contract approved by Otero County commissioners, who on Jan. 13 signed off on a nearly $50,000 contract to EchoMail, a company that was also involved in an audit of the election in an Arizona county.

EchoMails website says it offers email and social media marketing, monitoring and management solutions for global 2000 companies and the SMB markets. The company was among those paid by Arizona Senate Republicans to examine the results of the election in Maricopa County, Arizona.

Experts described that review as riddled with errors, biased and done with flawed methodology, The Associated Press reported. But the examination still didnt reach conclusions that would have changed the outcome.

A letter EchoMail president and CEO Shiva Ayyadurai sent to Otero County commissioners in December explaining the work said the company would complete an audit for Otero County from Jan. 1 through May 1. The scope of the work includes a full voter registration canvass performed by volunteers under the direction of New Mexico Audit Force.

The contract was approved over numerous concerns raised by County Attorney RB Nichols and County Clerk Robyn Holmes. Nichols told commissioners that it might be a criminal misuse of election data; the door-to-door canvassing could intimidate residents; the work would burden the clerks office, similar audits in other states found no problems with the election results; and that it wouldnt be a productive use of taxpayer dollars.

County Commissioner Couy Griffin disagrees.

I dont think theres any more productive way to spend tax dollars then to make sure our elections arent compromised, he said.

A woman in the crowd at the commission meeting replied to Griffin with an amen. Griffin, the founder of Cowboys for Trump who is scheduled to stand trial later this month for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, received several rounds of applause from his constituents as he questioned the election results and said he wouldnt cow to the state during a two-hour discussion about the contract and election audit, according to a recording of the meeting posted on the countys YouTube page.

The people of Otero County are excited that were the first county in the state of New Mexico to audit our 2020 elections. The people are very concerned about elections and if we can have a good, clean audit, were gonna have bigger turnout, Griffin said in an interview. Ive caught flack about the cost. I think that its a small investment to make sure that our electorate is secure.

Courts and local and federal election officials across the country have widely dismissed allegations of fraud in the 2020 presidential election or claims that Trump won the election.

Otero County Commissioners Vickie Marquardt and Gerald Matherly also voted to approve the contract.

Toulouse Oliver said her office received several complaints about the canvassing. A video posted to TikTok shows a woman in her home being greeted by someone who says they are with Otero County and are doing an audit on the 2020 election.

Toulouse Oliver said that her office and county clerks already have vote count verification and election audit procedures in place after every election to ensure the results. Donald Trump garnered 62% of the vote in Otero County and Joe Biden received 36%.

David Clements  a former New Mexico State University professor who said he was fired because I refused the jab  and his wife, Erin, spoke before the commission Jan. 13 as members of New Mexico Audit Force. Erin told commissioners that the people going door to door would identify themselves as being with New Mexico Audit Force, and not the county.

She said that the group has materials it provides volunteers so they know what questions they can and cant ask. She said that the volunteers heard in the TikTok video who identified themselves as being with the county were flustered.

The Secretary of State by issuing that press release is undermining the legitimate authority of the Otero County Commission to investigate whether or not the elections that they have to certify themselves are honest, Erin said in an interview. By her encouraging people not to answer completely noncombative questions, it just highlights the fact that she doesnt care (Otero County) residents have questions about the validity of our election.

She said the group has made public records requests in counties across the state and used those records to analyze election data. She said that Otero County is the only county where the groups efforts were included in an official contract.

Win, lose or draw, I just want the truth, Griffin said. If the electorate is secure and legal at the end of this audit, then Maggie Toulouse (Oliver) and all the other Democrats can say I told you so. And Ill eat crow.
One group of truckers called the Peoples Convoy that left California more than a week ago made it to the East Coast and was stationed on Saturday in Hagerstown, Md., about 70 miles northwest of the capital, converging with other drivers and their supporters  opening up the possibility that the convoy could move into Washington to hold protests against pandemic restrictions in the next few days.

It was not clear what the convoys exact travel plans were. A Facebook post on Saturday afternoon noted that a rally would be taking place on Saturday evening at the Hagerstown Speedway where the trucks were amassing, and several people commented that the group would be leaving on Sunday for the Capital Beltway, a highway that surrounds Washington.

There were reports on Saturday of at least a thousand trucks, recreational vehicles and cars gathered at the racetrack. One man who described himself as the lead trucker in the group told the crowd on Friday night that he would be driving his truck into the heart of the capital.
GUANGZHOU, China, March 4, 2022 /CNW/ -- GAC MOTOR has been operating in Panama since 2019, earning a solid foothold in the local market with quality vehicles and innovative designs. As Chinese smart manufacturing and automobile technology make a strong reputation worldwide, GAC MOTOR Panama hosts a vibrant exhibition. The Chinese-Panamanian artists at the exhibition represent a shared love for craftsmanship - the combination of beauty and skill - present in visual arts and the art of creating cars.

Progenie | The Spirit of Craftsmanship Across Cultures

The exhibition, named "Progenie," displayed the paintings of Chinese-Panamanian artists of three different ages, highlighting the contribution of Chinese painters to the multicultural tapestry of Latin America and notably Panama today.

The concept of Chinese craftsmanship has been a key pillar of GAC MOTOR's overseas brand identity for some time now, with the GAC development strategy focusing on bringing outstanding Chinese designs and technology onto the world stage.

Cross-cultural art exhibitions like this one are important in communicating the amazing creativity that Chinese brands and individuals have to offer the world.

Ms. Mai Yap, one of the exhibiting artists based out of Florida, USA, said that "China lives in us, and although we came from and were born in different countries, we carry all that culture within us."

Mai Yap's colorful works were displayed alongside another young visual artist, Nicole Rumaldo Choy, who represents merging these two cultures' creative prowess.

The Spirit of Craftsmanship: Continued Efforts in the Americas

GAC MOTOR has become the top-performing Chinese brand in local sales since entering the Panama market in 2019. The nation is now home to more than 400 new GAC MOTOR owners.

Ever since the launch of the All New GS4 and extensive engagement in car rental projects last year, GAC MOTOR has attracted more attention. It has become a representative of Chinese car brands in Panama.

In the new year, GAC MOTOR will continue to provide Panamanian users with a high standard of travel experience. The brand looks forward to a future of further healthy development in the Americas.

SOURCE GAC MOTOR

For further information: Yuchi, +86-13502273642
A Manhattan high school principal has resigned after he was accused of pressing his groin against a male teacher's leg at a holiday party, officials confirmed.

The complaint against openly-gay Lower Manhattan Arts Academy Principal Derek Premo, 47, was revealed by the New York Post six months ago. It was filed by special-ed teacher John Colin with the state Division of Human Rights.

That state-level case is still pending as of Friday, according to the Department of Education.

On Wednesday, Manhattan High School superintendent Vivien Orlen sent an email to families notifying them that Premo, who earned $183,854, had resigned.

Orlen said that Premo had increased the school's graduation rate and 'went above and beyond' during the pandemic.

Lower Manhattan Arts Academy principal Derek Premo, 47, has resigned following allegations of sexual harassment against a male teacher at a holiday party in 2019

On Wednesday, Manhattan High School superintendent Vivien Orlen sent an email to the families of students at Lower Manhattan Arts Academy (pictured)notifying them that Premo had resigned

'I know many of you will miss him,' he said.

Daisy Fontanez, a Department of Education substitute principal, will continue serving as interim principal. Premo had been on leave since Thanksgiving.

According to Colin's complaint, Premo approached Colin and two female teachers at Pianos, a Lower East Side bar, during a gathering on December 19, 2019.

The principal pressed his groin against Colin's leg under a bar-height table and maintained that contact throughout a 20-minute-long conversation, the complaint states.

'It was very uncomfortable because I could feel his penis on my leg, and he was leaning his face very close to mine... VERY uncomfortable,' Colin told the Post.

'Then he started telling me about how he and his husband liked to have parties,' Colin wrote, saying that Premo emphasized the word 'parties' and was 'looking directly into my eyes when he said it.'

In a complaint, teacher John Colins alleges that Premo, pictured, pressed his groin against Colin's leg under a bar-height table and maintained that contact throughout a 20-minute-long conversation on December 19, 2019

Colin told the outlet that he waited until after the height of the COVID pandemic to file a claim against his boss, saying that a sexual harassment seminar caused his discomfort to resurface. He named the two female teachers who allegedly witnessed the encounter as witnesses.

Previously, Premo was accused of touching a student inappropriately and 'making [them] feel uncomfortable' at his former workplace, the Life Sciences Secondary School on the Upper East Side - but officials said that complaint was unsubstantiated.

Previously, Premo (pictured) was accused of touching a student inappropriately and 'making [them] feel uncomfortable' at his former workplace, the Life Sciences Secondary School on the Upper East Side

Amid an investigation into Premo's conduct at the 2019 holiday party, he allowed 27-year-old social studies teacher Gabriel Mitey (pictured) continue teaching after he posted a nearly-nude photo of himself on Snapchat with just a towel covering his groin

Premo also drew criticism for allowing 27-year-old social studies teacher Gabriel Mitey to continue teaching at the school after he posted a nearly-nude photo of himself on Snapchat with just a towel covering his groin.

Students who followed him on the platform took screenshots, and told the Post they were 'shocked.'

Typically, a teacher accused of sexual harassment is immediately sidelined per Department of Education procedure.

A recently graduated male student had also accused Mitey of sexually harassing him during his senior year, telling the Post that the teacher began texting him about non-school matters, like 'asking how my day was,' and asked him to meet over the summer after he had graduated for 'coffee at his place, maybe food.'

Regardless, Premo allowed Mitey to remain the classroom.

In November, LOMA students held a sit-in to demand Mitey's removal. The Department of Education 'reassigned' him, the Post reported, but he remains on the city payroll.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

A judge on Friday sentenced an Albuquerque man to 16 years in prison in the fatal shooting of Yolanda Chee, 45, during an argument in January 2021.

Nathaniel Natonabah, 35, pleaded guilty last year to second-degree murder in Chees killing, and to aggravated battery for shooting and injuring Chees son during gunfire that followed Chees shooting.

Natonabah was shot in the chest during that exchange and later showed up at University of New Mexico Hospital.

He also pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence for hiding the gun used in the shootings. Assistant District Attorney Gabriel Kallen said Natonabah disassembled the weapon and threw the parts out of the window as he drove to the hospital.

Natonabah was charged in November 2019 for attacking a man he believed to be involved with Chee, and was ordered to take an anger management class as part of a pre-adjudication program. He completed that class less than 48 hours before he fatally shot Chee, Kallen said.

Chees young daughter told 2nd Judicial District Judge Brett Loveless she has struggled since her mothers death and finds holidays especially difficult.

Its hard not having a mom, Khloe Sunshine Chee said during the sentencing hearing. I think about her every single day. I have dreams about her. Its hard because I cant give her a hug.

Natonabahs attorney, Raymond Maestas, highlighted a police interview with a witness who said Chee slapped Natonabah moments before the fatal shooting. Natonabah snapped after he was struck, Maestas said.

This is not calculated, Maestas said of the fatal shooting. This is something that was in the heat of the moment in reaction to being slapped.

Loveless said Natonabahs use of a firearm exceeds by a factor of 10, if not more the violence of being slapped.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Ukrainian statehood is in jeopardy and likened the West's sanctions on Russia to declaring war, while a promised ceasefire in the besieged port city of Mariupol collapsed amid scenes of terror.

With the Kremlin's rhetoric growing fiercer and a reprieve from fighting dissolving, Russian troops continued to shell encircled cities and the number of Ukrainians forced from their country grew to 1.4 million.

By Saturday night Russian forces had intensified their shelling of Mariupol, while dropping powerful bombs on residential areas of Chernihiv, a city north of Kyiv, Ukrainian officials said.

Bereft mothers mourned slain children, wounded soldiers were fitted with tourniquets and doctors worked by the light of their cellphones as bleakness and desperation pervaded. Putin continued to pin the blame for all of it squarely on the Ukrainian leadership and slammed their resistance to the invasion.

Also read: Zelenskyy asks Biden for more support for Ukraine

If they continue to do what they are doing, they are calling into question the future of Ukrainian statehood, he said. And if this happens, it will be entirely on their conscience.

He also hit out at Western sanctions that have crippled Russia's economy and sent the value of its currency tumbling.

These sanctions that are being imposed, they are akin to declaring war, he said during a televised meeting with flight attendants from Russian airline Aeroflot. But thank God, we haven't got there yet.

Russia's financial system suffered yet another blow as Mastercard and Visa announced they were suspending operations in the country.

Also read: Russia-Ukraine: Their war, our worries

Ten days after Russian forces invaded, the struggle to enforce the temporary cease-fires in Mariupol and the eastern city of Volnovakha showed the fragility of efforts to stop the fighting across Ukraine.

Ukrainian officials said Russian artillery fire and airstrikes had prevented residents from leaving before the agreed-to evacuations got underway. Putin accused Ukraine of sabotaging the effort.

A third round of talks between Russia and Ukraine will take place Monday, according to Davyd Arakhamia, a member of the Ukrainian delegation. He gave no additional details, including where they would take place.

Previous meetings were held in Belarus and led to the failed cease-fire agreement to create humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of children, women, and older people from besieged cities, where pharmacies have run bare, hundreds of thousands face food and water shortages, and the injured have been succumbing to their wounds.

Russia has made significant advances in the south, seeking to cut off Ukraine's access to the sea. Capturing Mariupol could allow Russia to establish a land corridor to Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.

The West has broadly backed Ukraine, offering aid and weapons and slapping Russia with vast sanctions. But the fight itself has been left to Ukrainians, who have expressed a mixture of courageous resolve and despondency.

Also read: Ukrainians run for their lives from Russian bombs

Ukraine is bleeding, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in a video released Saturday, but Ukraine has not fallen.

Russian troops advanced on a third nuclear power plant, having already taken control of one of the four operating in the country and the closed plant in Chernobyl, Zelenskyy told US lawmakers.

Zelenskyy pleaded with the lawmakers for additional help, specifically fighter planes to help secure the skies over Ukraine, even as he insisted Russia was being defeated.

We're inflicting losses on the occupants they could not see in their worst nightmare, Zelenskyy said.

Russian troops took control of the southern port city of Kherson this week. Although they have encircled Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv and Sumy, Ukrainian forces have managed to keep control of key cities in central and southeastern Ukraine, Zelenskyy said.

Diplomatic efforts continued as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Poland to meet with the prime minister and foreign minister, a day after attending a NATO meeting in Brussels in which the alliance pledged to step up support for eastern flank members.

Also read: Russian prisoners and Ukrainian soldiers describe two sides of the conflict

In Moscow, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met with Putin at the Kremlin. Israel maintains good relations with both Russia and Ukraine, and Bennett has offered to act as an intermediary in the conflict, but no details of the meeting emerged immediately.

However, Bennett's office said he spoke twice with Zelenskyy afterward. Bennett also had a conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron.

In the wake of Western sanctions, Aeroflot, Russia's flagship state-owned airline, announced that it plans to halt all international flights except to Belarus, starting Tuesday.

The death toll of the conflict was difficult to measure. The UN human rights office said at least 351 civilians have been confirmed killed since Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, but the true number is probably much higher. The Russian military, which doesn't offer regular updates on casualties, said Wednesday that 498 of its troops had been killed.

Ukraine's military is vastly outmatched by Russia's, but its professional and volunteer forces have fought back with fierce tenacity. Even in cities that have fallen, there were signs of resistance.
DENMARK -- To close out their celebration of Black History Month, Denmark Technical College was visited by members of Bamberg County Council and county administration on Feb 28. to present a proclamation outlining the college's valuable contributions and to name the third Tuesday of every February Denmark Technical College Day in Bamberg County.

HBCUs are essential to our place in Black History, said Spencer Donaldson, chairman of Bamberg County Council, and sponsor of the proclamation. These colleges and universities educate our best and brightest students and have an overwhelmingly positive impact on our area. While this will be celebrated for years to come as a day in their honor, this is also about equal representation, inclusion and diversity. As a graduate of Denmark Tech and a community leader of their CDL program, it is important to me that we give this engine of economic development and educational opportunity the recognition it deserves.

"We deeply appreciate this recognition from Bamberg County. Denmark Technical College is an asset and resource for the entire region and the county's partnership has been invaluable as we work together to forge onward into a new era of success for our small HBCU located in rural South Carolina," added Dr. Willie L. Todd Jr., president and CEO of Denmark Tech.

Starting in March 1948 as the Denmark Branch of the South Carolina Area Trade School System, later changing to Denmark Area Trade School in the 1960s and now as Denmark Technical College, the college has educated thousands of students across generations.

The colleges primary service area is comprised of Bamberg, Barnwell and Allendale Counties with a legislated mandate to serve students throughout the state. As an open-door institution, the college provides affordable, post-secondary education culminating in associate degrees, diplomas and certificates to citizens from diverse educational and socioeconomic backgrounds.

County Councilman Larry Haynes, another alumnus of Denmark Tech who has witnessed the renaissance of the school, commended the new leadership team for their hard work and applauded the efforts between the administration at the college and county officials. Recent collaboration has yielded the launch of the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Academy in alliance with MedShore Ambulance Service and, together, they are exploring the potential for a four-year-degree pilot training program.

We are grateful for the long-standing relationship between Denmark Technical College and Bamberg County, said Haynes. When Denmark Tech succeeds, Bamberg County succeeds.

The proclamation recognizes the schools transformative impact on the lives of legions of students and alumni around the world and in the Bamberg community. With hundreds of students enrolled, the two-year institution has been especially beneficial in the intellectual, cultural and economic life of Bamberg County and its surrounding areas. Donaldson added that the county is pleased to designate the seventy-five-year-old HBCU as an official Bamberg County Ambassador.

Also in attendance were Denmark Technical College Executive Vice President for Administration and Innovation Dr. A. Clifton Myles, Denmark Technical College Vice President for Finance Clarence Bonnette; Denmark Technical College Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Effectiveness Dr. Sasha-Johnson-Coleman; Denmark Technical College Associate Vice President for Finance Rashad Rogers; Denmark Technical College Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Lamar J. White, Denmark Technical College Vice President for Academic Affairs Tia Wright-Richards; Bamberg County Councilman Phil Myers; Bamberg County Councilwoman Sharon Hammond; Bamberg County Deputy Administrator Thomas M. Thomas; and Bamberg County Administrator Joey Preston.

The culmination of the event was the presentation of the proclamation by Council Chairman Donaldson and certificate acknowledging the school as an official county ambassador.

Denmark Technical College was first established to serve the needs of a bustling city that was yearning for a place that offered academic excellence, added Joey Preston, Bamberg County Ambassador. As an institution with a rich history, Denmark Tech has gone through multiple name changes, structure redesigns and leaders, yet it remains and will continue to be a historic gem that shines in Bamberg County and throughout South Carolina.
Six people were killed Saturday when a tornado swept through central Iowa, damaging buildings and knocking down trees and power lines, authorities said.

Emergency management officials in Madison County said six people died and four were injured when the tornado touch down in the area southwest of Des Moines at about 4:30 p.m. Among those killed were children and adults.

Madison County Emergency Management Director Diogenes Ayala said 25 to 30 homes were badly damaged by the tornado.

This is the worst anyone has seen in a very long time," he said.

Typically in March, severe weather is focused over the Gulf Coast states, from Texas to Florida. For example, Texas averages 11 tornadoes in March, while Iowa typically only sees two.
New Delhi: Samsung Electronics has allegedly been hacked by a foreign hacking group, which breached its confidential source code and other classified data, industry sources said.

Data extortion entity Lapsus$ has claimed that it hacked the system of the South Korean tech giant and leaked up to 190 gigabytes of its data and source code online, according to the sources.

It also said that it uploaded the leaked data for download via torrent, reports Yonhap news agency. Samsung officials said they are now assessing the situation.

Meanwhile, Samsung has suspended shipments of all of its products to Russia.

"Due to the current geopolitical developments, shipments to Russia have been suspended," reads a statement from an unnamed Samsung representative, via Samsung`s generic PR email address.

According to The Verge, Samsung is also making donations to humanitarian efforts.

"Our thoughts are with everyone who has been impacted and our priority is to ensure the safety of all our employees and their families," the company said. Also Read: 7th Pay Commission: State govt increases dearness allowance of employees, check details

"We plan to actively support humanitarian efforts around the region, including aid for refugees. To this end, we are donating $6 million, including $1 million in consumer electronics products, as well as voluntary donations from our employees," it added. Also Read: Car, bike owners, alert! Centre proposes hike in third-party motor insurance premiums

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Public school CHamoru teachers released a book series to assist in teaching the CHamoru language.

With funding assistance from the Guam Preservation Trust, and a collaboration with the Guam Department of Educations CHamoru Studies Division, CHamoru teachers created Ekungok I Estoria-ta books.

Its never too late to learn your language, to love your language, to read and write it, said P.C. Lujan Elementary School CHamoru Immersion teacher and contributor to the books, Rufina Mendiola.

The books, consisting of 10 stories each, assists in providing more details about the islands historical sites which were preserved by Guam Preservation Trust. They also are made to align with the common core of the department and its CHamoru Studies Division.

The books also come with a curriculum guide to help teachers read them to their students, along with a CD containing CHamoru songs.

This is my dream come true, Mendiola said. I have been a teacher for 40 years, and this is the first time I really had the opportunity to hear the kids. This is the second generation of kids speaking CHamoru and they are really excited.

Prior to the books releasing, Mendiola would take her second-grade students on a virtual field trip to the the departments immersion program.

She believes that the books will strengthen the way CHamoru history and language is being taught in classrooms.

We really want to show the public that we have our stories to tell about all these different sites on Guam, Mendiola said. Were telling our stories, our words, it really is a better way to tell people about the people of Guam and our way of life.
While wearing masks and practising social distancing is one way to go about it, the focus should always be on getting vaccinated and getting ones booster shots. Dr Vijay Warad, Allergist, Clinical immunologist, Paediatric pulmonologist gives an insight

As we move on from another wave of the deadly coronavirus, global healthcare infrastructures across the globe have witnessed drastic changes. The first wave pushed the pharmaceutical companies to rush the vaccine manufacturing process. Similarly, during the second wave, the delta variant made us realise the importance of having oxygen cylinders in large numbers in order to save lives. Fortunately for us, the Omicron variant was not as life-threatening as its predecessors. On the brighter side, it also helped people who got infected with the virus, to develop natural antibodies and contribute to the process of building herd immunity.

During the pandemic, we all have certainly lost our loved ones. Each wave brings in a new variant that has a more complex gene-sequencing than the previous one. With the virus constantly mutating itself, it gets difficult to protect ourselves and the people around us. Along with this, allergies like Urticaria, Eczema, rhinitis, Bronchitis, Sinusitis which were previously controlled, are taking more time to settle down amongst the non-vaccinated people.

While health experts believe that the pandemic still has a long way to go, the onus falls on us to do everything possible to stay away from getting infected. While wearing masks and practising social distancing is one way to go about it, the focus should always be on getting vaccinated and getting ones booster shots. Vaccines provide the first line of defence, but booster shots ensure that the antibody levels in our immune system remain intact. They also keep us safe from any threat posed by the newer variants. Talking about different ways of boost in defence but basically, that is given, regardless of the first 2 doses of the same vaccine. This triggers a different immune response, therefore, providing us with better antibodies to protect ourselves. This concept is also known as Mix & Match.

Currently, in India, the government has given green light for people to get their 'precautionary booster' shots. With Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik Light already in use, the government hopes to soon welcome Pfizer and Moderna as well.

Lets talk about the boosters currently in use in terms of the efficacy they provide.

For Covishield, positive results were observed from a preliminary analysis of the ongoing safety and immunogenicity trial. It showed that Vaxzevria (COVISHIELD in India), when given as a third dose booster, increased the immune response to Beta, Delta, Alpha and Gamma SARS-CoV-2 variants.

The Covaxin booster doses capability to neutralize the coronaviruss highly contagious Omicron and Delta variants showed promising results in its booster dose trials with more than 90 per cent of all individuals boosted with Covaxin.

Based on the data collected at the Italian Spallanzani Institute and results of previous studies, heterologous (mix and match) boosting with the recently approved Sputnik Light helps to increase other vaccines efficacy and extend the booster protection period as optimal adenoviral platform configuration provides better protection against Omicron and other variants. Sputnik Light is based on recombinant human adenovirus (medium-sized, nonenveloped) serotype number 26 (the first component of Sputnik V).

The cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country recently crossed 178 crore which indicates that we are on the right path to fight the virus. Although vaccine hesitancy is still an issue in some parts of the country, let us all take up the responsibility to spread awareness about the benefits of getting jabbed with booster shots. Wearing masks and following social distancing will go together with the vaccination drive to ensure a safe future for us.
New Delhi: Taking a potshot at the Central government, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday (March 5) warned the public of a hike in fuel prices after the Assembly elections.

He asked people to fill up their tanks soon as the Modi governments election offer is coming to an end. Taking to Twitter, Gandhi wrote, "Get your petrol tanks full immediately. Modi governments election offer is going to end."

Rahul Gandhis warning came on the last day of the campaigning for the seventh and final phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls. A day earlier, while campaigning in Pindra, Varanasi, Rahul Gandhi had accused the BJP of lying to people. He said, "I will die but will never tell you that I will deposit Rs 15 lakh to your bank accounts. I do not care if it makes you feel good or bad. I respect you all enough to never lie on your faces. Modi Ji lies and says he protects Hinduism. No, he protects lies. They talk about the Hindu religion all over the country. Tell me what is the Hindu religion? It is nothing but the truth. They do not seek votes on the name of the Hindu religion, but on the basis of lies."

The polling for the seventh phase of the UP election will be held on Monday deciding the fate of 613 candidates on 54 assembly seats in nine districts of the state. The results for five states that went to the pollsUttar Pradesh, Manipur, Punjab, Goa and Uttarakhand will be declared on March 10.

Meanwhile, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a Reuters report has claimed that the Indian government will hike the petrol and diesel prices next week for the first time in more than four months. The sources told Reuters that the oil companies will be free to increase petrol prices in a phased manner. "The oil companies would be free to raise prices in a phased manner once the election is over on March 7," a senior government official told the news agency.

Oil prices surged globally after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, mounting to USD 111 a barrel on Friday (March 4).

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, on Friday (March 4), came out with a draft notification that proposes revising the premium for third party motor insurances.

The proposed hike in the vehicle insurance premium rates will be applicable from the financial year 2022-23. However, two-wheeler and private car owners could benefit from the hike in third-party motor insurances, as there is a slight dip in the premiums to be paid by them.

On the other, taxi, truck and bus owners will have to loosen their purse strings for buying third-party motor insurance. The government also proposed a discount of 15 per cent on the insurance premium for electric vehicles (EVs). Hybrid electric vehicle owners can also avail of a 7.5 per cent discount on the purchase of third-party motor insurance.

"There is very little justification for the hike. The provision made against the claims are increasing, but not the actual claims payout. The formula-based premium increase needs to be relooked," K.K. Srinivasan, former member (non-life) of Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), told IANS.

Moreover, two-wheelers with a capacity between 75cc and 150cc will pay lower a rate of Rs 714 per year (Rs 752 with taxes). In contrast, there has been an increase in the premiums of other classes of two-wheelers.

The proposed hike in third-party motor insurances has come after several general insurers had pointed out that they are incurring huge losses under the motor insurance portfolio.

However, reports by industry lobby General Insurance Council and the Insurance Information Bureau of India (IIB) signal otherwise, according to an IANS report. Also Read: 7th Pay Commission: State govt increases dearness allowance of employees, check details

The Indian Non-Life Industry Year Book 2019-20 had noted that the total motor insurance premium earned by the industry for 2019-20 was Rs 68,951 crore. However, the claims paid for 2019-20 was Rs 38,071 crore, which includes claims towards damage to vehicle at Rs 20,552 crore and third party liability at Rs 17,519 crore. This means that the gross surplus stood at a whopping Rs 30,880 crore. Also Read: Ukraine president spoke to Elon Musk, will get more Starlink internet terminals

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Seoul: North Korea said it conducted "another important" test for reconnaissance satellite systems, state news agency KCNA reported on Sunday, a day after regional military authorities reported the launch of a ballistic missile from the country for the second time in a week.

The launch drew condemnation from governments in the United States, South Korea, and Japan, which fear the North is preparing to conduct a major weapons test in coming months. They see the North`s satellite launches as thinly veiled tests of ballistic missile technology banned by United Nations Security Council resolutions.

North Korea`s National Aerospace Development Administration (NADA) and the Academy of Defence Science conducted the launch "under the plan of developing a reconnaissance satellite," KCNA reported.

It was the second such launch in a week to test satellite equipment, and the ninth missile launch this year.

"Through the test, the NADA confirmed the reliability of data transmission and reception system of the satellite, its control command system and various ground-based control systems," KCNA said.

Like the last test on Feb. 27, KCNA did not elaborate on the type of rocket used in the launch, but authorities in South Korea said it appeared to be a ballistic missile fired from an area near Pyongyang where its international airport is located.

South Korea`s military said the North Korean missile reached a height of about 560 km (350 miles) and flew 270 km (170 miles).

Amid stalled denuclearisation talks, North Korea conducted a record number of weapons launches in January, and has suggested it could resume testing nuclear weapons or its longest range intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) for the first time since 2017.

Saturday`s test came just days ahead of a presidential election on Wednesday in South Korea, where officials are bracing for a North Korean attempt to launch its spy satellite into orbit in the near future.

"Any satellite launch would bring serious repercussions, as it`s the same technology used to launch an ICBM," Lee Jong-seok, the top foreign policy advisor to ruling party candidate Lee Jae-myung, has told Reuters.

South Korea is also pushing ahead with plans for its own space launch vehicles, which are not banned by the UNSC.

It plans to test a solid-fuel space projectile this month as part of a project to deploy its own military surveillance satellites to monitor the North, Yonhap news agency reported.

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KYIV: Russian President Vladimir Putin said Western sanctions were akin to war as his forces pressed their assault on Ukraine on Sunday for the 11th day and the IMF warned the conflict would have a "severe impact" on the global economy.

Putin said he wanted a neutral Ukraine that had been "demilitarised" and "denazified", adding: "These sanctions that are being imposed are akin to a declaration of war but thank God it has not come to that."

Moscow and Kyiv traded blame over failed plans for a brief ceasefire to enable civilians to evacuate two cities besieged by Russian forces. Russia`s invasion has already driven nearly 1.5 million refugees westward into the European Union.

Ukraine`s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy made a "desperate plea" for eastern Europe to provide Russian-made aircraft to his country during a video call with U.S. senators on Saturday, said the chamber`s majority leader, Chuck Schumer.

NATO, which Ukraine wants to join, has resisted Zelenskiy`s appeals to impose a no-fly zone over his country, saying this would escalate the conflict outside Ukraine. But there is strong bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress for providing $10 billion in the emergency military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

Ukraine and Western countries have rejected Putin`s arguments as a baseless pretext for invading and have sought to squeeze Russia hard with swift and severe economic sanctions on its banks, oligarchs and others.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met with Putin at the Kremlin on Saturday to discuss the crisis before then speaking to Zelenskiy, Bennett`s spokesperson said. Israel has offered to mediate in the conflict, though officials have downplayed expectations for a breakthrough.

Ukrainian negotiators said the third round of talks with Russia on a ceasefire would go ahead on Monday, although Moscow was less definitive. Two previous rounds were unsuccessful and Zelenskiy has said Russia must first stop the bombing.

"Together we will all rebuild our state," Zelenskiy told Ukrainians in a televised address Saturday evening. "My confidence in this is reinforced by the energy of our resistance, our protest".

Russians, reeling from a 30% fall in the rouble`s value in the past 10 days, money transfer curbs and the exit of Western companies from IKEA to Microsoft, expressed fear for their economic future.

The International Monetary Fund said in a statement that the conflict was driving world energy and grain prices higher.

"The ongoing war and associated sanctions will also have a severe impact on the global economy," it said, adding that it would bring Kyiv`s request for $1.4 billion in emergency financing to its board for approval as early as next week.

Russia`s Foreign Ministry accused Britain of "sanctions hysteria" and vowed tough but proportionate measures against British interests in Russia. Britain plans to tighten its laws to facilitate a crackdown on Russian oligarchs in London.

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New Delhi: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday he had spoken to SpaceX Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk and announced the country would receive more of its Starlink satellite internet terminals next week.

"Talked to Elon Musk. I`m grateful to him for supporting Ukraine with words and deeds," Zelenskiy tweeted.

Musk said on Thursday that Starlink was the only non-Russian communications system still working in some parts of Ukraine in the wake of Russias invasion. Also Read: THIS Rs 2 coin can give you Rs 5 lakhs, here's how

He had also said that Starlink has been told by some governments (not Ukraine) to block Russian news sources. We will not do so unless at gunpoint. Sorry to be a free speech absolutist, he added. Also Read: Social Media Detox: Using Facebook for hours? Here's how to set timely reminders

Starlink has been told by some governments (not Ukraine) to block Russian news sources. We will not do so unless at gunpoint.



Sorry to be a free speech absolutist.  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 5, 2022

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RIYADH, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia announced on Saturday the lifting of most precautionary measures against COVID-19, citing the improved pandemic situation in the country.

The Interior Ministry decided that social distancing would be cancelled but people still have to wear masks indoors, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Moreover, inbound passengers no longer need to provide a PCR or rapid antigen test, and they are not required to undergo mandatory COVID-19 quarantine upon arrival, the ministry added. 
DANVILLE, Va.  With Dan River Region COVID-19 vaccination rates remaining low  especially among the younger population  the local health department is rolling out more efforts to get the free doses of protection into arms next month.

The series of clinics will provide first, second and booster inoculations. The Pfizer vaccine is available for anyone 5 and older, however a parent or guardian must accompany anyone younger than 18, the health department stated in a news release.

While case numbers and hospitalizations are down, transmission rates still remain high across the state, Brookie Crawford, a spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Health, told the Register & Bee last week. Vaccination continues to be the foundation of prevention.

Daily caseloads of COVID-19 have nose-dived over the last month after soaring to record levels driven by the highly transmissible omicron variant. As of Wednesday, Danville and Pittsylvania County combined were adding about 34 new infections of the novel coronavirus, about the same level as mid-December. At the height of last months wave there were about 234 cases per day.

Even with the plummet, the area remains in the highest category for COVID-19 transmission, as currently defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The federal agency uses current case rates  based on a 100,000 population scale  and positivity to determine the pulse of the pandemic on the local level. For Danville and Pittsylvania County, both metrics remain highly elevated.

Yet with COVID-19 shots available for more than a year, only about half of the residents living in Danville and Pittsylvania County are considered fully vaccinated. In addition, not quite 1-in-4 Danville and Pittsylvania County residents have received a booster dose, something health experts said is especially important with the omnicron variant still swirling.

Children remain the demographic with the fewest number of shots in the arms.

Fewer than 1-in-10 of 5 to 11 year olds in Pittsylvania County are fully vaccinated. The figure is a little higher in Danville at 16%.

Across the state, daily vaccination figures are down drastically. Virginia is administering about 3,200 doses per day compared to the more than 100,000 daily shots nearly a year ago.

Weather was blamed last month when winter storms forced health leaders to cancel planned clinics. However, the less severe impact of the latest variant wave also may be a factor, according to Dr. Scott Spillmann, director of the Pittsylvania-Danville Health District.

Some might not perceive the same level of threat from this variant as they had with delta, Spillmann recently explained when asked about the drop in daily vaccinations.

For the upcoming clinics, walk-ins are welcome, but appointments also are available by visiting vase.vdh.virginia.gov or calling 1-877-VAX-IN-VA.

For those coming for a second or booster dose, health officials ask they bring a copy of their vaccination record.
A bikini model is being sued by her doctor ex-fiance after allegedly ghosting him despite getting engaged and accepting a $62,700 diamond ring.

Ryan Maxwell Newton Kohler launched a civil suit to get back the custom ring from beautician Casie Dunstan saying the item was given to her on the condition the pair got married.

Dr Kohler claimed Ms Dunstan ended their nine-month engagement via a text message on September 22 last year and then refused to see him.

After sending the text the single mother dropped off his car and left her set of keys to his house in his mailbox on the Gold Coast.

Gold Coast model and beautician Casie Dunstan (pictured) is being taken to court over a $63,000 engagement ring

Dr Kohler asked her to also return the engagement ring and then went to her house that same day to return her belongings and texted her asking to talk.

'Hi why are you at the house?' Dr Kohler claims she texted him, in court documents seen by The Courier Mail.

'You have just broken up with me Casie and from what I see you - I understand that you ended our engagement like tis (sic) without even talking to me,' Dr Kohler replied.

He returned to her house again on December 19 attempting to speak to Ms Dunstan but was again turned down, told not to visit without notice and asked to leave.

The documents state the pair first met on July 3, 2020, and got engaged six months later.

After she accepted, he paid $62,700 for the diamond alone from a Brisbane jewelry wholesaler and then had the stone set in a ring a week later.

Sports doctor Ryan Kohler (pictured) said the custom made ring was only given to Ms Dunstan on the understanding they would get married

But nine months on, in the week leading up to September 22, 2021, Ms Dunstan stopped responding to Dr Kohler's texts, prompting him to visit her house on September 19.

But she then texted him saying she was not home.

'Casie you clearly don't want to see me or be with me for over a week If you have found someone else and replaced me  please just be honest,' he texted her.

Ms Dunstan runs Gold Coast Beauty Studio from her $1.1 million Biggera Waters house and regularly posts glamour modelling shots to her social media where she has thousands of followers.

Outside court she said it was 'pretty bizarre' her former flame was suing her.

A hearing date at the District Court in Southport is yet to be set.
(Natural News) In 2025, NASA is planning on sending another space crew to the moon. However, the only people who will be allowed on the craft are black women and other people of color  white men need not apply, in other words.

Since skin color and gender are now more important than things like qualifications and merit at NASA, which is calling on anyone with darker skin, and especially those with female anatomy, to sign up for this upcoming mission.

Fake president Joe Biden promised early on in 2021 to advance equality and make the United States less white in every realm of society. NASA joined this effort by promising in April of last year to put more women and people of color on the moon as soon as possible.

NASA astronaut Jessica Meir, a Jewish woman from Sweden, is slated to be one such woman and person of color to be sent to the moon as part of the upcoming Artemis lunar mission.

Meir reportedly made history in 2019 for being part of the first all-female spacewalk. She brought with her an Israeli flag, Star of David socks, and other Jewish items on the mission.

Now, she wants to be the first to make history with NASAs Artemis mission. While many women have already gone to space in the past, they are still considered a minority when it comes to space travel, according to the corporate-controlled media.

Meir is one of several candidates for that historic spot on the Artemis III mission, currently slated to be launched in 2025, reported The Jerusalem Post.

It follows the Artemis I mission, an unmanned launch currently slated for March 2022, and the Artemis II mission, which will see a crew of astronauts orbit the Moon but not land.

Even if Meir does not end up being chosen for the mission, she still hopes to play a role in turning NASA woke.

I wanted to be an astronaut at five years old, Meir is quoted as saying. I grew up watching the space shuttles launch.

NASA went woke with global warming a long time ago

This is the same NASA, by the way, that routinely makes up fake data to push a phony global warming science narrative.

The real data that NASA is ignoring shows that the planet is actually cooling, if anything, not warming. In reality, planetary temperatures are constantly in flux and are never really stable  in other words, it is constantly changing.

However, to NASA, the climate is shifting because of cow flatulence and humans eating meat, and other such nonsense. It is thus no surprise that NASA has adopted a new policy of racism and sexism that priorities non-white non-men to the front of the line for space travel.

Black women on the moon: let me suggest Maxine Waters, Lori Lightfoot, and Stacey Abrams for starters, joked someone at The Gateway Pundit (TGP). Dont wait until 2025; blast off in April 2022.

Someone else claiming to be a hiring manager at a major corporation wrote that he makes hiring decisions and recommendations based on qualifications, skillset and whether or not the person is a good fit for the job and can work well with other people.

I never made my recommendations based on color or gender, he further explained. That, my friends, is the pure definition of racism  period!

Another person added that all of these women of color should be required to design, launch and return all on their own, otherwise they should not be allowed to go to space.

More related news can be found at Fascism.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheGatewayPundit.com

MSN.com

NaturalNews.com
Qatar Airways has enhanced its presence in Nigeria with the launch of four weekly flights to Kano (KAN) on March 2, and three weekly flights to Port Harcourt (PHC) on March 3, both operating via the Nigerian capital, Abuja.



To mark this milestone, the new service was inaugurated by the airlines state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliner featuring 22 seats in Business Class and 232 seats in Economy Class.



Qatar Airways will operate to Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (KAN) in one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, and the gateway to Kanos rich historical treasures that have survived millennia.



Meanwhile, Port Harcourt, the largest city and capital of Rivers State, Nigeria will be served via Port Harcourt International Airport (PHC) a diverse and fast-moving city on the southern tip of Nigeria. More than a century of international trade has turned this former port town into a vibrant, fast-growing metropolis. The aircrafts were greeted in Kano and Port Harcourt by traditional water cannon salutes upon their historic arrival.



Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker said: This is a defining moment for Qatar Airways, with Nigeria becoming our most connected market in Africa with the launch of our new services to Kano and Port Harcourt. We see tremendous opportunity in the region and these new routes are an important catalyst to further boost trade and commerce in the country.



Our presence in Nigeria now covers four key markets and is a real affirmation of our support to the country. Qatar Airways has stayed steadfast in its commitment to Africa throughout the pandemic, operating continuously and reliably to Nigeria. We have since increased frequencies and grown our network, considerably, improving connectivity to and from the continent and providing travellers with more choice and convenience.



In Nigeria, the airline offers double-daily flights to Lagos and now operates daily services to Abuja. The two new routes, (Kano & Port Harcourt), bring the number of flights Qatar Airways operates between Africa and Doha to 188 weekly flights serving 28 destinations across the continent.



Minister of Aviation, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Hadi Sirika, said: The new flights provide important travel and trade links between Nigeria and the world. As the largest economy in Africa, this enhanced global connectivity via the new Qatar Airways service will provide a vital network to move goods and people, as we recover from challenges of the pandemic and prioritise growth. Kano and Port Harcourt are both important to this recovery. This new service also reinforces the close ties between Nigeria and Qatar, and it paves the way to explore new, untapped opportunities.



Qatar Airways continues to apply its flexible booking policy that offers unlimited changes to travel dates and destinations, and fee-free refunds for all tickets issued for travel completed by May 31, 2022.



Passengers flying to and from Kano will also benefit from Qatar Airways generous baggage allowances which provides for up to 46kg in Economy class, split over two pieces, and 64kg, split over two pieces, in Business Class.  TradeArabia News Service


A new base for nuclear-powered submarines will be built at either Brisbane, Newcastle or Port Kembla under a $10 billion plan to be announced by the Prime Minister on Monday.

Australia is set to buy a fleet of at least eight nuclear submarines from either the United States or Britain, at a cost of at least $116 billion, with delivery expected before 2040.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Credit:Louie Douvis

But in a major expansion of Australias defence footprint, Mr Morrison will reveal that a new base for the submarines will be chosen from one of three east coast sites by the end of next year. The government shortlisted the three east coast sites after reviewing 19 options.

Mr Morrison said the large increase in Australias submarine capability required an increase in the countrys defence footprint.
A convoluted series of events Saturday led a Tulsa police officer to shoot a man who was then taken to a Tulsa hospital in critical condition.

It all started when two police officers were transporting a prisoner through downtown Tulsa late Saturday afternoon. One officer and the prisoner were in the lead car, while a second officer was following, said Tulsa Police spokesman Capt. Richard Meulenberg.

The officer in the trailing car noticed a vehicle being driven erratically, and he thought perhaps the driver was trying to get the attention of the police, so the officer pulled over at Sixth Street and Denver Avenue, Meulenberg said

At that point, the vehicle struck the police car, then made a big circle in the street and attempted to strike it a second time, Meulenberg said.

The vehicle then sped off, he said.

Because of the prisoner transport in progress, the officers did not pursue the vehicle but radioed in what had happened for other officers to follow up.

Soon after, a resident west of downtown called the police and said a person he knew was threatening to crash a car into his house, Meulenberg said.

He said officers responded to the area and encountered the man driving around. At that point, the driver struck another police officers car.

The driver ended up driving onto the school grounds of KIPP Tulsa University Prep High School at 541 S. 43rd West Ave., Meulenberg said.

Gouges in the grass on the schoolyard, the former Mark Twain Elementary School, showed where the vehicle had made several wide circles.

Meulenberg said Saturday evening that he is unsure about exactly what happened after that because he had not been able to speak to the officers involved or review their body camera footage.

Presumably, somehow the suspect threatened the officer, and the officer fired upon that car, he said.

Police had been told that the person might have a gun, he said.

After the car was struck, the driver ran it into a tree on the school grounds. An officer blocked him in from the back with a police vehicle, but because police were uncertain of whether he was armed, they did not immediately approach the car until they were able to observe from several angles that the driver did not have a weapon in his hand, Meulenberg said.

Officers apprehended the driver, who was taken by ambulance to a hospital in critical condition, he said.

Meulenberg said the driver is a 65-year-old white man, but he could not name him at that point in the investigation.

The officer who shot the man is on paid administrative leave, following TPD policy.

Unfortunately, the decisions that driver made today caused him to crash his car and get shot at, Meulenberg said.

He said no officers were injured in either the shooting or the vehicle crashes.
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During a ZOOM conference, held in high secrecy due to obvious security concerns, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine offered representatives of both chambers of U.S. Congress an option on how Ukraine could get the warplanes it needed from its western powers.

This was announced by journalist and TV presenter, expert on international politics Dmytro Anopchenko, who spoke during a live broadcast from the United States at an ongoing telethon set up by the Ukrainian TV channels, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

According to the journalist, nothing official has been announced about the Zoom call in Ukraine due to its confidential nature so the details were offered by sources from Congress.

"The president said he believes that Russia will not stop in Ukraine, pushing its way further to Poland and Lithuania. And that is why Ukraine is now offering the option that Zelenskys voiced. This is an option for the United States to hand over its F-16 fighter jets to Poland and Lithuania, and for Poland and Lithuania  to be able to hand its SUs and MIGs to Ukraine.

According to the journalist, the president explained that, if Canada or the United States had already handed Ukraine some state-of-the-art aircraft, Ukrainian pilots would have to spend some time training. And if the offered exchange option works out, our air force aces could start operating the new planes immediately.

According to Anopchenko, Zelensky asked for more lethal aid, talked about sanctions - that the United States introduce a veto or a moratorium on the purchase of Russian oil, and insisted that Mastercard and Visa withdraw from Russia.

The second part of the conversation, the journalist says, was the issue of a no-fly zone over Ukraine.

"I was told that the President said: either give us planes or close the sky. Also, he told congressmen that it was the aerial advantage that could cost a lot in this war. The fact is that neither the Pentagon nor the White House is in a hurry with this decision, remaining very careful, as they are concerned that, if the no-fly zone is introduced and a Russian plane violates the ban, someone - the United States or NATO - will have to actually shoot it down. This, in turn, would mean a direct conflict between NATO or U.S. and Russia. And this is, actually, as they say in the U.S., World War 3 And that's why this conversation was not an easy one," he said.

Anopchenko said he now heard from congressmen that they were working on a half-baked version that could be adopted after talks with both the administration and the Pentagon. "For example, congressmen say: maybe let's think about closing the sky over Kyiv, or let's look into shutting it over Kyiv and over the south of Ukraine," he said.

He also added that, according to his sources, absolutely everyone who took part in the call - about 280 congressmen - expressed their support for Ukraine and were all surprised by what President Zelensky told them: that the Russian forces, who had been taken prisoner, were confused and demoralized, that some of them escape from their own convoys and some claim they didnt know they would be deployed to take part in an actual war.

"It was a revelation for American congressmen. Many didnt think that the Russian army was so demoralized. It was important to them. As for the planes, the leader of the Democrats in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, said that he would personally address the issue," Anopchenko said.

The journalist also said that there was already an official reaction on the part Congress.

"They do not comment on what they said, but they  Democrats in the Senate  note that they support Ukraine, that this support is bipartisan, and that in the near future they are going to allocate for Ukraine $10 billion  thats for humanitarian and military needs, and for refugees. This amount will come from different funds, through different channels, but by and large, they will look into the no-fly zone," the journalist said.

At the same time, he stressed that the Zoom call was unprecedented as such as no foreign leader had ever proposed to hold talks with congressmen via this platform. The Ukrainian embassy sent out invitations to all congressmen, and about 280 joined. Ambassador Oksana Markarova specifically asked participants not to post or report anything about the call.

"They said that this was for security reasons, so that nobody was able to hack the call or eavesdrop, first of all, Russian intelligence, so that they could not hinder it. Thats along with geolocation threats given that this was a live event  this would allow identifying the presidents exact location. And that is why the whole thing was kept in high secrecy," Anopchenko said.
Saturday Night Live used its cold open to raise funds for the war effort - only it was Donald Trump, portrayed by James Austin Johnson, manning the phones in support of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, serenading the dictator with 'I love you, Vlad.'

Laura Ingraham, played by Kate McKinnon, and Tucker Carlson, played by Beck Bennett, hosted the 'FOX News Ukrainian Invasion Special' for the 'babies' - 'the sugar babies of Russian oligarchs.'

'Who will pour vodka in their mouths? So many horny mouths to feed,' McKinnon said. 'So many horny mouths to feed.'

The two television personalities, they said, 'got in trouble' for the 'nice things we said about Russia and the mean things we said about Ukraine,' with McKinnon saying that Ingraham 'called the president of Ukraine pathetic [when] he stayed and fought with his people in a war, and I called him pathetic from a news desk in Washington.'

'We did sound really awful in hindsight and foresight,' McKinnon's Ingraham said.

The show was less political from that point on with actor Oscar Isaac, who recently starred in Dune and is slated to play Marvel character Moon Knight, hosting Saturday's broadcast. The musical guest was Charlie XCX, who sang 'Beg for Me' for her first song and 'Baby' for her last.

Cast member Pete Davidson was notably absent from the episode, disappointing some fans who hoped to hear the comedian take jabs at Kanye West after the rapper was pictured burying Davidson's likeness in his 'Easy' music video last week amid their ongoing feud over Kim Kardashian.

(From left to right) Laura Ingraham, played by Kate McKinnon; Tucker Carlson, played by Beck Bennett; Trump's son Don Jr., played by Mikey Day; and his wife-to-be Kimberly Guilfoyle, played by Cecily Strong

Trump, meanwhile, manned the phones for the charity drive

Trump serenaded Russian President Vladimir Putin with a version of 'My Funny Valentine,' closing out by saying 'I love you, Vlad'

Donald Trump , portrayed by James Austin Johnson, manned the phones for a ' FOX News Ukrainian Invasion Special' charity drive

The cold open began with Bennett as Carlson saying 'we should be more worried about our own border getting invaded by Mexico.'

'In my defense, I'm racist and I thought that was true,' Bennett's character said.

'But tonight, we're going to make it up to you,' McKinnon's Ingraham said. 'We're going to raise money for the real victims of this invasion - the oligarchs.'

Those who donated had the option to 'either send money or take out a reverse mortgage.'

Thus far, $8.3 billion roubles - 'which comes out to almost twelve dollars' - had been raised.

Trump, meanwhile, manned the phones for the charity drive - those who donated would get a My Pillow, a six-month subscription to Life Lock and ten American Flag catheters.

They also gave out shirts, with one side reading 'I stormed the Capitol,' and the other reading 'this does not constitute an admission of guilt.'

'Former and current President Donald Trump is manning the phone lines himself,' McKinnon's Ingraham said.

Guilfoyle sang a version of 'Shallow,' that included lines about 'that great Russian convoy' and saying that 'we should take Ukraine'

They also gave out shirts, with one side reading 'I stormed the Capitol,' and the other reading 'this does not constitute an admission of guilt'

Steven Seagal, played by Bowen Yang (left) 'honored' Putin with a 'Tae Kwon Do' exhibition

'You know, the thing about Rihanna is, you know she can pull it off. She could be nine months, her body's still incredible,' he says, presumably to a caller to the charity.

'But now you're going to have a lot of women who are seeing this right now, threes, fours... wearing the same see through shirts.'

'I hesitate to say whales... I do great with whales. They come up to me on the beach and say "thank you Mr. President," their blowholes blasting away, two, three hundred feet in the air. It's how they salute me.'

Trump's son Don Jr., played by Mikey Day, and his wife-to-be Kimberly Guilfoyle, played by Cecily Strong - called 'the real Prince Harry and Meghan Markle' - were brought on stage, as was Steven Seagal, played by Bowen Yang.

'A great American patriot, so great that he left America and became a Russian citizen, the puffiest action star in the world, Steven Seagal.'

The musical intermission was performed by Charlie XCX, pictured, who sang 'Cry for You'

Charlie XCX performed 'Baby' for her second song on the March 5 episode of SNL

Seagal 'honored' Putin with a 'Tae Kwon Do' exhibition, and honored himself with a traditional 'shamrock shake.'

Guilfoyle sang a version of 'Shallow,' that included lines about 'that great Russian convoy' and saying that 'we should take Ukraine.'

Bennett's Carlson noted that 'Putin just criminalized free speech,' and asked whether 'we can do that for CNN.' He also asked if 'anybody [was] driving a yacht,' saying that it had been towed by NATO.

Trump serenaded Russian President Vladimir Putin with a version of 'My Funny Valentine,' closing out by saying 'I love you, Vlad.'

Another skit was a play on the story 'The Girl with the Green Ribbon' - instead of her head being attached with the ribbon, like the character in the story, Sarah Sherman had a series of singing meatballs attached to her body in the skit

In his monologue, Isaac showed a home movie of himself as a child playing 'The Avenger,' wearing shorts and performing karate kicks.

'It's important to encourage kids to be weirdos,' he said. 'Once in awhile, one of those kids grows up to host SNL.'

Michael Che took a shot at Kamala Harris during the Weekend Update, commenting that while many representatives wore yellow and blue to show solidarity with Ukraine during the State of the Union Address, Harris wore an all-brown ensemble 'to show what she's done all year - disappear in to the background.'

Che also remarked that Germany was supplying arms to Ukraine, saying that it 'was 'the first time Germany has ramped up their production since that six year gap in their history books.'

They also commented on South Carolina Senator Lindsay Graham's call for Russian citizens to assassinate Vladimir Putin on Twitter this week, with Colin Jost saying it was 'a shocking and disgusting example of Lindsay Graham being kind of right about something.'

Kate McKinnon, who is openly gay, came on the segment to discuss Florida's proposed 'Don't Say Gay' law, which prevents teachers from discussing homosexuality in any context in a school setting.

'When I was in middle school in the 90s I was kind of like tortured by the constant use of the word gay,' she said. 'It made me feel horrible to to hear that Ron Desantis has taken a stand and said "hey, you can't say gay anymore." I'm just so jazzed - in florida of all places,' she said.

When Jost told her what the law actually meant, she was flabbergasted.

Michael Che took a shot at Kamala Harris during the Weekend Update, commenting that while many representatives wore yellow and blue to show solidarity with Ukraine during the State of the Union Address, Harris wore an all-brown ensemble 'to show what she's done all year - disappear in to the background'

South Carolina Senator Lindsay Graham's call for Russian citizens to assassinate Vladimir Putin on Twitter was mentioned on the Weekend Update, with Colin Jost saying it was 'a shocking and disgusting example of Lindsay Graham being kind of right about something'

'I am deeply gay, sorry, concerned. deeply concerned. it just feels like this is going to make kids gay and trans. sorry, depressed and suicidal,' she said. 'I think these laws are lesbians... I mean, unconscionable.'

They also commented on DeSantis's interaction with a group of high school students on Wednesday during which he berated the mask-wearing teens for wearing masks, calling it 'COVID theater.'

'There's nothing more conservative than a dad screaming at boys to give up theater,' Jost said.

Other sketches included a bit on the children's show Paw Patrol, with a commercial featuring citizens insisting that a group of six dogs manned by a ten year old boy couldn't keep the city safe.

Chloe Fineman starred in another sketch based off the show 'Inventing Anna,' in which she wore furs, spoke in an accent and acted confident to take Michael Che's role on Weekend Update and Johnson's role as Biden, like bogus heiress Anna Delvey.

Another skit was a play on the story 'The Girl with the Green Ribbon' - instead of her head being attached with the ribbon, like the character in the story, Sarah Sherman had a series of singing meatballs attached to her body in the skit.

'Now you know - there's a little meatball the side of my neck and every time you take the green ribbon off and expose him to light he sings his little songs.'
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New Delhi:

The Delhi government has ordered DTC and cluster buses, metro and hospitals to be disinfected on a regular basis as a precautionary measure to deal with the novel coronavirus, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday. Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said that three cases of coronavirus have been reported in Delhi so far and one case is still under investigation.

The chief minister said that 168 isolation beds have been set up at 25 hospitals for coronavirus patients. He appealed to the people in Delhi that if anybody from their neighbourhood had returned from foreign countries in the past 14 days, they should inform the government. The chief minister, who chaired a state task force on Sunday, said the government was fully prepared to deal with the novel coronavirus, adding that people do not need to panic.

Also Read | Coronavirus Outbreak: Arunachal Pradesh Bans Entry Of Foreigners, Five More Positive Cases Reported From Kerala

An order has been issued to disinfect DTC, cluster buses, Delhi Metro and hospitals every day, he said. Three cases of coronavirus have been reported in Delhi so far. One case is still under under investigation. I want to tell this to everyone that the Delhi government is worried about it but we are fully prepared to tackle it.

There is no need to panic and we need everyones cooperation, he said. After examining the three cases, it was learnt that the first infected person came in contact with 105 people, second came in contact with 168 in the last 14 days while the third person came in contact with 64 people, he said.

All those who came in contact with them are being isolated and their samples are being collected and checked for symptoms, he added. Healthy people need not wear mask and there is no need to stock up masks at your homes either, he said.

He also urged people to wash their hands frequently with soap and water. All passengers at the airport are being screened. Forty doctors of Delhi Government hospitals are deployed at the airports for the purpose. All those passengers who undergo thermal screenings at the airport once they go home, especially those from Delhi, are being kept under watch for 14 days to check for symptoms.

1,40,603 passengers have been screened at the airports so far and have been put on surveillance, he said. Kejriwal also appealed to employers to give paid leave to those quarantined so that their livelihood is not affected. The chief minister said that now 25 hospitals have the facilities where one can submit the samples. Out of the 25 hospitals, six are private hospitals while others are those of the Delhi Government.

Also Read | It All Boils Down To Maintaining Proper Hygiene: Akshay Kumar On Coronavirus Outbreak

We are making separate facilities for collection of samples and treatment in these hospitals so that if any patient arrives there, they dont come in contact with others, he said.

Conveying his greetings for Holi, Kejriwal urged people of Delhi to avoid going to crowded areas and save themselves from coronavirus.
New Delhi:

Former Delhi Pradesh Congress Chief Ajay Maken on Sunday said Rahul Gandhi is the only universally accepted leader in Congress and has good intent in heart. Maken further added that its high time Rahul Gandhi returns as the Congress president. Sooner the better, he commented. Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Maken said country needs person with good intent at heart, not good content in speech. "Congress constitution should be amended to ensure long-term advisory role for Sonia Gandhi. Change of guard from old to new should be gradual, not knee-jerk," Maken said. Rahul Gandhi has adequately proved his mettle, he is obvious and only choice to lead Congress, he added.

Vouching for Rahul Gandhi as Congress chief, he said there is no other face as acceptable as Rahul who also has good intent at heart, zero baggage and consistently takes an aggressive stand in fighting against the might of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Maken also argued for a long-term advisory role for interim president Sonia Gandhi saying her experience and expertise in handling Congress affairs would be much needed by the new president. The party constitution can be amended to ensure that, he said.

"I think it is high time Rahul Gandhi came back. I am saying this with very strong conviction and strong reasons behind this. Rahul Gandhi is universally acceptable in the Congress party. There is no other face who is as much acceptable as Rahul Gandhi is, Maken said.

Also Read | PM Modi Interacts With Nari Shakti Awardees, Says They Must Contribute To Eradicate Malnutrition, Save Water

So, a person who is universally acceptable, no baggage, good intent at heart and who has been consistent and most aggressive against the BJP and Modi, and has been the voice amplifier of farmers, Dalits and minorities. I think, he single-handedly deserves to be Congress president, he said.

Asked about what would be the right time for Rahul Gandhi to return, Maken said, the sooner, the better, because it will end uncertainty. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also said Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are deeply wary of the unwavering conviction and fearlessness with which Rahul Gandhi has taken on the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Rahul Gandhi has adequately proved his mettle. Time has come to rise above the parochial issues of regional leadership and work towards strengthening and rebuilding the Congress. Needless to add that Rahul Gandhi is the obvious and only choice to lead the Congress, he said. Maken noted that the country needs a person with good intent at heart, not good content in speech.

We have seen the country is paying the price to just follow good content in speech and the present situation where our country is in, the economy is in doldrums, there is a social strife, the riots going on in the national capital and the government not doing anything, is just because the people voted for good content in speech of Narendra Modi. They never saw the intent at heart of the leader, the Congress leader said.

Also Read | Mamata Banerjee Announces List Of Candidates For Rajya Sabha Polls, Nominates Arpita Ghosh And 3 Others

Commenting on the old versus young debate in the Congress, Maken strongly argued for gradual change of guard in the party and said parties must change their leadership in time.

?I am among the biggest supporters for change, but it has to be gradual. It cant be in one big sudden change. But it has to be there. That change is required because if the parties dont change their leadership in time, then the people change the parties, he said, adding that the electorate wants change.

On whether Congress veterans will be given an advisory role, he said it should be voluntary and not be imposed on them, as has happened in the case of party veterans in the BJP.

On voices backing organisational elections in the Congress, Maken said elections to the post of party president and working committee members alone would not help, and an overall organisational poll from bottom to up is needed.

Only elections for the president or the working committee will not empower the workers, said Maken. He noted that Rahul Gandhi has championed holding elections not only for the working committee, and president, but a series of elections at all levels in a transparent manner.

That is what Rahul Gandhi has always stood for. He has wanted transparent elections throughout and even ticket distribution should be held through primaries and elections, where workers should decide who should be given the ticket, Maken said.

On the Congress suffering two general election setbacks under Rahul Gandhi, he said as far as winning and losing elections is concerned, this is part of the process.

How many elections under Atal Bihari Vajpayee did the BJP had win. In the 1990s the Vajpayee-Advani duo always used to lose election. The BJP never threw their leaders out of the party, as it was, they who got the BJP into power, the former Union minister said.

Maken also called for spelling out clearly the Congress ideology on issues of social, economic and nationalism, to avoid leaders speaking in different voices in public on key issues.

We should have firmly laid down our ideological stand on key issues, as this would end any kind of confusion and it would also help Congress workers to have their loyalty and allegiance towards a particular philosophy or ideology, he said.

Maken also said the Congress lost ground in Delhi because it stopped attacking Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal starting January 2019.

BJPs polarisation agenda also helped the AAP, he said, rejecting the widely held belief that the Congress, under a deliberate electoral strategy, vacated the Delhi turf for the AAP.

(With Agency Inputs)

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One week after paying tribute to Ukraine in its cold open, Saturday Night Live this week went for laughs by skewering Fox News host Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham for taking pro-Vladimir Putin stances as Russia threatened its neighbor.

The cold open was presented as the Fox News Ukrainian Invasion Celebration Spectacular, with Carlson and Ingraham as hosts.

More from Deadline

We got into a bit of trouble for all the nice things we said about Russia and all the mean things we said about Ukraine, Carlson, played by Alex Moffat, said.

We did sound pretty awful in hindsight and foresight, said Ingraham (Kate McKinnon).

I kept asking, why do we hate Putin? Arent liberals in America even worse? Carlson said.

I called the president of Ukraine pathetic. He stayed and fought with his people in the war, and I called him pathetic from the news desk in Washington, Ingraham said.

I kept saying we should be more worried about our own border getting invaded by Mexico, but in my defense, I am racist, so I thought that was true, Carlson said.

Ingraham then told viewers they are raising money for the real victims of this invasion, the oligarchs. Because we need to think about the babies  their sugar babies, who will pour vodka in the mouths, so many horny mouths.

Carlson then said, So please, open your wallets, and because this is Fox News, you can either send money or take out a reverse mortgage.

The cold open  as it often does  packed in a few too many satirical personas. But it did reflect that Carlson downplayed the threat of the invasion, and Ingraham slammed Volodymyr Zelensky. Rep. Adam Kinzinger tweeted a clip of Carlsons comments, the night before the invasion, and wrote, In 35 seconds here, @TuckerCarlson basically said: Putin isnt your enemy. Your fellow American is. This is beyond dangerous, to say the least.

Story continues

In 35 seconds here, @TuckerCarlson basically said: Putin isnt your enemy. Your fellow American is. This is beyond dangerous, to say the least https://t.co/n76SrvS3dr  Adam Kinzinger (@AdamKinzinger) February 23, 2022

This past week, Carlson said that weve been taken by surprise by the whole thing. Were not the only ones who were, but were willing to admit it. He then blamed his misperception on Vice President Kamala Harris, even though Joe Bidens administration has been warning for more than a month about Russias actions.

The skit went on to feature an appearance by Donald Trump (James Austin Johnson), with the former president launching into more stream-of-consciousness riffs on Rihanna, the revival of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Beyond Burgers. Also making an appearance: the pro-Putin action star Steven Seagal (Bowen Yang).

The skit then featured Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberley Giulfoyle (Mikey Day and Cecily Strong) performing a duet in honor of Russia and Ukraine coming together.

Dont you really love that big Russian convoy? Or do you need more? This invasion gets be so damn hard

Thats the gist of it.

Ingraham noted that Putin has just criminalized free speech and shut down all independent news organizations. The Carlson said, Yeah, so I am thinking, can we please do that to CNN?

In fact, CNN did suspend broadcasts from Russia, along with CBS News, ABC News and the BBC, following the passage of a new law that could land journalists in jail even for calling Putins special operation a war or invasion.

The skit wrapped up with Trump with a message for Putin  the former Celebrity Apprentice host with a rendition of My Funny Valentine. Check it out above.

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Grace Tame is considering 'running away somewhere' to marry her fiance after a stressful reign as the 2021 Australian of the Year.

The child sexual abuse advocate was featured on the cover of Stellar Magazine's International Women's Day issue.

As the cover star, Ms Tame gave an all-encompassing interview discussing the importance of her advocacy and hitting back at her critics.

The 27-year-old also finally opened up about the look she gave Prime Minister Scott Morrison and rebutted claims she 'hates men'.

Ms Tame said being called a 'man-hater' struck a nerve after working so hard to advocate for male survivors of child sexual abuse.

The 2021 Australian of the Year recipient and child sexual abuse advocate featured on the cover of Stellar Magazine's International Women's Day issue

As the cover star, Ms Tame gave an all-encompassing interview dispelling any misconceptions and discussing the importance of her advocacy

'I've never, never, never had the words ''I hate men'' come out of my mouth. Male survivors are among my best friends... I do my darnedest to be the best advocate for the survivor community, which very much includes boys,' she said.

Ms Tame said she 'never called herself a feminist' despite sharing their ideals because she 'just assumed that everyone wants equality'.

She said she hoped International Women's Day would be another opportunity to continue a conversation of equality - regardless of gender.

The sentiment is reminiscent the speech Ms Tame gave to the National Press Club on February 9.

'I am an advocate for all survivors of child sexual abuse, many of whom are male. We cannot forget our boys, we cannot forget our men who are fellow survivors of abuse,' she said in the speech.

Ms Tame also looped back to the now infamous photograph of her giving Prime Minister Scott Morrison the side-eye ahead of the 2022 Australian of the Year ceremony

Ms Tame also offered an insight into her relationship with Max Heerey, her fiance and manager.

'We're a team of two,' she said.

The couple are hoping to get married in February 2023 after Heerey proposed in January.

'Something low-key, maybe on a beach somewhere... Maybe we might just run away somewhere and then have a party afterwards,' she said.

She described the relationship as 'minimal fuss', noting they're both 'parmie and pub people' and not interested in a huge event.

The couple are hoping to get married in February 2023 after Heerey proposed in January

Ms Tame also offered an insight into her relationship with Max Heerey, her fiance and manager

Ms Tame also circled back to the now infamous photographs of her giving Prime Minister Scott Morrison the side-eye ahead of the 2022 Australian of the Year ceremony.

The young woman found herself at the centre of unprecedented outrage because she would not offer a smile during a photo-op with the PM and looked so angry.

While discussing her friendship with former parliamentary staffer Brittany Higgins, who claims a former colleague raped her in a Parliament House office, Ms Tame offered an explanation for her behaviour at the event.

She said though her experience and that of Ms Higgins were 'very different', there was a common thread of 'protecting the institutional image over the wellbeing of an individual, which is inexcusable'.

The 27-year-old found herself at the centre of unprecedented outrage because she would not offer a smile during a photo-op with the PM

'We can add it to the long list of reasons that I was not going to compromise my principles and smile at the prime minister who has excused all of these things for the sake of civility. No.'

Despite handing over the reigns of Australian of the Year in January, Ms Tame is hopeful 2022 will be the biggest year yet for her advocacy work.

Through the Grace Tame Foundation, Ms Tame has launched a campaign to remove the word 'relationship' from legislation for the offence of Persistent Child Sexual Abuse under section 66EA of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW).

It's particularly important to her because she argues the word 'relationship' in this context drives a victim blaming mentality.

She also hopes to implement education programs to ensure children understand what grooming is and what it looks like.
The members of Chinas powerful Politburo Standing Committee generally tend to take a consensual approach on foreign policy issues. But when issues concern Russia (or the Soviet Union earlier), they tend to cause acute differences among them. Putins war on Ukraine is having the same effect now, just as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) begins its two sessions (parliament and advisory body meetings) and plans to hold its 20th congress later this year. Much of it had to do with the love-hate relationship between the Soviet and Chinese Communist parties, their ideological agreements and differences. The Soviet Union helped to create the CCP in 1921 but also sought to keep it under its thumb. The CCP took the Soviets help but resented their bid to control it.

In the 1950s, China adopted the Soviet model of development and took its help to build 156 basic industries to modernise. But the CCP also threw out Defence Minister Peng Dehuai in 1959 for being close to Moscow. Senior politburo member Liu Shaoqi was accused of being a Chinese Khrushchev and paraded on the streets. In 1989, Zhao Ziyang, the party General Secretary, was accused of being the Chinese Gorbachev for siding with students in the Tiananmen Square protests. Yet, interestingly, when Xi Jinping took over as President in 2013, it was to Moscow he made his first foreign visit. The Kremlin even gave Xi a peek into the Russian militarys most secretive command and control centre during this visit.

Russian influence in China today is reflected in their semi-alliance relationship, signed in 2001, specifically in Article 9 of the joint statement. It is also reflected in the multipolar world campaign they launched against the Wests neo-interventionism and coloured revolutions.

The CCP congresses do generally attract high-intensity factional struggles, but in the background of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Chinas nationalists, globalists, militarists, conservatives, liberals and others are all fanning out to mobilise influence in favour of their own factions. Among these is former President Jiang Zemins faction  which came under Xis intense anti-corruption onslaught. This faction has come out with two reports that defy the general consensus.

First was a critical report on February 4 in the Duoweiwang paper, believed to be close to Jiang Zemin and Zeng Qinghong, on Indias diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics to protest the participation of Qi Fabao, a PLA soldier who was involved in the death of 20 Indian soldiers in Galwan in June 2020, as an Olympic torchbearer. Earlier, on January 19, it had published An objective evaluation of Xi Jinping, which was highly critical of Xis tenure.

These two reports, and the recent silencing of a few security officials such as Sun Lijun, Meng Jianzhu and others, or the defection of Dong Jingwei, have exposed fissures in the CCP. Xi is already under tremendous pressure due to the spread of the Coronavirus from Wuhan to the rest of the world, the continuing tariff and technology wars with the US, and human rights issues in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong. Xis support to Putins actions have further complicated CCP struggles.

The Communist Youth League, another powerful faction, previously headed by Hu Jintao and now by Premier Li Keqiang and his deputy Hu Chunhua, has also been active, specifically as Hu Chunhua missed being named a sixth-generation leader in 2017.

Though the sixth plenum of the CCP in November 2021 had glorified Xi, suggesting the possible extension of his rule at the 20th CCP congress, the intensification of factional struggles since has been unnerving.

Importantly, Beijing was surprised by the ferocity of western sanctions ruining Russia. It must have given pause to any temptation to invade Taiwan. As a highly globalised economy, China cannot afford to attract similar sanctions, which could stall Beijings further rise. While China stated its opposition to western sanctions on Russia, it has offered Putin no help. On the other hand, China has also put on hold lending to Russia from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, which it dominates, and the New Development Bank of the BRICS grouping.

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JERUSALEM (Reuters) -A Palestinian stabbed and wounded an Israeli policeman in Jerusalem's Old City on Sunday and was then killed when officers opened fire at him, a police spokesperson said.

Later in the day, Israeli soldiers shot a Palestinian who threw a fire bomb at an army post outside Jerusalem, said a military spokesperson. Palestinian officials identified him as 16-year-old who later died of his wounds.

In the walled Old City, a 19-year-old walked up to two officers who were stationed at one of the city gates, "pulled out a knife and stabbed one of them," the police spokesperson said. Other policemen nearby "responded by firing at him and neutralised the terrorist."

Two officers were lightly wounded, police said, one by the stabbing and one during the police gunfire. A photo distributed by the police showed a knife on the ground beside a blood stain.

In the village of Abu Dis just outside the Israeli municipal city limits of Jerusalem, soldiers shot one of two Palestinians who threw fire bombs at an army post, the military spokesperson said, adding the other attacker managed to flee.

Israel captured East Jerusalem, including the Old City, in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in a move not recognised internationally. Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians broke down in 2014.

(Reporting by Maayan Lubell, Nidal al-Mughrabi and Ali Sawafta; Editing by Chris Reese)
Ive lately been describing the central challenge facing any civilization-creating creature: to order its civilization well enough  soon enough  to prevent that creatures civilization from destroying itself.

One of the main requirements of meeting that challenge is to establish an order among that creatures societies that can minimize the possibility of war so destructive a war that it would bring the whole planetary civilization down.

Last fall, I wrote on that same theme:

The likely fate of someone who plays Russian roulette repeatedly is virtually certain, because the laws of probability dictate that  given enough repetitions  what can happen eventually will happen.

Humankind should contemplate that lesson, for unless the international system gets transformed, we will be playing a global-scale version of Russian roulette.

Thats the lesson of the Cuban Missile Crisis (of 1962). Although that crisis was resolved peacefully, historians recognize it might have gone quite differently. We came close to a nuclear war that could have brought human civilization  and perhaps much of life on earth  to an end.

So long as the age-old anarchy in the international order is allowed to persist, other such potentially catastrophic confrontations between nuclear superpowers will occur in the generations and centuries to come.

It was the growing danger of a conflict between the Chinese and American nuclear powers over Taiwan that occasioned that column.

I had then no thought that, within months, we would be witnessing what we are seeing now: another nuclear superpower  apparently under the sole command of a dictator whom many serious observers believe is unhinged, paranoid, deranged, seriously detached from some important realities  not only launching a major unjustified and unnecessary war but also talking about his nukes in a threatening way:

To anyone who would consider interfering from the outside, if you do, you will face consequences greater than any you have faced in history, said Vladimir Putin, who is presumably in command of a huge arsenal of nuclear weapons. Russia is a powerful nuclear state, hes also recently reminded the world, followed by his telling the world that  despite there being no sign of any nation having offensive intentions against Russia  he has placed Russias nuclear forces on high alert.

Would we not be fools to be complacent about our international order, if it gives one possibly crazy person the power to bring human civilization to a terrible end?

During the Cold War, there was at least sufficient rationality that deterrence  based on a circumstance of mutual assured destruction  worked, despite considerable conflicts of interests in a global struggle.

But, the Cold War also demonstrated  in that eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation in 1962  that mutual destruction (and the end of civilization) truly might happen.

And now, Putins possibly deranged nuclear saber-rattling demonstrates even more clearly that being complacent about this international order amounts to continually playing Russian roulette with the survival of humankind.

Admittedly, it will take a long time for the the international order that will ultimately be necessary for humankinds long-term survival to be built. (Generations at least.) Which compels us to hope that todays events dont mean that weve already run out of time.

Compelled to hope  because we dont know whether Russias dictator is rational enough not to cross the line and attack NATO country, because if Russia does cross that line all bets are off.

Compelled to hope that, if Putin did give an order to start World War III, that order would not be obeyed. (As President Nixons order would not have been automatically obeyed, when his Secretary of Defense took precautions at the time around Watergate when Nixon was drinking heavily and acting erratically.)

I am optimistic that Putin is too sane to precipitate a war with NATO. My bet is hes brandishing his nukes to intimidate the West.

But  if Putins miscalculation puts his hold on power in jeopardy  it cant be ruled out that this this possibly unhinged (and probably megalomaniacal) man might do something completely reckless.

Heres hoping that there will be no catastrophe.

Heres hoping that Putins aggression  far from getting him the Russian empire he seems to crave  will bring his tyrannical regime to an end.

And heres hoping that humankind, looking at what weve just seen from the dictator of a big nuclear power, will resolve that  over the coming generations  we must build a different kind of international system that eliminates (or at least minimizes) dangers like this, and better assures the survival of human civilization.

With such a goal in mind, this crisis perhaps brings also some good news.

Already, Putins criminal assault on his weaker neighbor has had beneficial effects. Besides its having reviving the alliance of democracies, and discredited the authoritarian movement of these times, it has inspired nations and people around the world to come together in defense of the vital norms against inter-societal aggression. And those norms are surely the moral basis for the kind of international order humanity needs if our civilization is to survive for the long haul.

If Putins aggressive gambit does backfire, that failure will be a blow to the Spirit of the Gangster to which  as I argued in a column in December  the anarchic nature of the intersocietal order gives way too much power.
IN 1952, a time when this country was under British rule and officials of this land saluted 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed deep grief over the demise of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's long-time close aide Shiv Kumar Pareek.

Pareek passed away on Saturday evening.

In a tweet, Prime Minister Modi said, "Saddened by the passing away of Shri Shiv Kumar Pareek Ji. Firmly rooted in our Party's ideology, he devoted himself to service, nation building and worked closely with Atal Ji. Will cherish my interactions with him over the years. Condolences to his family. Om Shanti."

Pareek worked with former Prime Minister Vajpayee from Jana Sangh days.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had tweeted, "Deeply saddened by the news of the passing away of Shri Shivkumar Pareek ji, a close associate of Prime Minister Shri Atal ji since Jana Sangh days. He also worked to nurture innumerable workers with nationalist ideas, human values and ideals."

Watch the latest DH Videos here:
New Delhi:

In wake of coronavirus outbreak, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday there was no need for the healthy to wear masks, but asked people to wash their hands with soap frequently. His comments came amid surge in demand for masks and hand sanitizers in the market after three confirmed Covid-19 cases were reported in Delhi. "If a healthy person wears a mask, there are circumstances when one might use their hands to adjust the mask. In such case, you are putting yourself at the risk of getting infected and get exposed," the chief minister said at a press conference in reply to a question.

Elaborating on the matter, Dr Nutan Mundeja, the director of Delhi Government Employees Health Scheme, said Covid-19 symptoms include cough, fever and cold and asserted that if a healthy person wears a mask, it gives them a false sense of security.

Everyone should cover their mouth and nose while coughing and sneezing so that no droplets reach other persons eyes, nose or mouth, she said.

A healthy person is advised not to wear a mask because by doing that, he or she is pre-disposing themselves to chances of infection. It is the social responsibility of all to advise others to wear masks if they are suffering from respiratory diseases, Dr Mundeja said.

NCDC Director Dr Sujeet Kumar Singh, suggested people to not wear masks unless required as it gives a false sense of security to the people, and also builds a false narrative in front of the other people, that the person wearing a mask might be infected.

Only those who have travelled from foreign countries or have been diagnosed with the virus or are suffering from cold, must wear masks as advised by the doctor, he said, adding N95 masks are required to be worn by healthcare workers who are collecting samples for testing in the labs, and doctors who are examining the patients.

In case you are suffering from cold or cold, or have symptoms, then you must wear mask, Dr Singh said.

He also urged people to avoid public transport in case anyone is going to submit their samples if they detect any such symptoms.

The doctors appealed people to wash their hands frequently, use a tissue in case they sneeze or cough to avoid transmission of the virus and not touch unwanted surfaces in public areas.

Delhi has recorded three positive cases of coronavirusa 45-year-old man from Mayur Vihar, the Paytm employee who works in Gurgaon and lives in west Delhi and another man from west Delhi with a travel history to Thailand and Malaysia.
New Delhi:

On the occasion of women's day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi handed over his his social media accounts to seven women achivers who will tell their life stories through the handle.

Extending greetings on International Women's Day, he said "As I'd said a few days ago, I'm signing off."

"Through the day, seven women achievers will share their life journeys and perhaps interact with you through my social media accounts," he said.

In a series of tweets, Modi said India has outstanding women achievers in all parts of the nation.

"These women have done great work in a wide range of sectors. Their struggles and aspirations motivate millions. Let us keep celebrating the achievements of such women and learning from them," he said.

Sneha Mohadoss -a Chennai-based founder of non-profit "Foodbank India" was the first one to share her story. "You heard of food for thought. Now, it is time for action and a better future for our poor. Hello, I am Sneha Mohandoss Inspired by my mother, who instilled the habit of feeding the homeless, I started this initiative called Foodbank India," tweeted along with a video introducing herself.

You heard of food for thought. Now, it is time for action and a better future for our poor.



Hello, I am @snehamohandoss. Inspired by my mother, who instilled the habit of feeding the homeless, I started this initiative called Foodbank India. #SheInspiresUs pic.twitter.com/yHBb3ZaI8n  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 8, 2020

Dr Malvika Iyer who is a disability activist next shared her story. "Acceptance is the greatest reward we can give to ourselves. We cant control our lives but we surely can control our attitude towards life. At the end of the day, it is how we survive our challenges that matters most." said her tweet. In her story she narrated, how she survived a bomb blast at the age of 13 , lost her arms but went on to get a PhD degree.

Acceptance is the greatest reward we can give to ourselves. We cant control our lives but we surely can control our attitude towards life. At the end of the day, it is how we survive our challenges that matters most.



Know more about me and my work- @MalvikaIyer #SheInspiresUs pic.twitter.com/T3RrBea7T9  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 8, 2020

A Kashmir based entrepreuner of traditioanla rt and craft Arifa narrated how she dreams of creating job oppurtunities for women in her place."I always dreamt of reviving the traditional crafts of Kashmir because this is a means to empower local women. I saw the condition of women artisans and so I began working to revise Namda craft," read a tweet by Arifa.

I always dreamt of reviving the traditional crafts of Kashmir because this is a means to empower local women.



I saw the condition of women artisans and so I began working to revise Namda craft.



I am Arifa from Kashmir and here is my life journey. #SheInspiresUs pic.twitter.com/hT7p7p5mhg  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 8, 2020

Modi had on Tuesday said he will be handing over his accounts on various social media platforms to women who inspire. "This Women's Day (March 8), I will give away my social media accounts to women whose life & work inspire us. This will help them ignite motivation in millions," he had tweeted.

The Prime Minister has accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

The Prime Minister is one of the most-followed world leaders on social media with 53.3 million followers on Twitter, 44 million on Facebook and 35.2 million on Instagram.

(With Inputs from PTI)

For all the Latest Offbeat News News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
SUVA, March 4 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Mar, 2022 ) :Fiji's Ministry of Health has noted an increase in cases of flu-like illness at health centers and hospitals and the public was advised Friday to take precautionary measures.

The advisory was issued after the diagnosis of two influenza cases at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital's (CWMH) intensive care unit (ICU) in the capital Suva last week.

Fiji's Permanent Secretary for Health Ministry James Fong said lab testings showed an increase in confirmed cases of flu across the Pacific island country.

Fong urged Fijians to seek medical care if they have difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath, pain or heaviness in the chest, inability to stay awake or confusion or any other symptoms of concern.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Fiji's influenza season typically began in January and ended by May or June.

However, in 2020 and 2021 there was a marked decrease in the cases of influenza detected, a trend that was also seen in other countries. It is likely that public health and social measures adopted against COVID-19 worked also to contain other respiratory viruses, including flu.

Preventative measures for flu are similar to those for COVID-19, Fong said.

Fiji's parents are advised to keep their children hydrated in particular as a means of reducing cold and influenza symptoms and helping them feel better as fevers can result in dehydration.

The Ministry of Health is particularly concerned about the care of infants and children, who belong to the flu high risk group.
By Trend

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has called for necessary actions to immediately start dredging the Gorgan Bay, Trend reports citing IRNA.



"The water should flow in the Gorgan Bay and officials must act immediately to revive this area," he said.



According to the president, an expert session will be held and decide on the necessary actions for dredging of the bay in ten days to provide water to the area.



Experts on climate change and global warming believe that uncontrolled water withdrawal of aquifers, reduced rainfall, and increased evaporation are the most important reasons for the drying up of Gorgan Bay.



Gorgan Bay is the largest gulf in the Caspian Sea, it is located at the south-eastern shore of the Caspian Sea near the Iranian cities of Behshahr, Gorgan, and Sari and is separated from the main water body by the Miankaleh peninsula and extends until the Ashuradeh peninsula.
While the world celebrates International Women's Day on March 8, women in Pakistan are still caught in the trap of a feudal conservative patriarchal society, where women's day celebrations are condemned and seen against the 'Islamic' values, local media reported. According to the last year's 'Global Gender Gap Report 2021', Pakistan ranked 153 out of 156 countries on the gender parity index, that is, among the last four. It ranked seventh among eight countries in South Asia, only better than Afghanistan. Pakistan's gender gap has even widened by 0.7 per cent points in 2021 compared to 2020. Notably, since the Imran Khan government came to power in August 2018, Pakistan's Global Gender Gap Index has worsened over time. In 2017, Pakistan ranked 143, slipping to 148 in 2018. The report indicates that Pakistan needs 136 years to close the gender gap, with its existing performance rate. These statistics show that overall progress in reducing the gender gap is stagnant in Pakistan in four areas: economic participation and opportunity; education attainment; health and survival, and political empowerment. In other words, women in Pakistan are faring badly to men in these four dimensions of the gender index. The report also pointed out that women in Pakistan do not have equal access to justice, ownership of land and non-financial assets or inheritance rights. In addition to the debilitating gender index, Pakistan is infamous for brazen cases of "honour killings" and domestic violence against women. According to Human Rights Watch, almost 1,000 women are murdered annually in Pakistan in the name of honour. The high profile "honour killing" of Qandeel Baloch in 2016, a social media personality in Pakistan, by her brother Muhammad Waseem is a case in point, where the perpetrator (her brother) openly confessed his crime without a sign of remorse. Waseem had received a life-imprisonment sentence in 2019 for the killing. But after serving less than six years in prison, he is set to walk free on the grounds of a "family settlement and lack of evidence." In another case of violence against women, Noor Mukadam, daughter of former Pakistani diplomat Shaukat Mukadam, was brutally raped and then killed in Islamabad in July 2021. The case grabbed global attention because of the victim's 'high-profile' family background. However, a majority of women in Pakistan who are also victims of similar violence are among the country's poor and middle classes, and their deaths are often not reported or, when they are, ignored in most cases. Furthermore, women belonging to minority communities face 'double' marginalisation. Besides the usual patriarchal subjugations, they are also the victims of forced conversions, marriages, abduction and rapes as well as regular targets of false blasphemy charges. More importantly, they are deprived of any justice because of their 'non-Muslim' status. In November last year, the United Kingdom's All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Pakistani Minorities had published a report which revealed that around 1,000 girls (Hindus and Christians) between the ages of 12-25 are forcibly converted to Islam every year and married to their abductors. The report described this situation as a "human-rights catastrophe". Crimes against women in Pakistan cut across classes and is driven by various factors such as religious conservatism, loopholes in women-centric laws, lack of employment and educational opportunities, blatant misogyny against women by political leaders, among others. The misogynist attitude prevails right from the top levels of the government. In an interview last year, Imran Khan had blamed women wearing "very few clothes" for rising sexual violence. In an earlier interview, he had criticised Pakistanis for adopting what he called the "immoral mannerisms" of the West. Khan in fact has attempted to belittle the women's day by declaring March 8 as the 'International Hijab Day', the Dawn newspaper reported. These instances show that the misogynistic attitudes of Pakistan's democratically-elected leadership align with the religious conservatives who demand implementation of the 'Sharia Law'. The rights of women in Pakistan have been a longstanding issue of public debate and international interest. As the world is moving forward and women are getting equal status in the fields of education or employment opportunities, Pakistan is witnessing a backsliding as far as women's rights are concerned. The country has become more conservative since Imran Khan came to power. Islamist parties such as Tehreek-i-Labbaik and Jamaat-e-Islami, among others, are feeling emboldened and have gained more popularity across the country in the last three years, spreading harsher version of Islam, especially targeting women and minorities. In addition, the Taliban's forceful takeover of Afghanistan last year and the subsequent increase in violence against women under the Sharia Law has further exacerbated fears among women in Pakistan. For Imran Khan, issues related to women do not feature in his top policy priorities. Moreover, he dreams of turning Pakistan into the Riyasat-i-Medina, which suggests more repressive rules and regulations for women under the Islamic laws. Therefore, the future of women's freedom in Pakistan looks bleak, especially for girls and women from minority communities, as cases of domestic violence, honour killings, intimidation and discrimination are expected to rise unless there are serious judicial reforms in the existing laws discriminating against women in Pakistan. (ANI)
Turbanator Team-BHP Support

Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 5,376 Thanked: 21,322 Times

Re: 1,00,000th made-in-India BMW rolls out of Chennai plant Quote: SR-71 Originally Posted by While test driving the A4, the Audi SA told me that BMWs are manufactured in India unlike the Audi's which are assembled from CKD kits.







https://www.siam.in/economic-afairs....8&pgidtrail=20





BMW and MB ships engine from EU Plants to Force Motors directly, most likely in semi-assembled form, and then FORCE assembles and ships to BMW/ MB India.



The difference in the duty of 15% helps these companies save a bit given the volumes. Audi may be getting everything together as their volumes are low.





Quote: Does BMW manufacture the engines here for export worldwide ? Typically engine manufacturing is restricted to a few factories cause they are the tricky ones to make. BMW & MB imports parts as CKD without Engines. Here's the duty structure on KitsBMW and MB ships engine from EU Plants to Force Motors directly, most likely in semi-assembled form, and then FORCE assembles and ships to BMW/ MB India.The difference in the duty of 15% helps these companies save a bit given the volumes. Audi may be getting everything together as their volumes are low.If Force has started production of engines, I am not aware of it, but they may do soon given the advancements in manufacturing locally. I know that Volvo truck engines are produced in India and exported to the EU and other markets from India.
Shoppers are preparing to rush into Aldi stores this Tuesday, March 9, to buy the latest version of a cult classic robot vacuum cleaner.

The Deebot Neo by Ecovacs will retail for only $399 as part of Aldi Australia's 'Special Buys' promotion and comes packed with powerful features.

The vacuum has been modelled with an impressive cleaning performance and comes packed with an upgraded 2600 Pascals of suction power.

At Aldi the latest product will retail for $399, but at alternative stores it will cost $799.

Scroll to watch video

The Deebot Neo by Ecovacs will retail for only $399 as part of Aldi Australia's 'Special Buys' promotion and comes packed with powerful features

Ecovacs designed the vacuum to have intense and efficient power system but with an incredibly low noise level to make cleaning more enjoyable.

With an inbuilt electronic water pump the vacuum can suck and mop up mess simultaneously to ensure all spaces are left spotless.

The vacuum can conveniently be controlled by a smartphone app that allows customers to schedule cleans and monitor the gadget from anywhere.

Last year when the Deebot Ozmo 920 was introduced into Aldi stores Australian shoppers went wild for the discounted buy and have shared their thoughts on the vacuum

Shay Stearnes, Buying Director, ALDI Australia said: 'ECOVACS robot vacuums have been a popular part of our Special Buys program over the last three years and it's wonderful to see our Aussie shoppers responding each time with great enthusiasm.

'It is clear our customers enjoy not only saving money, but also freeing up time in the process with this technology!

'We're very excited to be ECOVACS' retail partner in launching the new DEEBOT NEO, it offers a range of high-end features we haven't seen before at such incredible value.'

Unlike previous Ecovacs models, the latest product features a host of new high-end features making it one-of-a-kind.

During the design process, robot vacuum manufacturers are routinely challenged when it comes to how to maximise suction power without sacrificing other key features.

Ecovacs created the robot with 'scan and store' abilities that enable the vacuum to digitally map the floor space within a home to customise cleaning abilities.

Last year when the Deebot Ozmo 920 was introduced into Aldi stores and Australian shoppers went wild for the discounted buy.

Many impressed customers have since shared their thoughts on the vacuum and encourage shoppers to get in store fast this March 9 before stocks run out.

Last year when the Deebot Ozmo 920 was introduced into Aldi stores Australian shoppers went wild for the discounted buy. The product is likely to sell out fast, so shoppers should act quickly if they wish to get their hands on the popular machine

'Who got it?? They all went within the first three minutes,' a mum wrote.

'I bought the Deebot Ozmo 920 this morning from ALDI and I love him already,' a happy customer wrote.

'This thing is amazing!!! My floors are pristine tonight,' another wrote.

The product is likely to sell out fast, so shoppers should act quickly if they wish to get their hands on the popular machine.
RTHK: Naftali Bennett holds talks with Putin over Ukraine

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin on Saturday to discuss the war in Ukraine and later spoke by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Bennett's spokesperson said.

Bennett is coordinating his efforts in the crisis with the United States, France and Germany, an Israeli official said.

After his meeting with Putin, Bennett headed to Berlin for talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, his spokesperson said.

French President Emmanuel Macron had spoken to Bennett before he flew to Moscow to brief him on his own conversations with Putin, the Elysee Palace said.

"They will stay in touch with the aim of obtaining a ceasefire, and this in coordination with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz," an Elysee official said.

Israel, at the behest of Zelenskiy, has offered to mediate in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, though officials have previously played down expectations of any breakthrough.

In their three-hour meeting in the Kremlin, the Israeli official said, Bennett also raised with Putin the issue of the large Jewish community caught up in the war in Ukraine.

Israel will send medical teams to Ukraine next week to set up a field hospital that will provide treatment for refugees, its Health Ministry said.

While Israel, a close ally of the United States, has condemned the Russian invasion, voiced solidarity with Kyiv and sent humanitarian aid to Ukraine, it has said it will maintain contact with Moscow in the hope of helping to ease the crisis.

Israel, home to a substantial population of immigrants from the former Soviet Union, is also mindful of Moscow's military support for President Bashar al-Assad in next-door Syria, where Israel regularly attacks Iranian and Hezbollah military targets. Communication with Moscow prevents Russian and Israeli forces trading fire by accident.

Bennett and Putin also discussed the ongoing talks between world powers, including Russia, and Iran about reviving a 2015 nuclear deal.

Russia said on Saturday that Western sanctions imposed on it over its invasion of Ukraine had become a stumbling block for the Iran nuclear deal. Israel opposes any revival of the deal.

Bennett, a religious Jew, flew to Moscow in violation of Sabbath law because Judaism permits this when the aim is to preserve human life, his spokesperson said.

He was accompanied by his Ukrainian-born housing minister, Zeev Elkin. Elkin had in the past accompanied former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu as an interpreter in his talks with Putin. (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2022-03-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Alexander Drueke and Andy Tai Huynh, who had been held captive in Ukraine since June, were under the care of U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia on Thursday.
i hope he's okay!



it amazes me that there is almost always a doctor in the theatre. i've had to deal with numerous medical emergencies while working in theatre since i was the primary first aid attendant and the two major ones (one when we had to stop the show because a piece of scaffolding fell on one of the crew, and i had to argue with the stage manager that no we can't continue the show around her when she is bleeding from her head and no i won't move her wtf is wrong with you?!) both had doctors come to help. another time i was told after that if the doctor wasn't there the person probably would have died while we waited for paramedics.



Edited at 2022-03-06 05:52 am (UTC)

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Out of curiosity, did you guys ask the audience if anyone was a MD or did they volunteer their efforts?

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when the crew member was injured the doctor went to one of the ushers and said they were a doctor and then they were brought backstage. act 2 was about to start and there was a huge bang when it fell and hit her and i think there was an announcement saying the show wasn't going to start yet. but i think the fact that both myself and a technician bolted through the theatre to the backstage was a sign to everyone that something had gone very wrong.



when the person almost died we asked for a doctor since it was way beyond anything that i learned in first aid. when i trained new ushers i'd tell them never to hesitate in asking if there was a doctor during a major incident.



i was actually supposed to get my level 2 first aid in 2020 because of those major incidents but then the panini happened and i didn't. i'm not a front of house manager anymore but i might still do it anyways?

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Holy hell. Thats scary how imperative that doctor was.



Doctors or nurses have always been on my flights when theyve been needed.

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And its moments like that that I hate working in theatre. Sorry, no, finishing the show is not actually more important than someones life. I once worked a show where the lead actress kept having to run to the bathroom and laying down after quick changes(they stalled on stage for her) because she was so sick and even though we kept saying they needed to call it they wouldnt because the actress didnt want to let people down and stage management was like well its her call. It took the actress beginning to puke blood to stop that show. We were all so pissed

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Probably because doctors can afford to go to see shows on a regular basis

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Highly educated and wealthy people love shit like theatre.

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It's sad but it's because they are one of the few demographics that can afford going to the theater on a regular basis.



Edited at 2022-03-06 04:36 pm (UTC)

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There's usually an on-call house doctor for each performance, at least at bigger theatres. It's surprising how often they're needed...especially when you have an older clientele, like at the one I worked at. But usually they're just fans who get a free show, if they're not needed.

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Taron taken out by cock.

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Ha artpop!

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In that dancing video he posted it clearly looks like he had acne caused by steroids. I wonder if thats related.

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Those were my thoughts as well.

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Lmao. People are allowed to have chest acne without doing steroids. And faint without it being a result of steroid use (like what even?? Lmfaoooo). Yall really reach for the most.

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..... you realize prescription steroids are used to treat about a million different legit medical conditions, right?

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Chest acne is more common than people realize lol

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he's had chest acne for years y'all gotta quit it

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What video?

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My first thought

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Did he have his stomach pumped?

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Stomach pumps would only be useful to stop further alcohol poisoning, right? A lot of drugs aren't taken orally and any oral drugs I can think of would have long passed the stomach by the time of overdose.

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Is this a Rocketman reference? Lol.

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Ugh. Its been a while for me (New Years) and when I read this I got very excited by the prospect of dying by cock.

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.... try 2 years

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4 over here. 

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A Taron Egerton - Cock post not made by me?



Also OP, such a missed opportunity to title this "Taron Egerton passes out due to intense Cock exhaustion"



Anyways... nice to hear he's ok.

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lol i knew you didn't make the post because there was no cock-related pun

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Poor guy, I hope he's alright!!



Fainting is no fun, it happened to be last year while I was showering. Lol I had the water hot without the ventilation fan on while my detangling my hair....recipe for disaster. I barely remember passing out. Luckily I didn't hit my head and wake up in a pool of blood like others have mentioned. 

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lol this has happened to me before in the exact same scenario. detangling is a dangerous job.

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Lol never again! My hair was really tangled too!!

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Same but I was in the shower. I had a cold and was using steam to help with decongesting and I felt myself passing out. Everything went black and I heard all the shampoo bottles fall



I was lucky too bc I sort of crumbled so I didnt crack my head on the side of the tub or anything. My arms went out and thats what knocked the bottles off and when I came to i was sort of leaning out of the tub(like my arms outstretched)



Never used steam like that again unless I sit down in the tub.

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I've had that happen to me too! I don't remember if I was washing my hair but I was definitely on my period. My cramps were so bad that I thought I was gonna get diarrhea (sorry, TMI) so I hoped out in a towel to sit on the toilet. I was already feeling a bit light-headed then but the steam from the shower probably made it worse since I didn't shut off the water. I didn't know if I was gonna throw up or pass out. Thank goodness my mom was home and heard me shouting for her. Had a glass of water and felt better. Now I always make sure drink some water beforehand so I'm not going in the shower dehydrated.

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everyone's being so fucking weird and rude in this post good lord



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the vibes are weird, huh?

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Several someones didn't go to church service this morning, clearly!

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The post says he is okay. Is the pearl clutching necessary or is that just part of the fainting?

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was this funnier in your head or something?

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The tech/preview process for theatre can be absolutely exhausting. Its super important to take care of yourself but also very easy not to give your body what it needs during that so I wouldnt be surprised if it was just exhaustion. Glad hes okay

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oof hopefully he's ok and it's nothing serious. Apparently it happened during the last fifteen minutes of the play, so kudos to the understudy that had to step in as well.

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Hopefully it was nothing serious. The last time I fainted they ran some tests in the ER and it ended up just being my vagus nerve acting up for no reason.

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I've only fainted once, it was when I was in the middle of a coughing attack and I bent over and then went down for a couple of seconds



the weirdest part is I was only out for a very shot time but when I came to it felt like I had been out for a while like I felt like I had entire long dreams in that tiny period



luckily I fainted before I developed health anxiety so it was like nothing to me, if that happened to me today I'd be like oh okay so I'm dying

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I don't think I've ever fainted. I've gotten the vision kind of blacking out thing a few times, but never actually lost consciousness.

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I faint all the time but I have blood sugar stuff and a neurological disorder. It suuuuuucks.

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Ive only fainted once and it was when I was in high school. I was taking a hot shower and and next thing I knew it was lights out. When I woke up I was laying over the side of the tub and my mom was banging on the door because apparently my fall was really loud. Luckily I didnt hit my head or anything.

Whats weird is at that point in my life I was feeling lightheaded all the time. Most times I stood up, if the temperature changed to fast, etc. I would just see stars in my eyes and feel slightly dizzy but it would eventually go away. Im still not sure where it came from.

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It's not that uncommon for teenage girls to experience what you describe. I had a phase like that myself and also heard similar stories from friends. The worst case was a girl in my high school class who sometimes fainted when she got up from her chair too quickly, and hit her head a couple of times. Eventually it just stopped happening to any of us. A medical student once wanted to explain to me why it was a thing with teenage girls, but I wasn't attentive, oops D:

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I hope he's okay!



This reminds me of the opening scene of Station Eleven. I hope all parallelisms stop at fainting

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That's what I thought too.

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I thought of that scene too.

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oh that sucks. one time I fainted on my first day at a job and it was really embarrassing. I never figured out why it happened, either, I just passed the fuck out! the next day when i showed up for work my boss was like, "I never thought I was going to see you again" lol

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omg that happened to my sister too, on her first day working at a pizza place. she was super nervous and didn't eat anything and wasn't used to being on her feet all day and she passed out. she never went back there again and quit out of embarrassment.

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I fainted on my first day of secondary school in assembly! Same as you no idea why 

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I almost fainted on the first day at my current job as well. I felt it coming on and sat down before it happened thankfully.

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passing out is crazy, it's as easy as standing with your knees locked. once saw a girl hit the floor cold on stage at a competition because she left her knees locked for too long 

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whoa, what this locked knee thing? i've never heard of it before

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I fainted at my university convocation. I barely slept the night before and skipped breakfast and was overheated due to having to wait in a cramped hallway with a cluster of students. Obvious recipe for disaster. I went down before the procession started and was escorted to the ceremony once I recovered to sit with all the graduates who arrived late in the front row lol.



Luckily that was the last time Id have to be on campus anyway!!

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in 2017, i had a sinus surgery. the following YEAR, on my first day in a new job (same company, just a different department) a little fishbone sized stitch that never dissolved dislodged, nicked a vein, and my nose bled uncontrollably. i had to go to the hospital - my bp was so high from stress, it wouldn't stop bleeding and i was hospitalized for 5 days and had a follow up surgery to assist. super embarrassing!

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flight carrying 210 from war-hit arrived at Hindan airbase near Delhi from Bucharest, Romania on Sunday.

IAF, in a tweet, informed that as of March 6 at 7:30 am, the Air Force has sent 11 sorties, evacuating 2,266 Indians and providing 26.25 tons of relief material using airfields of Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.

The Air Force was pitched in the rescue operations to augment the level of Operation Ganga.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting on the crisis. The meeting was attended by Union Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary of India Harsh Vardhan Shringla and other top officials.

The Prime Minister has been regularly chairing high-level meetings over the crisis.

Earlier on Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs said that over 13,300 people have returned to India so far under Operation Ganga from crisis-ridden Ukraine.

The Ministry also informed that almost all Indians have left Kharkiv city in Ukraine and the main focus of the government is to evacuate citizens from the Sumy area as it is challenging amid ongoing violence and lack of transportation.

The government has also deployed 'special envoys' to five neighbouring countries bordering Ukraine to coordinate and oversee the evacuation process of Indian nationals.

Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities.

(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.)
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this morning will give way to cloudy skies and rain during the afternoon. High 62F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 54F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.
Although Nigeria has commenced the evacuation of its citizens from war-torn Ukraine, over 300 Nigerians are still trapped in Sumy, a Ukrainian city that shares borders with Russia.

Many of the trapped Nigerians are students of tertiary institutions in Sumy and some of them spoke to PREMIUM TIMES about how they survived multiple bombings by Russia.

March 3 was one of the most terrifying days, Samuel Otunla, a Veterinary Medicine masters student at Sumy National Agrarian University, told PREMIUM TIMES. Once we got the safety warning and arrived in the basement, we heard one of the loudest explosions and in a few minutes, electricity went off  not just in our area but all over the city. Water was also off. Though it was restored 17 hours later, it was an uncomfortable experience.

Mr Otunla, in a WhatsApp interview on Friday, narrated how a few days into the invasion, they had seen corpses of Russian soldiers lying on the streets as they stepped out to get groceries.

There is a Military Lyceum 900 metres from the Agrarian University (where I stay) and on the first day of the whole war situation, it was attacked and when we went out for groceries a couple of days later, bodies of dead Russian soldiers were still lying all over the street.

So far we have had explosions on seven days out of eight. Only one peaceful day. The closest to us was the attack on the Lyceum. Our daily routine has been: leaving the bomb shelter between 6-8 a.m. Spending the rest of the morning cleaning up, cooking and having breakfast. We usually have a general lunch provided by the school administration by 12 noon and the rest of the afternoon is pretty free. During that time, grocery shopping, a lot of searching for a way out and we are just in the hostel till the safety warning goes off again. We spend the night in the basement for safety reasons, Mr Otunla narrated.

He told this newspaper that in the past eight days, they had experienced trauma, sickness, stress and weariness. But in the midst of all that, we also experienced friendship and love. We have shared meals, medications, blankets and mattresses with one another. We have played games together, prayed together and laughed together. But more than anything, we want to be evacuated together. We dont like it here.

The school administration in my university has been so helpful and supportive, every student is willing to help the other person, he added.

Over 300 Nigerian students are said to be stuck in Sumy, a city in North-Eastern Ukraine, where they have been largely cut off from the rest of the country owing to the shellings by Russia.

The bombings have left part of the city without electricity and water. Both foreigners and Ukraine nationals are caught in the crossfire; making underground bunkers their homes until they can safely move out.

There were high hopes that civilians could safely move out of the affected area when Russia and Ukraine agreed to create a safe corridor to evacuate civilians on Saturday but that hope has crumbled as Russia appeared to have reneged on the ceasefire agreement.

The situation in Sumy is complicated. In every other city, civilians have been able to evacuate to the West and cross the border to safety in Poland, Romania, Hungary or Slovakia but weve been unable to leave Sumy, Mr Otunla told PREMIUM TIMES.

The railway has been closed, so no trains, the main roads are inaccessible because some have been destroyed to stop Russian troops from getting in and some others have been totally blocked and taken over by the Russians.

Although power has been restored in Sumy, Mr Otunla said there is a possibility to leave Sumy but it is extremely risky  and expensive.

Some civilians have been able to travel across by road to other cities; driving through all the possible checkpoints, some others have been shot at and had to turn back and some others have just reached a dead end at broken bridges, he said.

According to Mr Otunla, his schools administration informed them a couple of days ago that they (as part of the Ukrainian government) were having discussions for a humanitarian corridor to allow civilians to leave Sumy (and other areas) safely. They are in discussion with the Red Cross to see the possibilities of this. So far, talks are ongoing, no results.

He said the only response from the Nigerian government (and other African governments as he heard) is to help students who have crossed the border to neighbouring countries to travel back home. But we are 1300km from the border so that doesnt help us, at least not yet, he said.

We are constantly getting safety warnings from the state military. Once the siren goes off, everyone has to run down to the bomb shelters for safety. Usually from down in the shelter, we hear the shelling and gunfire.

I, together with over 60 international students, Ukrainian students and hostel staff have spent the past seven nights in a dusty basement/ bomb shelter. It is not a good experience.

Although they receive financial support from different organisations for groceries and supplies, he said the students are not sure how long they can hold out.

Also, he mentioned that the Nigerian Embassy in Russia contacted them about a possible evacuation into Russia. But a lot of students rejected the idea considering the sanctions on Russia which could mean we may get trapped in the country or just simply the fact that they are the enemy in this whole story, we could end up as hostages. It was not a good idea at all.

Another Nigerian student, Joy Ikott, first year Business Management student at Sumy State University, in a WhatsApp interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday evening, said the war has affected her mentally and she is unable to think properly.

Our parents are very worried, they are scared.

We wake up everyday with a loud sound which people say is an explosion, we go to our bunkers at night just to be safe, Ms Ikott said.

She said some of her friends have managed to leave Sumy.

Today we all tried to leave but the Ukrainian military came to our hostels with guns and instructed that no one should leave; some people even went but were turned back immediately.

People are willing to pay any amount of money just to leave Sumy but the drivers are declining, she said. She added that the bridge to Sumy has been destroyed and we are not sure of the secret route drivers are taking.

The news told us there has been a green corridor but the drivers are saying there is no green corridor, that is why they are not accepting our orders, Ms Ikott said.

She said although the school is doing its best, they are running out of food and supplies.

Parents want their children out

In a memo signed by Elizabeth Murimwa for parents of African students stuck in Sumy, they called on the United Nations and relevant governments to ensure that their children are safely evacuated from Sumy.

Our main appeal as parents is to get the children evacuated through either Russia which is the closest or a humanitarian corridor opened to allow them to travel within Ukraine, the memo said.

They also requested help for food, transportation and accommodation.

Currently, they are at risk of becoming collateral damage in a war they know nothing about. Negative racist sentiments have already been displayed and the children are scared and in bunkers three quarters of the day surrounded by gunfire. The Indian government is already negotiating for its citizens hence we would like to request help from our different governments. No child should be left behind!!!

The memo said there are about 900 African students in Sumy, but PREMIUM TIMES suspects the number could be higher owing to the different figures it got from students it interviewed.

Ahmed Sarafa, a parent whose daughter is stuck in Sumy, told PREMIUM TIMES in a phone interview that he felt very bad because the Nigerian government was not doing enough. He said they were getting conflicting information as to how their children can get to safety.

Mr Sarafa said he spoke to the rectors wife at Sumy State University (where his daughter studies) who told him that the Nigerian embassy in Kyiv had earlier asked them to allow Nigerian students to find their way to Russia.

I had the opportunity to speak to the rectors wife at that school. She told me that the Nigerian embassy sent them a memo to release Nigerian students to go to the Russian border. The Russian border is very close to Sumy, about 65 kilometres. They asked who would give the students security or cover while they moved, up till now, the Nigerian embassy has yet to respond. Moreover, the Indian government has negotiated with Russia to allow their students passage through Russia.

Nigerian government say talks ongoing

Nigeria has so far evacuated over 700 of its citizens from Ukraine. They were airlifted from neighbouring counties like Hungary and Poland where they fled to.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the returnees arrived in three different flights on Friday.

Gabriel Aduda, permanent secretary of the ministry of foreign affairs, while welcoming the first batch of Nigerian evacuees in Abuja, said, talks are already on for your colleagues in Sumy; a lot is already being done to create a safe corridor to bring them all out

In the same vein, Akinremi Bolaji, director consular and legal services at the foreign affairs ministry, while welcoming the second batch of evacuees, told journalists that we also still have 350 in Sumy college which has been cut off as soon as we are through with the safe corridor, we will go for those ones.

The Nigerians stuck in Sumy can only hope that the safe corridor becomes a reality very soon.

Chiamaka Okafor is a reporter at Premium Times in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe.
As per a press release from the state government, the names of six students are Bhaswati Goswami (Guwahati), Mrigakshi Kalita (Nalbari), Saddam Hussain (Nagaon), Mumshad Hujaef Uddin Ahmed (Nagaon), Nayan Jyoti Das (Nagaon) and Sneha Deka (Guwahati).

The aforementioned students arrived at the Assam Bhawan in New Delhi and were received by officials there, said the release.

All the students will be staying at the Assam Bhawan in the national capital and air travel from Delhi to Assam will be arranged accordingly.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been regularly chairing high-level meetings over the Ukraine crisis.

Earlier on Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs said that over 13,300 people have returned to India so far under Operation Ganga from crisis-ridden Ukraine. The Ministry also informed that almost all Indians have left Kharkiv city in Ukraine and the main focus of the government is to evacuate citizens from the Sumy area as it is challenging amid ongoing violence and lack of transportation.

The government has also deployed 'special envoys' to five neighbouring countries bordering Ukraine to coordinate and oversee the evacuation process of Indian nationals.

Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. (ANI)
Fighting all odds that included staying in war-torn Ukraine for a few extra days and forgoing her luggage, a fifth-year medical student Keerthana finally reached Chennai on Saturday with her pet dog 'Candy'. Determined not to leave her pet behind, Keerthana skipped at least four special flights until the Indian embassy allowed her to fly with the Pekingese breed dog. The government has pressed into service several special airlines as part of 'Operation Ganga' to evacuate the stranded Indian nationals from Ukraine. On Saturday, Keerthana reached Chennai airport along with 'Candy' where she received an emotional welcome from her family members. "I had to cancel my flights four times as I was earlier not allowed to bring back the pet. I waited for extra two-three days. Finally, I got a call from the embassy which allowed me to bring the pet with me," Keerthana told ANI. However, Keerthana had to let go of her luggage to bring back the two-year-old Pekingese breed puppy. "Authorities told me that I can bring my puppy but I will have to let go of my luggage. I said, ok. For me, my pet is more important than the luggage," she said. Keerthana added that she lived in a border area in Ukraine. Therefore, she didn't face many hardships as witnessed by other students who had to travel hundreds of KMs to reach Ukrainian borders. Keerthana is a resident of Tamil Nadu's Mayiladuthurai and was studying at the Uzhhorod National University of Ukraine. Earlier on Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs said that over 13,300 people have returned to India so far under 'Operation Ganga' from crisis-ridden Ukraine. The Ministry also informed that almost all Indians have left Kharkiv city in Ukraine and the main focus of the government is to evacuate citizens from the Sumy area as it is challenging amid ongoing violence and lack of transportation. The government has also deployed 'special envoys' to five neighbouring countries bordering Ukraine to coordinate and oversee the evacuation process of Indian nationals. Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. (ANI)
Despite the Scottsbluff City Councils decision to terminate Dustin Rief on Feb. 22, the City of Scottsbluff will be paying out funds to the embattled city manager for months.

According to City Attorney Kent Hadenfelt in responding to a public records request regarding Riefs proposed severance agreement, a formal severance agreement was not yet available.

The City has presented a Separation and Release Agreement according to the terms in the Employment Agreement, he said. The City has not received a response.

Approval of a severance agreement is not on Mondays city council agenda. The Star-Herald attempted to confirm numbers that would be involved in a proposed severance, as outlined in Riefs contract, however, Hadenfelt declined to comment.

A review of Riefs employment contract with the City of Scottsbluff, which set out terms in case he was terminated, indicates the former city manager left his post receiving a considerable payout exceeding $81,500 of taxpayers money for less than one year of service. He will be compensated for his accrued leave, a portion of his salary, cell phone and vehicle allowance over the next six months.

In Riefs previous position as the manager of Orono, Minnesota  in the Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area  his salary was nearly $133,000 annually. Rief was selected for the Scottsbluff position after being named one of three finalists for the position in the fall of 2020. Seth Sorensen, who now serves as the Alliance city manager, was another finalist. The council extended an offer to Rief after they determined he was the top choice and hired him in December 2020.

Rief was hired at $150,000 annually, which increased by 5% ($7,500) to $157,500 when the council reported a satisfactory performance evaluation during his six month evaluation at the Oct. 4, 2021, city council meeting. He also received an additional 2.5% cost of living increase, which was given to all employees during approval of the 2021-2022 fiscal budget discussions, an additional $3,937.50.

Despite the council voting to give Rief a positive review following his initial months of employment, that first evaluation took an unexpected turn when his wife stood up, accusing a city councilmember of unethical conduct and pursuing his own agenda.

By Riefs next review just months later, the councils remarks would not be heard by those in attendance as the conversations occurred behind closed doors in executive session. The council cited an allowance under the Nebraska Open Meetings Act to go into executive session of a job performance for portions that are necessary to prevent needless injury to the reputation of a person. Historically, the reviews of former Scottsbluff City Managers Rick Kuckkahn and Nathan Johnson, as well as Riefs first review, were held in open session. Multiple opinions from the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office have determined that councils or other boards cant go into executive session for positive evaluations or similar discussions.

After a lengthy discussion lasting over 70 minutes, the council reconvened and Mayor Jeanne McKerrigan read a written statement where she motioned to terminate Rief. The decision was unanimous. McKerrigan declined to comment on the reasons for termination after the meeting. But the cost to the city and taxpayers continues.

In Riefs contract, a severance clause is included which reads, at the start of employment, the City agrees to pay Rief on the Citys regular pay days, six (6) months severance in the case of termination for other than Just Cause or resignation. This severance shall include City-paid family health, dental, vision, retirement, life and long-term disability, vehicle and cell phone allowance for the duration of the severance.

Within Riefs contract, he received $350 per monthly as a monthly reimbursement allowance for the use of his personal vehicle while performing his duties. He was responsible for the maintenance, insurance and other expenses. He also received a $100 monthly reimbursement for his cell phone to use for city business.

The contract also states he shall be compensated for all accrued vacation, sick leave, and all paid holidays at the time of termination/resignation. As set forth in the severance, Rief left his position with a considerable amount of money set to hit his bank account.

Within Riefs contract, the city agreed to pay him six months of his salary if he was terminated or at the time of resignation in lieu of termination. That means the city will pay Rief $78,750 in salary. The agreement also called for the city to continue paying Rief a $350 monthly reimbursement allowance for use of his personal vehicle while performing his duties as well as to pay a $100 monthly reimbursement for his cell phone, which was used for city business during his employment. That additional $2,100 in vehicle and $600 in cell phone allowances on top of his salary will result in a total monetary payout of $81,500. The contract terms also state he will be compensated for accrued vacation, sick leave and all paid holidays.

In addition, Rief will also benefit with additional costs, such as health insurance, to be paid by the city. The city also matched Riefs 3% contribution toward retirement, totaling $4,725 annually. They also offered him life insurance that was one times his base salary, equaling $157,500. Riefs contract calls for those benefits to continue to be paid for the next six months.

Scottsbluffs city manager position has seen turnover since the departure of longtime manager Rick Kuckkahn, who retired in 2016. Assistant City Manager Nathan Johnson was promoted, but left after accepting a similar position in Colorado in late 2019. Kuckkahn returned on an interim basis for the city and stayed on for a month after Riefs hiring to ease the transition.

Comparatively, former Scottsbluff city manager Rick Kuckkahn started at $93,584.50 and during his service as interim-city manager he made $120,000 and was compensated in lieu of other benefits full-time employees are entitled to, such as insurance, retirement, vacation and sick leave. Most recent city manager Nathan Johnsons salary was $117,875, in addition to benefits, when he left the position. As of March 3, Gerings City Manager Pat Heath makes $102,000 and at the time of retirement, Lane Danielzuk made $118,289 annually, in addition to benefits.

Maunette Loeks contributed to this story.
Meetings and events

Carmelite Board monthly meeting will be the annual Day of Recollection on Monday, March 7 at the Cathedral of the Epiphany starting with registration at 8:15 a.m. and concluding at 10:30 a.m. All parishioners and friends are invited to participate in Mass, conference with Father Shane Deman, and hospitality brunch, with reconciliation available.

Loess Hills Chapter, OES meeting at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 10. Read Annual Reports and honor Past Matron and Past Patron. Morningside. Masonic Temple, 4110 Morningside Ave.

Top O' Morning Toastmasters Club, Mondays, noon to 1 p.m. Contact LeAnn Blankenburg, 712-870-1120, for meeting information.

The Siouxland Ostomy Support Group, find us on Facebook. For more information and meeting times contact Dick Lindblom at 712-251-2453.

Southside "South Bottoms" former residents, 6 p.m. potluck, second Wednesday of the month at Goodwill Industries cafeteria, 3100 Fourth St. Gert, 258-2227.

Siouxland Metal Detecting and Archeology Club, 6:30 p.m., first Tuesday of the month in the Gleeson Room at 4510 Buckwalter Drive. Visitors welcome. Ray Turner, 712-899-2114.

American Legion Post 64, 7 p.m. last Thursday of the month at 4021 Floyd Blvd. 712-258-3986.

Marine Corps League, 6 p.m. second Tuesday of the month at Elks Club on TriView Ave. All marines welcome. For more information, call Cathy Moreno, 712-899-8441.

Sioux City Chapter of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), 7 p.m. fourth Tuesday of the month at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 1421 Geneva St. 712-203-2052.

Sioux City Duplicate Bridge Club, 12:30 p.m. Mondays (open); at the Senior Center. Mary 605-670-9613.

Siouxland Fly-Fishing Club, 10 a.m. last Saturday of the month at the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center on Hwy 12. All interested in fly fishing; beginners welcome. Monthly programs provided. For more information, call Bob Gillespie, 712-251-9463, or Diana, 402-987-3945.

Siouxland Coin Club, 7 p.m. first Tuesday of each month at First United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, 1915 Nebraska St. Bob, 255-4829.

The Siouxland Pride Alliance, peer support group, 5:30 p.m. Fridays; potluck, 5:30 p.m. second Sunday of the month; business meeting. First Unitarian Church, 2508 Jackson.

Siouxland Samplers Quilt Guild, 7 p.m. second Monday of the month at the Redeemer Lutheran Church, 3204 S. Lakeport St, door #2. Visitors and new members welcome.

Siouxland Sewing Guild, 6:30-8 p.m. first Thursday of the month at South Sioux Public Library, 2121 Dakota Ave., South Sioux City. For anyone interested in sewing. Denise, 402-922-1822.

Sooland RC Modelers, 7 p.m. second Thursday of the month at Morningside Lutheran Church. Non-profit club that flies remote control aircraft. Anyone interested in RC is welcome.

Retired Educators, 10:30 a.m. third Tuesday of the month, at the Redeemer Lutheran Church, 3204 S. Lakeport St., door #6.

Mid-Step Services for Handicapped, meal at 5 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month, at the Redeemer Lutheran Church, 3204 S. Lakeport St., door #6.

Confirmation Instruction and Midweek Lessons, 5 p.m. on Wednesdays, at the Redeemer Lutheran Church, 3204 S. Lakeport St., door #6. Open to all kids 5 years old through 8th grade.

Primetime (Potluck), 12 p.m., second Thursday of each month, at Whitfield United Methodist Church, 1319 W 5th. For more information call 252-3261 Tuesday-Thursdays, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

Abundant Life Fellowship, 809 S. Alice St., in Sioux City will distribute food boxes after their 11 a.m. Sunday services. For additional information contact Pastor Bob at 605-205-0718 or Donna at 605-205-0719.
"From Pisochyn & Kharkiv, we should be able to clear out everyone in the next few hours, so far I know no one is left in Kharkhiv," MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a media briefing.

He said that now the main focus is on the Sumy region.

In nearby Pisochyn, Bagchi said, as of a few hours ago there were less than 300 students there who were to be evacuated. "We hope to complete that task by today," the spokesperson said.

He said during the past 24 hours, 15 flights have landed with around 2,900 people under Operation Ganga. Till now, approximately 13,300 people have returned to India so far by 63 flights.

"As many as 13 flights are scheduled in the next 24 hours," Bagchi said.

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine started in the early hours of February 24 after Russian forces launched a major assault on Ukraine, firing missiles on cities and military installations and posing a serious threat to the Indian citizens residing there. Since then, India is evacuating its citizens from the war-torn region.

Meanwhile. the MEA spokesperson informed that one Nepal national will also be arriving in India.

--IANS uj/skp/

( 227 Words)

2022-03-05-21:44:04 (IANS)
MORRILL - The Morrill Public Schools Board of Education has scheduled a community meeting for Wednesday, March 9. The public session will take place at the high school gym at 411 East Hamilton beginning at 6 p.m. This will be a 90-minute meeting.

This community discussion is part of a larger community engagement process and will give the Board of Education and district administration the opportunity to listen to community stakeholders. The results will help formulate a vision of the future and identify goals and strategies necessary to move the district forward to meet the challenges of the 21st Century. We will be discussing the strengths, accomplishments and challenges of our school district, the vision and expectations for our schools, and the goals and objectives necessary to design our future.

Specific community members have been invited by the district for two reasons: to ensure that a broad cross-section of interests, backgrounds and perspectives are included and to ensure that board members are able to hear from all participants in a purposeful and efficient manner. We are inviting staff members, parents, students, community leaders and other interested members of the public to work together with us  so that we may effectively plan for the future of our district and students.

Any patron wishing to attend the session or to submit written comments that will be considered as part of the process is encouraged to do so. Representatives of the Nebraska Association of School Boards will facilitate the community engagement process. For more information, please visit our school website at (www.mpslions.org) and look for Community Engagement.
With this, the active COVID cases stand at 59,442, taking the weekly positivity rate to 0.77 per cent and the daily positivity rate to 0.60 per cent.

Ministry, in a press release, informed that the last 24 hours saw 9,754 recoveries from the virus and 158 COVID deaths.

As many as 9,09,985 COVID tests were conducted in the last 24 hours. India has so far conducted a cumulative of over 77.28 crore (77,28,24,246) COVID tests.

With the administration of more than 26.19 lakh doses (26,19,778) vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 178.83 Crore (1,78,83,79,249). (ANI)
The Greens will run an entirely Indigenous Senate ticket in Victoria and make a push for a national treaty between Indigenous nations and clans and the federal government a top priority.

Greens senator Lidia Thorpe said she thought it was the first time an entirely First Nations ticket had run as a major or third party in Victoria, or possibly nationwide. Not sure this has happened anywhere else, havent heard of it, but its well overdue, she said.

The Greens Senate ticket Adam Frogley, Lidia Thorpe, Sissy Austin and Zeb Payne Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui

Senator Thorpe  who filled a vacancy in the Senate in 2020 when former party leader Richard Di Natale resigned  said a treaty would be a top priority with the Greens hopeful of holding the upper house balance of power.

There was a war declared on us when the boats arrived. And weve been at war ever since, said Senator Thorpe, a Gunnai, Gunditjmara and DjabWurrung woman. You know the statistics, you hear them all the time, probably roll your eyes at them. Another death in custody, another child removed, another suicide, another desecration of country, water or sky.
Gering resident Zac Karpf, president of Platte Valley Bank, was recently appointed to the board of directors for the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NE Chamber).

I was really excited. I really enjoy being a part of representing western Nebraska and our rural economy, Karpf said. Its exciting to be a part of something statewide that also affects the Panhandle.

Karpf was among 13 board members whose appointments were announced in a March 1 press release by the chamber. The 60 total board members come from different regions of the state. They lend their perspectives to evaluate the economic impact of policies and guide the chambers strategic planning. Board members serve three-year terms.

An NE Chamber board member is nominated by the business community and selected by a board committee and vote of our members, chamber president Bryan Slone said in an email to the Star-Herald. We seek business leaders throughout the state who have demonstrated both business and community leadership. Zac will be a great addition to our board, and we welcome his experience and insights.

Karpf was nominated last years by board officials from the Panhandle and will represent the area during meetings. He said the position is a natural extension of his Platte Valley bank role. On the board, though, customers can provide him with information about what policies might be good for business, and he can relate that to the NE Chamber.

Karpf said hes looking forward to attending the NE Chamber board meetings in Lincoln. However, he said they meet just a few times a year, mainly to discuss laws and regulations which would impact business practices.

Most of the position involves promoting economic growth. Its really more about the advocacy that happens throughout the year, he said.
The already challenging path to bringing home Americans jailed in Russia and Ukraine is likely even more complicated now with a war overwhelming the region and increasingly hostile relations between the United States and the Kremlin.

Marine veteran Trevor Reed and corporate security executive Paul Whelan are each serving lengthy prison sentences in Russia, but their families have long held out hope for some sort of deal  including a possible prisoner exchange  that could get their loved ones home.

Now, though, that seems a much harder ask.

"I can't help but think that this is not going to help Trevor get released sooner, obviously," Reed's mother, Paula Reed, said in an interview with The Associated Press.

The war with Ukraine has not only occupied global attention, but it has also led to punishing economic sanctions by the U.S. and escalating Russian aggression in the face of international condemnation over its invasion. Though the conflict has not closed off avenues for bringing home Reed and Whelan, the prospect of concessions by either side anytime soon is eclipsed by the likelihood of continued antagonism by Russia.

"If this becomes long and drawn out, and they take over Ukraine, then the Western countries and the United States are going to be at odds with Russia for a long time," said Reed's father, Joey Reed. "That could lead to additional charges against our son, if he lives, and keep him there indefinitely, which is not uncommon in Russia."

He said he was particularly concerned about a loss of communications between the two superpowers that could foreclose any possibility of the U.S. government getting him home.

"We've been told that even during the Cold War, they kept channels open. Even Kennedy was able to talk to Khrushchev during the Cuban missile crisis," Reed said. "Anyone that's advocating for closing embassies and cutting them off, that's a gigantic mistake when two major nuclear powers are not speaking and are at odds with each other."

State Department principal deputy press spokeswoman Jalina Porter, asked by the AP Thursday about how the war affected the cases of all three men, said only that the administration's top priority is the "safety and security of all Americans," including Reed and Whelan.

"This is something that the secretary works on day in and day out," she said.

Reed, who is from Texas, was sentenced to nine years in prison in 2020 on charges that he assaulted police officers who were driving him to a police station after picking him up following a night of heavy drinking at a party. He has struggled with health issues behind bars, most recently coughing up blood this week, his father said.

He is regarded by the U.S. government as a wrongful detainee, as is Whelan, a Michigan corporate security executive sentenced in 2020 to 16 years in prison on espionage-related charges that his family says are entirely bogus.

Whelan's sister, Elizabeth, said she's been "doom-scrolling" news about the war on Twitter like everyone else, concerned about the impact of the war on her brother and the possibility of another "Iron Curtain" falling in the region.

She said the U.S. could use the conflict as a fresh opportunity to press for the release of Reed and Whelan by making it a condition of any lifting of the sanctions against Russia, though it is not clear that that would happen.

"I can't imagine that all of these oligarchs whose families are now being affected, whose assets and goods are now being affected, wouldn't consider the release of Paul and Trevor a very small price to pay in order to get some relief themselves," Whelan said.

Ukraine, meanwhile, is holding North Dakota farmer Kurt Groszhans, accused in a plot to assassinate a current member of the country's political cabinet. His family and supporters say the charges are trumped up, and were designed to silence Groszhan's own allegations of government corruption in Ukraine.

Kristi Magnusson, Groszhan's sister, said in a statement provided to AP that she was concerned that the State Department was not "advocating for his release because it would be inferring that Ukraine is engaged in corrupt activities right at a time when State is focused on being as supportive as possible of Ukraine against the Russians.

"We support the Ukrainian people against Russia as well, but our brother is a sitting duck in that prison and we need him to be released so at least he can try to survive on his own," she added.

Unlike Reed and Whelan, the U.S. has not designated Groszhans as a wrongful detainee.
Asked about the likely fate that wouldve awaited him had he stayed, Wakil Qazizada put it this way:

He held his index finger to his throat and made a cutting motion.

With his limited English, the gesture spoke louder than any words he mightve summoned. And the point couldnt have been more clear.

For Qazizada  as well as for his brother Wali Khan  there was no choice. It was leave Afghanistan or die.

Today, eight months since making that choice, the future for both brothers is looking much brighter.

They recently started new lives in Tulsa with their families. Their days of fear and uncertainty seem to be behind them.

Qazizada, Khan and their families are among more than 850 Afghan refugees whove arrived in Tulsa since last September and now call eastern Oklahoma home.

Tulsas allotment of refugees, all officially now here, are among the more than 1,800 allotted to the state  among the tens of thousands who were evacuated from Afghanistan with the U.S. withdrawal.

The brothers families are being resettled through Congregation Bnai Emunah, which has been approved as a resettlement agency, working in conjunction with Catholic Charities.

The brothers, who spoke with the Tulsa World recently through an interpreter, were among the last to be evacuated from Kabul airport in August.

We were nervous, Qazizada said of all the unknowns that accompanied their arrival in the U.S.

But after weeks on an American military base, their reception in Tulsa has helped ease most of their fears.

We are so thankful, said Qazizada, who has found his new community to be warm and inviting, from the airport welcome to the temporary meals and hotel stay to the support in finding a more permanent home.

The best thing about Tulsa so far, though, has been what the brothers have not encountered here: war.

The pair, natives of a village in eastern Afghanistan, have been directly affected by warfare for years. In fact, two of their brothers who were in the Afghan army were both killed in the fighting.

Qazizada and Khan both worked in various roles for the U.S. military.

Its because of those ties that they feared for their lives after the Americans pulled out.

You really feel for them

The Qazizada and Khan families arrived in Tulsa two months apart.

Since the Khans touched down four weeks ago, its been a time of joyful reunion.

While awaiting permanent housing of their own, Khan and his family moved in with the Qazizadas, who arrived in December and are now in a three-bedroom rental home.

Its made for quite the full house.

Qazizada and his wife, Jannara, have six children, while Khan and his wife, Naveda, boast seven.

The children range in age from 1 to 16, and those who are school age are attending Tulsa Public Schools.

Meanwhile, the brothers are putting themselves in position to support their families.

Qazizada recently started work with AAON, which employs several Afghan refugees at its Tulsa manufacturing facility.

Khan is still awaiting some final documentation before he can seek a job.

Amber Knecht, director of refugee resettlement for the synagogue, which is resettling a total of 59 refugees, said both families are making good progress with the transition, and thats no small thing.

She was more worried for the Qazizadas and Khans, she said, than for most of the others.

Our other families who came were speaking Dari or came from Kabul (the capital), Knecht said. The brothers come from a really remote area and speak an uncommon language (Pashayi). So I thought they were going to struggle with the transition.

But, she added, its been the complete opposite.

They have this amazing drive, Knecht said. They want to figure things out and do well. I think living in difficult situations has helped them become resourceful.

As their adjustment to America continues, the families are thankful for the Tulsans who are helping them.

That includes Mike and Jennifer Kneafsey, who own the Qazizadas house.

They have nothing to offer, and yet their generosity is just amazing, said Mike Kneafsey. He and his wife have formed a bond with the families despite the language barrier.

And instead of expecting things, they want to pitch in; they want to help, he said.

Kneafsey said he became the Qazizadas landlord after Rabbi Daniel Kaiman from Bnai Emunah, a former neighbor, reached out about possible vacancies in his rental properties.

One had just come open, so Kneafsey agreed to take on the family, whose refugee aid includes rental assistance.

They have been just amazing, Kneafsey said. You really feel for them and their situation.

About their own housing situation, the Khan family received good news last week.

A permanent place had been identified, meaning they would be able to move out of the Qazizadas house.

Khan, who like his brother is affable and upbeat, reacted to the news cheerfully.

I was happy here at my brothers, he said. And for sure, Ill be happy there.

Double the pressure

Any happiness the brothers experience in Tulsa, however, is tempered by sobering thoughts.

They have family members still in Afghanistan, and they worry about them, especially their parents.

Economic hardships following the Taliban takeover are causing widespread suffering. The brothers hope to be in a position soon to send money to their parents.

Knecht, who has worked in refugee resettlement for 15 years, said the Afghan situation is unique in her experience.

Refugees come with all kinds of trauma stories. With the Afghans, it seems to be double the pressure, she said.

Not only are the Afghans challenged with adjusting to their new world, but they are hearing from their families who need food and are starving, Knecht said.

Ive never had an entire group (of refugees) needing to send money back home, she said.

While loved ones in Afghanistan are never far from their minds, the brothers still are glad for their families in Tulsa.

The possibilities for their children are especially exciting.

Qazizada said one of his daughters has already decided she wants to be a police officer.

Were happy that they pursue education, he said. It will give them the choice whatever they want to do. Its their choice.

When he hears statements like that one, Kaiman, who led the effort for the synagogue to become a refugee agency, cant help but smile.

He said stories like that of the brothers remind him of his own family, which included a grandfather who was a Holocaust survivor, and his mother, a Cuban refugee.

Its because of their bravery and sacrifice, he said, that hes able to be who he is today.

And that makes him excited about what lies ahead for the Qazizada and Khan children.

I think a lot about what I hope their kids and grandkids will be doing with their opportunities, Kaiman said.

Featured video:
A battle over a Congolese statue owned by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts has thrust the local museum into the international spotlight.

The item in question is a wooden statue of Maximilien Balot that is currently on display in the African art galleries at the VMFA.

Balot was an abusive Belgian colonizer who was murdered in an uprising in the Congo in 1931. Later, a sculpture of the European oppressor was carved in wood by a native artist, to contain and control the Belgians spirit, in accordance with the beliefs of the Pende people. The VMFA purchased the Balot sculpture from collector Herbert F. Weiss in March 2015 for $25,000.

An art museum in the Congo called the White Cube has accused the VMFA of stonewalling requests for a loan of the Balot sculpture, an object it says belongs to the Congolese people.

After 18 months of trying to obtain the Balot statue on loan with no success, the White Cube decided to go a different route.

Last month, the White Cube decided to mint digital images of the Balot statue  known as non-fungible tokens, or NFTs  and sell them to raise funds and buy back land in Congo. A group associated with the museum, the Congolese Plantation Workers Art League  also known as CATPC  describes this as digital restitution.

We received a letter from the director of the VMFA stating that the requested loan was regrettably not possible, without any opening as to when it would be possible, said Cedart Tamasala, part of the group. This is when CATPC decided to investigate alternative opportunities to get back the power of the sculpture.

To create the NFT, the White Cube took an image of Balot from the VMFAs website without the VMFAs permission.

The Virginia Museum of Arts open-access policy specifically applies only to non-commercial use. The image used to create the NFT was lifted directly from VMFAs website without the museums permission and is being used for commercial purposes, Jan Hatchette, a spokesperson for the VMFA, said via email. Its use for financial gain as an NFT violates our open access policy. It is both unacceptable and unprofessional.

The controversy between the VMFA and the White Cube has already been written about in The Guardian, a daily British newspaper, and Artnet.com, an art market website.

This has become a big issue in the art world over the past several years, said Amy L. Rector, an associate professor of anthropology at VCU. Were seeing this at Western art museums that own art as a result of colonization. Its leading to bigger conversations such as, whose art is it? Who should own it? Who should benefit from it? And who should get to make those decisions?

Idea behind the White Cube

The White Cube is a small 1,290-square foot museum built in the town of Lusanga in Congo. Its construction was finished in 2019, with final stages of climate control and security completed in April 2021.

It looks exactly like its name: a white, angular cube located in the middle of an abandoned plantation.

The White Cube was established by CATPC, a cooperative of plantation workers, along with the help of the Dutch artist Renzo Martens, who helped secure funding for the White Cube building, which was designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas firm OMA.

The idea behind the White Cube is part of a masterplan conceived to support a new art economic model that includes local Congolese labourers in arts creation and profit sharing, according to the museums website.

Martens most recent collaboration with the White Cube is a series of six short documentaries that tell the story of the White Cube, the artists in CATPC and their connection to the Balot sculpture. The documentaries can be viewed on Martens website for the Institute for Human Activities.

We built our own museum. Inside, its still empty, Tamasala, one of the artists of CATPC, says in the documentary. Right now, theres one specific sculpture we need. It has to come back. Its the sculpture our ancestors made of Balot.

Tamasala said that the White Cube wanted to bring the Balot statue back to the Congo to rekindle our relation with our heritage, and retrieve the powers that are contained in the sculpture.

In February 2020, Tamasala and fellow artist Matthieu Kasiama traveled to the VMFA, where they met with Richard Woodward, the founding curator of VMFAs African art collection. In the documentary, Tamasala and Kasiama asked if the statue could be loaned to the White Cube.

That would be a very interesting possibility to explore to be able to share the work back, said Woodward. As a museum that cares for the preservation of these objects, we go through certain formalities about an agreement and shipping and display. You know, conditions of security and things like that.

The VMFA said Woodward was retired at the time of the interview.

According to the VMFA, a formal loan request for the statue from the Institute for Human Activities, where Martens is artistic director, was received on March 19, 2021.

At that time, the White Cube building was not yet complete and the VMFA could not commit to lend the sculpture, Hatchette said.

CATPC said it requested the sculpture from the VMFA for 18 months, to no avail.

The group said thats when it decided to create an NFT of the Balot sculpture.

CATPC describes minting the Balot sculpture as an NFT as one of the first global instances of digital restitution. The Balot NFT  will put digital ownership of culture back into the hands of the many and helps buy back land once stolen and exhausted  In a radical new model of restitution, blockchain-based NFT technology becomes a tool for decolonization.

The group plans to put 300 Balot NFTs on the market later this year. The goal is to use the funds to buy back land on the former Unilever plantation where they live and where the White Cube is located.

They have already bought back around 100 hectares of land once controlled by Unilever, according to Artnet.

Buyers [of the NFT] get a digital rendering of the sculpture, based on photographic reproduction from the VMFAs website, it says on the Institute for Human Activities website. Every purchase helps to ultimately unleash the powers of the sculpture and make it work for the community: sales directly buy back land  and [provide] autonomy and food security for plantation workers in one of the most impoverished areas of the world.

This gesture is a bit of a renegade, do-it-yourself attitude. If the VMFA wasnt going to loan the statue, CATPC decided to create its own version of the statue via a series of NFTs.

Indeed, a handful of museums are entering the blockchain space and minting NFTs as a mode of fundraising and monetizing digital collections, such as The British Museum and the Uffizi Gallery in Italy.

According to the IHA website, CATPC intends to use the window of opportunity that is offered by NFT digital ownership to claim lost art and restitute its functions: by using NFTs the powers of these objects can be reclaimed, even if the physical art is held by unwilling museums.

Impoverishment on the plantations is rampant: it is now essential that local communities make use of this technology and control the powers of their lost art, rather than the institutions that were built on the exploitation of their labour and culture.

We believe it is fair use for us to download the image from the VMFA website, Tamasala said via email. This image is the only way to get access to a sculpture that intellectually and artistically belongs to our community.

VMFA in media spotlight

The controversy puts the VMFA in an uncomfortable position in the media spotlight, particularly for a museum that has publicly said that it intends to be one of the top three museums in the world for African American art.

The Guardian noted that the controversy highlights tensions between Western art museums displaying artifacts from the colonial era and the countries from where the works were taken.

In my opinion, the answer from the VMFA should have been, Of course we will get this statue back to you. Lets work on the best way to do that, VCUs Rector said. But hidden in those discussions is the way that Western art museums maintain this colonial perspective of, Were not going to give it to you until your facility is as secure as we want it to be, or, You havent given us enough information for a loan. To me, thats the responsibility of an art museum. To make sure that those who are tied to this piece of artwork and who find meaning in it can get access to it.

The VMFA said that they never received actual loan dates from White Cube, which was still under construction when the museum first contacted the VMFA and could not provide a facilities report that met museum standards.

The VMFA added that the NFT had to have been planned for some time, at least as early as November 2021. This shows bad faith on their part since we were in regular email contact for almost two years.

The VMFA said it no longer intends to loan the Balot sculpture for exhibition at the White Cube gallery because unfortunately, the minting of the NFT has broken all trust between VMFA and the exhibition organizers, Hatchette said.

We are sad  that the museum qualifies us as unprofessional and that the VMFA director no longer intends to loan the work to CATPC for an exhibition at White Cube, Tamasala said via email.

We could turn this around. Is it professional for the director of the VMFA to not even be interested in having a professional conversation about cultural heritage with the source community? Is it professional to not seriously answer a loan request? Tamasala asked.

While the Balot sculpture is currently on view at the VMFA in the African art galleries, it will be on loan to the North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh, North Carolina, from Aug. 1 of this year until Aug. 1, 2023.

The VMFA has been in the middle of similar conflicts before.

In 2018, the VMFA returned a painting  Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints Nicholas of Tolentino and Sebastian  that had been stolen by the Nazis, to its original Jewish owners.

Since The Guardian and Artnet articles were published, the VMFA has said that it is conducting more research into the Balot sculpture. We are currently in the process of working with various partners to ensure that this matter is handled appropriately, a spokesperson said.

VMFA takes seriously, and responds to, all restitution claims for works in our collection. We have not received a claim from the Democratic Republic of the Congo for the Balot sculpture, a spokesperson for the VMFA said.

Tamasala said his groups stance is unchanging.

The sculpture was made to resist forced labor. We still need the sculpture, he said. If the VMFA says it no longer intends a loan request, one may question whether the VMFA has the skills and knowledge to conserve this sculpture at all.

Twitter: @collcurran
HYDERABAD: Investigating officials ruled out involvement of more suspects or links in connection to the conspiracy to execute tourism minister V. Srinivas Goud, other than the six accused who have been arrested.

Sources revealed that the police filed a custody petition and are awaiting an order to question the PA to former MP Jitender Reddy.

The Cyberabad police, who arrested six persons, Raghavendra Raju, Madhusudhana Raju, Munnuru Ravi, Ch Nagaraju, Bhandekar Viswanath and Varda Yadiah, said the gang hatched a conspiracy and was offered `15 crore supari to kill Goud. Country-made weapons and other incriminatory evidences were seized from them, the police said.

Sources close to the investigation officials said they were awaiting custody orders to question Jitender Raju, PA to Jitender Reddy, who shall appear before the police on Monday. No more suspects are found in the case. We will be inquiring about their contacts in Uttar Pradesh pertaining to the country-made weapons we seized from them, sources said.

Cyberabad police commissioner Stephen Ravindra said following a complaint from one Mohammed Farooq, a 45-year-old businessman from Shamshabad, the murder plot was unfolded.

Farooq said when he went to the excise court in Mahbubnagar, two persons approached him and introduced themselves as Raghu and Nagaraju. They told him Mahbubnagar market committee chairman Amar was their brother and they were facing a problem from one Ghulam Hyder Ali, who stayed with a VIP, and sought his help because he was troubling their family members. The complainant also stated that they came to Petbasheerabad to escape as they feared threat to their lives.

Based on the complaint, Petbasheerabad police registered cases of attempt to murder and criminal conspiracy under the IPC and the Arms Act.

"On February 26, we arrested Nagaraju, Viswanath and Yadaiah for committing an offense. It was also revealed that the three had colluded with Madhusudhan Rau, Raghavendra Raju and Munnuru Ravi to allegedly kill the minister. After purchasing country-made weapons from Uttar Pradesh, Raju, Rau and Ravi went to Delhi from Vizag and took shelter at Jitender Reddy's staff quarters," the commissioner said.
New Delhi: While a majority of Indians have left the eastern Ukrainian city Kharkiv, around 700 Indian students still remain stranded in Sumy, which has now become the main challenge for the Indian Government. India on Saturday said its main focus now is on the evacuation of these 700 Indian students from Sumy which has been witnessing bombings and airstrikes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called another high-level meeting on Saturday to discuss India's evacuation efforts.

Several of these students in Sumy threatened on Saturday morning to march several kilometres to Mariupol in southern Ukraine to escape the fierce fighting but were later convinced by Indian diplomats to remain where they are and avoid taking unnecessary risks.

As evacuation from the shelling-battered city remains a challenge for Indian authorities, the students said they could no longer cope with the nail-biting cold, depleting food supplies and having to melt snow to get drinking water. The students have released several desperate videos on social media, saying they have decided to undertake the potentially fatal journey to the Russian border, some 50km from where they are, sending shockwaves in New Delhi. Students hoped they would be picked up by Indian authorities from the Russians border.

"We are afraid. We have awaited a lot and we cannot wait anymore. We are risking our life. We are moving towards the border. If anything happens to us, all the responsibility will be on the government and Indian embassy," a student, surrounded by a large number of his peers holding Indian flags, says in one of the videos. In another video, students are seen filling up buckets with ice as they ran out of drinking water.

New Delhi said the Indian students stuck in Sumy could not be evacuated due to fierce shelling in the vicinity of their locations. India is trying its best to persuade both Russia and Ukraine to implement a local ceasefire so that a humanitarian corridor can be provided for the safe evacuation of the Indian students. Reaching out to the desperate Indian students, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Mr Arindam Bagchi said, "We know you are in a tough situation. We feel your pain." He said the Indiana authorities are talking to the students. They have gone back to their shelters ... I salute them," he said, adding that the government is doing its best to evacuate these students as soon as possible.

Indian ambassador to Ukraine, Mr Partha Satpathy said no stone will be left unturned for the safe evacuation of Indians from Sumy as he hailed the unparalleled strength and fortitude displayed by the young citizens in dealing with the adversities. "The last two weeks have been extremely harrowing and challenging for all of us. Hardly anyone would have ever witnessed such pain and disruption in our lives. Nonetheless, I am proud of the maturity and fortitude displayed by our Indian nationals, especially young Indian students, in continuing to stay brave during these difficult times. Our embassy will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to ensure the safe evacuation of Indian students. I know that our students have been through a lot and have shown unparalleled strength and determination during these times. I urge you for some more patience and forbearance so that we can ensure your safety and security," Mr Satpathy said.

After the assurances, the students have halted their journey for now."We had already started moving after we gave up hope on the government coming to our rescue. But now with the new advisory, we are confused whether we should take the risk at all. I am so scared," said Md Nizamuddin Aman (21), a first-year MBBS student at Sumy State University.

While the eastern border with Russia is much closer from Sumy, it is being seen as more difficult to extricate the students from there due to the two battle frontlines manned by the Russians and Ukranians. The MEA spokesperson said the railway lines from Sumy have been damaged, hence, evacuation from there would have to be by road in buses or trucks.

New Delhi was encouraged by other positive developments wherein almost all Indian students who were stuck in Kharkiv reached the nearby town of Pisochyn from where they are being evacuated in buses to western Ukraine from where they can cross the border for onward evacuation to India. The Indian Embassy in Ukraine tweeted late on Saturday evening, "Pisochyn has been evacuated of all Indian citizens. Mission will continue to remain in touch with them through their journey. Their safety has always been our priority. "
Abraht, 23, fled her home in Ethiopia's Tigray region eight months ago when she was already two months pregnant with her first child.  UNHCR/Olga Sarrado Mur

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is appealing for US$205 million to deliver life-saving assistance and protection to over 1.6 million people displaced due to the conflict in northern Ethiopia.

Sixteen months of conflict in northern Ethiopia has created a humanitarian crisis. Civilians, including refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs) have been displaced, amid widespread reports of gender-based violence, human rights abuses, loss of shelter and access to basic services, and critical levels of food insecurity.

More than 2 million Ethiopians have fled in search of safety within the country, and almost 60,000 across the border into Sudan. Several camps and settlements hosting Eritrean refugees have been attacked or destroyed, further displacing tens of thousands within Ethiopia.

Funds raised will help us to provide essential protection and humanitarian assistance to those impacted by the violence. At least 60,000 IDP households will be assisted with shelter and emergency relief items. We will establish additional protection desks adding to the more than 60 already set up  to identify people with specific needs and to refer survivors of gender-based violence to services, and we will support the reintegration of 75,000 IDP families, who wish to return to their homes.

We welcome the quick response of the Ethiopian government to identify new sites to settle the displaced refugees, which requires resources. UNHCR will work with the governments Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS) and partners to complete the Alemwach site, in the Amhara region, so that Eritrean refugees can be relocated as soon as it is possible to do so, and to ensure essential services. A new temporary site for Eritrean refugees caught up in the fighting in Afar region is similarly in need of urgent investment. Together with RRS and partners, we are aiming to get 20,000 refugee children back into school.

In eastern Sudan, UNHCR will provide critical protection and assistance to Ethiopian refugees, including by building shelters that are more durable, and strengthening health care and education. Activities to prevent and respond to gender-based violence and to provide psychosocial and mental health support will be scaled up.

UNHCR will also boost preparedness for flooding and extreme weather ahead of the upcoming rainy season. Opportunities to earn an income will be enhanced both for refugees and the communities that host them.

Of the US$205 million, US$117 million will support the needs of Ethiopian IDPs and Eritrean refugees in the Afar, Amhara, and Tigray regions of Ethiopia, while US$72 million will help us support Ethiopian refugees in Sudan. Some US$16 million will be used for preparedness as part of contingency measures for any potential influx into neighbouring countries (Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia and South Sudan).

While UNHCR continues to reinforce its protection and humanitarian assistance, we reiterate our call to all parties of the conflict to protect civilians in line with their obligations under international humanitarian law and to provide safe and unhindered access to all those in need.

Video: https://media.unhcr.org/Share/e02nehod032xvnh1w8sb6832sl333yg1

https://media.unhcr.org/Share/e02nehod032xvnh1w8sb6832sl333yg1 Link to Ethiopia Regional Appeal https://reporting.unhcr.org/ethiopia-regional-appeal-2022

For more information on this topic, please contact:
It is no longer enough to express warm platitudes about the rules-based international order. We are going to have to actively defend it against a sustained attempt to rewrite the rules by force and other tools, such as economic coercion. We must restore effective deterrence in Europe, where, for too long, the very success of NATO and of Americas security guarantee has bred complacency. What happens in Europe will have profound implications worldwide.

We are pleased to see more nations beginning to grasp this hard reality. In January, the United Kingdom was among a handful of European countries sending defensive aid to Ukraine. Now more than 20 countries are part of that effort. Defense spending is going up, though it will take time for that to translate into capability.

Thats a welcome development, but it is not going to be enough on its own to save Ukraine or keep the flame of freedom alive. Russia has overwhelming force and apparently no regard for the laws of war. We need to prepare now for even darker days ahead.

So we must begin a six-point plan for Ukraine, starting today.

First, we must mobilize an international humanitarian coalition. On Monday, I will meet the leaders of Canada and the Netherlands in London to talk about creating the widest possible coalition to expose the outrages that are taking place in Ukraine. On Tuesday, I will host the leaders of Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic, now on the front line of a refugee crisis. The United Kingdom has 1,000 troops on standby for humanitarian operations, on top of 220 million pounds ($291 million) of aid. We must all work together to establish an immediate cease-fire and allow civilians safe passage, food and medical supplies.

Second, we must do more to help Ukraine to defend itself. More and more nations are willing to provide defensive equipment. We must act quickly to coordinate our efforts to support the government of Ukraine.

Third, we must maximize the economic pressure on Mr. Putins regime. We must go further on economic sanctions, expelling every Russian bank from SWIFT and giving our law enforcement agencies unprecedented powers to peel back the facade of dirty Russian money in London. We must go after the oligarchs. So far, the United Kingdom has imposed sanctions on more than 300 elites and entities, including Mr. Putin himself. But these measures will be insufficient unless Europe begins to wean itself off the Russian oil and gas that bankroll Mr. Putins war machine.
Headlines have been loaded this week, from war to politics. We've gathered five animal videos for you to enjoy a break from the headlines.

Susie, dog who inspired tougher animal cruelty laws, plays with her new toy

Susie, a dog once left for dead in a Greensboro park and the inspiration for tougher animal cruelty laws in North Carolina, is being honored. The Guilford County Animal Resource's surgery facility is being named for the pit bull-shepherd mix.

Cheetah Nurses Her Newborn Cubs at Australian Safari Park

Montaro Safari Park in South Australia is celebrating the birth of two cheetah cubs.

The park released footage on March 3 showing the cheetah mother nursing the two newborns. Nine-year-old Kesho gave birth for the third time to two cubs Thursday, Feb. 24, the park said.

The park reported that the cheetah mother has been very loving and attentive to her spotty cubs, who have been seen rolling around and cuddling together via a den cam.

Keeper Michelle Lloyd said the team were overjoyed with the news. It is so special for us to welcome cheetah cubs, particularly because they are so vulnerable to extinction, she said. Every birth is hugely significant and gives hope for the species and their conservation in the wild," she added.

Shelter Dog Dives Into Fresh Powder to Make Snow Angels in Southern Maine

An energetic pup at an animal shelter in Fryeburg, Maine, welcomed fresh snow on Wednesday, March 2. Footage filmed by Harvest Hills Animal Shelter shows Odin ecstatically squirming about in the snow. Odin, most aggressive snow-angel maker, the shelter wrote in a Facebook caption.

Moose Walk Along Snowy Colorado Landscape

A pair of moose walked along a snowy landscape in Keystone, Colorado, on March 4, footage published on Twitter shows.

This footage was published by Twitter user @RehabStaffer, who said it was captured by their Nest camera. According to the National Weather Service, the area saw between 12 and 18 inches of snow over the weekend. The NWS forecast the arrival of a series of low pressure systems on Friday night.

Firefighters rescue dog floating on an ice chunk in the Detroit River

Michigan police and other officials came to the rescue of a labradoodle stranded on a piece of ice in the Detroit River on Monday, February 28.

According to the Wyandotte Police Department, the dog jumped into the river after escaping from her owner, and managed to climb onto a drifting ice chunk.

Our team was able to move the ice close to the riverbank, and our fire department snagged the dog around its neck with a catchpole, wrote the police department. The rescuer did this while standing on a slippery ladder that was submerged in the river while his coworkers held onto him via a rope.

This video shared by the police shows rescuers pulling the dog, named Lucy, to safety.
Mad Max: Fury Road is an action film starring Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron. The movie made waves with critics as well as fans when it was released in 2015 and was widely viewed as a return to form for apocalyptic action movies.

Mad Max: Fury Road was directed by the acclaimed filmmaker George Miller, but there were many creatives who had a hand in making the finished film what it was, including Millers wife, the unassuming and devoted Margaret Sixel, who has helped Miller in many of his high-profile ventures. In fact, for her work on Mad Max: Fury Road, Sixel scored one of the film industrys highest honors.

George Miller and Margaret Sixel are professional partners as well as husband and wife

Sixel was born in South Africa and studied film editing at college. In the late 80s, Sixel met her future husband, George Miller. The two would eventually get married in 1995 and welcome two children.

Long before Miller was a prominent Hollywood director, he was working on projects with his wife and collaborator. Over the years, Miller and Sixel developed a strong bond, and when it came time for Miller to hire an editor for his film Mad Max: Fury Road, he knew that there was only one person for the job.

According to Below the Line, Sixel didnt initially want to work on the film, however. George was going to be away for at least eight months shooting in Namibia and as we have two teenage sons together, I was concerned that I might not have enough hours in the day, Sixel admitted. She was eventually persuaded to edit the film after seeing initial footage, in particular, the opening scene where Max eats the lizard in the desert.

Margaret Sixel dedicated months of work to Mad Max: Fury Road

Margaret Sixel | Dan MacMedan/WireImage

In the end, as Below the Line reports, it took Sixel two years to edit all the footage from Mad Max: Fury Road. We had 480 hours of material. That alone takes about 3 months to watch before you can even do anything with it, Sixel said.

Ultimately, Mad Max: Fury Road was a critical darling after it was released, earning 10 Academy Award nominations and six total awards. One of those awards was for film editing and went to Millers hardworking wife, Margaret Sixel. Notably, it was the very first action film that Sixel had edited in her lengthy career.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sixel became the 12th woman to win the Academy Award for film editing. Sixel also eventually took home the BAFTA Award for Best Editing. Miller praised his wife for her dedication to the film, noting that she has a super brain and can solve a problem like a Rubiks Cube.

Speaking to the specific difficulties that accompanied the editing of Mad Max: Fury Road, Miller said there must be a progression in what the audience learns about the characters and what the world is about. And you are doing it on the run  theres no stopping for exposition.

What other film work has Margaret Sixel done?

Mad Max: Fury Road might be the first action movie that Sixel has worked on with her husband, but shes got several other impressive film credits on her resume. Sixel and Miller worked together on the 1998 film Babe: Pig in the City and the animated family film Happy Feet. Through it all, Sixel and Miller have managed to carve out an incredibly impressive partnership that has lasted decades.

As Sixel joked in a 2015 interview with The Sydney Morning Herald about her film work with her husband, together we make the complete person. Clearly, their partnership has managed to be successful on all levels, since they have a happy family as well as a string of hit movies to their credit.

RELATED: Charlize Therons Movie Scenes With This Co-Star Were Rough
On Sunday afternoon Interisland announced they have received dispensation from Maritime NZ for two sailings to go ahead on Sunday night if no additional crew test positive for Covid-19.

About 55 Interisland ferry staff have Covid-19 or are isolating as close contacts, initially forcing the cancellation of today's Cook Strait crossings.

Maritime NZ have now allowed two sailings to go ahead if the stipulated criteria are met. These are 8pm Wellington to Picton, with latest check in 7pm, and 12.40am Picton to Wellington, with latest check in 11.40 pm.

About 900 passengers were booked to travel between Picton and Wellington, but sailings were cancelled earlier on Sunday because there were not enough specialist staff to crew them.

"We cancelled several passenger sailings today due to multiple crew members testing positive for Covid-19. The health and safety of our passengers and crew is our top priority," says an Interisland spokesperson.

"We hope to confirm these sailings following an additional round of testing. We will open any available spaces for booking on the website once we have confirmed our ability to safely sail. You will be able to login to our website and reschedule existing bookings at that time.

"We are offering full refunds, on all fare types, if you would prefer to travel at another time.

"We recommend you can cancel bookings by logging into our website, or filling out the online refund form because our contact centre is currently experiencing very heavy call volumes.

A guide to cancelling travel is available through the website.

Earlier: 2pm:

Earlier on Sunday Interisland announced that under maritime law we are unable to carry passengers without a minimum contingent of crew.

"We have been moving crew between our ships to keep our services operating but this isnt possible today," says a KiwiRail spokesperson.

Our team is working hard to keep our ships sailing as Omicron continues its spread throughout the community. We know any disruption to travel is an inconvenience.

But given uncertainties of when staff will be cleared to work again and the possibility of further positive Covid-19 test results in our team, we are unable to rebook [passengers] onto another sailing in the near future, the company says.

We are processing refunds today or you can go to the website and cancel your sailing yourself. If you are booked to travel with us this week or through to the end of March, we are offering full refunds, for all fare types. You can cancel your travel by logging into the website or by calling 0800 802 802, 8am-5pm Monday to Sunday.

If you have paid for your Interislander travel by credit card you can cancel online regardless of the fare type you booked. If you have paid by direct debit you will need to ring 0800 802 802 or fill out the online refund form.

Passenger services were cancelled today, but the ferries would still able to sail carrying freight.

The company had been reorganising crew rosters between ships to keep services operating, but even then wasn't able to meet the crew requirements for the Kaitaki because of the number of staff off sick.

The company requires all passengers to show proof they're fully vaccinated, or a negative Covid-19 test from within 72 hours of their trip.

A Bluebridge spokeswoman said while some of their staff also have the virus the company hasn't had to cancel any sailings and Bluebridge passenger sailings are continuing as scheduled.
Climate anxiety, eco-grief and despair are common maladies in contemporary society, and scholar Dr. Elin Kelsey is concerned about the impact of this on our ability to act with courage, creativity and energy to solve the existential problems facing us.

Her keynote address, to be delivered Friday, March 18, at 8 p.m. at the Moss Arts Center, is titled Hope Matters: Why Overcoming Doom and Gloom is Essential to Achieving Climate Justice.

Part of Communicating Science Week at Virginia Tech, the talk will provide audience members with examples of what Kelsey calls evidence-based hope, stories of ecosystem resilience, ocean conservation successes, species recovery, and communities coming together to effect positive change.

Hope lies in the capacity of stories to transform, Kelsey said.

The author of the 2021 book Hope Matters: Why Changing the Way We Think is Critical to Solving the Environmental Crisis, Kelsey is a leading spokesperson, scholar and educator in the area of evidence-based hope. Her work focuses on the reciprocal relationship between humans and the rest of nature, and she has a particular interest in the emotional implications of the narrative of environmental doom and gloom on children and adults.

Doom and gloom news stories about climate change and biodiversity loss may serve to get peoples attention, Kelsey acknowledges. But they can also result in paralyzing grief and anxiety, leaving people feeling helpless and powerless at a time when it is essential we all act.

With collaborators, Kelsey has created An Existential Toolkit for Climate Justice Educators, a collection of resources for educators working to help students develop emotional resiliency in the face of the climate crisis.

In her book Hope Matters, Kelsey provides many environmental success stories and explains that information about environmental problems can paralyze or motivate us. While fully acknowledging that our planet is struggling, she points out that its also true that change is afoot  and that we often dont notice it.

Kelsey wants to help people learn to see the progress that is occurring and to feel hope for the future. If we dont think to look for change, she explained, we fail to see the shifts occurring all around us. And when we dont see those shifts and signs of progress, we sink into despair.

Feeling hope is not an acceptance of a bleak future, Kelsey says: Hope is not complacent. It is a powerful political act.

Passionate about bringing science-based stories of hope and multispecies resilience to the public, Kelsey has worked with the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society and the Rockefeller Foundation. As an adjunct faculty member of the University of Victoria School of Environmental Studies, she is spearheading the development of a solutions-oriented paradigm for educating environmental scientists and social scientists.

Kelsey is also the author of several childrens picture books. On Saturday, March 19, the Blacksburg public library will be distributing a take-home packet of crafts and activities for kindergartners through second graders that explores Earth and the natural world through Kelseys book You Are Stardust. An in-person You Are Stardust storytime event will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 2, at the Meadowbrook Library, 267 Alleghany Spring Road, Shawsville.

Kelseys March 18 talk, hosted by the Center for Communicating Science as the keynote address for Communicating Science Week, is open to the public free of charge. Please check the Moss Arts Center website to learn about current masking, vaccination, and Covid-19 testing requirements.

The full slate of events for Communicating Science Week is available at the centers website.
A health worker administers COVID-19 vaccine to a woman at a residential area in Ahmedabad, Saturday, March 5, 2022. (AP/Ajit Solanki)

New Delhi: COVID cases in India witness a dip as the country logged 5,476 new infections in the last 24 hours, Union Health Ministry informed on Sunday.

With this, the active COVID cases stand at 59,442, taking the weekly positivity rate to 0.77 per cent and the daily positivity rate to 0.60 per cent.

Ministry, in a press release, informed that the last 24 hours saw 9,754 recoveries from the virus and 158 COVID deaths.

As many as 9,09,985 COVID tests were conducted in the last 24 hours. India has so far conducted a cumulative of over 77.28 crore (77,28,24,246) COVID tests.

With the administration of more than 26.19 lakh doses (26,19,778) vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 178.83 Crore (1,78,83,79,249).
HYDERABAD: Congress state president A. Revanth Reddy predicted that Assembly elections would be held in Telangana by March next. Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao would dissolve the Assembly in December and would not set up any front, he claimed.

Revanth Reddy alleged that BJP leader Subramanya Swamy prepared a corruption list of Chandrashekar Rao. In Jharkhand, Chandrashekar Rao expressed his inability in setting up any front, he said. There is no use for Chandrashekar Raos state tours, he opined.

The TPCC president addressed party activists at meetings in Medchal, Quthbullapur and Kukatpally Assembly constituencies on Saturday. Speaking at various meetings, Revanth Reddy said 2.50 lakh government jobs would be provided within one year after the Congress came to power. He said not only Telangana state, the entire country would be in safe hands, if Rahul Gandhi became the Prime Minister.

"I assured the AICC of 30 lakh digital membership in Telangana state and achieved it," Revanth Reddy said. He reiterated that if 40 lakh party members brought 80 lakh votes, Congress would get 90 MLA seats. Activists are the main pillars of the party. Earlier the Congress was a leaders party, but now it will be an activists party, he said.

He said importance would be given to the party activists in implementation of welfare schemes. Posts would be allotted to those who worked hard for the Congress, he said. Revanth Reddy said Chief Minister's official residence Pragathi Bhavan would be converted as Dr B.R. Ambedkar knowledge centre on the day one of the Congress government.
Pump shots: The Ukraine crisis has given Oklahomas congressional delegation another reason to holler about the Biden administrations energy policy and call for more production of domestic oil and gas.

Despite wide-ranging economic sanctions against Russia  and individual Russians  the U.S. continues to import as much as 700,000 barrels of Russian oil a day. Oklahomas congressional delegation  and a good many other people  are clamoring for that to stop, both to cut off payments to Russia and to increase pressure for greater domestic production.

President Biden condemned Putins actions but if he was serious about standing up to him, he would hit him where it hurts: the energy market, said 2nd District Congressman and U.S. Senate candidate Markwayne Mullin. Instead of the unsustainable renewables, expensive electric cars and stifling regulations he mentioned, he would have announced the immediate stop of Russian petroleum and crude oil imports. Now is the time to unleash production of American natural gas and get our producers and drillers back to work.

American-produced energy isnt just good for the American economy and international competitiveness, itll strengthen our relationship with allies and help reduce their dependence on foreign adversaries, said 3rd District Congressman Frank Lucas. Its time to flip the switch and return America to being the worlds energy superpower. Energy-producing states like Oklahoma are ready to step up domestic production in an environmentally responsible way.

The administration, though, argues that its sanctions are intended to maximize damage to Russian President Vladimir Putin and the oligarchs supporting him and to minimize the impact on the United States, its allies and the people of Russia. Stopping oil shipments from Russia, it says, would decrease the allies supply of oil and gas and particularly put eastern Europe in a bind.

The administration also says its renewable energy initiatives will help eliminate oil and gas as a geopolitical friction point.

That doesnt wash with a state  and a congressional delegation  that relies heavily on oil and gas dollars.

Considering that Russias energy industry makes up around one-quarter of its gross domestic product, it is simply common sense for America and our allies to immediately stop buying these products from a country led by an evil and authoritarian dictator  one who waged an unprovoked war against an innocent neighbor and continues to ruthlessly attack the Ukrainian people, said 4th District Congressman Tom Cole.

We need to stop buying Russian oil and refined products, said U.S. Sen. James Lankford. We need to be able to instruct every country in the world and to be able to put out a public list and to be able to make it clear countries in the world that are buying from Russia are sending cash that then is being used to murder the people in Ukraine. We need to knock it off. We should be able to engage in this.

According to federal data, American oil production increased 5% in the first year of Bidens presidency, and rig counts in Oklahoma are up sharply.

Dots and dashes: Lankford was among a large group of Republicans to say they wont support any more funding for COVID-19 relief.  U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe named Dan Hillenbrand his new chief of staff; Hillenbrand has been with Inhofe in various capacities since 2013.  Inhofe joined several other Republican senators in urging the president not to transfer a Guantanamo Bay detainee to Saudi Arabia as planned.  Lankford kept up his complaints about conditions at the U.S.-Mexico border and the administrations handling of undocumented immigration.  Lankford turned 54 last week.

 Randy Krehbiel, Tulsa World

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New Delhi: A special flight carrying 183 Indian citizens stranded in Ukraine reached Delhi on Sunday.

The special flight had departed from Hungary's capital Budapest on Saturday under Operation Ganga.

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav received the passengers at Indira Gandhi International Airport. He also interacted with the students.

Tensions have escalated following Russia's military action against Ukraine.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting on the Ukraine crisis on Saturday. The meeting was attended by Union Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary of India Harsh Vardhan Shringla and other top officials.

The Prime Minister has been regularly chairing high-level meetings over the Ukraine crisis.

Earlier on Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs said that over 13,300 people have returned to India so far under Operation Ganga from crisis-ridden Ukraine. The Ministry also informed that almost all Indians have left Kharkiv city in Ukraine and the main focus of the government is to evacuate citizens from the Sumy area as it is challenging amid ongoing violence and lack of transportation.

The government has also deployed 'special envoys' to five neighbouring countries bordering Ukraine to coordinate and oversee the evacuation process of Indian nationals.

Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities.
On Sunday, March 13, at 3 p.m., the U.S. Fleet Forces Band wind ensemble will perform a concert in the Davis Performance Hall at the Covington Center for the Arts at Radford University.

The wind ensemble will perform a wide range of music including traditional marches, popular songs, patriotic favorites and selections from some of the finest wind band literature. Admission is free and open to the public.

U.S. Fleet Forces Band, under the direction of Lt. Joel Davidson, is the musical representative for Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command in Norfolk. The band provides musical support for ships, military bases, foreign dignitaries and community events throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Ohio River Valley regions.

For more information about the U.S. Fleet Forces Band, please visit www.public.navy.mil/usff/band or follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/usfleetforcesband.
Donald Trump, Laura Ingraham, Tucker Carlson and friends flooded Mar-a-Lago to raise funds for the real victims of the Ukraine invasion  the oligarchs  during Saturday Night Live, touching on everything from the Capitol riots to Harry Potter and Rihannas pregnancy.

Im Tucker Carlson, and Im like if a pair of boat shoes came to life, Alex Moffats Carlson began the cold open on March 5. Im Laura Ingraham. When I watch Harry Potter, I root for Voldemort, Kate McKinnons Ingraham said.

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We got into a weird little bit of trouble for all the nice things we said about Russia and the mean things we said about Ukraine, Moffats Carlson continued.

They went on to say they were also reprimanded for saying on air that they found the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, pathetic because he stayed and fought with his people.

I kept saying we should be more worried about our own border getting invaded by Mexico, Moffat said. But in my defense, I am racist, so I thought that was true.

The Fox News hosts introduced the former president, who was manning the phone lines.

James Austin Johnsons Trump began his tangent by talking about Rihannas recent pregnancy photos.

You know, the thing about Rihanna is she could pull it off, Johnsons Trump said. She could be nine months, her bodys still incredible.  Were seeing this right now, threes, fours  frankly, trolls  are wearing the same see-through shirts, and, you know, I hesitate to say whales because [Im very popular with the whales]  They come up to me on the beach, and they say, Thank you, Mr. President.'

Next up, the Fox hosts welcomed Bowen Yangs great American patriot Steven Seagal, talking about his close relationship with Vladimir Putin.

Story continues

Putin and I are, as they say in ancient Japan, Eskimo brothers. So, Ill be honoring Putin by performing an authentic tae kwon do exhibition, Yangs Seagal said. Now its time to honor myself with a traditional Japanese Shamrock Shake: the official seasonal beverage of all aikido exhibitions.

Then came the real Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Cecily Strongs Kimberly Guilfoyle and Mikey Day as Eric Trump Jr., singing Shallow from A Star Is Born.

After shuffling them off, Moffats Carlson and McKinnons Ingraham showed off free T-shirts they were going to be giving way. The front read, I stormed the Capitol, and the back said, This does not constitute an admission of guilt.

Johnsons Trump ended the cold open by serenading Putin with My Funny Valentine by Frank Sinatra.

Oscar Isaac, whose full name is Oscar Isaac Hernandez Estrada, hosted the episode, touching on being Latin in Hollywood during his opening monologue.

I said to Hollywood, You can pick two of these names. Guess what they went with? The white ones, he joked. Im half Guatemalan, half Cuban  or, as casting directors call that, Ethnically ambiguous. According to them, I can play anything from a pharaoh to Timothee Chalamets daddy.

In true Chloe Fineman fashion, the SNL castmember known for her impressions, spoofed Inventing Anna, Netflixs new show about Anna Delvey, with Inventing Chloe.

The sketch consisted of Fineman running around Studio 8H, speaking in Julia Garners Delvey accent, demanding sketches from people and quoting iconic lines from the series like, I do not have time for this. I do not have time for you, and What are you wearing? You look poor.

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OMAHA  Palmyra  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, Newby said.

Newby is an entertainer at heart and fiction writing is his passion. He is from Chicago and 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, Newby said.

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 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.
Small City Sets Example for Floating Solar, Empowered by NREL Data Set

A First-Ever Approach to Municipally Owned Floating Solar Emerges in Upstate New York

The Cohoes, New York, municipal reservoir (without floating solar), identified by NREL as suitable for floating solar PV, will become the first city-owned-and-operated floating solar installation in the nation. Image from Google Earth

Two city employees of Cohoes, New York, were brainstorming how to power the citys municipal buildings with renewable energy, but few options made sense. Cohoes does not have acres of unused land for solar panels, and the slate-topped buildings cannot hold rooftop solar. Moreover, with its high amount of low- and moderate-income (LMI) residents, 17,000-person Cohoes was not swimming in cash. The solution had to be something localsomething to keep cost savings within the community.

We looked at every aspect of how to add clean energy to our working-class community, said Theresa Bourgeois, director of operations for the city of Cohoes. Then my colleague came upon the idea of floating solar. We considered our 10-acre water reservoir and asked, Can we really utilize this? The more we researched, we realized yes, we can! In fact, its the best possible answer.

No U.S. cities have done anything like what Cohoes was proposing: a municipally-owned and operated floating solar installationbut there was no reason it would not work. Bourgeois and City Planner Joe Seman-Graves did their research and learned that the technology of floating solar is sound and that their reservoir could hold enough panels to power all Cohoes city-owned buildings and streetlightserasing around $500,000 in annual electricity costswith 40% of the generated electricity remaining for civic use. Everything about the project lined up, but at a cost of $6 million, Cohoes needed buy-in from others.

Such clean energy investments are especially challenging for small and LMI cities because municipalities cannot access the same tax incentives as private companies when developing renewable energy. Instead, the city would need to make the case for state, federal, and foundation funding, and for that, they found their pitch in a 2018 National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) report.

Discovery of NREL Study and Data Set Buoys Support for Floating Solar

The NREL report that Bourgeois discovered was Floating Photovoltaic Systems: Assessing the Technical Potential of Photovoltaic Systems on Man-Made Water Bodies in the Continental United States. The report provides coarse yet comprehensive data about potential U.S. floatovoltaic sites, including each reservoirs estimated size, proximity to electric transmission, ownership status, and current use. For Bourgeois and Seman-Graves, NRELs data set was the missing link.

NRELs study gave us confidence and credibility in the power of this idea, that we could generate clean energy in Cohoes, Bourgeois said. We used the basic results in that study to provide information to Congress, to our representatives, to the public, showing that we have a viable option. It really drove our success in building support for the project.

The report portrays floatovoltaics as a large, unexplored opportunity for renewable energy. NREL found that if even a portion of the most suitable reservoirs were covered, floating solar could generate almost 10% of national electricity. That includes almost 25,000 human-made water bodies unused for recreation, mine tailings, and fish and wildlife.

In one instance, the report was invaluable when Cohoes first ran the idea by New York state agency officials. Bourgeois and Seman-Graves referenced the number of possible reservoirs that could support floating solar492 in New Yorkto substantiate that not only are floatovoltaics viable, but that Cohoes could be at the forefront of a replicable model worth pursuing and funding. It was a strong enough case to win Cohoes some preliminary support.

NREL has identified almost 25,000 human-made bodies of water that would be suitable for floating PV, yet there are currently less than 10 installments across the country. Image by NREL

Cohoes had similar success when running the idea by elected officials. NRELs data identifies a value proposition for renewable energy that appealed to state and federal representatives alike, with the latter advocating to fund about 50% or more of project costs.

NREL also found that many of the suitable reservoirs are in water-stressed areas with expensive land and electricitythese areas could find a shortcut to solar power with floatovoltaics. But for Cohoes, one statistic was missing in the data: What about floating solars proximity to low-income communities? If the technology is such a practical option, how many other communities can use their own down-the-road reservoir for clean energy?

As the Cohoes Municipal Floating Solar Demonstration project becomes a model for municipal ownership and small-city sustainability, the city is using NRELs data to share resources, educate, and advocate for environmental justice in related clean energy projects around the state, region, and country.

A New Life for NRELs Data

While pitching the project, Bourgeois wondered whether NRELs data could be even more impactful; a visualization that breaks the data into congressional districts and economic factors might sum all 7,000 words up in a few seconds to show the economic imperative for Cohoes. Bourgeois connected with NREL and learned that no such visuals were planned, but the authors would happily provide input; so, Bourgeois teamed with nearby Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, sending NRELs paper to Rensselaers Institute for Data Exploration and Applications (IDEA) where students and faculty engage with data of imminent societal importance.

The request was shared with John Erickson, director of research operations at IDEA, who is drawn to visualizing economic and technical data. He enthusiastically jumped in. His first goal was to visualize NRELs data overlaid with LMI maps.

Plotting the two data sets together was an eye-opener, Erickson said. Right away the possibilities for low-cost clean energy become clear.

Erickson collaborated with Bourgeois and Seman-Graves to create the Floating Solar Explorer. The exploration tool is available online and includes a map of all the suitable reservoirs identified by NREL, as well as congressional district-scale LMI information layered over New York. Erickson originally bootstrapped the data explorer to share with Cohoes project stakeholders, but it is now shaping up to be a nice undergraduate elective.

A data exploration tool layers NREL data for potential floating PV sites with census data of income distributions to reveal potential opportunities for community ownership of low-cost renewable energy. Image from John Erickson

We try to have our students be driven by questions from elsewhere. NRELs floating solar data set is an excellent launching point for students to use data to explore topics of deep importance, Erickson said.

The exploration tool is a perfect example of the cross-community collaboration that Bourgeois and Seman-Graves envision and which is already accounted for. They plan for NRELs data and accompanying visualization to be part of a wider virtual platform where the city can share and access information about the floating solar installation and where Cohoes can be a resource for K12 education, university-based research, workforce development, and economic collaboration, all of which provide a roadmap for others to adopt community ownership.

Supporting Cohoes in their ongoing effort to install floating solar has been a great example of one of the many ways NREL can support cities in deploying innovative renewable energy systems, said Sika Gadzanku, who leads some of NRELs floating solar projects and has led engagement with Cohoes over the last year.

Creative solutions such as the Cohoes floating PV project are helpful for extending the benefits of solar to LMI communities, said Jenny Heeter, lead author of NRELs Affordable and Accessible Solar for All: Barriers, Solutions, and On-Site Adoption Potential report. LMI households can face barriers to installing rooftop PV such as difficulty financing a system, higher rental rates, and underinvestment in marketing and education to their communities. Likewise, communities are generally left out of tax incentives that are meant to spur renewable development. The newly updated DOE Solar Power in Your Community Guidebook offers resources for other communities wanting to install solar on government property and also includes discussion of both floating PV and engaging LMI communities.

Integrated Energy Pathways This research aligns with one of NREL's critical objectives.

NREL also began cost benchmarking floating PV systems in 2021 to track their cost competitiveness nationwide. Another recent publication analyzed the benefits of pairing hydropower and floating PV systems around the worlda hybrid energy opportunity that could also be surprisingly cost friendly.

With Cohoes taking the charge toward clean energy justice, the success of NRELs research in supporting the small-city energy transition is a case study in going from R&D to deployment.

Learn more about integrated pathways to energy transitions from NREL.
Dear Amy: For many years I have invited my brother Steve and sister Wendy and their spouses to celebrate Easter with us.

It has always been a lovely day despite the fact that Wendy and our sister-in-law (Steves wife, Cynthia) dont get along.

Frankly, Cynthia is a very difficult person and has made Steves life miserable much of the time, but theyve been married more than 50 years and shes not going anywhere.

Problems reached the breaking point recently and Wendy had had enough. She sent Cynthia a nasty text telling her off and saying she hoped never to see her (expletive) face again.

I know that if I invite Steve and Cynthia this year, Wendy wont come and even though Id rather have Wendy, I cant exclude my brother Steve. Any advice?

 Devastated

Dear Devastated: Invite everyone. No matter the provocation, your sister Wendy is at fault for sending an offensive text, which includes an absolute. Her choice to do this is not your fault or your responsibility, and when she did this, she should have considered the fact that Cynthia is a member of the family and  as you say  is not going anywhere.

Let Wendy know that you are inviting everyone, as you always do.

And if Wendy wants to join your party at Easter, she needs to figure out how she can see Cynthias (expletive) face.

The Easter holiday is meant to celebrate rebirth, resurrection, and the promise of spring. I hope your sister Wendy takes this opportunity to apologize to Cynthia for her abominable and offensive choice.

Dear Amy: My husband and I are good parents and grandparents.

We are always available when needed and our relationship with our daughter and her husband is pretty good.

The problem is that they never come to our home, even though they live only 45 minutes away.

Additionally, every time I have suggested that we take a family vacation together (one that I would pay for), they react with negativity.

I think her husband has some social issues, but he acts fine when we visit them for a few hours.

We are not young and being with our grandkids is the highlight of our lives!

I think that our daughter believes that family is just the four of them.

We try to respect her rules and boundaries, but her behavior is very hurtful.

Any suggestions?

 Tired of Trying

Dear Tired: I realize that some families take three-generation vacations, but for many hardworking parents, a vacation entails actually leaving extended family in place, while they break new ground and create memories with their children.

(And yes, once parents have children they form a nuclear family with their kids, and their siblings and parents become part of their extended family.)

Once COVID restrictions ease, you could explore the idea of taking your grandchildren on an Elderhostel retreat. These educational programs are designed for grandparents to enjoy alongside their grandkids. Check roadscholar.org for adventures ranging from exploring Yosemite to seeing Broadway shows in New York City.

If the children are too young, or if this idea is too daunting, you might start smaller and see if your daughter and her husband are willing to relinquish the children for a weekend staycation at their home while the parents enjoy a brief getaway. If that goes well for everyone, you can venture further afield, possibly hosting overnights at your home.

Dear Amy: Quitting Time wrote to you because she had been at her first job after college for four years and was wholly sick of it.

Shed found another job and expressed that she would love to make one of those viral I-quit videos, but acknowledged that its probably not a wise decision.

She asked for advice on how to quit.

Your answer went into great detail about the drawbacks of those videos, but you gave her no guidance on how to quit her job.

She should write a letter of resignation (not email).

Give two-weeks notice.

Dont go into detail about what is wrong with the company in the resignation letter. Express appreciation for the opportunity to learn while there.

If there is an exit interview, she can describe what was good and bad about her experience.

 Liz

Dear Liz: Thank you for supplementing my answer to Quitting Time with actual and practical advice.

In addition to sending a paper letter of resignation, however, I would also suggest sending notification of her resignation via email.

That way she knows that the resignation has been received and read.
In this file photo taken on August 05, 2021, vials and syringes of the Johnson and Johnson Janssen Covid-19 vaccine are displayed for a photograph at a Culver City Fire Department vaccination clinic in Culver City, California. (Photo: AFP)

Washington: Antibodies produced by immune cells become steadily more formidable and precisely targeted against the SARS-CoV-2 virus for at least six months after COVID-19 vaccination, according to a study.

The researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in the US assessed the antibody response to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in detail in people.

The findings, published on Tuesday in the journal Nature, suggest that declining antibody levels in the months after vaccination primarily represent a shift to a sustainable immune response.

The researchers also noted that even quite low levels of antibodies would continue to provide some protection against disease, as long as the virus does not change.

"If the virus did not change, most people who got two doses of this vaccine would be in very good shape," said senior study author Ali Ellebedy, an associate professor at Washington University.

"The antibody response we saw is exactly what we would expect from a robust immune response. We never thought that six months following that second injection, many people would still be actively improving the quality of their antibodies, Ellebedy said.

The researchers collected blood from 42 participants and lymph node samples from 15 participants before each person received their first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and at weeks three, four, five, seven, 15 and 29 afterwards.

They also obtained bone marrow samples from 11 participants 29 and 40 weeks after the first vaccine dose.

Eight people provided all three kinds of samples, allowing the researchers to track the development of the antibody response over time within those individuals.

The researchers found that B cells, a family of immune cells that produce antibodies, targeted against SARS-CoV-2 persisted in the germinal centres of all participants for months.

Even six months after vaccination, 10 out of 15 people still had B cells in their germinal centers - boot camps where B cells are trained to make ever-better-quality antibodies.

The more time B cells spend in germinal centers, the more potent their antibodies get.

Germinal centers had been thought to last only a few weeks, so finding these boot camps still training B cells in a majority of people so long after vaccination was a surprise, Ellebedy said.

It indicates a strong antibody response that continued to mature and improve, he said.

Six months after vaccination, the antibodies were noticeably better than they had been in the beginning, they said.

In one set of experiments, the researchers found that only 20 per cent of early antibodies bound to a protein from the virus. Six months later, nearly 80 per cent of antibodies from the same individuals bound to the viral protein, they said.

"When you look at antibodies, quantity should not be your only concern.The antibodies at six months might be less in quantity, but they are much better in quality," Ellebedy said.

The researchers, however, noted that the quality of the antibodies is measured against the original virus that was used to design the vaccine.

If a new variant is different enough from the original, it may be able to escape once-powerful antibodies, they added.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
After a four-day trial in district court, a Scott County jury on Thursday found Bobby Fitzgerald Hunt Jr. guilty of homicide by vehicle and other charges in connection with the death of 40-year-old bicyclist Alex Marietta on June 3 of last year.

The jury heard evidence that Hunt, 33, was driving his 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe westbound on Kimberly Road and was cutting through traffic. He ran the red light at Eastern Avenue and continued westbound.

Hunt then ran the red light at Davenport Avenue, striking and killing Marietta, who was on his bicycle.

Hunt fled the scene, running the red light at Brady Street.

The crash with Marietta occurred at 3:03 p.m.

Marietta managed Aquatic Environments, 730 E. Kimberly Road, the fish and aquarium store owned by his brother, Adam Marietta.

An avid cyclist, Alex Marietta had just left work when he was struck.

Officers located Hunt at his apartment, but he fled on foot, according to the arrest affidavits filed by Davenport Police Officer Luke Figie.

Hunt had a strong odor of alcohol emanating from him that grew stronger as he spoke, according to the affidavit. He was unable to complete the standard sobriety tests because of him fleeing from officers and resisting arrest.

During the trial, toxicology showed that Hunts blood alcohol content was .131. The legal limit in Iowa is .08.

Toxicology also showed minute traces of cocaine and THC, the active compound in marijuana.

Hunt was found guilty of homicide by vehicle-operating under the influence, a Class B felony under Iowa law that carries a prison sentence of 25 years.

He also was found guilty of homicide by vehicle-reckless driving, a Class C felony that carries a 10-year prison sentence.

The jury also found Hunt guilty of one count each of operating under the influence-third offense and leaving the scene of an accident involving death. Each of those charges is a Class D felony that carries a prison sentence of five years.

Scott County prosecutors have charged Hunt with being a habitual offender and are seeking an enhanced sentence.

Scott County District Judge Jeffrey Bert scheduled a sentencing hearing for May 11 in district court.

Hunt is being held in the Scott Count Jail without bond pending sentencing.
A number of Indian students have not come alone but also brought their cats and dogs with them, refusing to leave their pets behind

An Indian student Rishabh, evacuated from crisis-hit Ukraine, arrives with his pet dog 'Malibu' at the Hindon Air Force Station, in Ghaziabad. (PTI Photo)

New Delhi: A growing number of stranded Indian students from war-torn Ukraine are returning with their furry friends, with some even taking risks and forgoing personal belongings in their bids to save the pets.

Such students who arrived in India on Sunday morning heaved a sigh of relief after rescuing their pets from the ravages of the ongoing Russian military operations in Ukraine.

Aashna, a student pursuing the MBBS course in Ukraine, arrived at the Delhi airport along with 182 other Indian nationals from Hungary's capital city Budapest on Sunday.

She was exultant with her pet dog 'Honey' rushing past the arrival zone of the Delhi airport. She expressed joy for reaching India safely along with her pet, and expressed gratitude to the government for launching 'Operation Ganga'.

A number of Indian students from Ukraine have not come alone but also brought their cats and dogs with them, refusing to leave their pets behind as the conflict in the war-torn country intensifies.

Expressing gratitude to authorities, Aashna who was rescued from Kharkiv, said, "Nobody stopped me to bring my dog to the flight. We took a GoAir flight. Usually, pets are allowed but as a one-time exemption, we were allowed to carry the pets in the cabin itself. Cabin crew were very helpful."

Recalling the ordeal of being stranded in conflict-hit Ukraine, she said that the situation is still getting worse with each passing day and some students are still stuck there.

"Four days before the war broke out, we just took all our documents, passport just in case we had to evacuate. We were very lucky that way. I had decided to bring Honey here. We didn't want to leave her there. She also has life," she said.

Vimal from Tamil Nadu, another evacuated medical student, brought three cats from Ukraine.

"It is so difficult to bring pets from there. But if you have documents, you can bring them back. Some students are leaving their pets on the streets there. I request them not to abandon their pets and bring them as soon as possible," he said.

Lauding the efforts of the Indian government, Vimal expressed gratitude to authorities for rescuing not just humans but animals as well.

"Government of India is really helping in the evacuation of pets even if you don't have any documents. These cats were with me for more than two years. I couldn't have left them behind. Without them, I wouldn't have come back," he said.

Earlier on Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs said that over 13,300 people have returned to India so far under 'Operation Ganga' from crisis-ridden Ukraine. The Ministry also informed that almost all Indians have left Kharkiv city in Ukraine and the main focus of the government is to evacuate citizens from the Sumy area as it is challenging amid ongoing violence and lack of transportation.

The government has also deployed 'special envoys' to five neighbouring countries bordering Ukraine to coordinate and oversee the evacuation process of Indian nationals.

Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities.
The run-up to the 2022 season was different for each team. Haas started developing the car under the new regulations as early as 2021, Red Bull Racing just started developing very late. Mercedes also started developing the car late, both because they were wrapped up in a tough title fight. Former F1 world champion Damon Hill expects that the title battle will have consequences for the upcoming season.

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In the F1 Nation podcast, Hill notes that teams like Williams and Ferrari had stopped developing their 2021 car much earlier." Actually, they gave up then. Last year was actually a lost year, which allowed them to put more into the 2022 car. That's why they are in the spotlight so much. After all, if Mercedes really thinks Ferrari is so far ahead, it could just be that Mercedes and Red Bull put too much energy into fighting for the title last year."

Hill praises the new Ferrari

Hill explains that Ferrari finished sixth in the constructors in 2020, and therefore had relatively more time in the wind tunnel, than a top team like Mercedes or Red Bull." The side pods and the bodywork are so unique," Hill says. He also sees a point of improvement for the Italians. "I've heard one very experienced car designer, from a while ago, and he said:'Hmm, that looks like it was designed by committee. The front end looks like it was going one way, and the back end looks like it was going somewhere elsewhere."

For all ten teams, the 2022 regulations were a gray area for a long time. In the shakedown in Barcelona, everyone already got a first impression of their own speed and each other's speed, but the real questions remain unanswered." Nobody knows what really works with the new rules, but you can already see a lot of differences between them," Hill concludes.
Global digital payments company Visa said it will lower its credit card swipe fees for online and in-store transactions by 10% for small businesses starting in April.



The move comes as the pandemic continues to accelerate a shift to digital payments. Visa, one of the worlds largest payment companies, benefitted as more places began accepting cards and more people shopped online during the pandemic, reported Bahrain News Agency (BNA), citing AP.



But the digital payments sector is becoming increasingly crowded. Visa is facing new forms of competition, particularly from tech firms that have debuted alternative forms of payment that go around the traditional Visa and Mastercard networks.



Visa currently charges 1.5% to 2.4% in consumer credit card interchange rates, a fee that a merchant is required to pay with every credit card and debit card transaction. The 10% cut takes place in April.



Visa said the cut affects 90% of businesses but didnt specify what constitutes a small business. However, according to a Reuters report that cited a source familiar with the matter, the changes will apply to merchants with $250,000 or less in Visa consumer credit volumes.
The new case was found in Karachi where the first patient of coronavirus recovered on Saturday and was sent home from hospital. (Photo Credit: File Photo)

Islamabad:

A 50-year-old man tested positive for the deadly coronavirus in Pakistan on Sunday, taking the total number of the COVID-19 infections in the country to six, officials said. The new case was found in Karachi where the first patient of coronavirus recovered on Saturday and was sent home from hospital.

The 50-year-old patient is a resident of Karachi and was tested positive today (Sunday), said Meeran Yousuf, the media coordinator for the Sindh health minister.

Yousuf said all persons the coronavirus patient came in contact with were quarantined and that doctors were looking into his travel history.

In a coronavirus meeting in Karachi, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah was told that so far tested 107 people were tested in the province out of whom 103 tested negative for the infection. All four cases were from Karachi.

Other than the screenings, 265 people have been quarantined in their homes.

Further, the provincial government was preparing to quarantine 300 pilgrims, who were returning from Iran and were presently at the Taftan border.

Meanwhile, Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani announced that all educational institutions would reopen on March 16 as planned.

So far, no coronavirus related death has been reported in Pakistan.

Sindh and Balochistan provinces have already closed their schools and colleges after the deadly virus surfaced in the country.

The novel virus that first originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year has claimed over 3,500 lives and infected more than 100,000 across 95 nations and territories.

The World Health Organisation last week raised the global virus risk to maximum level after the outbreak spread to sub-Saharan Africa and stock markets around the world plummeted.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
The three drugs are Molravir 400 by Boston Pharma, Movinavir 200 mg by Mekophar Chemical Pharmaceutical and Molnupiravir Stella 400 by Stellapharm, a representative of the Drug Administration of Vietnam under the Ministry of Health.

These drugs are the first Covid-19 antivirals to be approved in Vietnam.

Le Van Truyen, head of the Advisory Council for the Registration of Circulation of Drugs and Medicinal Ingredients, said the decision to approve domestically produced molnupiravir means Vietnam can produce Covid-19 drugs on its own. There would also be no copyright problem as the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) has allowed Vietnam to produce this drug, he added.

The health ministry will also consider allowing other businesses to produce molnupiravir if they are technically qualified to do so in order to avoid a monopolistic situation, Truyen said.

With domestic production okayed, a molnupiravir market will develop in Vietnam, he added. Earlier, when the drug was not yet approved and only the health ministry was allowed to distribute it to Covid-19 patients, it was sold illegally. Now that it is approved, the molnupiravir market would be managed by the health ministry, Truyen added.

Molnupiravir inhibits the replication of certain viruses by introducing errors in their viral RNA replication. It would result in "an accumulation of errors in the viral genome leading to inhibition of replication," also known as viral error catastrophe.

The drug reduces viral load in the early stages of Covid-19, reducing risks of severe symptoms and deaths.
Not at all. It just seems like a lot of back-and-forth talk.

Yes. I'm growing very worried over what might happen.

If it keeps up, I might be a little more concerned.

I think there are much larger things to concern us as a country.

It's hard to tell; I can't take the leader of either country seriously.

Vote

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The relationship between Polish people and the Jewish people has been tense at times.

For example, there was a strong disagreement in recent years between the governments of Israel and Poland regarding memorialization of the Holocaust.

It is time to put aside the past tensions and to say a big thank you to the Polish people  and those in other countries  for their willingness to take in refugees from Ukraine.

Theres no doubt in my mind that most people in Poland, particularly those in the larger cities of Warsaw and Krakow, absolutely hate the Russian government.

Their hatred of the Russian government is perhaps only second to their hatred of the Nazis who occupied them so brutally.

Poles feel that, in the aftermath of World War II, the Soviet Union devastated their country, depriving it of its assets and its ability to govern itself and flourish economically.

In the center of Warsaw is a building called the Palace of Culture and Science. It was built by the Russians as a so-called gift to the people of Poland during their occupation.

Originally, the name of the building was Joseph Stalins Palace of Culture and Science. After Stalin died, his name was removed from the building. Today, it is the sixth-tallest building in the European Union.

In 1992, on my first trip to Warsaw, I saw the palace for the first time. As we passed, I noticed there was a lot of commerce in the plaza on one side of the building.

I remember asking the Polish guide what was going on. His response was that shortly after the fall of communism in Poland, a flea market, the ultimate symbol of capitalism, had arisen. It was created not by the government but by the people, as a way in which the Poles tried to answer what that building had come to symbolize.

Poles have a clear historical memory of the terror and lack of freedom that goes with being conquered by a tyrannical country.

As this is being written, more than 1 million people have fled Ukraine, with an estimated 505,000 of Ukrainian refugees making their way to Poland. Often, those fleeing are being met at the border by the citizens of the country of refuge who are bringing them food, water, warm clothing, diapers and more.

Current estimates are that, if this conflict continues much longer, there will be 5-7 million refugees fleeing Ukraine.

Jews are particularly aware of the terror and challenge of fleeing ones country. Before and during the Holocaust, Jews tried to escape from areas controlled by Nazi Germany.

These refugees would have given anything they owned to be taken in by another country, but sadly this was not to be. Such refuge would literally have been lifesaving.

So, we all should be grateful to Poland, as well as Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova, who have accepted those fleeing for their lives from Ukraine.

I believe that one of the most important prayers in Jewish liturgy should be adapted to read as follows:

May the one who causes peace to rain in the high heavens cause peace to descend on Ukraine, on all countries who are accepting refugees, and on the world. Amen.
Sunday, March 6

Auditions for The Addams Family: A New Musical will be held at Old Courthouse Theatre. Registration is from 7-8 p.m. Auditions are open to everyone interested in performing. You only have to attend one night. The Addams Family: A New Musical will be directed by Andy Rassler. Stephanie Campbell is the music director and Sharlie Duncan is the choreographer. Visit www.octconcord.com for more information.

Monday, March 7

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.

Auditions for The Addams Family: A New Musical will be held at Old Courthouse Theatre. Registration is from 7-8 p.m. Auditions are open to everyone interested in performing. You only have to attend one night. The Addams Family: A New Musical will be directed by Andy Rassler. Stephanie Campbell is the music director and Sharlie Duncan is the choreographer. Visit www.octconcord.com for more information.

Friday, March 11

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 12

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 Street S, are offered on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Dine in and take out. Call in orders are welcomed. 704-782-1785.

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.

Monday, March 14

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 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.

Old Courthouse Theatre is hosting an Antiques Appraisal Event from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The cost is $10 for one item and $15 for two items. Bring your treasures in to find their monetary worth. No written appraisal given. Owner can write all information given down. Email info@octconcord.com with any questions.

The Annual Country Ham and Fried Chicken Day at St. Stephens Wesleyan Church at Georgeville off of Highway 200 will be held from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. A large plate consists of one-half fried chicken or a center slice of country ham, green beans, potato salad, slaw, bread, drink, and dessert for $10. A small plate is the same except one-fourth fried chicken or one-half slice of country ham for $8. A large combination plate consists of one-fourth fried chicken and one-half slice of country ham plus all of the extras. Children under 6 years of age eat free. Call 704-782-6677 for information and call 704-723-1143 for food orders.

BBQ Chicken Dinner at New Gilead Reformed Church, 2400 Old Salisbury-Concord Road, Concord, 11 a.m. until sold out. It will be dine in or carry out. A plate includes: half BBQ Chicken, beans, slaw, roll, chips, and dessert for $10. Other prices are whole chicken for $8, and a quart of slaw for $5.

Sunday, March 20

Old Courthouse Theatre is hosting an Antiques Appraisal Event from 2-5 p.m. The cost is $10 for one item and $15 for two items. Bring your treasures in to find their monetary worth. No written appraisal given. Owner can write all information given down. Email info@octconcord.com with any questions.

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 Street S, are offered on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Dine in and take out. Call in orders are welcomed. 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..

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 Street S, are offered on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Dine in and take out. Call in orders are welcomed. 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.
New Delhi, March 6 : The need to make infrastructure conducive for women is not limited only to the workplace; intercity mobility needs one too. Women had to limit their travel mode choices to trains and flights, hence creating constraints around travel budgets, longer planning windows, and avoiding overnight travel. These constraints often become a reason for gender bias while hiring for specific roles in the organisation.

The introduction of mobility technology in inter-city buses along with the emergence of organised and branded players is transforming this entire ecosystem. Manish Rathi, CEO and Cofounder, IntrCity said, "Female travellers' adoption of organised and branded buses has already seen an increase, with a country-wide average of 8-10 per cent earlier is now at 15-18 per cent, with weekend schedules on routes like Bangalore-Chennai-Bangalore and Chennai-Hyderabad-Chennai seeing 35-40 per cent female passengers. Female travellers are a diverse group of professionals who travel for jobs; travel to visit their parents on weekends; as well as travel to leisure destinations." Technology with better Hygiene & Sanitation Is Reshaping Intercity Bus Travel for Women

Traditional intercity bus travel has been revamped with the help of branded players entering the market. Branded players' sole aim has always been to identify and address the unidentified needs and problems of female travellers during a bus journey. They have reincarnated traditional bus travel using cutting-edge technology and making it more safe, secure, and comfortable than before. These buses have well-defined hygiene & sanitisation protocols besides onboard washroom facilities.

The traditional intercity bus has been upgraded into SmartBus by incorporating IoT (Internet of Things) technologies. SmartBus provides a comprehensive experience for all female passengers' basic needs around safety, reliability and punctuality. This includes all buses equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity, automatic passenger information systems, CCTV cameras, GPS, in-app wakeup alarm, and an AI-enabled driver alert system, along with SmartBus Captain travelling in these buses. The bus body design has been modified to fit a onboard washroom which is a boon for female travellers.

Reliability: IoT-enabled mobile apps assist smart buses in calculating scheduling and departure locations. The smart bus would offer a live-tracking feature where passengers, their families, and friends could view real-time locations and travel status.

Safety: Improving safety parameters is the core focus of the smart bus. Monitoring and managing each bus journey and staying connected with the driver's interface in the bus, the crew app, and the consumer app, being equipped with cameras and sensors is a plus for female passengers.

Punctuality: The core of intercity travel is punctuality and comfort. With the support of well-organized systems and procedures, these smart buses now provide on-time and pleasant travel by constantly monitoring timelines, traffic, and on-time arrivals.

The Smart Bus is Safe for Female Travelers Today's smart buses provide a variety of services for a more comfortable travel experience. The most important features and major incentives for female travellers to use branded intercity buses would be onboard washrooms, secured boarding, hygienic & sanitised buses, and safe boarding lounges. The booking pattern has revealed that seats in buses with onboard washrooms tend to be reserved faster than seats in regular buses without the washroom facility.

Branded bus players ensure that female traveller are not exposed to situations that could jeopardise their safety. Clean and well-lit boarding facilities that provide ample comfortable seating space and basic amenities like clean drinking water, coffee, and clean washrooms.

Experts believe that this industry is positioned for expansion, given India's developing highway expansion.

(N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe can be contacted at lothungbeni.h@ians.in)
Even as the Opposition mobilises no-confidence motion against the Imran Khan government, the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday exuded confidence that his party has sufficient numbers in the National Assembly.

Talking to party members in the National Assembly on Saturday, Imran Khan reportedly said that the Opposition should go ahead with its plan of the no-confidence motion since all coalition partners are with him. He maintained that the government has done its homework.

Both the Government and the Opposition are confident of having the requisite numbers in the National Assembly in the run-up to the no-confidence motion, The News International said citing reports.

Those who met Imran Khan included Riaz Fatyana and Nasrullah Dareshik. Federal ministers were also present. The PTI MNAs (Member of National Assembly) assured the Prime Minister of their unwavering support, the report said.

At the same time, key Opposition leaders, former President Asif Ali Zardari, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif stepped up consultations on bringing the no-confidence motion against the Imran Khan government and requisitioning a National Assembly session.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman held a telephonic conversation with former President Asif Ali Zardari after consultations with former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday. The three leaders are reportedly satisfied that they would be able to overthrow the government in a no-confidence motion, added the report.

Meanwhile, the leader in the Senate Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) is expected to meet the Opposition leader in the National Assembly and Pakistan Mulsim League-Nawaz (PMLN) president Shehbaz Sharif in Lahore on Sunday, the report said citing sources.

The development comes amidst the growing opposition to the Imran Khan regime over misgovernance and economic mismanagement.

Last Sunday, the PPP workers and supporters began a 'long march' from Karachi towards Islamabad, in protest against the Imran Khan government and demonstrate that it had lost the country's trust.

On the following day, in an address to the nation, Imran Khan announced a number of relief measures, including a reduction in fuel prices and power tariffs by Rs 10 and Rs 5 respectively, in an attempt to address the growing public anger against his government.

It is expected that the leaders of the Opposition parties will hold a meeting in Lahore to finalise the timeframe for the requisition of the National Assembly session and to present the no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister, the report said.

(ANI)

Also Read: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari demands Imran Khan's resignation in 3 days
The relationship between Polish people and the Jewish people has been tense at times.

For example, there was a strong disagreement in recent years between the governments of Israel and Poland regarding memorialization of the Holocaust.

It is time to put aside the past tensions and say a big thank you to the Polish people  and those in other countries  for their willingness to take in refugees from Ukraine.

Theres no doubt in my mind that most people in Poland, particularly those in the larger cities of Warsaw and Krakow, absolutely hate the Russian government. Their hatred of the Russian government is perhaps only second to their hatred of the Nazis who occupied them so brutally.

Poles feel that, in the aftermath of World War II, the Soviet Union devastated their country, depriving it of its assets and its ability to govern itself and flourish economically.

In the center of Warsaw is a building called the Palace of Culture and Science. It was built by the Russians as a so-called gift to the people of Poland during their occupation.

Originally, the name of the building was Joseph Stalins Palace of Culture and Science. After Stalin died, his name was removed from the building. Today, it is the sixth-tallest building in the European Union. In 1992, on my first trip to Warsaw, I saw the palace for the first time. As we passed, I noticed there was a lot of commerce in the plaza on one side of the building.

I remember asking the Polish guide what was going on. His response was that shortly after the fall of communism in Poland, a flea market, the ultimate symbol of capitalism, had arisen. It was created not by the government but by the people, as a way in which the Poles tried to answer what that building had come to symbolize.

Poles have a clear historical memory of the terror and lack of freedom that goes with being conquered by a tyrannical country. As this is being written, more than 1 million people have fled Ukraine, with an estimated 505,000 of Ukrainian refugees making their way to Poland. Often, those fleeing are being met at the border by the citizens of the country of refuge who are bringing them food, water, warm clothing, diapers and more.

Current estimates are that, if this conflict continues much longer, there will be 5-7 million refugees fleeing Ukraine. Jews are particularly aware of the terror and challenge of fleeing ones country. Before and during the Holocaust, Jews tried to escape from areas controlled by Nazi Germany.

These refugees would have given anything they owned to be taken in by another country, but sadly this was not to be. Such refuge would literally have been lifesaving. So, we all should be grateful to Poland, as well as Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova, who have accepted those fleeing for their lives from Ukraine. I believe that one of the most important prayers in Jewish liturgy should be adapted to read as follows:

May the one who causes peace to reign in the high heavens cause peace to descend on Ukraine, on all countries who are accepting refugees, and on the world. Amen.
Australian weapons and military aid has arrived in Ukraine on air force plans after Scott Morrison pledged to support its war against Russia.

Photos show a Royal Australian Air Force C-17A Globemaster delivering defensive military to the Ukrainian government on Sunday.

The delivery is despite several threats from Russian leader Putin that any country that intervenes in the Ukraine invasion would face 'severe consequences'.

Photos from Sunday show a Royal Australian Air Force C-17A Globemaster delivering defensive military to the Ukrainian government

The Australian Defence Force delivered defensive military assistance to the Ukrainian government on Sunday

Defence Minister Peter Dutton told ABC's Insiders program that promised lethal aid has arrived in partnership with the UK and the US, but declined to say what form it took.

'I'm not going into that or where it has arrived into or how we've got it into the hands of the Ukrainians,' Mr Dutton said.

'There is more assistance we want to provide.'

Australia last week pledged $70 million in lethal and non-lethal military aid, which Prime Minister Scott Morrison said would include missiles and ammunition.

President Zelenskiy told Mr Morrison in a phone call he deeply appreciates Australia's military and humanitarian assistance.

Mr Zelenskiy tweeted on Saturday night that he had updated Mr Morrison on the course of the war 'as well as risks to people and the environment due to the threat to Ukrainian nuclear and chemical facilities'.

Mr Zelenskiy said he deeply appreciated the support from Australia, according to an official readout of the call, while Mr Morrison told him Australia stood with Ukraine against Russia's aggression and unprovoked assault.

The prime minister also praised Ukraine's incredible courage and condemned Russia's actions, on behalf of all Australians.

A Royal Australian Air Force C-17A Globemaster delivered the aid, which was collected by trucks

Australia is also supporting resolutions in the United Nations and backing International Criminal Court action in support of Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the sanctions being imposed by the west 'are akin to a declaration of war but thank God it has not come to that'.

'It is very hard to get inside President Putin's mind to understand the rationale of what he is doing now, let alone what his next step will also be,' Mr Dutton said.

'Everything at the moment is designed to try and continue the pressure on Vladimir Putin, those around him, those who have been the financial beneficiaries of the corruption within Russia, and hopefully, ultimately, they can turn back, but there is clearly no sign of that.'

Liberal senator James Paterson, who chairs the parliamentary joint committee and intelligence and security, is currently on an official trip to the US where he was briefed in Washington and the United Nations.

He says there is some cautious optimism at the remarkable united response that the global community has presented to Russia and President Putin.

'There has been incredible resolve about enacting the highest possible costs on Putin and his cronies to deter and and deflate him from this course of action and hopefully get them to rethink the course of action they have embarked upon,' Senator Paterson told Sky News' Sunday Agenda program.

The delivery comes after several threats from Russian leader Putin that any country that intervenes in the Ukraine invasion will face 'severe consequences'

Federal Labor's defence spokesman Brendan O'Connor also told the program the Australian government has done the right thing in joining the condemnation and appropriate action and that includes lethal and non-lethal aid to Ukraine.

'Our hopes of course that through such action we'll see an end to this violence and this conflict, and until we see anything like that, we need to ratchet up the pressure,' Mr O'Connor said.

'If the government has any other options in so far as increased sanctions, whether it is targeting the oligarchs or is providing lethal aid through NATO, Labor supports that.'

The new weaponry follows a win for the Ukrainian Government after eight Russian aircraft were shot down in one day.

Ukrainian military sources said the loss was evidence of Russia's failure to gain air superiority  a tactical advantage that Vladimir Putin thought would be achieved on the first day of the war.

At a press conference in Kyiv on Saturday, two captured Russian soldiers urged Russian citizens to urge Putin to stop the war.

'Russians, do everything possible to stop this war. Neither Ukraine nor Russia needs this war. Only Putin needs this war,' Andrey Chuvatarevsky said.

'Try to inform the President, drive the military away from the equipment so that they don't drive and bomb the civilian population. If you take to the streets, the President will decide to withdraw the troops. Then there will be no war.'

Fellow captured soldier Mikhail Kulikov added that the war is also affecting children.

The Ukrainian government claim they shot down eight Russian aircraft in one day - including a helicopter referred to as a 'flying tank'

'People of Russia, stand up. Your children are here. Children of the Ukrainian people are also suffering here. There is no need to be afraid,' he said.

'The Ukrainian people are not afraid of anyone. They will stand up for their land to the last. I also have two small children at home, to whom I do not know if I will get. Parents, block the roads, do not let your children go, do everything to make the Russian troops turn back.'

Eight other soldiers also spoke at the press conference at Interfax-Ukraine after they voluntarily surrendered.

At a press conference in Kyiv on Saturday, two captured Russian soldiers urged Russian citizens to urge Putin to stop the war and confirmed they were being treated well by Ukrainians

Each said they had been treated well by Ukrainians and were given the chance to contact their relatives.

Prisoner Dmitry Gagarin told relatives and friends in Russia not to listen to Russian propaganda. 'I would like all the people of Russia to hear that here everything is not like they say on Russian television,' he said.

'There are no Nazis. Here are ordinary peaceful people who have rallied against one person  Putin, who wanted to be a conqueror.'

Last night Ukrainian forces maintained a hold on key cities in central and southeastern Ukraine while Russian forces are working to keep Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv and Sumy encircled, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

President Zelensky claimed yesterday that 10,000 Russian troops had died in the war, however his claim has not been independently verified. 'We're inflicting losses on the occupants they could not see in their worst nightmare,' he added.

One of the captured soldiers urged Russians to remember the war's effect on young children

Thousands of desperate civilians waited for trains to leave Kharkiv on Sunday as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues

351 civilian deaths have been confirmed since the Russian invasion began on February 24, however the UN human rights office said it believes the true number to be much higher.

At least 47 of those deaths occurred last Friday when Russian jets fired missiles into high-rise apartment buildings in Kyiv.

Western officials confirmed Russia has begun using indiscriminate aerial and artillery attacks because its military campaign is floundering.

An official told The Mail on Sunday: 'The original plan was a rapid assault on Kyiv from the north and a sweeping up from the south using combined units and arms. But they are having to resort to pounding areas with massed artillery. The impact is likely to result in increased civilian casualties.'

Since the attack President Zelensky has been calling for the 'complete closure of the sky for Russian missiles, aircraft and helicopters'.

351 civilian deaths have been confirmed since the Russian invasion began on February 24 as thousands of refugees continue to fight freezing conditions while heading for the Poland border

Zero-degree temperatures has left thousands of children, women, and elderly freezing and terrified as they wait to cross the border

Harrowing photos have emerged of desperate Ukrainians fleeing Kharkiv and waiting in freezing condition on the Poland border.

Photos in on the Ukrainian side of the Medyka border - the main road border between Poland and Ukraine - show the area clogged by thousands of refugees.

The ABC reports the queue of cars waiting for entry into Poland stretched for 20km and several thousand more walked to the pedestrian gate.

Zero-degree temperatures has left thousands of children, women, and elderly freezing and terrified as they wait to cross the border.
Grassroots voice heard at China's annual "two sessions"

Xinhua) 14:56, March 06, 2022

BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Huang Xihua is inquisitive. She always keeps abreast of hot topics and takes careful notes.

The 56-year-old, from south China's Guangdong Province, is better known as "Sister Flower" online with about 700,000 followers on the Chinese microblogging site Sina Weibo. In Chinese, people often use the word "sister" to describe a warm-hearted female neighbor.

Huang has taken up multiple roles at work, but one identity has never changed over the past two decades -- a deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC), China's national legislature.

Now Huang has opened accounts on almost all major social media platforms. Whether it is Weibo, Douyin, or WeChat, she updates frequently and has active interactions.

"My eyes are focused on whichever platform that grabs the most attention," said the veteran internet surfer. "There are about a billion internet users in China. As an NPC deputy, we should listen to their voices."

Huang's proposals always center on the livelihood of the people, ranging from treating water and noise pollution in rural areas to free expressway use during the Spring Festival travel rush.

"I read every comment and message sent to me on the internet. While offline, I enjoy chatting with ordinary people and listening to their concerns," she said. "All my proposals come from the people."

This year, Huang's proposal is about introducing more supportive child-rearing measures, such as offering childcare and medical care subsidies, to build a more birth-friendly society.

Huang is among thousands of NPC deputies and national political advisors at this year's "two sessions," the annual meetings of the NPC and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the top political advisory body.

With a people-first philosophy, the Communist Party of China has pursued happiness for the people as its mission and considered its close bond with the people as its most significant political strength. At annual "two sessions," which set primary economic targets, topics related to people's wellbeing, such as employment, housing, child policy, education, and elderly care, are discussed.

Since the previous annual session of the top political advisory body, more than 6,100 suggestions have been submitted. Of the 5,039 suggestions filed, 99.8 percent have been handled.

Topics related to people's wellbeing are highlighted in this year's government work report, ranging from improving education fairness and quality, promoting comprehensive rural revitalization and consolidating poverty-elimination achievements, to enriching people's intellectual and cultural lives.

Xu Ziqiang, a doctor and national political advisor from central China's Hunan Province, is happy for his patients after hearing that government subsidies for basic medical insurance for rural and non-working urban residents will increase this year.

"With a larger reimbursement ratio, the burden of medical treatment will be further reduced," he said.

Having worked in a community in Shanghai's Changning District for nearly three decades, Zhu Guoping witnessed the neighborhood's transformation.

"Social governance is getting more and more refined, and our living conditions are getting more and more comfortable. It used to be hard to see a doctor in major hospitals, but now the community hospital is at the doorstep. Old-age care was once a big issue, but now the number of nursing homes is increasing year by year," said Zhu, who is also an NPC deputy.

Zhu still stays in the community even after retirement. "Community work boils down to serving the people," Zhu said. "When residents have any difficulty or advice, I listen carefully and try my best to solve it. If it is beyond my capability, I'll bring them to the two sessions."

(Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji)
Chinas EU Mission calls for fair talks between US, NATO, EU and Russia in response to EU officials remarks of China being mediator that Western powers cannot fulfill

Global Times) 14:39, March 06, 2022

People take shelter in a subway station in Kiev, capital of Ukraine, Feb. 25, 2022.(Photo: Xinhua)

China encourages direct talks between Russia and Ukraine, as well as equal dialogues between the US, NATO, the EU and Russia in dealing with their conflicts that have accumulated over the years, a spokesperson of the Chinese Mission to the EU said on Sunday in response to EU official's remarks of China's role as the mediator between two countries "as Western powers cannot fulfill."

The European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that China should mediate future peace talks between Russia and Ukraine as Western powers cannot fulfil the role, AFP reported on Saturday. "There is no alternative ... It must be China, I am sure of that," Borrell said in an interview with Spanish daily El Mundo published on Friday evening.

In response to Borrell's remarks, the Chinese Mission to the EU said in a statement on Saturday that they are highly concerned about the evolution of the situation in Ukraine, and hopes crossfire can be stopped as soon as possible and the situation on the ground can be eased to ensure the safety of civilians' lives and property in order to avoid a large-scale humanitarian crisis.

"The situation in Ukraine has developed to such a point that we do not wish to see. It involves complex issues and China has always made its decisions and policies based on the merits of the matter," the spokesperson said. "We believe that to solve the Ukraine crisis, all parties concerned should uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, respect and safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of any country, and resolve disputes through peaceful means."

China supports all efforts that can help to achieve a political settlement and ease the situation in Ukraine, but it opposes any action that is not conducive to promoting a diplomatic solution, but rather adds fuel to the flames.

The spokesperson added that parties concerned should seek to build a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism in accordance with the indivisible security principle.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday that the Ukraine crisis can only be solved through dialogues and negotiations and stressed that China supports all efforts that can help ease tensions and push for a political solution. China opposes any actions that are not conducive to diplomatic resolution but add fuel to the fire, said Wang.

Wang made the comments during a phone call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. This marks the two officials' second phone conversation within two weeks. It also happened after Russia declared a partial ceasefire on Saturday to allow humanitarian corridors out of the Ukrainian cities of Mariupol and Volnovakha, according to Russia's defense ministry.

(Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji)
Two Sessions Explainer: Breaking Down 2022 Government Work Report

20:59, March 05, 2022 By Peng Yukai, Liu Ning, Zhang Wenjie ( People's Daily Online

The 13th National People's Congress opened its fifth annual session on Saturday in Beijing.

And now, without further ado, here are some highlights of this years Government Work Report:

Chinas gross domestic product (GDP) reached 114 trillion yuan, growing 8.1 percent in 2021 and per capita disposable income increased by 8.1 percent in real terms.

For 2022, China sets its GDP growth target at around 5.5 percent.

It plans to create more than 11 million new urban jobs this year.

It will maintain its CPI at around 3 percent, and cut the ratio of its deficit to GDP to around 2.8 percent.

China will implement a 10-year action plan on basic research to ensure stable support for scientific and technological innovation over the long term.

In terms of social policy for 2022, China will improve the supporting measures for the three-child policy, and will continue its effective routine COVID-19 control to prevent inbound cases and domestic resurgences.

The country will support areas that have been lifted out of poverty in developing distinctive local businesses and will launch rural initiatives to improve infrastructure, such as water, electricity and gas supplies, roads, and mail and communications services.

Environmentally, China will also take well-ordered steps to achieve peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality.

As for China's diplomacy, China will promote high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative. The country will work to negotiate and conclude high-standard free trade agreements with more countries and regions.

For more updates on this years Two Sessions, you are in the right place, Peoples Daily Online.

(Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Bianji)
Tibetan people enjoy happy Tibetan New Year

10:01, March 06, 2022 By Shen Lin, Xu Yuanfeng ( People's Daily

Tibetan children wear traditional Tibetan costumes to celebrate the Tibetan New Year in a village in Gyaimain township, Qonggyai county, Lhoka, southwest Chinas Tibet autonomous region. (Photo from Tibet.cn)

Festive atmosphere has been seen everywhere recently in southwest Chinas Tibet autonomous region, as the 2022 Tibetan New Year approached. The Tibetan people, dressed in brand-new clothes, have been caught up in holiday purchases and visiting their friends and relatives to send their New Year wishes.

During the Tibetan New Year, commodities have been on sufficient supply with stable price on the markets of Lhasa, capital of Tibet autonomous region. On high demand, they were selling briskly.

At the Pargor Supermarket located in Pargor, a commercial center of Lhasa, plenty of consumers were seen making New Year purchases. All kinds of festive goods were placed on the shelves, such as traditional Tibetan costumes, Tibetan butter sculptures and Chemars, a fine box containing roasted highland barley flour praying for good harvest.

Sufficient commodity supply and stable operation of the market have been ensured to make the Tibetan New Year happy and peaceful. For instance, a special New Year purchase section of a supermarket in Lhasa has stored over 500 tonnes of staple food before the Tibetan New Year, and it has also increased the supply of roasted highland barley flour and yak butter. According to an executive of a farm produce fair in Lhasa, over 200 tonnes of vegetables and fruits have been sold in the city on a daily basis, and stable prices has been ensured for vegetables, fruits, meat and aquatic products.

Local residents make New Year purchases in Qonggyai county, Lhoka, southwest Chinas Tibet autonomous region. (Photo from Tibet.cn)

To celebrate the Tibetan New Year, diverse cultural activities have been held across the autonomous region. On March 2, the 2022 Tibetan New Year gala was aired. Numerous families watched the show while sipping Tibetan butter tea and enjoying pastries. Apart from being played on TV, the show was also livestreamed on multiple internet platforms.

In Baingoin county, Nagqu city of Tibet, over 100 people joined Tibetan New Year art performances for local neighborhoods. At the Senburi relocation site in Gonggar county, Lhoka, local cadres have presented a splendid New Year show, which included 13 performances such as solo singing and dancing.

Zheng Zhiping is a senior citizen living in Beimen neighborhood, Jiantang township in the majority Tibetan city of Shangri-La, southwest Chinas Yunnan province. The 70-year-old man had taught at local primary schools in the city for 30 years since he graduated from a normal university in 1978.

School facilities were poor in the old days. In Dongwang township, over half of the villages were not connected to hardened road. It took a day to get to the township government from the farthest village, Zheng recalled.

A citizen purchases for the Tibetan New Year at the Pargor Supermarket, Lhasa, southwest Chinas Tibet autonomous region. (Photo from Tibet.cn)

Now, Dongwang township is connected to a newly built highway, which has significantly shortened the travel time for local residents.

Speaking of the rapid development today, Zheng was quite exciting. We are just developing fast now. Downtown Shangri-La used to cover less than one kilometer, but today its been expanded more than 20 times, he said.

In the past, schooling of the children was a huge economic burden for local families, but now they have subsidies. We had only 9-year compulsory education before, but now rural children enjoy 15 years of free education, Zheng told Peoples Daily.

According to him, a cafeteria was opened in his neighborhood last year, where each meal is priced at only 10 yuan ($1.58) and senior citizens can have it at six yuan. The food there was diverse, he said.

A high-speed railway is scheduled to become operational in Shangri-La this year, which will further facilitate the transportation of local residents.

More and more policies are being rolled out today to benefit the people, and the days are just getting better, Zheng said.

(Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji)
New Delhi, Mar 6 (PTI) BJP MP Varun Gandhi on Sunday said that medical students returning from Ukraine should be structurally integrated into Indian institutions by relaxing rules, while suggesting that the NRI quota of medical colleges be utilised for them.

Underlining that the war in Ukraine has mentally broken the students, Gandhi said, "We have to accommodate these students in Indian institutions by relaxing rules."

Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Shocker: 3 Women Employees of Spa Consume Poison Outside Police Station in Shamli After Accusation of Being Involved in Sex Racket.

In a tweet, Gandhi said on the one hand, the students have bitter memories of war and on other hand, their future hangs in balance.

Also Read | Weather Forecast: Strong Surface Winds To Prevail Delhi, Adjoining Regions; Light Rainfall Over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal.

There are over 20,000 Indian students who are in the process of being evacuated from Ukraine. For many of them, an education stint in Ukraine has meant spending Rs 15-30 lakhs in savings to gain education at a college that has probably been destroyed by now, Gandhi said.

"Many of them suffer from mental trauma, exacerbated by a disrupted education and poor job prospects back in India, while loans pile on. We need to structurally integrate them into our education system," Gandhi said while suggesting that the NRI quota in medical colleges could be utilised for such students.

He further said the integration of these students in medical education system will help in improving the medical system when the next pandemic comes.

Against the backdrop of the Ukraine crisis, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has said that foreign medical graduates with incomplete internships due to situations beyond their control like COVID-19 or war can finish the same in India.PTI JTR

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Erik Swanson, the incoming executive director of the Historic Waco Foundation sees the homes at the core of the foundations mission as platforms to host and encourage broader views of Wacos history.

These houses are well situated to do that. I want to see what aspects of the community were getting and what aspects were not, Swanson said.

He will start as executive director of the foundation March 14, succeeding Jill Barrow, who retired as executive director in January after more than four years at its head. Swanson will transition to the foundation after a stretch as exhibits curator and coordinator for Baylor University libraries, during which he produced more than 80 exhibits and displays.

He plans to continue the direction the foundation has taken in recent years of addressing a broader Waco history than one confined by its homes and the families that lived in them.

Its time for us to come off the front porches of these houses, foundation board President Clint Lynch said.

The Historic Waco Foundation runs and maintains three 19th and 20th century homes: East Terrace House at 100 Mill St., McCulloch House at 407 Columbus Ave., and the Earle-Napier-Kinnard House at 814 S. Fourth St. Its offices are in a fourth house, the Hoffmann house next to the Earle-Napier-Kinnard House. The 154-year-old Fort House at 503 S. Fourth St., a Historic Waco Foundation property for many years, was sold in 2019 to Magnolias Chip and Joanna Gaines.

Swanson said the houses serve as an entry point to part of Waco history, a history that includes the community in which the houses sat as well as the people who built and lived in the houses. He cited the example of an entry door from an 1850s house away from the flow of people in the house, a seemingly odd location until one realized it was meant for enslaved workers, not the homes owners.

Here, the design of the house was influenced by the time they were living in, he said.

It is that wider view of historical interpretation that drew Swanson into museum studies. He attended Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, earning a degree in history with a minor in anthropology and Civil War studies, but a stint at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library proved the spark that moved him to museum work.

A brief time working in the librarys archives was miserable, but a transfer to the librarys museum portion, where he encountered collaborations on projects and contact with historical objects steered him to museum work. He left the Reagan Library in 2013 to begin graduate studies in Baylors museum studies program, graduating in 2015 and working in Baylor libraries after that.

His time at Baylor and in Waco introduced him to the Historic Waco Foundation and Waco history, so when an opportunity came for the directors position after a candidate unexpectedly turned down the boards offer, he seized it.

In the weeks ahead, Swanson aims to get a sense of who visits the foundations homes and why, plus who is not visiting.

Waco has grown exponentially, with more diverse people and people who want their stories to be told, he said. Who is our new audience and who is our target audience?

As part of making programs accessible to a larger community, Swanson hopes to see bilingual labeling on future exhibits.

That continues the direction the foundation has pursued in recent years, from former Director Don Davis, who retired in 2017, through Barrow, said board President Lynch.

We are always going to take care of the houses, but theres more to Waco history than the families of those houses, Lynch said. We want to consider every aspect of Waco history, including the African American community, the Hispanic community  any community.

Lynch said exhibits at the houses over the last few years have demonstrated that broader view. An East Terrace exhibit on home construction techniques and tools was not limited to that house, but houses in Waco during that period. A look at debutante balls did not stop with the Hedonia Club and the Cotton Palace Pageant of the white elite, but included the African American Jack and Jill of America debutante ball and Hispanic quinceaneras.

Both Lynch and Swanson praised the work of preceding director Barrow, a former director of the Ollie Mae Moen Discovery Center and a Rapoport Academy teacher. Barrow came out of retirement from those positions to shepherd the organization through the challenging last four years. That period saw the COVID-19 pandemic close the foundations houses for a time, then curtailed visitors and income for months after that. Expansion of Interstate 35 through downtown Waco and downtown street construction also interrupted visitor access to the Earle-Napier-Kinnard and Hoffmann houses for more than a year.

Barrow not only helped the foundation pivot to online programs and activities when COVID-19 protocols were constraining in-person visits, but kept a tight thumb on the budget. She and her board also created a strategic plan that set four goals for the organizations future: financial security, digital growth, enhanced visitor experience and public engagement including more diverse communities.

Her passion would just wear you out at times, but she met every challenge head on, Lynch said of the previous director.

Swanson hopes to build on the foundations use of technology in virtual exhibits and cellphone tours.

One of the things the pandemic taught us is museums have to be flexible, he said.

The fate of the Helen Marie Taylor Museum of Waco History after the recent death of its founder and owner Helen Marie Taylor may be an item in the foundations future. Taylor and former Director Davis discussed a possible collaboration, but could not agree on how it would work. Swanson declined to speculate, and Lynch said the foundation is taking a wait-and-see approach.

Waco really needs a history museum, he said. It would be great to house Waco history in one location.

Swanson is eager to get started on the future in the weeks ahead and in more ways than one. He is marrying Amy Runyon, a rare book catalog librarian for Baylor libraries, on April 24.

While the Historic Waco Foundation is concerned with the past, it has a future, he said.

History is happening all the time, Swanson said. Museums play a role in interpreting that history.
Mumbai, March 6 : Another 185 Indians, mostly students, arrived from Ukraine by an Air India Express flight from Bucharest via Kuwait at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), an official said here early on Sunday.

The flight IX-1202 included a maximum 102 people from Kerala, besides 18 from Tamil Nadu and 12 from Maharashtra.

There are nine persons from Bihar, six from Rajasthan, five each from Karnataka and Gujarat, four each from Uttar Pradesh and Odisha, 3 each from Haryana and Chhattisgarh, two each from Madhya Pradesh and Puducherry, and one each from Delhi, West Bengal, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Jharkhand.

The CSMIA authorities had deployed special measures for the speedy exit and luggage clearance of the Ukraine evacuees, and following the Covid-19 protocols.

Representatives of various states later took charge of their people to help them with their lodging-boarding or onward journey plans by trains or flights.
Broadcasters say the use of first names is the norm in their industry. I reached out to veterans such as Mr Kevin Ejiofor, former Ag Director General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Nnaemeka Maduegbuna, formerly of NTA, Sola Omole, and Senator Chris Anyanwu, who owns broadcast organs.

Arise TVs The Morning Show presenter, Mr Reuben Abati clearly went overboard and defamed his colleague, Mary Chinda, on air in the now infamous exchange about the use of first names. If it was a joke, it turned out sour.

Stakeholders have been up in arms. The din is loud and overwhelming.

It is a function of the strength of that programme and station that the issue gripped national attention so much. Conversations around it have brought up many points. They include first names by broadcasters on air: Is it a universal norm, such as the inverted pyramid in news reporting? Or is there room for cultural peculiarities? How far can hosts go with jest on air?

AriseTV News can sort it out in several ways. One very unusual but intelligent method would be for the senior person to make it up to his junior on air. It should satisfy all stakeholders.

Please note that the junior here, Mary Chinda, is as professional as they come. She holds first and second degrees in Mass Communication and is pursuing the ultimate academic diadem. Chinda has stacked up experience at Enugu Broadcasting Corporation, Plus TV Africa and News Central TV. She is, as such, no greenhorn.

Significantly, I have seen many commentators try to degrade Mr Abati by claiming that he is not a trained journalist or not prepared for broadcasting. Debatable claims.

Reuben is as trained in journalism as they come. He has spent more than 30 years serving in high editorial positions and winning all available awards in the profession in his area. Those awards are validation of competence and professionalism. Not a journalist? Yet, he was Chairman of the Editorial Board of The Guardian, columnist and editorial board member at ThisDay and now anchor at AriseTV News. Please.

Broadcasters say the use of first names is the norm in their industry. I reached out to veterans such as Mr Kevin Ejiofor, former Ag Director General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Nnaemeka Maduegbuna, formerly of NTA, Sola Omole, and Senator Chris Anyanwu, who owns broadcast organs. Three of four responded.

Note that the use of first names is an ongoing debate in some organisations in Corporate Nigeria and has become a riddle for their internal communications teams. One bank CEO insisted on such usage for himself, staff and customers. Well, his staff tried it with a high net worth customer in a South-South state. The High Chief took offence and exception to have customer service representatives demean him. The bank had to find exceptions to the rule.

They affirmed the use of first names in addressing colleagues. Mr Ejiofor stated, Of course, thats the norm. I had often wondered why the young lady (not the Abiola) always addressed him as Dr Abati on The Morning Show. Of course, conventionally, theres such a thing as a house style. I had wondered if Arise was introducing its own house style to dobale for seniors.

Senator Chris Anyanwu: The convention that I know of is to call people by their first names. The idea is to promote a nice, collegial atmosphere. No one ever addresses a co-anchor by Mr Such formality is best left off the air.

On cultural variations, Mr Ejiofor stated, Im afraid Im not aware that it does. But then, with conventions being a matter of choice and long-standing habit, theres little room for a definitive yes or no. For example, no one objected to the young lady calling Reuben, Dr Abati, as far as I know. I felt odd about it but . And this is Nigeria.

The Morning Show is an exciting programme that has gripped the imagination, attention and interest of viewers. The first-name use incident has availed critics and fans alike the opportunity to give feedback to the station and the presenters. They should please pay attention and take all the learnings. I will urge that they script the programme more closely to reduce off-the-handle displays that happen during exclusive reliance on live shows.

Simply Mr was the innovation of The Guardian in 1983 to tackle the Nigerian obsession with titles. It died a year later on the eve of the Decree 4 trials when Chief Rotimi Williams as the papers counsel voiced his year-long resentment at the insult of the denial of his title in the pages of the newspaper. Culture fights against the quest for egalitarian usage in titles in Nigeria.

Note that the use of first names is an ongoing debate in some organisations in Corporate Nigeria and has become a riddle for their internal communications teams. One bank CEO insisted on such usage for himself, staff and customers. Well, his staff tried it with a high net worth customer in a South-South state. The High Chief took offence and exception to have customer service representatives demean him. The bank had to find exceptions to the rule.

However, the convention in broadcasting is to use first names. Will it bend to Nigeria? Not yet, and not desirable.

Chido Nwakanma is a communication strategist, marketer, journalist and educator.
The fourth batch of Nigerian evacuees from Ukraine arrived Friday night at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

They arrived on a plane owned by Air Peace, one of the airlines billed to airlift Nigerians returning from Ukraine. They were airlifted from Hungary where they had fled following the war in Ukraine.

A total of 306 Nigerians were evacuated on the fourth flight, according to the federal government.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the arrival of 772 evacuees who arrived in Nigeria on Friday through Max Air and Air Peace, the two airlines billed to airlift Nigerians returning from Ukraine.

The federal government on Wednesday approved $8.5 million for the evacuation of 5,000 stranded Nigerians.

According to a NAN report, the federal government gave 100 dollars to each of the evacuees to help them get to their relatives when they get to Nigeria.

Three of the returnees confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that they received the money.

PREMIUM TIMES spoke with some of them at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport where they were received by different government agencies.

However, there are still over 300 Nigerian students stuck in Sumy waiting to be evacuated.

Russia-Ukraine War

Russia commenced attacking Ukraine about a week ago in what President Vladimir Putin said was a special military operation.

Over one million people have fled Ukraine since Russias invasion, the United Nations said, warning that at this rate the exodus could become the biggest refugee crisis this century.
New Delhi, March 6 : The Congress party unit in Jharkhand has prepared a roadmap for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Talking to IANS, Congress general secretary and Jharkhand in-charge Avinash Pande said that the party has decided to constitute a coordination committee in the state to harmonise with the Hemant Soren-led government and is working on the revival plan.

In order to strengthen the party prior to the 2024 polls, an exercise at the local level and a roadmap for the next 100 days has been prepared. Work on how to implement the declarations related to the manifesto is currently on, he said.

Q: You have been appointed as the in-charge of Jharkhand Congress, a month ago. What has been done in the past one month and what is the roadmap made for the future? A: In the last one month, our party has held many district level meetings in Jharkhand and organised a 'Chintan Shivir' (discussion forum for improvement in governance). Now the party has prepared a roadmap for 100 days which has been initiated from March 5. This 'five division conferences' will be held in different districts till March 13.

We begin with Hazaribagh then move to Dumka, Ranchi, Daltonganj and Jamshedpur districts. It is being organised for better communication in the organisation, so that 2024 elections can be given a new direction. Regional conferences are being organised to implement the essence that emerged in the 'Chintan Shivir'.

Q: In both Rajasthan and Gujarat, the Congress party, before the state Budget, organised similar camps as done in Jharkhand. You were party in-charge in Rajasthan and now you are in-charge of Jharkhand Congress. Which state, do you think, presented a better Budget? A: See, at the time the Gehlot government presented the Budget, I had said that it was good and historic. The government came up with a Budget ideal for a developing state. The momentum in the economy and health had come to a standstill during the Covid-19 pandemic. Keeping that in mind, the Budget was presented in the interest of the common people. Like the Congress manifesto, it promised an urban employment guarantee programme on the lines of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

Q: Since meetings are being held frequently, is there a possibility of the Congress reshuffling the cabinet in Jharkhand? A: There is a coalition government in Jharkhand. Four ministers from the Congress party are included in the Jharkhand cabinet. Certainly their work will be reviewed in the future and after evaluation, if there is a room for improvement for our party's performance, then these ministers will be changed, definitely. After the meetings, the Congress will form several coordination committees at the state level first. Further review will be held after that.

Q: How is the relationship of the Congress with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) party at present? How much is the Jharkhand government helping in fully implementing the Congress party's manifesto, which was formed under the Common Minimum Agenda? A: We have been working in alliance in the state for the past several years. Many projects have been started together, promises made to the ordinary people have been fulfilled. Therefore, we are confident that we will prove to be a successful alliance and will continue to work together in the future as well.

It is also possible that Congress might fight the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the JMM. We are together now, therefore, fighting together will make sense. But it would not be right to comment on this now. If the Congress is strong on the ground, the alliance will also be strong.

Q: Indian citizens, especially students, who are stuck in Ukraine, came to the border of other countries fighting several adverse situations, after which they were evacuated from there. Is the Congress in Jharkhand or as the country's main Opposition taking any steps to ensure their safety? A: I am very sad that Indian citizens are having to struggle so much. In spite of its pre-estimate, the right steps were not taken in time by the Ministry of External Affairs. This is very painful. Being a responsible opposition, the Congress is extending its full support to the Centre.

Wherever the central government needs cooperation and assistance from the Congress, the party is ready to help responsibly. My deepest condolences to the Indian citizens stranded there. I will appeal to the Centre to bring them back by any means.
The latest developments on the Russia-Ukraine war:

SYDNEY  Australias prime minister has described Russia and Chinas closer relationship as opportunistic rather than strategic.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday labeled the alliance an Arc of Autocracy and said Russia and China would prefer a new world order to the one that has been place since World War II.

Morrison has criticized Beijings failure to condemn Russias invasion of Ukraine and Chinas expansion of trade in Russian wheat while other countries are imposing sanctions.

Australia last week promised Ukraine $50 million in missiles, ammunition and other military hardware to fight Russian invaders.

Morrison said on Monday: Our missiles are on the ground now.

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WASHINGTON  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the House is exploring legislation to further isolate Russia from the global economy, including banning the import of its oil and energy products into the U.S.

Amid rising gasoline prices in the U.S., the Biden administration has yet to call for an oil import ban on Russia.

In a letter to Democrats released Sunday night, Pelosi says the legislation under consideration would also repeal normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus and begin the process of denying Russia access to the World Trade Organization.

Pelosi says the House would also empower the Biden administration to raise tariffs on Russian imports.

Congress intends to approve the Biden administrations request for $10 billion in humanitarian, military and economic support for Ukraine, Pelosi said, as part of omnibus government funding legislation this week.

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LVIV, Ukraine -- Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said more than 20,000 people from 52 countries have already volunteered to fight in Ukraine, where they will serve in a newly created international legion. He did not say how many of the foreign volunteers have arrived in Ukraine.

The whole world today is on Ukraines side not only in words but in deeds, Kuleba said on Ukrainian television Sunday night.

Story continues

He did not name the home countries of the volunteers, saying that some of them forbid their citizens from fighting for other countries.

Kuleba also urged Ukrainians living in other countries to begin a campaign to push for Ukraines membership in the European Union.

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NEW YORK  Two of the so-called Big Four accounting firms are pulling out of Russia over its war in Ukraine.

KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers both said Sunday they would end their relationships with their Russia-based member firms. KPMG said it was also pulling out of Belarus.

KPMG International said in a statement it would be incredibly difficult to have its Russia and Belarus firms leave the network. KPMG has more than 4,500 employees in the two countries.

PricewaterhouseCoopers said it has 3,700 employees at its PwC Russia firm and is working on an orderly transition for the business.

The two other Big Four companies  Deloitte and Ernst & Young  didnt immediately return requests for comment Sunday.

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LVIV, Ukraine  Russian forces stepped up their shelling of Ukrainian cities in the center, north and south of the country late Sunday, presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovich said.

The latest wave of missile strikes came as darkness fell, he said on Ukrainian television.

He said the areas that came under heavy shelling include the outskirts of Kyiv, Chernihiv in the north, Mykolaiv in the south, and Kharkiv, the countrys second-largest city.

Kharkiv officials said the shelling damaged the television tower and heavy artillery was hitting residential areas.

In Chernihiv officials said all regions of the city were coming under missile attack.

Arestovich described a catastrophic situation in the Kyiv suburbs of Bucha, Hostomel and Irpin, where efforts to evacuate residents on Sunday failed. He said the government was doing all it could to resume evacuations.

Evacuations also failed in Mariupol in the south and Volnovakha in the east because of the shelling.

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LVIV, Ukraine  As Russian forces increased their shelling of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appealed to the West to strengthen sanctions.

In a video statement Sunday evening, Zelenskyy heaped criticism on Western leaders for not responding to the Russian Defense Ministrys announcement that it would strike Ukraines military-industrial complex, while telling employees of these defense plants not to go to work.

I didnt hear even a single world leader react to this, Zelenskyy said. The audacity of the aggressor is a clear signal to the West that the sanctions imposed on Russia are not sufficient.

Zelenskyy called for organizing a tribunal to bring to justice those who order and carry out such crimes.

Think about the sense of impunity of the occupiers that they can announce such planned atrocities, he said.

The Russian Defense Ministry announced Sunday that its forces intend to strike Ukraines military-industrial complex with what it said were precision weapons.

We urge all personnel of Ukrainian defense industry plants  to leave the territory of their enterprises, ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement carried by the state news agency Tass.

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Netflix said Sunday that its suspending its service in Russia.

A statement from the company cited circumstances on the ground for its decision to suspend its Russian service but didnt offer any additional details.

The announcement comes after TikTok said users on its platform in Russia have been blocked from posting and viewing videos shared from elsewhere in the world. American Express also announced earlier in the day it would suspend operations in Russia, as well as in Russian-allied Belarus.

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NEW YORK  TikTok said Sunday that users wont be able to post new videos in Russia in response to the governments crackdown on social media.

In light of Russias new fake news law, we have no choice but to suspend livestreaming and new content to our video service while we review the safety implications of this law, the company said in a statement on Twitter. Our in-app messaging service will not be affected.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday intensified a crackdown on media outlets and individuals who fail to hew to the Kremlin line on Russias war in Ukraine, blocking Facebook and Twitter and signing into law a bill that criminalizes the intentional spreading of what Moscow deems to be fake reports.

TikTok is part of the larger Chinese tech company ByteDance.

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NEW YORK  American Express announced Sunday it is suspending all operations in Russia and Belarus.

Globally issued American Express cards will no longer work at merchants or ATMs in Russia, the company said in a statement. AmEx cards issued locally in Russia by the country's banks will also no longer work outside of Russia.

The company previously halted its relationships with banks in Russia impacted by the U.S. and international government sanctions, the company said.

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JERUSALEM  Israels prime minister spoke Sunday evening by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a day after his snap trip to Moscow to discuss the more than weeklong Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Naftali Bennett also spoke with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whom he visited in Berlin on Saturday as well, and French President Emmanuel Macron, his office said.

Bennett has also spoken on the phone multiple times with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy  most recently Sunday morning  as part of his shuttle diplomacy to mediate between Ukraine and Russia after more than a week of fighting.

Additionally, Israeli foreign minister Yair Lapid will fly to Riga, Latvia, on Monday to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the Foreign Ministry said.

While Israel has condemned Russias invasion, it has also refrained from taking action that could anger Moscow, out of concern of jeopardizing military coordination in neighboring Syria.

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VIENNA, Austria  The International Atomic Energy Agency has said Russian forces are tightening their grip on the Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant, Ukraines largest, that they seized last week.

The director general of the agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi, said Sunday Ukrainian staff members are now required to seek approval for any operation, even maintenance, from the Russians, and that they have impeded normal communications by switching off some mobile networks and internet at the site.

Ukraines regulatory authority said that phone lines, as well as e-mails and fax, are no longer working. Grossi said he is extremely concerned about these developments, adding that for the plant to operate safely, staff must be allowed to carry out their vital duties in stable conditions, without undue external interference or pressure.

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NEW YORK  The Russian military has warned Ukraine's neighboring countries from hosting its warplanes, saying Moscow may consider them a part of the conflict if Ukrainian aircraft fly combat missions from their territory.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov charged Sunday that some Ukrainian combat planes had redeployed to Romania and other Ukraine neighbors he didnt identify.

Konashenkov warned that if those warplanes attack the Russian forces from the territory of those nations, it could be considered as those countries engagement in the military conflict.

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PARIS  The French presidency said the call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday focused primarily on the safety of Ukraines nuclear plants.

The call was on request from Macron and lasted almost two hours, the Elysee said.

A French official said Macron insisted on the need to ensure the International Atomic Energy Agencys safety standards are respected at Chernobyl and in other nuclear plants. He told Putin these facilities must not be targeted by a Russian offensive or caught in the fighting.

Putin said he does not intend to attack nuclear plants and agreed on the principle of a dialogue between IAEA, Ukraine and Russia on this issue, according to the official, who spoke anonymously in line with the French presidencys practices. Potential talks are to be organized in the coming days, he said.

Macron reiterated his call for Russia to stop its military operations and insisted on the need to protect the civilians and allow access to humanitarian aid.

The (humanitarian) situation is difficult including in Mariupol on Sunday, the official stressed. Our demands remain the same: we want Russia to respond to these demands... very quickly and clearly.

 By Sylvie Corbet

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PARIS  European Union leader Charles Michel said Sunday closing Ukraines airspace could spark a world war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly called on NATO countries to stop the Russian onslaught on his country by imposing a no-fly zone. Western leaders have refused for fear of triggering a wider war in Europe. Deploying fighter jets over Ukraine could in current circumstances be considered as NATOs entry into the war and therefore risk World War III, Michel said in an interview with the public broadcaster France Inter.

Michel denied that economic sanctions against Russia constitute a war of the EU or NATO against Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin has linked the Wests economic punishment for his invasion of Ukraine to declaring war on Moscow.

Michel said European and American allies imposed sanctions to create pressure and hurt the (Russian) regime, not the people.

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JERUSALEM  A group of 100 Ukrainian Jewish orphans who were evacuated from the country after Russia invaded have landed in Israel.

The children arrived Sunday a few hours before two flights carrying around 300 other Ukrainian Jewish immigrants landed.

The children were evacuated from the central Ukrainian city of Zhytomyr and brought to Israel by the KKL-JNF organization.

The Jewish Agency for Israel, a quasigovernmental organization that manages immigration affairs, said that it had received 5,500 urgent requests by Ukrainian Jews to move to Israel since Russia attacked on Feb. 24.

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WASHINGTON  U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the United States and its allies are having a very active discussion about banning the import of Russian oil and natural gas in the latest escalation of their sanctions in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine.

Asked about oil and gas imports, Blinken told CNN on Sunday that President Joe Biden convened a meeting of his National Security Council on the subject the day before. Biden and Western allies have until now held off on sanctions against Russias lucrative energy industry to avoid blowback on their own economies.

We are now talking to our European partners and allies to look in a coordinated way at the prospect of banning the import of Russian oil while making sure that there is still an appropriate supply of oil on world market, said Blinken. Thats a very active discussion as we speak.

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BERLIN  The U.N. human rights office says it has confirmed the deaths of 364 civilians in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began on Feb. 24.

The Geneva-based office said that another 759 civilians had been injured as of midnight Saturday.

The rights office uses strict methodology and only reports casualties it has confirmed.

It says it believes the real figures are considerably higher, especially in government-controlled territory and especially in recent days. Thats because the flow of information has been delayed amid the fighting and many reports still need to be corroborated.

Ukrainian officials have presented far higher numbers.

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NEW YORK  The Kremlin says President Vladimir Putin told his Turkish counterpart that Russias military action in Ukraine could be halted only if Kyiv ceases hostilities and fulfills the well-known demands of Russia.

Putin has listed demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine, recognition of Russian-annexed Crimea as part of Russia and separatist regions in eastern Ukraine as independent states as the Kremlins main demands.

According to the readout of Sunday's call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, hope was expressed that during the planned next round of negotiations, the representatives of Ukraine would show a more constructive approach, fully taking into account the emerging realities.

A third round of talks is scheduled for Monday.

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MEDYKA, Poland  The head of the United Nations refugee agency says the international Red Cross and the U.N. are negotiating access to the cities in Ukraine most impacted by fighting since Russia invaded Feb. 24.

Filippo Grandi, the U.N. high commissioner for refugees, said Sunday that those discussions continue with hope for success, but didn't name specific cities. He said during a visit to Poland's border with Ukraine that these corridors are mainly to bring humanitarian goods basic goods to people that are really in desperate need and also to extract maybe the most vulnerable people.

Grandi stressed that wide international assistance is needed for Poland and other countries receiving refugees from Ukraine. He said that predictions are difficult, hundreds of thousands are on the move inside Ukraine, and it is very likely that we will see a large influx continuing in the next few days.

Grandi said that what is needed really is a ceasefire, is the end to hostilities because thats the only way to stop this tragedy.

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LVIV, Ukraine  A Ukrainian official says a second attempt to evacuate civilians from a southern city under siege for a week has failed due to continued Russian shelling.

Ukrainian military authorities said earlier Sunday that evacuations from the port city of Mariupol were scheduled to begin at noon local time (10 a.m. GMT) during a 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. local ceasefire.

Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko said the planned evacuations along designated humanitarian corridors were halted because of an ongoing assault.

He said on Telegram that there can be no green corridors because only the sick brain of the Russians decides when to start shooting and at whom."

A similar cease-fire planned for Mariupol and the nearby city of Volnovakha collapsed Saturday, trapping residents under more shelling and aerial bombardment by Russian forces.

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ISTANBUL  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's office says he has called for an urgent cease-fire in Ukraine in a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In a statement following Sunday's one-hour call, the Turkish presidency said Erdogan had urged a halt to fighting to address humanitarian concerns and seek a political solution to the conflict. The war is now in its 11th day.

Erdogan called for the opening of humanitarian corridors and a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine.

Turkey has extensive ties with both Russia and Ukraine and has sought to place itself as a mediator. It has invited both to a diplomatic forum in Antalya next week.

Erdogan's office said he told Putin that he was ready to make every contribution" to resolving the crisis.

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WARSAW, Poland  Polands border guard agency says that over 922,000 refugees have crossed the border from Ukraine since Feb. 24, when Russia launched its invasion.

The agency said on Twitter that a record one-day number of over 129,000 crossed into Poland on Saturday, and almost 40,000 between midnight and 7 a.m. on Sunday.

A nation of some 38 million people, Poland is receiving the largest number of refugees among Ukraines neighbors. Some who entered Poland have continued to other countries.

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HELSINKI -- The top U.S. military officer says Ukrainian soldiers and civilians alike have put up an extraordinarily courageous fight since the Russian invasion.

Gen. Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke Sunday during a visit to an air base in Amari, Estonia. He is visiting the three Baltic nations to pledge U.S. and NATO support to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, former Soviet republics that border Russia.

Milley said that the will of the Ukrainian people, the importance of their national leadership and the fighting skills of the Ukrainian army has come through loud and clear.

He said Ukrainians have put up an extraordinarily courageous and brave fight and theyve been doing very, very well. But its a little bit early to draw any definitive lessons.

Milley said the U.S. currently has no indications that Moscow is planning to attack on the Baltic countries and we want to make sure it stays that way.

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Follow APs coverage of the tensions between Russia and Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Seoul, March 6 : North Korea said on Sunday it has conducted another "important test" for developing a "reconnaissance satellite".

"The DPRK National Aerospace Development Administration (NADA) and the Academy of Defence Science conducted another important test on Saturday under the plan of developing a reconnaissance satellite," Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a report.

The DPRK is the acronym for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Through the test, the NADA "confirmed the reliability of data transmission and reception system of the satellite, its control command system and various ground-based control systems", Yonhap News Agency quoted the KCNA as further saying.

The report however, did not provide additional details.

On Saturday, the North fired a ballistic missile toward the East Sea, its ninth show of force this year, according to South Korea's military.

Launched from around the Sunan area in Pyongyang, the missile flew about 270 km at a top altitude of 560 km, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

On Saturday, South Korea's presidential National Security Council convened an emergency meeting and condemned the North's missile launch, calling for Pyongyang to halt acts that raise tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

The North has launched a barrage of missiles, including an intermediate-range ballistic missile, since the start of this year.

On February 27, the North launched a ballistic missile and announced the next day that it carried out an "important test" to confirm the accuracy of the "photographing system, data transmission system and attitude control devices" to develop a reconnaissance satellite.

Saturday's show of force came ahead of South Korea's presidential election on March 9.
New Delhi, March 6 : To redefine the landscape of blockchain industry in India, the first-ever project to build a metaverse for food, gaming, and NFTs on the blockchain ecosystem is on the cards. Onerare, announced its collaboration with Massive Restaurants to bring all its entities into the Foodverse, starting with one of the most loved cafes by the people of the country - the Farzi Cafe.

The collaboration will enable Massive Restaurants, known to celebrate modern Indian cuisine, to enter into the Metaverse, and create its first experience restaurant in OneRare's Food Metaverse.

Massive Restaurants will present NFTs celebrating their signature dishes on the blockchain for the first time ever, as well, create virtual restaurants, interactive experiences and more. OneRare and Massive Restaurants will together explore the blockchain world to power up table reservations, online ordering, and offering the world's first tokenisation layer for food, creating an immersive and gamified experience.

IANSlife spoke to Zorawar Kalra, Fuunder and Managing Director, Massive Restaurants and Supreet Raju, Co-Founder OneRare to get all the details.

Cloud kitchens and take away are having their moment thanks to the pandemic. Your thoughts on this? Zorawar: Yes, I think its bourgeoning, and we are still at the initial phase of this food stage in India, just at a fraction of numbers in orders and deliveries compared to other countries. But its growing at a fantastic pace, it's going to be the next big thing. Obviously Covis-19 has helped the growth of the online space because brick and mortar was shut, but I don't foresee see any more lockdowns, but I think delivery has cut itself as a big slice of a pie, and is here to stay.

We are now building a lot of brands they are going to be singularly focused on bringing food to people's homes, Louis Burgers has had phenomenal success in Delhi and Mumbai, and will available in 4-5 cities by the end of March. We are also looking at about 100 points of sale by the end of the year, brands like ours who are into restaurants realize that the cloud space is very relevant, its important and its here to stay. It will offer incredible growth possibilities, its not a substitute and compliments the existing business.

You're leaping straight into NFT craze, your thoughts on the Food Metaverse? Zorawar: I think the Metaverse is fusion of intellect and more importantly how use we use social media or to order food online. The Metaverse is going to position itself between the virtual and real world, so actions you take in the virtual world will give you real life benefits in the physical world. I think that's the beauty of Metaverse, its going to be an alternative reality which will allow you to have a life online with benefits in real life.

The actions take online can be redeemed offline, for example you can collect all your ingredients online and then redeem that dish in a Farzi cafA. I think that's the future, it's also about community building. The ultimate test for online community building, is going to be a world where you can have friends and an alternate life, cool games and count on experiences virtually.

Currently businesses like ours are present on Facebook and instagram and platforms like Zomato, its still very limited, its not very community building, what the Metaverse offers is a place where you can actually have online sessions, where you can collect recipes, collect tokens and only those people that are present on the metaverse can enjoy that dish, cocktail or mocktail in the restaurant. The possibilities are endless.

Farzi Cafe being the first, do you plan to expand across brands in the group? Zorawar: We are excited about the Metaverse being a company that embraces technology at the slightest chance. We know it also can have real life beneficial aspects for any business, we embrace technology and are trying to get most of our plans online. Next on our charts is Louis Burger which is anyway a virtual restaurant and very popular among the youth. So yes most of our brands will be in the NFT space or NFTs round heritage recipes, so there are a lot of possibilities with metaverse, not just our brand but also with food in general.

The Metaverse may not be accessible to people who are not familiar with tech, NFTs or with gaming and auctions, how do you plan to overcome this? Supreet: Its something like the instgram moment of 2009, back then we really didn't have those brilliant phones to take pictures that we do now, we didn't have such big phone screens, the Blackberry phase, but now everyone has access. When something like the Metaverse comes up, there will be a small group that takes to it first, the earlier adopters, this is true for any technology or any particular fashion moment. But when interest grows everything starts supporting that movement, so the Metaverse will grow.

The way the metaverse will grow is more people will get interested, so more businesses will cater to the demand of simplifying it and improving that experience. Right now all our social interactions are Zoom or video etc, 2D experiences, tomorrow the Metaverse will be more interactive and immersive, creating a 3D environment experience.

How important from a brand point of view is first mover advantage in this space? Supreet: When social media started brands didn't take to it and thought that it such a niche teen age audience, how will it be monitised? It was a big question for brands as to why they should spend money on something intangible, but it happened. Incase of food, some home chefs came up on instagram and ended up with millions of followers, releasing cook books and opened their own restaurants later.

I think its that moment all over again, may be little more important this time because it involves technology at a larger scale and so for brands this is huge moment to get in early and be able to take early advantage. After 6-8 months to be honest, everybody is going to be here. I actually haven't seen much into resisitence to people coming on the Metaverse, and it's a matter of how well they do understand it.

In Zorawar's case the group is tech friendly and even the young chefs understand the power of tech, and its use to take business forward. But overall I think for brands if they create a brilliant experience early they can really jump ahead of competition.

What do you plan to offer on NFT for Farzi Cafe, what is up and what is available? Supreet: We plan to l launch Farzi cafe NFTs with two particular layers, the gaming layer and the virtual restaurant layer. In the gaming layer we basically will be using Farzi Cafe's most iconic dishes, people can try to make them by collecting all the ingredients and they can use the dish in NFT to play more games. In the virtual restaurant we will be setting up virtual Farzi cafe experience, modern Indian cuisine and redefining the gastronomical experience to create an unique experience in their particular virtual space.

(IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)
Thiruvananthapuram, March 6 : A Kochi-based tattoo artist Sujeesh.P.S., who has been arrested after several women raised complaints against him for sexually abusing them while tattooing on their private parts, will be produced before a magistrate on Sunday.

Sujeesh was arrested late Saturday night.

An 18-year-old girl had in a social media post said that he had sexually assaulted her while tattooing on her private parts and after her revelation, five more women came against him stating that he had abused them.

Sujeesh, who was on the run ever since the issue came out, was arrested by the Kochi city police team while he was trying to reach the office of an advocate on Saturday night.

The police have commenced recording the statements of the survivors and also will be taking their medical examination to be submitted before the magistrate under Section 164B of CrPc.

The Kochi city police commissioner, C. Nagaraju while speaking to IANS said, "He was trying to evade the arrest, our team took him into custody and will be taking the statement of the survivors and their medical examination. He will be produced before a magistrate on Sunday itself." The 35-year-old Tattoo artist has been running a successful studio at Kochi for the past ten years and is a successful artist. However, his family and friends complained that the Tattooing was done openly and that he had not sexually abused any women.

A close friend of Sujeesh while speaking to IANS said, "Sujesh is innocent and these cases are due to business rivalry and we will take legal recourse on this matter. Nothing much to say other than this."
Sanaa, March 6 : Two workers of the international medical charity Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres/MSF) were kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in Yemen's southeastern province of Hadramout, a security official said.

The aid workers from Germany and Mexico, were intercepted when travelling in the western part of Hadramout on Saturday, the official told Xinhua news agency.

"The unidentified gunmen set up an armed ambush and kidnapped two MSF's aid workers, driving them to unknown whereabouts," the local source said.

Last month, Russell Geekie, senior communications advisor to the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for Yemen, confirmed that five staff members of the world body were kidnapped in Abyan province "after having completed a field mission".

The UN staff members are still held by unknown gunmen as a mediation conducted by local tribal figures failed to secure their release despite a series of negotiation rounds with an armed group responsible for the kidnapping incident.
New Delhi, March 6 : The spring season at H&M Home is all about colour, preparing for the brighter days ahead and creating springtime zen in your home. This Spring, it opens its doors to India by inviting light into living spaces with bright hues and playful shapes marking a new start for homes with optimism and joyfulness in focus.

H&M HOME is design-driven, offering fashion-forward decor and accessories for every room and style. With products for living, dining and kitchen, bed, bathroom and kids, the assortment will range from high-quality bed linen and timeless dinnerware to stylish textiles; with contemporary style and attention to detail at its core. By merging modern design and quality with sustainability and affordable prices, the brand enables interior lovers across the world to create a personal and modern space - a place to feel at home.

The plethora of art, architecture, fashion, food, folklore, and the cultures of the world amalgamate into the design elements as the world is the source of inspiration. Artistic and bold details with sculptural elements in stylish vases, tufted and velvet cushions, and rugs embody the joy of springtime sunshine.

Find pleasure in your everyday life at home with comforting and bohemian-chic details made with organic cotton and FSC certified rattan. Stunning swirl patterned vases in thick glass, where golden details set the final touch are the perfect new additions to your home for the new year and new season.

Amit Kothari, Regional Marketing & Communications Manager, South Asia, H&M speaks to IANSlife about the launch in India.

H&M has become one of India's favourite fashion brands. How does H&M Home plan to leverage and take advantage of this popularity? Kothari: H&M aims to be the leading destination for style, creativity, and culture where we offer fashion and quality at the best price in a sustainable way. We are able to offer the latest fashion by having our own design teams and creating our own collections along with exciting collaborations. Our business concept of fashion and quality in a sustainable way is the key differentiator. We aim to make it possible for everyone to look and feel good and our products are designed and priced in such a way that we are able to cater to diverse consumer needs.

Similarly, H&M HOME has been so well received by our customers globally with its offering of modern design at great price points and therefore we are very excited to launch it for our customers in India. We see immense opportunity to drive our business concept of offering modern design and quality at the best price, in an inspiring and sustainable way, enabling interior lovers across the world to create a personal and modern space - a place to feel at home.

What truly makes H&M HOME stand out is the variety of natural materials and the increasing number of sustainable materials in the collections. Already 90 per cent of the brand's textile materials come from more sustainable sources, and for hard materials, we are using FSC certified wood, recycled plastic, recycled paper, and recycled glass. Having said that, we're excited to introduce interior products in line with the H&M business concept of "Fashion and quality at the best price in a sustainable way," and look forward to finally bringing the world of H&M HOME to our Indian customers.

The pandemic has put the spotlight on homes and lifestyle, keeping this in mind do you believe the launch is well-timed ? Kothari: The pandemic has made our homes more central than ever. We have been spending much more time at home, and these spaces have become incredibly defining aspects of our personalities. It has emerged as a place where we live, work, unwind, work out, meet up with close friends and family - and everything in between. - a place where we feel safe, but also a place for work, family time and recreational activities.

H&M has been present in India since 2015 and we have been constantly listening to our customers to understand their evolving needs. Our actions and plans have always been with our customers in focus, leading to more relevant and better experiences. We see so much potential in the Indian market and look forward to finally introducing H&M HOME to interior and design in the country, enabling them to create a personal and modern space - a place where they can feel at home. It is also an interesting market given that larger families often live together and share living spaces and these rooms are therefore reflective of collective life.

While the launch begins with online e-commerce, can we expect the brand to open stores across metros and if so when can we expect to see the first one take off? Kothari: H&M India launched H&M HOME with a digital store on hm.com and on the e-commerce platform Myntra on 3rd March 2022. This will be followed by the introduction of H&M HOME in the existing Ambience Vasant Kunj store in New Delhi along with plans to open stores across existing stores. India is a priority market and therefore growing our physical footprint is part of our strategy. We see a great potential to open more stores in India however, the number and timeframe will be determined by a number of external factors. Our expansion strategy is to always open at the best business location, and we look at many different options at the same time.

How would you define the design aesthetic of H&M Home? Kothari: H&M HOME is a design-driven interior brand wherein we are very receptive to trends beyond homeware. We have an ear on the ground to know what it is that people want from dAcor and are using this knowledge as a constant source of inspiration. We adapt these trends into interior products that suit our trend-sensitive audience. We cater to personal taste whilst keeping diversity as our focus, allowing us to be an inclusive brand that has something for everyone.

Offering a great and inspirational shopping experience with a varied and wide product range, we always strive to provide our customers with products that offer value for money and are of good quality, so that they can easily update their homes. Through design, price and quality H&M HOME make it possible for the customers to renew their home in a fun, easy and sustainable way. Our focus remains on high-quality products designed with expert craftsmanship that lasts for years.

What are your favourites from the collection? Kothari: The team works so hard to make these collections, it becomes difficult to choose favourites! I am personally very focused on decluttering not only my workspace but also other parts of my house to keep it as clean as it may possibly be - I find it helps me clear my mind and focus more! Our Spring collections are focused on decluttering with storage solutions for the kitchen and the bathroom. For example, for the kitchen, we have different types of baskets and boxes, along with reusable bowls and bread bags to keep everything fresh and in its place.

Available online at hm.com 'home from 3 March, 2022 and on Mvntra.

(IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)
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For full coverage of the crisis in Ukraine, visit Flashpoint Ukraine.

For the latest developments of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, all times EST:

11:30 p.m.: South Korean authorities said Monday that they will end the countrys transactions with Russias central bank. In a press release, Seouls foreign ministry said South Koreas sanctions will be in line with U.S. financial sanctions, joining a global response to Russias invasion of Ukraine.

8:28 p.m.: The administration of President Joe Biden has requested $10 billion in humanitarian, military and economic support for Ukraine. The Congress intends to enact this emergency funding this week as part of our omnibus government funding legislation, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a Sunday evening letter to fellow Democrats.

8:06 p.m.: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said more than 20,000 people from 52 countries have already volunteered to fight in Ukraine, according to an Associated Press report. He said the foreign volunteers would serve in a newly created international legion, although he did not say how many of the foreign volunteers have arrived in Ukraine.

The whole world today is on Ukraines side not only in words but in deeds, Kuleba said on Ukrainian television Sunday night.

6:16 p.m.: Russian forces stepped up their shelling of Ukrainian cities in the center, north and south of the country late Sunday, presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovich said, according to an Associated Press report. The latest wave of missile strikes came as darkness fell, he said on Ukrainian television. He said the areas that came under heavy shelling include the outskirts of Kyiv, Chernihiv in the north, Mykolaiv in the south, and Kharkiv, the countrys second-largest city.

5:30 p.m.: Britain is releasing another $100 million to help Ukraine, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Sunday and promised fresh efforts to rally international opinion against Russia's invasion, according to Agence France-Press. The $100 million, to be provided via the World Bank, is in addition to the $290 million of overall aid support to Ukraine, said a statement from Downing Street. The new funding will go towards keeping key state functions operating, it added, according to AFP.

4:05 p.m.: Netflix said on Sunday that it was suspending its service in Russia, according to Reuters. A statement from the company cited circumstances on the ground for its decision to suspend its Russian service but didnt offer any additional details.

2:54 p.m.: TikTok said Sunday that users wont be able to post new videos in Russia in response to the governments crackdown on social media, according to The Associated Press. In light of Russias new fake news law, we have no choice but to suspend livestreaming and new content to our video service while we review the safety implications of this law, the company said in a statement on Twitter. Our in-app messaging service will not be affected.

1:57 p.m.: U.S. credit card and payments giant American Express said Sunday it is suspending its operations in Russia and Belarus over Moscow's "unjustified" attack on Ukraine, the latest financial services blow to Russia over its invasion, according to Agence France-Presse. The move follows card payment titans Visa and Mastercard, which had announced Saturday they will suspend operations in Russia.

1:30 p.m. A day after many of them spoke with Ukraines president, U.S. lawmakers are pledging to provide additional military aid to Kyiv as the government there continues to fight for its survival amid the invasion by Russia. VOAs Steve Herman has the story.

1:23 p.m.: VOAs photo gallery chronicles some of the latest developments following Russias invasion of Ukraine.

1:06 p.m.: The International Atomic Energy Agency says management at Ukraines Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant is under orders from the commander of Russian forces controlling the site. Russian forces seized the nuclear plant last week.

12:32 p.m.: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has pledged Washington's support to Moldova, a small, Western-leaning former Soviet republic that is contending with an influx of refugees from neighboring Ukraine. RFE/RL has the details.

11:29 a.m.: A monitoring group says the number of people detained at anti-war protests across Russia on Sunday has risen to nearly 4,000.

10:40 a.m.: The ICRC Director General commented on the failed civilian evacuations from Mariupol, saying he was sad and disappointed.

10:30 a.m.: The U.N. human rights office says it has confirmed 364 civilian deaths and 759 injuries in Ukraine since Russia invaded the country on February 24, although it says the true figures are likely to be considerably higher.

10:00 a.m.: The International Organization for Migration is calling on governments to stop discriminating against third-country nationals trying to flee conflict in Ukraine to neighboring countries. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva.

9:45 a.m.: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CNNs State of the Union show that Washington is investigating reports of Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians that could constitute war crimes.

8:56 a.m.: The International Committee of the Red Cross says a second attempt to start evacuating some 200,000 people from the city of Mariupol failed on Sunday. The failed attempts yesterday and today underscore the absence of a detailed and functioning agreement between the parties to the conflict, an ICRC statement said.

7:30 a.m.: A monitoring group says more than 1,000 people have been detained in anti-war protests in Russia Sunday. The OVD-Info group said protests were held in some 30 cities across the country

7:00 a.m: The United Nations says more than 1.5 million have fled Ukraine since Russia invaded the country.

6:45 a.m: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to declare a ceasefire in Ukraine during a phone call Sunday. "Erdogan emphasized the importance of taking urgent steps to achieve a ceasefire, open humanitarian corridors and sign a peace agreement, his office said.

5:41 a.m.: Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi dismissed suggestions his countrys neutral stance in the Russia-Ukraine conflict is straining Islamabads relationship with the United States or the West at large, in an interview Sunday with VOA. Ayaz Gul has the story.

4:38 a.m.: Ukrainian orphans flee the invasion. Reuters has the story.

3:42 a.m.: The BBC reports there's a new cease-fire in the Ukrainian city of Marioupol.

3:23 a.m.: U.S. President Joe Biden said during his State of the Union speech Tuesday night, addressing Russian oligarchs, that they wouldn't have their yachts, their private jets and their luxury apartments long. We are coming for your ill-begotten gains," he said.

Seizing the behemoth boats could prove challenging. Russian billionaires have had decades to shield their money and assets in the West from governments that might try to tax or seize them.

2:30 a.m.: CNN reports that the Ukrainian city of Mariupol has no power or water. The BBC reports that the city is "on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe."

1:40 a.m.: Charities are having trouble getting aid through to Ukraine. ABC News has the story.

1 a.m.: People in Taiwan show their support.

12:35 a.m.: She married an American in the U.S. on Saturday. On Monday, she plans to fly to Poland, then head to Ukraine to fight for her home country. The Associated Press has the story.

12:02 a.m.: The Associated Press reports: The already challenging path to bringing home Americans jailed in Russia and Ukraine is likely even more complicated now with a war overwhelming the region and increasingly hostile relations between the United States and the Kremlin.

Some information in this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
The Biden administration is holding talks with Poland about a possible deal to help provide Soviet-era fighter jets to Ukraine, a White House spokesperson said.

The deal would involve Poland donating its old Russian-made MiG fighters to Ukraine, and then replacing them with the purchase of U.S.-made F-16 jets.

We are working with the Poles on this issue and consulting with the rest of our NATO allies, a White House spokesperson said.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday confirmed that the discussions are underway but said the timing is still unclear.

Were looking actively now at the question of airplanes that Poland may provide to Ukraine and looking at how we might be able to backfill should Poland decide to . . . supply those planes, Blinken said at a news conference during a visit to Moldova.

How quickly might that happen? I cant speak to a timeline.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made an urgent appeal in a phone call with more than 300 members of Congress on Saturday for fighter jets and other military aid to fend off invading Russian troops.

His main ask was for the U.S. to allow Poland and Romania to transfer Soviet era jets to #Ukraine, and for the U.S. to compensate by giving more advanced planes to those two NATO allies, Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., said in a tweet.

Ukraines government is interested in the old Soviet-era planes because the countrys military pilots are trained to fly those aircraft and are familiar with the planes.

Ukraines foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, on Saturday also called on Western countries to provide Kyiv with warplanes to defend the country after holding talks with Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the Poland-Ukraine border.

Its no secret that the highest demand that we have is in fighter jets, attack aircraft, and air-defense systems, Kuleba told reporters after meeting Blinken.

If we lose the skies, there will be much more blood on the ground, Kuleba added.

Story continues

It was up to Poland whether it wanted to transfer fighter jets to Ukraine, the White House spokesperson said.

Thats a sovereign decision for any country to make. We have in no way opposed Poland transferring planes to Ukraine, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said there were a number of challenging practical questions, including how the planes would get to Ukraine.

After hearing from Zelenskyy, lawmakers strongly endorsed Ukraines request and urged the White House to take prompt action to ensure Kyiv was able to get access to fighter jets.

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., sent a letter to President Joe Biden calling on the administration to support aircraft transfers to Ukraine from Eastern European allies.

NATO members Poland, Bulgaria, and Slovakia are ready to replace their older Soviet era aircraft such as the MiG-29 and the Su-25 with more advanced fighters such as U.S-made F-16 aircraft, Portman said in a statement.

We have been told that they are willing to donate these aircraft to the Ukrainians if they are provided assurances and a roadmap that they will be allowed to purchase advanced American aircraft in a reasonable timeframe, Portman said.

The embassy of Poland in Washington did not respond to a request for comment.

Josep Borrell, the E.U.s foreign policy chief, indicated last weekend that some member states were ready to deliver fighter jets to Ukraine along with other weapons. But EU officials later walked back the comments.
A State High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has fixed April 28 for ruling on a preliminary objection filed by a Nigerian university professor, Ignatius Uduk, accused of election fraud in the state.

Mr Uduk also filed a no case submission.

The professor of Human Kinetics in the Department of Physical and Health Education, University of Uyo is being prosecuted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for alleged unlawful generation of election results during the 2019 general elections in Akwa Ibom State.

Mr Uduk, through his counsel, Abasiodiong Ekpenyong asked the court to uphold his argument as contained in the preliminary objection and dismiss the case.

The lawyer, Mr Ekpenyong sought the courts interpretation of a recently decided case of Joseph Wobike against the Federal Republic of Nigeria where Section 93 (3) of the Criminal Procedure Law of Lagos State was put to test.

He said his client is charged with offence as contained in Section 123 (4) of the Electoral Act, and added that those offences are not defined by the Electoral Act or any law in Nigeria.

According to him, in Wobikes case the court held that where theres no written definition of offence, one cannot infer the ingredients of offence, and argued that it is upon the law creating the offence to state what constitutes the offence.

Mr Ekpenyong told the court, For there to have been a false result, it means that there are two results  one original and the other fake but this trial, theres only one result.

Prosecutions argument

The prosecution counsel, Clement Onwuenwunor, in his counter argument, said the accused was linked essentially to the offences charged through his contradictory report to INEC and Election Petition Tribunal.

According to Mr Onwuenwunor, the accused in his report to INEC said, he ran away from the Local Government Collation Centre because of violence and that he could not account for the results.

However, the accused proceeded to issue the results a few hours after and went further to swear an affidavit at the Election Petition Tribunal that the results he declared, the returns he made were not under duress and that there was no violence.

The prosecution counsel said, With the three contradictory documents the accused issued  his report, the results he declared and third, the evidence he filed at the Election Petition Tribunal  it is our position that he needs to explain those contradictions by entering his defence.

Mr Onwuenwunor told reporters outside the courtroom that he has five witnesses in the matter but the defence counsel cross-examined only three, leaving the evidence of two witnesses unchallenged.

He said, We feel with the avalanche of documents we brought in, it will amount to failure of justice for the court to uphold, as urged by the defence, that the accused does not need to put in his defence, at least to explain contradictory documents he issued.

He added that they were able to establish before the court that the returns the accused made contradicted his earlier report where he said there was violence and that he could not account for any results that came from Essien Udim.

He wondered how the accused thereafter appeared before the Election Petition Tribunal to affirm the results he earlier denounced.

Mr Onwuenwunor told Justice Bassey Nkanang that the basis for the objection by the defence counsel was to misdirect the court, and added that the defence counsel arguments was related essentially to trials for terrorism, kidnapping, rape and murder and does not cover electoral offences.

Justice Nkanang, after hearing both submissions, adjourned the matter to April 28 for ruling on the preliminary objection.

Background

Mr Uduk was an ad-hoc official of INEC and the returning officer for the Essien Udim State Constituency election in 2019, in Akwa Ibom State.

In a hand-written report to INEC, Mr Uduk said he was compelled to declare election results not collated by him, but by undisclosed persons who handed them to him.

However, in another deposition, this time in a typed written statement on oath, Prof Uduk, driven in a dark tinted vehicle to the Election Tribunal venue, surprisingly stood as a witness against the Commission, to defend the same election results he did not collate but were given to him by undisclosed persons, INEC had said in a statement when he commenced the prosecution of the professor.

Another professor, Peter Ogban, in the same university, was jailed last year for election fraud.

Mr Ogban tried to help a former senator, Godswill Akpabio, win re-election.
Its hard to imagine a better start to Womens History Month.

As President Joe Biden delivered his State of the Union address March 1, Kamala Harris, the first woman and first woman of color elected Vice President, and Nancy Pelosi, the first woman Speaker of the House, sat in the power seats behind him.

Next to first lady Jill Biden in the gallery was Ukraine ambassador Oksana Markarova. Prompted by Biden to show their support of the brave Ukrainians at war with Russia, the assembled leaders of the federal government gave the ambassador thunderous applause and a standing ovation.

Days before, Biden nominated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to the Supreme Court.

For too long, our government, our courts, havent looked like America, Biden said Feb. 25, announcing his first Supreme Court pick. I believe its time that we have a court that reflects the full talents and greatness of our nation, with a nominee of extraordinary qualifications.

If confirmed by the Senate, Jackson will become the fourth woman associate justice on the nine-member court. Her addition will not change the ideological makeup of six conservative and three liberal justices.

Biden has praised Jackson as one of our nations top legal minds and a consensus builder and has touted her experience as a former federal public defender.

Jackson, 51, a Harvard University and Law School graduate, would replace Justice Stephen Breyer, who is retiring and for whom she was a law clerk early in her career.

Beyond being a historic first, Jackson, a former special counsel to the U.S. Sentencing Commission, would also bring to the court a unique personal and professional perspective on criminal justice.

Her uncle received a life sentence in 1989 for a nonviolent drug crime under a three-strikes law. Year later, President Barack Obama years commuted the harsh sentence, The Washington Post reported.

Confirmation hearings are scheduled for the week of March 21, and a full Senate vote could take place in mid-April. That still would be more time than Republicans took to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to the court in October 2020.

Confirmation requires a simple majority, but nothing is simple in a Senate that is split 50-50 between the parties. Jackson, a federal judge since 2013, was confirmed just last year to the appellate court 53-44, with support from three Republican senators  Susan Collins of Maine, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.

But Graham has indicated he now may oppose Jackson as the choice of the radical Left. Republicans are expected to concentrate their questioning on her judicial philosophy.

If all Democrats and independents are present and vote in favor of Jackson, Harris could cast the tie-breaking vote, although Democrats hope a few Republicans will back Jackson.

Confirmation would be a historic first for Biden, too. In his official proclamation of Womens History Month, the president touted his Cabinet as the most diverse and gender-balanced in history, including the first women to serve as Treasury Secretary and Director of National Intelligence, the first Native American woman as Cabinet secretary, and women leading the Departments of Commerce, Energy, Housing and Urban Development.

Women have also made gains in state government. The most women ever serve in state legislatures, according to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.

In Virginia, the 2021 election brought a record number of women  35  to the House of Delegates and elected the first woman of color statewide, Republican Winsome Sears, as lieutenant governor.

Womens History Month gives us the opportunity to reflect and celebrate the contributions of women in American history and to inspire  much as a young Black girl was inspired years ago by Constance Baker Motley, the first Black woman federal court judge.

We were born exactly 49 years to the day apart, Jackson said at the White House. If I am fortunate enough to be confirmed ... I can only hope that my life and career, my love of this country and the Constitution, and my commitment to upholding the rule of law and the sacred principles upon which this great nation was founded will inspire future generations.

Lets hope the Senate gives her that chance.
Former President Donald Trump slammed his former comrade Vladimir Putin for the growing death toll in Ukraine - calling it a 'massive crime against humanity' - and blasted NATO for its lack of action during a GOP donor event Saturday.

Trump spoke to Republican National Committee donors in Louisiana during the Spring Retreat in New Orleans, where he covered a wide variety of topics, including the escalating crisis in Ukraine.

Trump also went after NATO, calling it a 'paper tiger' and said the US cannot just stand by while Ukraine is invaded, according to Washington Post reporter Josh Dawsey, who obtained a recording of Trump's remarks.

'At what point, do we cannot take this massive crime against humanity?' Trump asked. 'We can't let it happen. We can't let it continue to happen.'

Trump went after NATO, calling it a 'paper tiger' and told GOP donors that the US can not just stand by while Ukraine is invaded

Ukrainian soldiers help a man on a wheelchair as people try to flee crossing the Irpin river in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, March 5, 2022

Trump's comments come as Putin's forces have besieged Ukraine and sparked fears that NATO would be drawn into the fighting. Ukraine President Ukrainian President Volodymy Zelenzky has repeatedly begged NATO to enforce a no-fly zone over his country to help thwart Russian air superiority.

However, the US and its allies have resisted, fearing it could put NATO forces in direct conflict with Russia.

During his presidency, Trump had reportedly said multiple times that he wanted to pull the United States out of NATO, a move that aides scrambled to counter.

Speaking of the situation in Ukraine, Trump told donors that the US should put Chinese flags on America's F-22s and then 'bomb the s***' out of Russia, leading to conflict between the nations while 'we sit back and watch.'

He also shared his thoughts on North Korea dictator Kim Jong Un, saying that 'he's absolutely the leader of that country,' and expressed he was impressed at how Jong Un's advisers were 'sitting at attention' when he talked and 'cowered' when he spoke to them.

Trump said one general stood up so fast when spoken to and joked:' 'I want my people to act like that.'

Remains of the Russian fighting aircraft are seen at a residential area, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in Chernihiv, Ukraine, in this picture released March 5

Local resident walks through the rubble as a result of shelling in Markhalivka, March 5, 2022

Trump previously voiced his support for Ukraine at last week's CPAC event, where he said he was 'praying for the proud people of Ukraine' and expressed admiration for Zelensky, calling him a 'brave man.' (Zelensky pictured)

Trump previously voiced his support for Ukraine at last week's CPAC event, where he said he was 'praying for the proud people of Ukraine' and expressed admiration for 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.

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.

On Saturday, Putin escalated his rhetoric in his confrontation with the West, saying that sanctions against Russia are tantamount to a declaration of war and threatening to treat any country that declares a no-fly zone over Ukraine as part of the conflict.

The threats came as Moscow's brutal assault on Ukraine saw a mass civilian evacuation from the city of Mariupol derailed when Russian forces ignored a promised humanitarian ceasefire and continued shelling the southern city.

Russian troops continued to bombard encircled cities and the number of Ukrainians forced from their country grew to 1.4 million. The UN says more than 350 civilians have been killed since Russia's invasion last week.

On Saturday, Zelensky repeated his plea for NATO to establish a no-fly zone in a meeting with the US Congress -- but the idea faces strong bipartisan opposition in America, and NATO leaders have rejected it, pointing out that it would draw the alliance into direct military confrontations with nuclear-armed Russia.

A no-fly zone could only be enforced by shooting down Russian aircraft, and Putin on Saturday made clear that he would view such a move as joining the conflict.

'We'll instantly view them as participants in a military conflict,' the Russian leader told a group of female employees of Russian airlines, according to Russian state media. 'We'll view any movement in this direction as involvement in an armed conflict by the country from whose territory threats to our military service members are posed.'

At the same meeting, Putin issued bellicose threats in response to the punishing economic sanctions leveled against his country by the US and Europe.

'These sanctions that are being imposed are like the declaration of war,' said Putin. 'A lot of what is happening now, of what we now see and what we face is undoubtedly a means of fighting against Russia.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the much-awaited Pune Metro Rail Project on Sunday.

The Pune Metro project is an endeavour to provide world-class infrastructure for urban mobility in Pune. The foundation stone of the project was also laid by the Prime Minister on 24 Dec 2016.

Modi inaugurated the 12 km stretch of the total 32.2 km Pune metro rail project. The entire project is being built at a total cost of more than Rs 11,400 crore.

He also inaugurated and inspect an exhibition at Garware Metro Station and undertook a metro ride from there to Anandnagar Metro Station.

Ensuring convenient and comfortable travel for the people of Pune. PM @narendramodi inaugurated the Pune Metro and travelled on board with his young friends. pic.twitter.com/154a2mJk8f  PMO India (@PMOIndia) March 6, 2022

During the ride of about 10 mins, he also spoke to students.

The metro stretches that were opened were Vanaz - Garware College (5 km elevated stretch with 5 stations) and PCMC - Phugewadi stretch (7 km elevated stretch with 5 stations).

Significantly, Prime Minister bought the first ticket of the Pune Metro before commencing his ride from Garware station to Anand Nagar.

Pune Metro Rail Project was sanctioned by the Government of India in 2016 and the Foundation Stone was laid by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 26th December 2016.

The Metro will greatly improve urban mobility in the Pune Metropolitan area, which is among the fastest-growing urban areas in the country.

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analysis

In 1632, a young African by the name of SK introduced himself to Franciscan missionaries in Cairo, claiming to be the heir to the Kingdom of Ethiopia. From there, he travelled to Italy and France, where his impressive interpersonal skills, his interlocutors' ignorance about Africa, and a favorable historical juncture, allowed him to be generously hosted and supported, despite his inability to prove his claim and growing doubts to its veracity.

He would never return to Ethiopia, but die in Paris instead, hosted by Cardinal Richelieu, first minister of France. SK's journey produced a substantial paper trail: state officials, chroniclers, churchmen, and curious intellectuals wrote about him, and widely circulated newsletters published his obituary.

The most fascinating document about SK's experience is his own autobiographical statement, which he dictated to an anonymous scribe while in Rome. Here, the Congregation of Propaganda Fide, a sort of ministry of missions, sought to vet him before turning him into the cornerstone of a Franciscan mission to Ethiopia. The document is an intriguing medley of facts and fiction: it includes a believable genealogy and summary of recent Ethiopian dynastic history, both meant to bolster his claim, along with a fantastic account of his escape from Ethiopia, journey through the Nile valley to Cairo, and a verisimilar account of his sojourn in the Middle East and transit to Rome. Many versions exist and some can be traced to SK's own initiative: as he travelled across Italy and France, he shared his statement to introduce himself, and some of his acquaintances copied it. Once in Paris, he had it translated into French, published, and dedicated to the Queen of France, to obtain royal support for his stay.

SK's is a tale of imposture, but also ingenuity and survival: only in his teens when he reached Rome, he impressed many with his social skills, religious knowledge, and piety. His is among the best documented and unexpected experiences of an African in early modern Europe, but in no way unique. In the last two decades, scholars have documented the lives of many remarkable individuals who either hailed from Africa or were of part-African ancestry. Among them are Alessandro de' Medici, the black duke of Florence, and talented Afro-Iberians such as the painter Juan de Pareja, the classicist Juan Latino, and the music theorist Vicente Lusitano.

My own work on early modern Ethiopian-European relations and the Ethiopian presence in early modern Europe contributes to this recuperation. I first became interested in the topic during my graduate work in the late 2000s, when I became familiar with colonial-era scholarship about Ethiopians in Renaissance Italy. Although its purpose was foul--casting Italian expansion in the Horn of Africa as benevolent and the natural continuation of older amicable fraternal relations--the sources unearthed were incredible. As a trained Africanist, I set out to read them from a perspective that could do justice to the primacy of Ethiopian agency: tellingly, the title of my very first article was The Ethiopian Age of Exploration (2010). In the ensuing years I produced a more comprehensive account of what I dubbed the Ethiopian-European encounter, along with articles on exceptional Ethiopians agents and their diasporic lives: the pilgrim and intellectual Tesfa Seyon, and Yohannes, better known as Giovanni Battista Abissino, the second African bishop in the modern history of the Catholic Church.

In recent years, other talented scholars have greatly enhanced to our understanding of the early modern Ethiopian diaspora in Italy with more valuable contributions. Several historians have greatly advanced our understanding of the African presence in early modern Europe by adopting a social history approach, unearthing bits of evidence that, while insufficient for a comprehensive reconstruction of individual experiences, could be used to shed light on entire communities, for example in Florence and Venice , where Africans usually arrived in captivity, but could, at times, gain their freedom and integrate. No less important is the contribution of art historians, who have identified dozens, if not hundreds, of mostly nameless Africans in era paintings, which also testify to a much larger presence than normally thought. Among them is the black donor in Davide Ghirlandaio's Coronation of the Virgin, whose wealth, social standing, and life trajectory we can unfortunately only imagine.

These stories nuance our understanding of African-European relations, and put to ridicule any understanding of the African presence in Europe as only postcolonial, let alone a threat to the continent's identity. They also problematize facile understandings of race and racism in the early modern period: while most of these extraordinary individuals suffered different degrees of discrimination, for some, like SK, being African was clearly what allowed him to survive and even thrive in the course of his journey. All in all, the African presence in early modern Europe can hardly be reduced to one of subjection and marginality.

Stories such as SK's should dissuade us from interpreting the African presence in early modern Europe through analytical categories developed to make sense of the colonial period, as they may give the account an anachronistic hue, if not lead us completely astray. A case in point is a postcolonial reading of SK's autobiography, which claims that SK was the product of European imagination. As incredible as his European journey was, and regardless of the mendacity of his royal claim, SK was a resourceful African agent who strove to chart his own future, as amply demonstrated by the archival evidence. Although, by the early 17th century, the perception of Africa and Africans had significantly deteriorated in the wake of the Atlantic slave trade, European ideas of racial difference had yet to crystalize and visitors like SK could still press through porous racial borders and find ways to assert themselves despite their alterity. Decolonizing the historical discipline obviously means jettisoning stale colonial categories but recovering pre-colonial experiences and the categories that defined them, may be key to move towards a truly postcolonial understanding of our history.

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All in all, there is no doubt that early modern Europe was not as white as our collective imagination purports it to be. While probably no other city reached the degree of diversity of Lisbon, where Africans seem to have accounted for one tenth of the population, evidence points to the existence of large African communities also in Amsterdam and London, just to name some locales that have attracted growing attention in recent years. While Europeanists have so far produced most of these African stories, one hopes that, as the field grows, the Mediterranean -European diaspora will attract Africanist, diaspora specialists, and world historians like its Atlantic-American counterpart.

*This blog piece was adapted from Africa's journal article The narrative of Zaga Christ (Sagga Kresto): the first published African autobiography (1635), published under our Local Intellectual series.

Matteo Salvadore is Associate Professor of History at American University of Sharjah. He is a broadly trained world historian with a research interest in the Horn of Africa and its diaspora. His book, The African Prester John and the Birth of Ethiopian-European Relations, 1402-1555 explores early modern dealings between the Kingdom of Ethiopia and Renaissance Europe. He has contributed articles to the Journal of World History, Africa, Itinerario, the Journal of African History, the Journal of Early Modern History, and the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of African History. He is currently working on a book-length study of Sagga Krstos.
$9.7 billion. This number represents the annual health care costs in New York directly caused by smoking. This dollar figure alone is astounding. Health care costs aside, nearly 22,000 deaths in New York can be attributed to smoking or secondhand smoke each year.

Currently, there are 280,000 children in New York who will die prematurely because of smoking; and these numbers are considered good when compared to other states with higher smoking rates than New York.

Good is not good enough.

Nicotine addiction and tobacco use are chronic, relapsing conditions that can improve with adequate behavioral counseling and pharmacotherapy. In any given year, 70% of tobacco users will visit a health care provider. These interactions are an incredible opportunity to begin a conversation around tobacco use and connect the individual with resources needed to quit.

Research has shown that just three to five minutes of brief counseling can double a patients chance of quitting. Long-term quit rates increase 20% with consistent follow-up counseling and up 30% when counseling is combined with pharmacotherapy.

The Health Systems for a Tobacco-Free North Country (HSTFNC), run in partnership by The Heart Network and the Health Promotion Center of Glens Falls Hospital, is tackling this head on to eliminate tobacco use in the North Country. Together, we collaborate with health care systems throughout 10 counties to develop and support the consistent and effective identification and treatment of tobacco users. Our goal is to assess systems in place to promote smoking cessation and partner with health care providers to ensure the gold standard for treating tobacco use and dependence is implemented within the health system.

The Clinical Practice Guidelines for Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence are to ASK patients if they smoke, ADVISE them to quit and ASSIST patients through counseling and medications. While nearly 90% of individuals are asked if they smoke and roughly 78% are then advised to quit, only about 56% of patients report that their health care provider offered them assistance to quit. While this number has increased from 23% in 2014 to 55% in 2019, there is still much more work to be done.

Free services offered through HSTFNC include the review of existing tobacco and nicotine treatment policies, support with the development and implementation of a cohesive plan for introducing and sustaining comprehensive, evidence-based tobacco use and dependency treatment interventions. By understanding where health care providers are today and working with them to implement evidence-based tobacco use treatments, HSTFNC can make a meaningful impact on tobacco use in New York.

As a state, weve seen decreases in tobacco use as adoption of this clinical practice guideline has increased. However, we still have more work to do. The 10 counties served through the HSTFNC program have smoking rates above the state average of 12.8%, with the lowest being Montgomery County at 15.9% and the highest being Washington County at 25.3%. Weve made incredible progress, but we are far from a world in which tobacco use is no longer the number one cause of preventable death and disease in our country.

For additional education or conversations about the Health Promotion Centers Health Systems for a Tobacco Free North Country program, please contact Shannon Morrison-Gaczol at smorrison-gaczol@glensfallshosp.org.
By William Schwartz | Published on 2022/03/05

Actress Kim Hye-soo recently gave an interview where she talked about the serial drama "Juvenile Justice" which is currently airing on Netflix. Kim Hye-soo plays the role of Judge Shim, an associate justice and the lead character of the legal office drama. Kim Hye-soo described "Juvenile Justice" as having a very strong message. Kim Hye-soo noted that she had to familiarize herself not just with the technical work but also the devotion to truth required for her character.

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Regarding the specific content of that message, Kim Hye-soo described "Juvenile Justice" as being about the nuances of the criminal justice system in regards to minors. She hoped that viewers had their hearts moved by the revelations of the difficulties of this system, and noted that the show does appear to have sparked some conversation on the matter. Kim Hye-soo also spoke of the importance of having to make the subject matter relatable and approachable.

Despite describing her work on the drama as being fun, Kim Hye-soo noted that from the first episode there was still a sense of crushing reality about how actual children are caught up on the juvenile court system. Kim Hye-soo described her role as ultimately becoming more contemplative than entertaining. Consequently, she was very thankful for having had the chance to work on the drama.

Kim Hye-soo also noted that interest in the juvenile court system predates the drama itself, and has been a contentious issue for reformers. South Korea's juvenile court system to this day is still largely based on laws written in 1953. Kim Hye-soo stated that the issue is one that affects everyone, and not just whatever juveniles might be facing criminal charges at any given moment. Kim Hye-soo hoped that she balanced the entertaining and pedagogical elements to emphasize this.

Kim Hye-soo also described the six month filming process as being difficult, and said she was motivated to finish on a day-by-day basis by realizing the importance of the story's message. Kim Hye-soo said she had to work hard mentally to stay in her character's mindset of separating the crimes of the accused from her ethical obligations to protect the accused. "Juvenile Justice" premiered worldwide on Netflix this past February 25th.

Written by William Schwartz

___________

"Juvenile Justice" is directed by Hong Jong-chan, written by Kim Min-seok-VI, and features Kim Hye-soo, Kim Mu-yeol, Lee Sung-min, Lee Jung-eun, Choi Jung-woo, Park Ji-yeon-II. Broadcasting information in Korea: 2022/02/25, Fri on Netflix.
A mother has confessed to having sex with her biological son just to have a baby for her husband.

Matina Agawua, a native of Yelwata, in Nasarawa State lost her first husband to herdsmen attack in Northern Nigeria. Her first marriage produced a son.

She remarried years after the death of her husband but had difficulties having a child with her second husband, Mr James.

After six years of marriage with no child, Matina started getting pressured by her mother-in-law and her current husband to have a child or the marriage will be over.

Matinas husband threatened to take a new wife and this bothered Matina because she and her husband had contributed money to build the house they live in, with Matina providing a greater share. It troubled Matina to have another woman living in the house she built with her husband.

As a result, Matina decided to have sex with her teenage son from her first marriage to see if she could have a child for her second husband.

We had been married for more than six years but were still childless due to my husbands fault, according to doctors report, and I was hearing from the grapevine that he was planning to take a second wife on the grounds that I could not give him a child, Matina told The Nation.

Matina told the publication that she had undergone a test on her own since her husband refused to go for one, and the result showed that there was nothing wrong with her medically.

To prove that she is fertile, she decided to lure her own son, a student in Akwanga, into a secret affair, while warning him to keep it secret.

She told The Nation: Since he is not comfortable with us going for medical checkup on the assumption that nothing was wrong with him, I decided to convince my little son, who is just about 16 years old and schooling in Akwanga.

I visited him regularly. He stays in a private apartment with my relatives, so I was going there to spend some time with them, especially on weekends when my market is off.

It was actually difficult making love with my own son, but circumstances forced me to go into it. I needed to be sure of my fertility.

I know my husband very well. If he discovered I had an affair with a man outside, he would kill me.

I love him so much and Im afraid of him, so this evil plan kept ringing in my mind to know how fertile I am.

I tried to visit my son in Akwanga mostly when I was on my ovulation period. I decided to develop a crush on him and draw him very close to me. We got intimate and ended up having sex.

One faithful day while I was on my ovulation period, I visited him. It was at about 11pm. I held his hand and made him sit beside me.

I asked him if he had ever had sex and he said no. I held him in my arms. This time, I felt warm and I think he too did.

After that night, I felt extremely embarrassed, and guilty that I committed such an abomination with my own son.

It was actually a taboo, but I warned him to keep it secret.

Matina said that prior to having sex with her son, she didnt have sex with her husband for three months.

After intercourse with her son in Jan 2022, she said she missed her period that same month and a test confirmed she was pregnant.

However, when she shared the news with her husband, he suspected foul play. He reminded her that they have not had sex for three months and inisisted he is not responsible for the pregnancy.

Mr James accused Matina of adultry and threatened to kill her, so she confessed to having sex with her son.

Matinas son was questioned and he confessed to the sex act with his mother.

Matina told the publication: I am not a loose woman. I am just a woman who loves her husband very much and didnt want to hurt or lose him.

I did what I did to save my marriage. I got reliable information that he was planning to take a second wife on the advice of his parents and that the wife would occupy one of the apartments we suffered to build together.

I was not comfortable with that idea and felt I could test my fertility with my son and impose it on him.

I did that to get him a child and to stop him from taking a second wife. Taking a second wife is an indirect way of pushing me away, losing all we have suffered to put together.

Look at my age. Im not getting younger and my husband was not prepared to address the matter medically.

Look at the result of the test; it shows low sperm count. There is no way he would have been able to impregnate me.

I know I was doing the wrong thing and betraying my husband, but I saw it as a lesser evil than going outside.

Now the man is even threatening to kill my son for impregnating me, so I had to move my son out of Akwanga and take him somewhere else to save his life.

This is more so because I was the one who put him into the whole mess. I have to protect him.

Matinas husband insisted he would not accept a pregnancy that is not his.

Matina fears her husband may kill her and has left the house for him.

However, she says she intends to engage a lawyer to fight for the house since she contributed a larger share in building it.

I will engage a lawyer if my husband tries to do anything funny. He should not take me for granted as Im prepared for him, she told The Nation.

He cant father a child. His sperm count is very low and he is not ready to address it. What does he want me to do?

She added that she will not abort the baby she made with her son.

She said: I wont abort it. Rather, I will allow it and deliver my baby. I have been looking for it for long, so I wont let it go. It belongs to my son.

I have decided to keep it because it is blood within my blood. I will keep it. All I want is that since the marriage didnt work, we should sell the house, share the proceeds and everyone will go his way.

The husband expressed his dissapointment at his wifes action.

How can she allow her son to impregnate her and try to foist it on me? How would she do that? That is my anger, he said.

But if she is ready to go, let her go. We built the house together and whatever she wants, I dont have an issue with that.
Cairo  Egypt is scrambling to find alternate sources of wheat after the Russian invasion of Ukraine has put supply to the country in jeopardy. This is especially urgent because the price of bread in Egypt has in the past sparked protests in the country.

Russia and Ukraine are key players in the global grain market, with their wheat exports accounting for 23% of international trade in 2021-22, according to the US Department of Agriculture.

Egypt, Lebanon, and Libya are among the MENA region's top wheat importers from Ukraine.

In 2021, Egypt imported 6.1 million tonnes of wheat; 4.2 million came from Russia, worth $1.2 billion, representing 69.4% of total Egyptian wheat imports. Imports from Ukraine amounted to 651,400 tonnes, worth $649.4 million, accounting for 10.7% of total imports.

Over the last 50 years, the price of bread has been a politically controversial topic in Egypt, triggering various protests. A subsidised flat loaf costs 0.05 Egyptian pounds, less than one US cent.

Naguib Sawiris, the Egyptian tycoon, appealed to Egypt's Minister of Supply on February 22 to acquire and store large quantities of wheat.

"We must purchase and stockpile wheat as quickly as possible before the Ukraine-Russia war breaks out, "Sawiris Tweeted.

Mohamed Elhady, who runs a family-owned bakery at Menoufia Governorate, 80 km north Cairo, is deeply concerned about the business he has been running for 20 years.

"The government-subsidised bread diminishes the bakery's profit margin since we are required to sell a loaf of bread at the government-set price. But we get the cost difference through banks after calculating the number of loaves produced by each bakery using a smart ration card system," Elhady told IPS.

"Some bakeries gather cards from ordinary residents and report fictitious sales to gain the value of subsidised bread for themselves, increasing their earnings considerably while reselling raw wheat on the informal market," he explains.

In August 2021, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said it was time to increase the country's subsidised bread price, revisiting the issue for the first time since 1977, when then-president Anwar Sadat reversed a price rise in the face of riots.

"It is time for the five-piece loaf to increase in price," Sisi said.

Elhady believes that the government will turn the president's words into action soon, expecting that the new increase in subsidised bread will take place by April, the anticipated time for receiving wheat from the new suppliers. This will decrease daily production rates and, therefore, his profits.

"Once the wheat prices increase, the government will reduce the number of subsidised loaves from five a day to three or increase the price of the 5-piaster loaf," Elhady says.

The president is also expected to exclude more citizens from the subsidy programme covering more than 60 million Egyptians.

"People will have to choose; to eat less or to pay more," Elhady adds.

Egypt's main state buying agency, the General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC), has issued a second international wheat tender to import wheat from April 13 to 26. The tender was issued 48 hours after it was cancelled because it only received a single offer of French wheat. A least two offers are required before a purchase can go ahead.

The Egyptian GASC set the end of February as a deadline to receive offers for the new tender. In addition to Russia and Ukraine, the GASC sought bids from the United States, Canada, France, Bulgaria, Australia, Poland, Germany, the United Kingdom, Romania, Serbia, Hungary, Paraguay, and Kazakhstan. The delivery needs to take place before April 1, 2022.

Despite the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian military escalation, an Egyptian ship carrying 60 tons of Ukrainian wheat has left the Ukrainian ports and is en route to Egypt, a grain consultant at the Ministry of Supply, Salah Hamza, told IPS.

"This shipment was contracted with Ukraine for $361 per ton in an international tender in December 2021. The consignment is part of a 300 000-ton wheat shipment that will arrive by March 2022."

"Egypt produces 275 million loaves of bread per day, consumes 900,000 tonnes of wheat per month, and the strategic stock is enough for the next five months, in addition to 4 million tons expected from the domestic harvest by mid-April, "Hamza adds.

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Egypt has a strategic reserve of wheat, enough to cover the local market's needs for nine months, the Cabinet's spokesman, Nader Saad said.

The strategic wheat stock is approximately five million tonnes, according to Saad, and will be augmented when the local wheat harvest season begins on April 15.

In February of this year, the price of an ardeb of wheat climbed by 65 percent compared with February of last year.

The US Foreign Agricultural Service expected Egypt's wheat consumption in 2021-22 would exceed 21.3 million tonnes, up about 2.4 % from 2020-21.

Follow @IPSNewsUNBureau
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has discussed with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison the course of the war with the Russian Federation, as well as the risks to people and the environment caused by threats to Ukrainian nuclear and chemical facilities by the Russian army.

"I continue negotiations with partners. I told Prime Minister Scott Morrison about the course of the war, as well as the risks to people and the environment due to the threat to Ukrainian nuclear and chemical facilities. I thanked him for the defense and humanitarian support," Zelensky said in Twitter on Saturday.
Signage is seen at the United States Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, on Aug. 29, 2020. (Andrew Kelly/Reuters)

US Defense Contractors Former CEO Arrested for Allegedly Exporting Military Technology to China

The former owner and chief executive of a California-based military contractor has been arrested for allegedly breaking federal export laws by transferring sensitive U.S. technology to countries such as China.

The 77-year-old Joe Sery, who used to run Tungsten Heavy Powder & Parts (Tungsten Parts), has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of knowingly and willfully exporting military intelligence, including data and drawings, to China and India without U.S. approval, the Justice Department announced on March 5.

The San Diego-based company supplies fragments and weapon-grade components made of tungsten, a rare metal, to the military.

Prosecutors have identified Serys 70-year-old brother, Dror Sery, a dual citizen of Israel and South Africa, as a co-conspirator. An arrest warrant has been issued for the man, who remains a fugitive and is believed to be living in Israel.

The brothers allegedly created a non-company email to secretly access the sensitive documents from Tungsten Parts system, to which Dror Sery was then given full access. The two then exported the sensitive technical drawings by email when Dror was in India and China, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of California.

Its unlawful to transfer data, goods, and services that are designated as defense items out of the United States without a license, or to release such technical data to a foreign individual in the United States, according to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. If convicted, violators face a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

Tungsten Parts entered into contracts with multiple aerospace and defense companies from 2016 to 2019 to work on projects involving the construction of an advanced rapid response weapon, a 155-millimeter bi-modal warhead, a R9E warhead, and an 81-millimeter cowling cone, prosecutors said.

The companys official website boasted having some of the United States largest defense contractorsLockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, and General Dynamicsas among its customers. It also noted its involvement in the Pentagon project to build the rocket-boosted, air-launched rapid response weapon missile, a hypersonic weapon that would help the United States hold an edge over China and Russia.

Tungsten Parts is facing a lawsuit from a former employee from its San Diego facilities who alleges that Dror Sery once sent an email requesting a customers intellectual property to be sent to a company in China that makes balancing machines, court filings show.

The employee accused Tungsten Parts of sending technical drawings to China-based suppliers after removing or blocking out markings identifying them as export-controlled.

Tungsten Parts officials didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment about the allegations.

According to the indictment, these brothers disregarded important regulations designed to keep sensitive information from falling into the hands of those who would harm America, U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman said.

Chad Plantz, special agent in charge for Homeland Security Investigations San Diego, said that the investigative agencies are committed to ensuring protected military technology and weaponry are not used by foreign actors against our warfighters and allies on the battlefield.

This arrest sends a clear message that those entrusted with our countrys military technology and weaponry will be held responsible for its safeguarding, he said.

Last year, under the name Tungsten Heavy Powder Inc., the company agreed to pay $5.6 million to settle allegations that it had falsely certified product materials as from the United States when they actually came from China.

Tungsten Parts has agreed to assist with the investigation, the prosecutors said.

Joe Sery is due to appear in court on March 7.
President Joe Biden has long been concerned by the threat to democracies posed by autocrats who seek to advance their own power, export and expand their influence around the world. The rule of law, respect for human rights, innovation, and prosperity are put at risk.

Russian President Vladimir Putins premeditated, unprovoked, unjustified, and brutal war on Ukraine is the latest and most egregious example of the danger President Biden cited. In the run-up to the war Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke of another impending casualty: the rules-based international order that preserves stability worldwide: The principle that one country cannot change the borders of another by force. The principle that one country cannot dictate anothers choices or policies.

Countries and organizations around the world condemned Russia for its naked aggression and blatant disregard for Ukraines sovereignty, joining the United States in imposing punishing sanctions and stringent export controls on Russia.

The Peoples Republic of China (PRC), Venezuela, North Korea, Belarus, Cuba and Iran, all authoritarian states, did not join them, choosing instead to support Moscows assault. Just weeks after Presidents Putin and Xi released their Joint Statement and announced their no limits partnership, the PRC has repeatedly refused to call Russias aggression an invasion. Instead, it accuses the United States and its Allies and partners of provoking Russia. In addition, the PRC approved imports of wheat from Russia at a time when the United States and Allies are unified in imposing massive economic costs on Russia for its further invasion of Ukraine.

State Department Spokesperson Ned Price deplored the burgeoning relationship between Russia and China aimed at undermining the rules-based international order that has been at the crux of more than 70 years of unprecedented levels of prosperity across the world.

Russia and the PRC also want a world order, Mr. Price said. But this is an order that is and would be profoundly illiberal.

In condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, President Biden promised the world-order envisioned by the Kremlin and its allies is one the United States and freedom-loving nations everywhere will oppose with every tool of our considerable power. . . In the contest between democracy and autocracy, between sovereignty and subjugation, make no mistake, he said. Freedom will prevail."
analysis

The East African Community needs to focus on dismantling the ADF while bringing the DRC into its fold.

The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) terror group is broadening its recruitment base from its traditional pool of Congolese and Ugandan fighters to Kenya and Tanzania. Countries in the region were made aware of this risk several years ago. But as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) prepares to join the East African Community, there is new reason to worry.

In January, a Kenyan was arrested by the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) in the DRC's north-eastern city of Beni. During the interrogation, the soft-spoken Salim Mohamed confessed that he and two friends were migrating from Kenya to South Africa via the DRC in search of better livelihoods. Their vehicle was attacked by rebels, who held them until they were captured by FARDC.

It wasn't clear where Mohamed's two alleged friends were. What was clear was that Mohamed was an ADF member experienced in working with Islamic State in Mozambique, Somalia, Turkey and Syria. After being released on bail over terrorism charges in Kenya, he had skipped court in 2020.

The police declared him missing, armed and dangerous and offered a KES10 000 000 (US$88 000) reward for information on his whereabouts. On the day of his arrest, a graphic video of Mohamed and two others in ADF regalia surfaced online. The trio was supervising a child of about five years, beheading a dead man.

The ADF is a 'nexus' criminal outfit that is both a terrorist and a transnational organised crime group

The FARDC arrested three Tanzanian ADF members in Beni in the first week of February. According to FARDC spokesman Anthony Mwalushay, this was the first time Tanzanian nationals were detained as part of the terror group. A week later Zazrad Saidi, a female Tanzanian from the group, was arrested in Beni. Interviews with law enforcement in the region indicate that the ADF has also recruited from Rwanda and Burundi.

The ADF is a classic example of a 'nexus' criminal outfit that is both a terrorist and a transnational organised crime group. It was formed in 1995 as a disgruntled coalition of rebel forces determined to topple Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni's government. The group retreated to the eastern DRC, where it has destabilised the region for years, killing about 6 000 civilians since 2013.

The ADF has since 2016 transformed itself into an Islamic State-affiliated terrorist group. It had about 1 300 combatants in 2012, and numbers have fluctuated in the face of military operations against the group. The ADF also collaborates with al-Shabaab by training young people in its camps and sending them to Somalia to fight. The group was added to the United States government's list of foreign terrorist organisations in March 2021.

Last year, even as ADF attacks intensified in eastern DRC, the terror group turned its attention to Uganda. There was a failed assassination of the country's Works and Transport Minister General Katumba Wamala, and an attempted suicide bomb attack during the burial of the former deputy inspector general of police, Paul Lokech.

The ADF's tail is in illicit DRC business, and its head is in Uganda with terror financing and money laundering

In early October, Islamic State claimed an assault on a police station in Kampala, which the police later said they had thwarted. In mid-October, the United Kingdom issued a warning that terrorists would probably carry out indiscriminate attacks in Uganda. Days later, 13 ADF suspects, including a pastor and an engineer, were arrested. On 16 November, two suicide explosions in central Kampala killed four people and injured 33 while police disarmed two other bombs.

The ADF is also a transnational organised crime group. While its tail is intertwined in illicit business activities in eastern DRC, its head is embedded in Uganda with terror financing and money laundering.

In the DRC, the group profits from taxation on illegal timber production in Eringeti and gold mines near Bialose village along the Lesse River. 'The ADF's motive is purely terror,' according to a source from the Goma region who works with victims of the group. 'They terrorise the communities and chase people away from their lands in order to have access to the mines.'

The ADF controls many mines in the north of Beni and partly finances its activities by illegally exporting other minerals such as wolframite, coltan and cassiterite. This backs the argument that the group's primary motive is organised crime facilitated by terror tactics.

The movement of weapons and fighters is likely to get easier in the region, which could help the ADF expand

In Uganda, businesspeople in the petroleum and real estate industries fund and launder proceeds of the terror group. This was evidenced by the October 2021 arrest of three people accused of financing the ADF to the tune of USh1.8 billion ($US 506 000).

The East African Community aims to enhance a regional market, create a customs union and a single currency, and forge a political federation among its member states. This, together with the DRC joining the body, will enable the free movement of East Africans across a much wider region.

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The ADF could use these advances for its gain, as transnational organised crime thrives with development. The movement of weapons and fighters would also be easier, which could facilitate the group's growth and attacks in East Africa. This aligns with the Islamic State's expansionist agenda of creating provinces worldwide.

The DRC has acknowledged that it faces dire security problems in its eastern regions and is keen on a regional drive to tackle the protracted conflict. The East African Community won't benefit from the enormous value the DRC brings to the economic bloc unless it deals with the intensifying ADF threat.

East African heads of state need to agree on a common approach to dismantling the ADF. As a first step, the region should revise its anti-terrorism strategy and draw up an organised crime strategy for member states.

Mohamed Daghar, Regional Coordinator - Eastern Africa, ENACT, ISS Nairobi, Richard Chelin, Senior Researcher, ENACT, ISS Pretoria and Mohamed Haji, freelance researcher on counter-terrorism
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi, has ordered the arrest of all persons involved in sharing some kegs containing petrol as souvenirs at a party.

Mr Alabi described the act as regrettable and reprehensible.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Adekunle Ajisebutu, in a statement on Saturday, said that the perpetrators would be apprehended.

He said that the attention of the Lagos State Police Command has been drawn to a video of a celebrator giving out petrol as souvenirs in her party.

Its regrettable that in spite of a series of warnings and sensitisations carried out by the Police and other relevant government agencies, some individuals could be handling such combustible substance in a public place in total disregard to safety of lives and properties.

Still concerned about the safety and protection of lives and properties of citizens, the Lagos State Police Command once again appeals to citizens to avoid this kind of condemnable act in the name of generosity.

Mr Ajisebutu said that the centre where the distribution of the souvenirs took place has been located and subsequently sealed.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the kegs of petrol were seen handed to guests at the installation of Pearl Chidinma Ogbolu as the Erelu Okin of Orile Kemta at the Havillah Event Place, Oniru, in Lagos.

(NAN)
EWG researchers followed the methodology the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) uses to evaluate human health risks from toxic chemical exposure. (Shutterstock)

Environmental Working Group (EWG) Advocates for EMF Exposure Guidelines up to 400 Times Stricter Than FCC SAR Standards

Last month, the FCC lost a landmark court case against the Childrens Health Defense (CHD), where the court ruled the FCC neglected evidence in determining their wireless radiation exposure standards, which they have not updated since 1996. Their loose, outdated limits put the health and safety of the public at risk. The FCC fails to even address standards for children, even though research shows children are more vulnerable to EMF radiation. See more on the ruling here.

Because of the FCCs neglect, third-party groups are stepping up to fill in the gaps left.

THE EWG

The Environmental Working Group (EWG), is an American activist group and non-profit organization that specializes in research and advocacy to help the public make informed choices and live a healthy life. They work with subject experts to bring breakthrough research into areas like toxic chemicals, drinking water, family health, and more.

EWG researchers followed the methodology the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) uses to evaluate human health risks from toxic chemical exposure.

The EWG study found an increased risk of abnormal tissue growth (think: cancer) and cardiomyopathy among male rats that had been exposed to EMF radiation.

The EWG also took into consideration the National Toxicology Programs (NTP) animal study on cell phone radiation effects, the largest research project of its kind. The NTPs study confirms evidence from human studies that cellphone radiation increases the risk of cancer.

The NTP study examined the health effects of 2G and 3G wireless radiation, and found clear evidence of a link between heart tumors in laboratory animals and radiofrequency radiation.

In addition to this, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified cell phone radiation as a possible carcinogena conclusion based on human epidemiological studies that found an increased risk of glioma, a malignant brain cancer, associated with cell phone use.

Recommended Exposure Standards for Kids

Childrens bodies are fundamentally different from adults. A child is still developing on a physical, chemical, and biological level. Their hormones, enzymes, tissues, and cellular responses to environmental toxins are all different from adults.

A developing body holds an increased risk of harm from EMF emissions, and arguably makes children the most vulnerable age group to EMF and wireless radiation.

Adding to their level of risk comes the rising use of device among children of all ages. Whether it be for school, gaming, or socializing, children are using technology more than ever. As a matter of fact, a survey completed by the nonprofit Commonsense Media in March of 2020 found that 46% of 2 to 4-year-olds, and 67% of 5 to 8-year-olds had their own mobile devices, such as a tablet or smartphone. This study was just before the COVID pandemic spread in the US. With most schools having to rely on remote learning, we can only imagine that these numbers have risen.

All of these factors have led to health concerns for children from doctors and scientists all over the world. Exposure to EMFs at such a young age can interact with brain development  leading to poor mental health and negative effects on learning abilities, disturbed sleep patterns, eye damage, and changes to physical health.

The EWG introduced the first set of guidelines for children because of the lack of ones from federal regulators. Their proposed guidelines recommend that childrens whole-body exposure be 0.2  0.4 milliwatts per kilogram, 200 to 400 times lower than the FCCs suggested 1.6 watts per kilogram.

Recommended Exposure Standards for Adults

For adults, the EWG recommends updating the guidelines to a whole-body SAR limit of 2 to 4 milliwatts per kilogram. This recommendation is 20 to 40 times lower than the current standards set by the FCC of 1.6 watts per kilogram.

Why are the FCC SAR Exposure Standards so High?

The FCC standard, called the SAR (Standard Absorption Rate) Standard, hasnt been updated since 1996. During this time, only 16% of Americans had a cell phone. The latest data from Pew Research Center shows that 96% of Americans now have a cell phone, and 81% have a smartphone. Of these, many are young children.

The FCC states that the limit for public exposure from mobile cell phones is a SAR level of 1.6 watts per kilogram. At this point, they recorded a 2 increase in skin temperature, with a signal permeating 2 inches into the brain. Why is this outdated?

The FCC made this standard back when they only thought they had to protect from thermal cell damage. The 1.6 W/kg standard only protects from excessive heat levels, and doesnt address biological damage that can still happen at lower power levels regardless of any temperature change. To create this standard, the FCC created a 200-pound, 6-foot male testing dummy, which represents approximately 3% of the population. The bigger you are, the less EMF should affect your body. EMF radiation is much more harmful to developing children, pregnant women, those with illnesses or compromised immune systems, and the senior population. While that level of exposure may have been generally acceptable in 1996, it hasnt been updated to take into account our modern lifestyle, where our phones are pressed against our bodies all day and night. Device ownership, usage, and consumption habits have drastically changed in the last few decades. In addition to our lengthened exposure, phones now have extra WiFi and Bluetooth processors and powerful cellular connections.

Are Cell Phones Following SAR Standards?

Even with this outdated safety standard, cell phone manufacturers dont seem to be following it very well. They self-test and self-report their own phones SAR values. Most of the time, independent lab testing cannot replicate manufacturers results.

The Chicago Tribune conducted independent lab testing on cell phones, and found that radio frequency radiation exposure from the iPhone 7 measured over the legal safety limit and more than double what Apple has reported to federal regulators. Other popular models like the iPhone X / 8 and the Samsung Galaxy S9 / S8 also tested high. Recently, an additional independent test done by the same California-based lab, RF Exposure Lab, found that the iPhone 11 Pro has SAR levels measuring at 3.8 W/kg.

The results of the Tribunes test and the subsequent public outcry prompted the FCC to conduct its own testing. A couple months later, the FCC said they lab-tested phone models provided directly to them from the manufacturers. All the results showed the phones were in the clear, emitting less than the legal limit of 1.6 W/kg. This information begs two questions:

Why are the independent lab tests coming back with different results than a federal regulatory agency? Why doesnt the FCC test phones off the shelf instead of phones supplied from the manufacturer?

Regardless of if cell phones actually meet SAR standards or not, there is no question that the standards are outdated. The public should continue to reduce their exposure to EMFs and look into protecting themselves from the potential health effects.

Ways to Keep You and Your Children Safe: EMF Protection Measures

Efforts to change government regulatory standards may continue to drag on. In the meantime, it is smart to develop healthy habits to decrease EMF exposure.

Choose a device with a low SAR rating . While they may be inaccurate, SAR ratings hold relative value and should be considered. You can look at the SAR ratings of top phone models here. Young children may not need a brand new smartphone with hundreds of wireless capabilities.

. While they may be inaccurate, SAR ratings hold relative value and should be considered. You can look at the SAR ratings of top phone models here. Young children may not need a brand new smartphone with hundreds of wireless capabilities. Use shielding products . Always make sure kids have some form of scientific lab-tested shielding between them and their device. DefenderShields product line of cell phone cases, laptop cases, and tablet/iPad cases can all be used on devices to decrease EMF exposure by up to 99%. The EMF Protection Anti-Radiation Blanket is perfect for when kids are lounging around using their devices.

. Always make sure kids have some form of scientific lab-tested shielding between them and their device. DefenderShields product line of cell phone cases, laptop cases, and tablet/iPad cases can all be used on devices to decrease EMF exposure by up to 99%. The EMF Protection Anti-Radiation Blanket is perfect for when kids are lounging around using their devices. Increase time spent outdoors . Nature is calling, and you should answer. The benefits for children of spending time in nature include improving executive function, better concentration, improved academic performance, lower aggression levels, and decreased risk for obesity. Furthermore, by having kids step away from tech to play outside, it creates a time for digital detox. Time away from technology is beneficial because it is time away from EMFs.

. Nature is calling, and you should answer. The benefits for children of spending time in nature include improving executive function, better concentration, improved academic performance, lower aggression levels, and decreased risk for obesity. Furthermore, by having kids step away from tech to play outside, it creates a time for digital detox. Time away from technology is beneficial because it is time away from EMFs. Limit screen time in children . As mentioned, screen time is bad for mental health. But it is also harmful because blue light can negatively impact the eyes and the bodys natural sleep cycle. The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages screens for younger children and recommends 2 hours/day max for older children and teenagers.

. As mentioned, screen time is bad for mental health. But it is also harmful because blue light can negatively impact the eyes and the bodys natural sleep cycle. The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages screens for younger children and recommends 2 hours/day max for older children and teenagers. Make play areas and childrens bedrooms tech-free zones. This will encourage disconnected play, as well as improving sleep. Sleep is a critical factor for children, as sleep is one of the most important times for growth and development.

You can learn more about EMF protection for children and mothers here.

What the EWG Recommends

Scientists at EWG say that more research is needed on the health impacts of the latest generation of communication technology such as 5G. President of the EWG, Ken Cook, thinks public health agencies should be focusing on reviewing 5G and wireless technology. It is long pastime the federal government made exposure to 5G wireless devices safe. We strongly believe those exposures deserve far more investigation and scientific rigor than has been applied to date.

This story was originally published in Defender Shield site.
Along route of evacuees from Mariupol in Zaporizhia region battles go on, authorities now negotiating to introduce ceasefire  Kyrylenko

Head of the Donetsk Regional Civil-Military Administration Pavlo Kyrylenko has said that confirmation of ceasefire for the evacuation of residents was received only in the territory of Donetsk region, further along the route, in Zaporizhia region, there are battles, so now negotiations are underway for the safe movement of citizens around route.

"Mariupol. Evacuation. Attention! As of 10:55, ceasefire was confirmed in Donetsk region. But! Further along the route, in Zaporizhia region, fighting is underway. We are negotiating with the Russian side to confirm ceasefire along the entire route of evacuation of civilians Mariupol," Kyrylenko wrote on his Telegram channel on Saturday.

He once again urged citizens to trust only the official information that is published on his pages in social networks.
"Greetings to Foreign Minister @AyorkorBotchwey and the Government & people of Ghana on their National Day. Our traditionally warm and friendly relations will continue to strengthen," Jaishankar said in a tweet.

Ghana, formerly the Gold Coast, celebrates its National day on March 6 to commemorate its independence from British rule on the same day in 1957.

Earlier in July last year, India and Ghana conducted a comprehensive review of bilateral and international issues in the Ghanian capital city of Accra as part of the second India-Ghana Foreign Office Consultations (FOC).

The two sides took stock of exchange of bilateral visits, holding of Joint Commission Meeting, bilateral trade and investment, development partnership, capacity building, defence cooperation, security-related issues, people to people linkages, pending MoUs, regional, and global issues.

Relations between India and Ghana are traditionally warm and friendly and these relations are further gaining momentum with frequent high-level visits and interactions from both sides. Bilateral trade has been growing at a healthy rate and recorded about USD 4.5 billion in 2018-19 though in 2019-20 trade declined to USD 2.4 billion on account of low import of gold by India.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, India had donated 50,000 Vaccines to Ghana as a gesture of friendship & solidarity and a further 6,00,000 vaccines were delivered under the COVAX initiative. (ANI)
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that he would soon hold an all-party meeting regarding the Mekedatu and Krishna Water dispute before heading to New Delhi to get approval for detailed project reports (DPR).

Speaking to media persons at Hubballi airport here on Sunday, the chief minister said that the state government has already allocated Rs 1,000 crore for the Mekedatu project in the budget. The issue will be discussed in the assembly, and based on the suggestion the state will request the Union Jalshakthi ministry to approve the DPR. The state will also pursue the case legally, he said.

200 students still stranded

The chief minister also welcomed Chaitra Samshi, one of the medical students who returned from war-hit Ukraine, and said there are more than 200 students from Karnataka who are still stranded in Ukraine.

The state government is in constant touch with the ministry of external affairs and will ensure the evacuation of every student.

Also Read | Several students still stranded in Kharkiv, a day after govt's 'leave immediately' advisory

Though the two countries had declared a ceasefire for a short time, there were still bombing in some places making it difficult for evacuation.

The state government is also in touch with the Ukraine government in bringing back the body of Naveen, the only Indian student to have died due to shelling. We have received reports of bombing taking place in and around the mortuary where his body is kept, so we are waiting for the right time to bring back the body, he said.

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LINCOLN, Neb.  A mountain lion that was born in Nebraska has been killed in Montana, a first for both states.

The Lincoln Journal-Star reports that the mountain lion was just a kitten in 2018 when state biologists found it and a sibling in a den in the Pine Ridge area near Chadron and attached yellow ear tags.

The kitten wearing tag NE 78 eventually headed north, crossed Interstate 90 and put the Black Hills behind him. He walked more than 250 miles, ending up near Ekalaka, Montana, in that state's southeast corner, where he was killed during the state's hunting season.

Sam Wilson, furbearer and carnivore manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, learned what happened last month. He said its mountain lions have been killed in neighboring states, but never in one more than a state away.

It was also a first for Montana. Officials there have long suspected lions from other states  particularly the nearby Dakotas  have moved into the area. But the tagged lion confirmed that, said Emily Mitchell, a Montana wildlife biologist.

And that's important, she said, because it maintains biodiversity in the population.

"It's good to see that lions are coming in."
A 30-year-old Waco man was killed and at least one other man was injured in a shooting in the 700 block of Austin Avenue early Saturday morning, Waco police reported.

Jose Martinez-Medina was fatally shot but was not involved in a fight that started in The Warehouse bar, 727 Austin Ave., and led to the shooting, according to a Waco police press release.

The fight spilled out into the street where at least one individual began firing a gun, resulting in at least two males being struck by bullets, the press release says.

Police responded to a shots-fired call at about 1:45 a.m., and investigators worked overnight, arresting Ryan Trejo, 24, of Waco, on a murder charge later Saturday morning, officials announced in the early evening.

The other man who was shot was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries, according to police.

The investigation is continuing.

Waco police are asking anyone with information to immediately call the department 254-750-7500, or, to remain anonymous, call Waco Crime Stoppers at 254-753-4357.
Three thousand American volunteers are set to arrive in Ukraine amid an ongoing Russian invasion.

This was reported by the Armed Forces press service via Telegram, Ukrinform saw.

It is noted that the volunteers are ready to repel Russia as part of an international battalion.

In the said group, there are army veterans, including with combat experience gained in Iraq and other hotspots around the world. In total, more than 16,000 foreign volunteer fighters are heading to Ukraine.

As reported, Ukraine is creating an International Legion of Territorial Defense consisting of foreigners who are willing to join Ukraines resistance and protect global security.

Foreigners have the right to enlist in the Armed Forces of Ukraine as contracted servicemen, including in the ranks of the Territorial Defense Forces.

As reported, on February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared war on Ukraine and launched a large-scale invasion. Russian troops are shelling and destroying infrastructure, massively shelling residential areas across Ukrainian cities and towns, using artillery, MLR systems, and ballistic missiles.

Martial law was imposed in the country and general mobilization was announced.

Ukraine has filed a lawsuit against the Russian Federation with the UN Criminal Court in The Hague.

International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan has already launched an investigation into the situation in Ukraine.

Photo: Facebook.com/Dobrovoltsi Bozhoi Choty
A COUPLE from Henley are hoping to have another champion at this years Crufts.

Julie and Paul Humphreys, of St Marys Close, are entering three-year-old Nina, an Irish setter, in next weeks show in Birmingham and will also take their other setter, Ci Ci, who is two.

Irish setters are famed for their red, silky coats.

They were originally bred as gun dogs, running in zigzag patterns to catch the scent of birds.

Now they are often used as therapy dogs due to their calm temperament.

The Humphreys, who have been attending Crufts for more than 30 years, have previously enjoyed success at the event.

Mrs Humphreys, who is retired, said: We both judge and show dogs there. I first went to Crufts in 1990 and have been every year since.

We won the top award for my Irish setter Abbi in 2013 and my other dog Carrie won reserve in 2014.

Irish setters long fur requires lots of care to ensure its in top condition for a show.

Mrs Humphreys said: The week before the show consists of preparation grooming. We will trim their coats and give them a bath and keep Ninas coat as smooth as possible as she will be competing.

It will take around half a day to groom her and then have her bathed the night before. I try to keep them as pristine as I can and pray that it doesnt rain.

Crufts has been a lucky show for me over the years and its the highlight of the calendar as its the biggest show in the world and receives the most overseas visitors of any dog show.

Sarah Whitehead, a dog behaviourist from Russells Water, has entered three-year-old Quill, a kooikerhondje.

This is a rare spaniel-type breed of dog of Dutch ancestry that was originally used as a working animal.

Ms Whitehead, who runs Clever Dog in Windsor, said: I have had Quill since he was a puppy. I also have a 10-year-old rescue collie-cross called Skye.

Quill is a rare breed. I spent a lot of time researching the breed that would be right for me.

I wanted a medium-sized dog with a great personality and a desire to train. This breed is so rare in the UK that I waited seven years before I got him.

Quill looks and behaves like a mix of a spaniel and a collie. We attended Crufts three years ago and he won best puppy for the kooikerhondje.

We had the film crews coming over to our dogs, which are so photogenic and love to do tricks and show off for the camera.

Ms Whitehead, who has an MSc in animal behaviour, said: I like to analyse the connection between people and dogs and how we can learn a dogs needs by reading their body language.

Another entrant is nine-month-old Hungarian pumi Jolly, who is owned by Amanda Wood, from Brightwell Baldwin.

These dogs were originally bred for gathering, driving and keeping livestock under control.

Mrs Wood, who is making her debut at the show, said: Jolly is a very rare breed and I dont know how many others will be attending. We attended the qualifiers for Crufts in Birmingham in December and Jolly won first prize.

I have had her since she was a puppy and she originally came from Hereford.

I had never seen one before but they are quite similar to a cockapoo. I wanted a breed that was unusual, something that no one else has.

Jolly isnt very big but she has a great personality and is very active and always on the go.

We have some sheep on our land and she loves to run around them.

I am very excited to take her to Crufts as it will be a first time for us both. Im not nervous yet but I think I will be on the day. It will be a great experience.

Diana Webber, from Checkendon, is talking Levi the whippet to the show.

He is nearly one year old and won best puppy at last years Henley Farm & Country Show.

Ms Webber said: I bred Levi myself and I have always had dogs. I had Jack Russells when I was growing up and then I moved on to lurchers.

I wanted a dog that I could show at events, so I started breeding whippets and have been doing that since the early Eighties. Levi will be in the puppy category and will be judged on his breed.

To prepare him, I will keep his nails clipped and bathe him beforehand. Because he is a shorthair breed, he doesnt need too much maintenance for his appearance.

I will also be taking him to the discover dogs part of Crufts where we will have a booth and will talk to the public about the breed.

Its for anyone who is interested in getting one. A whippet is a great dog to have. You can do so many things with them.

I am hoping to take Levi lure coursing. This is an agility and endurance test for whippets, where they run around a field and are judged on their performance.

I have three other whippets, Levis mum Scarlet, his great granddad Raven and great, great grandma Poppy. They are all lovely. My dogs are very outgoing, sporty and loving.

More than 20,000 other dogs from across the globe will be competing at Crufts, which takes place at the NEC in Birmingham from Thursday to Sunday.

For more information, visit www.crufts.org.uk
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The group of oil producers known as OPEC+ has become an irrelevance. Amid the the most unstable oil-supply situation in more than 30 years, it went missing in action. The 23 countries, which together account for nearly 45% of the worlds oil production, met on Wednesday with crude prices surging to their highest levels since 2014. Their virtual gathering lasted just 13 minutes. From the subsequent crowing about the new record set for the brevity of the meeting, youd be forgiven for thinking that the mission was to get together for as short a time as possible, rather than to balance the oil market.

Russias invasion of Ukraine and the potential impact on oil markets wasnt even deemed worthy of discussion. That is a shocking dereliction of duty for a group that considers itself the central bank of oil.

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Sure, it would have been uncomfortable. The invasion was launched by one of the groups co-chairs and keeping Russia in OPEC+ is important for the other members  the last time it pulled out, it triggered a production free-for-all that sent prices plummeting. So theres an understandable reluctance to raise the topic.

But that hasnt stopped them before. Iraq, a founding OPEC member, twice invaded neighbors  Iran in 1980 and Kuwait a decade later. Both its victims were fellow founding members of the group. When Iraq attacked Kuwait in 1990, the world lost about 4 million barrels a day of supply overnight as a result of United Nations sanctions on the exports of both countries. That represented about 7% of global production at the time.

The rest of OPEC stepped in, using spare capacity to boost supply. Within a month, the groups total output was almost back where it had been before the sanctions. That didnt stop oil prices from continuing to rise, though. Much of the markets nervousness was driven by fears that Saddam Husseins troops would push further south all the way to Saudi Arabias oil fields.

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Thirty years on, the situation is very different. Far from acting as a stabilizing force, the bigger OPEC+ producer group has abstained.

Perhaps they fear some form of retribution from Russia if they say, or do, anything it doesnt like. Or perhaps they have no problem with President Vladimir Putin invading a sovereign neighbor. Maybe the truth is that theres actually not much they can do.

They dont have anything like the spare capacity they held in 1990. Back then, Saudi Arabia alone was able to boost output by about 3 million barrels a day over five months and still have more in reserve. It might struggle to do half that now.

Aside from the United Arab Emirates, the rest of the OPEC+ group would be hard pressed to add much at all. They are already struggling  and failing  to keep pace with their rising output targets. Production in January was almost 1 million barrels a day below the groups goal, according to its own figures.

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Their inability, or unwillingness, to act might buy oil producers a short-lived burst of sky-high prices, but it will speed the death knell for oil. Consuming nations will surely redouble efforts to decarbonize their economies and boost energy security by reducing dependence on foreign fuels - fossil, or otherwise.

Saudi Arabian oil minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman has repeatedly taunted the International Energy Agencys blueprint for decarbonization as a La-La Land fantasy. Its starting to look like the oil producers are living in a fantasy land of their own.

More From Bloomberg Opinion:

 The Oil Market Struggles to Fill a Russia-Size Hole: Javier Blas

 Reducing Dependence on Russian Energy Is Realistic: Liam Denning

 We Already Have a Solution for Oils Price Shock: David Fickling

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Julian Lee is an oil strategist for Bloomberg. Previously he worked as a senior analyst at the Centre for Global Energy Studies.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

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Foreign Ministry assures it is doing everything possible to evacuate hundreds of foreign students from Sumy

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has assured that it is doing everything possible to evacuate hundreds of foreign students from Sumy.

"We are doing everything we can to evacuate hundreds of foreign students from the Sumy city. Sumy is now on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe due to indiscriminate Russian shelling. Ukraine is doing its best to save and secure people," the ministry said in Twitter on Saturday.
New York: Mastercard and Visa are suspending their operations in Russia, the companies said, in the latest blow to the countrys financial system after its invasion of Ukraine.

Under pressure over its dealings with Russia, Europes largest oil company, Royal Dutch Shell, said it will put profits from any Russian oil it purchases into a fund that will go towards humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

A sign advertises payment services by Visa and Mastercard in the window of the Army of Russia store in Moscow. Both payment services said they would halt operations in Russia. Credit:Bloomberg

Mastercard said cards issued by Russian banks will no longer be supported by its network and any Mastercard issued outside the country will not work at Russian stores or ATMs.

We dont take this decision lightly, Mastercard said in a statement, adding that it made the move after discussions with customers, partners and governments.
Ukraine has succeeded in dominating social media in the first days since the Russian invasion, in an intensifying information war with Moscow that Kyiv so far appears to be winning, analysts say.

Even as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy remains bunkered down in Kyiv amid heavy bombardment and the fear of assassination, his government has forced an all-out assault on social media to win supporters for their cause.

Zelenskyy's daily video addresses, usually published with English subtitles, have become viral sensations, while the defence and foreign ministries tout the military resistance of Ukraine in snazzy graphics.

Read more: Putin says Ukraine's future in doubt as ceasefires collapse

Meanwhile, Ukrainians have posted videos showing the success of their forces that have become viral trends, including a Ukrainian missile shooting down a Russian helicopter and a Ukrainian farmer towing away captured Russian military hardware on his tractor.

Self-shot videos of Ukrainians sobbing amid the ruins of their towns after Russia stepped up bombardments have also gripped people around the world.

More unverifiable viral claims have included the so-called 'Ghost of Kyiv', a flying ace said to have downed a dozen Russian warplanes, or the Kyiv woman who purportedly knocked out a Russian drone with a jar of pickled cucumbers.

"In the first phase of the conflict, in terms of international opinion, the Ukrainians are clearly ahead in information," said Baptiste Robert, founder of Predicta Lab, a French company fighting disinformation.

"The most impressive thing is that it is organic," he said. "There is a real desire of the Ukrainians to document this war. When something happens, they pull out their phones."

Robert said the majority of pro-Ukraine videos doing the rounds on Twitter are genuine, but there have been claims which subsequent fact-checking proved to be exaggerated.

In the early stages of the war, Kyiv hailed as heroes 13 border guards who it said lost their lives defending a tiny Black Sea island after swearing at the Russian forces over the radio.

They had in fact all survived, as the Ukrainian authorities later acknowledged. Ukraine's embassy in Paris denies any deliberate attempt to mislead, saying "we don't do fake news".

Russia, accused of spreading disinformation in the 2016 US election to weigh the balance in favour of Donald Trump, is seen as a past master of such tactics.

But here, the balance is weighed against Moscow. In addition to being deeply unpopular in the West, the initial phase of the war has been far from successful for the Kremlin, according to independent observers.

"I can see them (the Russians) readjusting, refitting, and trying again" on the information front, said Emily Harding, deputy director and senior fellow in the international security programme at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"But it will still take a little while to get things running."

She said she expected Russia to "push a lot of disinformation into the ecosystem about how the war is going, showing Ukrainian troops supposedly surrendering".

However, Russia does not seem hugely concerned about public opinion outside the country, with efforts focused on keeping domestic support behind President Vladimir Putin.

To this end, Russia in the last days shut down the final bastions of free speech media in the country, blocked Facebook and restricted access to Twitter.

"It is true that they (the Ukrainians) are winning, but at the end of the day, the audience Putin cares most about is what his own people think about him," said Darren Linvill, lead researcher at the Media forensic lab of Clemson University in the United States.

"I think many, many Russians buy the narrative."

He added: "For every narrative which is pro-Ukrainian, such as stories about Russian soldiers surrendering without fighting and Ukrainian heroes being lauded for their bravery, you see the same thing in Russia, in the conversation among nationalists, for their own side."

With Ukrainian resistance forcing Moscow into a much longer war than the Kremlin wanted, a new phase in the information war is likely to open up.

If more Ukrainian cities fall to Russian forces, "there will be a new information war between those areas still resisting and the counter-information that the Russians are imposing," said Robert.

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At a glance

History: Greater Europe Mission was founded in 1944.

Countries served: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Macedonia, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, United Kingdom.

Offices: Founded in the U.S., GEM is now based in Frankfurt, Germany, with sending offices in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. that provide funding and missionaries.

Colorado: GEM moved its U.S. office to Monument from Carol Stream, Ill. in 1994.

Employees: 655 workers in Europe, with 30 at Monument office.

Income: Nearly 20,000 donors helped GEM raise $23.7 million in 2021, $22.8 million in 2020, and $23.5 million in 2019. GEM spends 73% of income on program, and 27% on administration and fundraising.

Prayer guide: People can pray Ukraine using a guide GEM offers at: https://gemission.org/pray-for-ukraine/

Donate: Those wishing to contribute to GEMs work with Ukrainian refugees can do so at https://gemission.org/donatemissionary/ukraine-refugee-response/
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Both national parties represent broad coalitions of wide-ranging interests, otherwise they couldn't win elections in such a vast and diverse country. These parties are most successful when they unify their factions behind an idea, a cause or a candidate.

Republicans coalesced around Ronald Reagan so effectively that Democrats won only 62 electoral votes combined in the Gipper's two victories. In 2020, Democrats were bound tightly together by a common fear and loathing of Donald Trump.

Today, both parties are splintered by internal rivalries, but the fault lines dividing each entity are distinctly different. For Republicans, the conflict is essentially personal, not ideological. The warring camps are defined by one question: Are you for, or against, Trump and his deranged view that the 2020 election was rigged against him?

For Democrats, the opposite is true. The factions are defined by ideology, not personality. The left wing of the party embraces extreme ideas -- defunding cops, opening borders, nationalizing health care -- and denounces moderates who reject their orthodoxy.

Here's the critical question: Which party will be more effective at restoring unity and appealing to the mainstream voters who still decide elections?

Start with the Republicans. Their internal strife is best summed up by the battle in Wyoming, where Rep. Liz Cheney is facing a primary challenger backed by Trump and other GOP leaders. A straight-line conservative when it comes to policy, Cheney has committed one unforgivable sin: She spoke the truth about Trump's detachment from reality and determination to undermine the Constitution. "I will do everything I can to ensure that the former president never again gets anywhere near the Oval Office," she vows.

This fault line is fragmenting many other state parties, as well. In Wisconsin, for example, a Republican candidate for governor, Timothy Ramthun, insists that the 2020 election can still be overturned. And some party activists are calling for the ouster of Robin Vos, the longtime speaker of the state assembly, because he won't pursue Trump's crazy claims of fraud. "We're going to spend millions of dollars tearing ourselves apart," Jack Yuds, chair of the Dodge County GOP, told Politico.

In Georgia, Trump has declared war against Gov. Brian Kemp and backed his primary opponent, David Perdue. But Kemp still leads in the latest Trafalgar poll. In Alaska, Trump is trying to purge Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who voted for his impeachment. But as of Jan. 1, Murkowski had $4.2 million on hand, while Trump's choice, Kelly Tshibaka, had banked barely $600,000.

National polls reflect the same fierce factionalism. In October of 2020, 54% of Republicans told NBC that they identified more with Trump personally than with the GOP as a party. Today, only 36% place loyalty to Trump first. In a Quinnipiac survey, 52% of Republicans agreed with former Vice President Mike Pence that Trump was "wrong" to challenge the results of the 2020 elections, while only 36% backed Trump's tirades.

Democrats have their own fragmenting fracases. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez traveled to Texas recently to embrace Jessica Cisneros, a left-wing challenger to Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar, and to denounce centrists like Sen. Joe Manchin. In San Francisco, voters ousted three radical school board members "in a battle that underscored the limits of left-wing politics even in such a liberal city," noted the Washington Post.

"As Democrats look fearfully toward the midterm elections, many of the party's candidates, strategists and voters are recoiling from some of the left-wing proposals that gained prominence during the Trump administration," the Post reports. "Many Democrats now see them as too extreme and harmful to Democratic prospects this fall ... The result is a growing backlash against more-liberal officeholders, challengers and plans."

This backlash comes as two senior party strategists, Elaine Kamarck and William Galston, issued a report that argues that liberal Democrats are "in the grip of myths that block progress toward victory", and are engaged in a "new politics of evasion, the refusal to confront the unyielding arithmetic of electoral success."

"Too many Democrats have evaded this truth and its implications for the party's agenda and strategy," the authors add. "They have been led astray by three persistent myths: that 'people of color' think and act in the same way; that economics always trumps culture; and that a progressive majority is emerging."

Both parties are being pulled apart by powerful factions that have refused "to confront the unyielding arithmetic of electoral success." The party that understands that arithmetic, and embraces the sane center, will own the future.
https://sputniknews.com/20220306/russian-military-has-destroyed-2203-targets-of-ukrainian-military-infrastructure-during-special-op-1093629112.html

Russian Military Has Destroyed 2,203 Targets of Ukrainian Military Infrastructure During Special Op

Russian Military Has Destroyed 2,203 Targets of Ukrainian Military Infrastructure During Special Op

The Russian special military operation was launched on 24 February after the Donbass republics pled for help to counter Kiev's aggression. President Vladimir... 06.03.2022, Sputnik International

2022-03-06T07:04+0000

2022-03-06T07:04+0000

2022-03-06T09:42+0000

russia's special operation in ukraine

world

ukraine

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The Russian armed forces have destroyed 2,203 targets of the Ukrainian military infrastructure since the beginning of the special military operation, the Defence Ministry announced on Sunday.According to the Defence Ministry spokesman, Major General Igor Konashenkov, Russian fighter jets and air defence systems have shot down 10 Ukrainian combat aircraft and helicopters over the past 24 hours. According to Konashenkov, "69 aircraft on the ground and 24 aircraft in the air, 778 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 77 multiple launch rocket systems, 279 field artillery and mortars, 553 units of special military vehicles, as well as 62 unmanned aerial vehicles were also destroyed".The Russian armed forces have established control over several settlements, advancing 11 kilometres, he said.Donetsk and Lugansk Peoples Republics (DPR and LPR) units a continuing offensive operations and take control of new settlements, Konashenkov added.On 24 February, Russia started a special military operation in Ukraine to protect civilians in the Donbass People's Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, whose authorities appealed to Moscow for assistance following the repeated shelling of their territories by Ukrainian forces. President Putin explained that a key goal of the operation is to "demilitarise and de-Nazify" Ukraine and thus eliminate a threat to Russia's national security. The Russian Ministry of Defence has repeatedly stressed that the Armed Forces strike only at the military infrastructure, and nothing threatens the civilian population.In response to Russias operation, Western countries have rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Moscow, which include airspace closures and restrictive measures targeting Russian officials, media, and financial institutions.

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Thane, Mar 6 (PTI) A court here in Maharashtra has acquitted a 47-year-old superintendent of a school for hearing and speech-impaired children in the case of alleged sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl in 2017, while giving him the benefit of doubt.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War Live Updates: Russia Gains Ground in South; Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Talks to US Counterpart Joe Biden About Sanctions Against Moscow.

The order was passed on February 21 and a copy of it was made available on Saturday.

Also Read | Assam Municipal Elections 2022: Voting for 80 Municipal Boards Commences in the State, 2,532 Candidates in Fray.

In her order, Additional Sessions Judge and Special Judge (for POCSO cases) Kavita D Shirbhate noted that the prosecution failed to prove the charges against the accused.

Special Public Prosecutor S B More told the court that the accused sexually assaulted the Class 4 student in January 2017.

A teacher at the school had noticed changes in the victim's behaviour and that she was bleeding.

Upon enquiry, the victim in sign language had informed the teacher about the offence following which a case was registered against the accused under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and Sections 354-B (assault or use of criminal force to any woman or abetting such act with the intention of disrobing or compelling her to be naked) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Advocate Vishal Bhanushali, appearing for the accused, contested the case and said his client was not involved in the alleged crime.

In the order, the judge said the prosecution has not produced any age proof of the victim, as per provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection ) of Children Rules.

The victim, who is the material witness, turned hostile. She did not support the prosecution story. Another material witness, who noticed the victim's injuries, also did not support the prosecution story, the judge noted.

"To prove the ingredients of Section 354B of the IPC and Sections 8, 9(f), 10 of the POCSO Act, it was necessary to prove that the accused had committed sexual assault on the victim with sexual intent," the court observed.

In this case, the prosecution has not proved that the accused committed sexual assault on the victim, and the latter's statement is also not recorded as per provisions of law, it said.

"Therefore, in the absence of cogent evidence against the accused, I hold that the prosecution has failed to prove the guilt of the accused beyond all reasonable doubts," the judge said.

Hence, the accused is entitled for the order of acquittal, the court said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Boris Johnson is set to tell international leaders the world is watching as he urges them to match rhetoric with action over Russias invasion with Ukraine.

The Prime Minister will set out a six-point plan on Sunday, which he hopes global counterparts will accept, as Russian leader Vladimir Putin moved the goalposts over the Wests engagement in the conflict in Ukraine.

Mr Johnson said that it is not future historians but the people of Ukraine who will be our judge over how the world reacts to Mr Putins hideous, barbarous assault.

(PA Graphics)

Ahead of a swathe of meetings in coming days, Mr Johnson said: Putin must fail and must be seen to fail in this act of aggression.

It is not enough to express our support for the rules-based international order  we must defend it against a sustained attempt to rewrite the rules by military force.

Meanwhile, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace warned the Kremlin not to underestimate the West.

In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, Mr Wallace said allies must not be afraid of Putin.

He warned the Russian leader  who he said was acting irrationally and inflicting horrors on Ukraine  not to test the UK.

The thing to say to Putin is dont underestimate us, dont test us, he told the newspaper.

(PA Graphics)

History is littered with authoritarian leaders underestimating the wider West and the United Kingdom. He clearly underestimated the international community.

He added: If we stick together and refuse to be intimidated then I believe he will fail.

Mr Putin warned on Saturday the Kremlin would consider any third-party declaration of a no-fly zone over Ukraine as participation in the conflict.

Mr Putin said Russia would view any move in this direction as an intervention that will pose a threat to our service members.

That very second, we will view them as participants of the military conflict, and it would not matter what members they are, he said.

However, Ukraine has repeatedly said the move is the only way to stop more deaths.

Nato allies have ruled out implementing a no-fly zone over Ukraine amid fears it could prompt an all-out war with nuclear-armed Russia.

But he also said that Western sanctions on Russia were akin to a declaration of war.

Mr Johnson is set to call on his counterparts worldwide to make a renewed and concerted effort to tackle Mr Putin, No 10 said.

Already, 141 nations have denounced the Kremlins actions at an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council.

Some 38 countries, coordinated by the UK, have also led the largest-ever referral to the International Criminal Court.

But Mr Johnson is set to tell leaders, in an essay in the New York Times on Sunday, that the international community must come together under a six-point plan to keep the pressure on.

The Prime Minister will call on leaders to mobilise an international humanitarian coalition for Ukraine and support the country in its efforts to provide for its own self-defence.

The economic pressure on the Kremlin should be ratcheted up, Mr Johnson will say, and he will add that leaders must resist the creeping normalisation of what Russia is doing in Ukraine.

Mr Johnson will also say that while diplomatic paths to resolving the war must be pursued, this could only be done with the full participation of the legitimate Government of Ukraine.

He will add that there also needs to be a rapid campaign to strengthen security and resilience across the Euro-Atlantic area.

The PM will hammer home his message when he meets with Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau and Dutch Prime Minister Rutte at Downing Street on Monday.

Then on Tuesday, Mr Johnson will host leaders of the V4 group of central European nations  the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.

Ive been lost in admiration by the way in which the British public has responded to the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine. From community groups to sports clubs and businesses, everyone in the UK has been united in their support for the Ukrainian people. pic.twitter.com/gzj0Wtb6W6  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) March 5, 2022

No 10 said it was these countries that are already facing the humanitarian crisis caused by the invasion, as the number of people fleeing Ukraine reached 1.4 million in just 10 days.

The world is watching, Mr Johnson added.

Labours shadow foreign secretary David Lammy said the opposition fully supports the UK playing its part in the united, international effort to provide military, economic, diplomatic and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine alongside our allies and partners in Nato and beyond.

He said: We support an immediate ceasefire, and the full and complete withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraines internationally recognised borders.

Mr Lammy said: The Putin regimes illegal invasion of Ukraine is a heinous attack not only on the Ukrainian people, but also on the values of sovereignty, democracy, freedom and the rule of law we all share.

But he added: At home, the UK government must move faster and harder to impose sanctions on the oligarchs and politicians linked to the rogue Russian regime.

It is inexcusable that we have fallen behind the EU and the US on the number of individuals and entities sanctioned. Ministers must move faster, acting against Putins cronies in days not months.

It comes as the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the Russian forces are targeting populated areas in a bid to break the Ukrainian resistance.

Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine  06 March 2022 Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/xXx8qpSqRp  #StandWithUkraine  pic.twitter.com/nJjcTJTDtX  Ministry of Defence  (@DefenceHQ) March 6, 2022

In an intelligence update posted on Twitter on Sunday morning, the MoD said: The scale and strength of Ukrainian resistance continues to surprise Russia. It has responded by targeting populated areas in multiple locations, including Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Mariupol.

This is likely to represent an effort to break Ukrainian morale. Russia has previously used similar tactics in Chechnya in 1999 and Syria in 2016, employing both air and ground-based munitions.

Russian supply lines reportedly continue to be targeted, slowing the rate of advance of their ground forces. There is a realistic possibility that Russia is now attempting to conceal fuel trucks as regular support trucks to minimise losses.
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American financial services giants Mastercard and Visa have announced the suspension of their services in Russia in view of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and said that their cards issued by Russian banks will no longer work outside the country. Effective immediately, Visa will work with its clients and partners within Russia to cease all Visa transactions over the coming days. Once complete, all transactions initiated with Visa cards issued in Russia will no longer work outside the country and any Visa cards issued by financial institutions outside of Russia will no longer work within the Russian Federation, Visa said in a statement on Saturday. This war and the ongoing threat to peace and stability demand we respond in line with our values, Al Kelly, Chairman and CEO of Visa Inc was quoted as saying in the release.

Mastercard has also ceased operations in Russia over the latters military campaign in Ukraine. This decision flows from our recent action to block multiple financial institutions from the Mastercard payment network, as required by regulators globally, Mastercard said in its statement. The company added that cards issued outside of Russia will not work at Russian merchants or ATMs.

According to the White House, US President Joe Biden, during a conversation with Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, welcomed the decisions of Visa and Mastercard to suspend services in Russia.

Earlier this week, aerospace company Boeing had announced the suspension of maintenance and technical support services for Russian carriers in view of the recent developments in the growing conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

Several social media giants, including Google and Meta, have also barred Russian state-sponsored media from monetizing content on their platforms in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Description

The Farmingdale United Methodist Church will host a study at 7:00PM each Sunday throughout Lent (3/6-4/10) both in the sanctuary and virtually*, entitled Creating a Culture of Shalom: Where Love and Justice Meet. This program is open to the community and we welcome everyone interested in Mediation and Reconciliation and exploring the intersections and boundaries between justice, mercy, love and forgiveness.

For more information call 516 634-3424.

* https://zoom.us/j/3668856897 password 981708 and

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVB37Jz0kulSFONSnA6Za5Q
A comedy sketch that ended with former President Trump performing a fairly sincere rendition of My Funny Valentine was not nearly the most baroque moment of this weekends Saturday Night Live, which was hosted by Oscar Isaac. (That particular honor would go to a routine about singing meatballs, which well get to shortly.)

But for starters, the crooning Trump (played by James Austin Johnson) almost sort of made sense in the context of S.N.L.s open segment, which imagined a fictional telethon, set at Mar-a-Lago and led by the Fox News hosts Tucker Carlson (Alex Moffat) and Laura Ingraham (Kate McKinnon), to make up for their shifting positions on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

As Moffat explained at the start of the sketch, which was called the Fox News Ukrainian Invasion Celebration Spectacular, the cable channels personalities had gotten into a little bit of trouble for all the nice things we said about Russia and the mean things we said about Ukraine.
Ukrainians have courageously shown they savor democracy, despite only tasting it since 1991 when finally freed of Russia and the Soviet Union.

Donald Trump, his January 6th followers and other sycophants have demonstrated disdain for it while deifying nationalistic icon Vladimir Putin.

After Putin declared two provinces of Ukraine independent, Trump called him a genius and savvy.

Hes gonna go in and be a peacekeeper. Thats the strongest peace force. We could use that on our southern border.  There were more army tanks than Ive ever seen. Theyre gonna keep peace all right. I know him very well.

Indeed, they have a storied bromance.

Trump blamed Ukraine  not Russia  for interfering in the 2016 election. At the 2018 Helsinki summit, he supported Putins version, not U.S. intelligence. President Putin says its not Russia. I dont see any reason why it would be.

The newly democratic Baltic States joined NATO in 2004, seemingly dashing Putins dream of resurrecting the Soviet Union. Quashing democracy in Belarus and intimidating Georgia were mere diversions.

But in 2018, the New York Times reported Trump told aides, including National Security Adviser John Bolton, that he wanted the U.S. out of NATO  a Putin pipedream.

Trump now claims he stopped Russian aggression in Ukraine. Not so, Bolton said.

He barely knew where Ukraine was. He once asked (chief of staff) John Kelly, if Finland were a part of Russia. It is just not accurate to say that Trumps behavior somehow deterred the Russians. I think the evidence is that Russia didnt feel that their military was ready.

Trump was impeached (not convicted) for withholding military aid approved by Congress for Ukraine  including Javelin anti-tank missiles  while pressuring President Volodymyr Zelensky to find dirt on Hunter Biden.

Once released, Business Insider reported, the missiles couldnt be deployed to eastern Ukraine against Russian separatists.

Trumps brain trust at Fox News echoed his Putin crush.

Its not un-American to support Putin, insisted Tucker Carlson pre-invasion, adding, Has Putin ever called me a racist? Does he eat dogs?

No canines consumed, but at least 22 journalists murdered; scores of opponents shot, poisoned or imprisoned.

Russian TV turned translated his rants into pro-Putin propaganda.

Stablemate Laura Ingraham mocked Zelenskys plea that Russia not overrun Ukraine as a pathetic display.

While in Kyiv during a 1987 newspaper editors tour of the Soviet Union, I spoke with residents who detested Russia.

The Russian army deployed in Kyiv wasnt defending Ukraine, they said, but preventing uprisings like the failed 1917 revolt against Vladimir Lenin. More followed.

They recalled Josef Stalin confiscating the lands of kulaks (wealthy farmers) in the 1930s, turning them into unproductive collective farms while 3.9 million Ukrainians died of starvation.

Putin contended he was stopping nonexistent NATO aggression and Ukrainian neonazis. But Zelensky, elected by 70% of voters, is Jewish.

Which goes to the heart of Ingrahams claim Zelensky is pathetic. Given far-right lunacy, he has yet to deploy the Jewish cabals space lasers to thwart Putin
A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan allegedly opened fire at a force camp here on Sunday, leaving four of his colleagues dead and another injured.

The accused constable Sateppa S K was also killed in the fratricidal incident that took place between 9:30 and 9:45 AM in the campus of the 144th battalion in Khasa area of the district, about 12-13 km short of the Attari-Wagah border crossing along the India-Pakistan international front, an officer said.

However, it was not immediately clear if the accused jawan shot himself or was fired upon by others.

Officials said the accused was apparently upset about his duty hours and even fired shots at the vehicle of the commanding officer parked in the campus.

A BSF spokesperson said that in an unfortunate incident, five BSF troops were killed at a force camp in Amritsar in a fratricidal incident

The sixth jawan is critical and is admitted to a hospital.

The victims include personnel in the ranks of constable and head constable.

The spokesperson said a court of inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the facts.

Senior officers of the border force and Punjab Police were at the spot, they said.

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Amid the ongoing evacuation of stranded Indians from Ukraine, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha MP Varun Gandhi on Sunday called upon the Central government to accommodate the medical students coming back from the conflict-ridden country in the educational institutions within India. The BJP MP stressed that efforts should be made to ensure that the education of the evacuated medical students isn't hampered. "We need to accommodate the students (coming back from Ukraine) into our educational institutions by relaxing the norms," tweeted Gandhi on Sunday. Expressing concern over hardships faced by the students, Gandhi said, "The conflict in Ukraine has given a lot of mental pain to thousands of students. On one hand, there are bitter memories of the battlefield, on the other hand, the future hangs in the balance. We should worry about the concerns of students and their parents," reads the tweet. Earlier on Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs said that over 13,300 people have returned to India so far under 'Operation Ganga' from crisis-ridden Ukraine. The Ministry also informed that almost all Indians have left Kharkiv city in Ukraine and the main focus of the government is to evacuate citizens from the Sumy area as it is challenging amid ongoing violence and lack of transportation. The government has also deployed 'special envoys' to five neighbouring countries, bordering Ukraine, to coordinate and oversee the evacuation process of Indian nationals. Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. (ANI)
A 'Snow White and the Huntsman' reunion was recently in place during the Santa Barbara International Film Festival when Charlize Theron turned up to present onetime co-star Kristen Stewart with an American Riviera Award. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the award was presented to Stewart for her Oscar-nominated performance as Princess Diana in Neon's 'Spencer'. Stewart's "real commitment" to the craft was praised by Theron, who saved special words for her work in the Pablo Larrain-directed film. "It's been so fun to watch the trajectory of your career. Your most recent film, Spencer, I have to say is my favourite work of yours to date. It's not an easy task to take on the most iconic figure in modern history, but you let us into this character. You gave us a glimpse into her soul in the most tactful and heart-wrenching way," Theron gushed. While accepting the trophy Stewart said she's "in such a good place to receive it." Prior to the heartfelt presentation from Theron, Stewart sat for a Q&A about her career. The main event featured clips from her career including such films as 'Panic Room', 'Zathura: A Space Adventure', 'Into the Wild', 'Adventureland', 'Still Alice', 'The Runaways', 'Twilight', 'Happiest Season', 'Clouds of Sils Maria', 'Personal Shopper' and 'Spencer'. When asked to open up on the moment she knew just how famous she truly was, Stewart said it had a little something to do with paparazzi and marijuana. "Two days before Twilight came out, I remember I was sitting on my porch with my dog and I got papped for the first time...sitting there smoking a bowl. I look back on that moment with fondness," she said. Same for the franchise. Of 'Twilight', Stewart said, "All of its faults are its strength because we just wanted it to be the best it could be. We were all so young," she added. Apart from juggling a busy awards season, Stewart admitted that she's busy packaging a film that will see her make her feature directorial debut. "I'm trying to put a movie together right now. I have a couple of balls in the air. I'll tease you with that, but I'm very excited. The worst thing is when you can't tell everything to everyone all at once," she said. Though she didn't reveal details, Stewart has been attached to direct 'The Chronology of Water', an adaptation of the memoir by Lidia Yuknavitch, as per The Hollywood Reporter. (ANI)
Azerbaijan has evacuated over 9,000 of its citizens from Ukraine since the start of the Russian special operation, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said on Saturday.

"About 9,500 citizens of Azerbaijan were evacuated from Ukraine as of the morning of March 5. Most of them were evacuated via the ground border with Moldova," Bayramov said.

Some of the evacuated Azerbaijanis were to return home by plane from Poland on Saturday and from Romania on Sunday, he said.
Audi will pause production of the A4 and A5 from March 7-11 and of the A6 and A7 from March 7-18.

German luxury car brand Audi has stopped taking orders for plug-in hybrid cars in Europe, due to the ongoing Ukraine crisis. The move comes due to the production interruptions happening due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. German publication Automobilewoche reports that Audi will accept orders for plug-in hybrid vehicles until March 10 but will stop after that because of supply chain issues.

(Also Read: Audi India to hike car prices from April. Details here)

The report has cited an Audi spokesperson who said due to the high demands as well as some restrictions caused by supply disruption. The Audi spokesperson reportedly also said that the automaker's production volume is currently already exhausted for the Audi PHEV models for 2022. It is not clear, the automaker will stop accepting bookings for Audi PHEV models in other markets as well.

The automaker also said that it will pause production of the A4 and A5 from March 7-11 and of the A6 and A7 from March 7-18. Not only Audi but other car brands in the Volkswagen Group, including Porsche and Volkswagen too are reducing their production in Germany, as a result of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

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The crisis has resulted in a supply chain disruption for the automakers. Wiring harness is one of the key elements sourced by several automakers from Ukraine. The crisis has disrupted the production and supply of this part of the country, affecting the industry. The crisis has also led many automakers to stop shipping their vehicles to Russia, due to the sanction imposed on the country by the US and EU.

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Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett flew in for a secret meeting with Vladimir Putin and later phoned Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss the war in Ukraine as he coordinates crisis efforts with the US, France, and Germany.

Bennett's meeting took place 'with the blessing of the US administration,' his office said, to discuss the safety of Ukraines Jewish population and Iran's nuclear program. Russia threatened to derailed the 2015 Iran nuclear deal on Saturday - a deal that Israel opposes, according to Fox News.

The Israeli PM had offered last week to act as a mediator between the two countries, to which Putin had replied that he was 'ready for negotiation.'

Bennett, a religious Jew, flew to Moscow in violation of Sabbath law because Judaism permits this when the aim is to preserve human life, his spokesperson said.

He was accompanied by his Ukrainian-born housing minister, Zeev Elkin. Elkin had in the past accompanied former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu as an interpreter in his talks with Putin.

In their three-hour meeting in the Kremlin, the Israeli official said, Bennett also raised with Putin the issue of the large Jewish community caught up in the war in Ukraine.

While Israel, a close ally of the United States, has condemned the Russian invasion, voiced solidarity with Kyiv and sent humanitarian aid to Ukraine. It also will send medical teams to Ukraine next week to set up a field hospital that will provide treatment for refugees, its Health Ministry said.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, a practicing Jew, broke the Sabbath law and flew to Russia (pictured) to meet with Vladimir Putin on Saturday to discuss the war and the Jewish population in Israel

Bennett phoned Zelensky (right) after his three-hour meeting with Putin (right). It is unclear what he discussed exactly with Zelensky. Israel has denounced Putin's invasion into Ukraine, but said it will keep in touch with Putin to hopefully ease the crisis. Israel will also be sending aid to Ukraine

Bennett has said it will maintain contact with Moscow in the hope of helping to ease the crisis.

Israel, home to a substantial population of immigrants from the former Soviet Union, is also mindful of Moscow's military support for President Bashar al-Assad in next-door Syria, where Israel regularly attacks Iranian and Hezbollah military targets. Communication with Moscow prevents Russian and Israeli forces trading fire by accident.

Bennett and Putin also discussed the ongoing talks between world powers, including Russia, and Iran about reviving a 2015 nuclear deal.

Russia said on Saturday that Western sanctions imposed on it over its invasion of Ukraine had become a stumbling block for the Iran nuclear deal. Israel opposes any revival of the deal.

Bennett and Putin had met previously met (pictured in October)

Bennett spoke with Zelensky over the phone after his meeting with Putin before headed to Berlin for talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, his spokesperson said. It is unknown what he spoke to the Ukrainian leader about.

French President Emmanuel Macron had spoken to Bennett before he flew to Moscow to brief him on his own conversations with Putin, the Elysee Palace said.

'They will stay in touch with the aim of obtaining a ceasefire, and this in coordination with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz,' an Elysee official said.

Bennett is coordinating his efforts in the crisis with the United States, France and Germany, an Israeli official said.

Israeli ally, the US announced it is working with Poland in order to orchestrate a deal that would allow Polish fighter jets to be flown by pilots from the Ukrainian Air Force in order to combat Russia's air superiority.

The deal would see Ukraine take Poland's 28 Russian-made MiG-29 warplanes, which would be replaced by a fresh set of F-16's by the United States.

The Polish Air Force operates both types of fighter aircraft in its combat operations. The Ukrainians need the Russian MiG's fighters rather than F-16's, because those are the aircraft on which they have been trained to operate.

Ukraine fears attack from the air may soon be the go-to choice of tactics by Russia after their ground offensive appears to be making far slower progress than the Kremlin had anticipated.

The White House is now working out the practicalities of carrying out such a deal, including the crucial question of how the Ukrainians would physically be able to get their hands on the planes.

'There are a number of challenging practical questions, including how the planes could actually be transferred from Poland to Ukraine.

'We are also working on the capabilities we could provide to backfill Poland if it decided to transfer planes to Ukraine,' a White House spokesperson said to the Financial Times.

The Israeli PM had offered last week to act as a mediator between the two countries, to which Putin had replied that he was 'ready for negotiation,' despite his forces continue to push toward Kyiv

Israel will send medical teams to Ukraine next week to set up a field hospital that will provide treatment for refugees, its Health Ministry said

Poland, which is a member of NATO, would need to play the situation delicately and not be seen to overtly supporting the war unilaterally.

The Polish government is concerned Russian President Vladimir Putin would see the Ukrainian's being given warplanes as a direct escalation or even NATO interference.

On Saturday, Putin said he would see any institution of a no-fly zone by a third party as 'participation in the armed conflict'.

'Poland is not in a state of war with Russia, but it is not an impartial country, because it supports Ukraine as the victim of aggression. It considers, however, that all military matters must be a decision of NATO as a whole,' a Polish official said.

Polish President Andrzej Duda has previously brushed aside the entire idea noting that supplying the planes would be seen as essentially interfering in the conflict.

But the idea of Poland tacitly allowing Ukraine to borrow its fighter jets was given the thumbs up by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba, who both argued that is NATO were refusing to set up a no-fly zone over Ukraine, then it could at the very least supply the Ukrainian air force with fighters.

'It is no secret that the highest demand that we have is in fighting jets, attack aircraft, and air defense systems,' Kuleba said in a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Saturday.

'If we lose the skies, there will be much, much more blood on the ground, and that will be the blood of civilians.

In a call with around 300 US lawmakers, Zelensky made an emotional plea for Poland to receive F-16 fighters from the US and other European countries in order for the plan to work according to The Financial Times

Washington is now examining ways in which is can help provide further military support to Ukraine. Earlier this week it sent anti-aircraft stinger missiles.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday unveiled the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj situated on the premises of Pune Municipal Corporation. Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra Assembly Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis and Pune Mayor Murlidhar Mohol were also present at the event. "The Statue is made up of 1,850 kg of gunmetal and is about 9.5 feet tall," reads the official statement. PM Modi is on a one-day visit to Pune where he will take part in various events including the inauguration of the Pune Metro line and attending Golden Jubilee celebrations of Symbiosis University. "This project is an endeavour to provide world-class infrastructure for urban mobility in Pune. The foundation stone of the project was also laid by the Prime Minister on December 24, 2016. Prime Minister will inaugurate a 12 km stretch of the total 32.2 km Pune metro rail project. The entire project is being built at a total cost of more than Rs 11,400 crore," reads the official statement regarding the Pune Metro Rail Project. He will also inaugurate and inspect an exhibition at Garware Metro Station and will undertake a metro ride from there to Anandnagar Metro Station. At around 12 noon, he will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate multiple developmental projects. He will also lay the foundation stone of rejuvenation and pollution abatement of the Mula-Mutha River projects. Rejuvenation will be done in 9 Km stretch of the river at a project cost of more than Rs. 1,080 crore. It will involve works such as river edge protection, interceptor sewage network, public amenities, boating activity etc. Mula-Mutha River pollution abatement project will be implemented on the concept of "One City One Operator" at a cost of over Rs 1,470 crore. A total of 11 sewage treatment plants will be constructed under the project, with a combined capacity of around 400 MLD. Prime Minister will also launch 140 e-buses and e-bus depot constructed at Baner. Prime Minister will also inaugurate the R.K Laxman Art Gallery-Museum constructed at Balewadi, Pune. The main attraction of the Museum is a miniature model based on the village of Malgudi which will be made alive through the audio-visual effects. Cartoons drawn by cartoonist R K Laxman will be showcased in the Museum. After this, at around 1:45 pm, he will kick start the Golden Jubilee celebration of Symbiosis University. (ANI)
In this fast-paced world, which has become more complicated after the pandemic, the one intangible, yet inseparable part of our existence is undoubtedly our mind. Peace of mind has become a rarity nowadays. In such situations, meditation can help in controlling the mind and calming it down. A recent study has said that mindfulness meditation can reduce guilt and negativity. The study was led by the University of Washington's Foster School of Business, and published in the 'Journal of Personality and Social Psychology'. Mindfulness meditation is a stress-management practise with an ancient lineage that cultivates nonjudgmental awareness of the present moment, often by directing attention to the physical sensations of breathing. Initially inspired by centuries-old Buddhist practices consisting of philosophies and meditations together, today a secular version of mindfulness -- consisting of meditations alone -- is becoming increasingly popular. But there may be an unanticipated downside to secular mindfulness meditation practices, according to the study. "Meditating can reduce feelings of guilt, thus limiting reactions like generosity that are important to human relationships," said lead author Andrew Hafenbrack, an assistant professor in the Foster School who studies mindfulness. Researchers wanted to know how mindfulness meditation reduces negative emotions, like anger and guilt. "Negative emotions may not be pleasant, but they can help us navigate social situations and maintain relationships," Hafenbrack said. "If someone gets really angry and they yell at their boss or something, and they get fired or make people feel unsafe, then you know that's a bad thing," Hafenbrack said. "Not all negative emotions are the same in terms of the kinds of behaviours that they queue up, though." When people feel guilty, it tends to make them focus outward, on other people, which can promote reparative actions. To better understand meditation practices, the researchers conducted eight experiments with more than 1,400 participants in the U.S. and Portugal. Participants varied for each experiment -- some were U.S. adults recruited online, some were graduate students attending a university in Portugal, while another group was mostly undergraduates at the Wharton School of Business. In their first study, the researchers demonstrated that mindfulness does reduce feelings of guilt. Participants were randomly assigned to either write about a past situation that made them feel guilty or write about their previous day. Then, they listened to either an eight-minute guided mindfulness meditation recording that instructed them to focus on the physical sensations of breathing or an eight-minute control condition recording in which they were instructed to let their minds wander. Participants who listened to the mindfulness recording reported feeling less guilt compared to those in the mind-wandering control group. This was true whether they had written about a guilty situation or their previous day. The team then ran six other experiments to test whether mindfulness meditation would influence prosocial reparative behaviours, like making up with a friend after doing something that caused harm. For example, in two experiments all participants were asked to recall and write about a time they wronged someone and felt guilty, before being randomly assigned to meditate or not. After that, they were asked to allocate a hypothetical $100 between a birthday gift for the person they had wronged, a charity for African flood victims, and themselves. Participants who had meditated allocated approximately 17 per cent less to the person they had wronged compared to those who had not meditated. The psychological process behind these allocation differences was reduced guilt. These and three other, similar experiments established that mindfulness meditation reduces the tendency to make amends for harming others. "This research serves as a caution to people who might be tempted to use mindfulness meditation to reduce emotions that are unpleasant, but necessary to support moral thoughts and behaviour," said co-author Isabelle Solal, an assistant professor at ESSEC Business School in Cergy-Pointoise, France. While focused breathing meditation is the most popular form of meditation, used in mindfulness programs such as the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction approach and Google's Search Inside Yourself, the study also explored loving-kindness meditation, which appears in those programs as well. Loving-kindness meditation consists of imagery exercises in which one evokes other people and sends wishes that each is happy, well and free from suffering. In the final experiment, participants once again wrote about a time they wronged someone and felt guilty, before listening to either a focused breathing mindfulness meditation recording or a loving-kindness meditation recording. Participants in the loving-kindness group reported higher intentions to contact, apologize to, and makeup with people they had harmed compared to participants in the focused breathing meditation group. The difference was explained by participants' increased focus on others and feelings of love. "Our research suggests that loving-kindness meditation may allow people to have the stress-reduction benefits of meditation without the cost of reducing repair because it increases focus on others and feelings of love," said co-author Matthew LaPalme, who was a research scientist at Yale University. (ANI)
Animal lovers encouraged to join specialist team of volunteers to help local wildlife

This article is old - Published: Sunday, Mar 6th, 2022

Animal lovers across north Wales are being invited to join a specialist team of volunteers to get up close, personal and hands-on with local wildlife.

The RSPCA has launched new drive to expand its team of dedicated Wildlife Casualty Volunteers (WCVs), which provide invaluable support on the frontline in protecting sick, injured and orphaned wildlife.

WCVs collect sick, injured or orphaned birds and small mammals, and transport them to RSPCA wildlife centres, external wildlife rehabilitators or appropriate veterinary establishments  acting as first responders for the charity.

The volunteers also help release rehabilitated wildlife back into the environment from which they were rescued  something which can be incredibly rewarding for those passionate about animal welfare.

WCVs play a key role in the RSPCAs mission to protect animals  attending to 1,248 collections of animals since the start of 2021.

In total, 28 of those collections were in North Wales  and the RSPCA hopes to increase its WCV capacity in the region to support its inspectorate and ensure more wild animals in need can be reached as quickly as possible.

RSPCA chief inspector Kelly Lake said: Our wildlife casualty volunteers are our first responders  offering crucial support and help to wildlife by transporting them for life-saving rehabilitation.

Across England and Wales, our WCVs have helped us collect over 1,200 wild animals since the start of 2021; but were looking to recruit even more to support our animal rescue teams to help even more animals in need.

Its an incredibly rewarding role  providing a lifeline to animals; and even helping release them back to the wild after periods of rehabilitation and care.

In North Wales, we urgently need more of these superhero first responders to volunteer with us  so were really hoping anyone interested in getting up close to our beautiful wildlife, and transporting them to centres for urgent rehabilitation and care, will apply to join this amazing team.

North Wales chief inspector Leanne Hardysaid they are looking forward to expanding their volunteering team.

Jobs dealt with by volunteers have included the collection of injured gulls, hedgehogs and birds. These animals in need have been transferred to RSPCA Bryn-Y-Maen Animal Centre or to a local vets.

In North Wales our volunteers assist us with our many gull collections, as our patch is very coastal, she explained.

We are hugely busy in the summer months with injured gulls across the coastal towns so our WCVs are very helpful with those types of welfare calls.

A full list of WCV vacancies is available on the RSPCA website.

The RSPCA says the role is a unique opportunity to help animals on the frontline  and some WCVs have gone onto work for the RSPCAs inspectorate.

Inspector Richard Carr spent 18 months volunteering on weekends as a WCV, before later becoming a full-time RSPCA inspector.

He added: Ive always been interested in wildlife, and was keen to get involved with the RSPCA  so volunteering as a WCV was a unique opportunity.

I learned so much, and it really confirmed my passion and interest in animal welfare.

Whenever I was volunteering, I was always so struck by the passion the public had for wildlife and it was great to be able to do my bit to help  from collecting injured birds, to releasing hedgehogs, and so much more.

I had a little bit of spare time on the weekends  and learned so much in the role. It also proved really useful when I went onto work for the RSPCA permanently too  first as an animal collection officer, and now as an inspector.

WCVs will need to be able to drive, and have access to their own vehicle. They will also need their own smartphone  however, all other kit and training will be provided by the RSPCA; and relevant expenses incurred will also be reimbursed.

Volunteers will also be kitted out with a professionally fitted face mask due to zoonotic disease risks associated with collecting some species of wildlife.
24m investment into new manufacturing facility at neuroscience centre of excellence in Wrexham

This article is old - Published: Sunday, Mar 6th, 2022

More than 20 million has been invested in a new manufacturing facility at a neuroscience centre of excellence in Wrexham.

Ispen, on the Wrexham Industrial Estate, undertakes Research and Development (R&D) and manufacturing to create medicines to treat neurological conditions.

The company recently made an investment of 24 million into the site to build a new flexible drug product manufacturing facility.

Simon Hart MP, Secretary of State for Wales and Wrexham MP Sarah Atherton were invited to take a tour of the in-development facility, learn more about Wrexhams potential as a hub for UK life sciences and innovation, and meet senior leaders from Ipsen.

A fascinating visit to Ipsen to learn about their new facility and the work they do, said Simon Hart MP.

The UKs life sciences industry is vitally important, and its wonderful to see investment coming into Wales, building on the talents of the workforce in Wrexham.

Already Ipsen are exporting to over 90 countries from this site  a truly global operation.

Matthias Krieger, VP Manufacturing Site at Wrexham, Ipsen: We were delighted to welcome the Secretary of State and Sarah Atherton MP to Ipsen to show them around our facility and discuss our ambitions for the future.

Wrexham is home to a highly-skilled workforce of approximately 400 colleagues, and we are all pleased and proud of the work that has led to this latest investment in the site.

We have great ambition for Ipsen in Wrexham and we are exploring further potential expansion of the site in the future comments.

Sarah Atherton MP added: Having long been a supporter of Ipsen and their brilliant and innovative work, I was thrilled to visit again to hear about their Neuroscience Centre of Excellence.

This new facility will be a huge boost for local jobs and the regional economy and I am so pleased that Ipsen have chosen, once again, to invest in our town.

Wrexham is home to many exciting and thriving businesses, Ipsen being one of them, and this is another vote of confidence in all that we have to offer as a place to do business.

Due to expansion and increased global demand for its products, Ipsen Wrexham is actively recruiting new talent and currently has a number of exciting career opportunities available in many areas of the Wrexham based business, including Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Manufacturing Science & Technology (MS&T), R&D and Finance.
First minister condemns unacceptable abuse of shop workers after record levels of harassment reported during pandemic

This article is old - Published: Sunday, Mar 6th, 2022

First Minister Mark Drakeford has condemned those who abuse shop workers after a new report found that 64 per cent of retail staff were threatened with violence in the last 12 months.

Earlier this week Wrexham.com reported that a study carried out by retail trade union Usdaw found that record levels of violence and abuse have been experienced by shop workers throughout the covid-19 pandemic.

It revealed that 9 out of 10 workers reported verbal abuse. 64 per cent received threats of violence and 12 per were physically assaulted during the year.

61 per cent said they were not confident that reporting abuse, threats and violence will make a difference.

Throughout the pandemic shop workers faced verbal abuse over mask guidance and social distancing.

The survey of 3,500 people also found that shop workers were attacked and abused both by people who refused to wear face coverings and by others who thought that stores should be doing more to enforce the wearing of face coverings.

In terms of how shop workers could be supported more in their jobs 26 per cent said more management support, 26 per cent wanted to ban offenders and 18 per cent wanted security staff.

During a press conference on Friday the first minister was asked what protections will the Welsh Government put in place to protect retail workers from further abuse from customers when the remaining coronavirus restrictions are eased at the end of the month.

Mr Drakeford said it was entirely unacceptable that anyone going about their ordinary day, earning a living should be abused by somebody else for any reason.

He said: In the worst days of a pandemic when we knew far less about it, when we had no protections from vaccines, amongst those groups of people who went to work everyday to make sure the rest of us could go on having food on the table were people in the retail sector.

I very much pay tribute to the work that they have done on our behalf. Abuse is absolutely unacceptable.

When I speak to Udsaw trade union that represents those workers and people whove been on the front line, they always emphasise that it is a small minority of people who behaving that way.

Most people continue to do what is asked for them, to behave respectfully of other people and people who work in those settings

That small minority, you go home at the end of the day and you remember them even when you are not thinking about all those other people whove done the right thing.

The health and safety requirements will remain in law after the 28 March. We are removing the coronavirus specific requirements, but that doesnt mean that obligations on employers to carry out a risk assessment in workplaces and to make sure that risks are properly mitigated, those will remain in the law as they were before coronavirus began.

We will be working with our trade union colleagues and with employers who in Wales, who in my experience, want to do the right thing to make sure that where there are risks that still deal with them.

It is a responsibility of managers of those premises, not the people on the frontline themselves, to take the lead in making sure that where there is entirely unacceptable behaviour that it is dealt with  and that people on the frontline are not expected simply to tolerate it or to absorb it as part of what it means to work in that setting.
"The DPRK National Aerospace Development Administration (NADA) and the Academy of Defence Science conducted another important test on Saturday under the plan of developing a reconnaissance satellite," the KCNA said on Sunday, as quoted by the South Korean Yonhap news agency.

The Saturday test helped check the reconnaissance satellite's data transmission and control systems, KCNA specified.

On Saturday, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said that North Korea test-fired a suspected ballistic missile from around the Sunan area in Pyongyang toward the Sea of Japan. The missile flew about 270 kilometres (168 miles) reaching a maximum altitude of 560 kilometres, according to the South Korean military. It fell outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone.

The Saturday launch was Pyongyang's ninth test since the start of this year.

A similar launch was carried out by Pyongyang last weekend, when a ballistic missile was also test-fired from the Sunan area toward the Sea of Japan, as part of the reconnaissance satellite project, according to KCNA. (ANI/Sputnik)
Kyiv [Ukraine], March 6 (ANI/Sputnik): Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he had talked to SpaceX founder Elon Musk and that Ukraine will get more Starlink systems next week. "Talked to @elonmusk. I'm grateful to him for supporting Ukraine with words and deeds. Next week we will receive another batch of Starlink systems for destroyed cities. Discussed possible space projects. But I'll talk about this after the war," Zelenskyy said on Twitter. On Thursday, Musk said that Starlink, a satellite internet constellation operated by SpaceX, was the only non-Russian communications system still working in some parts of Ukraine. Earlier on Saturday, Musk said that the Starlink satellite internet provider will not block Russian media despite requests from some governments. Last week, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine after the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR) appealed for help in defending themselves against the Kiev forces. Russia said that the aim of its special operation is to demilitarize and "denazify" Ukraine and that only military infrastructure is being targeted. Moscow has repeatedly stressed that it has no plans to occupy Ukraine. According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the goal is to protect the people of Donbas, "who have been subjected to abuse, genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years." In response to Russia's operation, Western countries have rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Moscow, which includes airspace closures and restrictive measures targeting Russian officials, media, and financial institutions. (ANI/Sputnik)
The city of Charleston introduced on March 4 its racial equity story map, an interactive website that relies on GIS mapping and data collection to create visual representations of racial discrimination and disparities.

Officials said they hope the story map project will highlight historical inequity and guide future city policy.

The maps show how populations have shifted and neighborhoods have changed over time, and how people of color have been adversely affected by factors like gentrification and road construction projects.

The site includes a host of information that contextualizes the data, much of which is derived from the census.

The interactive maps allow users to click on census tracts to see details such as population numbers and percentages by race. Other maps include a swipe feature enabling users to visualize suburban growth or the impacts of highways that carve through old neighborhoods.

In a presentation Friday, Casey Conrad, a GIS analyst with the city, described how the maps track changes in population, landscape features, neighborhoods and rent-burdened communities. One view showed large decreases in the Black population on the Charleston peninsula, providing a visualization of data previously reported.

The maps are integrated into a user interface replete with historical narratives, timelines and hyperlinks.

The site does not shy away from the troublesome contributions to racial inequity made by the city. In one example, the story map describes a 1931 Planning and Zoning Commission report that explicitly encouraged displacement of African Americans.

Particular attention is called to the decrease in negro population in Wards 1 to 8 inclusive, the 1931 report states. It seems certain that this tendency will continue in the future and the city should encourage it by providing proper facilities, such as schools, parks and playgrounds in logical locations.

The website also describes racist housing practices and their impacts, as well as the damage to Black communities wrought by urban renewal projects.

Amber Johnson, the citys manager of equity, inclusion and racial conciliation, helped develop the content for the website.

There has been a lot of conversation about racial equity, but not about the data, she said.

The project team relied, in part, on a racial equity story map developed by the city of Asheville, N.C., Johnson said.

Chloe Stuber, a city planner who contributed to the project, said its a work in progress. More data and mapping will be added over time, including information on social vulnerability and climate change impacts. Various documents will be digitized and added so users can see for themselves the racial inequity built into government.

Jim Hemphill, another planner with the city, said the information likely will provoke anger and perhaps despair. The destruction of (Black) neighborhoods is a serious and upsetting topic, he said. But the city plans to pursue two tacks, sharing the information widely and using it to inform policy decisions, Stuber said.

Most government organizations operate in distinct silos, but racial equity issues permeate all of them.

So we will use this tool to share information with other departments about how their work is related to racial inequity, he said.

He hopes that the data can assist nonprofits and grant-making groups to target areas in need, and that it will offer value to researchers at universities.

Charlestons City Plan, which was adopted last year, includes many recommendations on how to address racial disparities, and the mapping information will become essential as the plan is implemented, Stuber said.

It can inform how zoning rules are changed, how and where affordable housing is built, and how mitigation of flooding and sea level rise ought to be prioritized, he said.

The city also has developed an affordable housing dashboard that shows where such residential units are located, where they are lacking, how the needs are shifting, and where they will be required in the future.

That mapping system is similarly constructed using available data, layering and interactive features.
He's a personal trainer with an A-list client list including Rebel Wilson and Rita Ora.

And Jono Castano is reportedly making the big move to Hollywood 'in the middle of this year' after cutting many of his Australian ties, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

After splitting with his wife Amy early last year, the 31-year-old has 'quietly signed with Camille Thioulouse, the founder of digital talent agency The Societe,' the newspaper reported Sunday.

Across the pond: Jono Castano, 31, (pictured) is making the big move to Hollywood 'in the middle of this year' after cutting many of his Australian ties, according to the Sydney Morning Herald

Jono and Camille were reportedly seen celebrating the signing at Mimi's on Friday.

Jono and Amy's split was revealed in January, with a source close to the couple telling Daily Mail Australia they broke up early last year, then kept up appearances for several months.

They were last spotted going for dinner together at Mimi's restaurant in Sydney in November, shortly after their three-year wedding anniversary.

Celebrity magnet: He's a personal trainer with an A-list client list including Rebel Wilson (pictured) and Rita Ora

While they are no longer together, the insider said they remain friends and continue to operate their fitness empire together.

The couple first met on MySpace 13 years ago, before later running into one another at a nightclub and falling in love.

Jono proposed in Maui, Hawaii, on Amy's birthday, and she described the proposal as romantic and luxurious.

Over: Jono and Amy's split was revealed in January, with a source close to the couple telling Daily Mail Australia they broke up early last year, then kept up appearances for several months. Pictured: Jono and Amy in happier times

Pals: Their split was revealed in January, with a source close to the couple telling Daily Mail Australia they broke up early last year, then kept up appearances for several months

She told Husskie magazine: 'The concierge took me to the beach, the sun was setting, and I walked down these stairs and there was Jono surrounded by candles and rose petals everywhere!

'He worked with the chef at Four Seasons Maui and created a menu of all of my favourite foods for the night. It was absolutely magical.

'I was so surprised! Jono and I discuss everything, but he designed my ring and organised all of this without me knowing.'
Tammin Sursok revealed her traumatic Saturday night in a series of Instagram posts.

The actress shared a confronting image of her daughter Lennon, three, laying in bed with blood on the sheets, after the tot hit her head on a side table at their Airbnb.

Tammin, 38, who shares Lennon and daughter Phoenix, eight, with husband Sean McEwen, checked on Lennon 'every two hours for a concussion', and expressed her gratitude for the medical system in Australia with Lennon now 'doing okay'.

'We checked her every two hours for a concussion': Tammin Sursok, 38, revealed her traumatic Saturday night on Instagram after daughter Lennon, three, hit her head on a side table and suffered a bloody gash at their Airbnb. Pictured on Sunday

Alongside the image of Lennon laying in bed with blood on the sheets, Tammin told her followers that she was 'posting to raise awareness about kids falling out of beds'.

'Lennon is okay, but it was a night. My heart was not okay. Will be monitoring her throughout the night,' the Pretty Little Liars star revealed on Saturday.

Tammin followed on Sunday with a video of Lennon eating food and said she's happy to report that her daughter is doing okay.

'My heart was not okay': The actress shared this confronting image of daughter Lennon laying in bed with blood on the sheets, and said she was posting 'to raise awareness about kids falling out of beds'

'We checked her every two hours for a concussion. I'm so grateful for the medical system in Australia. I was able to talk to an emergency nurse at the hospital to go through all the checks,' she said.

After receiving messages of concern and support from fans, Tammin took to her Instagram Stories on Sunday afternoon to explain how the accident occurred.

'We're in an Airbnb, she was on her bed... like a big girl bed and there was a little side table that I had moved all around to the other end of the bed,' she began.

Tammin thought Lennon would in 'no way' manage to get anywhere near that side of the bed, and revealed her worry after hearing a 'massive thump'.

On the mend: The former Home and Away star followed on Sunday with a video of Lennon eating food and said she's happy to report that her daughter is doing okay

Ordeal: Tammin took to her Instagram Stories on Sunday to explain how the accident occurred. She thought Lennon would in 'no way' get anywhere near that side of the bed where she had moved the side table to, and revealed her worry after hearing a 'massive thump'

Husband and wife: Tammin shares Lennon with her film producer husband Sean McEwen (pictured). They tied the knot in 2011

'She had knocked her head on this corner of it (the side table) and she had a little gash in the side of her head and she was bleeding. The blood was actually going down into her mouth,' Tammin revealed.

Understandably, the former Home and Away star said she 'tried not to freak out', but that seeing 'blood in general on your child is quite traumatic'.

Tammin has been busy filming scenes for Neighbours before it officially ends in January, after 37 years on air.

She revealed last month that she would be flying back to Queensland on the weekends to be with her family.
The swagger that Illinois Democrats have displayed since taking full control of Springfield three years ago had already been tamped down by the political realities of confronting crime and COVID when corruption reared up as one more daunting campaign issue heading into this years elections.

The federal charges filed Wednesday against former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, long the states most powerful politician and the man who set agendas for the Democrats and the state for decades, represent a staggering indictment of Springfields political and power culture, even though Madigan was dethroned more than a year ago.

Don Tracy, the state Republican chairman, left little doubt about the role Madigan will play up and down this election years ballot.

The Illinois Republican Party is committed to exposing and defeating every last Democrat still around that accepted Madigans money, voted Madigans way or defended him as the leader of their party. The list of those needing to be held accountable for what happened is long and it starts with Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Tracy said.

The 160-page indictment, alleging Madigan and his allies used his powerful political position to enrich himself, his close confidants and loyal staffers, was even more stunning in scope than the 2008 arrest and indictment of disgraced former Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich  in part because Madigan had always fostered a belief that he was smart enough to know how to stop before lines of illegality were crossed.

Madigan denied any wrongdoing following the federal charges, just as he has since a federal investigation in 2020 resulted in Commonwealth Edison agreeing to pay a $200 million fine for allegedly providing favors to Madigan allies in exchange for favorable consideration of the utilitys desired legislation.

It was the ComEd investigation that led Democrats to oust Madigan from his post as the nations longest-serving House speaker last year as they sought to usher in talk of a new day for party leadership in the statehouse.

Republicans have tried to use Madigan to target Democrats for years with little success. Now, his indictment provides the GOP an opportunity to resurrect the former speaker as the states political boogeyman and the face of Democratic corruption.

Within hours of the 22-count corruption indictment being announced, not only did Republican candidates for governor, other statewide offices and the General Assembly use it as an attack point on Democrats, even GOP contenders seeking federal office, far outside the sphere of Springfield, jumped on the bandwagon, among them U.S. Reps. Rodney Davis of Taylorville and Darin LaHood of Peoria.

Starting with Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Madigans allies in the Illinois Democrat Party will have to answer for why they enabled this corruption for so long that contributed greatly to our states challenges, LaHood said in a statement.

Pat Brady, a former state GOP chair who launched a Fire Madigan program more than a decade ago, said Madigans indictment will create a perception shift among voters.

Politically, you can talk about someone getting indicted. But after it comes down, theres a big difference. This is an exclamation point. Now, its not just something that the Republicans are saying. Now the headlines are, Madigan Inc., Madigan Enterprise. Thats how Springfield ran, said Brady, who is working for Gary Rabine, one of five potential Republican challengers to Pritzker.

After Madigan resigned from the legislature in February of last year, Pritzker issued a statement saying the people of Illinois have much to be grateful for thanks to his dedicated public service and the many sacrifices he and his family made to make a difference in our lives.

But on Wednesday, Pritzker issued a statement calling Madigans alleged conduct deplorable and a stark violation of the publics trust and said Madigan must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.

At the same time, a top Pritzker aide acknowledged that the governor spoke to federal agents about Madigan for an hour, but was only a witness.

The indictment notes Madigan said he would seek a high-paying state board job from Pritzker for former Ald. Danny Solis, now a government informant. U.S. Attorney John Lausch said there is no allegation in this indictment against the governor or his staff or that the job was ever awarded.

Democratic lawmakers quickly sought to tout how they deposed Madigan and replaced him with the states first Black speaker, Emanuel Chris Welch. Nineteen House Democrats who opposed Madigans renomination to lead the chamber put out a statement saying they knew that our chamber, our state, and our party deserved better leadership and the unfolding corruption scandal would only continue to erode public confidence.

The group called the indictment is a watershed moment for our state.

But Madigans indictment follows a slew of recent federal corruption charges against Democratic state lawmakers. Just last month state Sen. Tom Cullerton of Villa Park resigned after entering a plea deal in a federal ghost payroll case.

In addition to state legislators, longtime Ald. Edward Burke faces trial on corruption charges, while last month former Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson, grandson of the late Mayor Richard J. Daley, was convicted on federal tax charges, becoming the 37th alderman to be found guilty of federal crimes since the early 1970s.

Some Democrats, privately and perhaps optimistically, said they believed Madigans legal troubles would have little influence on an electorate that has already made up their minds one way or another after years of Republican efforts to tarnish the former speaker.

It would be my guess the electorate at large doesnt care, emotionally, by the time the election rolls around in November, said one veteran Democratic lawmaker who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak publicly about internal caucus discussions. Hes been demonized so much already, with Republicans saying hes corrupt. Theyve been saying that for years, and I dont think (the indictment) is going to change peoples minds.

Still, the lawmaker acknowledged, Theres no doubt it adds another weight as were treading water. It adds another weight. But I dont think its as big as the crime issue.

Addressing crime has indeed dominated many early GOP campaigns. Republicans have seized upon sweeping criminal justice changes passed by Democrats and approved by Pritzker to blame the party for recent outbreaks of violent crime  even though crime has risen in many places nationally and major elements of the new measure, such as cashless bail, have yet to go into effect.

The other side is using crime as a bludgeon for the next election, said a longtime Democrat who was not authorized to speak for the House majority, and theres a political reality that people want to address crime.

The issue provides inroads to swing suburban districts that had once been reliable Republican territory but have changed demographically and ideologically in favor of Democrats in recent years.

But an internal poll conducted for Senate Democrats indicated that crime falls below taxes and other concerns among suburban voters, according to a senator who was not authorized to speak about internal caucus discussions. Only in Chicago was crime a top issue, the legislator said, in part because random gun violence being seen in parts of the city that have long been relatively unscathed by violence.

To counter Republican attacks, Democratic legislators are looking to take up issues in Springfield this spring that include carjacking, smash-and-grab retail theft and ghost guns, which can be manufactured from home kits without serial numbers or other ways to trace them.

Theres also an effort to provide increased funding for state and local police to both attract and retain officers after retirements of police hired with an influx of federal dollars in the mid-1990s.

As for the response to COVID, the other main line of Republican attack, Pritzker got an assist when the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions guidance belatedly backed his decision to drop the statewide mask mandate at the end of February.

Watch now: U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly reflects on first year as state Democratic party chair One year ago, U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Matteson, was elected chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois with no votes to spare. In the year since, the state party does not much resemble the party of old. And that, for better or worse, is by design.

Republicans had sought to use court rulings over the school mask mandate to bolster their attacks on Pritzkers power during the pandemic, while Democratic legislators had been content to let Pritzker use his authority for pandemic mitigation efforts, allowing them to escape any public criticism.

But with heated debates over school masking policies pushed by Republicans and their allies elevating the political stakes, particularly in the suburbs, Democrats have also grown weary of the mitigation policies. Even an effort to remove some protesting anti-mask Republicans from the House floor for violating its mask rules found some Democrats defecting.

If a new and dangerous variant emerges and theres another coronavirus surge, Pritzker could turn to the legislature for new mandates to forestall any future court challenges But Democrats would be eager to avoid doing anything to reimpose any of the mandates Pritzker ordered during the first two years of the pandemic.

Any further action we take on COVID at this point will be in conjunction to if theres another surge running that will be significant like omicron or delta, the lawmaker said. But I think right now, the will of the General Assembly is like, this things going away, let it go away.
Australian actor Jai Courtney made a rare appearance as he attended a UFC fight on Saturday.

The 35-year-old dressed casually in a black T-shirt as he watched the match in Las Vegas.

The Jolt star completed his look with a brown jacket and gold necklace.

Making an appearance: Australian actor Jai Courtney (pictured) made a rare appearance as he attended a UFC fight in Las Vegas on Saturday

Jai's appearance comes after he revealed his version of Captain Boomerang in Suicide Squad was very different to the character's comic book counterpart.

In August, he told The Kyle and Jackie O Show that his character's overt racism had to be 'toned down' for the movies to avoid offending modern audiences.

'When I first heard about [the character] I thought it sounded pretty silly,' the actor said of his initial reaction to the role.

'In the original comics, he's kind of controversial,' he added. 'There's some pretty gnarly racist stuff. It's very dated, very early '60s.

Character: Jai's appearance comes after he revealed his version of Captain Boomerang was very different to the character's comic book counterpart

'It's not something you can put on screen now and necessarily be proud of.'

He explained the Suicide Squad screenwriters had to 'pull some of the elements' of the character forward and 'modernise it'.

In the original DC Comics, Captain Boomerang was a racist white Australian who used the offensive slur 'abo' - short for Aboriginal - to refer to black people.

Removed: In the original DC Comics, Captain Boomerang was a racist white Australian who used the offensive slur 'abo' - short for Aboriginal - to refer to black people. However, these unsavoury aspects of his character were eliminated for the Suicide Squad movies

But these unsavoury aspects of his character were eliminated for the Suicide Squad movies.

Jai was joined in the movie, titled The Suicide Squad, by fellow Aussie Margot Robbie, who is reprising her role as Harley Quinn.

The movie also stars Idris Elba, John Cena, Pete Davidson and Sylvester Stallone.
MP of Ukraine Inna Sovsun speaks from the rostrum during the sitting of the Verkhovna Rada in Kyiv on Feb. 16 Credit - Volodymyr TarasovUkrinform/Future Publishing/Getty Images

Inna Sovsun is an opposition member of the Ukrainian Parliament, in the liberal, pro-European Holos party. Faced with an existential threat, Ukraines government and its people are working together to repel the Russian invasion. They still need more help. She spoke to TIMEs Aryn Baker by video phone from a friends house in Kyiv. Her own home, on the top floor of an apartment block, no longer feels safe.

It has been relatively quiet here in Kyiv. But in other cities, its just terrible. Im looking at those pictures from Kharkhiv which has been turned into Aleppo. It was my native city. I went to school there. In Kyiv, we are hearing the air raid alerts now and then. Its scary. The idea that the Russians might enter on tanks at any time is hard to accept. This feeling of not being safe is exhausting.

As a member of parliament, leaving would be the wrong signal, a recognition of defeat. But my son is 500 kilometers away, in western Ukraine with his dad, my ex-husband. My dad is somewhere in Kyiv in territorial defense, and we only have contact with him once in a few daysmy mom is going crazy because of that. And my boyfriend is with the army, I dont even know which region. There is no good reason for me being so far away from my loved ones right now, but thats what it is.

There are roads leading [in and out of] Kyiv which are free of the Russian bastards. If they dont encircle the city, then were fine. Kyiv will stand strong. If they do it will be much more complicated. Millions of people are still here. They are trying to defend the city and they will not leave. They are determined. Its not like Im fighting on the streets. Not yet. I hope it will not come to that. But it really depends on so many factors. If [the Russians] continue bombing our cities from the air, there is not really much we can do. We have seen what [the Russians] have done to towns around Kyiv. Irpin has been just bombarded. It doesnt exist anymore. That is why we need a no-fly zone. That is a matter of survival for us.

Story continues

Read More: How Volodymyr Zelensky Defended Ukraine and United the World

We asked NATO to establish a no-fly zone, but NATO says it will cause a wider conflict. Well, its already happening. What the West needs to grasp is that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin has gone completely crazy. He is nuts and he needs to be murdered. Someone should really be working on that.

As long as he stays president [of Russia], he is not just a danger to Ukraine. He already said that he doesnt like that Poland is in NATO. So lets imagine he takes Kyiv, he takes Ukraine, and his army is on the Polish border. What will NATO do then? You will still have to get involved. It will be a Third World War, so why not start it now when millions of lives can be saved?

NATO pretends that this is just a local conflict that is not going to spreadthat just letting a dictator take over an eastern European state will be enough. I think we learned that lesson in the Second World War. Everybody was saying, Well, Czechoslovakia, who cares about that? Lets let Putin, sorry Hitler, take it and everything will be fine. It wont because Putin is the Hitler of our times. He is completely mad. Hes completely delusional. He is completely out of control. And that is why NATO being in denial is actually very scary. Because that means that the strongest military bloc in the world denies the existing reality.

NATO will have to intervene in one way or another. And the best way to do that now is to help Ukraine. And if NATO doesnt want to get into a fight directlylets imagine there is value to that argumentwell then just give us the fighter jets. We have the pilots. Thats all, thats all were asking for. Give us the fighter jets, continue to supply us with weapons and we shall fight this battle for the whole world on our own, if thats the price we have to pay.

The parliament as a legislative body is not really working right now. I mean, what can we do? But the government continues to function. It doesnt matter anymore which party we belong to; we are working together to the best of our abilities. Some MPs are working with humanitarian aid, coordinating food supplies. Some joined the army. A lot of the MPs joined the territorial defense units. Many are with their constituencies. I do not represent a constituency, so like the other MPs who speak good English and who are able to communicate, Im talking to the world, all international media that are willing to listen to us. And that is crucially important because Im absolutely sure that without support from the West we wouldnt be able to survive. The only party that is not involved is the pro-Russian group. Ironically enough, the majority of the MPs from the pro-Russian group left Ukraine for the West, not for Mother Russia, which they claim to love so much. But the others are united. So, the government is working. The government is not leaving. We are not being evacuated.

Read More: Meet the Lithuanian Elves Fighting Russian Disinformation

What happens next depends on the level of support we get. I dont see the Ukrainian people or the Ukrainian government surrendering. This is not an option. I see those guys fighting. I see the resistance and the resilience. So, the question is just how long this war will last. And that really depends on the support we shall be getting from the West. If we get at least the fighter jets, then we can fight back and kick them out of our country. If we dont then we shall just see this enormous devastation of the country and lives will be destroyed.

[This morning], the Russians opened a humanitarian corridor from Mariupol, a large port city in Southeast Ukraine that has been under siege for a week [the shelling started up again just after Sovsun spoke with TIME]. People were sitting in basements, in shelters, in bomb bunkers with their children without any electricity. It was around zero degrees. So, the Russians allowed for a humanitarian corridor for women and children to leave. And those women, they probably realize theyre not coming back. They dont have a home anymore. And now Im thinking, I was building my life in Kyiv. I was saving to buy my apartment. If I have to leave, if my home is destroyed, it means Im 37 and I have to start everything again from scratch. I dont know where, and the worst of it, I dont know why. So, Im thinking about those women and children leaving Mariupol right now. Of course, theyre happy to be leaving for somewhere safe where bombs are not falling on their heads every day. But its painful to realize that this is what theyre going through.

The future I want for Ukraine? First of all, I want Ukraine to exist. I want all of us to be alive. I want all of us to be able to choose where we want to live. I want all of us to rebuild Ukraine. I want to rebuild Ukraine as a democratic liberal state where everyones rights are respected, where everyone can fulfill their dreams. That was my dream before, thats why I came to the parliament. And it is the same dream right now. When we win, and that can take years or that can take months, thats really up for the West to decide right nowI really just want my son to be able to stay here. I miss him so much.
Dalondo Moultrie is the assistant managing editor of the Seguin Gazette. You can e-mail him at dalondo.moultrie@seguingazette.com .
A video recently went viral where an Israeli airport worker was spotted waving the Ukrainian flag towards a Russian plane as a mark of protest against the Russian-Ukraine invasion at the Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv. The unidentified man can be seen standing at a terminal, waving the blue and yellow bicolour flag. As per officials, he is now suspended.

One of the persons with his back to the aircraft is filming the passive-aggressive gesture of the man who has now been suspended for trolling the Russian pilots, as per sources. At the Tel Aviv airport, Russian aircraft are signaled with the flag of Ukraine. reads the caption of the post that has now been upvoted over 33,800 times on Reddit.

The video got Redditors wondering why Russian planes are still operating in Israel. A user asked, Why are Russian planes still allowed to land there? However, due to Israel's ongoing conflict with Palestine led to a user asking, Would be funnier if the Russian was waving a small Palestinian flag."

Read also: Arunachal's Hollongi airport to be operational from August 15: Airport Authority of India

Meanwhile, Russia has closed its airspace to 36 countries in retaliation for the sanctions imposed on it since first declaring war against Ukraine. 27 of these are reportedly European nations, as per an announcement by the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency Rosaviatsia.

Click here to watch the full video

Live TV
Russia-backed officials in four partially-occupied Ukrainian regions have launched so-called referendums on joining the Russian Federation -- which some have called sham votes because they are illegal under international law -- amid claims by some local officials that voters were being threatened and intimidated.

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, Russian protests, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

Moscow-controlled administrations in the Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhya regions are holding the snap votes starting September 23 that run counter to the UN charter in the midst of the largest conflict in Europe since the end of World War II.

Ukrainian officials said people were banned from leaving some occupied areas until the four-day vote was complete, armed groups were going to homes to force people to cast ballots, and employees were threatened if they did not participate in balloting that the Kremlin is expected to use to annex the territories and escalate the war amid increasing signs that its invasion of Ukraine is faltering.



Serhiy Hayday, Ukraine's regional governor in Luhansk, said in a post on Telegram that Russian authorities banned people from leaving for several days to ensure votes, while armed groups had been sent to search homes and coerce people to get out and take part in the referendum.



"We have reports from people that the so-called 'voting commissions' coming to residences to record votes are accompanied by people with weapons.... If the doors to the apartments are not opened, they threaten to break them down," he said, adding that anyone voting "no" was written down in a ledger by the commissioners.



The referendums have been condemned by Kyiv, Western leaders, and the United Nations as an illegitimate, choreographed precursor to illegal annexation. There are no independent observers, and much of the prewar population has fled.



In his nightly address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called the vote a "sham" and undemocratic.



The move comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a partial military mobilization on September 21 amid apparent heavy personnel losses in the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine that Moscow started in February.



The announcement triggered an exodus of able-bodied Russian men scrambling to leave the country to avoid being drafted, with traffic at frontier crossings with Finland and Georgia surging and prices for air tickets from Moscow skyrocketing.



Zelenskiy, switching from speaking in Ukrainian to Russian, spoke directly to Russian citizens in his address, telling them they are being thrown to their deaths.



You are already accomplices in all these crimes, murders, and torture of Ukrainians, Zelenskiy said, adding, because you were silent; because you are silent."



He told Russians, that "now its time for you to choose."



"For men in Russia, this is a choice to die or live, to become a cripple or to preserve health. For women in Russia, the choice is to lose their husbands, sons, grandchildren forever, or still try to protect them from death, from war, from one person, Zelenskiy said.



The hastily announced referendums were set up by the Kremlin-installed leaders of the four regions. They gave no prior warning that they planned to hold the vote on annexation between September 23- 27.

In Kherson, Serhiy Khlan, a Ukrainian deputy in the region's council, told RFE/RL on September 23 that the polling stations opened by Russian-controlled officials in the region have remained mostly empty, prompting them to start going house-to-house to collect votes "at gunpoint."



"The occupiers have opened the polling stations. But there is no one at the polling stations, as people from the Kherson region point out. They are empty. The occupiers understand that they are empty, but they envisage door-to-door canvassing in their fake referendum. That is, it is no longer a secret vote. It is a forced collection of the answer 'yes' at gunpoint," Khlan said.



The rushed decision to hold the vote comes as Ukraines military is on the offensive in those regions, liberating large swaths of territory and raising the specter of a potential Russian defeat.



Western officials and experts say Putin plans to use the sham referendums to claim Ukraine is invading territory that is part of Russia. This week, he threatened the use of all of Russia's might -- a thinly veiled reference to his nuclear weapons -- in an attempt to frighten Kyiv and its Western backers from further military action.

The Kremlin showed little desire to mask its true goal over the balloting, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov telling reporters in Moscow on September 23 that he is "convinced" Russia will proceed "quite quickly" with taking over the regions if the vote is successful.



Ukraine says it will never accept Russian territorial takeovers.



The incorporation of the four areas would then allow Moscow to portray and moves to retake them as an attack on Russia itself -- potentially using that to justify even a nuclear response.



Russia's moves have come during the UN General Assembly, where U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on September 22 called on members of the body's Security Council to send a clear message that these reckless nuclear threats must stop immediately.



He called Russia's effort to annex more Ukrainian territory another dangerous escalation, as well as a repudiation of diplomacy.



The Kremlin has carried out a series of acts in the Ukrainian territories under its control that further highlight the lack of any legitimacy the votes could have.



Moscow has deported about 1.6 million Ukrainians from those regions to Russia, according to Western estimates, while also busing Russian citizens into Ukrainian territory.

WATCH: Long lines of vehicles have formed at a border crossing between Russia's North Ossetia region and Georgia after Moscow announced a partial military mobilization.



It has also captured personal and biometric data of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian citizens at so-called "filtration camps," opening the door, experts say, to ballot manipulation.



Nikolai Bulaev, the deputy chairman of Russias Central Election Commission, said he expects hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians currently in Russia to take part in the referendum.



Russia has little history of holding free and fair elections, with ballot-stuffing, voter intimidation, outright fraud, and media manipulation common practices. It held a similar illegal vote in 2014 after annexing Ukraine's Crimea. Very few countries have accepted the results of the vote.



There is no single database containing information about the number of polling stations that will open in Russia for Ukrainian citizens, nor uniform rules for how the voting will be conducted in the country, the daily Kommersant reported.



Blinken called on every member of the United Nations to reject the sham referenda and unequivocally declare that all Ukrainian territory is and will remain part of Ukraine.



He said the United States will continue to support Ukraine regardless of the vote.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP
Leo Simion points to the room where his nephew was found stabbed early Saturday morning in Maite, Guam.
A shipment of three million COVID-19 vaccine doses for children aged five to below 12 is expected to arrive in Vietnam by the end of this month.

Authorities in the country are conducting necessary procedures to procure 21.9 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine for children five to under 12 years old, according to a source close to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

The first batch of three million jabs is expected to be delivered in late March, while the next shipment will arrive in April, the source added.

The vaccination campaign for children in this age range will begin next month.

Sixth graders will be the first to receive the vaccine shots, followed by those in lower grades.

The inoculation drive will use Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, with each dose containing 10mcg of antigens, which is one-third of the dose for children aged 12 and older.

Vietnamese health experts quoted U.S. statistics as showing that the vaccine has helped lower the probability of severe illness in children aged five to below 12 by 70 to 90 percent.

No case of serious side effects such as myocarditis and pericarditis has been recorded.

According to the Ministry of Health, the number of COVID-19 infections in the country has soared over the past month, especially among unvaccinated children.

As of Saturday, health workers in Vietnam had administered over 197.2 million vaccine doses.

Above 180.2 million doses have been given to the adult demographic of the countrys 98 million people.

About 17 million shots have been injected into children aged 12-17, including 8.7 million first doses and 8.2 second jabs.

Vietnam has documented 4,232,520 patients and 40,726 pathogen-related deaths since the COVID-19 pandemic first hit the country in early 2020.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
PEACHTREE CORNERS, Ga., March 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Custard Companies is pleased to announce the launch of their new dedicated full-service Special Investigation Unit (SIU). Established through their recent acquisition of Specialty Group Inc. (SGI) out of Winter Haven, FL, the investigation unit will operate under the leadership of George Perez, Director, SIU Division.

Perez joined Specialty Group Inc. after retiring from a successful long-term career with the Walgreens Company as Corporate Manager for Special Investigations, and prior to that retiring as Master Sergeant with the US Air Force. Both positions provided Perez with a wealth of experience within the surveillance range of services.

During his employment with SGI, Perez's experience and expertise in protective service operations, fraud, loss prevention, risk management, surveillance and investigations provided for successful growth of SGI's Surveillance Unit.

When interviewed, Perez stated "The SIU Division gives CIA the ability to completely manage a claim file "in house". We have the resources to investigate any "red flags" without moving the file outside of CIA. This "one stop shop" approach will support our Customers without requiring them to go outside of CIA to hire a Private Investigations Company to conduct SIU related activity. We are a full-service Special Investigation Unit with national investigation and surveillance capabilities."

The SIU provides nationwide coverage to perform a variety of standalone services related to any investigation, including:

Fraud Investigation

Surveillance

Data Investigation Services (Social Media, etc.)

Hospital and Medical Canvass

Vehicle/Tag/Registration Searches

Background Checks (three levels)

Field Adjuster Support.

Senior Vice President of Operations, R W Custard states, "A dedicated SIU division will allow us to further meet our clients' needs through detailed investigative activity and full surveillance capabilities. Not only that, but it will also act as a resource for our field adjusters. This will ensure our clients quickly have access to the most detailed claim information and any red flags encountered during the claims handling process are vetted. We're extremely excited to have the SIU Team on board."

SIU Contact:

George Perez

Director, SIU Division

O: 888-888-9989

[email protected]

SOURCE Custard Insurance Adjusters, Inc.
Washington, 5 March 2022 (SPS) - Members of the US Congress have called on President Joe Biden not to conclude any arms agreement with Morocco amid fears about the use of these weapons against the Saharawi people.



In a recent letter to President Biden, eleven members of the U.S. Congress expressed "concern" about U.S. policy in Western Sahara, and about the agreements on arms sales to the Kingdom of Morocco, concluded between Washington and Rabat.



The signatories recalled, in their letter, that the former U.S. administration had already informed the U.S. Congress in December 2020 of the sale of U.S. weapons for an amount of one billion dollars to Morocco including four MQ-9B Skyguardian drones and JDAM ammunition. The signing of this agreement is expected under the current administration.



To this end, they called on the Biden administration "not to conclude any agreement with Morocco on heavy or offensive weapons" and state that "these sales are inappropriate because of the lack of Moroccan guarantees that these weapons will not be used against the Sahrawi people and because of the lack of progress on the organization of a political referendum and the conclusion of a final peace agreement in Western Sahara.



In addition, members of the U.S. Congress "expressed their concern about the use of these weapons" which, they say, could "consolidate the illegal occupation of Sahrawi territory by the Kingdom of Morocco.



In addition, they also said they are "concerned" about the policy of the United States in Western Sahara and the decision of the former administration (of Donald Trump) to recognize, in December 2020, the alleged sovereignty of Morocco over Western Sahara, "while for decades, previous U.S. administrations, Republicans and Democrats, have refused to recognize the alleged sovereignty of Morocco on the occupied territory," they further recalled in their letter.



"Because of this change in policy, the United States is now the only country in the world to officially recognize Morocco's claims that are contrary to international law and the right to self-determination," they added.



The signatories expressed, moreover, their wish that the "crucial role" played by the United States in the Sahrawi conflict, 47 years old, "can allow the Sahrawi people to exercise its legitimate and inalienable right to self-determination.



062/T
Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Mohammad Eslami and International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi shake hands after a news conference, in Tehran, Iran, on March 5, 2022. (West Asia News Agency via Reuters)

Iran, IAEA Agree on Probe Deadline for Uranium Particles Found at Undeclared Nuclear Sites

Meanwhile, Iran demands probe be dropped in parallel JCPOA negotiations

Iran and the U.N. nuclear watchdog on Saturday agreed to a three-month process that the watchdog hopes will resolve the long-stalled issue of Iran obfuscating its independent safeguard probes, after uranium particles were found several years ago at apparently old but undeclared sites in the country.

The issue is seen as one of the obstacles to any potential revival of the Iran nuclear deal, which limits Irans uranium enrichment because the byproducts can be used to make the core of a nuclear bomb.

The prospect of securing a deal is currently in question as any agreement will soon be redundant. Observers estimate that based on Irans known nuclear activities, the country will soon have enough material to fuel a nuclear bomb if the ruling regime decides it wants one.

Meanwhile in parallel to the International Atomic Energy Agencys (IAEAs) investigations, 11 months after indirect talks between Iran and the United States on salvaging the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) deal began in Vienna, negotiators are trying to settle the remaining thorny issues within days as the time marking the death of the deal approaches.

One remaining issue, diplomats say, has been Irans red line demand to drop the IAEAs investigation into the uranium particles found at three undeclared sites, which suggest that Iran had nuclear material there that it did not declare to the agency.

The agency has long said Iran has not given satisfactory answers on those issues. On Saturday, it announced a plan for a series of exchanges, after which IAEA chief Rafael Grossi will aim to report his conclusion by the June 2022 [IAEA] Board of Governors meeting, which begins on June 6.

The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran will need to provide to the IAEA written explanations including related supporting documents to the questions raised by the IAEA which have not been addressed by Iran on the issues related to three locations by March 20, a joint statement said.

The plan could see an agreement to revive the 2015 deal, though Grossi emphasized that his conclusion would not necessarily be positive.

It would be difficult to imagine you can have a cooperative relationship [like JCPOA] as if nothing had happened if the clarification of very important safeguards issues were to fail, Grossi said in a news conference when asked what the effect on reviving the deal would be if the issues were not closed.

No Longer Outstanding

Meanwhile, Irans JCPOA negotiations are also demanding the lifting of a foreign terrorist organization designation for its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as well as guarantees that the United States cannot renege on the deal again in the future.

Grossi has suggested that the presentation of his conclusion happen before JCPOAs potential Re-implementation Day.

Grossi was speaking after a trip to Tehran in which he met Irans nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.

While the plan provides a roadmap for resolving the agencys open questions about the three sites, the agency removed a fourth open issue from its list: the possible presence in the past of a uranium metal disc at another undeclared location.

Reuters contributed to this report.
The United States has repeatedly stated that in order to avoid World War III, they are refusing to place a No-Fly zone in Ukraine. Russia continues to see any type of sanction or lethal aid from NATO countries as a direct aggression to the country. President Vladimir Putin has started to feel volatile in his decision-making and any step in the wrong direction could be catastrophic for the entire world. But the United States remains looking for different ways to help Ukraine and not look like their are directly interfering with the conflict between Russia and their allies. It's a very delicate situation where the United States might've just found the ideal loophole to provide President Zelensky with the aircraft he demanded in a recent zoom call with law makers from the U.S.

The Wall Street Journal details a plan the United States is putting together with Poland in order to help Ukraine with these aircraft. Given they can't directly provide Ukraine with United States craft, they are trying to find a way to do so indirectly. According the the report, Polish forces are still keeping fighter jets from the Soviet era they can provide Ukraine with. The number of planes at their disposal is currently unknown. However, the United States is willing to provide Poland with dozens of their own F-16 jet fighters in exchage for those Soviet era MiG-29 aircraft. These are the same planes that the legendary 'Ghost of Kyiv' flies. This way, Russia will only see these weapons as property of Ukraine given they have the same equipment from that era.

How can the U.S. send their planes to Poland?

From a ligistic standpoint, sending these F-16 fighter jets can definitely become a logistical nightmare. Even more so if Russia for some reason thinks they are being attacked with these shipments of craft. The Biden Administration needs to be extra careful in the way they go about completing this mission. If something goes wrong, we might even escalate this conflict to a global scale level. As of right now, the fighting remains local between Russia and Ukraine with many Western allies only providing Ukraine with material aid. But Vladimir Putin only needs a small sign in order to go crazy with his threats. Can this plan work?
Mohamed Ali al-Houthi, head of the Houthi supreme revolutionary committee, talks during an interview with Reuters in Sanaa

ADEN (Reuters) - Yemen's Houthi movement has signed an agreement with the United Nations to deal with a decaying oil tanker threatening to spill 1.1 million barrels of crude oil off the war-torn country's coast, a Houthi official said.

U.N. aid chief Martin Griffiths said last month that there was an agreement in principle to shift the oil from the tanker Safer to another ship. He gave no timeline.

The Safer has been stranded off Yemen's Red Sea oil terminal of Ras Issa for more than six years, and U.N. officials have warned it could spill four times as much oil as the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster off Alaska.

"A memorandum of understanding has been signed with the United Nations for the Safer tanker," Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, head of the Houthi supreme revolutionary committee, said in a Twitter post late on Saturday.

The Houthis, who are battling Yemen's internationally recognised government, control the area where the tanker is moored and the national oil firm that owns it.

A deal had previously been reached for a technical U.N. team to inspect the deteriorating vessel, built in 1976, and conduct whatever repairs may be feasible, but final agreement on logistical arrangements did not materialise.

No maintenance operations have been carried out on the Safer since 2015, when a Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen against the Iran-aligned Houthis after they ousted the internationally recognised government from the capital, Sanaa.

The coalition controls the high seas off Yemen.

(Reporting by Mohammed Ghobari; Writing by Ghaida Ghantous; Editing by William Mallard)
ADEN (Reuters) - Yemen's Houthi movement has signed an agreement with the United Nations to deal with a decaying oil tanker threatening to spill 1.1 million barrels of crude oil off the war-torn country's coast, a Houthi official said.

U.N. aid chief Martin Griffiths said last month that there was an agreement in principle to shift the oil from the tanker Safer to another ship. He gave no timeline.

The Safer has been stranded off Yemen's Red Sea oil terminal of Ras Issa for more than six years, and U.N. officials have warned it could spill four times as much oil as the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster off Alaska.

"A memorandum of understanding has been signed with the United Nations for the Safer tanker," Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, head of the Houthi supreme revolutionary committee, said in a Twitter post late on Saturday.

The Houthis, who are battling Yemen's internationally recognised government, control the area where the tanker is moored and the national oil firm that owns it.

A deal had previously been reached for a technical U.N. team to inspect the deteriorating vessel, built in 1976, and conduct whatever repairs may be feasible, but final agreement on logistical arrangements did not materialise.

No maintenance operations have been carried out on the Safer since 2015, when a Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen against the Iran-aligned Houthis after they ousted the internationally recognised government from the capital, Sanaa.

The coalition controls the high seas off Yemen.

(Reporting by Mohammed Ghobari; Writing by Ghaida Ghantous; Editing by William Mallard)
New Delhi, Mar 6 (PTI) The GST Council in its next meeting may look at raising the lowest tax slab to 8 per cent, from 5 per cent, and prune the exemption list in the Goods and Services Tax regime as it looks to increase revenues and do away with states' dependence on Centre for compensation, sources said on Sunday.

A panel of state finance ministers is likely to submit its report by this month end to the Council suggesting various steps to raise revenue, including hiking the lowest slab and rationalising the slab.

Also Read | Weather Forecast: Strong Surface Winds To Prevail Delhi, Adjoining Regions; Light Rainfall Over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal.

Currently, GST is a four-tier structure attracting a tax rate of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent.

Essential items are either exempted or taxed at the lowest slab, while luxury and demerit items attract the highest slab. Luxury and sin goods attract cess on top of the highest 28 per cent slab. This cess collection is used to compensate states for the revenue loss due to GST rollout.

Also Read | PM Narendra Modi to Inaugurate Metro Rail Project in Pune on March 6.

According to sources, the GoM is likely to propose raising the 5 per cent slab to 8 per cent, which may yield an additional Rs 1.50 lakh crore annual revenues. As per calculations, 1 per cent increase in the lowest slab, which mainly include packaged food items, results in a revenue gain of Rs 50,000 crore annually.

As part of rationalisation, the GoM is also looking at a 3-tier GST structure, with rates at 8, 18 and 28 per cent.

If the proposal comes through, all the goods and services which are currently taxed at 12 per cent, will move to 18 per cent slab.

Besides, the GoM would also propose reducing the number of items which are exempted from GST. Currently, unpackaged and unbranded food and dairy items are exempted from GST.

Sources said the GST Council is expected to meet later this month or early next month and discuss the report of the GoM and take a view on the revenue position of the states.

With the GST compensation regime coming to an end in June, it is imperative that states become self-sufficient and not depend on the Centre for bridging the revenue gap in GST collection.

At the time of GST implementation on July 1, 2017, the Centre had agreed to compensate states for 5 years till June 2022, and protect their revenue at 14 per cent per annum over the base year revenue of 2015-16.

However, over this 5-year period due to reduction in GST on several items, the revenue neutral rate has come down from 15.3 per cent to 11.6 per cent.

"As the revenue neutral rate has come down and the states stare at a shortfall of about Rs 1 lakh crore, efforts have to be made to make GST revenue neutral and the only way to do it, is rationalise the tax slab and check evasion," a source said.

The GST Council over the years has often succumbed to the demands of the trade and industry and lowered tax rates. For example, the number of goods attracting the highest 28 per cent tax came down from 228 to less than 35.

The Council, chaired by the Union Finance Minister and comprising state counterparts, had last year set up a panel of state ministers, headed by Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, to suggest ways to augment revenue by rationalising tax rates and correcting anomalies in tax rates.

(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: Five Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were killed in the Khasa BSF area in Punjabs Amritsar in a fratricidal incident on Sunday (March 6).

A BSF jawan, Ct Satteppa S K, opened fire at his colleagues, injuring five. Out of the five injured, four lost their lives while one jawan is critical, BSF said. The injured is currently admitted to a local hospital.

The BSF informed that Ct Satteppa S K also lost his life during the incident.

In a statement, BSF said, In an unfortunate incident, 05 BSF troops were injured on 06.03.2022 due to fratricide committed by Ct Satteppa S K at HQ 144 Bn Khasa, Amritsar. Ct Satteppa S K was also injured in the incident. Out of the 06 injured 5 troops including Ct Satteppa, have lost their lives. One of the injured is critical.

A court of inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the facts and more details will follow, BSF said.

(Inputs from Ravinder Singh Robin)

Live TV
New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday (March 6) attended the 53rd Raising Day ceremony of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at Indirapuram in Ghaziabad, where he also inspected the 53rd Raising Day parade.

Addressing the ceremony, Shah said CISF personnel risked their lives during Covid-19 and are now looking after the evacuated Indian citizens from Ukraine.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah inspects 53rd Raising Day parade of Central Industrial Security Force at Indirapuram, Ghaziabad pic.twitter.com/wXQm9IdsGv  ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2022

During the coronavirus pandemic when Indians were coming back from abroad, CISF personnel took risks in taking care of fellow Indians and even lost their lives. They've been taking care of returning citizens from Ukraine under Operation Ganga too, ANI quoted the Union Home minister as saying.

Speaking at the 53rd Raising Day ceremony, CISF DG Sheel Vardhan Singh said, Today we are playing an important role in the development of the country, by being at the forefront of security at the space and atomic energy centres, ports, airports and metro rails.

Over 30 lakh passengers in Delhi Metro and 10 lakh passengers in airports across the country pass through the security of CISF, we've returned belongings worth Rs 12 crores to air travellers while our personnel have helped people during emergencies, he added.

The CISF, which functions under the Union Home Ministry, is a central armed police force and among one of the six paramilitary forces of India. CISF Raising Day is being celebrated on March 10 each year since it was set up under the act of the Parliament of India on March 10, 1969.

(With ANI inputs)

Live TV
New Delhi [India], March 6 (ANI): Indian Air Force flight carrying 210 Indians evacuated from war-hit Ukraine arrived at Hindan airbase near Delhi from Bucharest, Romania on Sunday.

IAF, in a tweet, informed that as of March 6 at 7:30 am, the Air Force has sent 11 sorties, evacuating 2,266 Indians and providing 26.25 tons of relief material using airfields of Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Conflict: No Indian Left in War Torn Kharkiv, Says MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.

The Air Force was pitched in the rescue operations to augment the level of Operation Ganga.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting on the Ukraine crisis. The meeting was attended by Union Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary of India Harsh Vardhan Shringla and other top officials.

Also Read | Gujarat Shocker: 30-Year-Old Man Arrested for Raping 10-Year-Old Daughter in Surat.

The Prime Minister has been regularly chairing high-level meetings over the Ukraine crisis.

Earlier on Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs said that over 13,300 people have returned to India so far under Operation Ganga from crisis-ridden Ukraine.

The Ministry also informed that almost all Indians have left Kharkiv city in Ukraine and the main focus of the government is to evacuate citizens from the Sumy area as it is challenging amid ongoing violence and lack of transportation.

The government has also deployed 'special envoys' to five neighbouring countries bordering Ukraine to coordinate and oversee the evacuation process of Indian nationals.

Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Canada, the US and the UK want Aleksei Mozhin, Russias representative at the IMF, to relinquish or be stripped of his title as honorary head of the executive board of the multilateral lender, due to the invasion of Ukraine.

According to people familiar with the matter, Canada first proposed that Mozhin give up the title of dean of the IMF board during a meeting on February 25, a day after Russia unleashed its attack. The US backed the effort during the same meeting and the UK is also supportive of his removal from the position, the sources said.

The role of dean of the executive board  which Mozhin has held since 2015  is a largely honorary title conferred to the longest serving member, which carries no official responsibilities or authority. The managing director of the IMF  currently Kristalina Georgieva  chairs the board and is responsible for calling meetings, setting the agenda and facilitating the discussion.

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However, when the board is searching for a new managing director, or questions arise about a sitting one, as was the case last year when Georgieva was accused of manipulating data on behalf of China during her time at the World Bank  the dean steps in occasionally to speak for the board. For some IMF members, having Mozhin perform even those limited ceremonial tasks on behalf of the board in the wake of Russias assault on Ukraine has become unacceptable.

On an operational basis [the role] is kind of irrelevant, said a former senior IMF official. But these are unusual times and certainly the signalling aspect of not having a Russian be in that slot would be meaningful.

Mozhin did not respond to a request for comment on his intentions. He has shown no willingness to give up the title, people familiar with the matter said, and it is unclear whether there is a mechanism to remove him from the role or if there is enough support for that. The IMF declined to comment.

The bid to strip Mozhin of his title is part of a broader effort by western nations and many others in the international community to isolate and punish Russia for the attack on Ukraine  from economic sanctions to condemnation within multilateral institutions.

Within the IMF, a much more significant step would be to try to deny Russia its voting rights on the board, but this would require overwhelming support within the board as well as an assessment that Moscow had failed to meet its obligations to the Fund based on economic and financial criteria, which could be hard to prove.

Russias share of voting power at the IMF is 2.59 per cent, compared with 16.5 per cent for the US. Meanwhile, some western IMF members have been weighing how to deny Russia the ability to convert $17bn in special drawing rights, a form of reserve asset issued by the IMF, into hard currencies like dollars, euros or yen, to circumvent the sanctions placed on its central bank.

The US is committed to taking all measures to prevent Russia from benefiting from its holdings of IMF SDRs, a US Treasury official told the Financial Times, adding that Moscow would face significant, even insurmountable, hurdles to use its SDRs.

The United States and our partners, comprising the large majority of available counterparts in the IMFs SDR transactions system, will not undertake SDR exchanges with Russia.

While handling Russias presence as an important IMF shareholder has been tricky for the Fund in light of the war, it has not been shy about expressing support for Ukraine. Georgieva this week joined David Malpass, president of the World Bank, in saying their institutions  stand with the Ukrainian people through these horrifying developments, are working together to support Ukraine on the financing and policy fronts and are urgently increasing that support.

Ukraine agreed to a $2.8bn IMF programme last November, after a testy time with the IMF pushing the Kyiv government to enhance the independence of its central bank and tackle corruption.

The IMF declined to comment on the push to remove Mozhin as dean of the board.

Mozhin first arrived at the IMF just after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1992 as an alternate executive director, becoming Russias main representative in 1996.

In 2007, before becoming dean of the board, he spoke out publicly against the nomination of Dominique Strauss-Kahn to lead the Fund, saying he lacked the technical skills for the job. After Strauss-Kahn was forced to step down in 2011, Mozhin said that the IMF should abandon the convention of having its managing director be European.

In 2018, while Christine Lagarde, the IMF chief at the time, was visiting Saint Petersburg, Russia, including a meeting with president Vladimir Putin, Mozhin took her on a tour of the city.
South-east Queensland has copped another battering from mother nature just days after widespread flooding left behind a trail of destruction.

The flood death toll in Queensland rose to 12 on Sunday with a man's body recovered from his car after it was swept off a flooded road in the South Burnett region.

A woman, who was in the car, miraculously survived after managing to escape the vehcile and cling to a tree until help arrived.

A severe weather warning was issued for large swathes of the state on Sunday afternoon with Gold Coast, Noosa and parts of Gympie, Logan, Scenic Rim, Brisbane, Ipswich and Sunshine Coast all in the firing line.

Destructive winds, giant hailstones and heavy rain are forecast.

Flood alert warnings were issued for the Brisbane and Bremer rivers along with Warrill, Lockyer and Laidley creeks, just a week after the waterways overflowed and caused widespread devastation.

Severe thunderstorms were detected on the weather radar north-west of Gympie and Kenilworth around 3pm and were making their way east towards the coast.

Brisbane (pictured) will be hot with more wild weather on Sunday night with up to 50mm of rain forecast, along with damaging winds, hail and heavy rain which may lead to flash flooding

Large hail (pictured) hammered down at Cedar Vale in Logan on Sunday

A residents felt the need to measure the hail stones as they were so massive

'Very dangerous' thunderstorms were forecast to hit Gold Coast's outskirts just before 5pm and strike the coast a short time later.

'Other severe thunderstorms were detected on the weather radar near Boonah and the area northwest of Noosa Heads,' the Bureau of Meteorology said.

'They are forecast to affect Ipswich, Noosa Heads and the area east of Gympie by 4.40pm and Mount Nebo, Highvale and Samford by 5.10pm.

Six southeast state schools remain closed: All but six state schools in South East Queensland will reopen on Monday. The schools that will remain closed are: Milton Rocklea One Mile St Helens Milpera High Aviation High Advertisement

'Damaging, locally destructive winds, large, possibly giant hailstones and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding are likely.'

There are reports of a tornado and large hailstones near Rockhampton in central Queensland.

Parts of the Wide Bay, Burnett, Capricornia, Darling Downs and Granite Belt have also copped a beating.

Brisbane and Moreton Bay weren't spared from the wild weather either after almost 3,000 homes and businesses lost power.

The city is expected to cop another soaking up to 50mm on Sunday night.

A minor flood warning has been issued for the Brisbane River, just days after it rose to levels just below the 2011 flood peak of 4.46m.

'The catchment is saturated and is likely to respond quickly to rainfall, with renewed small river level rises and some minor flooding in Brisbane River tributaries possible from late Sunday,' BOM warned.

'Renewed rises are likely with thunderstorms especially in the smaller creeks and tributaries as catchments remain saturated.'

The Chookhouse Farmstay (pictured) near Toowoomba was inundated with hail and torrential rain on Sunday afternoon

Much of Queensland coast and northern NSW (in green) are feeling the brunt of the storms

It comes after four cars were destroyed by giant hailstones on the Sunshine Coast on Thursday night, just days after floods devastated the region.

The massive clean up has only just started for Queensland residents whose livelihoods were destroyed by the floods.

They have a long road to recovery ahead of them with the damage bill already past the $1 billion mark.

Communities near Ipswich and Gympie west of Brisbane remain cut off more than a week after the floods with 140 stranded residents still in evacuation centres, unable to return home.

'This has really packed a punch, these floods have had a big impact on people and it's going to take not just weeks but months for people to recover,' Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told reporters on Sunday

South of the border in NSW, thousands of homes hit by last week's floods could be submerged a second time with heavy rain on the way.

Another flood warning has been issued for the Brisbane, a week after floods cut off dozens of suburbs (pictured flooding in inner-city Auchenflower)

Several areas across NSW's Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley had torrential downpours overnight with more forecast on Sunday.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued numerous flood warnings for New South Wales including moderate to major flood warnings for Wollombi Brook, Richmond, Hawkesbury-Nepean, Colo and Weir rivers.

These rivers may reach flood levels recorded during last week's flood event.'

The Northern Rivers region - including flood-stricken Lismore - is forecast to see heavy to intense rainfall and possibly damaging winds and hail.

Australia's east coast has been lashed with more wild weather as the massive clean up from the floods begins (flood damaged items and debris in Brisbane)
A TOTAL of 51 primary schools in Matabeleland North recorded zero percent pass rate in the 2021 Grade Seven public examinations.

The number, according to the statistics seen by Sunday News, was a slight improvement from 2020 when a whopping 85 schools in the province recorded zero percent pass rate.

According to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education grading, if a pupil obtains seven units and above per subject it is considered a fail, while six units and below is considered a pass.

The statistics showed that most satellite schools in the province are in the zero percent pass rate bracket  20 satellite recording zero, while 31 registered schools also recorded zero percent pass rates.

The 20 satellite schools that recorded the zero percent pass rates were a huge leap from only two recorded in the 2020 Grade Seven public examinations.

Last years figure was anchored by registered institutions, with 83 schools recording zero percent pass rates.

According to the statistics, the largest number of schools that preformed dismally last year were in Bubi where 14 schools recorded zero percent pass rates.

Ten of these were satellite schools while four were registered schools

The second most affected district was Lupane with 13 schools obtaining zero percent pass rate (12 registered and one satellite).

The figures showed that Binga, which has traditionally performed poorly over the years, had the least number of schools with zero percent pass rates; only one.

In terms of overall pass rate, the province recorded 38.48 percent based on units and 22.36 percent based on subjects.

The pass rate was below the national figure of 41.3 percent announced by the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council when results were released last month.

According to Zimsec, the total number of candidates who sat for the 2021 Grade 7 examinations was 325 573, which was a 0.6 percent decrease from the 2020 entry of 327 559.

Director of Advocacy and Communication in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Mr Taungana Ndoro confirmed the Matabeleland North Grade seven results trend.

He said while the figures might indicate a worrying trend, the Government was encouraged by the improve in pass rate in the province and expected even better performance as issues that had been affecting schooling in the province are addressed.

He said while some people might see satellite schools as under performing, there were a good idea meant to reduce distance to access to education.

In some provinces, learners at satellite schools are actually performing better than those at the mother schools.

We are encouraged by the increased pass rate in Matabeleland North province and going forward we envisage further improvement, he said.

The under-performance at schools in the province have over the years come under scrutiny with stakeholders pointing to a cocktail of problems that affect the effective delivery of education.

The main challenge, according to experts, has been the human capital challenge. Most schools have a shortage of teachers as they shun them due to poor infrastructure.

At some schools, the few teachers are forced to teach many grades due to staff shortage.

A few years ago, Sunday News reported that at one school in the province, villagers had taken over the running of the school after all the teachers deserted the institution.

Pupils are also reportedly absconding lessons due to long distance they have to travel to nearest institutions.

Other schools also have a shortage of textbooks and poor accommodation facilities for teachers.

At one time, officials from the Matabeleland North Provincial Education office noted that every term they were receiving as many as 300 applications from teachers seeking to transfer from the province, especially from Binga.

Some of the teachers are also not comfortable teaching in some parts of the province due to language barriers, but the Government has addressed the issue by setting a primary training college in Hwange which is specifically targeted at training teachers to meet the provinces needs.

Meanwhile, statistics for Matabeleland South only showed that pass rate in the province has been fluctuating over the years.

Based on units, the province recorded 51.41 percent pass rate up from the 2020 figure of 40.20 percent.

In 2019, the rate was 54.43, in 2018, it was 56.90, in 2017 it was 49.39, and in 2016 it was 52.44

The figures showed that in terms of subjects the province recorded 34.5 percent up from 26.15 in 2020.

In 2019 the province recorded 39.65 percent, in 2018 it was 43, 5 percent, and in 2017 it was 36.18 while in 2016 it was 35.66. Sunday News
UnionPay, a Chinese credit card company, displays on the exhibit hall floor during the Money 20/20 conference in Las Vegas

(Reuters) - Several Russian banks said on Sunday they would soon start issuing cards using the Chinese UnionPay card operator's system coupled with Russia's own Mir network, after Visa and MasterCard said they were suspending operations in Russia.

Announcements regarding the switch to UnionPay came on Sunday from Sberbank, Russia's biggest lender, as well as Alfa Bank and Tinkoff.

(Reporting by Reuters;Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
Israeli officials have notified a UN commission investigating alleged human rights abuses in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel that the country will not cooperate with its probe, claiming it is biased against Israel, according to a letter sent to the commission chair Navi Pilay that was obtained by Axios.

Driving the news: Israeli officials say they are highly concerned that the commissions report expected in June will refer to Israel as an "Apartheid state" and that its findings could damage Israel's reputation, particularly among progressives in the West.

Catch up quick: The UN Human Rights Council in Geneva voted narrowly last year to form the Commission of Inquiry to investigate last May's violence in Gaza and the root causes of the protracted conflict in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Rights groups accused both Israel and Hamas of international law violations during two weeks of fighting last May, in which over 250 people were killed in the Gaza Strip and 13 in Israel.

The Western democracies on the committee objected to the fact that the commission's mandate was unusually broad when it came to investigating Israel, and didn't specifically mention investigating Hamas.

The commission is designed to be ongoing, with reports due every June to the council in Geneva and every September to the UN General Assembly in New York.

In addition to probing conflicts in the West Bank and Gaza, the commission was also tasked with investigating human rights violations in Israel.

The big picture: Pilay sent a letter to the Israeli government on Dec. 29 and invited it to cooperate with the commissions investigation.

Meirav Eilon Shahar, Israels ambassador to the UN institutions in Geneva, on Thursday sent Pilay a four-page letter of reply that criticized her and the two other members of the commission and notified them Israel wont cooperate.

A senior Israeli official told me the Israeli government wont allow Pilay and other members of the commission to enter the country.

What they're saying: The Israeli ambassador wrote in its letter there is no reason to believe Israel will receive reasonable and non-discriminatory treatment from the Commission of Inquiry.

The Israeli ambassador claimed that even though the commission is supposed to be independent and impartial, three members have repeatedly taken public and hostile positions against Israel on the very subject-matter that they are called upon to investigate.

"You are well known for personally championing an anti-Israel agenda and for numerous anti-Israel pronouncements, including the shameful libel comparing Israel to Apartheid South Africa, as well as advocating for the radical BDS campaign against Israel," the Israeli ambassador wrote to Pilay, a South African jurist and former UN high commissioner for human rights.

The Israeli ambassador claimed that the members of the commission were appointed because they were tainted by bias against Israel in order to guarantee a politically motivated outcome that is tailored in advance."

The commission told Axios in an emailed statement that it "was requested by the UN Human Rights Council to report back to it on their main activities on an annual basis beginning at the Council's 50th regular session scheduled for June/July this year.

"Before presenting to the Human Rights Council, at this stage the Commission members do not intend to make public statements nor publicize their communications between the concerned parties so as to preserve the integrity of the work they are carrying out."

Whats next: The UN human rights council is expected to convene for a new session on Feb. 28.
As the relationship between Kanye West and Chaney Jones heats up, many fans have been left wondering: Who is West's new girlfriend? Jones explained who she is and what she does for a living on Instagram, earlier this week.

For starters, Jones explained that she is "European, French, German, West African, Nigerian & Ghanaian."



Brandon Magnus / Getty Images

She also revealed her current job and that she's working towards getting a master's degree: "I am the COO of First State Behavioral Health (website is in bio)," and "currently getting my masters in counseling maintaining a 4.0 GPA."

"No I have never had surgery on my face, I was born like this," the 24-year-old added.

Before Jones, West was in a short-term relationship with Uncut Gems star Julia Fox. The two met at the start of 2022 and dated for over a month.

I tried my best to make it work, Fox recently told The New York Times, revealing that she broke up with West. I already had a jam-packed life. How do I fit this really big personality into this already full life? It just wasnt sustainable. I lost like 15 pounds in that month.

Check out Jones' newest post on Instagram below.




The lack of solid information has frustrated Ms. Cooley, the liver transplant recipient in Mississippi. She is still taking the same precautions as she did before receiving Evusheld, such as getting groceries delivered, staying at home and seeing only a few trusted family members with masks on. That is because she cares for her elderly mother and has seen a number of other elderly people, including her grandmother, die from Covid-19 in her community, where many people have chosen not to get vaccinated.

Some who cannot find a dose of Evusheld have turned to online communities instead of health care organizations. They are seeking help from other immunocompromised people, such as Dr. Vivian G. Cheung, 54, a physician in Bethesda, Md., who has a genetic condition that affects her immune system.

Dr. Cheung got a dose in January after calling various medical institutions for two weeks, and she has been helping others navigate the process since then. She receives up to 10 requests for help every day, but she estimates that only a quarter of those who have reached out have succeeded in getting Evusheld.

Ms. Taylor, the woman in Cincinnati, has common variable immunodeficiency. But right now, one hospital near her is limiting its supply of Evusheld to its transplant patients, while another is not yet accepting patients from outside its system. She is unable to look elsewhere; she said she was uncomfortable driving long distances because of her underlying health conditions.

Ms. Taylor said that she did not want to take a dose away from someone who might need it more, but that she would feel less panic-stricken if she could get Evusheld. She might be able to start seeing her children indoors again and inch back to the life she had before Covid.

For now, she is in a holding pattern of isolating, masking and hoping a dose will become available soon.

Rebecca Robbins contributed reporting.
A large gold shop in An Giang Province, southern Vietnam has been discovered not issuing sales invoices worth over US$437million to allegedly evade paying tax, two months after its owners arrest for cross-border gold smuggling.

The provincial police on Saturday initiated an investigation into the tax evasion committed by Phuoc Nguyen gold shop, whose legal representative, 57-year-old Nguyen Thanh Binh, was detained and prosecuted in January for smuggling gold from Cambodia into Vietnam.

The shop, located in the provincial capital city of Long Xuyen, has been found not issuing sales invoices totaling about VND10,000 billion ($437.16 million) that would have been included in its tax declaration for calculating payable tax amounts, as required by law, investigators said.

This image shows a large amount of cash in foreign currencies being examined by inspectors at an establishment related to the gold smuggling committed by the legal representative of Phuoc Nguyen gold shop Long Xuyen City, An Giang Province, Vietnam, January 10, 2022. Photo: Minh Phuoc / Tuoi Tre

This probe is an expanded part of the gold smuggling case that was uncovered on January 10, when Binh and another suspect, Trang Kien Cuong, were caught dealing in three gold ingots weighing three kilograms illegally imported from Cambodia, police said.

Police officers expanded their investigation and arrested three other suspects after detaining the two men and seizing the smuggled gold, along with nearly $170,000 and VND700 million ($30,600), from them.

During their search of Phuoc Nguyen and some other related establishments, officers seized about 15 kilograms of gold jewelry, VND26 billion ($1.13 million), more than $2.2 million, and another amount of money in other foreign currencies.

This image shows a large amount of cash in foreign currencies being examined by inspectors at an establishment related to the gold smuggling committed by the legal representative of Phuoc Nguyen gold shop Long Xuyen City, An Giang Province, Vietnam, January 10, 2022. Photo: Minh Phuoc / Tuoi Tre

Inspectors have also confiscated some documents and mobile phones in association with the smuggling case from the inspected sites.

Further investigations into the smuggling and tax evasion are underway, police said.

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In a televised speech on 4 March 2022, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah took a stance on the Ukrainian crisis.

According to him, it is enough to cast our minds back to what has been happening for years to realize that Russia and Ukraine are both victims of US imperialism, which is solely to blame for the crisis.
Washington: The Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle's half-sister has sued her for allegedly making "false" statements in the 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview that she and Prince Harry gave. According to Fox News, the lawsuit filed by Samantha Markle, who shares father Thomas Markle with the duchess, has accused Meghan of defamation.



It has been "based on demonstrably false and malicious statements" made by Meghan in the sit-down interview viewed by millions around the world on March 7, 2021.



Samantha has claimed that Meghan had lied about the last time she saw her and about being an "only child".



The lawsuit further alleged that Meghan had falsely said that Samantha changed her last name to Markle only after she had started dating Prince Harry.



The court documents suggest that Samantha has claimed Meghans "lies" were "designed to destroy [her] reputation" and have subjected her to "humiliation, shame and hatred on a worldwide scale."



Meghans half-sister went on to allege that the duchess had instructed her communications secretary Jason Knauf to "disseminate" false statements for the biography Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family by Omid Scobie.



Highlighting their fathers past work in Hollywood as a "successful television lighting director for 45 years," Samantha also accused Meghan of damaging their father`s reputation "in order to preserve and promote the false `rags-to-royalty` narrative."



Samantha concluded by stating that the truths of Meghan`s life story "directly contradict the false narrative and `fairy tale life story` [Meghan] fabricated."



She is seeking damages in excess of USD 75,000.



This lawsuit has been termed as "baseless" by Meghans attorney Michael Kump, reported Fox News.



"This baseless and absurd lawsuit is just a continuation of a pattern of disturbing behavior. We will give it the minimum attention necessary, which is all it deserves," Kump said.
The phone rang early in the predawn hours of a midwinter morning. The deadpan voice on the line uttered only two words  lariat advance  then click.

I sprang out of bed, hastily donned my uniform and boots, and bolted out the door into the cold, dark night, grabbing my "go" bag on the way.

This was the mid-1980s in Germany. I was a young lieutenant in the Armys 1st Infantry Division. The code phrase meant my platoon of 44 soldiers and four armored vehicles had to be ready to roll out the gate of a base called Panzer Kaserne, fully loaded for war, in less than an hour.

It turned out to be only a drill, a drill that would repeat itself many times in the course of a three-year tour. The specter of a Russian invasion of Europe dominated our lives. We practiced relentlessly, snow or rain or shine, how to stop tank columns in their tracks if they came thundering across the German border. Deterring that threat was our sole reason for existence.

We feared  and trained for  fighting the Russians house to house in the streets of German cities. We feared even more  and trained for  the enemy using nuclear, biological or chemical weapons.

Thank God those fears never became reality.

Those memories of a darker, more pessimistic time  the Cold War  came flooding back this week while reading the accounts of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians fighting Russian president Vladimir Putins invasion of their country.

The Ukrainians are living the nightmare that haunted our waking dreams more than three decades ago.

Some are armed with only rifles, pistols and Molotov cocktails  glass bottles of gasoline, alcohol and perhaps some motor oil, usually lit by a burning cloth wick. Those simple, homemade weapons splatter flaming gas on the outside of a tank, seep into the turrets and other openings, ignite the fuel and ammunition inside, and incinerate the crew.

The luckiest Ukrainians have American-made Javelin portable antitank missiles, which can kill from much farther away. Early reports suggest they have been effective, with burning Russian armored vehicles littering Ukraines streets and roads.

Later in the 1980s, I commanded an anti-armor company in the Oregon Army National Guard. We had Tow II missiles, wire-guided weapons that can destroy a tank at a range of more than 4,000 meters, mounted on humvee all-terrain vehicles. We became experts in every detail of warfare against tanks  their blind spots, where the thinnest armor is, how to disable the tracks and render them sitting ducks, and how to misdirect them so as to expose the back exhaust grills of their engines, the surest spot for a fatal shot up the rear end.

The Ukrainian army likely studied those same tactics. Ukrainian volunteers have had to learn them on the job. It takes a special kind of courage (insanity, really) to get close enough to a tank to take it out with a Molotov cocktail. But getting close is the point  a tank commanders worst nightmare is dismounted infantry running around in his blind spot.

A new Cold War?

The United States military was still at least partially focused on Russia when I left the Army in the mid-1990s, well after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

The theoretical enemy units we practiced against in our war gaming exercises were still modeled on the Soviet order of battle  we just called them Krasnovians or some other moniker instead of "Russians." I learned more than I will ever need to know again about the march speed of a Russian motorized rifle division on the move, and the operational characteristics of a T-80 main battle tank.

We didnt fully pivot away from that until the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, followed by our preemptive wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, demanded our full attention.

Now Putins aggression, and his dreams of resurrecting Russian glory, combined with the rise of China, presage a terrible new world order. The drawdown of our military presence in Europe might have been a bit premature.

Putin cannot back down. The resulting loss of face would mean his downfall. I believe he will bring whatever force to bear that is necessary, even if it means leveling Ukraines cities. Russias Cold War doctrine, modeled on what worked in World War II, was to line up tanks and artillery axle-to-axle along a broad, miles-long front and unleash hell, wreaking destruction on anything in its path.

Putin has been relatively restrained so far, but make no mistake, he will do whatever it takes to win. Just look at what he did in Aleppo (Syria) and Grozny (Chechnya) to envision what he is capable of. They were reduced to ruin. We have already seen signs of this in Russian bombardments of residential areas in Ukraines two biggest cities, Kyiv and Kharkiv.

It's hard to see how this ends well for the Ukrainians, no matter how bravely they fight.

Prepare for pain

People too young to remember the Cold War are going to be very surprised about how fundamentally their lives are going to change from here on.

The possibility of thermonuclear war has again risen its ugly head, with Putin dusting off Russias arsenal, putting his nuclear forces on high alert and threatening retaliation against the West. Those of a certain age remember sheltering under our desks during school drills, hoping that the threat of mutual assured destruction would save us from the unthinkable. The nukes never went away when the Cold War ended. And now, hypersonic technology allows them to travel to their targets faster than ever before.

Sending our sons and daughters off to fight in distant corners of the Earth against overmatched third-world opponents, while we go about our daily lives as if nothing is happening, will no longer be sufficient.

Russia and China are entirely different propositions. Prepare for more economic conflict, more fights over precious natural resources, more proxy wars, and massive military buildups as these nuclear-armed, authoritarian superpowers seek to impose their will on the rest of the world.

Alarmist? Perhaps a little, but the trend lines are clear. Ask the good citizens of Taiwan how safe they feel, with China studying the Wests response to the invasion of Ukraine.

Americans will soon face hard choices, such as absorbing more economic hardship or authorizing war in Europe. Winning the Cold War required shared sacrifices and unity of purpose that are sadly nonexistent today.

Jim Van Nostrand is executive editor of The Missoulian. Reach him at jimvan@missoulian.com
MBABANE  Private cars belonging to police officers at Mbabane Police Camp with a combined value of over E320 000 were burnt yesterday morning.

The perpetrators of the arson attack on the vehicles belonging to the police officers are not known yet and no arrests have been made yet. The attack was alleged to be an attribution of a group of protestors who were picketing around Msunduza at about 9pm on Friday. Information gathered at the scene was that a group of over 30 protestors were marching around the streets of Msunduza, which is within the same vicinity with the Police Camp. Those at the scene believed that part or some of the protestors came back at about 2am to burn the cars.

Each of the sedan cars that were burnt at the camp could cost an estimated E80 000 and those close to the owners of the cars, though speaking on conditions of anonymity due to police procedure, confirmed the estimated figure. A 5litre container with petrol remains and a red t-shirt allegedly inscribed with a name of one of the political parties, was found at the scene and taken as evidence. It was not ascertained as to how the arsonists gained entrance into the police camp.

Most of the police officers who reside in the camp expressed their concerns over the arson attack and some even mentioned the name of the political movement suspected to have played a part in the arson. The name of the political party will not be mentioned because there was no official statement linking it to the act. One of the police officers found at the scene said he was highly convinced that the attack was politically motivated, as the protestors were having a rally just a walking distance from the police camp. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the police officer said they were greatly concerned because their safety was being compromised.

Who knows what these people will do next time, in Matsapha, they bombed houses and what if there were people inside. This is a serious cause for concern and we are now worried because we leave our children when we go on duty and anything can happen. It is a mystery how they got in the camp and how they could just do what they did and leave without anyone noticing, said the concerned cop. The officer stated that they no longer felt safe as such happened while they were sleeping. He said though as officers they were willing to do everything in their power to catch the perpetrators, they were convinced that the motivation behind the attack was politically motivated.

The police service however refused to give an official statement on the arson. Senior officers who were found at the scene said they were waiting for the National Commissioner Tsintsibala Dlamini, to see the damage. They stated that a comment from the security service would then be issued through the office of the Police Information and Communications Officer (PICO) Superintendent Phindile Vilakati. We are still waiting for NATCOM and we request that you do not take any pictures because the police camp is a private space for the police service. We will have to wait with you for the PICO to arrive and give us instructions on what needs to be done regarding the media.

As you can see, everyone that is here is very much worried about what happened so we request that you give us privacy until the PICO gives us instructions after consulting the Commissioner. I dont want you to even mention my name on this because the matter is very sensitive to the police service, said a senior officer.The Police Forensic Department was already at the scene studying the environment, in search of clues that could lead them to the apprehension of the arsonists. A grass cutter was also at the scene clearing the nearest thicket which was suspected to have been the getaway route for the arsonists.

Comment

When contacted for a comment, Supt. Vilakati refused to comment on the matter saying she was yet to meet with the Commissioner in the afternoon. Attempts were made to get a comment from her in the afternoon and she again refused to comment. I will not give you any comment, in fact the issues of arson I do not comment on so forget about getting a comment from me. In fact I will not comment on any other matter that you ask me to comment on, she said.

The burning of the police cars comes after a one-bedroom rondavel belonging to a police officer stationed at Mpolonjeni Police Post was gutted by a fire suspected to have been caused by an electric fault. The incident happened at Lubilweni area under KaLanga Umphakatsi. Four houses belonging to the REPS were torched by unknown arsonists in October last year at Sigodvweni Police Camp in Matsapha. The houses were targeted by arsonists who were purported to be pro-democracy activists. It was alleged that the arsonists took advantage of the fact that the occupants were on duty at the time they committed the heinous act.

The country has been experiencing a spate of bombings and arson acts since the beginning of the political unrests in May last year. Damage estimated to be above E800 million was done on properties around the country, including shops and schools. His Majestys Correctional Services employees were also alleged to have been shot at in Matsapha in what appeared to be a politically motivated attack. Unverified reports carried by online publications also attributed the arson attack on the police cars to what was termed as The Swaziland International Solidarity Forces (SISF). Such allegations and information cannot be confirmed as true until the alleged SISF or its leader come out to claim responsibility of the act.
An election site worker, right, in protective gear waits to collect a ballot from a voter at a polling station in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, Saturday, during the period allocated for early voting allowing COVID-19 patients to participate in the March 9 presidential election. Yonhap





By Nam Hyun-woo







Early voting for COVID-19 patients in the presidential election has ended with claims of election fraud, as voters alleged the National Election Commission (NEC) mishandled ballots at polling sites across the country.







Rival parties slammed the NEC's "unpreparedness," warning that polling station workers' unprofessional handling of the early voting could trigger another vote-rigging controversy, following a previous conspiracy theory surrounding the 2020 National Assembly elections.







On Sunday, the NEC released a statement on the previous day's early voting for COVID-19 patients across the country in which it apologized for "any inconvenience caused to voters."







"The voting method for COVID-19 patients was fully in compliance with laws and rules, with the presence of election observers recommended by political parties," the NEC said in the statement.







"However, we should admit that there were shortcomings in carrying out COVID-19 patients' early voting due to the unprecedentedly high turnout and limits in personnel and facilities."







In this screenshot of a post uploaded on web forum FMKorea, a paper bag is seen at an unidentified polling station. The uploader of this photo claimed ballots cast by COVID-19 patients during the early voting session on Saturday were collected in this, rather than in an official ballot box. Screenshot from FMKorea





The apology came after media reports and social media postings about the NEC's mishandling of COVID-19 patients' votes across the country on Saturday.







Korea's COVID-19 patients participated in early voting starting at 5 p.m. The NEC guideline states that patient should fill in their ballots in separate polling booths and put their completed ballots in an envelope. Workers at the polling station collect these envelopes and put them into a ballot box in front of observers. Each polling station is obliged to have one such box as stipulated by the Public Official Election Act in order to prevent voter fraud.







Various types of complaints erupted on Saturday. Some voters complained that workers were collecting ballots in paper bags, parcel boxes or even empty trash bags, while they could not confirm whether their ballots were put in ballot boxes properly.







"It was a mess. I was infuriated because this is not the first election the nation has held since the pandemic started," a voter surnamed Kim, 35, who cast his ballot at Yeoksam 1-dong Community Center in Seoul's Gangnam District, said during a COVID-19 patients' voting session.







"Patients were separated in a closed room and it took more than two and a half hours to finish voting. Some voters complained furiously as workers collected votes in plastic bags, not a ballot box."






LOBAMBA - The proposed construction of a new Parliament building saw Members of Parliament (MPs) clashing last Thursday.

This was during the portfolio committee debate of annual performance reports of three entities under the Prime Minister Cleopas Sipho Dlaminis wing which are Cabinet, Parliament and the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS). The clash emanated from that, while some declared that they supported the proposed plan, others were against it. Other MPs said they were against the terms and conditions that come with the loan the country has sought from India for the project.

Kukhanyeni MP, Malavi Sihlongonyane submitted that he had issues with the proposed plan. He said a bill to request a loan to construct the new Parliament came to Parliament.

Sihlongonyane said he did not remember a bill that was tabled requesting Parliament approval for the project. I did not see a bill requesting the construction of a new Parliament building but I saw one which was a request to seek a loan. I must state that it pained me that on the day the bill for the loan was debated we were not given a chance to make submissions. There were 56 of us who stood up to show interest that we wanted to contribute. We were not given a chance, he said.

Sihlongonyane was interrupted as Kubutha MP Musa Mabuza stood up on a point of order to state that his colleague was misleading the House as a bill seeking an approval to build a new Parliament structure was tabled and passed in Parliament without any objection. Mabuza requested that his colleague (Sihlongonyane) should withdraw his submission. Nhlambeni MP Manzi Zwane stood up to submit that the House was losing direction as MP Sihlongonyane needed to be allowed to debate and finish. Zwane said it was wrong to say that all MPs supported the proposed plan as he did not.

The chairperson of the portfolio committee advised that the debate should continue as all MPs supported the idea. Mhlume MP Victor Malambe stood up on a point of order, saying MP Sihlongonyane should withdraw his submission. Let us not promote lies. In Parliament it is all about numbers. When you lose a vote, it is just that, said Malambe. The chairperson then advised that the issue of the new Parliament building should not be touched as MPs dealt with it and concluded everything. However, Sihlongonyane did not back down as he stood to submit that it would not be a Parliament if legislators were not allowed to discuss issues. In vernacular he said, Ngabe akusiyo iphalamende. He said he will discuss the issue any time he felt like doing so and that no one would stop him as he believed that there were a lot of things that needed to be fixed in the country. He said he touched on the issue because he was in the committee dealing with it and that the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development had invited them for discussions.

Overtaken by events

Once again, the chairperson insisted that Sihlongonyane should stop discussing the issue as it had been overtaken by events. In the end, MP Nkhanyeti Ngwenya, in his capacity of the House of Assembly Chair of Chairs, stood up to advise that once the chairperson of the portfolio committee ruled on a matter, all members of the House should adhere. The chairperson said it was not good that the MPs were now dwelling on one and the same issue instead of proceeding with the debate. MP Sihlongonyane was again advised not to continue with the debate. Meanwhile, MP Malambe submitted that his colleagues should not say something and then change tune.

Malambe said it was the MPs themselves who passed a bill for the construction of the new Parliament and that the terms and conditions of the loan for the project were there.

It is not like the conditions are new. If I remember well, there is no one who submitted that the Parliament should not be constructed. Today we sound like there are some who lost a vote as they were against the project. All of us were okay with it, submitted Malambe. He said the people expected the MPs to take decisions that they will stand for and defend in future no matter the situation.

Also debating about the same issue was the Nhlambeni MP (Zwane) who said he had checked with the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development and was advised that 66 per cent of the loan would not complete the whole project. He said he also heard that he was concerned that material for the project would come from India. I am worried about this because the economy of the country is currently not in a good state and this scenario means that the money will not circulate locally, he said. Zwane said he wished that the loan would be used to pay civil servants since there was a court ruling which ruled that government should review their salaries.

Lobamba Lomdzala MP Marwick Khumalo said he had serious reservations about the fact that 66 per cent of the money to fund the project would be paid by emaSwati but the money will go back to India since most of the material to be used in the construction will come from there. Some of us are not happy with the terms and conditions but for now we have since there is nothing we can say, let us at least get proper clarification on the designs of the new Parliament as per an agreement that they should have an identity of the Kingdom of Eswatini, submitted Khumalo.

MPs blast ministries

Meanwhile, most of the MPs decried the act by government ministries not to table quarterly reports of their performance in the previous financial year. Gilgal MP Sandla Fakudze said the PM had rightly pointed out that in order to monitor the performance of the ministries, the quarterly reports were a must. Fakudze said while he understood that the COVID-19 pandemic had played a role in the failure by government ministries not to produce the quarterly reports he still felt that the whole exercise was not prioritised. The non-tabling of the quarterly reports robbed us of the chance to play our oversight role as MPs yet it is described as the cornerstone of democracy, said Fakudze. Fakudze also asked to understand the reported raids conducted by police officers countrywide in peoples homes. He asked to know if the officers were in possession of search warrants whenever they entered homesteads. He said he heard complaints that some officers used vulgar language and insults something which he said was wrong.
BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (AP)  More than 100 hungry and weak Rohingya Muslims were found on a beach in Indonesias northernmost province of Aceh on Sunday after weeks at sea, officials said.

The group arrived on Jangka beach near Alue Buya Pasi, a fishing village in Bireuen district, early Sunday. The villagers who saw the 114 ethnic Rohingya on a rickety wooden boat helped them to land and then reported their arrival to authorities, said Badruddin Yunus, the leader of the local tribal fishing community.

They look very weak from hunger and dehydration after a long and severe voyage at sea, said Yunus, adding it wasnt clear where the group was traveling from or where it was headed because none of them could speak English or Malay.

The 58 men, 21 women and 35 children were given shelter and received help from villagers, police and military, while local authorities including the coronavirus task force were helping to process them, Yunus said.

More than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled from Buddhist-majority Myanmar to refugee camps in Bangladesh since August 2017, when the Myanmar military launched a clearance operation in response to attacks by a rebel group. Myanmar security forces have been accused of mass rapes, killings and the burning of thousands of homes.

Groups of Rohingya have attempted to leave the crowded camps in Bangladesh and travel by sea in hazardous voyages to other Muslim-majority countries in the region.

Muslim-dominated Malaysia has been a common destination for the boats, and traffickers have promised the refugees a better life there. But many Rohingya refugees who land in Malaysia face detention.

Although Indonesia is not a signatory to the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention, the UNHCR said that a 2016 presidential regulation provides a national legal framework governing the treatment of refugees on boats in distress near Indonesia and to help them disembark.

These provisions have been implemented for years, most recently in December when 105 Rohingya refugees were rescued off the coast of Bireuen toward its neighboring Lhokseumawe, a coastal town in the North Aceh district.
Earlier this week, European authorities moved to freeze assets of Russian oligarchs, as a means to put pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to cease the invasion of Ukraine, by cutting off his money supply. Recent reports note that Alisher Usmanovs $600 million Dilbar was seized in Hamburg, Germany, followed by Igor Sechins $120 million Amore Vero , which was frozen in France.Italy is now moving along with sanctions against Russian oligarchs, with The Guardian reporting that authorities here have seized $152 million worth of assets from just four known Putin associates. Among the goods seized are luxury villas and condos, and two of the worlds most iconic superyachts, the Lena and Lady M.Lena, a 38.5-meter / 126-foot, $55 million superyacht delivered by Sanlorenzo in 2010, belonged to Gennady Timchenko and was in the port of San Remo when authorities moved in on it. Powered by twin MTU engines, Lena can hit top speeds of 29 knots (32.2 mph / 51.8 kph). Specifics about it were never made public, since it was not available for charter; but it is known that Lena underwent a refit in 2020.Lady M, the more expensive of the pair, is also bigger and newer: measuring 65 meters / 213 feet, it was delivered by Palmer Johnson in 2013, and is estimated at $71 million. With a design by Nuvolari and Lenard, Lady M is the largest aluminum motor yacht ever built in the United States, offering accommodation for 12 guests in six luxurious staterooms, and 14 crew. The owner of Lady M is Russias richest man, Alexei Mordashov, who had it docked in the port of Imperia when it was seized According to various officials both in the EU and the U.S., this is just the beginning. As President Biden said in his recent State of the Union address, We are joining with our European allies to find and seize your yachts, your luxury apartments, your private jets. We are coming for your ill-begotten gains.
Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong, center, poses with Senegalese Foreign Minister Assata Tall Sall, front row second from left, and African Union Commission Deputy Chairperson Monique Nsanzabaganwa, front row second from right, during the 5th Korea-Africa forum at Lotte Hotel Seoul, March 3. Yonhap



By Lee Hae-rin



Korea and African countries have come together to build stronger economic and diplomatic ties beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.



Under the theme of "Strengthening Korea-Africa Partnership in the post-COVID19 Era," the 5th Korea-Africa Forum was held on March 3 in Seoul. Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong and ministerial-level officials from African Union (AU) member states  including Senegal, Malawi, Libya and Chad  discussed partnerships in public health, trade and investment, and peace and security.



Their discussion resulted in the Seoul Declaration, calling for cooperation in these sectors and a framework for cooperation to accelerate industrialization in Africa and expand Korea's global supply chain by 2026.



Albert Muchanga, AU commissioner for economic development, trade, industry and mining, who attended the forum, stressed the emerging market potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Muchanga introduced automotive and agro-processing industries as key economic growth drivers if they are combined with Korea's technical cooperation, during a Zoom interview with The Korea Times, Thursday.





Albert Muchanga, AU commissioner for economic development, trade, industry and mining / Courtesy of the African Union
MBABANE - Government has set aside E42.2 million to cater for the input subsidy programme to strengthen food security under the Ministry of Agriculture.

The amount was announced by the Minister of Finance Neal Rijkenberg, in his Budget Speech where he emphasised on the importance of food security for the country. The Minister said disruptions brought about by COVID-19 and the civil unrest were a rude awakening on food security challenges in the country. He said agriculture was a backbone of the country and government was committed to strengthening food security and upscale food production, to ensure sustainable accessibility and availability.

Production

He further explained that the input subsidy programme had resulted in significant increases in the local production, of maize over the past five years running. In 2021, a total of 100 042 metric tonnes of maize was produced, marking a significant improvement from 86 000 metric tonnes in 2020, however, this continues to remain below the national requirement of 14 0 000 metric tonnes. The input subsidy programme has gained momentum and demand has been growing on an annual basis. Government aspires to increase the number of beneficiaries from 10 000 to 15 000 over the medium term. Government has set aside E42.2 million to cater for the input subsidy programme, stated the Minister.

However, the Minister further stated that farmers complained that returns were marginal due to the small plots of land, while more than half of the contoured fields in Eswatini Nation Land in the Highveld were not being utilised. This was despite the fact that there was high rainfall and the area was ideal for maize production. He said government was facilitating the formation of irrigation schemes and construction of scoop dams to support agricultural production across the country. The high rainfall in this area is another reason Maize is said to grow well, but farmers complain that the returns are marginal due to the small plots of land.

Shareholders

For this reason, the government encourages farmers to group together as shareholders and form farming companies as has been done through ESWADE with many sugar projects, so that they can benefit from the economies of scale of commercial farming. ESWADE and FINCLUDE stand ready to assist in this regard, he said. The Ministry of Agriculture was allocated E1.36 billion to improve food security and minimise external risks. The Minister added that through the implementation of special programmes, the country now produced and exported approximately 33 675 metric tonnes of fruit and 315 metric tonnes of vegetables in the past year.

Decision

Eswatini National Farmers Union President Lwazi Mamba, stated that the farmers were pleased about governments decision to fund the input subsidy. He explained that the programme was helpful as it assisted the farmers to ensure that they produced at least half of their final produce and overcome challenges of shortages of farming inputs. Farming inputs are costly, thus some farmers are not able to produce adequately, but this programme makes it possible for every farmer to produce in quality and quantity. The increase in the overall budget for input subsidy will stimulate production and give stability to food security in the country, said Mamba. He added that through the programme, there was an increase in the number of farmers which had resulted from the rise on beneficiary. He said not only was the beneficiary numbers rising, but the produce of agriculture products such as beans, sorghum and maize had also recorded an increase.

Mamba further stated that the increase in the budget for input subsidy programme in agriculture was likely to stimulate more agriculture production and strengthen food security in the country. Input subsidy programme is handled by National Maize Co-oporation (NMC) under the Ministry of Agriculture. This assists farmers to attain farming input at cheaper cost, such as tractor hire at E320 per hour, fertilizers and seeds also came at a low price.

Comparison

According to NAMBoard Annual Report 2019/20, a total of 48 864 tonnes of fruits and 575 metric tonnes of vegetables were exported in comparison to 54 855 metric tonnes and 884 metric tonnes vegetables in 2018/19. The report indicated a steady decrease in the produce and exports from 54 855 metric tonnes and 884 metric tonnes recorded in 2018/19 to 48 864 tons of fruits and 575 metric tonnes of vegetables in 2019/20 to 33 675 metric tonnes of fruit and 315 metric tonnes of vegetables in the past year 2020/21. The PEU Report released in September 2021 states that local maize purchases totalled 4.878 metric tonnes, reflecting a significant increase from last quarters 837 metric tonnes. The report further said the increase was largely due to the fact that it was the maize collection season. However, beans purchased from locals declined to 35.5 metric tonnes from 93.91 metric tonnes in the same period last year.
A group of demonstrators takes to the street near the Embassy of Russia in central Seoul to protest against Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Tuesday. Yonhap





By Park Han-sol







In the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine last week, many of the religious bodies in Korea have come forward to unite against the aggressor and stand with the war-stricken country.







The Korean Conference of Religions for Peace (KCRP)  an umbrella organization made up of religious organizations for Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Won Buddhism, Confucianism, Chondogyo and the Association for Korean Native Religions  released a statement on Monday, saying that no crisis can be resolved by brute, barbaric force.







"We are sure that this war, although triggered as a result of a multitude of historical and political factors, can be overcome through dialogue alone," the organization said, calling for solidarity from all those in support of lasting peace.






FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 4, 2022

Contact: Press@Michigan.gov

Lt. Governor Gilchrist Releases Final Michigan Coronavirus Racial Disparities Task Force Report Outlining Significant Progress and Policy Recommendations in Protecting Communities of Color from the Spread of COVID-19

Report finds actions taken in 2020 and 2021 helped Michigan significantly reduce racial disparities in COVID-19 response, deaths

LANSING, Mich. - The first-of-its-kind Michigan Coronavirus Racial Disparities Taskforce today released recommendations for collaborative policy, programming and systemic change to protect communities of color from the spread of COVID-19 and create lasting structural change. The report, which provides a progress report on the taskforce's short- and long-term goals, finds that actions taken by the State of Michigan in 2020 and 2021 helped reduce health-based racial disparities in COVID-19 response and deaths.

"When we saw that COVID-19 was uniquely lethal in communities of color in Michigan, Governor Whitmer and I knew we had to act quickly," said Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist, Chair of the Michigan Coronavirus Racial Disparities Task Force. "Two years later, the successes of the Michigan Coronavirus Racial Disparities Task Force in balancing short-term needs with long- term goals have made it a national model on responding to racial disparities and flattening inequities. But we know there is more work to do - which is why I am proud to join the Task Force in releasing these recommendations to help us chart the way forward. Governor Whitmer and I look forward to continuing to work with the Task Force to protect Michigan communities and save lives."

A study by the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy and the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices found that Michigan Coronavirus Task Force on Racial Disparities has made significant and sustainable progress towards its goal of reducing health-based racial disparities associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The members of this Task Force have worked tirelessly with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to develop recommendations to address this crisis that exposed the long-standing inequities for Black Michiganders that have persisted for decades. Now we must make sure to turn these recommendations into actions that reduce and eventually eliminate the racial disparities impacting the health of Michiganders," said Hon. Thomas Stallworth III, Director of the Michigan Coronavirus Racial Disparities Task Force.

Upon formation, the Task Force took immediate action to address racial health disparities and proposed solutions to address disparities. Key actions implemented to address racial disparities of the COVID-19 pandemic included reducing barriers to testing in communities of color, expanding testing to the most at risk for serious illness, developing culturally competent messaging for best practices of COVID-19 mitigation, improving racial data collection and sharing, and improving access to health care for marginalized populations.

Recommendations introduced by the Task Force today include:

Strategic testing infrastructure

Improve racial and ethnic data collection and use to address racial and ethnic disparities.

Continue to fund neighborhood testing and vaccination sites and mobile health units to provide new and existing health and social services to marginalized communities.

Require adherence to and monitor compliance of federal requirement to assist with meaningful language access.

Establish a process and infrastructure to send alerts to key community partners and/or residents regarding COVID-19 infection rates and problem areas

Primary care connections

Decrease the number of uninsured and underinsured Michiganders.

Fully leverage Health Information Technology and data to reduce racial health disparities.

Implement quality criteria to incentivize primary care.

Maximize the use of school-based clinics for expanded care delivery.

Educate the public about mental health services.

Increase inoculation rates across ages through statewide messaging campaigns.

Centering equity workgroup

Increase culturally competent data collection.

Support implementation of the Maternal Infant Health & Equity Improvement Plan's (MIHEIP) strategic vision of zero preventable deaths - zero health disparities across its six primary priorities.

Additional recommendations

Reduce COVID-19 exposure risks in environmental justice communities related to air quality.

Ensure that every home and business in Michigan has access to an affordable, reliable high-speed internet connection that meets their needs.

Established in April 2020, the Task Force consists of a variety of leaders from government, academia, and the private sector, health care, economic development, education, and other disciplines who are divided into three working groups. Each group is charged with providing recommendations related to the following topics:

The Centering Equity Workgroup focuses on studying the cause of the COVID-19 racial disparities and recommending policies and practices that can be implemented in the present to respond to immediate needs and the future to combat racial disparities in possible new pandemics or health crises.

The Primary Care Connections Workgroup is charged with examining both short-term and long-term strategies to address the needs of uninsured Michiganders and to close the historical gap of relationships with primary care providers amongst communities of color.

The Strategic Testing Infrastructure Workgroup is tasked with implementing the infection testing and vaccine delivery infrastructure needed to effectively meet the needs of the Black or African American community and other marginalized communities during the public health emergency.

The Task Force also developed two additional work groups that provided input and recommendations related to racial disparities in environmental justice and telemedicine. The environmental justice workgroup was established to address the environmental issues that play a significant role in the health and welfare of communities of color. The access to telemedicine workgroup was established to address the disproportionate access communities of color experience when seeking doctors and primary care services.

The full report announced today can be found by clicking here.

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MBABANE - The Industrial Court has confirmed an interim order stopping the strike over annual bonuses by employees of Eswatini Meat Industries Limited.

The order interdicts the employees and their representatives from proceeding with the strike that commenced in the afternoon of December 16, 2021. The court also called upon Victor Zwane, Ndumiso Dlamini and Amon Maziya, who engaged management on behalf of the employees, to take all appropriate steps to prevent or persuade the employees from participating in the illegal work stoppage. The judgment was issued by Acting Judge Banele Ngcamphalala. Eswatini Meat Industries (EMI)-Limited was represented by Kenneth Motsa of Robinson Bertram in the matter.

Result

EMI informed the court that in its last Board meeting on December 7, 2021, it resolved that the company would not be able to pay its employees any annual bonus. This, according to EMI, was as a result of losses suffered by the company in 2021 to the amount of E2 795 312. The resolution of the Board was to be communicated to the employees on December 16, 2021. The employees are said to have become aware that their salaries would not contain the annual bonus. Zwane, Dlamini and Maziya, according to the company, approached senior management and requested to address them, advising that the employees had mandated them to address the management and demand their annual bonus.

The Senior Manager, Nombulelo Mhlanga, is said to have advised them that the company had made a loss in that year and the Board had resolved that the company would not pay them any bonuses. Upon hearing this, the employees stopped work and left cows on the slaughter line and carcasses unattended. They are said to have left the company premises and advised that they would not proceed with work until their bonuses were paid. On December 17, 2021, according to EMI, the employees reported for work but did not carry out their normal duties. They are said to have engaged in a sit-in and made it clear that they would not continue with any work until their bonuses were paid.

Affidavit

The trio of Zwane, Dlamini and Maziya stated in their affidavit in court that they did not have authority to represent other employees and that EMI should have joined Swaziland Manufacturers and Allied Workers Union (SMAWU) as a party. Motsa, on behalf of EMI, told the court that in 2010, EMI recognised SMAWU as a union. He said a dispute arose within SMAWU which saw over 75 of the employees terminating their membership with the union. The employees, according to Motsa, requested to be paid back their monthly subscriptions to SMAWU as they were no longer members of the union. Motsa also told the court that EMI wrote to the two factions of SMAWU, advising them that pending the resolution of the conflict, it would not forward any subscriptions to them. EMI informed the court that to date, no subscriptions were forwarded to the unions, despite both directing that the subscriptions be paid to them.

The respondent, as a result, informed the applicant (EMI) that they had formed a Workers Committee and advised the applicant that until the impasse has been resolved within SMAWU, they would deal with matters concerning the workers welfare. Applicant avers that it has been dealing with the first to third respondent (Zwane, Dlamini and Maziya) as representatives of the Workers Committee to date, said Motsa. EMI informed the court that the strike was causing a disturbance to its business and had brought operations to a halt, affecting both businesses locally and its exports. The company also submitted that it had requested the employees to return to work and stop the work stoppage. However, they refused and the company approached the Industrial Court.

The respondents, Zwane, Dlamini and Maziya, told the court that they did not have authority to represent the employees and that SMAWU should be joined as a party to the proceedings. They argued that EMI recognised SMAWU. They submitted that even though they were no longer members of SMAWU, the further respondents - employees of EMI who are represented and willing to participate in the strike  were still members of SMAWU and paid subscriptions.

Representatives

They argued that EMI had no right to cite them as representatives of the further respondents and to vest them with power to act on their behalf. The respondents told the court that they did not have authority to represent them and that there was no Workers Committee in the workplace but a recognised union. The trio submitted that when they approached management on the issues relating to management, they did so in their personal capacities as employees of the company and not on behalf of other employees. Only a registered and recognised trade union or workers council, according to the respondents, can be recognised as lawful representatives of the workers in the workplace. Their attorney told the court that SMAWU had the right to bargain on the rights of the employees who were not fully-paid up members of the union.

Judge Ngcamphalala said the factional dispute within SMAWU had rendered the relationship between EMI and the union to be non-existent. Zwane, Dlamini and Maziya, according to the judge, conceded that as a result of the factions within SMAWU, they had resigned and further directed EMI to stop paying their subscription to the union. The court is of the view that the non-joinder of SMAWU into the proceedings cannot be said to adversely affect SMAWU or the respondents. Further, the court cannot see how SMAWU would be prejudiced by not being cited and the possible order issued being executed as it has long ceased working with the applicant and was merely a representative of the employees on paper. The point of non-joinder therefore fails, said Judge Ngcamphalala.

Function

The court also considered that since SMAWU, due to the factional dispute, no longer served its function to represent the interests of employees collectively, it was Zwane, Dlamini and Maziya who performed that function. Judge Ngcamphalala went on to urge the Commissioner of Labour to intervene and work towards ensuring that the factional dispute was resolved, since it was evident that the impasse had an adverse effect on the rights of the employees who are represented by SMAWU. According to Judge Ngcamphalala, there could be no doubt that if the strike was allowed to continue, EMI would suffer severe financial prejudice in an already difficult market. The judge said the employees needed to comply with the dispute resolution mechanisms prescribed by the Industrial Relations Act to have their disputes and grievances lawfully addressed.
This picture, taken on March 4, shows a residential building damaged by shelling the day before in the northern Ukraine city of Chernihiv. AFP-Yonhap



By Lee Min-hyung



The Korea Exchange will suspend trading of a Seoul-listed Russia-related exchange-traded fund (ETF) from Monday amid the country's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.



Under the decision, any trading of the KINDEX Russia MSCI ETF  operated by Korea Investment Management  will come to a temporary halt until further notice, according to the exchange operator. The fund is the only Russia-related ETF sold here.



"This is part of a move to protect investors and stabilize the market, and the trading suspension will remain in place for the time being," the exchange said in a recent statement.



The announcement came at a time when Russia is escalating its invasion of Ukraine, which has been jolting the global asset market for the past few weeks.



But data showed that retail investors here have been on a buying spree of the ETF for the past two weeks on hopes for its rebound after bottoming out due to the war risk.



According to the data from the Korea Exchange, retail investors purchased the fund product worth 28 billion won ($23 million) between Feb. 21 and March 4. Since mid-February, the price of the fund has been nosediving. It closed at 10,070 won on Friday, a drastic 29.97 percent fall from the previous trading day.



Of note was that the fund attracted the biggest attention from individual investors on Feb. 25 when Russia started its all-out invasion into Ukraine. They purchased 18.3 billion won worth of the fund on that day alone, topping the list of the daily ETF sales volume here.



But the fund operator issues a warning to investors, leaving open the possibility of the fund's possible delisting here.



"The fund product comes with risks on possible delisting, so investors are advised to pay close attention before making investments," the asset management firm said in a recent statement.



Despite the concern, other data also showed that retail investors have engaged in a buying spree of Russia-related ETFs listed on the U.S. stock market.



Korean retail investors purchased $19.55 million worth of VanEck Russia ETF between Feb. 21 and March 4, according to data from the Korea Securities Depository. They also purchased $13.98 million worth of iShares MSCI Russia ETF and $4.84 million of Direxion Daily Russia Bull 2X, respectively, during the same period.



Given that the price of such Russia-related funds here and abroad nosedived amid the unceasing war risk between the two countries, market experts urge investors to remain more than careful when seeking new investment opportunities.



"Some investors are moving to look for new investment opportunities by investing in undervalued assets after the outbreak of war in Ukraine," eBest Investment & Securities analyst Choi Kwang-hyuk said. "But it remains questionable to say that now is the right time to purchase stocks. Investors need to maintain a conservative attitude while paying continuous attention to any changes in the Ukraine crisis."


President Moon Jae-in meets with victims of a wildfire, at a makeshift shelter in Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province, March 6. Yonhap



President Moon Jae-in on Sunday designated the eastern coastal area that has been ravaged by a massive wildfire as a special disaster zone, and vowed swift government support for the victims, his office said.

The move came hours after Moon met with displaced people at a makeshift shelter in Uljin, 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul, as authorities mobilized 44 helicopters and 4,000 personnel to contain the blaze that began Friday.



"The fastest way for the government to support the residents is to declare a special disaster zone and to take part in recovery efforts," Moon told the victims.





A fire burns trees on a mountain in Gangwon Province, March 5. Yonhap



Among some 7,400 people who evacuated due to the fire, 1,000 are staying in temporary shelters set up at public facilities and schools in the area, officials said.

The fire burned an estimated 14,222 hectares of woodland -- more than twice the size of Manhattan -- in Uljin and its neighboring city of Samcheok as of 11 a.m., driven by strong winds and dry weather, according to forest and firefighting authorities.



Authorities launched a preliminary investigation into the cause of the fire, and are eyeing a cigarette as a possible cause of the blaze.



"For now, extinguishing the fire is most important," a forestry official said. "We will launch a full-fledged probe led by experts once the fire is fully put out."





Smoke covers a mountain in Samcheok, Gangwon Province, March 6. Yonhap



Some large conglomerates rushed to provide relief aid to displaced residents in Uljin and Samcheok areas.

Samsung Group said it plans to donate 3 billion won (US$2.4 million) to the Korea Disaster Relief Association, as well as supplies that include daily necessities.



Hyundai Motor Group donated 5 billion won and provided daily necessities such as mineral water, and instant noodles, or "ramyeon" and four vehicles built for laundry services to the affected areas. (Yonhap)




By Lee Min-hyung







Citibank Korea has signed a partnership with Hyundai Engineering & Construction (E&C) to expand their global businesses and commitment to fulfilling environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) values, the lender said Sunday.







Under the partnership, Citibank Korea will help the Hyundai affiliate expand its global presence by offering a variety of corporate financial products. Both companies also pledged to share their experience and information on how to ensure ESG practices for sustainable growth while pushing ahead with joint projects.







The agreement was signed on the basis of Citibank's in-depth understanding of Hyundai E&C's strategy to win orders in the overseas construction market. Earlier, the lender had coordinated the syndicated finance for the Panama Metro Line 3 project, which a consortium of Korean construction companies  including the Hyundai affiliate  won in 2021.







Citibank said it would keep providing more financial services by taking advantage of its broad range of products and knowhow from its 160 global corporate banking bases.







"Since last year, Citibank Korea has set one of its main strategic goals as being the best ESG bank while pursuing the expansion of ESG finance," Citibank Korea CEO Yoo Myung-soon said. "We hope to create synergies with Hyundai E&C in its efforts to spearhead green businesses."







"Citi will continue to create a success story with Hyundai E&C by providing customized financial solutions for future eco-friendly and decarbonization overseas projects, such as offshore wind and hydrogen liquefaction, following the successful collaboration on the Panama Line 3 project in 2021."







Hyundai E&C is considered one of the frontrunners in driving Korea's construction growth. The company won 850 overseas projects from 62 countries since its foundation in 1947.







"We also expect more synergies to be created under the ESG finance partnership with Citibank Korea," an official from the company said.


By Park Jae-hyuk



Samsung, SK, Kakao and many other Korean companies have joined the international community's donation drive to support Ukraine as it fights back against invading Russian forces, according to industry officials, Sunday.



Among supporting Korean companies, Samsung Electronics made the biggest donation, as the tech giant decided to send $6 million, including home appliances worth $1 million, to the Ukrainian Red Cross and other international organizations to help the country's refugees.



Its employees also plan to collect donations for Ukraine, according to the company.



Samsung Electronics announced the decision last Saturday, two days after SK Group became Korea's first conglomerate to donate cash for Ukraine.



SK Group held an emergency meeting of its social value committee last Thursday to order SK ie technology's Polish subsidiary to donate $1 million to UNICEF Poland, for the benefit of Ukrainian children who fled to Poland.



"In accordance with SK's philosophy of pursuing social value, we decided immediately to help children suffering from the war and offer humanitarian assistance," SK SUPEX Council's Social Value Committee President Lee Hyung-hee said.











Seen is a screenshot from a campaign on the Kakao Together website encouraging people to make donations to support Ukraine. Screenshot from Kakao Together website
By Orville Schell





NEW YORK  Soon after the news of Russia's invasion of Ukraine flashed across my computer screen, I received an email that seemed to mark another milestone in the dismantling of the old global order.



Having tickets to attend a Vienna Philharmonic concert at New York's Carnegie Hall, I received a "Customer Service Announcement" reporting that the Valery Gergiev  described as "a friend and prominent supporter of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia"  would no longer be conducting the orchestra. Many other orchestras have since cut ties with Gergiev as well.



Until the Russian invasion, it was still possible to believe that a full Western "decoupling" from China and Russia was both unlikely and unwise. Yet Gergiev's removal is a metaphor for how the newly confected Sino-Russian axis is catalyzing a rift that will now affect everything from cultural exchanges to trade.



After all, until the invasion, many were skeptical that the European Union (especially Germany) would ever get the Russian natural-gas needle out of its arm  especially with the Nord Stream 2 pipeline offering up a fresh vein. Equally, many have wondered how the U.S. could ever kick its addiction to low-cost Chinese-made merchandise now that so many of its own factories have closed.



During the halcyon days of globalization  when "Davos man" ruled the planet with cheery bromides about win-win-win outcomes  global supply chains seemed to promise boundless benefits for everyone. What was wrong with outsourcing to distant lands if they could make something cheaper and ship it faster? Open markets were touted for their ability to create more open societies.



All we had to do was keep trading transnationally, paying no heed to the ideological or political cast of the other country. Thus did the West, and much of the rest of the world, become codependent with Russia (for gas) and China (for rare earths, polysilicon, pharmaceuticals, and old-fashioned consumer goods).



But with Putin invading Ukraine and Chinese President Xi Jinping expressing revanchist attitudes toward Taiwan, we are left to assess not only an upturned world order and a shattered global marketplace, but also the sundering of anodyne cultural exchanges.



What is driving this unexpected and dangerous train wreck? Why would Putin throw Russia's real national interests to the wind by invading a once-fraternal neighbor? What would lead Xi to countenance sacrificing his own people's historic economic miracle for the sake of seizing a flea-shaped island that China hasn't ruled in well over a century? Why have these two latter-day authoritarians indulged such self-destructive urges and alienated so many other important countries, just when the world was becoming so interdependent?



First, it is important to remember that autocrats are far freer to act in unrestrained ways, because they face few if any political checks and balances. Thus, as "supreme" leaders, they can shape policies according to their own characterological disorder without challenges. While Putin and Xi have very different backgrounds and personalities, they share some key traits. Both are deeply insecure, paranoid men who have been shaped by historical narratives of grievance, especially against the "great powers" of the West.



These narratives center around Leninist themes of foreign exploitation, humiliation, and victimization. They demonize Western democracies as hypocrites and oppressors (as in Lenin's theory of imperialism). And they impute arrogant and disdainful attitudes to the West.



More than anything else, Putin and Xi want respect. Yet they know that most Western leaders do not, and probably never will, respect their authoritarianism  no matter how successful they are in building high-speed rail lines, constructing modern cities, or hosting Olympic Games. It is this respect-deficit syndrome that has created their imperium of resentment and grievance.



Putin and Xi recognize that they will never overcome this, regardless of how successfully their foreign, technology, and space policies advance their countries' development, or how much oil and gas they sell to the world.



And it does no good to admonish them that gaining respect requires them to behave respectably, rather than jailing opposition candidates and dissidents (including Nobel laureates), persecuting people for their religious beliefs, bullying other countries with punitive trade policies, and launching invasions. Having drunk the Leninist Kool-Aid of victimization, Putin and Xi simultaneously want to overthrow the Western order and be esteemed by it.



As such, they are animated by a contradiction that no amount of Western handholding can resolve. Not even the tonic effect of "engagement," sustained through nine U.S. presidential administrations, was enough to overcome China's sense of being the target of constant disapprobation and ideological threat (in the form of "peaceful evolution" and "color revolutions") from the world's democracies. Putin and Xi take great umbrage at having to live next door to successful democracies, like Ukraine and Taiwan, comprised of peoples with similar histories, cultures, and ethnicities.



The magnetic force of shared grievance has brought these two former rivals so close that they recently declared there were "no limits" to their partnership. Both insist that it should be up to the people of the country "to decide whether their state is a democratic one." And Putin and Xi claim they are leading a new kind of democracy, never mind that Putin fancies himself a czar, and that Xi's version of governance is a "democratic dictatorship of the proletariat."



The question now is whether Russia and China will be able to maintain their opportunistic pact following Putin's decision to go to war. Just before the invasion, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told the Munich Security Conference that the "sovereignty" and "territorial integrity" of all countries should be protected, and that "Ukraine is no exception."



And Xi subsequently called Putin to explain that, while he understands Russia's security concerns, China still respects the sovereignty of nation-states and intends to uphold the principles of the United Nations Charter. After all, the Communist Party of China does not want foreign powers interfering in its own "internal affairs," never mind invading China.



Which of these imperatives will win out? Most likely, China and Russia's shared aversion to liberal democracy (and to the self-righteousness of democratic leaders) will ultimately trump the quaint 19th-century idea that national sovereignty is sacred. The narrative of victimization that is psychologically fueling both countries' nationalism with reservoirs of resentment is simply too powerful to be nullified by the niceties of international law.





Orville Schell, Director of the Center on U.S.-China Relations at the Asia Society, is a co-editor (with Larry Diamond) of Chinese Influence and American Interests: Promoting Constructive Engagement. This article was distributed by Project Syndicate (www.project-syndicate.org).


U.S. Ambassador to China nominee Nicholas Burns attends a hearing to examine his nomination before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Oct. 20, 2021. (Patrick Semansky/AP Photo)

New US Ambassador Arrives in Beijing Amid Tense Relations

BEIJINGNew U.S. Ambassador Nicholas Burns has arrived to take up his post in Beijing amid heightened tensions between China and the United States over Taiwan, trade, human rights, and the war in Ukraine.

Burns arrived Friday with his wife Libby and a group of other U.S. diplomats and their families and will undergo three weeks of quarantine at his official residence as the Chinese regime requires, according to a U.S. Embassy spokesperson.

During his quarantine, the ambassador will virtually meet with U.S. Mission staff, the spokesperson said.

The post had been empty since Terry Branstad departed in October 2020.

Burns is a career diplomat, former State Department spokesperson, ambassador to NATO, and leading academic, teaching most recently at the Harvard Kennedy School and serving as a foreign policy adviser to Joe Bidens presidential campaign.

He has framed the U.S. relationship with China as manageable, saying Americans should have confidence in our strength when dealing with the growing influence of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The United States and China are considered leading geopolitical rivals, particularly for influence in the Indo-Pacific region where the CCPs growing military and economic clout is challenging U.S. dominance.

While the Biden administration professes a desire for a more stable and predictable relationship, it has maintained higher tariffs on Chinese imports imposed by former President Donald Trump and continued a trend of closer relations with Taiwan, the self-governing island the Chinese regime claims as its own. Taiwan is a de facto independent country, with its own military, democratically-elected government, and constitution.

Most recently, the CCP was irked by a U.S.-led diplomatic boycott of last months Beijing Winter Olympics in protest over human rights violations, particularly the mass incarceration and mistreatment of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in the northwestern region of Xinjiang.

The CCP has also refused to condemn Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, blaming the United States for instigating the conflict by encouraging NATO expansion and refusing to consider Moscows security concerns.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in a phone conversation Saturday that the world is responding in unison to the invasion and watching to see which nations stand up for the principles of freedom and sovereignty, a U.S. State Department statement said.

Burns own appointment became caught up in U.S.China differences when Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) announced in November that he had put the nomination on hold in an effort to press Biden to sign into law bipartisan legislation he co-authored banning products made with Uyghur forced labor in western China.
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Hollywood couple Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis have raised over $6.8 million as of Friday, a day after setting up a GoFundMe page seeking humanitarian aid for Ukrainian refugees.







Kunis, who was born in Chernivtsi, Ukraine in 1983, moved to the United States in 1991.







"I have always considered myself an American, a proud American... But today, I have never been more proud to be a Ukrainian," Kunis said in an embedded video.







"The events that have unfolded in Ukraine are devastating. There is no place in this world for this kind of unjust attack on humanity."







Kutcher, sitting by Kunis' side in the video, said the funds would be used to provide refugee and humanitarian aid to Ukrainians affected by Russia's invasion of the neighboring country.







"The principle challenge right now is logistics. We need to get housing and we need to get supplies and resources into the area," said Kutcher. "And I have never been more proud to be married to a Ukrainian."







The two actors, who married in 2015, have agreed to match up to $3 million of donations, with the ultimate goal of raising $30 million. They are partnering with short-term housing website Airbnb.org and Flexport.org, which organizes shipments of humanitarian aid to refugees. (Reuters)


MBABANE  An absolute bargain!

The prices of the two aircraft that have been bought by the Royal Eswatini National Airways Corporation (RENAC) have now been revealed; and Minister of Finance Neal Rijkenberg has described the figures as a good deal. On Wednesday, the minister had informed members of the House of Assembly portfolio committee on finance that the aircraft were not of a luxury nature, but commercial aeroplanes that had been bought at a reasonable price. The minister did not give the committee members the amount spent on purchasing the aircraft and asked that he be given an opportunity to confirm the figures and include them in his written responses that would then be brought to the House.

He has since confirmed to the Times SUNDAY that the aircraft were bought for a combined price of US$3.1 million, which is about E47.43 million when calculated at yesterdays exchange rate of US1 equalling E15.30.

Purpose of purchasing

The two aircraft are the Embraer ERJ-145 and each has a carrying capacity of 50 passengers. As previously reported by this publication, the aircraft were bought from HOP!, which is a subsidiary of Air France. The purpose of purchasing the aircraft is for RENAC to revive the national airline and provide air travel from Eswatini to other destinations in the SADC region because currently the only route to Johannesburg (O.R Tambo International Airport), is operated by Swazi Airlink. It has been ascertained that RENAC could have bought the aircraft for double the US$3.1 million had it carried out the purchase in 2019, where one aircraft was available for US$3.2 million and had a carrying capacity of 47 passengers.

Instead, the public enterprise waited for the right moment and, according to Rijkenberg, he was able to get one aircraft for US$1.5 million and the other for US$1.6 million. Even to the portfolio committee, the minister had explained that Cabinet advised RENAC to buy the aircraft when the market was down and COVID-19 provided that opportunity. The whole market for aircraft was flat due to the outbreak of COVID-19. So, RENAC saw it as an opportunity, as the prices were discounted. There is nothing hidden and I have no problem bringing the information on the price, he told the committee.

Explaining to this publication why he did not have the precise cost of the aircraft when he appeared before the committee on Wednesday, the minister said this was because government did not budget for the aeroplanes specifically but allocated one figure to every public enterprise for their operations during that particular financial year. Although he did not know the specific cost of the aircraft, he said he was aware that an amount of E100 million had been set aside to pay for all costs related to reviving the national airline. We provide a subvention to RENAC and from their savings they have now afforded to buy the aeroplanes. I think they have done a fantastic job and I support them 100 per cent, he said. He said RENAC came to Cabinet and said with the buying of the aircraft, staffing of the aircraft as well as paying for all the licensing of the aircraft and their refurbishing, it would all cost E100 million.

Absolute bargain

I explained that to Parliament and they asked me how much the aircraft cost and I said I didnt know, but would go and verify the figure and include it in my report but now it is being said that I do not know the budget. The aircraft were bought for an absolute bargain. They told me it was a bargain but I wasnt aware how much, the minister said. Rijkenberg reiterated his support for the purchase of the aircraft and said he had confidence that even though the airline might not make money immediately, but the viability and value would be realised in the near future. For the economy to grow, we cannot continue to be cut off from the rest of the world. Having flights to Cape Town, Durban, Harare and more competition on the Johannesburg route will help to grow the economy, he said. When addressing the portfolio committee, the minister said the bigger picture of the aircraft purchase would be seen in the investments that were being explored in various sectors, including tourism.

Commercial airspace

He said the country had already invested in the construction of the International Convention Centre, and was on the verge of introducing a game reserve in the Lubombo Region and that all these projects aligned with the need to have a commercial airspace. One of the committee members, MP Mduduzi Matsebula, wanted to know the amount given to RENAC as subvention, because it appeared the public enterprise had a lot of money such that it had purchased the two aircraft. He also wanted the committee to be provided with answers on whether RENAC does submit audited financial statements.

For the record, a report by the Eswatini Economic Policy Analysis and Research Centre (ESEPARC), detailing the performance of the countrys public enterprises which was released in November last year, shows that RENAC was allocated a subvention of E356 million. For the 2022/2023 financial year, the Government Book of Estimates reflects that a far lesser amount of E172.56 million would go to the Royal Swazi Airline. The Public Enterprises Unit (PEU) quarterly report for April to June 2021, does provide financial performance of RENAC.

This will not be the first time that Eswatini has a national airline, as it has on previous occasions operated the Lijubantsendzele and also the Ludvondvolo aircraft.

Planned airline

Business Eswatini (BE) is on record saying the planned national airline was well known to the countrys employer organisation, after RENAC took the private sector into their confidence.

BE Chief Executive Officer Nathi Dlamini, said they, however, before the whole strategic plan was presented to the organisations management team, had had their own reservations which bordered on scepticism in large part, because earlier attempts of having a viable commercial national airline had been met with failure. As such, he said, they were curious as to what would be done differently this time around which could make the venture successful. Dlamini said RENAC management, to their credit, came over to BE and made a comprehensive presentation including laying out the critical success factors to be achieved in order to make the airline a viable one.

He said they went further to describe in detail the role to be played by the travelling private sector community seeing as they did, that most of the travelling between the proposed destination would be primarily business.

Potential prospects

Further, he said RENAC management meticulously dissected the whole aviation plan in front of their eyes to the extent that BE found themselves getting excited about the potential prospects. He said the proposed Harare, Durban and Cape Town routes would cut out the current and time-wasting stopover in Johannesburg. Dlamini added: That is not a bad thing, especially for business people who always want to get to their destination and conduct their business and come back home hassle-free. We feel this proposed flight plan will definitely be a winner.
I have some good news and some bad news. But then, some more good news.

It's about a scientific study on happiness -- and the surprising thing that actually seems to make it harder for people to achieve true, holistic well-being and happiness.

It comes to us from a huge team of researchers around the globe, who studied 7,443 people in 40 countries to determine whether social pressure might actually achieve the counterproductive result of making individual people less likely to be happy.

For example, let's take Denmark, a country that consistently ranks as among the happiest on the planet. That distinction sparked a worldwide trend a few years ago, as people in other countries tried to figure out how to embrace the Danish concept of hygge, which has to do with "coziness," or "comfortable conviviality."

"If only we could add more coziness to our lives, perhaps we would be as happy as the Danish," wrote study author Brock Bastian, a professor at the University of Melbourne in Australia. "But is living in one of the world's happiest nations all it's cracked up to be? What happens if you struggle to find or maintain happiness in a sea of (supposedly) happy people?"

Sure enough, Bastian and his colleagues found in their study, which was published in the journal, Scientific Reports, the more pressure there is for people to be happy, the less likely it will be that individual people will say that they actually are happy.

I've come across this paradox in my writing and research. For example, while writing my book on Harvard Business School and entrepreneurship, I was struck by the degree to which some students carefully studied how to live a happy and fulfilling life, along with studying things like entrepreneurship, business leadership, and finance.

But, the mere fact of putting so much emphasis on happiness prompted competition among students to see who would be the happiest and most fulfilled--and who would be at the very end of the line (in other words, failing at life).

That's basically what Bastian and his colleagues found, too:

"Worldwide, when people report feeling pressure to experience happiness and avoid sadness, they tend to experience deficits in mental health. That is, they experience lower satisfaction with their lives, more negative emotion, less positive emotion and higher levels of depression, anxiety and stress."

The researchers also went a step further, connecting these levels of lower satisfaction and happiness specifically within countries that placed a higher value on happiness.

"In countries such as Denmark," Bastian wrote, "the social pressure some people felt to be happy was especially predictive of poor mental health," adding that "being surrounded by a sea of happy faces may aggravate the effects of already feeling socially pressured to be happy."

Now, I don't have the answer to this. But, it might be worth looking at a few other countries, and how they define happiness, to see whether there's any kind of lesson there.

A few years back, a British-born, Danish-bred author named Helen Russell set out to categorize how people in 29 countries perceive the very concept of happiness, in her book, The Atlas of Happiness.

For example, Russell says if you had to choose a Canadian characterization of happiness, it might be, "joie de vivre," or "joy of life."

"It doesn't matter how much snow is on the ground, how far they have to drive, or how packed their jazz festivals get," she writes. "Their particular brand of joie de vivre says, we're open to anything, anyone, and any weather--we'll try it all, and we'll make it good."

Or else, consider Japan, where Russell says the national characterization of happiness is "wabi sabi" ("simplicity" and "the beauty of age and wear").

"They convey the idea that happiness is achieved by accepting--and celebrating--imperfection and transience," she writes

Or even Bhutan, a small, landlocked country of 750,000 people in the Himilayas, whose king came up with the concept of "Gross National Happiness" in 1972, and where the philosophy "guides the government and people," according to Russell, to the point that, "collective happiness and well-being is measured and prioritized ahead of financial gain."

One might think that the last example, where an entire country explicitly makes an effort to increase happiness, would be a prime example of the phenomenon Bastian and his coauthors wrote about.

Sure enough, the most recent time Bhutan was polled as part of the World Happiness Index in 2019, it came in 94th out of 156 countries.

But I think perhaps that's the good news at the end, paradoxically.

If you live in a place that places a high value on happiness, you might be less likely yourself to be happy according to this research. But then, if everyone around you winds up feeling the same way, wouldn't that alleviate some of the pressure to be happy to begin with?
Amid the Russian military operations in Ukraine, thousands of nationals, including students from many countries, have been stuck in the conflict-ravaged country for over a week.

"Embassy of Pakistan in Ukraine has worked round the clock for nine days and safely evacuated 1476 Pakistanis, nine are on their way while working with all sides to evacuate the remaining 37 stuck in different cities," Embassy of Pakistan in Ukraine tweeted.

Pakistani students are going through many hardships amid heavy fighting between Russia and Ukraine. More than 2000 Pakistanis are stuck in Ukraine, facing problems in the evacuation process.

They are facing problems like starvation besides a constant death threat, reported Pakistan vernacular media.

The Pakistani citizens have expressed concern over problems in bringing back more than 2000 Pakistanis stuck in Ukraine amidst ongoing war.

However, many claims were made by the Pakistan Foreign Ministry and Pakistan Embassy in Ukraine but the ground facts speak differently and people and students are facing a lot of troubles, reported Pak vernacular media.

The local media urged the Pakistan government to take the issue seriously and make immediate arrangements before any loss of life.

Meanwhile, India's national tricolour came to the rescue of not only the stranded Indians but also those hailing from Pakistan and Turkey to cross into the neighbouring countries of Ukraine. (ANI)
A street after a missile hit near the Kharkiv Regional State Administration building in Freedom Square in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on March 1. Vyacheslav Madiyevskyy/Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images

A former Trump advisor called Ukraine's president a "puppet" and said Russia had been "too gentle."

Retired Col. Douglas Macgregor said the war could've "ended days ago" if Ukraine had conceded .

President Volodymyr Zelensky has rallied Ukrainians to fight back against invading Russian forces.

A Trump-era defense advisor on Friday accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of being a "puppet" and said Russia had been "too gentle" in the early stages of its attack on Ukraine.

In an interview with Fox Business' Stuart Varney, retired Col. Douglas Macgregor  who then-President Donald Trump appointed as a senior advisor to the secretary of defense  said there was nothing "heroic" about Zelensky, who has led his country's resistance against invading Russian forces.

"The first five days Russian forces I think frankly were too gentle," he said. "They've now corrected that. So, I would say another 10 days this should be completely over."

Macgregor  who Trump also tapped to serve as ambassador to Germany in July 2020 before the nomination stalled in the Senate  said the war could have "ended days ago" if Zelensky had accepted what the Russians have sought, which he said was a "neutral Ukraine."

"I think Zelensky is a puppet, and he is putting huge numbers of his own population in unnecessary risk," Macgregor said.

Macgregor then laughed when Varney asked whether Macgregor thought Zelensky was a hero for leading Ukrainian resistance.

"I don't see anything heroic about the man," Macgregor said. "I think the most heroic thing he could do right now is come to terms with reality. Neutralize Ukraine."

He continued: "This is not a bad thing. A neutral Ukraine would be good for us as well as for Russia. It would create the buffer that frankly both sides want, but he's I think being told to hang on and try to drag this out, which is tragic for the people that have to live through this."

Story continues

Varney ended the interview by telling Macgregor that he disagreed with him.

Republican Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming  a conservative who in recent years has become one of Trump's most ardent critics  on Saturday blasted MacGregor for his comments.

"Douglas MacGregor, nominated by Trump as ambassador to Germany; appointed by Trump as sr advisor to the Secretary of Defense, says Russian forces have been 'too gentle' and 'I don't see anything heroic' about Zelensky," she wrote on Twitter. "This is the Putin wing of the GOP."

Macgregor's worldview was also dismissed last week by the Fox News correspondent Jennifer Griffin after he said that the US shouldn't help Ukraine and that Russian President Vladimir Putin should be able to seize parts of the country.

"We will not send our forces to fight, but we are urging Ukrainians to die pointlessly in a fight they can't win," Macgregor said. "We're going to create a far greater humanitarian crisis than anything you've ever seen if it doesn't stop."

Griffin said Macgregor's comments had many "distortions."

"The kind of appeasement talk that Col. Doug Macgregor, who should know better  when he was in government, he was the one who was advising Trump to pull all US troops out of Germany," she said. "That kind of projection of weakness is what made Putin think that he could actually move into a sovereign country like Ukraine."

While congressional Republicans have overwhelmingly lined up behind Zelensky, Trump last month described Putin's justification for invading Ukraine as "savvy" and "genius" and argued that the conflict wouldn't have occurred on his watch.

Former Vice President Mike Pence during a Friday speech to Republican National Committee donors seemed to take a swipe at Trump over the issue.

"There is no room in this party for apologists for Putin," Pence said during his remarks.

Zelensky has been applauded throughout the world as a hero for remaining in Ukraine as Russia moves toward the Ukrainian capital and amid repeated warnings that he's an assassination target. He has called on Ukrainians to take up arms and defend the country from Russian forces, and many citizens from other countries  including the US  have sought to travel to the country to fight alongside Ukrainian troops.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

Authorities say a man who injured four officers in a wild Albuquerque shootout was on suicide watch and had been hospitalized for self-inflicted injuries the day before being found dead in his cell last month.

James Ramirez, 28, was found dead Feb. 15 in his cell at the Cibola County Correctional Center in Milan. The Village of Milan Police Department is investigating.

Milan Police Sgt. Joe Galindo said on Friday that the department does not suspect foul play and a cause of death hasnt been determined.

We are waiting on the result from the Office of the Medical Investigator, Galindo said by email. Ramirez, who was from California, had been in federal custody on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

On Aug. 19, Ramirez got into a prolonged gunfight with Albuquerque police, firing at least 70 bullets and injuring four officers before being shot and detained, according to authorities. Officers Mario Verbeck, James Eichel Jr., Harry Gunderson and Sgt. Sean Kenny were hospitalized and later released.

Ramirez had been held at the prison in Milan since September, with a cell to himself.

Galindo said on Feb. 14 Ramirez was taken to a local hospital to be treated for self-inflicted injuries. He did not elaborate on what those injuries were.

Galindo said Ramirez was brought back to the prison and placed in his cell where he was on suicide watch.

They conducted checks on Mr. Ramirez twice every hour, he said.

The next day, Galindo said Ramirez was found unresponsive and efforts to revive him were unsuccessful. Ramirez was pronounced dead shortly after.

At this time we are not suspecting any foul play, Galindo said. A cause of death has not been determined at this time.
The losses of the Russian army during the invasion of Ukraine exceeded 11,000 servicemen, the personnel of the occupying forces are frightened by the losses of the invaders and are looking for ways to desert, the press service of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports.

"The total combat losses of the enemy from February 24 to March 6 tentatively amounted to: personnel - more than 11,000 people, tanks - 285 units, combat armored vehicles - 985 units, artillery systems -109 units, MLRS -50 units, air defense systems - 21 units, aircraft - 44 units, helicopters - 48 units, vehicles - 447 units, light speed boats - two units, tanks with fuel and lubricants - 60 units, UAVs of the operational-tactical level - four," the report says.

It notes that the data is being updated. Counting is complicated by the high intensity of hostilities.

The General Staff says that the Ukrainian defenders hold certain positions and destroy enemy manpower and equipment.

"The enemy, despite significant losses, is throwing hundreds of admirers of the 'Russian world' into battle. In particular, in Luhansk region, the entire front line is littered with corpses and wrecked equipment of the invaders. Just yesterday, more than 650 wounded representatives of the Russian occupation troops were delivered to the central city hospital of the settlement of Bryanka in Luhansk region from the front lines. Most of them are from Popasna direction," the General Staff stressed.

They specify that all of them are mostly in a serious condition: multiple shrapnel wounds, severed limbs of the legs or arms, etc. Despite the fact that due to the lack of free places in the hospital, the invaders who received minor bodily injuries (concussions, minor injuries) are not even admitted to a medical facility.

"After providing first aid, they are escorted by an armed convoy from among the regular troops of the Russian Armed Forces, transferred to the line of combat confrontation for the introduction of further hostilities as 'cannon fodder.' It is known that the personnel of the 6th motorized rifle regiment is frightened and demoralized, looking for ways to desertion," the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said.
Tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes and international asset manager Brookfield are set to walk away from their proposal to buy AGL and fast-track the closure of its coal-fired power plants after the energy giants board rejected a sweetened bid worth nearly $9 billion.

The nations biggest power supplier received an increased offer from the bidding consortium over the weekend, worth $8.25 per share. AGL shares closed at $7.43 on Friday. But AGLs board, which has held an emergency meeting to discuss the latest offer, is expected to formally reject the offer on Monday morning. Sources close to Brookfield indicated that the latest bid may be the consortiums final offer.

Mike Cannon-Brookes and Brookfield have launched a bid for AGL to accelerate its coal exit. Credit:Wolter Peeters, Bloomberg

Mr Cannon-Brookes, the co-founder of software developer Atlassian and Australias third-richest person, on Sunday said it was with great sadness that the consortium was putting our pens down.

This weekend, the board rejected our raised offer of $8.25 - 46 per cent more than the price of $5.55 about 90 days ago, he said in a post on Twitter.
New Delhi, March 6 : It is said that adversity is the crucible in which friendship is tested...

Two Indians, Mohammed Faisal and Kamal Singh stuck in the war-torn Ukraine, have also passed the test of friendship with flying colours.

Two days prior to Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, Faisal, a resident of Hapur in Uttar Pradesh, got a chance to return to India but he cancelled his ticket as Kamal, who hails from Varanasi, could not get a ticket.

The two friends are students of Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University in Ukraine. Their friendship started last year at the Kiev airport, following which they found an accommodation at the varsity's hostel and started appreciating each other's company.

Kamal says: "Faisal and my views are similar and we are serious about our education. I am thankful to god that I have found such a friend in college time. Both of us talk about education and future, that is the reason our bond of friendship got strengthened." Alhough they have safely returned to India, they were now worried about the course of their education in the future.

The two are urging the Central government to take a decision about medical studies so that their one year of education in Ukraine does not go to waste.

Faisal told IANS: "Last year on December 11, I went to Ukraine for medical studies. All students were waiting for other fellows at Kiev airport because we all had to go to Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University. At that time, I met Kamal and started to reside with him in the university hostel.

"My ticket got booked two days prior to when the war began, but when I enquired the contractor as to whose tickets have been booked, I got to know that Kamal could not get it. After that I decided not return to India without my friend Kamal. My contractor tried to convince me that the situation is worsening in Ukraine but I refused to return.

"I did not feel like leaving Kamal alone. My family asked me to return, even Kamal asked me to return to the country, but I followed my heart and stayed for my friend." On the very next day of refusing the ticket to return without his friend, both of them helped other students and dropped them till the railway station safely.

On February 23, when they were returning after dropping their friends, a big attack was carried out by Russia, after which Kiev airport was closed.

Faisal further said that both of them reached the airport together but the officers present there asked him to embark the Indigo flight, while Kamal had to board the Air Force's C-17 aircraft.

After returning to Delhi, Kamal called Faisal and asked him to meet, but the latter who was staying in Uttar Pradesh Bhavan in the national capital, was denied permission by the officials.

Faisal and Kamal's friendship, as well as the Indian students who returned to India with their pets, have set an example that humanity still exists amid war and crisis.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
New Delhi, March 6 : Pakistani Senator Mushahid Hussain has said that past mistakes in the context of Afghanistan should not be repeated and no proxy war should be fought on Afghan soil by the foreign countries.

Hussain, a Senator from the Islamabad Capital Territory, made the remarks at an international conference in Dushanbe hosted by the Council for Strategic Affairs, Indian Institute of Management Rohtak.

He said the solution for the stability of Afghanistan is regional and not to be determined by the West.

"Further, we must realise that Economic development, tackling unemployment and inclusive growth is the antidote for radicalisation and this needs to be implemented in Afghanistan.

"Regional infrastructure and connectivity initiatives such as Iran-Pakistan-India oil pipeline, belt-road initiatives etc. are welcome. We need to revive the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India economic corridor as well for the economic interests of these countries particularly Afghanistan," he added.

The conference, which focused on the topic "Framework of engagement: Afghanistan in focus of Central and South Asian nations", was attended by representatives from all Central Asian nations, along with India and Russia. The countries came together to discuss finding innovative methods of engagement in conflict situations.

Saidov Saidovich, Professor of the Department of International Relations and Diplomacy of the Russian-Tajik (Slavonic) University, said that drug trafficking is a major reason for destabilising Afghanistan.

Revenues from drug trafficking are supporting the Taliban regime even while they have a limited acceptance in Afghanistan, he said, adding that India and Russia are the most important countries that can help stabilise the Afghan situation.

In his remarks, Prof Abdul Ghani said that the old Silk Route must be revived with the support of India through Iran. Railroads should also be developed to have greater trade relations between Central Asia and India through Iran.

Ruslan Kazkenov, Chairman of the Civic Peace Association, said that they are looking forward towards cooperation with India to get peace.

Referring to his recent visit to Afghanistan, he added that he was approached by the representatives of the Taliban government, who sought his help for providing humanitarian assistance to the people of the war-torn nation.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) is actively identifying and disabling sabotage groups and agents of Russian intelligence services in Ukraine, the press service of the SBU reported on Sunday.

"The enemy is trying to "reactivate" the former military on our territory and involve them in both open and underground war against Ukraine. But we are successfully resisting this," the SBU said.

In particular, in Donetsk region, SBU officers detained an enemy sabotage-reconnaissance group.

"They arrived in Ukraine the day before the full-scale invasion from the temporarily annexed Crimea. They were supposed to reconnoiter checkpoints and deployment points of the Ukrainian military, as well as commit sabotage and prepare a springboard for further cleansing by the main forces of the Russian Federation," the SBU said.

During the detention, enemy intelligence officers provided armed resistance to the forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the SBU. However, they were all detained. During the interrogation, the invaders provided important evidence of armed aggression against Ukraine.

In Kharkiv region, the SBU detained a fire spotter who was transmitting information to the enemy intelligence services about the location of military warehouses and critical infrastructure facilities.

"The agent cynically aimed Russian rocket artillery at residential areas of the city. As a result of these actions, the infrastructure was destroyed and casualties among the civilian population were provoked," the SBU said.

In Zakarpattia region, the SBU detained an agent of the FSB of the Russian Federation, who, from the first day of the war in Ukraine, collected data on the moods of the inhabitants of western Ukraine and their attitude towards Russia against the backdrop of the war, and in Dnipro, the Ukrainian SBU detained two local residents who spoke in support of the "Russian peace."

"According to the information received, one of the occupier's admirers photographed military facilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. A plan-scheme of the Operational Command Skhid of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was found in his laptop. The other collected data on the locations of checkpoints in Dnipro. He passed the information he received to the curators through the marks on the Google map about the locations of the checkpoints," the SBU said.

The SBU said that two brothers were detained in Kyiv  propagandists with pro-Russian and pro-Belarusian views. There is evidence of their close cooperation with the intelligence services of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus.

"The goal of the invaders' accomplices is to undermine the internal situation in the country and create a "necessary information picture" for Russia and Belarus. So far, their picture is a view from behind the bars of the Ukrainian detention center," the SBU said.
Advisor to Internal Minister on threat to Ukraine from Belarus: If there is no deep pressure from Putin, then Lukashenko to 'do some fancy footwork' in the future

Adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs Vadym Denysenko has said that the internal situation in Belarus should not allow Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to join Russia's war against Ukraine.

"At the moment, I think that the likelihood that Lukashenko will have his own military units... You need to understand that there are not many of them, the Belarusian army, it is relatively small and demotivated. There are actually not very many combat-ready units. Although in our situation, 5,000-10,000 people more is quite serious. But I hope that the internal situation in Belarus should not allow Lukashenko to enter this war. If there is no deep, simply unbelievable pressure from Putin, I think that Lukashenko will 'do some fancy footwork' in the future," Denysenko said on 1 + 1 TV channel on Sunday morning.

He also drew attention to the fact that panic among the male population of Belarus has now begun: the number of men who massively travel abroad has increased dramatically. "They are fleeing the country because they are afraid they will be sent to Ukraine," Denysenko said.
Local students inspired their families, schools and community on Monday, Feb. 28, by their confidence, presence and masterful delivery of prepared speeches during the Orangeburg County School District (OCSD) MLK Jr. Oratory Competition.

The annual oratory competition featured 14 students, a talented group comprised of one fourth or fifth grade school contest winner from each of the districts elementary schools. The contest allows OCSD students to use their voices to motivate and inspire others through the art of public speaking. In addition, it serves as a celebration of cultural diversity and spotlights the students as they honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and celebrate his contributions and so many others as part of Black History Month.

Each students powerful, deeply personal speech was based on the competition theme, Awakening the Consciousness of Compassion, and answered the question, What movement would you support, start or lead; why is this movement important?

Malachi Jean, a fifth-grader at Mellichamp Elementary, won first place; Dilyn Berry, a fourth-grader at Bethune-Bowman Elementary, placed second; and Harlem Brown, a fifth-grader at Holly Hill Elementary, brought home the third-place prize. Congratulations to these three, along with all 14 inspiring participants.

Each original two-to-five-minute speech incorporated ideals from Dr. Kings teachings and demonstrated how his words continue to impact and inspire lives.

OCSDs first-place winner, Malachi Jean, shared his concerns with gun violence and motivated attendees to act on what we say we believe about the leading cause of death in youth today. Jean hopes to lead a music movement which promotes positivity and life, not death. He would call this the Orangeburg Anti-Gun Violence Music Movement and feature his peers who would make music with a message against gun violence, music that heals over music that kills.

Each contestant received a certificate of participation, trophy and gift certificate. A check for $500 was the reward for first place, $300 for second and $150 for third, sponsored by Davis Toyota of Orangeburg. MLK Jr. contest winners will also deliver inspirational messages as part of the back-to-school celebrations for the coming year.

These students make me want to get up in the morning and come to work, Superintendent Dr. Shawn Foster said. I cant think of a more inspirational start to next years school year than our employees hearing directly from our talented scholars.

Cecil J. Williams, a native of Orangeburg, professional photographer, videographer, publisher and author of six books, was also honored at the event for Awakening the Consciousness of Compassion through his work to document the history of African Americans in the South and the civil rights movement.

The energy and excitement of the event, with inspirational music performed by the award- winning North/HKT Concert and Jazz bands and their passionate, well-spoken students, motivated the more than 100 audience members in attendance and several hundred more who joined virtually. A recording of the event is on the districts website and YouTube channel.

Oratory contestants

 Dilyn Berry, Bethune-Bowman Elementary (4th)

 Harlem Brown, Holly Hill Elementary (5th)

 Duane Butler, Sheridan Elementary (5th)

 Jasmine Cook, Hunter-Kinard-Tyler Elementary (5th)

 Ava Ferguson, St. James-Gaillard Elementary (4th)

 Lavasvaughn Haase, Vance-Providence Elementary (5th)

 Roberta Hart, Elloree Elementary (4th)

 Malachi Jean, Mellichamp Elementary (5th)

 Jackson Jett, Lockett Elementary (4th)

 Jaylen Johnson, Dover Elementary (5th)

 Diego McAlhany, Edisto Elementary (5th)

 Saniya Patel, Marshall Elementary (5th)

 KaSon Spigner, Whittaker Elementary (4th)

 Matthew Stack, Brookdale Elementary (5th)
The end of a thing is better than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. (Ecclesiastes 7:8)

A friend recently shared how he applied for a promotion, but was passed over and they chose someone else. His disappointment was understandable. As he shared his frustration, however, he also read some verses from the Book of Romans that comforted him. Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith unto this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. (Romans 5: 1-5)

My friend realized that God is teaching him to be patient. In other words, when God knows the time is right, my friend knows that a promotion will come. As a Christian, he has hope even when the breaks don't seem to be going his way.

While listening to his story, I admired the strength and quality of his faith because I was also disappointed by the some of the breaks that seemed to be going my way. However, unlike my friend, I thought God's timing stunk. For the life of me, I could not understand why God would not honor the desires of my heart especially when I thought those desires were right in the center of his will for my life.

When I returned home and looked at the verses to which my friend staked his claim, God began to teach me a lesson about my attitude toward disappointment. Just one verse beyond the promise of hope that reminded my friend to be patient was God's message to me: "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly". (Romans 5:6)

When we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, we have to learn how to empty ourselves. We must become selfless if we are ever to live a spirit-filled life. And most of all, we have to accept that if God's timing was right for the ungodly, then it is perfect for his children.

When I looked in the mirror that night, I realized that I had not allowed that selfless quality to show through my disappointment. The only quality that was shining through my disappointment was a selfish Christian who would not submit to fact that God's clock doesn't work like ours. Indeed, when the time is right, God will respond.

By the way, the next morning I received a telephone call from another friend. He didn't know anything about my disappointment with God, or the lesson that I had learned from my selfish attitude. He just called me to let me know that God had led him to open a door for me. I did not know it then, but that door was the beginning of God's answer to my prayer.

He's never early, hes never late, hes always right on time!

Lord, forgive me for the selfish attitude I have shown. But most of all, for even that I could ever have a better sense of timing for my life than you. I am grateful for the door that you opened, and I know now that I never did deserve the opportunity to walk through it. Please dont ever let me forget the empty feeling I had when I realized how much I had failed you. Fill that emptiness with your Spirit and may others be blessed by the lesson I have learned. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Participants in an informal meeting of the EU General Affairs Council, held in Arles (Arles, France) on March 3-4, voiced strong calls to send a clear message about Ukraine's European prospects, Maros Sefcovic, Vice-President of the European Commission for Interinstitutional Relations & Foresight, wrote following the meeting.

"Ukraine has shown on every single day during these testing times that its heart beats in time with our European values. This cannot fall on deaf ears. I was glad to hear around the table strong calls to send a clear signal that we want Ukraine in," he said on Twitter.

At the meeting, Deputy Minister for European Affairs of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mart Volmer confirmed Estonia's unwavering support for Ukraine and stressed the importance of recognizing Ukraine's application for EU membership.

Zanda Kalnina-Lukasevica, Parliamentary Secretary of the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stressed that it has now become clear that Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine is an attempt to stop democratic processes in Europe. "The future of all of us depends on the unity of the EU's actions at this critical stage; therefore, the EU must grant Ukraine candidate status," she was quoted as saying on the website of the Latvian Foreign Ministry.

Kalnina-Lukasevica told the audience that on March 3, the Seimas unanimously decided to support granting Ukraine the status of an EU candidate country, and also adopted a law in support of Ukrainian citizens and amendments to legislation allowing Latvian citizens to serve in the Ukrainian armed forces.

In general, the topic of granting Ukraine the status of an EU candidate country, according to the Latvian Foreign Ministry, was among the main topics of the informal meeting, which is held every six months. Other topics included Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the support given by EU member states to Ukraine.

"We must confirm that Ukraine belongs to Europe, for whose values it is now fighting so heroically, and we must use all possible means to help Ukraine," the Latvian Foreign Ministry's parliamentary secretary said.

The General Affairs Council meets monthly and ensures the coordinated nature of the work of the various formations of the EU Council. Informal meetings of the General Affairs Council are convened every six months. In the first half of 2022, these meetings are chaired by the French Presidency of the Council of the EU.

In cooperation with the President of the European Council and with the European Commission, he prepares the meetings of the European Council and ensures the implementation of the decisions taken at them.
Megan Fox made jaws drop as she uploaded a slideshow of sizzling snapshots to her Instagram on Saturday.

The actress, 35, showed off her ample bust in a leopard-print dress and played with her voluminous raven hair while hanging in the passengers seat of a car.

Later in the day, Fox took to her Instagram Story to give fans a peek at a treatment she was having done on her stomach to enhance her abdominal muscles.

Stunner: Megan Fox made jaws drop as she uploaded a slideshow of sizzling snapshots to her Instagram on Saturday

Megan posed with her neon green manicured fingers in her hair for each shot as she positioned from the camera at a high angle.

Her plumped up pout was painted in a flattering cool pink shade and she gave herself a sultry gaze with a blend of brown and black eyeshadows.

The Transformers star pointed out that the underwire of her bra was 'poking out of my dress' in each shot and that she accidentally got 'white nail polish all over my hand from a failed in-car manicure.

'but dont look at that. just focus on whats working,' she wrote, followed by two cupcake emojis.

Wild side: The actress, 35, showed off her ample bust in a leopard-print dress and played with her voluminous raven hair while hanging in the passengers seat of a car

Strike a pose: Megan posed with her neon green manicured fingers in her hair for each shot as she positioned from the camera at a high angle

Taking to her Instagram Story, Megan uploaded a clip she'd taken from a recent EmSculpt session.

She was dressed down in the footage as she panned over her stomach, which had the equipment attached to it.

Seemingly showing off the results, Megan shared a snapshot of her incredibly toned body with her 19.2million followers.

She and her fiance Machine Gun Kelly, aka Colson Baker, announced on Instagram that they have recently adopted a kitten.

Beautification: Later in the day, Fox took to her Instagram Story to give fans a peek at a treatment she was having done on her stomach to enhance her abdominal muscles

Machine Gun Kelly posted a selfie of the pair of them with their new pet and wrote in the caption: 'welcome Whiskey to the gang.'

The heartwarming photo was part of an album that included a shirtless snap of Kelly lying in bed cuddling with his new moggy.

Megan's latest selfies come less than two months after Kelly revealed a bizarre quirk of the engagement ring he helped design for her.

'The bands are actually thorns. So if she tries to take it off, it hurts,' he told Vogue, explaining: 'Love is pain!'

Come along for the ride: Taking to her Instagram Story, Megan uploaded a clip she'd taken from a recent EmSculpt session

In action: She was dressed down in the footage as she panned over her stomach, which had the equipment attached to it

His remarks went public a week after they sealed their engagement by drinking each other's blood after his dramatic proposal.

Megan announced their big news with a three-camera Instagram video that showed him down on one knee at the Ritz Carlton Dorado Beach resort.

She revealed that 'we drank each others blood' after he proposed under a banyan tree - the same spot where they previously had 'asked for magic' in June 2020.

Their engagement is not the first time that the couple have decided on using blood as a way of showing their love for one another.

Wow! Seemingly showing off the results, Megan shared a snapshot of her incredibly toned body with her 19.2million followers

Last February he revealed that the Jennifer's Body actress had given him a drop of her blood in a vial on a necklace as a gift.

Kelly has never been married before but does co-parent a 12-year-old daughter called Casie with his ex-girlfriend Emma Cannon.

Megan meanwhile shares three sons of her own - Noah, nine, Bodhi, eight, and Journey, five - with her sizzling ex-husband Brian Austin Green.

She filed for divorce from Brian in 2015 citing irreconcilable differences, but she was back with him and pregnant with Journey the following year.

Baby mine: Machine Gun Kelly posted a selfie of the pair of them with their new pet and wrote in the caption: 'welcome Whiskey to the gang'

Three years after they got back together, Megan took the legal step of filing to dismiss the divorce petition in April 2019.

Before the coronavirus lockdowns Megan and Kelly were in Puerto Rico as co-stars filming their upcoming movie Midnight In The Switchgrass.

Then in May 2020 the dynamic duo were glimpsed grabbing takeout in his Aston Martin in the wake of rumors she was self-isolating separately from Brian.

A couple of days later Brian emotionally announced on his podcast ...With Brian Austin Green that Megan had left him earlier.
Once again, Iowa got its report card for pollution in its rivers and lakes, and the news wasnt good.

It was awful.

According to a Department of Natural Resources draft report, more than half of Iowas rivers and lakes are "impaired," to use the more clinical word to describe the state of our waterways. "Polluted" would be the more accurate term.

A total of 594 water bodies were impaired and in need of remediation. Of our rivers, 56% were in that category; a full 67% of lakes and reservoirs are.

Another 157 water bodies were deemed impaired but an improvement plan isn't required, or one has already been completed. Only 48 water bodies were de-listed.

This is an embarrassment, and it doesn't get the attention it deserves from policymakers. But, why would it? When youre trying to lure people and industry to the state, youre not going to tell them your waters are fouled.

It matters, though. We guarantee you that people care.

For a state that supposedly is trying to boost its competitiveness, this is one area it has overlooked.

Locally, Scott County is home to several creeks on the list of impaired waterways that need to be fixed: Spencer, Crow, Stafford, Robin and Candlelight. Add to that the Mississippi River. (Duck, Goose and Silver creeks are in that second category of impairment.)

To get on the impaired list means that waterways dont meet water quality standards for their intended use, whether it be recreation, drinking, fishing, etc.

This isnt a new problem, of course. Every two years, the DNR issues this report and it looks much the same.

Some of the creeks in Scott County have been on the impaired list for more than a decade. And Iowa has long known that its rivers and lakes are polluted.

In Scott County, most are on the list because of bacteria. Bacteria is the biggest factor cited across the state for streams and rivers, followed by fish kills. Animal waste is a big culprit in this area. And regulation, environmentalists say, is too forgiving.

Algae blooms are a big culprit for lakes and reservoirs.

Fixing this problem is an expensive proposition, too, and Iowans know it. Twelve years ago, more than 60% of voters approved a constitutional amendment to create a trust fund to pay for improvements to water quality and recreation.

At the time, people were told it would mean an increase in the sales tax. But since then, state lawmakers have ignored the voters and failed to act, even as a broad coalition of interests have pushed for them to do so.

The trust fund, and an increase in the sales tax to fund it, remain popular. Two years ago, a Des Moines Register poll said that 57% of Iowans backed the increase, while only 37% opposed.

Yet, lawmakers do next to nothing.

A few years ago, the Legislature devoted some funding to water quality, but all agreed it was wholly insufficient to the task.

Unfortunately, this years Legislature made it tougher to fix the problem. The recently approved revamp to the states tax system will drain the state of a lot of resources that could have gone to help.

In some parts of the state, people are willing to take this on. Polk County voters approved a bond referendum last year to pay for water quality and recreation projects. And most of Dubuque County voters also cast ballots in favor of a similar effort. (But because 60% approval was required, the referendum failed in Dubuque. Still, you can see voters there care about water quality.)

We think most Iowans care about the states rivers and lakes. And we think the next time that people see their state lawmaker they ought to simply ask this: Do you care that more than half of Iowas waterways are impaired. Then, follow it up with this: Why arent you doing anything about it?

These kinds of report cards shouldnt be shrugged off. If Iowas schoolkids brought these grades home, theyd have to stay after class. Or repeat a grade. We think Iowa legislators should be held to the same standard.

Iowa should fix this problem for no other reason than because the people who live here deserve it. But policymakers also ought to realize if theyre going to truly compete for people and business, for tourism and growth, they must act as well. It is far past time for Iowa to get serious and clean up its rivers and lakes.
Lucknow, March 6 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Sunday, met around 50 students who had returned from Ukraine.

The chief minister interacted with the students and took information about the situation there.

The chief minister said that it is necessary to exercise restraint in times of crisis. He said that four ministers of the government were camping abroad and so far 1,400 students have returned from Ukraine.

"Efforts are on to bring back the students who have arrived in the neighbouring countries of Ukraine. In Uttar Pradesh, 33 medical colleges are running normally. Our goal is to create a medical college in every district of the state. In government medical colleges, education is being done for 4 to 5 lakh rupees," he said.

There are about 2,400 students from Uttar Pradesh, studying in Ukraine.

He further said that how to further pursue the education of students who have returned from Ukraine, is under consideration.

"Prime Minister Modi is conscious of the future of children. Prime Minister Modi is in touch with neighbouring Ukrainian countries to bring back the students," he said.

The Indian government has launched an 'Operation Ganga' to bring back thousands of Indians stranded in Ukraine.
New Delhi, March 6 : The Ukrainian military is resorting to the methods of Middle Eastern extremists and using civilians as human shield, former adviser to the US Secretary of Defense, Colonel Douglas McGregor told Fox Business.

According to McGregor, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky needs to recognize the "inevitability" of the defeat of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and accept Moscow's conditions so as not to expose "a huge number of his population to unnecessary risk".

The Ukrainian military is using Islamist tactics in the cities, while Russian troops, on the contrary, are trying not to damage the infrastructure, he said.

"Ukrainian troops are hiding in populated areas because they have no mobility, no air defense, no air cover, no logistical infrastructure. Now they are mixing with the civilian population," RT News quoted the retired military official as saying.

"We have seen this in the Middle East. When we defeated the Islamists, they fled to the cities, used people, civilians, as human shields and tried to avoid destruction. And I think that is exactly what is happening today: the Ukrainian army is using the population to avoid defeat." At the same time, Russian President Vladimir Putin is "doing his best" to keep most of Ukraine intact. Moreover, in the first days of the special operation, the Russian army even acted "too softly", he added.

"Frankly, surprisingly little damage. The damage is much less than what we inflicted on Iraq when we sent troops there in 1991, and then in 2003," McGregor noted.
London, March 6 : Just 41 per cent of adults in Britain were 'very worried' about Covid-19 in mid-February, says a new survey.

The figure was less than half the proportion that were terrified by Covid-19 at the start of the pandemic in March 2020 (86 per cent), DailyMail reported quoting a survey by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The report mentioned that it had been falling since January 22, when the Omicron wave started to subside.

Since then, infections, hospitalisations and deaths had all been falling consistently until this week, with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson dropping all restrictions on February 24.

Statisticians surveyed 3,000 people in Britain from February 16 to 27 -- with all restrictions ending on February 24.

They showed the use of face coverings in shops and on public transport decreased compared to the previous week.

Some 71 per cent said they always or often wore face coverings while in shops, down from 77 per cent from February 3 to 13.

And 70 per cent reporting wearing a face covering throughout the journey on public transport, down from 78 per cent in the previous period.

Almost one-third (32 per cent) of adults reported always or often maintaining social distancing, down from 35 per cent.

This is the lowest proportion of adults reporting maintaining social distancing since data collection on this measure started in September 2020, the report said.

Around four in 10 (42 per cent) adults said they had taken a rapid lateral flow test in the past seven days, decreasing from 49 per cent.

The percentage of people working from home last week also continued to fall, with 15 per cent working remotely compared with 26 per cent from January 6 to 16.
This vibrant brainteaser promises to put your observation skills to the test.

The seek-and-find puzzle, from UK-based online printing company instantprint.co.uk, challenges players to find the single coffee cup hidden in the office supplies.

There are clocks, staplers and notebooks... but can you find the only coffee cup?

Scroll down for the reveal and more puzzles!

The seek-and-find puzzle, from UK-based online printing company instantprint.co.uk, challenges players to find the single coffee cup hidden in the office supplies

To make things trickier, there are a number of reusable and takeaway coffee cups added to the mix. But it's the traditional mug that you need to keep an eye out for.

The bright colours and patterns will distract the eye - so you'll have to work extra hard to stay on track.

Need a hint? Try looking in the top half of the image for a white cup.

Still struggling? Then scroll down for the reveal.

It's there! Right by the calendar and pile of mail to answer

It comes after Hungarian cartoonist Gergely Dudas, better known as Dudolf, shared one of his classic brainteasers to Facebook, challenging players to find the snake among the tortoises.

The adorable animals are all standing in a forest glade full of trees and ferns.

Hungarian cartoonist Gergely Dudas, better known as Dudolf , shared one of his classic brainteasers to Facebook, challenging players to find the snake among the tortoises

But somewhere in the idyllic scene there is also a single smiling snake.

To make things even trickier, Dudolf has drawn the tortoises so their long necks look snakelike, making it difficult to tell the animals apart.

Still struggling to see it? Look on the left side of the image and pay close attention.

If you give up or need the answer then keep scrolling for the reveal.

The snake is slithering alongside the tortoises on the left side of the image

It comes after Dudolf created a loved-up seek-and-find puzzle in honour of Valentine's Day.

The illustration shows loved-up animals embracing in a field of pink flowers.

But somewhere in this vibrant image there is a single pink love heart. Do you have what it takes to find it?

All loved up! Can you find the single pink heart in this Valentine's Day themed puzzle?

In his typical fashion, Dudolf has made things trickier by adding plenty of little details that are designed to distract the eye.

The canoodling owls, for example, have a single pink flower between them. Elsewhere a grey cat falls in love with his own reflection.

If you're struggling to find the heart then try looking on the left-hand side of the image, near the owls and kissing bears.

Still not having any luck? Then scroll down to check your answer.

There it is! The tiny pink heart is tucked between some flowers, just above the canoodling owls

It comes after players were challenged to find the only love-heart shaped balloon in a busy Valentine's Day scene.

The baffling seek-and-find puzzle was created by British retailers 247 Blinds to celebrate the romantic holiday ahead of February 14.

So, do you think you'll be able to find the hidden balloon ? Give it a try and put your observational skills to the test.

Scroll down for the answer

A tricky brainteaser is challenging players to find the only love-heart shaped balloon in a busy Valentine's Day scene (pictured)

There are many hearts, Cupid's arrows and roses throughout the print, but hidden within the drawings is a love-heart-shaped balloon.

If you're struggling to find the balloon, turn your attention to the middle section of the right hand side of the Valentine's Day scene.

If you still haven't spotted the pesky object, scroll down to find the answer.

There are many hearts, Cupid's arrows and roses throughout the print, but hidden within the drawings is a love-heart-shaped balloon (circled above)

If you want some more, try your hand at these tricky brainteasers below.

Designers have hidden a single open umbrella in this crowded street scene which is sure to leave you baffled.

The extremely tough seek-and-find puzzle was created by hotel chain Premier Inn following a recent poll revealed that brollies are one of the nation's most lost items.

There are many people featured in the crowded design, but only one of them is keeping dry under an umbrella.

So, do you think you'll be able to find it or will you be left scratching your head? Give it a try and put your observational skills to the test.

Hidden in the crowded street scene is a person holding an umbrella - but it's incredibly difficult to spot

The hotel chain commissioned the brain teaser after research found umbrellas are one of the nation's most lost items: 10 per cent of Brits will lose or break 10 or more umbrellas in their lifetime.

Almost a fifth of those polled (18 per cent) said they had broken or lost an umbrella after just one outing.

The survey of 2,000 UK adults also showed 28 per cent have turned up to an important work meeting soaking wet as they didn't have a brolly. And despite almost a fifth of Brits owning three umbrellas, one in 10 have spent up to 50 on replacements.

So, have you been able to spot the hidden brolly? If you're still struggling scroll down for the answer.

So, have you been able to spot the hidden brolly? If you're still struggling take a look at the top left-hand corner of the scene

Premier Inn commissioned the brain teaser to mark its new rental umbrellas trial in 30 of its hotels launched in partnership with DripDrop with a minimum of 15 percent of each borrowing fee going to the hotel chain's charity partner Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity (GOSH Charity).

Elsewhere, an infuriating brainteaser challenges players to find a snowflake in an unlikely tropical scene.

The seek-and-find puzzle, created by The French Bedroom Company in collaboration with wallpaper designer Elizabeth Ockford, features beautiful tropical birds and flittering butterflies, as well as palm fronds and ornate bird cages.

But hidden among the tropical picture is a single snowflake, which is almost impossible to spot.

The seek-and-find puzzle features beautiful tropical birds and flittering butterflies. Hidden among the tropical picture is a single snowflake, which is almost impossible to spot

The creators claim it's so difficult that it takes players an average of 7 minutes and 23 seconds to find.

The picture shows colourful budgies, butterflies, parrots and golden cages - but where is the snowflake?

Nestled within elegant illustrations of botanical birds, leaves and butterflies, the snowflake has proved tricky for Brits to find.

Focus your eye on the top corners of the painting - can you see it yet? The answer is below.

Answer: The delicate snowflake can be seen in the top left hand coner of the picture beneath one of the palm leaves

Can your brain handle more strain? Next up, this autumnal seek-and-find quiz challenges you to find the hidden hedgehog, but will you be up to the challenge?

British blinds retailer 247 Blinds have created this challenging brainteaser with a seasonal theme to test your attention to detail.

If you're looking for a clue, try focusing your attention on the bottom of the image and you might have more luck. Still struggling? Simply scroll down for the answer.

Scroll down for reveal

Can you find the tiny hedgehog hiding in this leafy scene for a brainteaser created by British blinds retailer 247 Blinds?

To make it harder, the hedgehog is shaped to look like the items that surround him, so that you'll need to have a proper look at the picture to locate him.

Struggling to find the little critter? Focus your attention on the bottom part of the picture.

Giving up or want to check you got it right? You can scroll down to see the answer.

The small hedgehog was hiding at the very bottom of the picture. It was hard to locate, because it was shaped like a pine cone

Want to try your hand at other fiendishly difficult seek-and-finds? Look below for Femail's selection of some of the trickiest.

To make things even trickier, Dudolf has made only the slightest changes between the mushrooms' markings so you'll really have to be eagle-eyed to spot the difference.

The slight changes in colours patterns and shapes distracts the eye from the task.

Struggling to find the one mushroom without a match? Try looking towards the lower half of the image.

Still having difficulty? Then scroll down for the reveal.

The odd mushroom out has a blue cap with red spots and is situated in the lower half of the image

It comes after another puzzle challenged players to pick out the two safety pins hidden among vibrant sewing equipment.

The brainteaser has been created by Dutch lingerie brand Hunkemoller, with puzzlers asked to spot the two tiny items in the sea of tools.

But thanks to the brightly coloured products cluttering the graphic, it is almost impossible to notice the missing safety pins.

According to the creators the puzzle takes an average of one minute and 23 seconds to solve, but with the mesmerizing colours, how quick can you spot the hidden items?

This new seek-and-find puzzle challenges you to pick out the two safety pins hidden among vibrant sewing equipment (pictured)

There's plenty of little details designed to distract the eye, so it's no wonder that some puzzlers struggle to stay on task and find the pins.

If you're looking for a clue, try focusing your attention towards the centre of the image and you might have more luck.

Still struggling? Don't worry, the answer is coming next so just scroll down to put yourself out of your misery.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), in a statement, has said that the private donations will be accepted between March 7 and March 18 from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm. The donated goods will be sent to countries bordering Ukraine for distribution among Ukrainian refugees through local relief agencies, Taiwan News reported citing the MOFA press release.

According to the release, people can donate a list of things including clothes, non-perishable food items and medical supplies for Ukrainian refugees.

Earlier on February 28, Taiwan had donated 27 tons of medical supplies and also set up a special fund for Ukrainians in need on March 2, the media outlet quoted the MOFA that added that the calls from people volunteering to donate prompted it to announce this donation drive.

Notably, Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities.

Amid the Ukraine-Russia crisis raging for over 10 days now, over one million Ukrainians have fled to neighbouring countries, according to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR. (ANI)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) needs to prepare a roadmap for the next 25 years. (Credit: Twitter/ @AmitShah) Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, March 6 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) needs to prepare a roadmap for the next 25 years when the Indian economy will grow to five trillion dollars, and more manufacturing units will be set up in all sectors.

Speaking at the 53rd Raising Day of the Force here, he said the journey of economic growth was not impossible without the contribution of the CISF. "We are thankful for their support and contribution," he said.

"I will urge the CISF DG to prepare the roadmap for next five years and also for 25 years when India will celebrate the 100 years of Independence," Shah said.

He also said that the private security agencies have been growing at a fast pace and the CISF needs to take the responsibility to train them in a professional manner.

"CISF alone cannot provide security to all industrial sectors, therefore, the private agencies should also be trained in a professional manner", the Home Minister said.

He also said that the CISF needs to develop a hybrid model of industrial security in the country with the participation of the private sector.

Noting that the CISF is the only Force in the world that is dedicated to industries only, he further said that they need to ensure safety from the drone threats to the industries located in the coastal areas. He also informed that the Border Security Force and DRDO are developing the anti-drone technology and they should also line up with them to get this technology.

Speaking on the women security personnel in the force, Shah also said that there are many scopes of expanding their role and it should be increased from 94:6 per cent ratio has to be increased at least up to 20 per cent in the coming time.

Lauding the role of the Force, he further said that during the Covid period when hundreds of our own people were coming from abroad under 'Vande Bharat', the CISF personnel deputed at airports helped them and in this process, they also got infected and many of them lost their lives because of the pandemic and paid tributes to them.

Shah also said that as of now the CISF has been providing security to 354 industrial units, 65 airports and important installations like government buildings, coal, steel sectors, ISRO and their role will be expanded in the future, therefore, the force needs to anticipate these avenues and get themselves prepared accordingly.
Phnom Penh, March 6 : Cambodia's insurance industry reported a total premium of $293.4 million in 2021, up 9.5 per cent year-on-year, despite the economic fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic, according to an official report.

The report published by the Insurance Regulator of Cambodia (IRC) on Saturday said the growth was generated from 18 general insurers, 14 life insurers, seven micro-insurance companies and one reinsurance firm, Xinhua news agency reported.

The gross premium of general insurance market in 2021 was almost $123 million, an increase of 7.4 per cent compared to 2020, while life insurance premium totaled $170.4 million, up 11 per cent, the report added.

IRC's director general Bou Chanphirou said that the insurance industry has been playing an important role in supporting social and economic sectors.

"With Cambodia's political stability and positive economic growth under the leadership of Prime Minister Hun Sen, the insurance market has been growing rapidly," he said.

Chanphirou said the insurance industry contributed about 1.1 per cent to the kingdom's gross domestic product (GDP).

According to the IRC, the country's insurance penetration stood at 1.1 per cent last year, slightly up from 1.04 per cent in the year before, while insurance density amounted to $17.5 per capita, up from $16.3.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held talks on the border between Ukraine and Poland, the press service of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has reported.

"The key topics of conversation were further painful sanctions against Russia, the supply of additional weapons to protect Ukraine, the isolation of Russia from the world for its aggression against our state," the ministry said on Facebook.

Kuleba expressed confidence that Ukraine would win the war, but the question is the price of victory.

"If partners continue to act decisively, increase economic and political pressure on the Russian Federation, provide the weapons we need, the price will be lower for Ukraine. This will save many lives," Kuleba said.

The minister expressed gratitude for the unprecedented and swift steps taken by the United States and partners in defense of Ukraine during the ten days of the Russian invasion, in particular the provision of weapons.

"We are working to ensure that these steps continue, and the pressure on Russia continues to grow. To ensure that Ukraine receives all the necessary weapons for protection," he said.

The parties discussed the urgent strengthening of the defense capabilities of Ukraine, including in protecting the sky from Russian aircraft and missiles bombing residential areas of cities and civilians. Kuleba and Blinken agreed on further steps to strengthen Ukraine's defense against Russian air actions.

They also discussed ways to ensure the effectiveness of sanctions against Russia and close any possible ways to circumvent them.

Blinken confirmed that the United States is ready to continue its defense support for Ukraine and is considering further strengthening its defense capabilities. He drew attention to the unprecedented global wave of support for Ukraine in the world.

Blinken said that Putin made a terrible, terrible mistake in many ways. Putin believed that Ukraine did not exist as an independent state. The Ukrainian people are now proving the exact opposite on a daily basis. The strength, determination and determination of the Ukrainians, with the support of the United States and the whole world, will win. Blinken said that he agrees with Minister Kuleba that the question is the price of victory. The United States is determined to make every effort to make it as small as possible, Blinken said.
Reznikov: we have long ceased to be afraid of artificially created image of 'great Russia,' whole world must stop thinking this way

Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov has said that Ukraine has long ceased to be afraid of the artificially created image of "great Russia", and the whole world should stop doing this.

"We continue to repulse the enemy. The Russian occupiers failed to destroy us, they failed to hack us. And they can't! The Armed Forces of Ukraine, the defense, every volunteer, every citizen of Ukraine continues to defend our country, our life," he wrote on Facebook.

The minister said that the authorities have transferred the country's economy to "military rails."

"Plants and factories continue to work, carry out military orders, repair equipment, and turn war trophies into weapons. To fight, the country must work, each in his place. If you were forced to evacuate  find a job in a new place  your help is needed everywhere," he added.

Reznikov said that the situation in the positions is under control.

"Yes, we also have losses. But each name, each of our Hero will not be forgotten, because every killer will not be forgotten. We understand the value of life and the value of freedom. The life of every Ukrainian is priceless!" the minister wrote.

Reznikov said that in certain directions, our military goes into counterattacks, the enemy loses dozens of pieces of equipment, simply abandons it and runs away, thereby replenishing our "fleet" of equipment.

"The Kremlin does not yet want to accept and admit its fiasco. But that time is near. Discontent and demoralization among the occupying troops is intensifying. A revelation comes to them, as well as to some Russian oligarchs. There are more and more cases of unwillingness to fight," he wrote.

The minister said that the enemy continues to suffer significant losses.

"While someone is afraid to close the sky in Ukraine, our army is doing its job and destroying the enemy," Reznikov said.

In addition, he said that the most combat-ready units of the enemy were hit in the teeth: "in Kyiv and Kharkiv, the enemy was stopped, in Mykolaiv they were pushed back, and our strategic reserve is in Odesa.

"The Kremlin finally rejected attempts to hide their intentions  they came to destroy our country, to destroy our people. They will not succeed," the minister is sure.

Among other things, Reznikov said that although the enemy is resisting, the Ukrainian troops are doing everything possible to provide humanitarian corridors, get our people out of the shelling, and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid.

"Today, Ukraine continues to stand up for the freedom of the whole world: Ukrainian children and women save your children and women at the cost of their lives, while you hesitate to close the sky. Our men save yours at the cost of their lives. As long as you're afraid to close the sky. We have long ceased to be afraid of the artificially created image of "great Russia". And the whole world must stop thinking in this way," Reznikov said.
Former President Donald Trump, in remarks to top Republican National Committee donors Saturday evening, renewed his criticism of NATO, hinted again at another run for the White House and suggested that the role played by the "vote counter is oftentimes more important than the candidate" in elections.

Trump's remarks came about 24 hours after former Vice President Mike Pence took several shots at Trump during his address to the same donor retreat, which is taking place in New Orleans.

Pence told them Friday evening that "there is no room in this party for apologists for Putin"  days after Trump had referred to the Russian president as "smart" and "savvy." On Saturday evening, Trump mentioned that "somebody called me a Putin apologist the other day," but didn't bring up Pence, according to a source.

And whereas Pence defended NATO in his remarks, Trump showed he still thinks little of the alliance, dismissing it as a "paper tiger," according to a source.

"Are all of these nations going to stand by and watch perhaps millions of people be slaughtered as the onslaught continues?" Trump said, according to a source. "At what point do countries say, 'No, we can't take this massive crime against humanity?' We can't let it happen. We can't let it continue to happen."

The U.S. and NATO allies have ruled out sending troops to help Ukraine to avoid an escalation of the conflict, but have provided military equipment, funding, humanitarian aid and diplomatic support. The U.S. and European countries have also issued strict sanctions against Russia over the invasion.

Trump joked about the conflict, too, though, telling donors that the U.S. should put the "put the Chinese flag" on F-22 fighter jets and "bomb the s***" out of Russia.

"And then we say, China did it," he said, to laughter in the room, according to the source. "Then they start fighting with each other, and we sit back and watch." The Washington Post first reported Trump's comments about Russia and China.

Story continues

Trump derided President Biden over his handling of Russia, and hammered him for his openness about what actions the U.S. would and would not take to curtail Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

"We have to have Biden stop saying that  and this is for everyone to hear  that we will not attack Russia ever because they are a nuclear power, right?" Trump said, according to a source. "You know who is saying this? Okay, whether it's fact or fiction, 'We will not attack Russia. You see, they are a nuclear power.' Oh, thanks for telling us."

Pence, in his address Friday, warned the party's top donors that dwelling on the 2020 election would damage its future prospects, insisting that the Republican Party "cannot win by fighting yesterday's battles, or by relitigating the past." He drew a stark contrast with Trump, who rarely speaks publicly without raising baseless allegations that the election was rigged. He did so again Saturday. The lesson Trump took from 2020 was this:

"The vote counter is oftentimes more important than the candidate and the Republicans are going to have to get a lot tougher," he said, according to a source, shortly after he falsely asserted that he has won "two presidential elections."

Trump is still popular in many circles of the Republican Party. Sixty-nine percent of Republicans said they want Trump to run for president again in 2024, according to a recent CBS News poll. And he has been indulging the idea that he'll run again.

"We will see a Republican president reclaim that magnificent White House in 2024," Trump said, according to a source in the room. "I wonder who that might be."

The comment elicited some "Trump" chants from the crowd, according to a source.

Trump is still annoyed by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and has been trying unsuccessfully to find a GOP senator to replace him as the Republican leader. Trump referred to him Saturday as "stupid, corrupt Mitch McConnell" and elicited some applause, according to a source.

And as he has in the past, Trump made light of climate change, dismissing it as a "hoax," and he joked that rising sea levels will lead to "more waterfront property." The donor event in New Orleans was held just weeks after federal officials warned Louisiana's coastal water levels could rise by a foot and a half by 2050.

The former president also weighed in briefly on the North Carolina Senate GOP primary. Trump has endorsed Representative Ted Budd and told donors, according to a source, that Republicans need to get former Representative Mark Walker "out of that race." Walker filed for the Senate run last week, defying Trump's wishes that he run for a fourth term in the House instead.

Pence and Trump's appearances on back-to-back nights could be a preview of what's to come in 2024 if both men decide to run for president. At a private CPAC event last week, in response to a question about a 2024 presidential run, Trump told supporters they would be "very happy" and added that he knew who they "don't want as your VP."

Pence has been airing his disagreements with Trump more openly lately. Last month, he said that "Trump is wrong" for claiming Pence had the authority to overturn the presidential election, and he has said he doesn't know whether he and Trump will "ever see eye-to-eye" about the January 6 attack at the Capitol.

Zelensky's courageous stand

Inside the labs of Pfizer

A modern-day David vs. Goliath
The Sameli Health Care Centre in Katihar of Bihar witnessed an uproar when a woman health worker accused the head of the centre of making an indecent comment to her on phone. She also said that this sort of inappropriate behaviour has been going on for a while. I want justice against the inappropriate behaviour and social torture being perpetrated upon me," said the woman health worker to ANI. Narrating the incident that occurred on Friday, she said, "He called me to attend the meeting. During the conversation, he asked me to come and kiss him in the meeting." "I have call recording of the entire conversation. This type of behaviour has been going on for some time now," she added. However, the centre incharge (accused) denied the allegations of inappropriate behaviour and said this is a conspiracy against me. She has been making these wild allegations since the day I have signed her transfer order. "With regards to the Friday incident, I called her to talk about the meeting. While I was talking to her, my granddaughter started crying. To comfort her, I asked her for a kiss. Then by mistake, the call was still going on and she (employee) recorded this statement of mine." (ANI)
New Delhi, March 6 : The Border Security Force (BSF) on Sunday said that five jawans have been killed in an incident of fratricide in Khasa in Punjab's Amritsar.

The BSF said that a constable, identified as Satteppa S.K., had fired at five of his colleagues in the camp, which is located 20 km from the Attari-Wagah border.

The officials also said that out of the six injured, five troopers, including Constable Satteppa, died and the sixth injured is critical.

"In an unfortunate incident, 5 BSF troops were injured on 06.03.2022 due to fratricide committed by Ct Satteppa S K at HQ 144 Bn Khasa, Amritsar. Ct Satteppa S K was also injured in the incident," the BSF officials here.

A court of inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the facts and further details are being awaited.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science & Technology, Environment, Forest and Climate Change shall be meeting different states on the issue of the proposed amendments to the Wildlife Protection Act, Committee chair Jairam Ramesh said on Saturday. The report of the Committee is likely to be submitted early April, he said. The Congress leader and former Environment Minister said, the Parliamentary Committee has already interacted with conservationists, scientists and various Institutions. After an appeal was sent out to the stakeholders for sending in their suggestions and objections to the Committee, it had received over 70 responses from experts and institutions on the proposed amendment. Ramesh had earlier said that the Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2021 has not been based on widespread consultation and also that it is poorly drafted and has huge shortcomings. There has been widespread outrage against the proposed amendments and activists have been critical of the government's intention and the hurried manner in which it was set to be passed since it was introduced in the Parliament in December last year. It was a protest letter by Jairam Ramesh to the Lok Sabha speaker that ensured that the amendment Bill was sent to the Standing Committee. The amendment that proposes to introduce Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix species in the Bill has been welcomed by many of the stakeholders while the amendment in connection with 'vermin' has drawn lot of criticism. --IANS niv/skp/ ( 260 Words) 2022-03-05-21:32:04 (IANS)
Prosecutors of Luhansk regional prosecutor's office have opened a criminal case over shelling of the civilian population during a peaceful rally in Novopskov, Luhansk region, by the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

"On March 5, 2022, in the town of Novopskov, during a peaceful rally by local residents in support of the territorial integrity of Ukraine near the building of the district police department, the occupation troops of the Russian Federation, which temporarily occupied the territory, opened fire from firearms. Three civilians were injured," the press service of Luhansk regional prosecutor's office reported.

The actions of the invaders are assessed under Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (violation of the rules of the warfare).

"These actions of the armed forces of the Russian Federation pose a direct threat to the life and health of the civilian population, contradict the norms of international humanitarian law, namely, Article 52 of Protocol I Additional to the Geneva Convention of August 12, 1949, concerning the general protection of civilian objects and Article 25 of Section I Part II of the Hague Convention of October 18, 1907, which concerns regulations respecting the laws and customs of war.

Pretrial investigation in criminal proceedings was entrusted to the investigative department of the third department of the Main Directorate of the SBU in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Head of Lugansk Regional Military Administration Serhiy Haidai said that the wounded residents of Novopskov were hospitalized, their lives are out of danger, Channel 24 TV reported.

"The condition of the wounded is stable, nothing threatens their lives. They are in hospitals," he said.

Haidai also said that Russian troops were shelling the children's regional hospital.
A recent story on the Business Insider website represented a convergence of social media and anti-capitalist rhetoricin addition to revealing some of the major maladies afflicting modern society.

The article was titled, Anti-capitalism is flooding TikTok as young people question a life that prioritizes productivity over well-being.

It was, essentially, a treatise on how to face problems in an increasingly God-less society and blame others for your inability to cope with the stress and discomfort that often accompany life.

The article quotes a person in a TikTok video who admits to being depressed and anxious while working three jobs. The person blames capitalism for valuing productivity over individual well-being. The video, according to the February 27 article, has 1.8 million views.

Now, someone who is working three jobs should be stressed out, but the real problem involves why this person is working so much. Ive seen this situation many times while working in the finance industry for over five years. Typically, a three-job individual has made some bad decisions along the way, and more often than not those decisions involved a willingness to assume too much debt.

I cant state with confidence that is the case here, simply because the article lacks that key bit of information. Nonetheless, a reasonable assumption is that something in this persons background led to the NECESSITY of working three jobs. That person, then, is responsible for the stress that marks his or her life. Also, somewhere the way, this person developed the habit of blaming othersor society in generalfor his or her own missteps and shortcomings.

To blame capitalism is akin to blaming a car involved in an accident caused by an intoxicated driver. The car is clearly not the culprit. Capitalism and its free-market opportunities are the lifeblood of a society that is productive and self-sufficient. Yet, it is a system increasingly under attack in this country.

According to the Business Insider article, Anti-capitalism is taking over TikTok as users of the social media site denounce Americas glorification of the rat race.

So who are the users of TikTok? According to a website called www.wallaroomedia.com, there are over 130 million active TikTok users in the U.S. Of those users, a full 63 percent are from ages 10 to 29, meaning that TikTok is reaching a very impressionable group of Americans. That is a concern on many levels, especially considering some of the content Ive heard about.

If we apply the numbers above to the 1.8 million views garnered by the article, we can estimate that over 1.1 million people between the ages of 10 to 29 were exposed to the content. The real tragedy is this is just one platform, one video, when all around us we hear of the supposed ills created by free markets.

Granted, the pandemic changed the dynamics of work, with people relying on government funds to survive tough times, dropping out of the workforce altogether, or working out of home. So part of the disrespect for a capitalist economy stems from the changes brought by an unprecedented medical situation. Many in this country lost their will to work, to strive, to achieve.

This article in particular points to the lack of respect for hard work, achievement and goal setting that are all ingrained in a capitalist system. To young people who have developed a distrust or dislike of capitalism, I say consider the Nike shoes on your feet, the iPhone in your hand, or the vehicle that transports you to school or work.

Those products were created or further developed by Phil Knight, Steve Jobs, Henry Ford--men who worked hard, came up with innovative products, provided millions of jobs and changed entire retail industries. Men who thrived in the very capitalist system that many are denouncing because theyve decided hard work, initiative and being productive citizens doesnt mesh with their comfort zones.

To the writers credit, the article acknowledges the benefits of capitalism:

To be sure, productivity is a core tenet of a capitalist system that has spurred economic growth in the form of more jobs, consumer choice, and innovation. Its designed to reward hard work, with paychecks going to those who provide value and profits to leaders who run the most efficient businesses.

The article continues by stating, more or less, that the system creates inequalities between those who can produce and those who cant, without identifying reasons for lack of individual production.

How exactly does the aforementioned God-less component factor into the conversation?

Religious affiliation has declined in recent years, removing the ways in which past generations dealt with the stresses of lifethrough prayer, fellowship, and faith in a higher power. This has been simultaneous toor has caused, depending on your viewpointincreased self-absorption and too much navel gazing. A general decline in work ethic among those under 30 has coincided with these factors.

As technology has advanced, our lives have become easier yet more complicated. Weve become spoiled by our conveniences, which allows room for us to be more stressed by the little bumps in the road. The little bumps have grown more stressful in direct proportion, it seems, to the ease of modern life. Rather than rely on a higher power or a range of stress-relieving hobbies, many among us prefer to whine and cast blame.

Essentially, weve become spoiled by the excesses created by capitalism. Yet that doesnt mean we cast aside the best means of production and consumption known to mankind.
Slamming the Imran Khan government, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday said that "flawed policies" of the Pakistan Prime Minister has led to the rise in terrorist incidents across the country. "The fire of terrorism has flared up again due to the 'selected prime minister'... bomb blasts have taken place in Balochistan and Peshawar," he said while addressing the party's anti-government long march in Punjab's Okara on Saturday. He said the incidents of terrorism have increased during the tenure of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led government. The PPP Chairman promised to continue fighting against the menace of extremism and terrorism. During his public address, Bilawal said the Imran Khan's government has "destroyed" Pakistan's economy. Furthermore, he said that everyone in the country knew that the "selected government" has brought "destruction" in the country. This concern over the security situation from the opposition party comes a day after a blast in the city of Peshawar claimed the lives of more than 60 people. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) had strongly condemned Friday's suicide blast which it said intended to target Shia worshippers. While condemning the Peshawar blast, the HRCP said the assault bears the hallmarks of sectarian outfits that have been allowed to run amok in recent years. Earlier, Pakistan's Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad said there has been a 35 per cent increase in terrorist attacks over the last few months. According to Islamabad-based Pak Institute of Peace Studies, the new regime in Afghanistan is "not helping in any way Pakistan's efforts to deal with the militant groups threatening its security". (ANI)
New Delhi, Mar 6 (PTI) The country's second-largest bank Punjab National Bank (PNB) said it was awaiting advisory from the Finance Ministry and the Reserve Bank with regard to SWIFT-related transactions with Russian entities.

In view of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, several countries including the US, Canada and certain European nations have blocked some Russian banks from using SWIFT, a system that is used for global banking transactions.

Also Read | Weather Forecast: Strong Surface Winds To Prevail Delhi, Adjoining Regions; Light Rainfall Over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal.

"...we have not received any advisory from the RBI/Finance Ministry regarding SWIFT-related transactions with respect to Russia. Any action in this regard shall be taken after receipt of guidelines from RBI/Finance Ministry," PNB said in a response to queries on Russia-related transactions.

Meanwhile, sources said that India's largest lender State Bank of India has stopped processing transactions of Russian entities that have been sanctioned by the West over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Also Read | PM Narendra Modi to Inaugurate Metro Rail Project in Pune on March 6.

SBI is learnt to have issued a circular as it fears that any transaction with entities or sectors under sanction will invite sanctions on it as well. Russia is one of the biggest suppliers of defence products and equipment to India mostly under government-to-government contracts.

Bilateral trade between India and Russia stood at USD 9.4 billion so far this fiscal year, against USD 8.1 billion in 2020-21.

The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) is the world's main banking messaging service which links around 11,000 banks and institutions in more than 200 countries, including India.

Based in Belgium, the SWIFT system is considered central to the smooth functioning of global finances and Russia's exclusion from it would hit the country hard.

India's main imports from Russia include fuels, mineral oils, pearls, precious or semi-precious stones, nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; electrical machinery and equipment and fertilisers.

Major export items from India to Russia include pharmaceutical products, electrical machinery and equipment, organic chemicals and vehicles.

In the past too, India had devised a mechanism to pay for imports from Iran, when sanctions were imposed on the Persian Gulf nation.

The Russia-Ukraine war entered its 11th day on Sunday, with fighting intensifying in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and other big cities.

Recently, the Group of Seven (G-7) major economies imposed punitive sanctions against the Russian central bank.

They also decided to remove Russian banks from the SWIFT inter-banking system -- which is intended to isolate Russia from global trade. India has so far maintained a neutral stance on Russia's invasion of Ukraine asking both countries to resolve the issue diplomatically.

India demanded 'safe and uninterrupted' passage for all its nationals, including students still stranded in Ukraine and cities in the conflict zones, as it abstained in the UN General Assembly on a resolution deploring Russian aggression against Ukraine and reiterated that differences can only be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.

Removing banks from SWIFT is deemed to be a severe curb because almost all banks use the system. Russia is heavily reliant on the SWIFT system for its key oil and gas exports.

On March 2, the EU prohibited Russia's second-largest bank VTB, Bank Otkritie, Novikombank, Promsvyazbank, Bank Rossiya, Sovcombank and VEB from accessing the SWIFT financial messaging system in view of Russia's "unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine".

These prohibitions will come into force on the 10th day after the publication in the official journal of the EU, Council of the EU said in a release on Wednesday.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Russian invaders intend to seize dam of Kaniv hydroelectric power station  General Staff at midnight on March 6

Russian invaders intend to seize the dam of the Kaniv hydroelectric power station, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said in a report as of midnight on March 6.

"According to available information, the occupiers intend to seize another important infrastructure facility  the dam of the Kaniv hydroelectric power station," the General Staff said.
The oblasts include Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Donetsk and Luhansk, the state-run media reported.

"Ukraine's gas transmission system operator has had to shut down 16 gas distribution stations in six of Ukraine's oblasts - Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Donetsk and Luhansk, as a result of Russia's full-scale invasion, the operator announced on Telegram on March 5," The Kyiv Independent tweeted.

Meanwhile, the third round of talks between Russia and Ukraine may take place on March 7, according to Sputnik News Agency.

Citing Ukrainian news outlet Strana.ua, the Russian agency said on Telegram that the date was suggested by Kyiev, and Moscow was yet to respond.

On March 4, Russia and Ukraine agreed to organize humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians in the second round of talks in Belarus. (ANI)
New Delhi, March 6 : The clashes at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant could have occurred due to the storage of documentation there, which relates to promising work on the creation of nuclear weapons by Ukraine, a Russian official told RIA Novosti.

According to the interlocutor, Ukraine partially destroyed, partially removed the main body of documents on this topic from Kiev and Kharkiv to Lviv.

"There was also certain documentation at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant. The clashes with Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups in the administrative premises adjacent to the nuclear power plant were, apparently, connected precisely with this," RT quoted the representative as saying to RIA Novosti.

According to him, the documentation may be in the National University "Lviv Polytechnic".

The words of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Munich about claims to the nuclear status of Ukraine were not accidental, said the representative.

According to him, this could become a reality in the near future.

"Immediately after joining the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as a non-nuclear state in 1994, Ukraine began to carry out R&D in order to form a technological basis for the possible creation of its own nuclear weapons," the interlocutor said.

These works gained increasing activity in 2014, the source emphasized. He added that this happened "on the tacit order of Petro Poroshenko", who then served as President, RT reported.

"The data available in the SVR indicate that R&D to create a nuclear explosive device, which could later be used in the design of nuclear warheads, was carried out both in uranium and plutonium directions. The scientific community of Ukraine has sufficient competencies to create a device of both an implosive and a cannon type," the interlocutor added.

At the same time, Kiev could covertly acquire technology from the West for centrifuge enrichment of uranium and laser isotope separation, he said.

Thus, in Ukraine, "significant results" were achieved in the field of modelling nuclear chain reactions, the separation of isotopes of fissile materials and in the study and metallurgy of nuclear materials, the official added.
Bob Dylan returns to the Hub City on Tuesday, bringing his "Rough and Rowdy Ways" tour to the Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts & Sciences.

Bob Dylan returns to the Hub City, bringing his "Rough and Rowdy Ways" tour to the Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts & Sciences on Tuesday.

The show is presented by AEG and is part of Dylan's 2021-24 "Rough and Rowdy Ways" tour in support of his 39th studio album of the same title, which was released in 2020. The show is set for 8 p.m. with doors opening at 6:30 p.m.

Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters, Dylan has been a major figure in pop culture during a career spanning 60 years. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s, when songs such as "Blowin' in the Wind" (1963) and "The Times They Are a-Changin'" (1964) became anthems for the civil rights and anti-war movements, according to information from wikipedia.com

Since 1994, Dylan has also published eight books of drawings and paintings, and his work has been exhibited in major art galleries. He has sold more than 125 million records, making him one of the best-selling musicians of all time.

Dylan last performed in Lubbock in 2009, joining Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp for a show at Texas Tech's Jones AT&T Stadium. He was scheduled to return to the Hub City in 2016 at the now-demolished City Bank Auditorium but that show was cancelled three weeks in advance. The promoter gave "tour scheduling conflicts" as the reason for the cancellation back in 2016, according to an Avalanche-Journal story at the time.

Ticket prices for Tuesday's show are $59, $89 and $129, with a limited number of VIP packages also available. Call (806) 79-BUDDY / (806) 792-8339 for more information.

Tickets for the show are available through bobdylan.com and buddyhollyhall.com.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Dylan returns to Lubbock to perform at Buddy Holly Hall on Tuesday
Jockey Juan Hernandez rides Forbidden Kingdom to victory in the Grade II $400,000 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday. (Associated Press)

Trainer Richard Mandella wasnt sure he would find himself in this spot, but now that he's here, hes starting to feel pretty comfortable. Saturday, his 3-year-old colt Forbidden Kingdom dominated from the gate to win the Grade 2 $400,000 San Felipe Stakes by 5 lengths. It could have been more.

Forbidden Kingdom earned 50 Kentucky Derby qualifying points, meaning the horse is all but assured a spot in Louisville on the first Saturday in May.

Despite the dominance, there will be the question of whether the horse can go the 1 miles needed to win the Kentucky Derby. Saturdays win was at 1-1/16 miles and the next step will be the 1-1/8-mile Santa Anita Derby in a month. In his previous race, he won the San Vicente, a seven-furlong race. If he runs in the Kentucky Derby, it will be his first race outside Southern California.

Early in the Del Mar meet [I was asked] about two turns and I said Im not sure hell do it, Mandella said. Hes kind of grown up into it.

Jockey Juan Hernandez hustled Forbidden Kingdom out of the gate and went straight to the front. Armagnac went with him through the first turn but midway down the backstretch, Forbidden Kingdom was up by three lengths. His half-mile time was a blistering 45.90 seconds.

I was a little nervous when I saw the half in 45, but he can do that so there is no sense taking that away from him, Mandella said. Let him do what he likes to do.

By the far turn, Forbidden Kingdom had a seven-length lead before Hernandez geared him down through the stretch, never asking him to go faster.

He got the jump after we broke, Hernandez said. I just let him run because he was going faster. I let him have fun. I let him on the lead and he never stopped all the race.

Forbidden Kingdom was the even-money favorite and paid $4.00, $2.40 and $2.20. Doppelganger was second followed by Happy Jack, Beautiful Art, Cabo Spirit, Armagnac and Worse Read Sanchez.

Mandella, 71, hasnt had a Kentucky Derby starter in 18 years, when he had Action This Day and Minister Eric. He had the pre-race favorite with Omaha Beach in 2019, but the colt scratched four days before the Derby with a throat issue. Despite being in the Hall of Fame and winning nine Breeders Cup races, Mandella never has won a Triple Crown race. He has had six Derby starters but never finished better than fifth.

Asked to compare Forbidden Kingdom to Omaha Beach, Mandella didnt bite.

Its hard to compare horse to horse, he said. Omaha was a great horse. This guy is turning that way.

Doppelganger normally would have been awarded 20 Kentucky Derby qualifying points but because he is trained by Bob Baffert the points were vacated. Baffert has been banned by Churchill Downs for two years after last years disqualified Derby winner, Medina Spirit, tested positive for a medication that is banned on race day. The situation is headed to court as time is running out.

There were four other graded stakes races at Santa Anita on Saturday besides the San Felipe and Santa Anita Handicap. Cezanne ($3.20 to win), a $3.65-million purchase who has not lived up to his price tag, won the seven-furlong Grade 2 San Carlos Stakesby 2 lengths. Leggs Galore (6.80), under a masterful ride by Ricardo Gonzalez, held on to win the Grade 2 $200,00 Buena Vista Stakes by half a length in a race for fillies and mares going a mile on the turf.

As Times Goes By ($2.60) had a gate-to-wire win in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile by 2 lengths in a race for older horses going a mile on the dirt. The race was less than hoped for when the field scratched down to just four horses. It was Baffert's second graded stakes win of the day, the trainer also winning with Cezanne. Count Again ($6.60) came on late in the stretch to win the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile in a photo finish in the turf race.

There were two other win-and-youre-in-the-Derby races Saturday. Undefeated Morello came from off the pace to win the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct in New York, and Simplification won the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park in South Florida.

The Fountain of Youth race had a spill coming into the stretch when High Oak and Galt clipped heels, unseating both jockeys and sending both horses to the ground. The horses were said to be OK and jockey Joel Rosario suffered what he called a minor back issue. However, jockey Junior Alvarado might have had a more significant ankle or leg injury.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Recently, the Republic of Angola Ambassador to the United States, Joaquim do Espirito, and a delegation visited Hampton to connect ancestors who existed more than four centuries ago in Angola with their descendants living in America.

With fanfare and expectation, the entourage visited Fort Monroe, the site where the first enslaved Africans landed in 1619 at Point Comfort in English North America. The former military post now is managed by the Fort Monroe Authority who is building an ambitious African Landing Memorial in tribute to that first generation.

The group also visited the Tucker Family Cemetery, also in Hampton, for a special ceremony. The site, managed by the William Tucker 1624 Society is a sacred burial ground for the Tucker family. Members claim an African American bloodline dating back to the 17th century and the first enslaved Africans brought by force from Angola to the Virginia colony.

The story of those first-generation Africans is known by some but perhaps not by enough people. There are more stories about Black history in Virginia that are not known.

Amid the great push and task to curate a fuller story of American history in Virginia through the lens of places steeped in Black history, finding the funding to preserve these sites comes at a premium. There are organizations stepping up to help, but money coming from various philanthropic trusts, foundations, grants and such are competitive.

For years the William Tucker 1624 Society organized its own cleanups of the 2-acre family plot. The group scraped by to get funding. It promoted its family lineage that began with the first recorded birth of an African child in Virginia, William Tucker, believed to be their ancestor. Dedicated in 2016, the nonprofit since has received a $100,000 grant from the Virginia Outdoors Foundation. But it took time, family members say.

Fall 2021, Fort Monroe received $6 million designated in the state budget for its African memorial project. Its funding that should cover the cost of construction and site work. But it barely scratches the surface of what will be needed for long-term maintenance and continuing interpretation, officials say.

One such organization dedicated to raising funds for sites focusing on Black history and legacy is the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund.

Launched in 2017 by the National Trust of Historic Preservation, its goal is to preserve and protect places that have been overlooked in American history and represent centuries of African American activism, achievement and resilience, according to its website. To date, the fund has raised $70 million to support more than 200 preservation projects nationally.

Among the Virginia-based recipients in 2021 are the Fort Monroe Foundation, the authoritys fundraising arm, which received $50,000; Hampton University, which received $75,000; and the Montpelier Descendants Committee. Based in Orange, the committee will used its funding for its Arc of Enslaved Communities project, led by descendants to promote the contributions of the enslaved in Virginia during the Founding era.

A Richmond museum also is stepping up efforts to help historical sites. In November 2021, the Virginia Museum of History & Culture announced the creation of the Commonwealth History Fund. Partnering with the Department of Historic Resources and backed by Dominion Energy, the fund will provide $400,000 annually in grants to history organizations and projects across the state, and up to $2 million over the next five years.

Considerations for grants from applicants should include the significance of the project or resource and its impact on its community and the commonwealth; the projects focus on historically underrepresented topics and communities; the need for funding and the urgency of the project, according to a museum release.

Establishing the endowment is a leap toward helping organizations tell a more inclusive story, but some critics worry the funds wont be spread to historic sites with the greatest need. An inaugural list of recipients is expected to be announced this May.

The DHR also released in its newsletter a list of historic African American cemeteries and graves  including those in Richmond, Hampton, Charlottesville and others  which received grants in recent years and other funding for maintenance and care as set by state code.

The Tucker family visited Angola in December and brought back sand from the shores of the Cuanza (Kwanza) River in Angola, where the family believes its ancestors likely would have been held after being enslaved and later forced on a ship.

During the Angolan delegation visit at the cemetery, family members sprinkled the sand over the graves. For the Tucker family, mixing the sand from its ancestral homeland with cemetery soil is a symbolical way of letting the ancestors know they made it back home.

But there are other smaller projects that may need funding to continue building on history sites already launched, such as the Robert Russa Moton Museum, in Farmville. In 1951, the building was a high school where Americas student-led civil rights revolution ignited.

It was then that 16-year-old Barbara Rose Johns led a student strike in Prince Edward County to protest substandard conditions at the high school. Her efforts earned the support of local NAACP lawyers who ultimately filed in Richmond the federal suit, Davis v. Prince Edward.

The case was among five the U.S. Supreme Court considered in 1954 during the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. Farmville is off the beaten path, but the history there is still important.

Spread the wealth with supporting Virginias history sites, including Black History sites that richly tell a fuller story of our states history.
The Rolling Stones are to announce a new tour credit:Bang Showbiz

The Rolling Stones are set to announce a new European tour.

The 'Start Me Up' hitmakers are planning to mark their 60th anniversary with a string of concerts this summer, reportedly including a gig at Liverpool's Anfield Stadium and two nights in London's Hyde Park as part of the British Summer Time festival, with the full details due to be confirmed on 14 March.

The Liverpool gig will be the first night of the UK leg of the tour and will mark the group's first concert in the city since they performed at the Empire Theatre in 1971.

A source said: The last time the Stones were in Liverpool, they played to a small crowd of a few thousand people at the Empire.

But Anfield has a capacity of 53,000 people. It will be a huge moment for them and their fans.

This tour has been in the planning stages for a long time, and those plans are now on the brink of being finalised. It is a very exciting time. The tickets, when released, are going to be like gold dust.

The anniversary shows will include a tribute to late drummer Charlie Watts, who died last summer.

The source added: Charlie will not be far from anyones thoughts as the Stones mark this milestone.

The 'Satisfaction' rockers - Sir Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ronnie Wood - are also preparing to bring out a new album.

The insider added to The Sun on Sunday's Bizarre column: 60 years at the top of their game is an incredible achievement, and this tour will be one to remember. It will be followed by a new album.

Mick and Keith have recently been in Jamaica writing songs that they are now recording. So there is a lot to look forward to from the Stones in the months to come.

Last year, Mick and Keith marked the 60th anniversary of their first meeting in October 1961.

They wrote on Instagram: 60 years on the same train.

They performed on stage as a band for the first time on 12 July, 1962, at London's Marquee Jazz Club, with the line-up then consisting of Mick, Keith, guitarist Brian Jones, pianist Ian Stewart, bassist Dick Taylor and drummer Mick Avory.
Emerging from a locked spot at the cones, Jimmy Freight jetted to the finish to nab the $36,000 Preferred Handicap Pace at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday (March 5).

Wheels On Fire seized the lead from post 9 past a :28 first quarter but soon faced a first-over challenge from The Greek Freak, forcing the pace to stay hot into a :55.4 half. The Greek Freak stayed alongside Wheels On Fire around the final turn and by three-quarters in 1:24.2 and turned for home in tandem as the backfield crept nearer.

Driver Louis-Philippe Roy sat with his hands loaded off the corner and carved a path outward for Jimmy Freight. By the eighth pole, Jimmy Freight found racetrack to the center and promptly accelerated for the lead late, nailing Poseidon Seelster at the line to win by a head in 1:51.3. Wheels On Fire was elevated to third as Beyond Better made a lapped-on break at the finish, disqualifying him to fourth.

A seven-year-old stallion by Sportswriter, Jimmy Freight won his third race from eight starts this season and his 24th from 62 overall, lifting his earnings to $1,517,805. Richard Moreau trains the $23.50 winner for owner Adriano Sorella.

To view Saturdays harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results  Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Two more men were arrested in connection to last week's riot at Dededo Skate Park, with more arrests expected, according to Guam Police Depart
At present, the world is still struggling in the deep water of an erratic pandemic and sluggish recovery. China's key development blueprints and initiatives will, at this juncture, definitely offer the world fresh impetus, effective measures as well as renewed confidence in working together for a shared future.

BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- As national lawmakers and political advisors are gathering for the "two sessions" to deliberate over key issues concerning China's political, economic and social life, the world once again shifts its eyes to the country for inspiration to tackle common challenges and make the global village a better place.

At present, the world is still struggling in the deep water of an erratic pandemic and sluggish recovery. China's key development blueprints and initiatives will, at this juncture, definitely offer the world fresh impetus, effective measures as well as renewed confidence in working together for a shared future.

Opportunities brought about by China's development and its market will continue to play the booster role for the global economy. Despite multiple headwinds last year, China strove to notch an 8.1-percent growth year on year, demonstrating enormous vitality and resilience.

Proposed in the work reports by some local governments in China, a raft of pragmatic measures this year, aimed at building a strong domestic market, fostering new growth drivers, boosting consumer spending and unlocking potential for investment, will continue to invigorate the country's high-quality development and further opening up this year.

China's foreign direct investment will remain robust in 2022, as its large domestic market and strong manufacturing base continue to attract foreign investors, particularly in wealth management, new energy, and high technology sectors, according to a report by the global audit and consultancy firm KPMG in February.

Late last year, the world once again sensed China's sincerity to share the bounty of its vigorous market, when foreign ambassadors to China appeared in live-streaming e-commerce events to promote products from their countries, which were sold out within minutes.

Facing a depressed world economy, China is committed to promoting common development of all nations. On top of a series of growth-driving measures, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has become the world's broadest-based and largest platform for international cooperation.

The BRI has become "the engine of growth and modernization of the economic and developmental infrastructure of many member countries," said an article by Azerbaijan State News Agency in November, stressing it inspires the majority of the world's people to work for "a better, more balanced and equitable future."

China's solutions will also prompt nations across the globe to fight adversity in close solidarity. Currently, the COVID-19 pandemic still poses the greatest challenge to the international community. China, as the world's biggest provider of outbound vaccines, has been devoted to setting up a "health shield" for developing nations, bridging the vaccine gap around the world and jointly building a "Great Wall of Immunity" for mankind.

As the pandemic has been hampering global poverty alleviation efforts, China has put forward the Global Development Initiative with a view to building global synergy on accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, so that no country or individual will be left behind. Upholding true multilateralism, China is also actively participating in reforming the global governance system so as to make globalization more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial for all.

China's development is injecting more certainty and strength of peace into the world. Not seeking self-interest or stoking geopolitical conflicts, China's traditional value of "maintaining a global vision and developing itself to help others" has seen growing global recognition. In February, more than 30 foreign leaders came to Beijing to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics.

And at the beginning of the year, foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Turkey and Iran, as well as the secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council visited China, indicating the Middle Eastern countries' growing enthusiasm for cooperation with China, and their appreciation of China's constructive role in the region and the world at large.

More importantly, the "China spirit" can inject more positive energy into global common development. China, the world's first country to host both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, has demonstrated a notion that all countries on Earth belong to one big family sharing a common future, and offered to the world a choice other than zero-sum competitions.

The just-concluded Beijing Winter Olympics and the upcoming "two sessions" both epitomize a China striving forward. China, bearing the well-being of all mankind in mind, will surely contribute more to making the world a better place.
COLOMBO, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's Tourism Ministry on Sunday announced that diesel vehicles registered with the Tourism Development Authority will be given priority access to fuel at state-owned bus depots.

Vehicles that qualify for this scheme will be given an identity sticker, local media reported.

The decision was made at a meeting chaired by Minister of Finance Basil Rajapaksa and attended by officials from the tourism and transport ministries, which was held following reports that a number of tourist transporting vehicles were stranded across the country due to fuel shortages.

The tourism ministry has also urged police authorities to provide assistance to the stranded tourist vehicles, and to help the hotels hosting tourists to procure diesel to run electricity generators.

Tourism has been one of the most affected sectors by fuel shortages and electricity cuts since February in Sri Lanka. 
The Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, which is surrounded by Russian troops, said it will restart efforts to evacuate civilians Sunday, after earlier efforts were scuppered by ceasefire violations.

"From 1200 (1000 GMT) the evacuation of the civilian population begins," city officials announced in a statement, which said a ceasefire was agreed with Russian-led forces surrounding the city.

An earlier attempt on Saturday to allow civilians to leave by buses and private cars along the road northwest towards Zaporizhzhia failed when both sides accused the other of shelling.

According to aid agency Doctors Without Borders (MSF) the humanitarian situation in Mariupol, a key target for the Russian invasion forces, is "catastrophic" with no power or water in civilian homes.

"It is imperative that this humanitarian corridor ... is put in place very quickly," MSF's emergency coordinator in Ukraine, Laurent Ligozat, told AFP.

Ukrainian authorities accuse the Russians of shelling even when civilians were gathering to form an escape convoy, but Moscow's defence ministry accuses the city's defenders of exploiting a "human shield".

Separately, on Sunday, the head of Kyiv-controlled Lugansk regional administration, said a train would be organised to evacuate women, children and the elderly from Lysychansk.

Lysychansk is near the frontline between Ukrainian forces and Moscow-backed separatists, who are fighting to link up with the Russian forces and control the entire southeast.

"You need to reach Lysychansk station on your own. Women with children are boarding first, then women under 40, women, the elderly," Sergiy Gaiday wrote on Telegram.

If Russian forces succeed in capturing Mariupol which held out against rebel forces in the previous 2014 conflict, they will control Ukraine's entire Azov Sea coast.

This would give them a landbridge from Russia to Russian-annexed Crimea and an important supply route and port if they decide to push north in a bid to take all of eastern Ukraine.

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The swagger that Illinois Democrats have displayed since taking full control of Springfield three years ago had already been tamped down by the political realities of confronting crime and COVID when corruption reared up as one more daunting campaign issue heading into this years elections.

The federal charges filed Wednesday against former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, long the states most powerful politician and the man who set agendas for the Democrats and the state for decades, represent a staggering indictment of Springfields political and power culture, even though Madigan was dethroned more than a year ago.

Don Tracy, the state Republican chairman, left little doubt about the role Madigan will play up and down this election years ballot.

The Illinois Republican Party is committed to exposing and defeating every last Democrat still around that accepted Madigans money, voted Madigans way or defended him as the leader of their party. The list of those needing to be held accountable for what happened is long and it starts with Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Tracy said.

The 160-page indictment, alleging Madigan and his allies used his powerful political position to enrich himself, his close confidants and loyal staffers, was even more stunning in scope than the 2008 arrest and indictment of disgraced former Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich  in part because Madigan had always fostered a belief that he was smart enough to know how to stop before lines of illegality were crossed.

Madigan denied any wrongdoing following the federal charges, just as he has since a federal investigation in 2020 resulted in Commonwealth Edison agreeing to pay a $200 million fine for allegedly providing favors to Madigan allies in exchange for favorable consideration of the utilitys desired legislation.

It was the ComEd investigation that led Democrats to oust Madigan from his post as the nations longest-serving House speaker last year as they sought to usher in talk of a new day for party leadership in the statehouse.

Republicans have tried to use Madigan to target Democrats for years with little success. Now, his indictment provides the GOP an opportunity to resurrect the former speaker as the states political boogeyman and the face of Democratic corruption.

Within hours of the 22-count corruption indictment being announced, not only did Republican candidates for governor, other statewide offices and the General Assembly use it as an attack point on Democrats, even GOP contenders seeking federal office, far outside the sphere of Springfield, jumped on the bandwagon, among them U.S. Reps. Rodney Davis of Taylorville and Darin LaHood of Peoria.

Starting with Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Madigans allies in the Illinois Democrat Party will have to answer for why they enabled this corruption for so long that contributed greatly to our states challenges, LaHood said in a statement.

Pat Brady, a former state GOP chair who launched a Fire Madigan program more than a decade ago, said Madigans indictment will create a perception shift among voters.

Politically, you can talk about someone getting indicted. But after it comes down, theres a big difference. This is an exclamation point. Now, its not just something that the Republicans are saying. Now the headlines are, Madigan Inc., Madigan Enterprise. Thats how Springfield ran, said Brady, who is working for Gary Rabine, one of five potential Republican challengers to Pritzker.

After Madigan resigned from the legislature in February of last year, Pritzker issued a statement saying the people of Illinois have much to be grateful for thanks to his dedicated public service and the many sacrifices he and his family made to make a difference in our lives.

But on Wednesday, Pritzker issued a statement calling Madigans alleged conduct deplorable and a stark violation of the publics trust and said Madigan must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.

At the same time, a top Pritzker aide acknowledged that the governor spoke to federal agents about Madigan for an hour, but was only a witness.

The indictment notes Madigan said he would seek a high-paying state board job from Pritzker for former Ald. Danny Solis, now a government informant. U.S. Attorney John Lausch said there is no allegation in this indictment against the governor or his staff or that the job was ever awarded.

Democratic lawmakers quickly sought to tout how they deposed Madigan and replaced him with the states first Black speaker, Emanuel Chris Welch. Nineteen House Democrats who opposed Madigans renomination to lead the chamber put out a statement saying they knew that our chamber, our state, and our party deserved better leadership and the unfolding corruption scandal would only continue to erode public confidence.

The group called the indictment is a watershed moment for our state.

But Madigans indictment follows a slew of recent federal corruption charges against Democratic state lawmakers. Just last month state Sen. Tom Cullerton of Villa Park resigned after entering a plea deal in a federal ghost payroll case.

In addition to state legislators, longtime Ald. Edward Burke faces trial on corruption charges, while last month former Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson, grandson of the late Mayor Richard J. Daley, was convicted on federal tax charges, becoming the 37th alderman to be found guilty of federal crimes since the early 1970s.

Some Democrats, privately and perhaps optimistically, said they believed Madigans legal troubles would have little influence on an electorate that has already made up their minds one way or another after years of Republican efforts to tarnish the former speaker.

It would be my guess the electorate at large doesnt care, emotionally, by the time the election rolls around in November, said one veteran Democratic lawmaker who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak publicly about internal caucus discussions. Hes been demonized so much already, with Republicans saying hes corrupt. Theyve been saying that for years, and I dont think (the indictment) is going to change peoples minds.

Still, the lawmaker acknowledged, Theres no doubt it adds another weight as were treading water. It adds another weight. But I dont think its as big as the crime issue.

Addressing crime has indeed dominated many early GOP campaigns. Republicans have seized upon sweeping criminal justice changes passed by Democrats and approved by Pritzker to blame the party for recent outbreaks of violent crime  even though crime has risen in many places nationally and major elements of the new measure, such as cashless bail, have yet to go into effect.

The other side is using crime as a bludgeon for the next election, said a longtime Democrat who was not authorized to speak for the House majority, and theres a political reality that people want to address crime.

The issue provides inroads to swing suburban districts that had once been reliable Republican territory but have changed demographically and ideologically in favor of Democrats in recent years.

But an internal poll conducted for Senate Democrats indicated that crime falls below taxes and other concerns among suburban voters, according to a senator who was not authorized to speak about internal caucus discussions. Only in Chicago was crime a top issue, the legislator said, in part because random gun violence being seen in parts of the city that have long been relatively unscathed by violence.

To counter Republican attacks, Democratic legislators are looking to take up issues in Springfield this spring that include carjacking, smash-and-grab retail theft and ghost guns, which can be manufactured from home kits without serial numbers or other ways to trace them.

Theres also an effort to provide increased funding for state and local police to both attract and retain officers after retirements of police hired with an influx of federal dollars in the mid-1990s.

As for the response to COVID, the other main line of Republican attack, Pritzker got an assist when the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions guidance belatedly backed his decision to drop the statewide mask mandate at the end of February.

Republicans had sought to use court rulings over the school mask mandate to bolster their attacks on Pritzkers power during the pandemic, while Democratic legislators had been content to let Pritzker use his authority for pandemic mitigation efforts, allowing them to escape any public criticism.

But with heated debates over school masking policies pushed by Republicans and their allies elevating the political stakes, particularly in the suburbs, Democrats have also grown weary of the mitigation policies. Even an effort to remove some protesting anti-mask Republicans from the House floor for violating its mask rules found some Democrats defecting.

If a new and dangerous variant emerges and theres another coronavirus surge, Pritzker could turn to the legislature for new mandates to forestall any future court challenges But Democrats would be eager to avoid doing anything to reimpose any of the mandates Pritzker ordered during the first two years of the pandemic.

Any further action we take on COVID at this point will be in conjunction to if theres another surge running that will be significant like omicron or delta, the lawmaker said. But I think right now, the will of the General Assembly is like, this things going away, let it go away.
According to Khaama Press, the bank has urged all monetary firms and services to take part in the auction.

Earlier on Wednesday, the bank auctioned the same amount of dollars to the monetary market of Afghanistan.

Afghanistan faces a worsening humanitarian and economic crisis since the Taliban took control of Kabul in August last year.

In February this year, US President Joe Biden had signed an Executive Order as part of an effort to set aside USD 3.5 billion in Afghan central bank assets for the benefit of the Afghan people.

In January this year, the United Nations' Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had called on the international community to quickly provide assistance to the central bank of Afghanistan and do more to inject liquidity in the country's economy to avoid a collapse in 2022.

Nearly 23 million people, or 55 per cent of the Afghan population, are estimated to be in crisis or experiencing emergency levels of food insecurity in the month of March in 2022.

In its latest situation report, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) expresses concern about "conditional humanitarianism" or attempts to "leverage" humanitarian assistance for political purposes.

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)
Speaking to media persons here, Patil said, "We have started preparations for local body elections in the state. We will hold discussions within our party on alliance with other parties (for Nagpur)."

Elections to 14 civic bodies in Maharashtra, including the Mumbai, Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporations is likely to be held in April.

Speaking on the phone tapping case, the Home Minister said a probe is underway.

Last month, Pune Police registered an FIR against former city Police Commissioner Rashmi Shukla in the case. The case was registered under section 26 of the Indian Telegraph Act.

In July last year, the Maharashtra government had constituted a three-member high-level committee headed by the then Director General of Police (DGP) Sanjay Pandey to investigate the phone tapping cases for the period of five years from 2015 to 2019.

The high-level committee was tasked to find out whether the phones of various political leaders were tapped illegally for undesirable political or any other purpose. The committee was asked to submit a detailed report of the probe and fix the responsibility of the person (if any) responsible for such cases.

There were allegations of phone tapping levelled by several MLAs including Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole. The controversy over phone tapping had erupted in 2020 after audio clips purportedly having a telephonic conversation between Union minister Gajendra Singh and Congress leaders surfaced. (ANI)
Vladimir Putin's army leaders in Ukraine could join him in jail for war crimes if they follow 'illegal orders', Dominic Raab said today - as he warned the conflict could drag on for years.

The Deputy Prime Minister said economic sanctions had 'put the squeeze' on the Russia leader, which was forcing him to use 'evermore brutal tactics' to achieve a quick result.

Britain has already called for Mr Putin to face warn crimes prosecution, with reports of illegal weapons like cluster bombs and possibly thermobaric weapons being used.

Appearing on television this morning Mr Raab said Ukrainian forces have 'proved a far tougher prospect than Putin expected' and that military commanders could also be prosecuted if they did not refuse orders.

'I think we ought to be under no doubt that our mission with our allies is to ensure Putin fails in Ukraine, and it's going to take some time,' Mr Raab said.

'We're talking about months, if not years, and therefore we will have to show some strategic stamina because this is not going to be over in days.'

He added: 'For all of those commanders on the ground right through to the people around Putin in the Kremlin, what they do now, whether they give or whether they follow illegal orders to commit war crimes, they will be held to account for it, and they need to know that.'

The Deputy Prime Minister said economic sanctions had 'put the squeeze' on the Russia leader, which was forcing him to use 'evermore brutal tactics' to achieve a quick result.

Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces and First Deputy Minister for Defence, Valery Gerasimov

Major General Andrey Sukhovetsky was reportedly killed by a Ukranian sniper while the latest deaths, since Russia invaded last week, were both senior officers.

Raab rules out no-fly zone in Ukraine Dominic Raab again ruled out imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine, saying this would lead to a 'massive escalation' and would feed into the Russian president's narrative. He told Sky News's Trevor Phillips on Sunday programme: 'We're not going to get ourselves into a direct military conflict with Putin because that would be a massive escalation, but also that feeds Putin's narrative. 'Putin wants to say that he's actually in a struggle with the west - he's not'. He called no-fly zones 'very difficult, very challenging' and said 'we will do everything short of that to support Ukrainians'. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said his party supports the Government but he wants to see them going 'further and faster'. Sir Keir told ITV News: 'Everybody understands why we can't have a no-fly zone, why direct military assistance is not possible. That means sanctions have to be the strongest we have ever seen, the most effective we've ever seen. And in order for sanctions to work, you need to know what property the oligarchs have got here in the United Kingdom. Advertisement

Three Russian commanders have been killed on the frontline in Ukraine. Major General Andrey Sukhovetsky, 47, was reportedly killed by a Ukrainian sniper. A divisional commander and regimental leader have also been taken out.

The Western official believes this is down to the commanders having to get 'closer to the front' as Russia feels progress still has not been made in Ukraine.

'The reason why that's happening is that commanders feel they have to move further forward to get greater impetus and control over operations,' the official said.

'That's an indication perhaps of some degree of frustration, some degree of lack of progress and they're trying to impose their personality onto the battlefield and then putting themselves at personal risk.'

Mr Sukhovetsky, who was the deputy commander of the 41st Combined Arms Army of Russia's Central Military District, died on Wedneday as Ukrainian defence forces repelled the Russian offensive.

The chief of the defence staff today said Russia has 'got itself into a mess' with the whole Ukrainian invasion.

Admiral Sir Tony Radakin told the BBC's Sunday Morning programme that morale in the Russian forces was low and that the Kremlin had lost more troops in a week than the UK did in 20 years in Afghanistan.

'We do know that some of the lead elements of Russian forces have been decimated by the Ukrainian response,' he said.

However, Sir Tony warned Russian aggression could be ramped up.

'I think there is a real risk because Russia is struggling with its objectives on the ground in Ukraine - and we've seen from Russia's previous actions in Syria and in Chechnya - where it will turn up the violence, it will lead to more indiscriminate killing and more indiscriminate destruction,' he said.

'We have to keep applying the pressure to Russia that this is outrageous and that the sense that because your invasion isn't going very well, that you just become more and more reckless in applying violence is totally unacceptable.'

Mr Raab again ruled out imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine, saying this would lead to a 'massive escalation' and would feed into the Russian president's narrative.

He told Sky News's Trevor Phillips on Sunday programme: 'We're not going to get ourselves into a direct military conflict with Putin because that would be a massive escalation, but also that feeds Putin's narrative.

'Putin wants to say that he's actually in a struggle with the west - he's not'.

He called no-fly zones 'very difficult, very challenging' and said 'we will do everything short of that to support Ukrainians'.

Boris Johnson has drawn up a six-point plan to defeat Vladimir Putin as he moves to assume leadership of global efforts to end the horror of war in Ukraine.

Admiral Sir Tony Radakin told the BBC's Sunday Morning programme that morale in the Russian forces was low and that the Kremlin had lost more troops in a week than the UK did in 20 years in Afghanistan.

The Russian president faced an unprecedented wave of international fury yesterday for offering safe passage to Ukrainian refugees  only to bombard them with artillery as they fled.

Some 200,000 civilians had been set to leave the port city of Mariupol and 15,000 from Volnovakha in eastern Ukraine at 7am yesterday (UK time) as part of a temporary ceasefire deal overseen by the Red Cross.

However, just 400 refugees managed to flee Volnovakha before the ceasefire was shattered.

The Prime Minister led the condemnation of Russia and said the world must unite under his plan to thwart the aggression.

In his action plan, Mr Johnson called for: the creation of an international humanitarian coalition for Ukraine; a boost to Kyiv's military self-defence; a ratcheting up of sanctions on Moscow; concerted diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the crisis; and 'a rapid campaign to strengthen security and resilience across the Euro-Atlantic area'.

Andrei Sukhovetsky, the deputy commander of the 41st Combined Arms Army of the Central Military District, on left, death was announced on social media by his colleague Sergey Chipilyov, right, and was widely reported by several Russian and Ukrainian news outlets

In addition, Mr Johnson wants to combat 'the creeping normalisation of what Russia is doing in Ukraine' as he fears that the shock value of Putin's actions will start to fade.

It comes as dramatic footage emerged yesterday of the final moments of Russian attack helicopter shot down by Ukrainian soldiers over a rural village around 25 miles outside Kyiv.

The Mi-24 was struck by a rocket before plummeting to the earth, hitting the ground nose-first, with all its pilots and navigators feared killed.

Their deaths came on a day when Russian aerial forces lost as many as eight aircraft, as well as multi-role, strike and close air support aircraft and a drone.

And in another remarkable development yesterday, Putin came under pressure from his own soldiers to stop the war.

At a press conference in Kyiv, captured Russian troops condemned the mission and called on their fellow citizens to rally against the conflict.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE day 11 as it happened: Kremlin 'recruiting Syrian fighters to go to war in Ukraine', Russia has launched around 600 missiles since the start of the invasion, Chief conductor Tugan Sokhiev quits Moscow's prestigious Bolshoi Theatre

The Kremlin is recruiting Syrians to fight in Ukraine, according to US officials that spoke to the Wall Street Journal.

Russian advances have stalled in the face of strong opposition from the Ukrainian military and civilian population alike.

It came as a senior US defence official estimated Russia has launched around 600 missiles since the start of the invasion.

The official added Russia has deployed about 95 per cent of combat forces it had prepared on the Ukrainian border.

Vinnytsia airport was totally destroyed by a reported eight Russian missiles Sunday as Vladimir Putin's assault on Ukraine entered its 11th day.

A second attempt to evacuate Mariupol failed after Ukraine accused the Russians of shelling the city as citizens attempted to flee through a 'humanitarian corridor'.

Innocent civilians were bombed as they attempted to flee via a 'green corridor' in Irpin.

Tugan Sokhiev, the chief conductor at Moscow's prestigious Bolshoi Theatre, announced on Sunday he was quitting his job after coming under pressure to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Boris Johnson has drawn up a six-point plan to defeat Vladimir Putin as he moves to assume leadership of global efforts to end the horror of war in Ukraine.

The Pope deplored 'rivers of blood' in Ukraine as he demanded humanitarian corridors.

Elon Musk held a video call with Volodymyr Zelensky as he promised to bolster his Starlink satellite support for the war-torn country, as he tweeted: 'Hold strong Ukraine.'

A Ukrainian peace negotiator is reported to have been shot dead amid claims he might have been a spy for the Russians. The reports are unconfirmed.

The UK welcomed the arrival of three 100m 'beast mode' RAF jets in a show of strength to Vladimir Putin.

Help refugees by donating to the Mail's Ukraine Refugee Appeal here.

This liveblog is now closed.
In order to offset this interruption and ensure the young minds are nurtured, the Indian army organised 'Winter Tuition Classes'. These classes have been conducted in remote villages of Mandian, Kundian, Naga, Kuchiban, Banwali, Dogapatti, Attar & Sapanwali under Operation Sadbhavana. This initiative was under the project 'Sadbhavna'. The move came after considering the loss of education during heavy snowfall & sub-zero temperatures in the region. The aim of the project was to maintain continuity while simultaneously enhancing the elementary knowledge base of the students. The tuition classes culminated on Saturday. These tuition classes were held with the help of local teachers and the collaborative support of the village population. The students were also given an insight into future prospects of schooling at APS Beas, Pehelgan, Udhampur and nurtured for exposure primarily with the aim of grooming responsible citizens. Speaking about the project 'Sadbhavna'. Sabir Khatana, a local teacher of a remote village, stated that winter tuitions are an excellent initiative by the Indian Army. "These tuitions bridge the gap between children of remote Line of Control villages and children from hinterland with better connectivity. A total of 380 students were part of the initiative that benefitted 12 villages of Kupwara district," said Khatana. (ANI)
During our trip to Mexico over Christmas, I learned of the story of the other son of a president. I'm talking about Jose Ramon Lopez-Obrador, 40 years old and the son of President Lopez-Obrador. Here is an update by Andres Oppenheimer:

According to the investigation, a former top executive of the Texas-based Baker Hughes oilfield services company rented his nearly $1 million home in Houston to Lopez Obrador's son from August 2019 to January 2020. During that time, Baker Hughes significantly increased its contracts with Mexico's state-owned Pemex oil monopoly, the MCCI report says. Lopez Obrador vehemently denies any wrongdoing by him or his son, but he has not yet disputed the key facts in the report. Instead, the president has tried to divert public attention by threatening to cut diplomatic ties with Spain over vague charges of business exploits dating back to colonial times. He is also using his daily morning press conferences to accuse the authors of the report and other prominent journalists of allegedly being unpatriotic and serving foreign interests  the oldest trick in the populists' book.

Where does this story go, and what happens next? We will see. I will tell you this:

First, I found a strong and emotional base of support for President Lopez-Obrador. His supporters stand by their man. You either love or hate this man. If you love him, then no logical argument will suffice. I have never seen that in Mexico before. In other words, it's going to take one heck of a scandal to bring this man down.

Second, I do give credit to the Mexican press for asking questions about the president's son. They are not protecting him as we saw up here when our media just put aside the Hunter Biden story. No such thing is happening down there. Thumbs up.

Time will tell, but something will probably come out one way or another south of the border. Add to the son problem a struggling economy recovering from COVID, and it could get tough for the man they call AMLO.

PS: Click for my videos and podcasts at Canto Talk.

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
LONDON (Reuters) -Police detained more than 4,300 people on Sunday at Russia-wide protests against President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, according to an independent protest monitoring group.

Thousands of protesters chanted "No to war!" and "Shame on you!", according to videos posted on social media by opposition activists and bloggers.

Dozens of protesters in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg were shown being detained. One protester there was shown being beaten on the ground by police in riot gear. A mural in the city showing President Vladimir Putin was defaced.

Reuters was unable to independently verify the footage and photographs on social media. Russia's interior ministry said earlier that police had detained around 3,500 people, including 1,700 in Moscow, 750 in St Petersburg and 1,061 in other cities.

The interior ministry said 5,200 people had taken part in the protests. The OVD-Info protest monitoring group said it had documented the detention of at least 4,366 people in 56 different cities.

"The screws are being fully tightened - essentially we are witnessing military censorship," Maria Kuznetsova, OVD-Info's spokeswoman, said by telephone from Tbilisi.

"We are seeing rather big protests today, even in Siberian cities where we only rarely saw such numbers of arrests."

The last Russian protests with a similar number of arrests were in January 2021, when thousands demanded the release of opposition leader Alexei Navalny after he was arrested on returning from Germany where he had been recovering from a nerve agent poisoning.

Some Russian state-controlled media carried short reports about Sunday's protests but they did not feature high in news bulletins.

Russia's RIA news agency said the Manezhnaya Square in Moscow, adjoining the Kremlin, had been "liberated" by police, who had arrested some participants of an unsanctioned protest against the military operation in Ukraine.

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CHURCH SUPPORT

RIA also showed footage of what appeared to be supporters of the Kremlin driving along the embankment in Moscow with Russian flags and displaying the "Z" and "V" markings used by Russian forces on tanks operating in Ukraine.

Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, said Russian values were being tested by the West, which offered only excessive consumption and the illusion of freedom.

Putin, Russia's paramount leader since 1999, calls the invasion, launched on Feb. 24, a "special military operation". He says it is aimed at defending Ukraine's Russian-speaking communities against persecution and preventing the United States from using Ukraine to threaten Russia.

The West has called his arguments a baseless pretext for war and imposed sanctions that aim to cripple the Russian economy. The United States, Britain and some other NATO members have supplied arms to Ukraine.

Navalny had called for protests on Sunday across Russia and the rest of the world against the invasion.

About 2,000 people attended an anti-war protest in Kazakhstan's biggest city Almaty, according to videos posted on social media. Reuters was unable to independently verify the posts.

The crowd shouted slogans such as "No to war!" and obscenities directed at Putin while waving Ukrainian flags.

Blue and yellow balloons were placed in the hand of a statue of Lenin towering over the small square where the rally took place.

The Russian state polling agency VTsIOM said Putin's approval rating had risen 6 percentage points to 70% in the week to Feb. 27. FOM, which provides research for the Kremlin, said his rating had risen 7 percentage points to 71% in the same period.

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Catherine Evans, Frances Kerry, William Maclean and Kevin Liffey)
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As the world grapples with crafting an effective response to Russian President Vladimir Putins illegal and immoral invasion of democratic neighbor Ukraine, three key approaches have emerged. The first is the imposition of crippling sanctions, which over time will strangle the Russian economy. The second is military support to the Ukrainians and a promise to help train, organize and equip both conventional forces and ultimately  if necessary  a powerful resistance.

The third central tactic is to give Putin exactly what he doesnt want: A more united North Atlantic Treaty Organization with far more military power close to Russias borders.

What is the U.S. role in catalyzing NATO and especially in stationing U.S. troops forward in Europe? What will the American military footprint in Europe look like as this crisis unfolds?

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When I was supreme allied commander of NATO, with my headquarters in Mons, Belgium, I had an additional hat in military parlance. That was as the 15th commander of U.S. European Command, the military organization with responsibility to the U.S. president and secretary of defense for all American forces in and around Europe. In that role, my headquarters was in Stuttgart, Germany, and I split time between those two locations.

European Command has nearly 100,000 U.S. military personnel  some stationed permanently, others rotating in and out  spread over 51 countries and 21 million square miles. It includes responsibility for military activity throughout Western Europe and all NATO countries, and also in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, the Caucasus and other hot spots in the Ukrainian war. While still a massive military command today, European Command has shrunk considerably from its Cold War peak of over 400,000 troops, and its geographic footprint has shifted as well.

During my time, we were pulling troops out of Europe, both to support combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, and also because we believed Europe was whole and free. I had a hard time trying to persuade my colleagues and bosses back in Washington that Russia still posed a significant threat to U.S. interests, and especially to NATO allies and close partners such as Georgia and Ukraine.

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Our footprint continued to shrink, despite pleas from NATO partners like Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, who were constantly warning me about the threat from Putins Russia.

Today, of course, we are in a different world. It is clearly time to move more combat power to the eastern borders of the alliance, out of the comfortable garrisons in Belgium, southwestern Germany, northern Italy and the U.S.

Doing so will militarily discourage any further Russian adventurism, particularly along the borders of NATO; encourage allies and partners in the east, notably the Baltic states and Poland; and send a strong diplomatic and political signal to Putin that his attack on Ukraine will only energize the alliance for more operations.

The best place to move additional U.S. combat power is to Poland. Poland is now a frontline state, with Russian forces conducting harsh combat operations just across the border in Ukraine. The Poles have been asking for permanently stationed U.S. forces going back to my time in Europe, and are willing to provide funding for bases and infrastructure to support our troops and their families (in the European Command, the vast majority of troops are stationed with their families on bases protected both by U.S. forces and by the host nation).

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Tactically, the central location of Poland, its size and military capability, and its long and troubled history with Russia make it the obvious choice for a permanent presence to include a three-star lieutenant general commanding a corps headquarters and reporting directly to European Command.

Additional locations for ground forces would be Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania on the edge of the Baltic Sea. This would include squadrons of fighter aircraft coupled with Army brigade combat teams, and the Baltic states have all indicated enthusiasm to host such units.

Estonia and Latvia border Russia directly, while Lithuania is adjacent to the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad (where the Russians have stationed cruise missiles and nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles to threaten European capitals).

Finally, looking to the southeastern region of the alliance, additional combat power in Romania would be a good choice. A geographically large nation, the Romanians are staunch supporters of NATO, expert intelligence collectors, already host a missile-defense outpost, and possess a fine port in Constanta on the Black Sea. The Marine Corps has rotated forces through Romania for years; its time to make that presence permanent. It would also be worth considering basing a fighter squadron or several Arleigh Burke-class destroyers with the Aegis antimissile system.

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The Navy already bases four such destroyers in Spain, but thats a long way from the Russian border and the Black Sea. These highly capable multi-mission ships (with surface-attack cruise missiles) would present significant combat power and flexibility in Russias backyard.

In terms of additional rotational forces (as opposed to permanent basing as described above), an interesting possibility would be Finland and/or Sweden. Both are close partners to NATO, and their troops deployed to a variety of missions under my command. In both Helsinki and Stockholm, there are serious discussions underway about joining the alliance, which would welcome them. In the meantime, temporary U.S. troops to train and exercise makes sense.

All these ideas should be explored with Americas NATO partners. The British and French have indicated they are already thinking along such lines.

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Putin needs to know that in addition to crushing economic sanctions and a fierce military resistance from the Ukrainians he seeks to subjugate, he will face significantly enhanced U.S. combat power on his border, alongside stronger Western European forces. It is exactly what he doesnt want.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

James Stavridis is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He is a retired U.S. Navy admiral and former supreme allied commander of NATO, and dean emeritus of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He is also chair of the board of the Rockefeller Foundation and vice chairman of Global Affairs at the Carlyle Group. His latest book is 2034: A Novel of the Next World War.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

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He interacted with 50 students who returned from Ukraine and were evacuated under the Centre's 'Operation Ganga'. Students shared their experiences with the Chief Minister.

During the interaction, Adityanath said that 33 new medical colleges and 2 new AIIMS hospitals have been established in the state.

"There will be a medical college in every district of the state in the next one year," Adityanath added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been regularly chairing high-level meetings over the Ukraine crisis.

Earlier on Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs said that over 13,300 people have returned to India so far under Operation Ganga from crisis-ridden Ukraine. The Ministry also informed that almost all Indians have left Kharkiv city in Ukraine and the main focus of the government is to evacuate citizens from the Sumy area as it is challenging amid ongoing violence and lack of transportation.

The government has also deployed 'special envoys' to five neighbouring countries bordering Ukraine to coordinate and oversee the evacuation process of Indian nationals.Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. (ANI)
The 26th Annual Art Directors Guild Awards were held at the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown on Saturday.

The event, hosted by Yvette Nicole Brown, honors the best production designers in film, television and media of 2021, and con sometimes be an indicator of who will take home theses honors at the upcoming Academy Awards.

Actress Alexandra Daddario was among the stars on hand to serve as presenters throughout the ceremony.

Glowing: Alexandra Daddario, 35, showed off her charisma during the red carpet walk at the 26th Annual Art Directors Guild Awards in Los Angeles on Saturday

Daddario, 35, made her grand arrival and was quickly ushered over to do the red carpet.

Oozing leading lady charisma and appeal, the New York City native stunned in a black, one-shoulder gown.

For an added touch of style, the part that went over the shoulder also had a sheer puff sleeve.

She matched the stunning number perfectly with a pair of pointed black heels, and had her dark tresses styled long, voluminous, with a part on the slight left.

Unique: The actress stunned in a black, one-shoulder gown that had an added touch of style by having a sheer, loose-fitting left sleeve

Classy style: The True Detective star had her dark tresses styled long, voluminous, and with a part on the slight left

Working it: While on the red carpet, the Baywatch babe switched between flashing an infectious and glowing smile with a more serious look

The True Detective star decided to steer away from wearing any noticeable accessories, with the exception of her gorgeous diamond engagement ring.

Daddario and film producer Andrew Form confirmed their engagement in early December, although they haven't gone public with any potential details about a wedding date.

While on the red carpet, the Baywatch babe switched between flashing an infectious and glowing smile to a more serious look.

Later, during the ceremony, Daddario hit the stage as one of the presenters, which also included Benedict Cumberbatch, Kevin Costner, Jeffrey Wright, Catherine OHara, Marcia Gay Harden and Wendi McLendon-Covey.

Engagement bling: The True Detective star decided to steer away from wearing any noticeable accessories, with the exception of her diamond engagement ring

Getting hitched: The actress confirmed her engagement to film producer Andrew Form in December

Glowing: Daddario was one of the high-profile presenters who helped hand out the awards

As previously announced by The Hollywood Reporter, The Power Of The Dog director Jane Campion was honored with the Cinematic Imagery Award.

This particular award is given to those whose body of work in the film and television industry has enhanced the visual aspects of the viewers experience.

Previous recipients of the Cinematic Imagery Award include Ryan Murphy, Chuck Lorre, Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, Martin Scorsese, John Lasseter, George Lucas, and Clint Eastwood, according to Variety.

There was also a tribute to Dune director Denis Villeneuve, who was presented with the William Cameron Menzies Award.

Taking to the stage: Kevin Costner seen speaking on stage during the ceremony

Star power: Benedict Cumberbatch served as one of the high-profile presenters

Dune Director Denis Villeneuve was honored with the William Cameron Menzies Award

Nightmare Alley (Production Designer: Tamara Deverell) took home the prize for period feature film, while Dune (Production Designer: Patrice Vermett) snagged the award for fantasy feature film.

Daniel Craig's final Bond film No Time to Die (Production Designer: Mark Tildesley) was awarded the gong for contemporary feature film.

Encanto (Production Designers: Ian Gooding, Lorelay Bove) earned the animated feature film prize.

Some other winners included Marvel's WandaVision (Production Designer: Mark Worthington) in the television movie or limited series category and Netflix's Squid Game: Gganbu (Production Designer: Chae Kyoung-sun) in the one-hour contemporary single-camera series category.

And the trophy goes to... Catherine O'Hara was all smiles when she hot the stage to announce one of the awards

Wowing the crowd: Yvette Nicole Brown performing her hosting duties during the award show
In 1991, the European release of Zero Wing, a Sega video game, contained a now-classic badly translated phrase: All your base are belong to us. In the massive battle shaping up across America, public school districts are metaphorically carrying a banner saying All your children are belong to us in their battle against parents over childrens gender (not to mention racial issues). Whats happening in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, exemplifies this battle and can be summed up in a sentence from a staff training session: [P]arents are not entitled to know their kids [gender] identities. That knowledge must be earned.

That arrogant message came from a professional development facilitator guide that was used in the school district at a staff development session:

Teachers are often straddling this complex situation. In ECASD, our priority is supporting the student, the professional development facilitator guide states. Teachers were encouraged to Talk amongst yourselves! The lesson  that teachers know better than parents about what is best for their kids  is not sitting well with some community members. We are appalled that ECASD would display such blatant disregard for the parents and guardians of our communitys children. We are equally dismayed that current school district leadership would pressure teachers into breaking a social contract that we all know and understandthat parents and guardians hold primary responsibility and decision making for the welfare and care of their children, said parents and school board candidates, Nicole Everson, Corey Cronrath and Melissa Winter in a joint statement.

The same article linked above explains that the Wisconsin Supreme Court has before it a case out of Madison, Wisconsin, that saw similar staff training in the public schools. The policies before the Court include the following language:

Children of any age can transition to a different gender identity at school, by changing their name and pronouns, without parental notice or consent.

District employees are prohibited from notifying parents, without the childs consent, that their child has or wants to change gender identity at school, or that their child may be dealing with gender dysphoria.

District employees are even instructed to deceive parents by using the childs legal name and pronouns with family, while using the different name and pronouns adopted by the child in the school setting.

All of thisthe teachers actions and the parents responserevolves around a single question: Do parents or the state have the ultimate say regarding a childs development?

Image: Back to school by creativeart. Freepik license.

The state has an interest in child welfare, as demonstrated by the existence of Child Protective Services agencies that can intervene when a child is being abused (and that can be abusive). The Roe v. Wade opinion holds that the state has an interest in preserving a childs life, with that interest divided up by trimester: a minimal interest in the first trimester when the fetus is not viable outside the mother; a moderate interest in the second trimester when the fetus approaches viability; and a strong interest in the third trimester when infants are all potentially viable.

The teachers unstated argument is that, because parents are unforgiving, rigid, discriminatory troglodytes who might interfere with a childs search for his, her, or its natural gender development, when they withhold that information from parents, they are acting on the same principle that sees the state rescue a child from a physically abusive home.

Parents, however, consider that its teachers who go beyond reading, writing, and arithmetic to force their bizarre gender beliefs on children who are the abuserswith their policy of hiding those efforts from appalled parents standing as proof of their nefarious goals. Moreover, these teachers always have the full backing of the radicals who have populated so many American school boards.

It might help you understand this battle if you got a sense of who and what these teachers and board members are. And for that, there is no better resource than Libs of TikTok:

Teacher brags about how she hides changes to her students names and pronouns from their parents pic.twitter.com/3tLhRhH0y6  Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) March 2, 2022

Wow. Sounds like @MetroSchools Board Member Christine Buggs threatened parents with being beat up by brothers and fathers of the board members at a recent meeting. She bizarrely admits to having a "napoleon complex" too. This is unacceptable. She must RESIGN! pic.twitter.com/kUzyanvnEc  Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) March 4, 2022

In the next tweet, what may be a little hard to see is that, on the wall behind her, this teacher has hung President Trumps picture upside down and included a photo of convicted cop murderer Assata Shakur:

How does the school allow this? https://t.co/YUOvY0U2yu  Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) March 4, 2022

Two questions on a survery in Sowers Middle School, California. Homeschool your kids pic.twitter.com/ChXAL3dIAz  Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) March 4, 2022

.@GriffinSpalding Chair Sue McDonald complains about wearing a mask after voting repeatedly to keep forcing masks on students. pic.twitter.com/su6LDEStno  Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) March 3, 2022

These are some pages in this book that NY state is promoting for students. pic.twitter.com/xm8m0YyS1f  Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) March 2, 2022

This is a teacher promoting a book containing pornographic content. Groomer. https://t.co/3JPmRoHBfE  Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) March 1, 2022

Its from Ibram X. Kendis childrens book. pic.twitter.com/gbCMg0GC1y  Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) February 28, 2022

Homeschool your kids pic.twitter.com/dV2dy11fGB  Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) February 27, 2022

This occured at Summerville Elementary in Tuolumne, California.

Credit: @ReopenCASchools  Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) February 26, 2022

I regret to inform you that this is a middle school teacher pic.twitter.com/4GopOsDXGS  Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) February 25, 2022

Teacher is recorded indoctrinating students and discussing blurring the line between genders pic.twitter.com/WXWCiXmV3u  Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) February 23, 2022

Here's the sad thing: The above tweets cover less than two weeks in the life of Libs of TikTok. There are literally hundreds more if you keep scrolling down.

Lenin is reputed to have said, Give me four years to teach the children and the seed I have sown will never be uprooted. Americas hard leftist public schools understand this principle and insistently assert ownership over the children in their care. If parents do not push back hard, displacing the board members and firing the faculty and staff playing sexual and racial abuse mind games with young children, parents will find that they have lost their children to the state. There's even a PAC that might help those who take up this fight: The 1776 Project Political Action Committee.
Award-winning sommelier Victoria James

Are you having trouble getting a reservation at a restaurant? It could be that you're blacklisted.

And it could be for a fairly trivial reason, as revealed by Victoria James, an award-winning sommelier and author of fascinating  and shocking  bestseller 'Wine Girl: A Sommelier's Tale of Making it in the Toxic World of Fine Dining'.

In a Zoom chat with MailOnline Travel about the world of fine dining and the art of choosing wine in restaurants, Victoria  who at 21 became America's youngest sommelier  divulges that she once worked at a restaurant in New York that blacklisted a group of guests for being 'cheap'.

She said: 'There were these guests that were quite lovely, actually. I thought they were tourists or students, and they went in and they only wanted to order one appetiser to split.

'The maitre d' [head waiter] was furious because they were taking up a table which, if you just look at a restaurant from a business perspective, they're costing the restaurant about $500 (375) theoretically by just ordering an appetiser and splitting it.

'And so they were blacklisted.'

Victoria, 31, whose many accolades include being named Food & Wine's 2018 'Sommelier of the Year', can see the maitre d's point of view  'he was protecting the business'  but believes he 'took it too far'.

There's also a risk with this kind of practice, she admitted, that the restaurant is banning guests who are more important to its profit margins than they realise. Those guests who were blacklisted for only ordering an appetiser, she pointed out, may have been amateur-food-critic-Instagrammers with millions of followers.

Victoria  who at 21 became America's youngest sommelier  divulges that she once worked at a restaurant in New York that blacklisted a group of guests for being 'cheap'

Victoria is currently Director of Beverage and a Partner at Michelin-starred Cote in New York and Miami, and explained that its bar for being banned is set at a more reasonable level.

She said: 'We have a zero-tolerance policy for harassment. So if you harass our staff, if you call them something inappropriate or you touch them, you can't come back.'

And what's more, you'll be told you're not coming back.

In Wine Girl, Victoria, who lives on New York Citys Upper West Side, reveals how guest behaviour in some restaurants is systematically recorded.

If you are rude to the team, it is recorded. If you steal the mother-of-pearl caviar spoons because you think they're super cute, it is recorded. If you don't tip well, it is recorded. If you spend too long at your table, it is recorded Victoria James

If you've made a mess in a bathroom, for example, the mess may well get reported to the maitre d', who might check the security cameras to pinpoint who made it. A 'passive-aggressive' note may then get left in your reservation profile, such as 'messed up bathroom, HWC, PITA'.

The last two acronyms, she explains, stand for 'handle with care' and 'pain in the ass'. In addition, 'a security camera photo might even have been attached to the reservation profile'.

Victoria adds in the book: '[In some restaurants] if you are rude to the team, it is recorded. If you steal the mother-of-pearl caviar spoons because you think they're super cute, it is recorded. If you don't tip well, it is recorded. If you spend too long at your table, it is recorded.'

Information about guests, Victoria reveals, is traded back and forth between restaurants 'like currency', but usually only the 'extreme positives and the extreme negatives'.

This intelligence on guests doesn't start and end in the restaurant, either.

Guest research

Victoria writes: 'Hostesses continuously scan the room for clues on people and record accordingly. When you walk into a Michelin-starred restaurant, extensive research has already been done on you  your name has been checked against an in-depth database compiled from other restaurants and industry friends.

'Unless you use an alias, which they can check through their online reservation systems and compare with your phone number, email, credit card, and public records, restaurants know more about you than you would probably be comfortable with.

'Don't worry, though, restaurants don't do this to be nosy. Information is, quite simply, power. Since they only have one to two hours to give you the best possible experience, restaurants need a few clues beforehand.'

Information about guests, sommelier Victoria reveals, is traded back and forth between restaurants 'like currency', but usually only the 'extreme positives and the extreme negatives

WINE GIRL: A RIVETING MUST-READ... In the truly inspirational book Wine Girl, Victoria James reveals the often toxic environments restaurant staff have to endure, revealing how she became a celebrated sommelier despite being sexually assaulted and bullied by her employers and co-workers, verbally abused by customers and (often openly) doubted by her peers. She became a sommelier at the age of just 21 and through grit and sheer hard-work held down jobs at revered NYC restaurants, scooped multiple awards and eventually landed a job as Beverage Director at Michelin-starred Korean steakhouse Cote, in New York's Flatiron District. It's a riveting read. Ted Thornhill Advertisement

Victoria added: 'If we're friendly with another restaurant and there's a great guest that spends a lot of money on wine, we would definitely pass it on to other restaurants or if there's a guest that's a problem, for example they come in and puke everywhere and they're mean to the staff, we're definitely going to share that with other restaurants as well.'

A sommelier's favourite type of guest

So those are the guests no restaurant wants. But what sort of guests do Victoria and her team of sommeliers like the most? Big spenders?

They are definitely welcome, but people who engage with a sommelier are also loved.

Victoria said: 'People have the impression that a sommelier will only like you if you spend a lot of money, and that's the wrong impression. Those guests are great and they help keep the restaurant alive, but for me, the most fun guests and the most engaging are the ones that are curious, that are interested in your wine program and your suggestions and want to hear what you think will pair with the food.

'If you come in and just order Cabernet from California, that's great, but you know it's also really fun when you can engage the sommelier and say, "Hey, why do you have all of these other ones, which should I try?"

'Give the sommelier information, because information is power. So you could name wine you had recently that you liked, some recently that you hated, show the sommelier pictures of bottles you enjoyed and be open-minded.

'The world of wine is so beautiful and so big limiting yourself is so sad. Sticking to one type of wine is like listening to one song for the rest of your life.'

Another way to be more intrepid is to ignore the tradition of drinking white wine with fish. Ask the sommelier which reds they've got that go with fish instead.

Victoria said: 'You can definitely have red wine with fish. I think the most important thing is to avoid tannins. Tannins are the chemical component in wine that when mixed with fish oils create a taste that's metallic and not pleasant, so you just have to have low-tannic red wine like Pinot Noir or Grenache.

'They can be delicious with fish.'

Victoria is Director of Beverage and a Partner at Michelin-starred Cote (pictured) in New York

And should a guest reveal their budget?

Victoria said: 'I love it when people tell me their budget because otherwise I'm shooting in the dark, just trying to guess.'

Though she said a good sommelier should be paying attention to the guest and noting clues about their spending power.

She said: 'If a guest orders initially an expensive Japanese whisky or a tin of caviar, these are context clues that let you know their budget, that price point isn't a big deal. Otherwise, I'll suggest wine at a couple of different price points and see what their reaction is. But it's always easier all round when someone tells you what they want to spend.'

And it's not just a case of keeping guests on-budget. Knowing price points can prevent offence being taken.

Victoria revealed, for instance, that one guest became offended when she suggested wines that were too cheap.

Victoria said she loves pouring guests a taste of wine at the table - 'it's a beautiful old-school pageantry of sorts'. Pictured is a table set up for a meal at Cote

Meanwhile, if you're happy to decant your budget to the sommelier, but not keen on revealing it to your fellow diner(s), Victoria has a 'pro tip'  just point to the type of wine you like and then point to a price on the list you're comfortable with.

Tasting the wine

Once a guest has chosen the wine, the next stage is tasting it, a tradition Victoria loves.

She said: 'A lot of sommeliers skip over this ritual altogether and won't pour the guests the taste anymore, but I like it. I think it's a beautiful old-school pageantry of sorts. I really enjoy it.'

And is this ritual to check if you want to put the wine on your bill, or just to check whether it's corked?

Victoria clears up the confusion that surrounds this part of the wine rite.

She said: 'Wines by the glass should be poured tableside, and with these you're definitely checking to see if you like it. Because that's something that's already opened and is already available.

'However, if a new bottle is popped for you, then you're not checking to see if you like it [you're checking to see if it's corked]. Preferences should have been established beforehand.'

Fascinating and shocking: Wine Girl

Victoria revealed that customers claiming a wine is corked is rare, that they don't like it a more common scenario.

She said that if the bottle is inexpensive, she's 'more than happy to eat the cost' if a customer refuses it on style grounds, adding: 'I can pour it by the glass or use it for staff training'.

The restaurants most likely to have wine that's the least likely to be sent back, Victoria added, are ones that list the name of the producer.

She said: 'For me, if there's no producer listed, don't order it.'

For more on Victoria visit her website - victoriajames.info. To book a table at Cote NYC visit www.cotenyc.com. For more on Cote Miami visit cotemiami.com. Victoria can be found tweeting at twitter.com/geturgrapeon. Wine Girl: A Sommelier's Tale of Making it in the Toxic World of Fine Dining (@eccobooks) is out now.
It has become clear in the past few years that many people have lost the ability to determine truth from lies, propaganda from fact. And even good from evil.

And now it appears many of us may soon lose our ability to recognize reality. Or live in it.

Mark Zuckerberg recently told tech podcaster Lex Friedman, "A lot of people think that the metaverse is about a place, but one definition of this is its about a time when basically immersive digital worlds become the primary way that we live our lives and spend our time." He added, "I think thats a reasonable construct." Really? Who among us will want to spend our time and live our lives as legless avatars? Maybe those who have graduated from our moron factories colleges and universities.

Some have postulated that if we spend our time in the metaverse, we will lose our identity in favor of group homogeneity, be that ideological, cultural, or demographic. This is so, they say, because we will then likely separate into monocultural strata in which every subculture and sexual fetish can find mutual affirmation, causing individuality to give way to any given monocultures unified mindset. This is the irony of identity politics, multiculturalism, and intersectionality. The more each individuals group identity is called out and deemed crucial to ones existence, the less the individual matters and the less leeway for independent thought, personal integrity, and personal identity the individual has.

Modern technology strips us of personal privacy, as well. Governments such as Chinas use facial recognition to control their own people. The C.C.P. allegedly uses A.I. to track Uighur Muslims and place them in reeducation camps, as it deems necessary. Russia, too, tracks its citizens via A.I. and facial recognition. There are 125,000 cameras in Moscow alone. And we have all been witness to the concurrent dramatic increase in camera usage in the U.S. over the past decade.

Moreover, Dartmouth researchers have built an artificial intelligence model for detecting mental disorders by analyzing web posts. And their endeavor is only a small part of a coming wave of screening tools that use computers and A.I. to analyze social media posts to ascertain people's mental states. The researchers designed their model to label the emotions expressed in users' posts and map any emotional transitions. The map would be a matrix, illustrating when a user went from any one state to another, such as from anger to a state of no emotion, thereby creating an emotional fingerprint.

And different emotional disorders, they say, have their own signature patterns of emotional transitions. So, by creating an emotional fingerprint for a given user and comparing it to established signatures of emotional disorders, the model can detect them. They claim that the model accurately predicts which users may have a particular disorder. The researchers say they hope to use the model for prevention. Quite.

Its easy to see where this ends up because we have already experienced much of it. Everyone disagreeing with, say, Biden or Trudeau administration dogma in their social media or blog posts will be found to be mentally ill. As in the past, with the U.S.S.R., East Germany, et. al., governments will graciously offer to help dissenters the mentally ill out by sending them to re-education camps.

Is that a reasonable construct?

The Brave New World is certainly not brave, even if new.

Reality -- like truth and goodness -- is not fungible. Whether we wish it to be or not.

We did not ask to be born. None of us. No living being. No one ever arranged their own birth. That is the truth, a fact. Impossible. Yet here we are. Therefore, it is simply impossible that our rights come from other humans or living things.

Or that reality comes from Mark Zuckerberg.

Image via Pixabay public domain
Chinese citizens evacuated from Ukraine arrive at Lanzhou Zhongchuan International Airport in Lanzhou, northwest China's Gansu Province, March 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Du Zheyu)

BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- The second batch of two temporary flights carrying Chinese citizens evacuated from Ukraine arrived safely in China on Sunday.

The first flight arrived in the city of Lanzhou, northwest China, at 2:15 p.m. The second flight arrived in Jinan, capital city of east China's Shandong Province, at 2:48 p.m.

Saturday saw the safe arrival of the first batch of temporary flights carrying Chinese citizens evacuated from Ukraine, with the planes touching down in Hangzhou and Zhengzhou. 

Chinese citizens evacuated from Ukraine arrive at Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport in Jinan, east China's Shandong Province, March 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Xu Suhui)
Over the past day, Russian invaders killed 1 civilian in Donetsk region, 8 more were injured, the press service of the National Police reported.

"Among the wounded are a child and two employees of the State Emergency Service. This is not final data, the exact number of victims, in particular in Mariupol and Volnovakha, is unknown. The police are documenting the consequences of the shelling and helping people," the police said.

At least 9 civilians were injured over the past day.

Under the blow of the invaders were 7 cities  Mariupol, Staromlynivka, Chervona Poliana, Verkhniotoretske, Toretsk, Volnovakha, Kramatorsk. 45 objects were damaged  a school and residential buildings.

"The most difficult situation is in Volnovakha and Mariupol, where the Russians do not allow green corridors to open: people are left without communication, heat, light, water and food," law enforcement officers said.

They said that the police have opened criminal proceedings over the indicated facts under Article 438 (violation of the rules of the warfare) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Aggressor fired mortars at civilians evacuated from Irpen, three killed, including two children  media

Russian troops opened fire on civilians trying to evacuate from Irpen (Kyiv region), Radio Liberty has reported.

"At least three people died, including two children, and another person is in grave condition due to injuries. Probably, the fire was carried out from mortars. Among the dead may be members of the same family," the publication reported, citing its correspondent.

There is no confirmation of these data from other sources yet.
PANAMA CITY  A 40-minute trip to the doctor's office early Friday afternoon found Paul and Laurie Shuman stifled with panic and uncertainty as they watched glimpses of their home go up in flames through ADT security camera system videos on Paul's phone.

"I can't remember if we were at the neighborhood or before we got to the neighborhood and my phone buzzed again, and it was (a notification from) 'ADT: no power,'" he said. "And I knew right then and there the house was completely gone."

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The initial notification he had received was to confirm the delivery of birthday gifts for his granddaughter at the four-bedroom, two-bathroom home at 3926 Whitehead Blvd. While his wife was being seen by the doctor, he then looked at different camera views at his house. That's when he saw civilian and police cars passing the front cameras views, and on another view, "I could see the flames coming right up to the fence and going to my neighbor's yard."

By the time the couple arrived as close to their home as they safely could  about a mile out  the home was charred to pieces, with only the garage door, part of the brick frame, and the frame to the pool covering still standing. They lost everything.

"The shock hasn't hit me yet," Laurie Shuman said, noting her husband has gone inside and taken pictures of the charred home, but recommended she stay away from the desolate scene. "When I see the house, that's when it's going to hit me  that's when I'll break."

Randall Shuman leaves his home on Whitehead Boulevard with a safe he was able to save from the ashes. Residents began picking up what was left of their homes while others still worked to save theirs as the Adkins Fire entered day two on Saturday.

As of 11:30 a.m. Saturday, 1,400 acres had burned in the Adkins Avenue Fire, with 30% of it contained. The Shumans were one of 600 families who remained under the evacuation order.

Story continues

Randall Shuman, their son, has started a GoFundMe page to raise $40,000 to help his parents rebound from the disaster. To donate, go to gofundme.com/f/bay-county-fire.

Hurricane Michael: 2 houses lost in 3 years

Like other families in the eastern Bay County area, the Shumans were getting settled into a new home on Whitehead Road after losing their home in Lynn Haven during Hurricane Michael in October 2018.

Homes on Whitehead Boulevard in the Magnolia Hills subdivision were destroyed by the Adkins Avenue fire on Friday.

"When you talk about starting over, there's starting over and then there's starting from the beginning. In three years, I've lost two houses," Paul Shuman said, adding he also lost his job in that time period after the county closed the incinerator at which he had worked for 25 years. "It's one thing after the other."

The family had stayed home during the hurricane, later realizing the water damage was too great to salvage the home. They lost the majority of their items, but were able to keep such heirlooms as Laurie Shuman's grandmother's and mother's jewelry and fine china.

In Friday's fire, she lost even that. However, she said most regrettably, the family lost Bella, an 8-year-old schnauzer-shih tzu the family had since she was just weeks old.

"I called 9-1-1 and told them to kick the door in and get my dog, I don't care about the house," Laurie said. Unfortunately, the family would later learn that Bella did not make it through the fire.

The family forever left the home with the clothes they were wearing during the doctor's visit and whatever else was in their immediate possession. Paul Shuman's employer, WestRock, is providing a temporary apartment for the family until their circumstances improve.

"We worked hard to get where we're at," Paul said. "I never in my life expected to lose everything in a matter of an hour. The hurricane was one thing, but we didn't lose all of our personal possessions."

He added, "You don't realize what you have until you don't have it, the smallest little things. We're talking 35 years; we were at a comfortable place in our lives, we thought we were going to retire in that house."

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: With Panama City fire, family loses home a second time
A group of North Carolinians failed to get North Carolina Representative Madison Cawthorn kicked off Novembers ballot. Theyd argued that the 14th Amendments Disqualification Clause prohibits anyone who participated in an insurrection against the government of the United States from appearing on a ballotand of course, within hours of events on January 6, Democrats started saying that a spontaneous protest at the Capitol constituted an insurrection. (The fact that there seem to have been government operatives herding people onto the Capitol grounds and into the building suggests it wasnt a coincidence that they instantly had a narrative in place.)

Cawthorn was the first to be subject to a 14th Amendment, Section 3 (Disqualification Clause) attack, but the fact is that, back in December, all activities got their Marc Elias, Hillary Clintons attorney:

My prediction for 2022: Before the midterm election, we will have a serious discussion about whether individual Republican House Members are disqualified by Section 3 of the 14th Amendment from serving in Congress.



We may even see litigation. pic.twitter.com/pF7P2fw0kn  Marc E. Elias (@marceelias) December 21, 2021

I am making clear that members of Congress who engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the United States are not eligible to serve in Congress.



The fact that this is so triggering to the GOP speaks volumes. https://t.co/R0QEUDnmZo  Marc E. Elias (@marceelias) December 22, 2021

Marc Elias, incidentally, is a person of interest in John Durhams investigation into the origins of the Russia Hoax perpetrated against President Trump. In his recent filings, Durham alleged that Michael Sussman, whom Durham indicted, had communicated in substantive ways with an unnamed attorney believed to be Marc Elias. Elias and his firm Perkins Coie were Hillary Clintons attorneys. Insurrection, anyone?

The problem for this argument about the Disqualification Clause is that the clause, which applied to past and future insurrections and which was enacted three years after Civil War ended, explicitly allowed Congress to repeal it via a vote of two-thirds of each House. That vote came in 1872 when Congress passed the Amnesty Act, described as An Act to remove political Disabilities imposed by the fourteenth Article of the Amendments of the Constitution of the United States.

Image: Madison Cawthorn. YouTube screen grab.

The Amnesty Act explicitly held that all political disabilities imposed by the third section of the fourteenth article of amendments of the constitution of the United States are hereby removed from all persons whomsoever.... It then stated a handful of narrow exceptions (Senators and Representatives from the 36th and 37th Congresses, military offices, legal officers, heads of departments, and foreign ministers).

These explicit exceptions trigger the ancient doctrine known as inclusio unius est exclusio alterius or inclusion of one is the exclusion of another. In practical terms, this means that, if the legislature goes out of its way to include something in a specific list, things not included are presumed excluded. Here, we have a statute removing all political disabilities...from all persons whomsoever, except for a short list of people, none of whom are 21st-century Republican politicians. Those politicians, therefore, get the benefit of being identified as all persons whomsoever.... Voila!

That is how U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II (a Trump appointee) viewed the matter:

Judge Myers sided with the argument of James Bopp Jr., a prominent conservative campaign lawyer, who noted that section three concluded with a caveat: Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability. The Amnesty Act of 1872 did just that when it declared that all political disabilities imposed by the third section of the 14th amendment were hereby removed from all persons whomsoever.

Democrats tried to argue that the Amnesty Act applied only to the past Civil War but, as noted above, neither the 14th Amendment nor the Amnesty Act makes that distinction. Both are exceedingly broad, subject to specific exceptions that are not applicable here.

Cawthorn achieved a total victory and one that should be an easy-to-follow template for any other Republicans faced with the same spurious challenge.
Ally White is more familiar with the stories of the people buried in Round Hill Cemetery than most people. The Marion Senior High School senior has been keying all the information about the Marion cemeterys graves into new software that will allow citizens and town officials to quickly find plots and learn more about the lives they represent.

Of the thousands of individuals White has read about as she entered their names, birth and death dates, and any notes about them, the story of one 25-year-old man lingers with her. As she typed in the details about 1st Lt. Fleming Clark Goolsby, she realized that his grave is empty, but continues to serve as a monument to an American hero.

Goolsby served as a pilot in World War II. On Dec. 26, 1942, the Marion native was flying on a mission over Bizerte, Tunisia, when his plane exploded. Other fliers in the same formation believe his aircraft was struck by anti-aircraft fire that set off the planes load of bombs. Goolsby was declared missing in action.

Beyond Round Hill, his name is listed on the Tablets of the Missing at the North Africa American Cemetery.

Round Hill serves as the final resting place for many veterans and other noteworthy individuals, including the 20th-century author and journalist Sherwood Anderson.

While scholars and other writers come to pay their respects to Anderson, many of the visitors are looking for a family member who might be less well known. Right now, Cindy Stanley, the towns clerk, noted that finding a specific grave can be challenging. Multiple paper maps that use different key codes exist for the burial ground as do index cards. In 2020, town officials observed that many of the historic records were becoming increasingly fragile. At that time, Town Manager Bill Rush noted that some of the original documents from the 1870s are cloth.

One factor that contributes to the multiple paper maps is that the graves in a cemetery near where the Henderson School of Appalachian Arts is now were moved to Round Hill around 1890 to 1900.

The Record of Burials book includes the names of those buried in the cemetery from 1877 to 1914. After that time the records were maintained on index cards. Stanley explained that many of the graves have multiple cards  one with basic details and another with notes about the individual buried there.

In its new section, Stanley said Round Hill includes 3,800 graves with about 3,500 in its older section. The cemetery also includes an area for pauper burials when there is no family to handle final arrangements for a person. Stanley noted that some of those are unmarked, and the cemetery also includes an unmarked section.

Officials knew the process of entering all that information would be time consuming so they hired White, who is known for her technology savvy.

Not only is White entering the details from the earlier documents, shes scanning in the original cards to preserve them.

By late summer, Stanley and White hope that finding one grave among the thousands will be much easier and can be done online.

Right now, White estimated that about 40% of the information has been entered into the new Legacy Mark software bought in 2020. Once complete, the program can be searched by multiple indicators to find graves.

Marion officials plan for it to be available and searchable through the towns website, marionva.org.

It will be so much easier and faster, Stanley said.

The process, Stanley said, will also help town officials get a better overall understanding of the cemetery and whats available. Round Hill is still an active cemetery with burials taking place regularly.

Other Cemetery Care

The database isnt the only work being done to improve the cemetery.

Over time, Stanley said, Tony Muncy, Marions public works director, wants to reset stones that have fallen over and repair those that are broken.

In early April, the town crews are also planning to clean up the cemetery. As part of that process, theyre asking individuals who have put flowers or mementos on graves that they want to keep, to remove them prior to April 1. Then, they may be returned on Easter or afterward.
SBU: most of invaders defeated near Mykolaiv are Ukrainian military who switched to side of enemy in 2014

Most of the personnel of the battalion-tactical group of invaders defeated near Mykolaiv are former Ukrainian military who switched to the Russian side in Crimea in 2014, the SBU has reported.

"Near Mykolaiv, the Ukrainian security forces defeated the battalion-tactical group of invaders. Most of its personnel are former Ukrainian military who betrayed our state in 2014 and switched to the side of the Russian Federation in Crimea," the SBU said in a message posted on the Telegram channel.

"Since then, the SBU has identified each traitor by name and has been waiting for an opportunity to punish them, as they were hiding in the temporarily occupied territory. Now Putin has helped the SBU bring the perpetrators to justice  he himself sent the traitors to certain death in Ukraine," the SBU said.

According to the Ukrainian intelligence service, the SBU also seized documents of the Russian military with callsign tables, mobile phone numbers, flash drives, SIM cards and personal documents of the invaders.
Imagine offering a million dollars to anyone willing to debate you and having no one take you up on your offer.

And then upping the ante to "name your price" and still having no takers.

This is precisely the situation of Steve Kirsch, tech entrepreneur, and one of the many well-educated critics of the mRNA "vaccine." He has been making this offer for months now from both social media and his Substack newsletter, and through those outlets, he has kept his readers informed as to the outcome. So far, his offer has generated nothing but a silence more complete than anything John Cage ever recorded.

I wonder why there are no takers. All a person has to do is formulate reasonable answers to his questions, propose alternatives to his speculations, and bank a million! Of course, in order to successfully make this attempt, it would probably help if one has a solid background in respiratory viruses or immunology. But there must be thousands of such persons in the United States! And those credentials would far exceed anything Kirsch himself possesses, with only a B.S. and M.S. in electrical engineering and computer science.

What would anyone have to lose by taking Kirsch up on his offer? It's not as if the person would be bucking the establishment or anything. And if Kirsch really is a vaccine "misinformation spreader," as he is currently labeled in virtually every online reference source, that person could credit himself with having vigorously corrected some important untruths.

Perhaps doctors and scientists are just too wealthy, and a million or so is simply not worth the time.

After all, as a tech entrepreneur, Kirsch has certainly made money. Twenty-four years ago, he donated $2.5 million to his alma mater, MIT, and got an auditorium named after him. (I wonder what the fifty bucks I send every now and again to my undergrad institution would get me. The cushions on one of the seats in a lecture hall?) But even after donating an amount of money, I will never see in my lifetime, Kirsch, who made it known that he wanted to speak on the campus in the auditorium that bears his name, couldn't get any takers there either.

All MIT requires for such an event is a faculty sponsor, someone to stand up and say, "Yeah, let's give him a podium for a night." But for the longest time, apparently, no podiums were available. I was thinking that perhaps if he were to toss them a check for another two and a half mil, they might be able to rustle one up.

But then, finally, out of the hitherto silent thousand-member faculty, a sponsor materialized. Kirsch then contacted the university for instructions as to how to proceed with the event, only to encounter yet another obstacle. He was reminded that MIT's COVID policies for campus gatherings were still in place, "which currently include mandatory masking and the requirement that all event attendees must be vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19." Foiled again.

I'm not going to go into the details of Kirsch's concerns about the mRNA jab. He lists them in some detail in his Substack newsletters (which gives any would-be debater a leg up on the event). I am deadly serious about the fact that we are at a crucial period in our history. At this moment, we are defining what scientific inquiry is and is not  and what educational institutions are fundamentally for.

Rodney Stark, in The Victory of Reason, writes that "[s]cience is a method utilized in organized efforts to formulate explanations of nature, always subject to modifications and corrections through systematic observations." In other words, contrary to what we've been hearing, science isn't a thing, but a process. And it certainly isn't static. There should never be a definite article before the word science. That's adherence to dogma, not rational inquiry.

Further, the university should be aggressively seeking out controversial subjects, not shielding itself from them. In the words of mathematician and philosopher Jacob Bronowski, "it is important that students bring a certain ragamuffin, barefoot irreverence to their studies; they are not here to worship what is known but to question it."

But here we have a topic that could not be more vital  our medical response to a virus  and the subject is off-limits as if the very notion of interrogating it introduced a ripple in the placidity of doctrine, heresy into an unchanging belief system. Consequently, as Kirsch puts it so simply, "students will not have the opportunity to consider that there may be an alternate hypothesis that better fits the evidence on the table."

In the past, even the devout risked unspeakable suffering to get their religious questions out there, despite the infamy (or worse) that followed being labeled a heretic. Now we can't even countenance debate in science?

Image: Tyler Menezes via Flickr.
When Ololade Fayemi moved into a new apartment in April last year at the Iyana-Ipaja area of Lagos, she did not know that the residents had been living in darkness. A gas explosion in the area in October 2020 had damaged their transformer and left them without electricity.

The 30-year-old, who runs a fashion-designing business in her home, said houses connected to the transformer were told to contribute N10,000 each to repair the transformer.

Ms Fayemi said if she had been aware of the power failure, she would have reconsidered her decision of taking the apartment.

This is August (2021), they (agent and landlord) didnt go deeper into the fact that the transformer has not been functional for some months, because I moved here in April and I heard that the light has been having issues since February. I thought it was just a minor issue and it was then that it dawned on me that the transformer was faulty.

As someone into fashion designing you have to iron, you have to use your machine, all manner of stuff and you have to work overnight too. And all these have been hectic for me. It has not been smooth and most of the time when I have plenty of clothes, I pack them. Thank God for my sister who lives not too far from here, I pack the whole clothes to her place to iron. I also charge my power bank, phone, and lamp there.

She said sometimes she turns on her small generator to charge while she uses a stove iron to work.

Who repairs faulty transformers?

Nearly a decade after the Nigerian government handed control of a large part of its electricity sector to private investors, the sector still struggles with meeting the power needs of Nigerians.

In February, the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) condemned electricity distribution companies forcing customers to buy or repair electricity assets as a condition for the restoration of power supply. The practice, however, has continued.

Also, the NERC while stating its consumer right and obligation emphasised that it is not the responsibility of electricity customers or communities to buy, replace or repair electricity transformers, poles and related equipment used in the supply of electricity.

According to the commission, some of the obligations of electricity consumers include monthly payment of power consumed, vigilant protection of electrical installation, cordiality towards electricity workers, ensure that metering and other electrical equipment within your premises belonging to the DisCo are not tampered with, or by-passed, notify the DisCo serving you of any tampering or bypass of electrical installations, notify the DisCo serving you of any outstanding electricity bill before moving into new premises.

The commission also stated that the repair or replacement of faulty electrical infrastructure should be fixed within 48 hours of official complaints. It, however, noted that where the DisCo is unable to speedily replace the faulty transformer, residents may go into discussions with the company and agree on the terms of the replacement of the affected transformer if they wish to assume the responsibility of the company.

The agency said irrespective of the financial commitment made by the residents, the equipment purchased and integrated into the electricity system or grid automatically becomes the property of the Electricity Distribution Company (DisCo).

But Sunday Adeyemi, a landlord in Baruwa, Iyana-Ipaja, said following the power outage, they lodged complaints at the DisCos office but did not get feedback.

When it happened, Baruwa community chairman called them and they checked it and promised to do it. But I was surprised when they used a forklift to pick the transformer to their office and the chairman was not aware.

They asked us to pay N10,000 each to their account, the money is not for the chairman, it is for the DisCo. Once you have made the payment, you will make a photocopy and show it to the chairman as evidence of payment.

And people are responding to the payment. The last time that some residents went there they said the money was over N2 million.

Another resident, Oluwaseyi Oyetunde, an engineer, said following the gas explosion, the power supply was always low voltage before the final blackout. He lamented that he spends N2,000 daily on fuel to pump water and other activities.

The Community Development Area (CDA) chairman, Samuel Fagbemi, said the DisCo, which did not initially respond to their call following the power outage, insisted that they pay up their debts before their electricity is restored.

They said that we should go and pay N3.8 million before they can repair it for us. So, we started pleading with our people, those that are owing them, he said.

He said the transformer has been bought but residents are still waiting for the headquarters of the DisCo to provide the electrical cables.

On the N10,000 residents were being made to pay, he said only residents owing the DisCo were asked to pay the money.

Consumer rights

Ejike Chijioke, chairman of Thomas Animashaun Street in Surulere, said they experienced a blackout for almost three months in 2021  May, June, and July. He said he is aware that it is the responsibility of the DisCos to fix electrical assets. However, he said, they waited for the officials for more than a month to repair their faulty transformer and they did not show up.

Then, we called for a meeting (with residents) for us to discuss ways to resolve the transformer issue, it was against this background that a committee for NEPA (the defunct Nigerian Electric Power Authority) was set up. Then we went to their office to make official complaints, then the manager at Sanya, a senior district manager in the person of Engineer Lawal, came and reinstated the transformer, he said.

When they came, they said they would relocate the transformer from the original base to another base. And based on that, the electricity committee within the residence asked people to contribute N5,000. Later, it was increased to N10,000 per house due to the expenses to be incurred in the process of relocating the transformer.

He said although they were not forced to contribute to relocating the transformer, they had to make a financial commitment to hasten the process.

We built the base, fenced it, provided the feeder pillar and one or two things that NEPA required from us which they could not provide immediately, Mr Chijioke said, adding that they are likely to go through the same process should they experience such a blackout again.

Clement Edet, a barber in Surulere, described the blackout periods as hell for his business. He said in order to retain his customers, he had to charge the same price as his competitors who had power supply.

The DisCo did not even say you people should give us time to fix this,' he said.

They should be the one begging us because we are the consumers and they give us bills and we pay, but these people do not see us as consumers, they see us as fools, whether you like, give them light or dont give them, they will pay, Mr Edet said.

We had a meeting, we cant continue to wait for these people, just as you know, you cant wait for the government, you wake up and solve your problem.

Business suspended

Nigeria produces an average of 5,000 megawatts of electricity for a population of about 200 million. The country is also Africas largest economy yet it has one of the worlds worst power sectors. At least 85 million citizens do not have access to the national grid, the World Bank said. The global bank also stated that Nigeria loses $29 billion annually to power shortages.

A fish farmer in Olu Adeyanju Street, Ifelodun community in Ogun State, who identified himself as Adegbenro, is one of the businesses affected by the erratic power supply. He said he had to suspend his farm business due to the constant breakdown of the electrical transformer.

I once had a fish pond but because of the light issues, I cant do it again, coupled with the high cost of petrol, I cant cope, I had to suspend it.

NEPA has just been promising, we went to Ibadan, and Sango here, since then nothing has been done. They (IBEDC) said they have a lot of demand for transformers. So, we decided that each house was going to contribute N20,000 each. We learnt it will cost about N5 million.

According to Mr Adegbenro, Ifelodun, Odo-Ogbe, and Igbehinadun communities have been experiencing power outages as a result of their faulty transformer since December 2020.

Mathew Babalola, a resident in the Ijako area of Ogun State, said about eight affected streets had contributed money thrice to repair their faulty transformer since December 2020 but it continued to break down. They, therefore, decided to buy a new one.

We wrote a letter to Ibadan DisCo and they said we should make a contribution and everyone has been told to contribute N20,000 and up till now, we havent resolved it.

He mentioned that due to the months-long blackout, he has been staying late in the office to ensure that all his gadgets are fully charged before going home. He added that he sometimes borrows his neighbours generator to pump water for daily use.

Residents of Abaranje in the Ikotun area of Lagos say they have been in darkness since April 2021 because they have been unable to fulfil the N30,000-per-house contribution to fix their faulty transformer.

We have been struggling in darkness, a resident who identified herself as Mama Blessing said.

Is it our responsibility to fix the transformers or the DisCos?

But the community chairman, Niyi Adeshina, said they were told to pay N30,000 each because they owed the DisCos over N3 million debts.

The transformer exploded and we went to their office. They said we owe N24,900,000, so they said we should pay two million in order to get another transformer but in case we dont have up to that, we should pay 1.4 million for the transformer and another N1.4 million for connection. And people are yet to respond to the payment at the moment, Mr Adeshina said.

Fixing the fault

According to a consumer rights law expert, Folarin Aluko, it is the responsibility of the DisCos to provide working and operational equipment regardless of the debts owed by consumers.

I think that would be a dereliction of duty by the DisCo, Mr Aluko said.

The responsibility imposed by law is not conditional upon the action of anyone.

The spokesperson for Ikeja Electric, Felix Ofulue, however, thinks otherwise.

Mr Ofulue requested proof that some residents fix their faulty transformers on their own.

When customers owe, they need to pay to keep the system working. If they have issues with the bills, escalation processes have been put in place to enable them to contest their bills, he said.

We have remittances to make to the industry. So, if you keep owing us, how do we provide? We are under a lot of pressure, they should pay their bills. There are rules for them, people pay for their DStv, GOtv, this is not a social service.

He added that the residents do not necessarily have to pay their full debts, but should pay their monthly payments in full.

What we are saying is for them to pay their current bill, we are just saying pay your monthly bill, not half but full, he said.

He also said that the delay in fixing or replacing faulty electrical assets is a result of several requests that they get. He said there is no preferential treatment and problems are solved on a first-come-first-served basis.

When PREMIUM TIMES went to the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) office in Surulere to enquire about claims that residents were told to fund the repair of their transformer, the manager referred this reporter to the district head in Orile-Iganmu. However, an official, who asked not to be named, denied the allegations. She said no official would request that their customers contribute towards the repair of faulty electrical assets.

She said they promptly attend to consumers demanding repair of faulty electricity assets.

At its head office, the EKEDC did not respond to requests for comments.

Electricity investment

According to the NERC regulation, to address asset arrangement known as the Regulation for Investment in Electricity Networks 2015, there must be an agreement between customers and the DisCos. The agreement should state the costs and the mechanism for recovery of the investment of customers willing to intervene in the power supply restoration and who may invest in the provision of materials and installation.

When PREMIUM TIMES contacted IBEDC, the spokesperson, Busolami Tunwase, said the residents should identify the official who requested that they fix their transformer, adding that Ijako is in our network, and not Oluadeyanju Street in Sango-Ota. But a copy of the March bill seen by this newspaper had IBEDC on it.

Ms Tunwase said community people sometimes pool resources together to fix their faulty transformer, adding that the DisCos delay in repairing it does not amount to denial.

She said it is not in their culture to ask customers to contribute to fixing or replacing faulty electrical assets.

She also accused some communities of not making formal requests. She said they sometimes get a contractor without the knowledge of their DisCo and the contractors do shoddy jobs.

She urged communities to make an official report of their faulty electrical assets to their office.

Then you will get a response from the IBEDC, then if at some point they ask you to pay, I will know who to hold by the jugular.

Meanwhile, the residents had in a letter titled Request for two new 500KVA transformers, received by the IBEDC Regional Technical Manager in Ogun State on May 5, 2021, appealed for an urgent replacement of their faulty electrical assets.

We are communities known as Ijako in Ado-Odo Local Government Area of Ogun State, with about one thousand inhabitants. Our current Transformer is overloaded and has failed twice, the letter read in part.

Through self-effort, the transformer was repaired twice and has failed due to the overload. We are hereby using this medium to appeal to you to come to our aid urgently for the replacement.

Right to electricity

Mr Aluko, the consumer rights lawyer, said that when the cost of fixing a faulty electricity distribution asset is borne by customers, they have a right to a refund and compensation.

He added that the relationship between the customer and the distribution company is contractual in nature. Customers have rights that are recognised and protected by the NERC Act.

The contractual responsibility to provide and maintain transformers and other distribution equipment is borne by the DisCos.

He said it is a breach of the contractual relationship between customers and DisCos for the customer to fund the repair and management of electrical assets.
The government is planning to strengthen the and has stressed on commissioning 14 critical coal-evacuation rail projects for faster transportation of fuel, as higher prices is likely to put pressure on the railways for transportation of domestic coal.

The projects include -- Tori-Shivpur Railway Line (on Deposit Basis), Jharsuguda-Barpali-Sardega Rail Link at Ib-Valley Coalfield of MCL in Odisha (on deposit basis) and Shivpur-Kathautia Railway line (through SPV).

In a meeting held last month, under the Chairmanship of Coal Secretary A K Jain, the status and progress of these projects was reviewed.

Thermal power generation from imported coal-based plants is likely to drop further due to higher prices and would put stress on the railways for transportation of domestic coal.

"Almost eight per cent of the thermal power generation used to come from imported coal-based plants, which has fallen to three per cent due to higher coal prices. This is most likely to drop further in future, this will bring stress on railways for transportation of domestic coal in order to eliminate/ substitute import of thermal coal," Jain said.

According to the minutes of the meeting, this issue is linked with the necessity of energy for the country.

"Cabinet Secretary will be specially reviewing capability of Railways for transportation of coal upcountry as most of the imported coal-based thermal power plants are located on coast and far off," he said.

Coal handling plant and other first-mile connectivity projects will help in reducing turnaround time of wagons/rakes which is very important, the secretary said adding that commissioning of these 14 rail projects is pivotal for faster and efficient transportation of coal.

With regard to Tori-Shivpur Railway Line, it was informed during the meeting that the execution of this project is in full swing and is likely to be completed by March next year.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Canadian-born actress Danielle Wade is surrounded by Mean Girls.

Its on television everywhere, even at the hotels we stay in, she said.

Wade plays the role of Cady in the upcoming Broadway musical iteration of the famous 2004 movie Mean Girls. The film starred Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams, and is coming to the Orpheum Theater this week as part of Omaha Performing Arts Broadway series. She is no stranger to the stage. In 2012, Wade won the Canadian reality talent competition, Over the Rainbow. The show was based on the 2010 British series of the same name, in which performers competed for the chance to play Dorothy in the Toronto production of Andrew Lloyd Webbers stage musical adaptation of The Wizard of Oz.

Now, portraying one of the lead roles in a Broadway tour, Wade said she loves the story that Mean Girls brings to audiences of all ages. She said fans of the movie will find the same charisma in the musical.

The jokes are all in, the lines that you are waiting for are still there, she told The World-Herald. Somethings have a little different punch line, which is nice and keeps everyone on their toes. Its not a carbon copy of the film, but the things that you love about the film are on the stage.

The popularity of the film does add some pressure on the musicals performers, Wade said, but that pressure is taken in stride. The show has been updated to fit the year 2019 instead of 2004. But the shows central theme remains the same. The movie and the musical are based  in part  on the 2002 nonfiction self-help book, Queen Bees and Wannabes, by Rosalind Wiseman. The book describes high school social cliques, school bullying, and the effects they have on students  particularly those who are female or identify as such.

The story follows Cady, a former homeschool student who enrolls in a public high school after her parents work duties no longer afford the opportunity to homeschool. In school, Cady meets a variety of different students, including a group of girls known at The Plastics  wealthy Gretchen Wieners, sweet Karen Smith and the cliques ferocious leader: Regina George. The battle lines are drawn and what follows is a pubescent game of tit-for-tat that would make some politicians cringe in fear.

While Mean Girls is a cultural staple for the millennial generation, Wade said some of the musicals most engaged audience members are fathers who attend with their families.

Its a beautiful evolution to see from stage, she said. Its like, this man does not want to be here, hes taken his daughters to see this, and he is cackling at the characters doing something ridiculous.

The shows central theme has a self-care feel to it, as it encourages people to be comfortable with who they are.

It sounds very cliche, but just be yourself, Wade said. It is so much easier to be what you are and be happy with who you are. There is only one of you. Hopefully, that is what the audience takes away, rather than the mean girls being mean.
As many as five Border Security Forces (BSF) jawans, including the constable who opened fire, were reported dead after bullets were fired at the BSF mess in Amritsar's Khasa village. The incident took place on Sunday, March 6. BSF, in a statement, said, "In an unfortunate incident, 5 BSF troops were injured on March 6, due to fratricide committed by Ct Satteppa SK at HQ 144 Bn Khasa, Amritsar. Ct Satteppa SK was also injured in the incident. Out of the 6 injured, 5, including Ct Satteppa, have lost their lives. One of the injured is critical. A court of inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the facts."

Check Tweet:

5 troops were injured today due to fratricide committed by Ct Satteppa SK at HQ 144 Bn Khasa, Amritsar. Ct Satteppa S K was also injured. Out of the 6 injured, 5 troops incl Ct Satteppa, have lost their lives, one critical. A court of inquiry has been ordered: BSF pic.twitter.com/d17FzAdFkl  ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2022

(SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
The world of cricket continues to mourn the loss of Shane Warne (Anjum Naveed/AP). (AP)

Australia will hold a state funeral for Shane Warne.

The Warne family have accepted the offer of a public funeral for the cricketing great, who died of a heart attack aged 52 on Friday.

Australian MP Daniel Andrews, the Premier of Victoria, said on social media that the occasion would be an opportunity for the country to honour the sporting superstar.

I've spoken with the Warne family again today and they have accepted my offer of a State Funeral to remember Shane.



It will be an opportunity for Victorians to pay tribute to his contribution to his sport, to our state and the country.



Details will be finalised in coming days.  Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) March 6, 2022

Ive spoken with the Warne family again today and they have accepted my offer of a State Funeral to remember Shane, Andrews posted on Twitter.

It will be an opportunity for Victorians to pay tribute to his contribution to his sport, to our state and the country. Details will be finalised in the coming days.

Tributes have flooded in from across the world following the shock death of one of sports most charismatic and loved figures.

Flowers are laid at the statue of Shane Warne outside the Melbourne Cricket Ground (Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/AP). (AP)

Fans have continued to lay floral tributes at the Melbourne Cricket Grounds Shane Warne statue, while the stadiums Great Southern Stand will be renamed the SK Warne Stand in the spin kings honour.

Warne shot to global fame with the ball of the century to bamboozle and dismiss Mike Gatting in the 1993 Ashes series against England.

He went on to claim 708 Test wickets, the second-highest haul in history, in a 15-year career spanning 145 matches.

The bullish spinner also racked up 293 one-day international wickets, helping Australia win the 1999 World Cup.
At a large supermarket in Mumbai last week, workers were unloading hundreds of bright blue grocery crates belonging to India's biggest retailer Reliance.

Prospective customers were turned back by security, disappointed at the closed state of the store that still carries the signage of Future's biggest brand, Big Bazaar, but which will likely soon be rebranded as a Reliance outlet.

Across India, similar scenes are being played out as Reliance Industries, India's biggest conglomerate run by Mukesh Ambani, the country's richest man, presses ahead with a shock de facto takeover of prized retail real estate that .com Inc has been keen to take part-ownership of.

The high-profile bitter dispute between corporate titans in which has sought to block Reliance's planned $3.4 billion purchase of Future Group's retail assets is currently before India's Supreme Court.

Reliance's takeover began with utmost stealth on the night of Feb. 25 when its staff began arriving at Future stores. Many in Future's management were in the dark about the plans as store employees from all over the country frantically began to call, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter.

"It was tense, everybody was panicking. We didn't know who they were. They wanted access and seniors didn't know about it," a New Delhi Big Bazaar store employee said, describing what happened around 8 p.m. that day.

At a Future store in Sonipat town in northern Haryana state, announcements were made asking customers to leave as Reliance seized control, one source said. In Vadodara in western Gujarat, Future employees arriving for work the next morning were asked to go back home with no explanation, said another source.

Citing unpaid payments by Future, Reliance has taken control of operations of some 200 Big Bazaar stores and has plans to seize another 250 of Future's retail outlets. Combined, they represent the crown jewels of Future's retail network and around a third of all Future outlets.

Although Reliance had not played a large public role in the legal dispute, it had, according to sources, for some months assumed many of the leases held by cash-strapped Future, India's No. 2 retailer and Amazon's estranged business partner.

Reliance's sudden possession of the stores appears to have landed what some analysts are calling a coup de grace that spoils Amazon's chances of untangling the transfer of Future's assets to Reliance. That's despite a series of legal battles won by the U.S. e-commerce giant to date blocking the 2020 deal announced between the two Indian .

"What will fight for now?" said a source close to the U.S. company with knowledge of the legal dispute. "The shops are gone."

Representatives for Reliance, Amazon and Future did not respond to Reuters queries for this article. Sources asked not to be identified due to the sensitive nature of the dispute.

AFTER THE TAKEOVER, TALKS

said on Feb. 26 it was "scaling down its operations" to cut losses although it made no mention of Reliance in its statement. Future Group as a whole has more than $4 billion in debt.

Reliance plans to retain Future's employees at the stores it takes over, sources have said.

Amazon, which has a stake in a separate Future Group unit that it argues prevents Future from selling retail assets without its permission, has called the supermarkets and other stores an "irreplaceable" network in a sector worth $900 billion in revenues annually.

The legal wrangles had over time become increasingly high-stakes and marked by ugly rhetoric. At one point, Amazon sought for Future Chief Executive Kishore Biyani to be detained in prison for disobeying a legal order. And Future once likened Amazon to Alexander the Great and his "ruthless ambition to scorch the earth".

But on Thursday, six days after Reliance's move, Amazon at a Supreme Court hearing unexpectedly called for cordial talks to end the dispute - a proposal Future agreed to.

"People have taken over shops ... let's at least have a conversation," Amazon's lawyer Gopal Subramanium said.

Discussions are expected to begin soon.

Whatever the outcome of the talks, analysts say Amazon had gravely underestimated Reliance.

"If anybody should have seen this coming, it should have been Amazon and they should have prepared against it," said Devangshu Dutta of retail consultancy Third Eyesight.

"Clearly, they didn't."

(Reporting by Aditya Kalra in New Delhi and Abhirup Roy in Mumbai; Additional reporting by Francis Mascarenhas in Mumbai and Amit Dave in Ahemedabad; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
'In those really big decisions... you've got to follow, in the end, your own instinct'

But Blair admitted he 'may have been wrong' about the controversial war

He told Archbishop of Canterbury he thought that it was the 'right thing to do'

Former prime minister Sir Tony Blair has admitted he 'may have been wrong' about the decision to invade Iraq and Afghanistan, but insisted he thought it was 'the right thing' to do.

Speaking to the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby as part of BBC Radio 4's The Archbishop Interviews series, Sir Tony defended his decision to intervene in the Middle East alongside former US president George W Bush.

'People often say over Iraq or Afghanistan that I took the wrong decision but you've got to do what you think is right,' the 68-year-old said.

Tony Blair has admitted he may have been wrong about the war in Iraq but insists he thought it was the right thing to do

Around 750,000 anti-war demonstrators marched in London against the war in Iraq on February 15, 2003 - a day which saw million of people around the world take to the streets in the biggest mass protest since the Vietnam war

'Whether you are right or not is another matter. In those really big decisions you don't know what all the different component elements are, and you've got to follow, in the end, your own instinct.'

He added that although his decision 'may have been wrong', he 'had to do what I thought was the right thing'.

Sir Tony was appointed a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior British Order of Chivalry, in the New Year's honours list.

However, a Change.org petition to strip him of his knighthood gathered more than one million signatures.

President George W. Bush and Blair shake hands in Belfast after their third meeting in a month to discuss progress in the war with Iraq

The petition said: 'Tony Blair caused irreparable damage to both the constitution of the United Kingdom and to the very fabric of the nation's society.

'He was personally responsible for causing the death of countless innocent civilian lives and servicemen in various conflicts. For this alone he should be held accountable for war crimes.

'Tony Blair is the least deserving person of any public honour, particularly anything awarded by Her Majesty the Queen.'
Russias invasion of Ukraine is already having a major impact on crude oil prices, but a worst-case scenario would see South Africas fuel prices almost double.

This is according to Andre Thomashausen, an emeritus professor of international law at Unisa, who was speaking with IOL.

In a worst-case scenario, South Africa could expect liquid fuel prices to increase to about R40 per litre, said Thomashausen.

As Eskom energy production depends much on imported diesel, electricity prices could increase by up to 40%.

This could have a devastating effect on all the parameters of the current budget and sink South Africas hopes for a post-Covid economic recovery, he added.

Agri Enterprises agricultural economist Shane Rudolph also told the City Press that a steep rise in oil prices directly affects farmers costs, which could cause significant food price increases.

For example, fuel costs make up about 13% of grain production costs, and about 80% of South Africas grain is transported by road.

This is exacerbated by the fact that fertilizer prices have risen by about 70% recently because Russia is historically the worlds largest exporter of fertilizer.

South Africans already pay over R21 per litre of petrol inland after the energy department announced a R1.46 per litre increase that kicked in on 2 March 2022.

Motorists who live inland will pay R1,281 to fill up a 60-lire tank with 93 unleaded  R87.60 more than in February.

The price of diesel also increased by between R1.44 and R1.48 per litre.

The global price rise of crude oil is not the only reason for South Africas exorbitant fuel prices.

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse explained that combined levies on motorists rising by 126% over ten years are another big reason South Africans are paying such high prices for fuel.

Some good news on this front is that government has announced it would not increase the General Fuel Levy (GFL) and Road Accident Fund (RAF) levy for the 2022/23 financial year.

Finance minister Enoch Godongwana also announced that he is working with energy minister Gwede Mantashe to review South Africas fuel price.

The intention is to review the fuel price and its structure, said Godongwana.

The intention is to make sure that we can have a petrol price which is competitive with this economy.

Now read: How much more you will pay for a tank of petrol from today
LVIV, Ukraine  As his troops continued to run into stiff resistance in Ukraine, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia delivered an ominous message to Ukrainians on Saturday, telling government leaders they might lose their statehood and likening the withering sanctions imposed on his country to a declaration of war.

The current leadership needs to understand that if they continue doing what they are doing, they risk the future of Ukrainian statehood, Mr. Putin said. He also said any third-party countries that tried to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine would be considered enemy combatants. Ukraines president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has beseeched Western countries to declare such a no-fly zone.

Mr. Putin issued his threats as Ukrainians across the country continued to engage in defiant displays of patriotism, even in places that have been overtaken by the Russians. In Kherson, the first major city to fall to Russian troops, hundreds of protesters gathered in the central square at 10 a.m. on Saturday, many waving Ukrainian flags, according to video streamed live from the scene and verified by The New York Times.
By Olga Kharif,

Ukraine has already spent $15 million of the donations it received in cryptocurrencies on military supplies, including bulletproof vests that were delivered Friday, according to Alex Bornyakov, deputy minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian government anticipates doubling the $50 million of crypto donated so far in the next two or three days, Bornyakov said Friday in a Zoom interview from an undisclosed location inside Ukraine. Most of the donations have been in Bitcoin and Ether.

The 250-person ministry has managed to find suppliers in Europe and the US for everything from the vests to food packages to bandages and night-vision devices for army within two days after Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, Bornyakov said. About 40 per cent of the suppliers are willing to take crypto. The rest are typically paid with crypto converted into euros and dollars, he said.

Follow live Ukraine-Russia crisis updates here

While many companies and crypto startup founders have donated money, most donations come from people, Bornyakov said, while noting that air-raid sirens occasionally require him to run into a bomb shelter.

The ministry has also received donations in Tether, Polkadot and Solana, he said. It also received hundreds of NFTs, including a valuable CryptoPunk.

The ministry was formed two years ago, and was working to develop Ukraines information-technology services industry, provide high-speed internet access throughout the country and to move all government services online. Most of the ministrys team is under 35 years old, and most are working remotely, from inside or outside the country, Bornyakov said. Before joining the ministry, Bornyakov studied public administration at Columbia University in New York and also founded several startups, including an ad-technology provider and a startup investment fund.

Also Read | Ukraine dominates social media info war with Russia

The ministrys team has now refocused on supporting the countrys digital infrastructure as its being attacked, making sure the governments work is not interrupted, Bornyakov said. Gathering and using cryptocurrency donations is a part of its efforts as well.

To raise additional funds, the ministry is now working with two companies that are designing an NFT collection that could be ready in less than two weeks, and would raise funds for the Ukrainian war effort, Bornyakov said. Its still up in the air if the edition will be limited, and what the NFTs will look like.

No one was ready to do military NFTs, the war just started eight days ago, they are still trying to figure out how to do this in terms of design, he said.

The ministry has no plans to sell its donated CryptoPunk #5364, showing a person in a blue bandanna smoking a cigarette, or others of the hundreds of donated NFTs any time soon. The CryptoPunk last sold a year ago for about 16.2 Ethers, worth over $43,000 in current prices. Prices of CryptoPunks have increased dramatically in the last year.

Yes, someone donated us a CryptoPunk, but its so hard to sell, we havent used it at this point, Bornyakov said. We are going to keep it for now. We appreciate every support that people are trying to give. Whats important is peoples awareness. They see whats going on, and they are trying to help. We are going to work with NFTs a little bit later, we are focused on things we can deal with right now. Theres no time to figure out how to convert them. Maybe once things settle down well figure this out.

Check out latest DH videos here
A priest who threw red paint over the Russian embassy in Dublin has urged people in Ireland to continue to protest against the war in Ukraine.

Fr Fergal MacDonagh was among speakers who addressed a rally in Dublin city centre that was attended by several thousand protesters on Saturday.

Ukrainian ambassador to Ireland Larysa Gerasko also spoke to the crowds outside the GPO on OConnell Street, warning that her country was on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe.

Fr MacDonagh, from Dolphins Barn parish in south-west Dublin, threw the paint over the gates of the Russian embassy on Friday in protest at the invasion.

Organisers thanked him for the act on Saturday and invited him to address the rally.

The cleric explained what motivated him to vandalise the property.

Yesterday morning when I woke up I heard on the radio that a maternity hospital had been bombed in Ukraine during the night, he said.

Its appalling and horrific and its the work on evil what is happening in Ukraine, its a war crime and Putin will face justice in this world or in the next.

He added: Ive been frightened and worried and anxious all week, all the last 10 days.

We must protest, the people of Ukraine must know that they are not alone.

Ms Gerasko thanked those who came out to voice their opposition to the war.

Many cities in Ukraine are destroyed, many civilians are killed, many children, women and many Ukrainians flee the country, many refugees, she said.

We are at the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe.

Tanya White, who is originally from Kyiv, demanded that Nato impose a no-fly zone in her homeland.

My relatives, my classmates, my family they are all being bombed with rockets, she said.

The house that I lived in in Kyiv its being shelled by rockets continuously, its a nightmare.

The main point is close the skies, close the skies over Ukraine and Ukraine will do the rest  they will win it.
Sufficient physical activity is essential to staying healthy and maintaining one's physical and mental wellbeing. But for office workers, with long hours of desk jobs, staying active is difficult. Now, researchers in Japan have shed light on how office workers can keep active throughout the working day. In a recently published article in the 'International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health', a team of researchers from the University of Tsukuba investigated how office workers at an insurance company in Tokyo dealt with the challenge of staying physically active. Their study was based on two sets of focus group interviews with office workers and managers, respectively. "The negative health effects of a sedentary lifestyle are being taken increasingly seriously in Japan as a public health issue," noted Yoshio Nakata, one of the study's authors. "Because office workers spend more than 70 per cent of their working hours sitting, they are at higher risk of developing conditions such as diabetes." The interviews explored how office workers perceived the importance of physical activity and how they viewed the situation regarding physical activity in the workplace. They also invited suggestions for ways to increase their levels of physical activity. "The importance workers place on physical activity results from factors related to the individual, the socio-cultural environment, the physical environment, and the organizational culture," commented Associate Professor Nakata. "For example, factors related to the individual include their biological health and personality. Organizational factors include matters such as a company program to promote physical activity or a healthy work-life balance policy." The researchers looked at solutions in terms of capability, opportunity, and motivation. They found that office workers' capability can be increased by evidence-based health education. They can be given the opportunity to engage in physical activity through changes to the physical environment, such as issuing standing desks or installing a shower room. Strategies to improve motivation can include incentive programs to reward employees for increasing indicators of physical activity such as their daily step count. Such programs can be effective but are often expensive - lower-cost alternatives include posters to promote physical activity and encouraging messages from executives. As worker health is positively related to worker productivity, further investigation of the strategies identified by the researchers to promote physical activity among office workers is warranted. (ANI)
The double nature of the late composer/entertainer Peter Allen's life is hinted at in the title of "The Boy from Oz," the jukebox musical about Allen that earned Hugh Jackman a 2004 Tony in the title role and is now getting its local premiere through Pride Films and Plays. A native of tiny Tenterfield, Australia, Allen (born Peter Woolnough) ran away from one "Oz" to another  the glittering but troubled orbit of Judy Garland, long after her turn as Dorothy.

Allen, though primarily gay, did marry Garland's daughter, Liza Minnelli, and suffered for a time from second-banana status as Minnelli's star rose. He also wrote some huge hits for other people  many of which are heard here in stellar arrangements by Robert Ollis and his six-man band. Proving perhaps that there were no hard feelings, Allen took home an Oscar for "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" from ex-wife Minnelli's 1981 film, "Arthur." (The song was co-written by Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, and performer Christopher Cross  Allen contributed the choral lyric "when you get caught between the moon and New York City" from an earlier unreleased song he wrote with Sager.)

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But his life, at least as filtered through the musical's rather reductive book by Martin Sherman (best known for the gay Holocaust drama "Bent") and Nick Enright, was mostly about trying to be two people at the same time  nice mama's boy from the Outback and "The Continental American," as one of his songs is titled. (Allen's first success came as a duo, "The Allen Brothers," with Chris Bell, who most certainly wasn't his brother.) That duality needs to be amped up in David Zak's generally sturdy production for the emotional highlights to really hit home. There was an essential sadness underneath this man who was "Not the Boy Next Door" and who craved the "Busby Berkeley" life from an early age that this show sometimes shies away from.

True, the story contains its own seen-it-before "Behind the Music" tropes. We first meet young Peter (Garrett Hershey) in the company of his doting mama Marion (Michelle McKenzie-Voigt) and his violent alcoholic father, Dick (Brad Senffner), tapping and singing for change at the town pub. Quickly he and his not-brother Chris (David Kaplinsky) end up in Hong Kong, where a chance encounter with Garland and her own gay husband, Mark Herron (Wade Tischhauser), in a cabaret launches his American adventures. But there is a definite feeling in the first act that we're checking off boxes in the trajectory of Allen's life, which makes some of the late-breaking emotional moments feel a bit belabored.

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Chris Logan as Allen is ingratiating in the best sense of the word as he narrates his own life story. Logan's dance skills in particular set off sparks in Cameron Turner's snappy choreography. His voice seldom falters, and he excels at delivering the "You know you love me!" sass that this show's version of Allen requires.

But as Allen's world starts crumbling, particularly as his long-time lover, Greg (Luke Meierdiercks) dies of AIDS, we need to see the long-term effects of being the most charming man at the party  and a self-centered one, as Greg accuses Allen of being. Those who invent themselves  or become inventions of others  often do so at the cost of intimacy with loved ones and one's own sense of inner peace. Judy Garland knew that.

As Liza, Michelle Lauto is all doe-eyed vulnerability and knowing wistfulness, and she delivers a killer take on "I'd Rather Leave While I'm in Love." Nancy Hays' Judy isn't allowed the same levels of nuance by Sherman and Enright, which boxes her into overly familiar hard-bitten-but-aching Judy mannerisms, but she too can belt through the tears.

But there is also a decidedly mawkish cast to some key events, as when Allen breaks the news of Judy's death to Liza and when we learn what happened to his own troubled father. (The Australian accents are pretty scattershot, giving the impression at times that Allen actually grew up in Appalachia.) As presented here, Allen was a man who pinballed stylistically from intimate cabarets to selling out Radio City Music Hall, and from ballads like "I Honestly Love You" (which of course became a mega-hit for his fellow Aussie crooner, Olivia Newton-John) to go-for-broke glitz like "Rio."

Zak's production is close  but not quite close enough  to giving the dichotomies that drove Allen as a man and a performer space to breathe in between the show-stopping numbers. But as a reminder of just how fluid and wide-ranging Allen's musical abilities could be, "The Boy From Oz" works just fine. It's a suitable and sometimes-touching valentine to an artist who died too soon.

Kerry Reid is a freelance critic.

ctc-arts@tribpub.com

REVIEW: The Boy From Oz by Pride Films and Plays



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2.5 STARS

When: Through Aug. 30

Where: Stage 773 at 1225 W. Belmont Ave.

Running time: 2 hours, 20 minutes

Tickets: $25-$40 at 773-327-5252 or pridefilmsandplays.com
Peter Dutton has refused to confirm whether Australia would defend Taiwan militarily if China were to invade the east Asian country.

It comes after the Defence Minister stated last year that it would be 'inconceivable' for the Australian military not to join the U.S. and protect Taiwan.

Mr Dutton noticeably toned down his comments on the matter during an appearance on ABC's Insiders - as Russia's invasion of Ukraine gives speculation over whether China could be encouraged to take a proactive step towards 'reunification' with Taiwan.

'I think we do whatever we can to deter China from acts of aggression in our region,' Mr Dutton told Insiders host David Speers on Sunday.

Peter Dutton has refused to confirm whether Australia would defend Taiwan militarily if China were to invade

Speers asked the minister if Australia would 'arm' Taiwan or 'join military action' in the event that conflict eventuated.

'We would take interest in any of those conflicts or the threat of conflict that serve our national interests. Our job is to keep Australians safe,' Mr Dutton responded.

The minister also mentioned that: 'If it is in our national interests to protect our homeland and our allies, then we would take that decision at that time as to what was in our country's best interests.'

It comes after the Defence Minister stated last year that it would be 'inconceivable' for the Australian military not to join the U.S. and protect Taiwan from the People's Liberation Army (pictured)

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has given speculation over whether China could be encouraged to take a proactive step towards 'reunification' with Taiwan. Pictured: Russian tanks in Ukraine, near the village of Radensk

Mr Dutton focused his response on ways Australia could 'defend' itself in the near future and referenced the AUKUS agreement, Five Eyes and other military alliances.

'For the first time, as we've said, since the second World War, we are looking at ways in which we can defend our homeland,' he said.

The member for Dickson explained that this kind of talk around defence was 'inconceivable' for Australia 'five years ago,' but now, given recent global events, it's a 'reality'.

Mr Dutton focused his response on ways Australia could 'defend' itself in the near future and referenced the AUKUS agreement, Five Eyes and other military alliances

China's President Xi Jinping (pictured) branded the AUKUS deal as 'extremely irresponsible" and has now pushed its backing for a nuclear-free treaty for south-east Asia

'There is no sense in pretending that it is not happening, that the acquisition of nuclear weapons by China is not happening, it is happening, and they are amassing huge, huge forces,' he added.

It's expected that Australia's first nuclear-powered submarines will arrive in 2040, raising concerns over the country's defence capabilities in comparison.

However, Mr Dutton said the country will acquire nuclear submarines 'much sooner than that' - with an announcement by the government expected to be made before the next federal election.

Mr Dutton says Australia will acquire nuclear submarines 'much sooner' than 2040 - with an announcement by the government expected to be made before the next federal election. Pictured: Australian submarine crews at work

The Defence Minister's comments were made as Australia sent weapons and military aid to Ukraine on Sunday via air force planes following Prime Minister Scott Morrison's pledge to support its war against Russia.

Photos show a Royal Australian Air Force C-17A Globemaster delivering defensive military to the Ukrainian government on Sunday.

The delivery is despite several threats from Russian leader Putin that any country that intervenes in the Ukraine invasion would face 'severe consequences'.

Photos from Sunday show a Royal Australian Air Force C-17A Globemaster delivering defensive military to the Ukrainian government

The Australian Defence Force delivered defensive military assistance to the Ukrainian government on Sunday

In the same ABC interview, Mr Dutton said the promised lethal aid to Ukraine had arrived in partnership with the UK and US, but declined to say what form it took.

'I'm not going into that or where it has arrived into or how we've got it into the hands of the Ukrainians,' he said.

Australia last week pledged $70 million in lethal and non-lethal military aid, which Prime Minister Scott Morrison said would include missiles and ammunition.

President Zelenskiy told Mr Morrison in a phone call he deeply appreciates Australia's military and humanitarian assistance.

Mr Zelenskiy tweeted on Saturday night that he had updated Mr Morrison on the course of the war 'as well as risks to people and the environment due to the threat to Ukrainian nuclear and chemical facilities'.

Mr Zelenskiy said he deeply appreciated the support from Australia, according to an official readout of the call, while Mr Morrison told him Australia stood with Ukraine against Russia's aggression and unprovoked assault.

The prime minister also praised Ukraine's incredible courage and condemned Russia's actions, on behalf of all Australians.
RALEIGH  The early history of North Carolina is full of fascinating characters. John Kincaid was one of them.

A Scotch-Irish immigrant to North Carolina in the late 1700s, Kincaid produced not only a mindboggling number of descendants in Lincoln, Gaston, Caldwell, Burke and neighboring counties  beginning with his 18 children by two different wives  but also a colorful and often-repeated tale of patriot resistance during the Revolutionary War.

Born around 1710 to Scottish residents of Northern Ireland, Kincaid spent the first three decades of his life there before immigrating to Pennsylvania with his wife and six children around 1745. After giving birth to three more children, Kincaids wife Julie passed away. He soon took another wife, Nancy Nixon, and proceeded to have nine more children.

Kincaid appears to have been a shoemaker by trade who also farmed. By the late 1750s, hed grown dissatisfied with life in Pennsylvania. Among other things, John is recorded to have complained of the amount of his tax. (Who doesnt?)

So, their growing family moved southward. Kincaid purchased 850 acres of land on Catawba Creek, in what would soon become Lincoln County, N.C. Some of his children were adults by then, and either set up homes on their fathers property or acquired neighboring parcels.

It didnt take long for the neighbors to learn two things about John Kincaid. First, he was a fierce critic of British policy toward the American colonies  a strong old-line Whig, one said. And second, Kincaid was a stubborn man.

When the Revolutionary War broke out in 1775, several of his sons went off to fight. John Jr. served under Gen. Thomas Sumter in South Carolina and fought at Kings Mountain. James participated in a 1778 campaign against the British-allied Cherokees and later served during the British siege of Charleston. Robert joined a militia unit combating British-allied Tories in western North Carolina.

As for John Kincaid Sr., he was 65 in 1775, and thus too old to go off to war. Instead, the war came to him.

Likely because of his well-known antipathy to the British, Kincaid was the target of repeated harassment by local Tories. As a large landowner, he was also suspected of possessing significant wealth. One day late in the war, a band of Tories showed up at his door with a demand: Give us your money or else. John Kincaid chose the or else. So, the Tories tied a noose around Kincaids neck and strung him up in his own barn.

As Kincaid was kicking and clawing at the rope, the Tories heard the sound of approaching horses and took off. His wife Nancy and two of their daughters then rushed into the barn and cut the rope just in time to save his life.

But it was just the first attack. Upon hearing the news that John Kincaid still lived, the Tories returned to his house and again demanded his money. Kincaid again refused. They hanged him a second time. And again, the sound of horses chased them off, allowing Nancy to cut her husband down.

Incredibly, Kincaid had survived his second hanging. But the rope cut grooves into his skin and injured his neck. Thats how he got his nickname: Crooked Neck John Kincaid. Even more incredibly, he lived for another three decades. In 1792, he moved again, this time to a 1,400-acre farm with a grain mill in a Burke County community named for one of his new neighbors: Hoodsville.

Yep, old Crooked Neck John was my ancestor  three different ways, in fact. His daughter Ibby Kincaid married my great-great-great-grandfather John Hood. And two of John Kincaids descendants married each other to produce my great-great-grandmother Betty Kincaid. (Marriage customs do change over time.)

John Kincaid passed away in 1811 at the age of 101. He had lived long enough to see his beloved American Revolution give birth to a new republic of liberty.

And those Tories never got their damned hands on his money.
The cause of the fire that consumed the Winston Weaver Co. fertilizer plant over a four-day period from late January through early February has not been determined. Yet, many commentators and activists, eager to convict officials at Winston Weaver, have rushed to judgment.

The most recently filed lawsuit (there are three, and counting, as of this writing) charges that Weaver was negligent or grossly negligent in causing, or contributing to the cause of the fire, and asks for compensation for those affected by the blaze. The class-action lawsuit requests compensatory and punitive damages.

Before a single lawsuit was filed, Winston Weaver set aside a million dollars for what could be called compensatory damages. Those funds were designated to reimburse families forced to stay in hotel rooms during the evacuation of the local area, and to make up for the lost wages of those who were unable to work at businesses located near the Weaver facility.

Compensatory damages are perfectly reasonable; so much so that Winston Weaver offered to pay them preemptively. The company also announced, while the remains of the plant were still smoldering, that its three-dozen employees would receive their full pay for a month.

The city of Winston-Salem is also helping residents affected by the fire. It will compensate local residents for lost wages, the cost of hotel rooms and other related expenses.

What about punitive compensation? The investigation is ongoing, but thus far, there is no evidence that would justify or necessitate punitive measures. No one has established that Weaver broke any laws or violated any regulations. Seemingly, those with ulterior (aka financial) motives are inclined to presume Winston Weaver guilty until proven innocent.

Among them are many environmentalists and racial activists. The (Raleigh) News & Observer reports that, according to the EPAs Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool, about 51% of the roughly 6,500 people who live within a mile of Winston Weaver are Black and 26% are Hispanic. The per capita annual income in the area is $17,423, well short of Forsyth Countys $30,769.

What is the relevance of this, and what conclusions are we supposed to draw?

The plant was inspected by the Winston-Salem Fire Department in late December and no violations were discovered. While it is true that the building had neither fire alarms nor sprinklers, its also true that they were not required. Why not?

The Winston-Salem facility was built in 1939, and the sprinkler requirement did not go into effect until 1953. Weaver was grandfathered, meaning the building was exempt from regulations adopted later.

This grandfathered exemption does not sit well with Jim Longworth, host of ABC 45s Triad Today show. Weaver should not only compensate local residents, Longworth writes, but also reimburse every public agency who took part in fighting, containing and investigating the fire.

The Winston-Salem facility has been in operation for more than 80 years. Over the span of eight decades, how many jobs has Weaver provided, and, more to Longworths point, how much revenue has the company generated for North Carolina, Forsyth County and the city of Winston-Salem? More than enough, I suspect, to cover fire-related expenses.

Longworth complains that the company hid behind its grandfather, who gave it permission to put profit over safety. But the company was operating within the law. If officials in Winston-Salem, Forsyth County and the state are unhappy with the laws and regulations that govern North Carolina businesses, they should change the laws and regulations.

Meanwhile, we cant retroactively punish officials at Winston Weaver Co. for violating regulations that, arguably at least, should have been on the books (ex post facto).
The Government has approved the policy to arrange flights

to bring Vietnamese people from Ukraine home (Photo: VNA)

According to VNA, with spirit of humanity and placing the highest priority to the protection of Vietnamese citizens, the Government allows the organisation of flights repatriating Vietnamese people and their familites, with the initial number of 900 Vietnamese people, who will depart from Polland, Romania or Moldova.

They will receive COVID-19 tests upon their arrival in Vietnam and take necessary medical measures in line with the Ministry of Healths instruction.

The Government assigned the Ministry of Transport to take the major charge of arranging the flights, while the Ministry of Finance was asked to finance the flights.

As part of efforts to implement the Prime Ministers direction, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has worked with the Ministry of Transport to conduct two repatriation flights, one departing from Romania on March 7 and the other from Polland on March 8.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to coordinate with relevant agencies to continue to arrange flights to evacuate Vietnamese people and their family members from dangerous areas in Ukraine to neighbouring countries, and bring those who wish to return to Vietnam depending on the real situation and capacity of Vietnam.

In recent days, Vietnamese representative offices in Ukraine and neighbouring countries have coordinated closely with local authorities and Vietnamese associations in host countries to support the Vietnamese community to evacuate from war areas and provide them with temporary accommodations and essential necessities.

According to the offices, as of March 4, almost of Vietnamese people in Kiev and Odessa and hundreds of people in Kharkov had been evacuated to neighbouring countries. Of them, 370 had come to Romania, 200 had been on the way from Moldova to Romania, 600 from Ukraine had arrived in Polland, about 125 had reached to Hungary and about 40 had come to Slovakia.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs group for citizen protection and representative offices are keepinng a close watch on the situation and recieving requests from Vietnamese people through citizen protection hotlines.

Vietnamese in Ukraine and neighbouring who need support or wish to flee from war areas can contact the ministry and representative offices in countries through following phone numbers:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs: 84-965411118, 84-981848484; Email: baohocongdan@gmail.com

Vietnamese Embassy in Ukraine: 380 (63) 8638999

Vietnamese Embassy in Russia: 79916821617

Vietnamese Embassy in Polland: 0048782257359

Vietnamese Embassy in Romania: 0040744645037

Vietnamese Embassy in Slovakia: 421 2 5245 1263, 421 915 419 568.

First flights ready to bring Vietnamese citizens home from Ukraine

Two flights repatriating Vietnamese people form Ukraine will depart from Romania and Poland this week, reported VNA.

National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines is scheduled to conduct the first flight to repatriate Vietnamese people home from Ukraine. (Photo: VNA)

One flight, conducted by national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, is scheduled to depart from Romania on March 7 transporting 283 Vietnamese citizens. It is expected to arrive at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi at noon on March 8.

The other flight, conducted by Bamboo Airlines, will depart from Poland on March 9 with 270 passengers onboard. It is scheduled to arrive at the Noi Bai airport on March 10 in the morning.

The Government recently approved the policy to arrange flights to bring Vietnamese people from Ukraine home.

With spirit of humanity and placing the highest priority to the protection of Vietnamese citizens, the Government allows the organisation of flights repatriating Vietnamese people and their families.

They will receive COVID-19 tests upon their arrival in Vietnam and take necessary medical measures in line with the Ministry of Healths instructions.

Ten outstanding young faces of Vietnam announced

Winners of the Vietnam Outstanding Young Faces Award 2021 were announced by the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee on March 4.

Journalist Phung Cong Suong, Deputy Edito-in-Chief of Tien Phong (Vanguard) newspaper, speaks at the jury's meeting on March 4 (Photo: VNA)

The young faces were chosen from 20 nominees through secret votes.

They are Nguyen Le Thao Anh (study category); Dr. Nguyen Trong Hieu (scientific research category); Luu Duc Phong and Ho Xuan Vinh (production); Vu Gia Luyen (business - startup); Senior Lieutenant Nguyen Tien Duy (defence); Captain Le Xuan Nam (security and order); Nguyen Huy Hoang (sport); Doctor Do Doan Bach (social activities); Miss Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien (culture and art), reported VNA.

Alongside, the jury also selected nine Vietnamese potential young faces in 2021.

Earlier on February 14, the organising board announced the list of 20 nominees for the awards, whose names were put on an online vote from February 16 to March 3 at www.tainnangtrevietnam.vn.

An award ceremony is slated for March 26 in Hanoi.

This years winners will each receive a cash prize of 50 million VND (2,190 USD).

The annual Vietnam Outstanding Young Faces Award is presented to 10 youngsters under 35 with excellent performances in their areas over the year.

Bamboo Airways announces Hanoi-Melbourne direct flights

According to VNA, Vietnamese carrier Bamboo Airways announced its direct flights connecting Hanoi and Melbourne in Australia at a ceremony held on March 5, becoming the first Vietnamese airline to launch regular commercial direct flights between the two cities.

Bamboo Airways aircraft (Photo: VNA)

There will be one round trip per week starting from April 27.

Tickets for the new air route have been up for sale on Bamboo Airways offices, websites, and mobile app.

The route helps shorten the travel time between the two cities to more than nine hours, saving over 21 hours compared to transit flights.

Bamboo Airlines uses 787-9 Dreamliner for flights on this route.

Bamboo Airways announces Hanoi-Melbourne direct flights

It is expected to meet travel demand and contribute to the cooperation of the two cities and countries at large in multiple fields, said Deputy General Director of the carrier Truong Phuong Thanh.



Bamboo Airways operated its first flight connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Melbourne on February 19-20, and announced the HCM City-Sydney direct air route on February 28./.




UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie arrives in Yemen on 6 March, 2022, on a visit to help draw attention to the catastrophic consequences of the seven-year conflict on the people of Yemen.  UNHCR/Marwan Tahtah

UNHCR Special Envoy, Angelina Jolie arrives in Yemen today on a visit to help draw attention to the catastrophic consequences of the seven-year conflict on the people of Yemen. She will be visiting Yemeni families, including displaced families and refugees, to hear directly from them how the conflict has ripped their lives apart.

UNHCR hopes her visit will highlight the increasing humanitarian needs in Yemen and help mobilize urgent support for humanitarian work ahead of the annual High-Level Pledging Conference for Yemen on 16 March, and call for regional and international actors to commit to an end to the conflict.



For further information:
HIGH POINT  A High Point murder-for-hire killing from the 1990s will be showcased on the latest episode of Snapped, a popular true-crime television series.

The episode, which features the case of High Point wife and mother  and convicted murderer  Patricia Gayle Brown, will air at 6 and 9 p.m. today on the Oxygen network.

When a North Carolina man is found shot to death in a roadside ditch, robbery seems to be a plausible motive, an Oxygen episode summary reads, but the case remains cold for years until a mysterious letter reveals a more sinister motive than anyone could have imagined.

In the summer of 1995, the 47-year-old Brown was found guilty of first-degree murder for hiring her brother-in-law to kill her husband, 45-year-old Frederic C. Fred Brown Jr., a well-liked business instructor at Guilford Technical Community College. The killing took place on the night of April 24, 1991, along a dark stretch of N.C. 68, where the victims body was found in a roadside ditch the next morning.

According to court documents and newspaper accounts, Patricia Brown persuaded her sister, Sheila Dee Dee Wentzel, and Wentzels husband, Leroy, to help her kill her husband of 20-plus years so she could collect some $500,000 in insurance benefits. She reportedly paid the couple $1,000 up front and promised them an additional $30,000 once the deed was done, according to court records.

Brown even plotted how the murder would be accomplished, authorities said. Around 9:30 on the night of the crime, police alleged, Leroy Wentzel called Fred Brown at his home in the Oak Hollow neighborhood and said his car had broken down on N.C. 68 at Gallimore Dairy Road. Fred went to assist, but when he got there, Wentzel shot him with a .22-caliber pistol  once in the back and twice in the head  even as the Army veteran pleaded for his life. Wentzel then took the victims wallet, to make it look as if he had been killed by a robber.

Police suspected Patricia Browns involvement in her husbands death  theyd heard stories about the couples troubled marriage and financial woes  but they didnt have the evidence to pin the crime on her.

For three years, no charges were filed. In the summer of 1994, though, Leroy Wentzel wrote two confessional letters  each labeled Only Open If I Die  and gave them to his daughter. Police in Reading, Pennsylvania, discovered the letters while investigating Wentzel for failing to pay child support, and read how his sister-in-law had contracted with him and Dee Dee to kill Fred Brown. All three conspirators were charged after Guilford County authorities were contacted.

Even though Leroy Wentzel confessed to being the trigger man, he and his wife pleaded guilty to lesser charges in exchange for their testimony against Brown as the mastermind.

Following a high-profile trial that lasted two months, a jury found Brown guilty and sentenced her to life in prison.
The fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress opens at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, March 5, 2022. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING -- China's national lawmakers and political advisors have gathered in Beijing for the annual sessions of the National People's Congress and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, also known as the "two sessions."

President Xi Jinping is expected to join in discussions to set the national agenda for the year. His remarks, including those he made in the previous gatherings of the "two sessions," can offer guidance for the international community to comprehend China's development path, and have resonated with many experts across the globe.

INNOVATION

Implementing a strategy of innovation-driven development will be fundamental in accelerating the transformation of China's growth pattern, solving deep-rooted problems concerning economic development and enhancing economic vitality, Xi said in 2013 while participating in a panel discussion with political advisors from the science and technology sector at the annual session of the CPPCC National Committee.

Speaking of innovation, Anna Malindog-Uy, a professor and researcher with Manila-based think tank Philippines-BRICS Strategic Studies, told Xinhua that China's push for high-quality innovation and entrepreneurship "is no doubt a phenomenal success," which has led to the rapid transition of China to a new economic development phase based on high-tech production and national breakthrough technologies.

Because of these steps, she noted, the Chinese economy has transitioned to a more technology-driven one, adding that the Philippines should learn from China to tap economic potential and enhance competitiveness.

Kiyoyuki Seguchi, research director at Japan's Canon Institute for Global Studies, pointed out that innovation capacity will be the driving force of China's macro-economy in the future.

COORDINATED, GREEN DEVELOPMENT

In March 2021, Xi joined discussions with fellow lawmakers from northwest China's Qinghai Province, saying that local authorities should promote coordinated development between rural and urban areas, advance rural vitalization on all fronts, improve people's well-being and build a new socialist countryside that is beautiful, prosperous and harmonious.

Nadia Helmy, an assistant professor of political science at Egypt's Beni Suef University, said that China has followed a positive path in improving education, eliminating poverty and boosting development and prosperity in all provinces and cities.

The living standards of the Chinese people have improved and their rights have become better protected, Helmy observed, adding that China also shared its experience with the rest of world and made a great contribution to the international cause of human rights.

In March 2015, Xi asked the Chinese people to protect the environment as if they were "caring for one's own eyes and life," while reviewing the work report of the State Council together with national lawmakers from eastern Jiangxi Province.

"Protecting environment is ensuring livelihood," Xi stressed.

British author and political commentator Carlos Martinez said that China, as a responsible country with significant economic strength and technological capability, has ensured the Beijing Winter Olympics as the greenest games ever -- with zero-carbon venues, zero-carbon transport, low-carbon artificial snow production, and the re-use of venues.

This has set a crucial example for the world to battle climate breakdown, he added.

OPENNESS

When joining a panel discussion attended by national political advisors from the economic sector in 2020, Xi called for unwavering efforts to make economic globalization more open, inclusive and balanced so that its benefits are shared by all, and to build an open world economy.

Cavince Adhere, a Kenya-based international relations scholar, said that China is a staunch supporter of multilateralism and economic globalization.

The Global Development Initiative, the Belt and Road Initiative and other initiatives proposed by China have shown that China is ready to build a new pattern of global cooperation with peace and development as its main pillars, said Adhere.

In the view of Serik Korzhumbayev, editor-in-chief of the Delovoy Kazakhstan newspaper, the international community has benefited from China's opening-up and gained experience in such fields as research and development of new technologies, information technology, industrial development and logistics.

SHARED BY ALL

In a deliberation with fellow lawmakers from Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at the third session of the 13th NPC in May 2020, Xi stressed acting on the people-centered philosophy in every aspect of work.

He also stressed adhering to "people first" in coordinating epidemic control and economic and social development.

Jose Ignacio Martinez Cortes, a researcher at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, said China reached out a helping hand in time during the critical period of the COVID-19 pandemic to Mexico and other countries.

He added that China has provided solid support to others in fighting COVID-19 and helped them tackle the pandemic and shortage of vaccines.

Humphrey Moshi, director of the Center for Chinese Studies at the University of Dar es Salaam of Tanzania, pointed out that China's success in poverty alleviation has set a good example for other countries and China's polices are practical and effective.

In particular, China's targeted poverty alleviation strategy has brought real changes to poor households, he noted, adding that developing countries, especially African countries, can learn from China's experience.
This is a developing story.

UPDATE, 6 a.m. Police are investigating the shooting death of a Decatur teen Saturday night.

Sgt. Steven Carroll said officers went to the parking lot of McDonald's, 1909 Mount Zion Road, around 9:30 p.m. in response to a report of shots fired. Police pursued a vehicle they saw rapidly leaving the parking lot and traveling south on Mount Zion Road, and it pulled over at Fitzgerald Road and Davis Street.

The shooting victim, a 17-year-old male, was found in the vehicle. Officers began life-saving measures in an attempt to revive him, but he died at the scene, Carroll said.

No arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing, Carroll said. Anyone with information should contact the Decatur Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 217-424-2736 or Crimestoppers at 217-423-TIPS.

ORIGINAL STORY, 1 a.m. Crime scene tape was in place and police were examining the area around a car along a portion of Fitzgerald Road that was blocked to traffic late Saturday night.

Macon County Sheriffs Department vehicles were observed blocking the roadway at its intersections with Baltimore Road and Fields Court, while another was at the intersection of 34th Street and Lost Bridge Road.

Decatur police vehicles were in the area around the westbound vehicle. A tow truck was on scene.

No information about the incident, and whether it was related to an investigation of an earlier incident that prompted a heavy police presence at the Mount Zion Road McDonalds, was available.

Nearly a dozen Decatur police cars were on the scene Saturday night of an incident in the parking lot of the restaurant.

Officers were observed around 10 p.m. putting up crime scene tape around the parking lot of the business, and examining the outside of the neighboring Arbys restaurant where two police cars were staged.

Around midnight, the Decatur Police Department Crime Scene Investigations truck was on scene, and officers were observed canvasing parking lots of neighboring businesses.
Kanye West performs at the United Center in Chicago on Oct. 7, 2016. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)

The Los Angeles Police Department visited Kanye West as part of a disturbance call Monday, according to law enforcement sources, a day after the rapper abruptly canceled the rest of his tour.

The sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, did not provide details about the incident but confirmed that police were called about 1:20 p.m. The case turned into a "medical emergency" and was handed off from the LAPD to the Los Angeles Fire Department, the sources said.

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West agreed to seek medical treatment, according to a law enforcement source, and he was treated for stress and exhaustion at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.

An LAFD spokesman said that paramedics and police responded to an address in Beverly Grove, just south of West Hollywood, after a 911 call was made from the location.

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Paramedics eventually took a "medically stable" man to the hospital for further assessment, said Brian Humphrey, a spokesman for the department.

Humphrey said he was bound by privacy laws from disclosing the man's identity.

The incident comes at a turbulent period for West, who walked off the stage three songs into his Saturday night concert in Sacramento and canceled Sunday's at the Forum three hours before showtime.

On Saturday, West ranted about a few longtime friends and acquaintances, including Jay Z, Beyonce and Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg.

"I've been sent here to give y'all my truth, even at the risk of my own life," West said on Saturday night. "At the risk of my own success. I'll give y'all the truth. Jay Z, call me, you still ain't called me. Jay Z, I know you got killers. Please don't send them at my head. Just call me. Talk to me like a man."

On Thursday during his concert in San Jose, West editorialized about racism and the Black Lives Matter movement before praising President-elect Donald Trump.

West, who is married to Kim Kardashian West, has indicated that he may run for president in 2020.

West's hospitalization was first reported by NBC News.

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Saudi Arabias real gross domestic product grew by 6.8% in Q4 2021 compared to Q4 2020, bringing overall growth last year to 3.3% compared to a drop of 4.1% in 2020, an Al Rajhi Capital report said quoting data issued by the General Authority for Statistics.

The quarter's positive growth was due to the high increase in oil activities by 10.8%, non-oil activities increased by 5% and government services activities increased by 2.4%, the report said.

Further, the Saudi Central Banks monthly statistics indicated that the macro-economic indicators are healthy in the Kingdom.

Money Supply (M3) continued to grow in January 2022 (+7.9% y-o-y) to stand at SR2,295 billion; while M1 and M2 increased 4.4% y-o-y and 5.1% y-o-y, respectively. As per the weekly money supply data by Saudi Central Bank, M3 may be higher in February 2022 than in the month of January 2022.

Credit to the private sector witnessed a growth of 14.9% y-o-y (+0.8% m-o-m) in January 2022, while bank claims on public sector advanced 6.9% y-o-y (-2.8% m-o-m) in the same month. Meanwhile, deposits rose 8.9% y-o-y (-0.6% m-o-m) in January 2022, the Al Rajhi Capital report said.

Banking sector net profit before Zakat and tax increased 5% y-o-y to SR5.406 billion in January 2022 as compared to an increase of 131.9% y-o-y in December 2021, said the report. Further, on a monthly basis, the banking sector profits increased by 5.7% in January 2022 (+28.7% m-o-m in December).

The monthly mortgage disbursement was SR12.2bn in Jan 2022 (compared to an average monthly disbursement of SR12.7bn in 2021), implying the growth is still intact.

Saudi Central Banks foreign reserves, on an annual basis, fell 0.7% in January 2022 versus an increase of 0.4% y-o-y in December 2021. However, the reserves declined 1.9% m-o-m in January 2022 (-1.9% m-o-m in December). Meanwhile, as of January 2022, government reserves with Saudi Central Bank stood at SR379.584bn (including government current account), which declined 1.5% m-o-m.

Point-of-sale (POS) transactions increased 16.9% y-o-y in January 2022 (+18.0% y-o-y in December 2021). However, the ATM cash withdrawals declined by 15.8% y-o-y in January as compared to the decline of 14.9% in December. The rise in POS transactions was driven by rise in Miscellaneous Goods & Services, Restaurants & Hotels, Transportation, Clothing & Footwear and Food & Beverages segments.

Remittances (personal transfers) by Saudi nationals increased 45.3% y-o-y in January 2022 (+19.9% y-o-y in December 2021). Further, remittances by non-Saudi nationals rose 3.8% y-o-y in the same month (-17.3% y-o-y in December 2021).

Saudi Arabia Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for January 2022 slipped 0.7 points to 53.2 points  its lowest level in 15 months - from 53.9 points in December 2021, IHS Markit said in its latest report. Despite this decline, PMI signaled a solid improvement in the health of the non-oil private sector economy.

Kingdoms non-oil exports growth for the month of December 2021 increased by 54.5% y-o-y, compared to the increase of 29.3% y-o-y in November. Segment-wise: chemical products and plastics & rubbers rose +93.4% y-o-y and +29.4% y-o-y, respectively.

Merchandise imports increased 17.7% y-o-y in December 2021 as compared to the increase of 3.8% y-o-y in November.

Meanwhile, China is the top export destination and also continued to be the largest import country in December 2021. - TradeArabia news Service
President Bidens resolve to deliver on his promise to appoint an African American woman to the Supreme Court exposed the political and social divide between those opposed to the concept of racial- and gender-based affirmative action and those who see it as a necessary means to an end.

Skeptics use the cliched argument that targeting by race and gender isnt fair to everyone else. Advocates cite indisputable evidence of employment discrimination and exclusion and believe that affirmative action is a direct and effective method of promoting inclusion.

There is no universal, empirically grounded list of qualifications for the lifetime appointment of a Supreme Court justice. President Biden had an abundance of candidates with the same or better experience as those who who already serve. (By any objective measure, Bidens nominee, Ketanji Brown Jackson, is more than qualified.) Beyond meeting those standards, an African American woman also would make the court better resemble the citizens it purports to represent.

The concept of affirmative action was given teeth when President Kennedy issued an executive order that stated that U.S. policy was to encourage by affirmative action the elimination of employment discrimination. Failure to comply could result in cancellation of government contracts, grants and financial assistance.

Reaction has been split by political and cultural orientation. Some organizations grudgingly comply. Others aggressively embrace affirmative action strategies and view them as key to developing a diverse workforce as a competitive advantage. The Supreme Court has eliminated racial quotas. Nine states have outlawed race-based affirmative action. North Carolina is not one. That could be advantageous for the recruiting and employee development strategies of our new arrivals: Toyota Battery Manufacturing N.C. and Boom Supersonic.

There have been both positive and negative unintended consequences, but overall, affirmative action has proven effective. It has opened previously blocked entry-level technical jobs, facilitated an increased flow of women and minorities into managerial ranks, and given organizations access to previously repressed talent. An unanticipated positive consequence has been greater clarity of actual job duties, resulting in more accurate and specific job descriptions.

A negative consequence has been the label affirmative action hire, a term prejudicially applied to someone who allegedly got his or her job only because of race or gender. In my experience as a consultant and a corporate executive, it is inconceivable that any organization wanting to remain in business would promote or hire people without the requisite qualifications. It is equally puzzling why anyone with talent and self-awareness would accept a role as only a symbol.

The hiring, promoting and developing of women and minorities has been historically unfair. To claim that taking special affirmative action to right that wrong is reverse discrimination is not only meanspirited, but ignores the immense advantage of acquiring needed talent. Affirmative action is all about inclusion of the underrepresented, not exclusion of those already there.

Understanding and relating to a diverse customer base is not only a competitive business advantage but central to harnessing the power of affirmative action. Although receiving some valid criticism, educational programs that cover the history and cultural orientation of minority groups can be extremely helpful. To be effective, they need to be voluntary, well-researched and professionally facilitated. They also should avoid blaming and labeling. As a past participant and later co-facilitator with an African American colleague, I witnessed their power. Among his many poor decisions, our past president banned such training. Our current president rescinded that prohibition.

The opposite of affirmative action is negative inaction, a strategy employed by then Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell when he refused to initiate a hearing on Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland during the waning time of Obamas tenure. In an act of blatant hypocrisy, he reversed course and employed his own version of affirmative action by rapidly facilitating the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett in 2020 during the declining days of Trumps term.

Ultimately, mandated affirmative action will outlive its value and be replaced with true equality, but were not there yet. A wise doctoral adviser once helped me generate research ideas when I was stuck with the deceptively simple statement, Something is better than nothing. That concept is the essence of affirmative action. Doing something, acting affirmatively, is much better than doing nothing and letting inequality fester through negative inaction.
The law has not done anything to change peoples need for abortion care; it has shifted where people are getting their abortion, said Kari White, principal investigator of the universitys Texas Policy Evaluation Project and the lead researcher on the new out-of-state abortion study. She expressed surprise at how few abortions were prevented by such a sweeping set of restrictions: The numbers are way bigger than we expected. Its pretty astounding.

But for the architects of the Texas law, even a modest reduction in abortions is a success.

Theres no hesitation from our side to declare this a victory for actually protecting pre-born children from elective abortion, said John Seago, the legislative director of Texas Right to Life, who was involved in the creation of the law. Were realists around here, so the best we can do is incentivize women to have their children.

Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican who said the bill ensures that the life of every unborn child who has a heartbeat will be saved from the ravages of abortion when he signed it, declined to comment on the new numbers.

As state legislatures await a Supreme Court ruling and take stock of the Texas experience this year, several have passed new abortion restrictions, even if they conflict with Roe. On Thursday night, the Florida Legislature voted to ban most abortions after 15 weeks. Somewhere between 21 and 26 states are expected to ban or substantially restrict abortion if the Supreme Court permits it. On Monday, an effort by Senate Democrats to codify abortion rights into federal law failed to attract enough votes.
I'm glad you asked about the product placement. It's outrageous, galling, gallons of Bud Light and Corona, and even a shout-out to Netflix. I'm sorry you asked about the close-up of perspiration-laden man parts dripping on Spade's face. As for the genital electrical torture inflicted on Sandler by the closeted gay German assassin, don't worry, the pervert gets his. That's the film's version of events, anyway. Catherine Bell from "JAG" shows up for set decoration, as does Patton in the larger but viciously conceived role of the wife of the doctor Spade is impersonating because  well, let me know if you care enough to have me finish that sentence. The bad guys are involved with "the mob, or drugs, or some s---, I don't know," Sandler says, wearily, at one point.
Lisbon, March 6 : Several cities across Portugal, more than 95 per cent of whose territory is in "severe or extreme drought", have begun to adopt measures to ration water use.

The water crisis is particularly serious in the southern region, where the Algarve Intermunicipal Community on Saturday announced "joint measures" to face the drought, reports Xinhua news agency.

Those measures include reducing irrigation of green spaces, using wastewater for non-drinking purposes, as well as campaigns to promote rational use of water.

President of the Portuguese Water Distribution and Drainage Association Rui Godinho defended the urgent implementation of fundamental structural measures to reduce water losses.

It is necessary to "attack the problem" with specific measures and a national program for efficient use of water, he was quoted by the local media as saying.

Late last month, the government had announced that it would allocate 5 million euros from its Environmental Fund for awareness campaigns and contingency solutions to fight the severe drought that has spread across the country.

At the beginning of February, the government restricted the use of several dams for electricity production and agricultural irrigation due to the drought in mainland Portugal.
New Delhi, March 6 : The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is making special preparations to celebrate its centenary year.

The RSS, which is not only the country's but the world's largest social organisation, is planning to expand its footprint in those parts of the country where it has a much smaller presence.

Apart from expanding its footprints, the Sangh is seen actively engaging in social work activities as well as making efforts to increase the number of 'Shakhas' run by it.

The RSS was founded by freedom fighter Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in Nagpur in 1925.

After its formation, the Sangh was banned many times but with time it was again widely accepted, both for its activism and higlighting national issues. At present, the BJP, which is the largest party in the world, derives its political ideology from its parent organisation, the RSS.

The BJP as well as its political ideologue, the RSS is making constant efforts to establish their footprint in many southern states as well.

The Sangh, which will be celebrating its 100th year in 1925, now wants to increase its footprint at the ground level in those states and divisions where it does not have a strong presence.

RSS leaders are holding constant discussions over the issue. It runs several shakhas and participates in social work activities across more than 55,000 places in various cities and villages of the country.

The RSS plans to double the number of shakhas as well as social work activities to one lakh places in the country.

At present, the Sangh has an active presence in one form or the other in almost all the districts of the country but as it nears the centenary year celebrations, it aims to expand its work to all the divisions of the country by 2024 and wants to further strengthen the organisation.

The Sangh aims to expand its footprint into Tamil Nadu, including other southern states, as well as Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The Sangh also wants to further expand its connect on the ground level in the northeastern states as well. Apart from this, the RSS is planning to prepare its functionaries which have been part of it for the last two years.

While, the Sangh helped thousands of people during the Covid-19 crisis, on the other hand, it also conducted the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Nidhi Samarpan Abhiyan across villages and cities as well as interacted with the common man.

During the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Nidhi Samarpan Abhiyan, nearly 30 lakh Sangh volunteers directly interacted with 12.73 crore families in 5.34 lakh villages out of 6.5 lakh across the country.

In the coming days, the Sangh is continuously working on a plan to connect with people through its activities on issues related to the society -- environmental protection, family values, maintaing peace and social harmony.

A three-day meeting of the Sangh is going to be held in Gujarat next week to discuss the expansion of the organisation and activities. RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat will discuss the strategy with senior Sangh leaders and the BJP, including representatives of various organisations, associated with the Sangh's top decision-making body Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha meeting to be held in Gujarat's Karnavati (Ahmedabad) from March 11 to 13.

Senior RSS leaders Dattatreya Hosabale, Krishna Gopal, Manmohan Vaidya, Mukund C.R., Ram Dutt and Arun Kumar along with BJP National President J.P. Nadda and BJP National General Secretary (Organisation), B.L. Santhosh will also attend the meeting.

The meeting will also be attended by all the Provincial elected representatives of the RSS, Sanghchalaks (Chiefs), Karyavah (Secretary) and Pracharaks (workers) of the region and provinces as well as the Akhil Bharatiya Sangathan Ministers and their associates from various other organisations associated with the Sangh.
Ranchi, March 6 : When three friends from Jharkhand's Ranchi ditched their well-paying corporate jobs, excellent career prospects and a steady roof above, to start a dairy farm, everyone warned them about the precarity of owning a challenging business.

While some said that their venture would never take off, others advised them to go back to their cushy jobs as stepping out of their comfort zones seemed like chasing a mirage. However, despite all the criticism and obstacles, the three friends, followed their heart and decided to set out on a new entrepreneurial journey.

A fourth friend, who worked at an Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) company, also joined them later.

As everyone said, the road ahead was filled with obstacles in the initial years. In the first month itself, they lost half their capital and were on the verge of bankruptcy twice. But determined to do something different, they raised money at the right time to save their company.

This is the story of four friends from Jharkhand, whose company 'Osam Dairy' milked a turnover of Rs 225 crore in 10 years.

The company will complete a decade in April and after expanding business across Bihar, Jharkhand, it now plans to spread its footprint across West Bengal.

At least 450 employees work at Osam Dairy today. Apart from this, 1,000 dairy farmers are indirectly related to the company.

The company procures milk regularly from about 20,000 livestock farmers and distributes their products via 250 distributors and over 8,000 retailers across Bihar and Jharkhand. This way, around 30,000 people work for Osam Dairy.

The founders -- Abhinav Shah, Rakesh Sharma, Abhishek Raj and Harsh Thakkar -- have been friends since college. They raised a capital of Rs one crore by combining their savings from their nine-to-five job.

In April 2012, they set up their first dairy farm on one acre land in Ormanjhi village near Ranchi. To learn the technicalities of dairy farming, Abhinav even moved to Kanpur to get a month's training.

Talking about his groundbreaking idea, Company Director, Abhinav, told IANS: "Initially we bought 40 cows of Holstein Friesian breed from Khanna in Punjab. But the very first month after starting work, we faced a huge setback. At least 26 out of 40 cows died from infection. However, we did not let that affect us.

"After this, we raised Rs 50 lakh to work on our backup plan next month. We bought cows from Bihar and began distributing door-to-door milk. Initially, we had a target to produce 300 litres of milk daily, which then increased to 1,000 lts in six months.

"Earlier, our company was called 'Raya' and seven to eight people were hired to deliver door-to-door milk across three areas of Ranchi. The first year turnover was around Rs 26 lakh.

"In November 2013, we received funding from a finance company and by March 2015, we had set up our first milk chilling plant at Barbigha in Bihar. With this, cattle farmers and milkmen from 40 villages, got associated with us. Then two months later, in May, the first processing and packaging plant with a capacity of 50,000 litres was set up at Patratu, which is 35 kms from Ranchi.

"Within a year, we started distributing 25,000 litres of milk in a day and established two processing and packaging plants with a capacity of 80,000 litres at Chandil near Jamshedpur and Arrah district of Bihar." However, during this time, two of their partners parted ways for personal reasons.

Currently, the company also sells dairy products like curd, buttermilk, paneer (cottage cheese), rabri and peda (milk-based sweets). They are also planning to launch a special product called 'Salsa Raita'.

As of today, Osam Dairy sells about 1,20,000 litres of milk and 30,000 litres of its by-products daily. It has also received many awards for entrepreneurship, and their business model is discussed in B-schools across the country.

Sharing the story of their struggle, Abhinav said: "In times of despair, all our family members and friends, including my mother Uma Shah, supported us. My biggest lesson of this decade is that you cannot achieve success overnight, in any field. Failures guide us. Believe in yourself and don't give up on hard work, because no matter how bad the situation gets, there is always light at the end of the tunnel."
Making a pitch for the rejuvenation of rivers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called upon people to observe 'Nadi Utsav' in urban cities once a year to spread awareness for water conservation. "I will urge people in to observe 'Nadi Utsav (river festivals)' once a year, and a day may be fixed for it. It will help spread awareness among people regarding the proper utilisation of water," said PM Modi while addressing a public meeting after the inauguration of various developmental projects in Pune. The Prime Minister said that the river festivals will help people understand the value of every drop of water. PM Modi in his address said that his government has undertaken various "green" initiatives to give a boost to sustainable development. He said that his government focuses on providing green transport and promotion of electric vehicles, establishing integrated command and control centers with waste and sewage management plants. "It is our government's effort that every city should have more and more green means of transport, and electric buses, cars, two-wheelers," the Prime Minister said. He also said that every city should have a modern waste management system to strengthen the circular economy. "We must focus on developing a sustainable environment that supports our vision of a circular economy, promotes 'Waste to Wealth' and encourages green development," PM Modi said. The Prime Minister said that the development of modern infrastructure in any country is incumbent upon "speed and scale" of execution of the projects. "The most important thing for the development of modern infrastructure in any country is speed and scale. But for decades, we had such systems that the completion of important projects used to take a long time. This sluggish attitude has been affecting the development of the country as well," he said. "That is why our government has prepared the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan," he added. Highlighting the work done under PM Gati Shakti, the Prime Minister said that the government is focusing on delivering speedy, and integrated developmental projects. "The PM Gati Shakti masterplan will work with an integrated focus along with proper communication systems for stakeholders, ensuring timely completion of projects," he said. The Prime Minister today laid the foundation stone of rejuvenation and pollution abatement of the Mula-Mutha River projects. A rejuvenation will be done in a 9-km stretch of the river at a project cost of more than Rs 1,080 crores. It will involve works such as river edge protection, interceptor sewage network, public amenities, boating activity etc. The Mula-Mutha River pollution abatement project will be implemented on the concept of "One City One Operator" at a cost of over Rs 1,470 crore. A total of 11 sewage treatment plants will be constructed under the project, with a combined capacity of around 400 MLD. Prime Minister will also launch 100 e-buses and e-bus depot constructed at Baner. (ANI)
In the ongoing legislative assembly elections in five states, there is a combined electorate of 183.4 million. (Photo: PTI/Representational)

New Delhi: The Election Commission will organise an international election visitors programme (IEVP) for foreign poll management bodies in virtual mode on March 7 when Uttar Pradesh votes for the last phase of assembly polls.

The programme constitutes an important part of the EC's international outreach and seeks to familiarise fellow election management bodies (EMBs) with the electoral system and processes adopted in the world's largest democracy.

IEVP 2022 also provides an opportunity to the EC to share best practices and experience of the conduct of the poll process along with the steps taken to ensure compliance of COVID-19 protocols, an EC statement said.

In the ongoing legislative assembly elections in Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, there is a combined electorate of 183.4 million (one million is equal to ten lakhs), one of the largest to vote amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

While voting has been completed in Goa, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Manipur, the seventh and last phase of elections in Uttar Pradesh will be held on Monday.

More than 135 delegates from over 26 countries across the world including Australia, Bahamas, Bhutan, Croatia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Georgia, Guinea, Guyana, Kenya, Liberia, Maldives, Mauritius, Moldova, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Romania, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Suriname, Tanzania, Uzbekistan and Zambia and four international organisations including International IDEA, International Foundation of Electoral Systems (IFES), Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB) and Community of Democracies are going to participate in the event.

Ambassadors, high commissioners and other members of the diplomatic corps based in India from 20 countries have also been invited to participate in the virtual event, the statement said.

The participants will be showcased a recorded broadcast from select polling stations in each of the five states where polls have taken place as well as live streaming from polling stations in Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) on Monday. The programme includes familiarisation of participants with the electoral process, polling station arrangements, use of technology, interaction with various stakeholders followed by a question and answer session.

The poll panel had organised similar programmes in the past.
Mysore, March 6 : Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday laid the foundation stone of a state-of-the-art planetarium in Mysore University's Chamundi Hill Campus.

This will be India's first planetarium with a Digistar 7 system and a Domex screen, COSMOS and will serve as a planetarium and also provide students and research scholars a platform to access the real time as well as archival data for analysis and use.

"I strongly felt a need that something should be developed which is helpful not only for one generation but for many upcoming generations. This idea of COSMOS can help our generations to learn from the great heritage that observatories in Karnataka and India carry since centuries," said Sitharaman.

COSMOS is being developed with a budget of Rs 81 crore and is supported under the MPLAD of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. An amount of Rs 2 crore has been released through DC Mysore.

While underlining the importance of data, she added that data is termed as the "new oil" these days but it is important that we know how to use it.

"This will be a centre where students can be guided by faculty, scientists to use the data and see the outcome which can be put in use for benefits of our state, nation and humanity," she added.

The project is steered by the Principal Scientific Advisor to Government of India (GoI) (PSA) and it is managed by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, under an MoU between the University of Mysore and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics.

Comprehensive education and public outreach programme will be an integral part of the COSMOS project.

Prathap Simha, MP, Mysuru-Kodagu; Prof. K. VijayRaghavan, Principal Scientific Advisor, GoI; K.N. Vyas, Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy, GoI; S. Chandrashekhar, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, GoI; Prof. Annapurni Subramaniam, Director, Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore; Dr. Bagadhi Gautham, Deputy Commissioner, Mysuru; and Prof. G. Hemantha Kumar, Vice Chancellor, University of Mysore were among the dignitaries present on the occasion.
New Delhi, March 6 : Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has emerged as a star campaigner who has been touring all the states going to the polls. She has addressed 167 rallies, held 42 road shows and also did virtual rallies.

Being in-charge of the party in Uttar Pradesh, she has lots of high stakes in the state and her campaign in the 2022 Assembly elections has always been in the news. Priyanka's hard work, her energy and positivity-filled campaigns have caught the attention of the people of the state.

Congress insiders say that her slogans have made a place in the hearts of the public, and her campaigns in heavy rain, meeting people, including women working in the fields in Barabanki have gone well with the public.

Priyanka also campaigned in Punjab, Goa, Uttarakhand and Manipur.

Through 42 road shows and door-to-door campaigns, Priyanka interacted with the public during the election campaign and visited states including three to Punjab, two to Uttarakhand and Goa, and a virtual rally in Manipur.

Party Leaders said during the election campaign, Priyanka was constantly seen saying in her speeches that the power in a democracy lies in the hands of the people. She called upon the people to recognise the power of their vote, and vote on the issues.

When the Prime Minister said in one of his speeches on the problem of stray animals that he did not know that there was this problem in Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka took a jibe at him and said, "you have given five years to these leaders, but they say they will do it in the next five years".

Talking to IANS during her campaign, she had said: "I am trying to send across the message that politics should not be based on hatred and violence and time has come for a new kind of politics which should work to address the problems of the people." Attacking the BJP and other political parties, she said: "The people are suffering because of politics of caste and religion and this type of politics only benefits a few political parties and never serves the interests of the common people." "The political leaders should work to provide solutions to the people's problems," she added.

Priyanka was speaking in the context of a viral video in which she was seen throwing flowers on the people returning from a BJP rally, and later distributed party manifestos to them. The viral video has been widely appreciated and complimented on social media for not showing any prejudice towards the opponent.

Earlier, she had exchanged wishes with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and RLD's Jayant Chowdhary when they came across each other in Bulandshahr.

First time in two decades, the Congress has put up candidates in all the 403 seats and Priyanka has been criss-crossing the state to garner support.
Baghdad, March 6 : The Iraqi Parliament or Council of Representatives has voted to reopen the nomination for the post of President of the country.

A statement by Parliament said that 203 lawmakers voted in favour of opening the candidacy, while 62 deputies abstained, reports Xinhua news agency.

The decision came after the Federal Supreme Court ruled that the reopening decision for nomination might be valid if it was made through the legislative body instead of the speaker.

Parliament had previously scheduled February 7 as the date for electing the President.

However, only 58 lawmakers attended the session, well below the quorum of two-thirds of the 329-seat chamber.

A day later, the parliamentary speaker announced the reopening of registration for presidential candidates.

On October 10, 2021, Iraq held the parliamentary election, where Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's Sadrist Movement emerged as the biggest winner with 73 out of the 329 seats.

Under Iraq's power-sharing system, the President should be an ethnic Kurd, the Prime Minister a Shia, and Parliament Speaker a Sunni.

Once elected, the new President will ask the largest parliamentary bloc to name a Prime Minister-designate to form a government within 30 days.
Police say a person was shot and killed in Northeast Albuquerque late Saturday night.

Rebecca Atkins, an Albuquerque Police Department spokeswoman, said that shortly before midnight officers were dispatched to a shots fired call in the area of Wyoming and Krim Drive NE.

Upon arrival, officers located one individual deceased inside a residence along Krim Drive, Atkins said in an email. She added that homicide detectives are investigating the death.
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; through June 5; Peoria Riverfront 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; through April 8; McLean County Arts Center.

"The Space Between Us"; John Heintzman; March 2022; Peoria Art Guild.

"CAC Member Artists Biennial Exhibition"; through April 16; "Ann B. Coddington"; through 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"; through April 20; 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.

"Edgewise"; second floor gallery; through Sept. 3; Illinois State Museum.

"Abandoned"; Tony Crowley; March 10-April 9; Lincoln Arts Institute.
https://sputniknews.com/20220306/prince-andrew-sex-abuse-accuser-giuffre-likely-to-want-to-make-a-statement-at-maxwell-sentencing-1093631586.html

Prince Andrew Sex Abuse Accuser Giuffre 'Likely to Want to Make a Statement' at Maxwell Sentencing

Prince Andrew Sex Abuse Accuser Giuffre 'Likely to Want to Make a Statement' at Maxwell Sentencing

Ghislaine Maxwell, ex-girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein, was found guilty on 29 December of recruiting underage girls to be sexually abused by the late billionaire... 06.03.2022, Sputnik International

2022-03-06T09:39+0000

2022-03-06T09:39+0000

2022-03-06T09:39+0000

prince andrew

uk

queen elizabeth ii

virginia roberts giuffre

ghislaine maxwell

jeffrey epstein

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As Queen Elizabeth II prepares for her Platinum Jubilee celebrations culmination in June, a hearing in New York on the 28th of the same month threatens to cast a dark cloud over the events. Prince Andrews sex abuse accuser, Virginia Giuffre, has been invited to speak at the sentencing of pedophile Jeffrey Epstein accomplice and pimp, Ghislaine Maxwell. While under the terms of an out-of-court settlement reached between the American-Australian woman Virginia Giuffre (nee Roberts) and the royal in mid-February she is said to have agreed to keep quiet until after the jubilee, Maxwells sentencing could be the first time we hear from Virginia since the settlement, a source was cited by the Sun as saying, adding:It will bring the whole affair with Andrew back up again just as he hopes to move on.Prince Andrews legal team had settled out of court on Giuffres civil claim that the late billionaire Epstein and his madam and lover Maxwell had trafficked her out to have sex with the Duke of York on three occasions when she was 17 and a minor by US law. The royal, who has since stepped down from official duties and been stripped of his military roles and royal patronages, has strongly denied her claims and any wrongdoing. Despite efforts of Prince Andrews legal team to have the case dismissed based on a settlement Giuffre reached with Epstein in 2009, US district judge Lewis Kaplan had ruled on 12 January that it could go forward. Ghislaine Maxwell, 60, was found guilty on 29 December of recruiting underage girls to be sexually abused by the late billionaire financier between 1994 and 2004 at his various properties. She is now facing sentencing on 28 June, with the prospect of spending up to sixty years in a US jail. Jeffrey Epstein was arrested in 2019 on charges of organising the sex trafficking of underage girls. While awaiting trial, the tycoon, who had been denying all charges, was found dead in his New York federal jail cell in 2019, with his death being ruled a suicide. At the end of a 2019 case against Epstein, Giuffre had stated that the reckoning must not end and others must face justice. Besides the royal, she claimed she was sexually trafficked out to others, such as former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson, former senator George Mitchell, lawyer Alan Dershowitz, French modelling scout Jean Luc Brunel and the billionaire Glenn Dubin. All of these men have vehemently denied her fabricated allegations. Giuffre had been conspicuously left out of the Maxwell case by prosecutors, despite being mentioned numerous times on nearly every day of the British socialites trial. For example, her name came up in the testimony by Epstein housekeeper Juan Alessi, who recalled driving Maxwell when she first met the teenage Giuffre outside Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trumps private members club. One suggested reason, cited by UK media outlets, is that prosecutors in the Maxwell case may have believed testimony from Giuffre might complicate the case with extra actors, jurisdictions and other details.

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Svetlana Ekimenko

Svetlana Ekimenko

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Svetlana Ekimenko

prince andrew, uk, queen elizabeth ii, virginia roberts giuffre, ghislaine maxwell, jeffrey epstein
New Delhi, March 6 : For fresh cues in the coming week, investors would remain focused on the Russia-Ukraine crisis and its impact on crude besides the state elections results of five states that went to polls recently, brokerage house Religare Broking said.

On the macroeconomic front, investors would keep an eye on IIP data scheduled to be released on March 11.

"Markets are gradually drifting lower amid excessive volatility and the prevailing scenario is pointing towards negativity to continue. We reiterate our downside target at 15,900 in Nifty while the immediate resistance has now shifted to 16,500 and major around 16,800 zone," said Ajit Mishra, VP Research at Religare Broking in a note.

Along with banking, stocks having a high dependency on crude are witnessing tremendous pressure while resilience is metal, IT and select energy stocks are offering some breather to bulls, said Mishra, adding the brokerage recommends continuing with a selective approach and keeping a check on leveraged positions until the market stabilises.

Giving reference to the week that ended on Friday, Mishra said markets continued to reel under pressure in the holiday-shortened week as the war between Russia-Ukraine intensified.

"There were rounds of negotiations between the two countries but talks ended with no meaningful result. As a result, crude oil prices rose sharply to $119 which impacted sentiments."

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
The detention camp, where these Uyghurs are being held, is divided into two adjacent sections, with one housing nearly 500 males and the other with around 270 women, Radio Free Asia reported citing the official.

According to the official, these Uyghur inmates had been arrested for committing "serious crimes," such as praying, were being taught "the national language" of Mandarin Chinese in the camp.

Notably, as a part of its crackdown on ethnic minority groups, Chinese authorities have targeted and arrested Muslim Uyghur businessmen, intellectuals, and cultural and religious figures in Xinjiang for years, reported the media outlet.

Nearly 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities are said to be held in a network of detention camps in Xinjiang since 2017, allegedly to prevent religious extremism and terrorist activities.

China has been rebuked globally for the crackdown on Uyghur Muslims by sending them to mass detention camps, interfering in their religious activities, and sending members of the community to undergo some form of forcible re-education or indoctrination.

However, Beijing has justified the detentions saying the camps are vocational training centres and denied allegations of torturing people in the camps or mistreating other Muslims living in Xinjiang. (ANI)
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang unveiled a government work report at the opening meeting of the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress held in Beijing and introduced the overall requirements and policy orientation for economic and social development in 2022. In his report, the premier reviewed the government work in 2021 and said that the country worked hard as one and once again secured new and major achievements in its development in the past year in the face of complicated and challenging circumstances both in and outside of China, as well as many risks and challenges. "While recognizing our achievements, we are also very clear about the problems and challenges before us," he said on Saturday, Xinhua News Agency reported. According to Xinhua, targets were set for the country's development in 2022 in the government work report, including a GDP growth of around 5.5 per cent, more than 11 million new urban jobs, and a consumer price index increase of around 3 per cent. The report also listed major tasks for 2022, including achieving stable macroeconomic performance, maintaining job security, deepening reform, and expanding high-level opening up. NPC deputies reviewed the report on the implementation of the 2021 plan and on the 2022 draft plan for national economic and social development, and the draft plan for national economic and social development in 2022; the report on the execution of the central and local budgets for 2021 and on the draft central and local budgets for 2022, and the draft central and local budgets for 2022, Xinhua News Agency reported. Chinese leaders Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the opening meeting of the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) on Saturday, held at the Great Hall of the People. In the annual session, Wang Chen, vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, expounded a draft amendment to the Organic Law of the Local People's Congresses and Local People's Governments, which has been submitted to national lawmakers for review. Wang also delivered an explanatory speech on a draft decision on the number of deputies to the 14th NPC and their election. In accordance with the Constitution and relevant laws, the election of deputies to the 14th NPC shall be completed in January 2023 before the incumbent 13th NPC deputies finish their term of office in March 2023, Wang said. Wang also explained draft methods for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) and the Macao SAR to elect their deputies to the 14th NPC, as per Xinhua. (ANI)
Taipei [Taiwan], March 6 (ANI): Ukrainians in Taiwan extended their support to a protest march against 63 years of Chinese repression in Tibet on Saturday, media reports said.

The protest march for Tibet is organised by the Taiwanese every year since 2004 to commemorate the Chinese repression of the Tibetan uprising in March 1959. The Tibetan uprising against the rule of communist China lasted for two weeks before it was brutally suppressed.

Also Read | Russia Disabled Ukrainian Airfield With High-Precision Weapons, Says Russian Defence Ministry.

Ukrainians who attended the march on Saturday drew parallels between the Chinese occupation of Tibet and the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, Taiwan News reported.

Yulia Koroleva, who has been staying in Taiwan for two years, told the protesters how the situation in Tibet had still not improved after 63 years of occupation, further adding that the Russian war against Ukraine showed that there were still large countries willing to disrespect and attack smaller nations.

Also Read | Taliban To Auction USD 14 Million of Afghanistan's Central Bank.

"The powerful should respect other people, and not humiliate the weak," Koroleva said while calling for the removal of autocrats and dictators. The Ukrainian resident emphasized that she opposed the war and loved freedom.

The protest march comes amid reports of the Chinese introducing draconian laws and regulations in Tibet in order to suppress its cultural identity.

A new code of conduct for members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Tibet explicitly forbids party members from all forms of religiosity in both public and private life. The six-point code of conduct is the first party regulation that clearly and comprehensively details the specific types of religiosity forbidden for party members in Tibet, according to a report in The Hong Kong Post.

Moreover, a new regulation called 'Measures on the Administration of Internet Religious Informative Services' which came into effect on March 1 bans all foreign organizations and individuals from spreading religious content online in China and Tibet except those who have acquired government licenses.

In November last year, Sikyong Penpa Tsering of the Central Tibetan Administration, Dharamshala accused China of implementing a 'One nation, one party, one language, one culture' policy in occupied Tibet and said that Tibetans as a people and culture was being subjected to a slow death.

In the same month, US President Biden had raised concerns about China's practices in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong with Xi Jinping during an online discussion. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi, March 6 : The Indian Embassy in Hungary on Sunday asked the stranded nationals to reach Hungaria City Centre as they have begun the last leg of Operation Ganga flights.

"Important Announcement: Embassy of India begins its last leg of Operation Ganga flights today. All those students staying in their OWN accommodation (other than arranged by Embassy) are requested to reach @Hungariacitycentre, Rakoczi Ut 90, Budapest between 10 am-12 pm," the Embassy tweeted.

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine intensified in the early hours of February 24 after Russian forces launched a major assault on Ukraine, firing missiles on cities and military installations and posing a serious threat to the Indian citizens residing there. Since then, India has been rigorously evacuating its citizens from the war-torn region.

The Indian government launched a multi-pronged evacuation plan named 'Operation Ganga' to bring home its citizens. Accordingly, Indian missions in several neighbouring countries of Ukraine made arrangements to receive the Indian nationals who are fleeing from the crisis-hit country.

Till now, approximately 13,300 people have returned to India by 63 flights.

On Sunday, 11 more special flights are expected to operate from Budapest, Kosice, Rzeszow and Bucharest, bringing in more than 2,200 Indians back home.
New Delhi, March 6 : The Indian Embassy in Ukraine on Sunday asked its stranded nationals in the war-torn country to fill up a registration form containing their location and several other important information that might help in their evacuation.

"Embassy of India, Kiev, requests all Indian citizens stranded in Ukraine, and are yet to depart from their respective addresses and want to be evacuated urgently to fill up this form," the Embassy said.

The stranded nationals will be required to share their Email, Name, Passport Number, Age, Gender, Location (Region in Ukraine), Address of Present Stay, Contact Number in Ukraine, Contact Number in India and Additional number of Indians staying with them.

Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had during a media briefing on Saturday informed that a large number of Indians, actually almost all of them, except for the two places Sumy and Kharkiv area, have now left Ukraine. Later it was learnt that every Indian national was evacuated from the Kharkiv region as well.

Bagchi had said that now the main focus is on the Sumy region.

Meanwhile, India's Ambassador to Ukraine Partha Satpathy said that Indian nationals, especially students, have displayed extreme maturity and fortitude amidst these turbulent times. He said in the case of Kharkiv, despite it being an active war zone with heavy shelling, the embassy has maintained 'consistent and constant' efforts to activate every citizen.

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine started in the early hours of February 24 after Russian forces launched a major assault on Ukraine, firing missiles on cities and military installations and posing a serious threat to the Indian citizens residing there. Since then, India has been rigorously evacuating its citizens from the war-torn region.

As per the latest reports, intense fighting continues between Russia and Ukraine at several points as the war entered 11th day on Sunday.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
Putin Talks With Bennett Over Phone After Moscow Meeting - Kremlin

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett have continued exchanging opinions on the situation in Ukraine, the Kremlin said on Sunday.

Putin and Bennett had a phone conversation as a follow-up to their meeting in Moscow, according to the Kremlin.

"They continued a detailed exchanged of opinions regarding Russia's special military operation to protect Donbas, taking into account Naftali Bennett's the most recent contacts with leaders of a number of states, among other things," the Kremlin said in a statement.

The leaders of Russia and Israel have agreed to remain in touch.
Mumbai, March 6 : National Award-winning filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, who is coming up with his new film 'The Kashmir Files' based on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits that took place in 1990, says making a film in India that has a political statement is challenging but he is fearless.

The journey of the film started with the process of extensively interviewing Kashmiri Pandits who are presently settled in various parts of the world including America, UK and other countries.

In the presence of the media, Vivek has shown the interviews of real-life victims that include people of the Pandit community who lost their houses and family members because they were killed by local Kashmiri Muslims who took up guns in the name of religion and communal hatred.

There is another section of the Pandit community who lost their lives or loved ones during their stay in the camps under poor living conditions, snake bite and endless suffering. In every real footage, the wounds are still fresh in the memory of the victims even after 30 years of the exodus.

Vivek told IANS: "While the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits is called a historical chapter of our modern politics, I do not look at it as history. If it was history then in October last year, targeted killing of Kashmiri Pandits and non-Muslim people like Makhan Lal Bindroo and Supinder Kour would have not happened. It is an existing reality where gunmen can enter a school and kill school teachers based on their religious identity." He further added, "Yes I know that making a film based on the political account is challenging in India but that cannot stop me from telling the truth. I have gathered the material of our film based on the real accounts from the victims." The film features Anupam Kher, Mithun Chakraborty, Darshan Kumar, Chinmay Mandlekar, Puneet Issar, Bhasha Sumbli and Pallavi Joshi as principal characters.

Asked about what was their process of weaving the story around several testimonies from the series of interviews, Pallavi Joshi who is also the producer of the film shared, "It was quite a tough process. But we zeroed down by the common thread." "There were a section of people who were forced to leave their houses when they saw the killing was happening before their eyes to their neighbours. A section of people left when they lost half of their family members who were killed before their eyes. Kashmiri Hindu girls were forced to convert and marry Muslims or being raped.

"Many families ran away to protect their female members. We took these incidents and put them together around the principal characters, in a timeline to tell the story in feature film format. But every story is true because it is coming from the testimony of the victims," she explained.

'The Kashmir Files' releases in theatres on March 11.
Chennai, March 6 : Actress Sanjana, who is a part of actor Vadivelu's comeback film 'Naai Sekar Returns', has expressed happiness at getting an opportunity to work with the ace comedian and has thanked the film's director Suraaj for having given her the opportunity.

Taking to Instagram, the actress said, "Very happy to be working with the legendary actor Vadivelu sir. Thank you so much sir for being kind and supportive. It is really an amazing experience.

"Thank you so much Suraj sir for having me onboard and for all the love and support which you give me at the shooting spot. I feel so grateful." The film, which is being produced by Lyca productions, is among the most eagerly-awaited entertainers of the year.

Recently, the core unit of the film, including music director Santhosh Narayanan, had flown to London for scoring the film's music.
A Ukrainian military vehicle speeds by on a main road near Sytnyaky, Ukraine. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

The shell that reamed the Russian soldiers vehicle scattered them in all directions. One was face down on the asphalt, arms outstretched. Another was a mass of white and red in barely-there fatigues. Heat had singed the skin of the third, and the fourth had been thrown 130 feet, landing in a field by the road, torso mangled, legs twisted backward.

The fight between Ukrainian and Russian forces  it had been a three-vehicle group, including an armored personnel carrier and a Ural truck  erupted on E40, an 8,000-mile trans-European highway that threads its way from Frances Calais to Kazakhstan, passing through this spot near a roadside hotel. Its a 24-mile straight shot to the capital, Kyiv.

The battle ended Thursday morning. The cleanup began in the afternoon: A soldier directed traffic around bits of flesh, bone and metal; a tank jerkily hauled a burnt-out armored personnel carrier down the highway; men off to the side unloaded a truckload of large caltrops. Nobody touched the corpses.

This is Ukraine now. Eight years of fighting over the countrys breakaway Russian-backed eastern region have morphed into a vicious war for its existence. Kyiv is virtually encircled. Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city, suffers a daily pummeling from shells and missiles. Swaths of the nations south have already fallen into Russian hands, as have parts of the east. A nuclear plant has been attacked; Russian shells rain on civilians, many of whom now sleep by the thousands in basements and subways.

More than 1 million have been turned into refugees. There are fewer safe places. The Ukrainian winter has shown signs of spring, but snow still falls through columns of smoke and over graves hurriedly dug.

A 500-mile drive through the country to outrun the start of the Russian blitz  from Shchastia in the disputed Donbas region to Kharkiv and back to the capital  underscores not only the challenges facing Moscows onslaught, but also the cost to Ukrainians grappling with the wounds of what for years had been called a frozen conflict before it exploded last month and startled the world.

Story continues

Residents carry supplies Tuesday on a road in battered Irpin, Ukraine. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

The most obvious expression of those wounds had been in eastern Ukraine. Driving through its towns and villages, one finds roads that just end.

Go down a street, take a turn and theres a roadblock, a full-on security barrier or a checkpoint with stern soldiers admitting no passage. Beyond, just a few miles and a growing political chasm away, are the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk peoples republics.

The two breakaway states that Russian-backed separatists created in 2014  and now the ostensible reason for Moscows war on Ukraine  amputated two-thirds of the two provinces (informally known as the Donbas region) from the country. Since then, Tania Nikolayevna, a pensioner in her 60s, has reckoned with that loss.

Before the war, she lived in Luhansk city, barely 10 miles away in Shchastia, where like many of the provincial capitals residents she would come to her family-owned dacha. In 2014 it became her permanent home. What was once a 15-minute jaunt became an hours-long trek, a passage Nikolayevna didnt do so much anymore. She hadnt visited her grandmothers grave back in Luhansk for two years.

Wearing a red jacket and a white wool cap that framed her face, she stood with her husband  in gray overalls, an ill-fitting down olive jacket and fine-dotted black-and-white cap  queueing by a well, where residents moved a lever to pump water into plastic jugs. Such rituals had become a way of life.

This was last month, back in the will he or wont he phase of Russian President Vladimir Putins plan to blitz into Ukraine with an estimated 190,000 troops. Those who thought he would invade surmised that he would satisfy himself with the declared borders of the Donetsk and Luhansk peoples republics.

Shchastia was in the crosshairs. But Nikolayevna wouldnt go.

Of course were worried, she said. But Im afraid to leave because I have nothing.

Like many pensioners, she remembered better times, when this part of the nation was the industrial engine of Ukraine. The Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts cover some 9% of the country, but the war held 16% of the population in dense urbanized areas. Many of them grow around sprawling industrial projects such as the Luhansk power station. But fighting crept in, and things changed. An errant separatist shell had sheared some power lines and damaged it, authorities said, disrupting electricity and water pumping stations.

Young men had mostly vanished from these towns, seeking opportunity elsewhere after the war had denuded this area of economic life. For pensioners like Nikolayevna, the best years were during the Soviet era. She reluctantly acknowledged that if the Russians came, it would perhaps be easier: She would be able to visit her Luhansk city again, its memory giving her voice a softer tone.

It was beautiful: gorgeous parks, squares. But I also liked to walk in the forest, she said. Now she was too afraid to go off-track because of mines.

And it didnt matter to her if a person spoke Ukrainian or Russian, a division that had become almost a marker of loyalty. Most people in Shchastia spoke Russian, but Nikolayevna also wished to hear Ukrainian.

Soldiers inspect vehicles at a checkpoint on a main road entering Kyiv on Wednesday. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

I dont want these parts to be separated, she said, trudging a bit lopsided from the jugs.

We dont care about money or salaries. All we care about is peace.

But a fresh war came on the cold morning of Feb. 24. Shchastia, once a crossing into the Luhansk Peoples Republic, was subsumed by the Russians on the first day of the offensive. Some who escaped sought sanctuary in Kharkiv, thinking that Ukraines second largest city, less than two dozen miles from the northern border with Russia, would hold special meaning for Moscow.

After all, they calculated, the bonds with Russia run deep: The city is largely Russian-speaking, and many have relatives across the border. Historically, Kharkiv was the capital of Soviet Ukraine. When the pro-European protests ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich in 2014, there were celebrations in Kyiv, but many in Kharkiv saw it as a coup. At one point, it was thought separatists would try to establish another pro-Russian breakaway enclave there.

Those bonds were tested but not broken after the 2014 war. Many spoke of relatives on the other side. They resented Kyivs dictates on using Ukrainian and demonizing the Russian language, feeling that the government was cutting another link with those they called brothers.

Black smoke rises after an attack in Kyiv on Saturday. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

But none of it mattered to Moscow. In recent days, Russia fired missiles into Kharkivs elegant squares and ornate government buildings, in scenes many said were reminiscent of the citys 1941 fight against the Nazis. The ferocious Russian attacks perplexed Alexander, a 41-year-old martial-arts instructor from Kharkiv who gave only his first name for reasons of privacy.

Its as if it was to persuade a city, which was close to them, that they are invaders and aggressors, he said.

Alexander spent six days in a shelter with his family before braving his way out of the city 20 minutes before an airstrike. Passing through the checkpoints, he spoke Ukrainian, a language hes less comfortable with than Russian.

I responded in Ukrainian to avoid any problems, he said.

Sure, wed switch back after that to Russian, but its like a system, to determine if youre friend or foe.

Alexander would navigate a dangerous new world, and with news of Kharkiv being surrounded, others raced toward Kyiv. Somehow, the internet was still working. Google Maps showed a do-not-pass sign on a few highways, but there still was a way out.

Ukrainian civilians pack a train leaving Irpin. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

It took hours, a dash through highways and pothole-scarred backroads that, when night fell, were illuminated only by a dim lamp at a checkpoint or the blaze of the Russian military truck torn in two by Ukrainian forces, a fire crackling out of its center.

Entering Kyiv, the highways were deserted. Cars sprinted nervously, with any distant explosion turbo-charging drivers to greater speeds.

For months, Kyiv, a city of gold domes and a grand past bisected by the Dnieper River, found itself in the eye of a geopolitical storm. The cliche is that the storm is calmest at its center, and Kyiv had shown that, right up to the first day of the invasion.

The Friday before it was, well, Friday night in a shabby but hip capital full of hip bars and hip restaurants now crammed with hordes of not-so-hip journalists quaffing hip-but-tasty cocktails alongside hip-looking Kyivites.

Yes, they had trained in the Territorial Defense Force, and yes, they had prepared the guns. But people enjoyed a night out. Then the invasion began; rifles were handed out to all who were able, and homemade bombs were bottled. And now with a Russian convoy dozens of miles long waiting 18 miles away, what has the capital become? A waypoint on a desperate scramble? A city on borrowed time? A trap-filled fortress with an army and ready-insurgents, its boulevards a trap-filled gantlet promising death to all who pass unpermitted?

Either way, curfews descended. The war hadnt fully entered Kyiv; it still remained calmest inside the storm.

Instead, the violence was intense at the periphery, near the Ukrainian soldiers stationed on E40 and in Makariv, a village of 10,000 people a few miles closer to Kyiv. On Wednesday, the Ukrainians clawed it back from Russian control, but only just  it remained surrounded on all sides, said Julia, an English teacher for children now turned interpreter at checkpoints.

The 27-year-old said Ukrainian troops had forced back part of a Russian column to the nearby fields and forests.

Theyre panicking. It was a very long column, lots of tanks. Our army stopped them and theyre now around our city, she said to a sporadic snare-drum of cannon and artillery fire in the background.

Ukrainian tanks on a highway near Sytnyaky. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Many others said they were determined to protect their homes. But Julia, who gave only her first name for reasons of safety, gave a simpler reason why she and her husband were still in Makariv: We didnt have time.

She was terrified, especially at night. But everyone left in the village was working to repel the Russians. That included a man nicknamed Malina, an old pensioner in an ancient-looking brown camouflage outfit, a toothless grin and bright-but-sad blue eyes. They didnt seem anywhere near enough to face the firepower behind them.

Were pushing them back, Julia said, because this is another way to Kyiv.

Not far away, and days later, the dead Russian soldiers lay in the cold, a hint of snow in the air. A battle had come and gone. More were in the offing. The sounds no one wants to hear were moving closer. A bit farther up the road lay a heart without a body. It was unclear from which soldier it had come.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Photo for illustration (Source: Border Guard Newspaper)

It will be held in many different forms in line with all practical conditions and the new normal rules for COVID-19 prevention and control.

Under the theme Helping culture prevail and developing reading culture, the event aims to affirm the position, role and importance of books in improving the knowledge, skills, thoughts and personality of the people as well as encouraging and boosting the reading movement in the community.

On this occasion, organisations and individuals that have made great contributions to the development of books and reading culture will be honoured.

The highlights of the event will be the launch ceremony for the Reading Culture Ambassador contest and a virtual book introduction contest, painting and seminars on books and reading culture.

Scientific and technological strengths will be utilized to build databases and e-documents for promoting books./.
Indian Embassy on Sunday said that the last leg of 'Operation Ganga' has begun, asking the stranded students to reach the Hungarian City Center in Budapest between 10 am-12 pm. "Important Announcement: Embassy of India begins its last leg of Operation Ganga flights today. All those students staying in their OWN accommodation ( other than arranged by Embassy) are requested to reach @Hungariacitycentre , Rakoczi Ut 90, Budapest between 10 am-12 pm," Indian Embassy in Hungary tweeted. Separately Indian Embassy in Kyiv also urged its nationals who are still in Ukraine to register themselves for the evacuation process under 'Operation Ganga'. "All Indian nationals who still remain in Ukraine are requested to fill up the details contained in the attached Google Form on an URGENT BASIS," India in Ukraine tweeted. Ministery of External Affairs in its daily briefing said that around 13,300 people returned to India from Ukraine so far by 63 flights under 'Operation Ganga'. He added that 15 flights have landed in the last 24 hours, carrying around 2,900 onboard. "A total of 15 flights have landed in the last 24 hours with around 2,900 onboard. Approximately 13,300 people returned to India so far by 63 flights under 'Operation Ganga', and 13 flights are scheduled for the next 24 hours," MEA official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said. He noted that over 21,000 people have left Ukraine. Meanwhile, the MEA yesterday informed that almost all Indians have left Kharkiv city of Ukraine and the main focus of the government is to evacuate citizens from Sumy as it is challenging amid ongoing violence and lack of transportation. Bagchi further said that so far 298 students have been evacuated from Pisochyn. "We will now be looking at how many are still in Ukraine. The Embassy will contact those who happen to be there but haven't registered... In nearby Pisochyn...we have moved (evacuated) 298 students, hoping to complete it by today," he said. Bagchi added that probably one Nepali citizen will be coming today (onboard the Indian flight), and Bangladeshi national is also expected later. The government has also deployed "special envoys" to four neighbouring countries bordering Ukraine to coordinate and oversee the evacuation process of the Indian nationals. Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. (ANI)
The recent clashes at the administrative buildings near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) could be a result of Ukraine storing documents on perspective developments of nuclear weapons there, a news report said citing Russian sources. "Certain documentation was also available at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. Clashes with Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups in administrative buildings adjacent to the NPP were apparently related to this fact," the source reportedly told Sputnik, adding that Ukrainian authorities have partially destroyed and evacuated the majority of documents on the issue from Kyiv and Kharkiv to Lviv. The Russian source also accused Ukraine of trying to conceal nuclear weapons program, saying that the Ukrainian authorities used the Chernobyl NPP for making a "dirty bomb" and for the work on plutonium separation. A "dirty bomb" is a type of "radiological dispersal device" that combines a conventional explosive, such as dynamite, with radioactive material according to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC). "According to the available information, the work on both the dirty bomb production and the plutonium extraction were conducted there. The elevated radiation background in the Chernobyl zone concealed such work," the source said. He further accused Ukraine of destroying the evidence of its nuclear program saying, "In the realms of increasing tension in relations with Russia, the Ukrainian leadership decided to destroy all valuable documentation stored in the scientific centres in Kyiv and Kharkiv or evacuate it to Lviv Polytechnic National University." The development comes a couple of days after clashes erupted between Russian and Ukrainian troops near the Zaporizhzhia NPP facility, followed by a Russian shelling near the nuclear facility which resulted in a fire in a training facility adjacent to the reactors. The Russian troops eventually occupied the nuclear facility. The Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi in a press conference on Friday informed that the nuclear reactors in the facility were safe, and no radiation occurred. "It is important to say that all the safety systems of the six reactors at the plant were not affected at all and that there has been no release of radioactive material ... importantly, in this regard, is the radiation monitoring systems ... are fully functional as well," Grossi said. Earlier, IAEA had put its Incident and Emergency Centre (IAEAIEC) in full 24X7 response mode due to the serious situation. IAEA informed in a statement on Saturday that Ukraine has confirmed that two out of 6 reactors of Zaporizhhzhya NPP are working, and the radiation levels are normal. "Ukraine's nuclear regulator told the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) today it had been able to maintain communications with staff at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) where two out of six reactors were now operating, a day after Russian forces took control of the site in the country's south-east," the statement by IAEA Director-General read. (ANI)
Photograph: Patrick Semansky/AP

When Joe Biden made the struggle between democracy and autocracy the lodestar of his presidency, it was widely assumed that his principal antagonists would be Chinas Xi Jinping abroad and Americas own Donald Trump at home.

But it is Vladimir Putin of Russia who has made the contest more immediate and literal than anyone expected, launching a bloody invasion of Ukraine that threatens to bring down a new iron curtain in Europe.

Related: State of the Union: Joe Biden pledges to make Putin pay for Ukraine invasion

Biden, who made no mention of Putin, Russia or nuclear weapons in his inaugural address, is discovering a truism of US history: American presidencies are often defined by crises that no one saw coming.

I am old enough to remember [British prime minister] Harold Macmillan who, when asked what was driving his actions, replied, Events, dear boy, events, said Bill Galston, a former policy adviser to President Bill Clinton. Im sure when Joe Biden was running for president, the last thing on his mind was a revival of the cold war.

He was already focused, and has been for years, on the conflict between democracy and autocracy but that was more of a frame for looking at the world than it was an operational manual. Now here we are. Its truly extraordinary when you think about it.

Just as Bidens empathy was seen as ideal for meeting the moment of the coronavirus pandemic, and just as his record of bipartisanship was thought to be well suited to healing Americas divisions, so his storied foreign policy experience and faith in multinational institutions appear to bode well for this test.

That is certainly the view of Democrats who believe that Biden, who at 79 lived every moment of the cold war, including its gnawing dread of nuclear annihilation, has risen to the occasion. Last month he authorised $350m of military equipment  the biggest such package in US history  to bolster Ukraines courageous fighters who have exceeded all expectations.

Story continues

Firefighters work to extinguish a fire at a damaged logistic center after shelling in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Thursday. Photograph: Efrem Lukatsky/AP

He led an unprecedented declassification of intelligence about Russias intentions to invade and to justify its actions, weakening Moscows arguments on the world stage. Biden and his team held countless meetings and phone calls to rally western allies, helping imbue Nato with a sense of unity and purpose that many feared it had lost forever. The resulting sanctions imposed have gone further than many expected in scope and scale and could collapse the Russian economy.

Galston, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution thinktank in Washington, commented: The Ukraine crisis has been the Biden administrations finest hour. The president and his senior officials have been skillful and tireless in trying to coordinate a united response. The results speak for themselves. The sanctions are extraordinary and even more extraordinary has been the turnaround in European thinking and policy. Its been breathtakingly fast.

It depends on what your definition of success is. The supporters of Biden say Natos united. And Ukraine is in ashes John Bolton

But all this represents a hollow victory, critics say, because the harsh reality is that it did not prevent Putin making his move and inflicting horrific civilian casualties in Ukraine. Bidens radical transparency included stating early and forcefully that no American troops would set foot in the country.

John Bolton, a former national security adviser to Trump, said: It depends on what your definition of success is. The supporters of Biden say Natos united and I think thats true. And Ukraine is in ashes.

He added: I dont think collectively the west did what was necessary here and you can measure failure pretty clearly by the Russian army being in Ukraine. I dont think we view our current position with equanimity.

The US and Nato have rejected appeals to impose a no-fly zone, which might require their forces to shoot down Russian aircraft and draw them directly into a war with a nuclear power led by a dangerously unstable tyrant. This earned a rebuke from Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Ukraines president, who said on Friday that Nato gave the green light for further bombing of Ukrainian cities and villages.

Bolton, a former interim US ambassador to the UN, believes the opportunity for such a measure has been lost. Its not practical because weve waited this long and Biden and the UK and all of Nato have basically said, were not going to do it.

The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, left, walks with the European Council president, Charles Michel, during an extraordinary EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on Friday. The Biden administration has won praise for maintaining unity among US allies. Photograph: Olivier Douliery/AP

But everybody in Europe better get used to the fact that were going to watch something on the continent that we said in 1945 wed never let happen again. And its going to happen, I think, right in front of us.

The war in Ukraine has given an unexpected boost to Bidens efforts to revive bipartisanship in Washington. Republicans have been broadly supportive and gave him several standing ovations when he discussed the conflict at the start of his State of the Union address last week. But the truce only goes so far.

Some Republicans argue that Bidens botched withdrawal from Afghanistan betrayed weakness and encouraged Putin and that the invasion would not have happened if Trump was still in the White House. They say the sanctions have been too slow and incremental. And they are joining Democrats in pushing the president to ban Russian oil imports while calling for American energy independence.

Forty years of foreign affairs experience by President Biden is paying off Leon Panetta

Biden, however, has been reluctant to call out his Republican critics so far, and his approval rating has begun to climb since the crisis began, according to a PBSNewsHour/NPR/Marist poll. About half of the American public  52%  said this week they support how the president is handling the situation in Ukraine. This was up from two weeks ago when about a third said they approved.

Leon Panetta, a former defense secretary and CIA director, said: Forty years of foreign affairs experience by President Biden is paying off. We werent sure with Afghanistan but it clearly is paying off now in the way hes been able to establish a unified approach between the US and our Nato allies. The bottom line is that we could not have made Putin pay a price were it not for that unity.

There appears to have been determination not repeat the blunders of Afghanistan, when allies felt blindsided as the Taliban rapidly took over and the US and western governments fled.

Panetta, co-founder of the Panetta Institute for Public Policy, added: Presidents are always tested by crisis but presidents have to learn from their mistakes and I think President Biden knows what he did wrong and knows now what he has to do to provide that leadership.

In some ways I thought Afghanistan was kind of his Bay of Pigs but John Kennedy was able to come back and really establish a strong foreign policy and Im hoping that Joe Biden can do the same. He will be tested but, having put together this unified approach, I feel confident that he will now see it see it through. You have to remain strong. You cant blink when it comes to dealing with Putin.
https://sputniknews.com/20220306/why-do-arab-tweeps-support-russia-in-its-military-operation-in-ukraine---1093629609.html

Why Do Arab Tweeps Support Russia in Its Military Operation in Ukraine?

Why Do Arab Tweeps Support Russia in Its Military Operation in Ukraine?

Arabic-language social media has been venting anger at the West for its double standards and the biased coverage of the Russian military operation in Ukraine... 06.03.2022, Sputnik International

2022-03-06T09:43+0000

2022-03-06T09:43+0000

2022-03-06T13:40+0000

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us

hypocrisy

double standards

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In the West, social media has taken sides from the very beginning of Russia's military operation in Ukraine that kicked off ten days ago. Tweeps and Facebook users are generally supporting the Ukrainian people and their government, while Russia is being depicted as the aggressor. United with Russia But the picture is different in Muslim and Arab countries, where people are venting anger at the West, especially against its policies and double standards. "The US is the number one criminal in the world," wrote one person, commenting on an article about the bounty promised to anyone who kills Russia's President Vladimir Putin. Another chimed in: "It is [the US] a country of all evil and of crime. There wouldn't be any war if it wasn't for the American action.""They are a gang of murderers and criminals and they have always been that way, since the establishment of their criminal state," a third user said.Fresh Wounds The Arab world has its own score to square with the West. Many still remember the 2003 invasion of Iraq, where the US was looking for weapons of mass destruction that were never found. That war left at least 184,000 Iraqi civilians dead, hundreds of thousands lost their houses, and the war-torn country is still struggling. The bombardment of Libya is also fresh in the minds of the Arab public. In 2011, a NATO coalition supported the forces that combatted then-Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. Eventually, that backing tilted the balance in favour of anti-government forces. The decades-long ruler was brutally killed by NATO-backed rebels, and so were civilians. The country was plunged into chaos from which it hasn't yet recovered. Then came 2017 and with it the US involvement in the Syrian civil war. For four months, Washington dropped some 10,000 bombs on the densely populated Raqqa that was the capital of Daesh's* caliphate at the time. But as part of their anti-terrorist ops, they also killed many civilians, destroyed the area's infrastructure, and plunged the country into a deeper crisis. This is why many people in the Arab-speaking world believe that in the Ukrainian case, the real culprit is again the US and its allies. Bias and Racism People are venting anger not only at America's foreign policy vis-a-vis Russia but also at the hypocrisy of the West and its double standards. Videos where American and European correspondents compare the skin, eye, and hair colour of Ukrainian refugees with those from the Middle East and Asia have gone viral. Caricatures depicting the emotions of the Arab world have emerged in many news publications. "You know why they [the West] don't cry over Pakistan? Because the murdered person is Muslim, the martyrs are Muslims. Their skin colour is dark, their eye colour isn't blue. Or in other words... the Pakistani victims are not Ukrainian," wrote one tweep. "The Russia-Ukraine war showed how racist the West is against Muslims! The trouble is that they were giving us lectures on humanity," wrote another user. Frustration is also being directed at the Ukrainians following a video where an alleged Ukrainian militant shoots bullets into what appears to be a block of lard, hoping to keep the Chechens, who are fighting in the ranks of the Russian forces, at bay, given Muslims don't eat pork. "This is evidence of how dirty and stupid the Ukrainians are," wrote one tweep. Another one added: "They are old Nazis  the original edition - and they have a political party with greater influence on Ukrainian politicians than their electoral share. They control the eastern and southern parts of Ukraine and are integrated into its armed forces." And a third one warned that such policy will eventually backfire. "Whoever mocks the words and religion of God has no place in life. They will not escape from Gods punishment, and God is their [Russian] guardian."*Daesh, also known as ISIS/IS/Islamic State is a terrorist group banned in Russia and many other countries.

https://sputniknews.com/20220224/the-height-of-hypocrisy-russia-criticised-but-how-many-times-has-nato-acted-without-approval-1093339428.html

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Elizabeth Blade

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the government is proactively working on enhancing the means of the mass transport system at a rapid scale as India undergoes rapid urbanisation, stressing that Metro rail services which had been confined to Delhi NCR and a few cities until 2014 has now expanded to over two dozen places across the country. "It is estimated that the urban population will be more than 60 crores by 2030. The increasing urban population brings several opportunities and challenges. Flyovers in cities can be constructed up to certain limits only. In such a situation, the only option is to increase the mass transportation infrastructure in the country. Our government is focusing on means of mass transportation, especially the metro connectivity," said PM Modi while addressing a public meeting after inaugurating a Metro Rail line in Pune. "Now, the Metro services have either become operational in more than two dozen cities of the country or they are approaching completions," PM Modi said. With the commencement of the Pune Metro, the Prime Minister said it will increase the mobility of people and eliminate the stress of traffic jams and pollution. It will also reduce carbon emissions, he added. The Prime Minister noted that mass transportation, especially Metro connectivity, is the need of the hour. "Pune has strengthened its identity in the cultural, education, IT, research and development fields. In such a situation, modern facilities are the need of the hour for the people of Pune and our government is working round the clock to meet their expectations," PM Modi said. Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister inaugurated a 12-km stretch of the total 32.2-km Pune Metro Rail Project, which is built at a cost of over Rs 11,400 crore. He also travelled from Garware College Metro station to Anand Nagar Metro station and interacted with schools students. (ANI)
Later, Ct Satteppa SK himself succumbed to injuries, the BSF said in a statement.

It further stated that a court of inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the facts.

"In an unfortunate incident, five BSF troops were injured on March 6 due to fratricide committed by Ct Satteppa S K at HQ 144 Bn Khasa, Amritsar. Ct Satteppa S K was also injured in the incident. Out of the six injured, five troops, including Ct Satteppa, have lost their lives. One of the injured is critical. A court of inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the facts," the BSF statement read.

Further details to follow. (ANI)
New Delhi, March 6 : Simultaneously with the work on the creation of a nuclear explosive device, Ukraine has actively engaged in potential means of delivery of nuclear weapons, a Russian official told RIA Novosti.

"In parallel, work was underway in the country to modernize existing and create new missile weapons that can be used as a means of delivering nuclear weapons," the representative said.

He stressed that at the same time, Kiev "covers" most of the developments with the implementation of joint projects with other countries, RT New reported.

For example, in December 2013, Ukraine and Turkey agreed to cooperate in the missile sphere.

"The main role in it should be played by the Ukrainian rocket and space enterprises Yuzhmashzavod and Yuzhnoye Design Bureau, which previously participated in the creation of the Soviet nuclear missile arsenal," the official said.

The main goal of such cooperation is the creation of a mobile complex that would be equipped with a solid-propellant ballistic missile with a range of up to 1,500 km, he was quoted as saying to RIA Novosti.

In addition, Yuzhmashzavod is developing a mobile ground-based missile system Grom-2 at the expense of Saudi Arabia, which, according to Kiev, will have a range of up to 280 km in the export version, claimed the official.

"However, according to experts, it is possible to upgrade it in order to increase the firing range over 500 km, according to some estimates - up to 1000 km. Since 2017, the Alibey missile range has been operated in the Odessa region to conduct flight tests of rocket technology." The official also said that clashes at Ukraine;s Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, which caught fire last week and was subsequently seized by Russian forces, could have occurred due to the storage of documentation there.

According to the hom, Ukraine partially destroyed, partially removed the main body of documents on this topic from Kiev and Kharkiv to Lviv.

The official hinted that the documentation may be in the National University "Lviv Polytechnic".
South Korea will impose export controls against Belarus for its support of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, CNN quoted the ministry as saying on Sunday.

According to the ministry, the export control will apply in a similar way to the one it earlier imposed on Moscow. Earlier, in February, South Korea blocked exports of strategic goods to Russia.

"Our government ... decided today to implement export control against Belarus under the judgement that Belarus is practically supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine," the ministry said, according to the media outlet.

Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities.

Meanwhile, the third round of talks between Russia and Ukraine may take place on March 7, according to Sputnik news agency.

Citing Ukrainian news outlet Strana.ua, the Russian agency said on Telegram that the date was suggested by Kyiv, and Moscow was yet to respond. (ANI)
https://sputniknews.com/20220306/im-asking-media-to-stop-lying-and-tell-the-truth-about-donbass-pleads-turkish-donetsk-resident-1093621979.html

'I'm Asking Media to Stop Lying and Tell the Truth About Donbass,' Pleads Turkish Donetsk Resident

'I'm Asking Media to Stop Lying and Tell the Truth About Donbass,' Pleads Turkish Donetsk Resident

While the mainstream media have brought their primary focus on Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, Kiev's eight-year war against Ukrainian... 06.03.2022, Sputnik International

2022-03-06T09:48+0000

2022-03-06T09:48+0000

2022-03-06T10:04+0000

us

russia

world

ukraine

europe

donbass

donetsk

shelling

minsk agreements

petro poroshenko

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https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/105211/64/1052116466_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_cd2a108d534d0e125aed1f39979c4755.jpg

The Ukrainian army's war against Donbass has been going on, unseen for the world, since 2014, says an unnamed Turkish national, who agreed to share his experience on condition of anonymity.Conflict first erupted after a February 2014 coup d'etat in Kiev with ultra-nationalist and neo-Nazi paramilitary groups playing a significant role in the regime change. The Donetsk and Lugansk regions in eastern Ukraine, traditionally Russian-speaking, did not accept the power grab and declared independence in response. The de facto interim government in Kiev that took over from the previous administration launched a brutal offensive against the region.Donetsk was subjected to constant massive shelling with ordnance, says the Turkish national."From the balcony we could see shells flickering in the air with the naked eye," he says. "Many of them fell in the city centre. The Ukrainian side threw bombs not caring much about where they would land. It did not matter to them whether a residential building, office, shopping center or a military facility would be affected. They bombed the city indiscriminately."Many people were killed, the resident notes, adding that civilians, including women and children, continue to fall victim to attacks by the Ukrainian government forces and nationalist battalions.In addition to everyday risks, Donetsk residents were often without electricity and water, with shelves empty in grocery shops, especially between 2014 and 2016, the resident recalls. Now the situation has at least partially improved: despite the intensification of shelling, there are products in stores; and people have electricity, water, and Internet, notes the resident.The telephone line that connected Donetsk civilians with the Ukrainian territory is no longer working, however, and they cannot call our friends in Ukraine, he says, adding that they use only the local communication line.Like many of his Turkish compatriots in Eastern Ukraine, the source wants to visit his home country. However, a trip from Donbass to Turkey is fraught with bureaucratic difficulties and a host of other unpredictable dangers."To get to Turkey, you must first go to Ukrainian territory," he says. "We were kept there for two days. Since they consider everyone who lives in Donbass terrorists, we were first interrogated. Some were released after a couple of hours, others were held for two or three days. Therefore, it is very difficult for us to first get from here to Ukraine, and then from there to Turkey, and then returning home is even more difficult. We've been stomaching this for eight years."The Turkish public is not aware of the everyday struggles of people in the Donbass, the Donetsk resident notes, additionally observing that Western mainstream media is distorting reality which misleads people.

ukraine

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donetsk

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Ekaterina Blinova

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Ekaterina Blinova

us, ukraine, europe, donbass, donetsk, shelling, minsk agreements, petro poroshenko, volodymyr zelenskiy
Gamers won't be able to make digital purchases from Nintendo's Russian eShop for now. The gaming giant has announced that the eShop in Russia has been temporarily placed in maintenance mode "due to the fact that the payment service [it uses] has suspended the processing of payments in rubles." As Nintendo Life notes, people have been reporting about the outage on social networks, showing photos of their Switch getting error code 2813-0999 when they try to access the Russian eShop.

It's unclear if Nintendo itself cut off payments in the region on purpose, or if the company had no choice but to place the eShop in maintenance mode because a third-party processor removed ruble payments from its system. The translated wording seems to indicate that the latter is more likely.

Other gaming companies had previously taken steps to limit access to their products and services in Russia. CD Projekt Red halted sales of its games, including Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and all titles on its GOG store in Russia and Belarus. EA followed suit, preventing players in the two countries from making purchases from its Origin storefront and app.

Microsoft suspended all new sales of its products and services (including Xbox) in Russia, following a request from Ukraine to ban all players in the country from its system. Ukraine also asked Sony to ban all players in Russia from the PlayStation network, but the company has yet to respond. According to Eurogamer, though, Sony quietly pulled Gran Turismo 7 from sale in the country.
San Francisco, March 6 : Apple is holding a hardware event on March 8 and the company is expected to reveal a new iPhone SE and refreshed iPad Air.

The new iPhone SE is expected to start at $300 and have the A15 Bionic SoC at the helm, reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has outlined his "predictions" for the new iPhone SE, reports GSMArena.

Kuo says the upcoming iPhone will come in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB storage options and three colours - white, black, and red.

Kuo also said that the iPhone SE 2022 will enter mass production this month, and Apple is estimated to ship 25-30 million units of the smartphone in 2022.

The Apple iPhone SE 3 will feature 5G connectivity instead of 4G seen in the iPhone SE 2020. The smartphone is also expected to come with improved performance with upgraded internals.

In addition, Apple is also planning a redesigned 27-inch iMac with a mini-LED display for release in the first half of 2022. The new 27-inch iMac is expected to support ProMotion.

The new 27-inch iMac is expected to be powered by the same M1 Pro and M1 Max chips that debuted in the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro last year.
Miami, March 6 : At least 600 households have been evacuated in the Florida Panhandle, the northwest part of the US state, as wildfires continued to grow in the state, officials said.

There are currently 148 wildfires burning more than 7,100 acres across the state, the Florida Forest Service tweeted on Saturday afternoon.

More than half of the acres are from two wildfires in the Florida Panhandle, Xinhua news agency quoted the Service as saying.

The fires "are seeing significant growth at this time because of high winds", the Chipola Forestry Center, which services Bay County and much of the Florida Panhandle, wrote in an update.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis told reporters on Saturday that hundreds of thousands of acres of downed trees from 2018's hurricane Michael, along with low humidity and strong winds, created "the perfect storm" for hazardous fire conditions in Bay County.

"This is a really significant, fast-moving fire," DeSantis said during a press conference in Panama City.

More than 200 firefighters and emergency workers from around the Florida Panhandle worked overnight to strengthen containment lines and protect homes, officials said.

The wildfires had forced residents of at least 600 homes in the Florida Panhandle to evacuate, but that figure was expected to grow as new neighbourhoods were placed under evacuation orders throughout the day.

Two houses had already been destroyed, with 12 others damaged.

Michael was a Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the US in October 2018.

The hurricane was directly responsible for 16 deaths and about $25 billion in damage in the nation, according to federal authorities.

It also left behind 2.8 million acres of shredded and uprooted trees in the Florida Panhandle, Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried said on Saturday.

"Hurricane Michael left an additional threat to our communities -- wildfires," Fried said.

"Wildfires are never easy control. This added fuel and dense pockets of vegetation from hurricane Michael will increase the intensity of wildfires."
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Student protesters demand UNT president go further to protect transgender students

Jeff Woo/DRC Tara Olson speaks at a walkout calling for transgender equality March 4 at the University of North Texas Hurley Administration Building. The protest followed the UNT chapter of the Young Conservatives of Texas event featuring Texas House District 63 candidate Jeff Younger, who wants to criminalize gender-affirming health care for transgender children. Jeff Woo/DRC A University of North Texas student raises a flag during a peaceful walkout on Friday afternoon, just outside the Hurley Building. The protest followed an event by the UNT chapter of the Young Conservatives of Texas on Wednesday night, featuring Texas House District 63 candidate Jeff Younger, whose platform includes criminalizing gender-affirming health care for Texas transgender children and teens.

University of North Texas students gathered in front of a locked Hurley Administration Building on Friday afternoon, protesting President Neal Smatresks Thursday email that followed a volatile protest of a program organized by a conservative campus group.

At a peaceful walkout on Friday, protesters called for Smatresk to step up or step down in regards to protecting transgender students, and urged the university to expel the campus chapter of the Young Conservatives of Texas for violating the student code of conduct.

The walkout was a response to Smatresks statement sent to students the day after a Wednesday event hosted by the UNT chapter of the Young Conservatives of Texas. The chapter brought Flower Mound Republican candidate Jeff Younger to campus for a speaking engagement at Curry Hall.

Younger, whos facing Ben Bumgarner in a runoff for the Republican nomination for Texas House District 63, has been an outspoken opponent of gender-affirming health care for Texas transgender children and teens. He was vaulted into the national spotlight after a long court battle that granted custody of his two children  one of whom is transgender  to his ex-wife in August. Younger objects to his childs transitioning, and has campaigned on a promise to author laws that would restrict medical care available to transgender minors, especially when both parents dont support the childs transition.

Protesters said Youngers visit and the conservative groups promotion of the event paints transgender children as mentally ill, which puts all transgender people at risk of isolation, violence and murder.

Tara Olson, one of the organizers of the walkout, denounced Smatresks framing of the conservative groups events and Youngers rhetoric as free speech.

Hate speech is not free speech, Olson said, to cheers and the clanging of cowbells. Hate speech is not legitimate political discourse.

Kelly Neidert, a former president of the UNT Young Conservatives chapter, told her followers on Twitter that she would not be attending the Friday walkout because the university deserved a quiet day. She said the protesters had a right to demonstrate. Students said she was interviewed near the administration building during the walkout, however.

Protesters said Smatresks response was tepid and puts LGBT students in danger. One protester took the microphone and said theyd endured domestic violence since childhood,

I didnt come to this university to be abused again, they said. What is a free speech issue for you is an unsafe walk home for me.

Protesters also denounced the number of police at the event. In his email to students, Smatresk explained that because the discourse ahead of the Wednesday event had been contentious, the university had asked for assistance from the Denton Police Department and Texas Highway Patrol. Students took issue with law enforcement posted on the roof of a building near Curry Hall, and insisted that aggression and violence started with law enforcement. A person at the Wednesday night protest was hit by a UNT Police Department SUV and sustained minor injuries.

Students also denounced the universitys alleged decision to lock the administration building and have police monitor the walkout.

Who are they afraid of? Olson said. Are they afraid of us? Look around. No one here is doing anything to cause anyone to fear for anything.

Transgender and gay students took turns at the microphone, and several said they decided to attend UNT because the university and Denton have reputations for being safe and accepting places. Like a lot of Texas cities, churches dot the landscape, but transgender students and their supporters said they felt generally safe in the city and on the campus.

Youngers visit  and particularly an intense and hostile exchange with a student in which he answered yes asked if he thought it was funny when transgender people die by suicide  made LGBT students feel threatened and insulted.

Enough is enough, said UNT professor and Denton City Council member Deb Armintor, who demonstrated with students. You guys should not have to do this emotional labor. You shouldnt have to do this work. I have been teaching here since 2002. Ive seen all kinds of things. This response is a whole new low. Its not the first bad response, in my memory, anyway. Since 2002, this is the worst response. Its blaming the victims.

Armintor told protesters shes seen students work to expand the universitys culture of inclusion, up to writing complete guidebooks that can inform faculty and administrators as they craft the universitys diversity and inclusion policies. She spent the rest of the demonstration holding a transgender pride flag with a student. She said that the Young Conservatives have a right to be on campus, but shouldnt be permitted to harass students.

Violet Forbes, a UNT student and a transgender woman, said she chose to attend UNT in part because of its reputation for inclusion and acceptance of LGBT students, faculty and staff. Forbes, who is double majoring in physics and mathematics, is the daughter of UNT alumni.

Both my parents went to UNT and lived in Denton, Forbes said. They met at UNT. They were queer people. They were accepted by queer people and the queer population here. It was a massive deal not only in my upbringing, but in their upbringing. Ive known Denton as one of the most accepting cities in Texas for a long, long time. I feel that the reputation still stands strong.

Forbes said she and other students are concerned that Youngers campaign will use Wednesdays protest to raise money, and that reaction to the student protest could be used to help Younger win the partys nomination for the general election. Should Younger win the election, he has promised to draft legislation to restrict Texas transgender childrens access to what Forbes called life-saving medical care.

For Forbes, Youngers cruelty harms the very children he says he wants to protect. But that kind of lawmaking comes with collateral damage, too, she said.

This kind of action is disgusting, Forbes said. Its the kind of action that means that kind of community has to exist. My faculty has treated me very well. My faculty has never disrespected me explicitly. Ive had a respectful time here. But these actions and this action is unacceptable.

Forbes said free speech isnt unlimited, and pointed to federal laws and campus codes that promote civil rights and diminish discrimination.

The UNT Womens Faculty Network and LGBT Faculty Resource Group agreed in a statement supporting the belief that gender identity and expression constitute political speech.

While our president steadfastly affirmed the free speech rights of the anti-trans community, he failed to acknowledge that gender identity and gender expression is personal freedom of expression, which is protected by the First Amendment and Title IX, and Title VII with the 6-3 Supreme Court ruling on Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia that includes the prohibition of discrimination based on sex that must include the LGBTQ population, the faculty groups said in the shared statement obtained by the Denton Record-Chronicle.

UNT students Ismael Belkoura and Jesse Sanders attended the Wednesday event and counterprotest, and said they hoped the event might be a chance for people to exchange ideas.

He was able to give his speech at least in the beginning, Belkoura said. But when he misgendered his child, someone got angry. Then he misgendered the person talking to him. It went bad from there. Someone was talking about how transgender people have a higher rate of suicide and he laughed. They asked, Do you think its funny when transgender people kill themselves? And he said yes.

Sanders said Youngers behavior made him doubt the candidates sincerity in having a real discussion.

He showed up with 63 PowerPoint slides, Sanders said. When people got angry, he kept saying, This is what the left does. I feel like UNT gave a political candidate a platform to express hateful rhetoric, and the candidate exploited that. He wanted to have a big blow-up, and he got what he wanted.

Protesters said they will demonstrate weekly until Smatresk denounces hate speech.

Theyre always talking about how this is a minority-majority campus to show how much they care about inclusion, Belkoura said. But they dont care as much as we need them to.

Related
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, during a series of meetings scheduled for next week with the leaders of a number of countries, will try to involve them in the implementation of his plan, which provides for pressure on Moscow in connection with its aggression in Ukraine.

According to the prime minister's office, Moscow must fail, and it must be seen that it has failed in its actions against Ukraine, for which it is necessary to intensify efforts aimed at causing maximum damage to Russia.

It is not enough to express our support for the rules-based international order, we must defend it from the constant attempts to rewrite the rules through military force, Johnson said in a statement.

He intends on Monday to discuss this issue with the leaders of Canada and the Netherlands, and on Tuesday to host the leaders of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.

Johnson intends to announce his six-point plan at the meetings. It provides for the formation of an international coalition to provide humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, support for Ukraine's self-defense, increasing economic pressure on Russia, preventing the "creeping normalization" of Russian activities in Ukraine, strengthening security in the Euro-Atlantic region, and using diplomatic paths to de-escalation with the full participation of Kyiv.

The plan does not involve the participation of Western allies in military operations in Ukraine.
The attention of the leadership of Presidential Support Committee (PSC) has been drawn to a purported online publication report that credited Senator Godswill Akpabio as its National Coordinator.

For the avoidance of doubt, Senator Akpabio is not the National Coordinator of the organization. He has been suspended since June, 2021, for inactivity, lack of good leadership style and effective management, and the suspension is not yet lifted.

PSC is a support group that was initiated by a seasoned politician, Rt. Hon. Gideon Samani and was galvanised into action with strong support of notable politicians, technocrats, patriotic citizens and seasoned administrators, with the goal of working for the success of All Progressive Congress (APC) and its candidate, President Muhammad Buhari in 2019.

It has membership and structures across all the 36 states of the federation, 774 local government areas as well as Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

At an expanded meeting in June last year, the organization had thoroughly reviewed its activities as well as the performance of its leaders, where it founded Senator Akpabio the then National Coordinator, short of measuring up to its standards and therefore handed down an indefinite suspension to him, for his lack of good leadership style, ineffective management and inactivity that will move the organization forward.

In the same vein, the organization has equally removed the moles within its rank, people that were identified to be working underground to subvert the organization and divide its members for their selfish interests.

As PSC has fully rebranded, with committed and forward looking leaders under the able leadership of Rt. Hon. Gideon Samani, the task before the organization now, is to face the challenges of working for the emergence of the most credible successor of President Buhari in 2023, hence it will not condone any distraction from anybody.

To our dismay however, Senator Akpabio, who is a serving Minister of the Ministry for Niger Delta, and was suspended for inactivity and poor leadership in June last year, is brimming to cause disharmony by supporting and promoting divisive elements glaringly working for him in order to cause disaffection among PSC members and its leadership.

As far as PSC is concerned, the indefinite suspension order handed down to Senator Akpabio, has not been lifted and it can only be lifted by an expanded gathering of PSC stakeholders that approved the suspension. So far, the organization is yet to hold such an expanded meeting to review the suspension order, hence the minister remained suspended.

As a person occupying a very critical ministry, the Minister should desist from parading himself as PSC National Coordinator, or using some moles and political jobbers to divide the organization. He should not sink so low by intruding into the affairs of PSC, which he has no stake whatsoever.

We respect the office of the Minister of Federal Republic and we also expect the Minister to take his assignment seriously, by devoting time and attention to the development of Niger Delta Region, which unfortunately is apparently lacking proper handling under his watch.

Therefore, instead of dwelling into the affairs of PSC, which he has no stake at the moment, the Minister should focus more on how to make Niger Delta Region a better place by supporting President Muhammad Buhari to realise his objective of making the area a better place to live.

If PSC was so dear and important to him and regard the organization as the platform he rode to became minister, Akpabio should not have abandoned it (PSC) or continue to accommodate disgruntled and divisive elements. Hence, the best thing the Minister should have done, which would have been more deserving, is to take the honourable path by apologizing to the leadership in order to be reintegrated.

One important thing to note, is that the rebranded PSC is out with a mission and vision to support the administration of President Muhammad Buhari and also support the emergence of his most credible successor in 2023 under a very effective APC leadership.

Unless Senator Akpabio seeks to reintegrate by apologizing to work for the attainment of these important tasks, PSC has no place for him.

Signed

Rt. Hon. Gideon Samani,

National Chairman and Founder


SAN ANTONIO  The race for Texas attorney general is asking Republicans to determine how many indictments and allegations of corruption are too many. The answer may be there is no limit  so long as the candidate has an endorsement from former President Donald J. Trump.

Ken Paxton, the Trump-backed attorney general, was indicted and arrested on criminal securities-fraud charges that are still pending. He has faced calls for his resignation after several of his top aides claimed he abused his office by helping a wealthy donor. And he has been serving as the states top lawyer while under threat of a possible new indictment, as the F.B.I. investigates the abuse-of-office and bribery accusations.

The voters of Texas will tolerate a great deal, said State Senator Kel Seliger, a moderate Republican who is a former mayor of Amarillo. They think if somebody is ideologically in sync with them, thats what matters. I would have thought in Texas that moral example is more important, but apparently its not.
Angus McLeod of Cremorne has a four-step solution for Andrew Taubman for the cleaning of a toaster (C8), one which does not rely solely on emptying the crumb tray. Pour half a cup of uncooked rice into it. Wrap in cling film. Shake. Pour out the debris. While this looks remarkably similar to the method many suggest for absorbing spilled water out of smaller electrical devices, Granny makes no claim that this will work for toasters, so attempt at your own risk.

Jenny Mooney of Karuah is inclined to agree with Andrew Taubmans assumption that the CEO of Sunbeam (C8) must be male due to how difficult his toaster is to clean. Whenever my mother encountered something fiddly to clean she would be heard muttering, Ill bet this was designed by a bloody bloke.

Once more into the dictionary we go. Robert Wickens of Collaroy recalled the word barratry being mentioned by Don Bain in Column 8 way back in December 2020 which, although quoted in its context in the legal profession, also has a use in the insurance industry, thus reminding Robert of another interesting word used in the insurance business  bumbershoot. Robert says this is a type of policy that sits over the top of basic policies to provide wider coverage. Robert says bumbershoot means an umbrella and given the present weather conditions, we shouldnt leave home without our bumbershoots.

Proving that an amateur will never outmatch a master of mortuary humour, Andrew York of Chapman (ACT) walked into a local funeral directors a while back and was greeted by a pleasant middle-aged gentleman, who brightly enquired, How are you today? I replied, Its probably not the answer you were hoping for, but Im very well, thank you. His immediate response was, We can wait.

Staying with undertakers a while longer, Kerrie Wehbe of Blacktown thinks that Andrew Thompson has a good point about signing off a letter to an undertaker (C8), but he is also definitely a man who has too much time on his hands. How about, Yours reluctantly, Yours inevitably, or Yours unfortunately? Theyd do, too.
Amber Davies says she's finally found love with boyfriend Nick Kyriacou as the couple plan on buying their first house together following her decision to give up alcohol.

The former Love Island star, 25, admits she even begged her businessman beau, 29, to propose while they holidayed together in the Maldives.

She told The Sun: 'Hes my future baby daddy. I was asking him every single day on holiday if he was going to propose.

'Its 100 per cent on the cards. Weve been together for nearly two years. He is "The One".

Loved-up: Amber Davies has gushed about her boyfriend Nick Kyriacou in a new interview, revealing that the pair are planning on buying a house together

'Were buying a property in Surrey, so Im moving from Essex. Its all happening for me. I feel like Im in a transitional stage in my life and Im so excited.'

The couple found love during lockdown, after being introduced by a mutual friend in 2020.

Amber also revealed the relationship has benefitted after she cut out booze from her life, staying alcohol free for the past six months.

She explained: 'All Ive seen over the past six months is the benefits of not drinking. My mental health is the best its ever been, Im sleeping better, my skin is better. And our relationship has come on leaps and bounds. It really is the best thing Ive ever done.'

Big plans: The former Love Island star, 25, spoke to The Sun about her relationship, admitting that she has even begged her businessman beau, 29, to pop the question while they vacationed together in the Maldives

It comes after Amber wowed on stage as she made her opening night debut in Cabaret All Stars at Proud Embankment on Wednesday.

The brunette stunner looked incredible in a slew of Vegas-worthy outfits as she hosted the show, which featured award-winning acrobats, fire breathers and burlesque beauties.

The former dancer seemed to be in her element as she paraded across the cabaret stage during the show - donning a bold red lip with every ensemble.

Incredible: It comes after Amber wowed on stage as she made her opening night debut in Cabaret All Stars at Proud Embankment on Wednesday

Posting to Instagram before the show, she wrote: 'The red lip is on...IT'S SHOW TIME BABY. Cheers to my @proudcabaret debut. 02.03.2022'

She sported a pair of black adidas joggers and a crop top as she got ready for the show, sharing a picture from backstage.

Amber is following in the footsteps of previous hosts such as Denise Van Outen and Rachel Stevens.

She will perform and introduce the cabaret for the Cabaret All Star show at Proud Embankment for the next three months.

It follows her professional stage debut in 9 to 5 The Musical, and her role in Bring It On: The Musical - which had it's tour cancelled due to Covid-19.

The cheerleader-themed show became a casualty of the pandemic after many theatres temporarily shut in January due to rising Covid cases.
MHD-ITICS, the infrastructure, technology, industrial and consumer solutions cluster of Mohsin Haider Darwish, has signed a distribution agreement with Motorola, a leading global producer of mobile devices and solutions.

Under the terms of the agreement, MHD-ITICS will now serve as the official Distribution Partners for Motorola smartphones in Oman, beginning with the launch of three new models  the Motorola Edge 20, Moto G51 5G, and Moto G60s.

Gokul Praveen, Deputy Director of MHD-ITICS, said: Motorola has a distinguished heritage as a global leader in the smartphone space, and their products deliver segment defining experiences in terms of looks, user interface, features, and prices. We are proud to be associated with Motorola, bringing their unbeatable line-up of smartphones to our customers in Oman. We strongly believe that the MHD-ITICS core strengths of the widest distribution network in Oman and unparalleled customer service, combined with the great products from Motorola, will allow customers in Oman to have a better choice when buying a smartphone.

Since 1928, Motorola has been fusing innovative technology with human insights to create experiences that simplify, connect, and enrich peoples lives. They have grown to be a global technology leader in driving Intelligent Transformation through smart devices and infrastructure that create the best user experience. Through their extensive portfolio of converged mobile devices, including smartphones, tablets, wireless accessories and more, Motorola strives to provide people with access to the intuitive mobile products needed to make everyday life easier, more uplifting, and more enjoyable for all.

Our partnership with MHD-ITICS is part of our local business growth strategy within the Middle East region. Oman is one of our key markets and we see great growth opportunities here due to the exponential growth in Omans telecoms market. We are fully committed to growing our presence in Oman and MHD-ITICS will allow us to bring our latest and greatest innovations to the hands of Omani consumers delivering on our Lenovo Group goal of providing Smarter Technology for All, said Sharay Shams, General Manager, Motorola Middle East.  TradeArabia News Service
(L-R) Antony Blinken, who was then the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, shakes hand with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Olive Hall in Beijing, China, on Feb. 11, 2015. (Andy Wong-Pool/Getty Images)

Blinken Tells China World Is Watching Its Response to Russias Invasion of Ukraine

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken put pressure on China over the Ukraine crisis on March 5, telling his Chinese counterpart that the world is watching, amid Beijings continued refusal to condemn Russia over its military aggression against its neighbor.

Blinken made the remark during a phone call with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. According to a statement, the two discussed what the State Department called Moscows premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified war against Ukraine.

The Secretary noted the world is watching to see which nations stand up for the basic principles of freedom, self-determination, and sovereignty, said Ned Price, State Department spokesman.

He underscored that the world is acting in unison to repudiate and respond to the Russian aggression, ensuring that Moscow will pay a high price.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba speak to the media after meeting at the UkrainianPolish border crossing in Korczowa, Poland, on March 5, 2022. (Olivier Douliery/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

Now, nearly two weeks after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Chinese regime has refused to openly back either side. However, the communist regime has shown subtle support for the Kremlin both domestically and internationally.

At the onset of the invasion, China dropped its wheat import sanctions on Russia. Meanwhile, Beijing has also criticized U.S. sanctions against Russia.

The communist regime has refrained from calling Russias military aggression an invasion. Chinese media outlets have also avoided calling it an invasioninstead using the vague phrase the current situation or Moscows descriptor of a special military operationin their coverage of the Ukraine crisis.

At the United Nations, Beijing has sided with Russia repeatedly. On Feb. 25, China abstained from voting on a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding that Moscow stop its attack on Ukraine and withdraw its troops immediately.

More recently, China also abstained from voting on a U.N. Human Rights Security Council resolution on March 4. The resolutionadopted after 32 states of the 47-member council voted in favorcalls for the establishment of an independent international commission to look into alleged human rights violations committed by Russia in its war against Ukraine.

While the U.S. State Department didnt provide any other details about the call, Chinas foreign ministry released a lengthy statement, in which the Ukraine crisis was termed the Ukraine issue.

According to the Chinese readout, Wang told Blinken that China welcomed negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. He also encouraged the United States, NATO, the European Union, and Russia to engage in dialogue on an equal footing.

The quadrilateral dialogue, Wang said, should pay attention to the negative impact of NATOs continuous eastward expansion on Russias security effort.

China and Russia now boast a no limits partnership, and Beijings opposition to NATO enlargement is a key issue underlying the bilateral ties. The partnership was announced in a joint statement on Feb. 4, following a face-to-face meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the Beijing Olympics.

The Chinese readout also said Wang and Blinken talked about the Korean Penisula and Taiwan.

Wang allegedly told Blinken that China was deeply concerned about recent speeches and actions from the U.S. side that interfered with Chinas internal affairs with regards to Taiwan.

While the Chinese readout didnt specify what China was upset about, its very likely that the Chinese regime is angry at former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who, in a recent four-day visit to Taiwan, urged Washington to diplomatically recognize Taiwan as a sovereign country.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo answers questions after he delivered a speech during his four-day trip to Taiwan in Taipei on March 4, 2022. (Chiang Ying-ying/AP Photo)

Pompeo arrived in Taiwan on March 2 and met with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on March 3.

Chinas hawkish state-run media Global Times, in an article published on March 1, slandered Pompeos visit to Taiwan as a poor political farce.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) sees Taiwan as a part of Chinas territory to be united with the mainland, by force if necessary. However, Taiwan has its own liberal democratic government that stands in staunch opposition to the CCPs dictatorial model of governance, and is widely recognized as a de facto independent entity.

While Washington ended its diplomatic ties with Taipei in favor of Beijing in 1979, it maintains a robust relationship with the island based on the Taiwan Relations Act, which authorizes the United States to provide the island with military equipment for its self-defense.

Blinken and Wang also spoke on the phone on Feb. 22, hours after Putin ordered his forces into two separatist-held regions in eastern Ukraine after recognizing them as independent.

State Department didnt respond by press time to a request by The Epoch Times for comment on Taiwan and Pompeos recommendation.
It was about 10 oclock Wednesday night  Feb. 23  when Olena Iziumtseva received the text from her father: The war has begun.

It was about 7 a.m. on Feb. 24 in Lutsk, Ukraine, where Iziumtsevas parents reside, when he sent his text. Feb. 24 marks the day Russian forces officially invaded Europes largest country. Since then, the capital city, Kyiv, continues to stave off attacks and Kharkiv, the countrys second-largest city, is under constant siege. Iconic assets, from cultural ones such as the Babyn Yar Holocaust memorial to infrastructural ones like a TV tower (near Babyn Yar) and Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, have been damaged if not outright destroyed. More than 1.3 million Ukrainian refugees have fled their homes  to Poland, to Hungary, to Romania, to Bulgaria  and the United Nations expects that number to hit 1.5 million before the end of the weekend.

Ukrainians of Colorado Ukrainians of Colorado, a registered nonprofit founded in 2014, started primarily as a socia

Iziumtseva, along with the at least 15 or so Ukrainian friends and acquaintances she counted by name who also call the Roaring Fork Valley home, have had to watch from afar. Fortunately, her parents made it into Poland safely on Feb. 28, four days into the military onslaught.

They left Ukraine last night  finally, after me begging them, Iziumtseva said in a March 1 interview. They said the Polish people treat them so well; they hug them, they give them boxes of food, even though my mom brought a lot of food with them in the car.  They are looking for an apartment for [my parents], everything for free. They are so welcoming, they are such nice people.

Her brother, too, is safe though still in Ukraine. The 35-year-old was in Kyiv but fled to another town a few hours away on the second day of the invasion.

Anna Khabinets parents have no plans to leave, she said.

My parents are not leaving, even though I am trying to convince them, she said. They are also older  and they, you know, theyre joking and saying, Well, if Putin will put his flag in the center of Kyiv, then we will leave. Thats one of the features of Ukrainians: In the worst times, they still have that humor.

Their families humor, coupled with a strong sense of patriotism, help Iziumtseva and Khabinets find what optimism they can. Iziumtsevas parents, for instance, may be safe in Poland, but they didnt leave quietly.

They did not want to leave Ukraine, she said. My mom learned how to do cocktail molotov, and she is 65 years old. She was sitting in our house, cutting the strips of material from the bedding, and she brought a huge bag of it, and she was helping physically to do the cocktail molotov in my city.

Her father, too, used his business operations while he could to provide protective material to the Ukrainian army to help cover military equipment.

We are so united to fight this, to fight this fascism  to fight this cancer, Iziumtseva continued.

Nataliia Schumacher took a brief few moments away from her shift at The Little Nell to speak about her and her familys experiences. She has family in Kharkiv and her parents are in the central part of the country, donating what they can when they can. Her 24-year-old nephew is on the front lines, fighting with the Ukrainian military.

As far as she knew on Friday, he was still alive. As far as Khabinets knew Thursday, her parents were still alive. By the time of this publication, that may or may not still be true.

We just live from the phone call to the phone call, Schumacher said of her nephew. Where they are stationed, the cell towers are bombed. Wherever he has a chance, he would call my sister to calm her down. 

Khabinets said much the same.

Every day, someone is calling us and say how are your parents? And I am afraid to answer because Im like, OK, I didnt talk to them [in] two hours  I dont know how they are, she said, choking up a bit.

Its exhausting. The emotional toll is unrelenting. Iziumtseva, Khabinets and Schumacher  like all their Ukrainian and Russian friends here  do their best to continue day-to-day life in Aspen and the rest of the valley, but their thoughts rarely wander far from home, roughly 6,000 miles away.

Im so speechless and so crushed by the news lately. I have been ignoring so many phone calls I have been receiving because its just too hard, Schumacher said. I leave work, I just want to get home and turn on the news and check in with everyone before going to sleep.

For Khabinets, the guilt becomes almost overwhelming when its time to sleep.

We feel guilty that we are not there  yet. I have two kids here, so when they fall asleep in their warm beds, she said, in tears, I know they will wake up.

Look for the helpers

But Iziumtseva, Khabinets and Schumacher each have two homes: Ukraine and Aspen. And just as Ukrainians still in Europe are doing everything they can to help the military defense efforts there, the Roaring Fork Valley is rallying around how to help from half a world away. Here, there are only friends.

We have so many Russian friends who are calling us and apologizing like its their own [fault], and theyre supporting us  but they lived here for a very long time, Iziumtseva, who described one of her Russian coworkers as one of her best friends, said. And we clearly understand that blaming their people, no, never.

Rather, they blame one man: Russian President Vladimir Putin. Both Iziumtseva and Khabinets maintain that Putin is lying to the international community about his operations in their home country  but especially to his own citizens.

My friend here, she has a stepbrother in Russia. And they send him for training operation. They were on the border with Belarus for three weeks in the camps, training. And the last day before the day of training  in the first day of the war  they gave them uniforms and ammunition and they said, OK, go, Iziumtseva recalled. They were going there thinking, Ukraine will meet us with flowers because we are saving them. That didnt happen at all, and they were dead after that, right away. They were killed.

Iziumtseva keeps a screenshot on her phone that she took of an article that was published on Feb. 28  the fifth day of the invasion  by RIA Novosti, the Russian state-owned domestic news agency headquartered in Moscow. It only remained live for a few hours before being taken down, but it was long enough for web archives to record its existence, as well. Its headline read, The offensive of Russia and the new world, according to Google Translate. The article goes on to depict a successful military operation by Russia into Ukraine that united the two countries.

Ukraine has returned to Russia. This does not mean that its statehood will be liquidated, but it will be reorganized, reestablished and returned to its natural state of part of the Russian world, it reads. Within what boundaries, in what form will the alliance with Russia be consolidated (through the CSTO and the Eurasian Union or the Union State of Russia and Belarus)?

On Saturday, Ukrainians were still fighting for their right to exist as an independent country from Russia, and casualties were mounting  a far cry from being returned to Russia. Despite a ceasefire to allow humanitarian corridors for civilians to leave the Ukrainian cities of Mariupol and Volnovakha, Ukrainian officials allege that Russians continue to ignore that ceasefire, showering the area with bombs and heavy artillery.

Iziumtseva and Khabinets say that Ukrainians are having to fight more than the literal warfare happening on the frontlines  theyre also battling the Russian misinformation machine. That makes it near impossible for those living in Putins Russia (and indeed Crimea, an eastern territory of Ukraine that Russia annexed in 2014) to discern whats actually happening on the ground and difficult for people in the West to truly be able to trust how best to help.

But they still want to help.

That was made evident locally at Belly Up, when on Feb. 26  three days into the war  musical duo Sofi Tukker quietly and in almost spur-of-the-moment fashion raised nearly $20,000 for the Red Cross Ukraine. Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern, the two creatives that together have earned Grammy nominations (in 2017 for their hit Drinkee and in 2018 for their album, Treehouse), created a specific PayPal account for a special side-stage experience at their already-scheduled Belly Up performance. With quick help from their agents and Belly Up proprietors Michael, David and Danny Goldberg, it went off without a hitch.

There was little fanfare about it but plenty of real-time enthusiasm that turned into real-life dollars.

What really happened was I woke up on [that] Saturday morning and talked to my dad, and he updated me on everything, and then I went through the news and I read about stuff and  I think like everyone watching  just felt terrible, Halpern said Saturday. And I realized we were in a place of intense privilege and a lot of lucky people in the middle of a war. We were going to do something fun and ecstatic, and it felt wrong to not try to help.

So Halpern and Hawley-Weld went to work researching different donation channels to try to sort through the myriad options and find an authentic one in which funds would go directly to the Ukrainian people. They landed on the Red Cross Ukraine.

We did a bunch of research, and it became clear to us that there were a lot of great ways to donate, but the Red Cross, it actually has people on the ground working for Ukraine  who are Ukrainian, Hawley-Weld said. That was important to us.

There are always really challenging things happening in the world  I dont think its important to put a hierarchy on human suffering. I think for this one in particular, it feels extremely urgent, she continued. Everyone collectively is feeling a little bit of helplessness and if just asked  if just given an easy avenue to help  theyd do it.

On Feb. 26, when presented with an easy way to help, the Sofi Tukker audience raised almost $20,000 in a single night. The pair hopes its just the beginning.

The whole idea not only was to raise the money but it was to sort of try to kickstart [a trend]. If we post about this, were not doing it for pats on the back; were doing it so maybe other artists can see that and then on their show, do the same thing, Halpern said. And theres a lot of people that want to help.

Now, Iziumtseva, Khabinets and Schumacher are all trying to navigate their own research to find ways to help. Its not an easy task, especially when factoring the emotional labor required to simply function, but its also one of the only ways to feel some sort of hope.

Ill be honest with you, it took a long time to collect myself and to see, OK, Im here, how can I be helpful? Because thats my first thought: Im so far away, how can I be helpful? Schumacher said. Besides talking to my parents, to my sister, to my friends every day and checking in with them.

But shes been researching different entities  and individuals. Social media such as Instagram has been a hugely helpful connector. Theres a Ukrainian woman living in Italy who has used individual donations to fund grocery and pharmacy trips to get supplies where theyre needed. Another woman works to supply night goggles.

Im still researching that, Schumacher said. Ive just been reaching out on my Instagram  and people have been reaching out to me  to see how can I be helpful?

Iziumtseva and Khabinets, too, have been reaching out to their networks to coordinate fundraising efforts that could get money directly on the ground in Ukraine. By Saturday, theyd connected with one of Iziumtsevas Facebook friends, Nik Voronkov, to join the work hes doing with Ukrainians of Colorado, a nonprofit based in Lakewood.

Weve been in touch with our family members and friends and colleagues there  and getting information up to date, and basically doing what we can from Colorado with collective efforts to assist them in any ways we can, Voronkov said in a video he posted to his Facebook. Working with Ukrianians of Colorado organization to collect money, other supplies  combat supplies  for standard people who are just not willing to give in to Russian propaganda and the war machine and are fighting because they chose to  stand up to Putin and what hes doing.

The nonprofit Ukrainians of Colorado has had a Facebook page since 2014, but it launched an official website to facilitate donations in light of the war this week, www.ukrainiansofcolorado.com. As of Saturday, just days after the website went live, the organization had raised almost $7,000 of a $100,000 goal.

We all united to help with donations asap, Iziumtseva said Saturday via text message. So this will be the best option.

Feeling helpful, well, helps. When asked if they thought they would ever go home again, each womans response was similar  and preceded with a moment of quiet.

I hope I will have a home to come back to, Schumacher, who was last in Ukraine in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic halted international travel, said.

I really believe so, Iziumtseva said.

Khabinets was quieter for a touch longer.

I dont know, she allowed. Honestly, it all depends.

All three women have been part of the Aspen community for more than a decade. Schumacher came to Aspen in 2009. Iziumtseva, who manages Pyramid Bistro and works with Jazz Aspen Snowmass each year, arrived in 2007, just a year before her friend Khabinets did. Khabinets now manages the Club Monaco retail store downtown and she and her husband  also from her hometown, Terebovlya, near Lviv  are raising their two children here.

We just have to be loud, so everyone can hear us that this is a call up to the whole world. Its a call up to a level of freedom, community, speech, safe childhood  its a call up to democracy of the whole world, Khabinets said. If the world will unite in the ways theyre supposed to, this can be stopped. That major shift can happen. Its possible. And thats what keeps us going.

The whole world is listening. And watching.
Roxy Horner confessed she 'felt like she was dying' on the lead-up to her Type 1 diabetes diagnosis last May.

The 30-year-old model, who suffered symptoms of the lifelong condition for almost three years before being diagnosed, detailed the 'good and bad weeks' she has encountered since navigating life with the disease.

Speaking to The Sun, Roxy hailed boyfriend Jack Whitehall, 33, for being her 'rock' and 'family' - while her own are in Australia.

'I felt like I was dying': Roxy Horner candidly detailed her Type 1 diabetes diagnosis during a new interview - and hailed boyfriend Jack Whitehall for being her 'rock' (pictured March 2022)

She said: 'Jack's been my absolute rock, he's so lovely. He was there when I got diagnosed. My parents and my family live in Australia, so he has been my family. We're amazing.'

Roxy has been dating the actor-and-comedian for two years and the pair reside in Jack's 17.5million, five-bed home in Notting Hill with their pooch Coco.

The blonde beauty explained to the publication how her symptoms got worse during the pandemic, pushing her to seek medical advice.

Support: The 30-year-old model suffered symptoms of the lifelong condition for almost three years before being diagnosed (pictured with Jack, February 2022)

'I felt extremely tired and exhausted for a long time, I had no energy. I couldn't even go for a walk, it was draining, I felt like I was dying. I was drinking four to eight litres of water a day,' she recalled.

Despite 'knowing something was really wrong' with her body and visiting the doctors on numerous occasions, Roxy was not tested for diabetes due to not fitting the criteria.

The Essex-born took herself to A&E out of desperation, where she was finally diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes - which causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high.

She said: 'Jack's been my absolute rock, he's so lovely. He was there when I got diagnosed. My parents and my family live in Australia, so he has been my family' (pictured January 2022)

It a serious condition owing to the fact the body can't make a hormone called insulin, which allows the glucose in blood to enter our cells.

Around 8% of people living with the condition in the UK have Type 1 diabetes. Over time, high blood sugar levels can damage your heart, eyes, feet and kidneys.

While Roxy described the experience as 'scary', she admitted the silver lining is knowing how to treat it - and she is learning how to inject herself with insulin and manage her symptoms.

Honest: While Roxy described the experience as 'scary', she admitted the silver lining is knowing how to treat it (pictured January 2022)

Optimistic: Having taken two to three years properly out of work to focus on her health, Roxy is now looking forward to the future (pictured January 2022)

However, a fortnight ago, Roxy encountered a terrifying ordeal whereby she lost consciousness.

She said: 'A couple of weeks ago my friend had to call an ambulance, while we were having dinner. It was out of nowhere. My sugar levels went down really low and I couldn't get them back up, I couldn't even talk to her to communicate, it was scary.'

Having taken two to three years properly out of work to focus on her health, Roxy is now looking forward to the future.

Her aim, whilst working with Diabetes UK, is to use her platform to raise awareness.

Roxy, who now wears a FreeStyle Libre which monitors her glucose levels, also expressed hopes to 'dabble in acting' and said she is 'trying to think positively.'
CEDAR FALLS  Forget any preconceived notions about new music.

It is not new age, or a revival of new wave music from the 1970-80s. New music is actually just that  newly composed music by living composers, and it now has a venue to be heard.

Beginning Thursday, a three-day free public New Music Festival will take place at the University of Northern Iowa. Guest composer and performer Molly Joyce, accordionist Branko Dzinovic as well as UNI faculty and student performers will be featured.

Concerts are at 5 p.m. Thursday in Bengtson Auditorium at Russell Hall, 8 p.m. Friday and 8 p.m. Saturday, both in Davis Hall at the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center on the UNI campus.

All three festival concerts are free and open to the public.

New music is such a hard thing to define. It is music that has been written recently, but the composers and genres are a really wonderful blend that could be inspired by everything from Bach to hip-hop, said Kramer Milan, faculty percussion instructor. A range of influences, artistry, aesthetics and appeal will be heard throughout the festival.

Milan is joined by UNI faculty artists Sang Koh, assistant professor of violin, and Daniel Swilley, assistant professor of music, in coordinating the second annual festival.

All three festival concerts are free and open to the public. Thursdays concert will feature faculty and performances and compositions guest artists Joyce and Dzinovic. On Friday and Saturday, the concert will showcase guest artists, faculty and student musicians.

Last years first festival was virtual because of the COVID pandemic. With in-person concerts, the organizers said it will be bigger in scale, said Koh.

These performances will serve as an experience and exploration of new sounds, tangible and intangible, the organizers agreed.

New music doesnt receive the same attention or exposure afforded the classics or standards. Typically, concert audiences hear music composed 50 to more than 100 years ago and seldom have the opportunity to hear fresh, vibrant new music, Swilley noted.

Events like this festival showcase the diverse output of living composers  the art of our time, he said. And these are all solid, complete pieces. Some may be improvisational in nature, but all are refined statements.

The UNI New Music Festival is an eclectic smorgasbord of new music. No matter what concert you go to, youre going to get a taste  or earful  of music to enjoy.

Milan agreed. This festival has something for everyone  music for voice, accordion, electronics, large and small ensembles, he said.

Composer and performer Molly Joyces work focuses on disability as creative source. She was injured in a car accident and uses an electric vintage toy organ she purchased on eBay which suits her impaired left hand and engages her disability for performance and composition. Her critically acclaimed debut album, Breaking and Entering, featuring toy organ, voice and electronic sampling was released in 2020.

Accordionist Dzinovic is known is an award-winning musician, improviser and composer who is described as a dangerously active volcano and his playing as ingenious. He holds a masters degree from Anton Bruckner Private University for Music, Drama and Dance in Linz and a doctor of music arts in performance from the University of Toronto. He frequently co-produces and composes for other artists, written soundtracks for films and recorded for the BBC and others. As a soloist and chamber musician, he has toured throughout North American, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

Organizers applauded the support they have received from the UNI administration and UNI School of Music for the festival and new music itself. A lot of new music is being created on campus, and this is a place and opportunity to perform their pieces for the first time for an audience, Milan explained.

Last years first festival was virtual because of the COVID pandemic. With in-person concerts, the organizers said it will be bigger in scale, said Koh.

The festival also is designed to offer a glimpse of the future and potential of music going forward, particularly when it can be created, shared and enjoyed by anyone. These works extend beyond the confines of UNI, Koh explained.

For more information, contact Caroline Francis (319) 273-2028, caroline.francis@uni.edu.
Denis Kireev, a member of the Ukrainian delegation (R, furthermost back of table) with other members of delegations from Ukraine and Russia, attend talks in Gomel region, Belarus, on Feb. 28, 2022. (Sergei Kholodilin/BELTA/AFP via Getty Images)

Denis Kireev, a Member of Ukraines Negotiation Team, Has Been Killed: Reports

A member of the Ukrainian negotiation team in talks with Russia, Denis Kireev, has been killed, according to reports.

Ukraines military intelligence confirmed his death in a Facebook post on Saturday. It said that Kireev was an intelligence operative who was killed on Saturday in the line of duty while defending Ukraine.

They died, defending Ukraine, and their act brought us closer to victory! On behalf of the Chief Management of Intelligence, we express our sincere condolences to the families of the deceased, the statement said. Heroes dont die! They live until we remember them! Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the Heroes!

However, other outlets have reported a different version of events surrounding Kireevs death, in an unofficial capacity or citing anonymous sources.

Ukrainian MP Oleksandr Dubinsky posted on his Telegram channel: During the arrest by the SBU officers, a member of the first Gomel delegation of Ukraine, Denis Kireev, was killed. Suspected of treason, he wrote, according to a Google translation.

Dubinsky is the deputy chairman for the Committee on Finance, Tax, and Customs Policy of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraines parliament. He asked on Telegram, How did [Kireev] get into the Ukrainian delegation for negotiations with the occupiersI really want to find out from the Office of the President?

Eastern European news source Nexta reported that Kireev was liquidated by the Security Service of Ukraine during his detention on suspicion of treason.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministrys main intelligence service said that Denys Kireyev was killed while carrying out a special assignment, according to Nexta. There is no information about his treason or liquidation by the Ukrainian special services.

Ukrainian online newspaper Ukrainska Pravda reported that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) killed a member of Ukrainian negotiations team suspected of treason, per English-language Ukrainian outlet The Kyiv Independent. Strong evidence that he was leaking information to Russia,' the outlet reported.

The Epoch Times cannot independently verify the reports.

Kireev is an expert in the banking sector. According to Dubinsky, Kireev was the Deputy General Director at SCM Finance from 2006 to 2008. He then worked at SLAV AG, an Austrian company in Vienna.

Kireev was also the First Deputy Chairman of the Board of Oschadbank (the State Savings Bank of Ukraine) from 2010 to 2014, and was a member of the Supervisory Board of Ukreximbank (the State Export-Import Bank of Ukraine) from 2006 to 2012.

Kireev was present during the first round of Ukraine-Russia talks in Gomel, Belarus, on Feb. 28, when he was last photographed. The first round of negotiations yielded no progress.

The second round of talks between Russia and Ukraine began on March 3, in the Brest region, Belarus. There was no ceasefire agreement upon the conclusion of the talks but the two sides agreed to set up humanitarian and evacuation corridors, a top Ukrainian official said.

The third round of negotiations will be held on March 7, Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia announced in a Facebook post.
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)

China Announces South China Sea Drills Close to Vietnam Coast

BEIJINGChina is carrying out more than a week of military drills in the South China Sea in an area between its southern province of Hainan and Vietnam, the Chinese regime announced, warning shipping to stay away.

The Chinese regime claims a large part of the disputed waterway, on which major shipping lanes lie, and has built artificial islands and airfields on some of its reefs and islets, to widespread concern in the region and in the United States.

In a statement late on Friday, the Hainan Maritime Safety Administration said the drills would start from the same day and last until March 15.

It provided coordinates for an area roughly halfway between Hainans Sanya and the Vietnamese city of Hue. Sanya is home to a major Chinese naval base.

Entering prohibited, it said in a Chinese and English language statement on its website.

Part of the area is well within Vietnams 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone and Vietnam has previously criticized the Chinese regime for what it calls infringements on its sovereignty.

The Chinese Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and neither did Vietnams Foreign Ministry.

In 2014, tension between Vietnam and China rose to its highest levels in decades when a Chinese oil rig started drilling in Vietnamese waters. The incident triggered boat rammings by both sides and anti-China riots in Vietnam.

China routinely carries out military exercises in the South China Sea.

Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Brunei all also have competing claims.
A worker next to a machine transporting newly harvested paddy grains to a storage warehouse in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, China, on Oct. 25, 2019. (Stringer/Reuters)

China Agriculture Minister Says Winter Wheat Condition Could Be Worst in History

BEIJINGThe condition of Chinas winter wheat crop could be the worst in history, the agriculture minister said on Saturday, raising concerns about grain supplies in the worlds biggest wheat consumer.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Chinese regimes annual political meetings, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Tang Renjian said that heavy rainfall last year delayed the planting of about one-third of the normal wheat acreage.

A survey of the winter wheat crop taken before the start of winter found that the amount of first- and second-grade crop was down by more than 20 percentage points, Tang said.

Not long ago we went to the grassroots to do a survey and many farming experts and technicians told us that crop conditions this year could be the worst in history, he said. This years grain production indeed faces huge difficulties.

The ministers comments underscore concerns about Chinas grain supply at the same time as the war between Russia and Ukraine, which together account for about 29 percent of global wheat exports, has disrupted supplies causing wheat prices to surge to 14-year highs.

Fueled by the Ukraine crisis, wheat prices in China soared to a record this week on existing domestic supply worries.

($1 = 6.3188 Chinese yuan renminbi)
China Plans 7.1 Percent Defense Spending Rise This Year, Outpacing GDP Target

BEIJINGChina will spend 7.1 percent more on defense this year, outpacing last years hike and the Chinese regimes modest economic growth forecast.

Premier Li Keqiang pledged to enhance military training and combat readiness for the Chinese army, which is developing an array of weapons from stealth fighters to aircraft carriers.

The spending figure, set at 1.45 trillion yuan ($229.47 billion) in the national budget released on Saturday, is closely watched by Chinas neighbors and in Washington as a barometer of how aggressively the Chinese regime will beef up its military.

This years 7.1 percent hike marks the seventh consecutive single-digit increase, but is the fastest pace since the 7.5 percent proposed for 2019.

It also comes in above targeted slower economic growth of around 5.5 percent amid domestic headwinds for the worlds second largest economy, including a downturn in the countrys vast real estate sector and lackluster consumption.

The Chinese communist regime is nervous about challenges on several fronts, ranging from Taiwan to U.S. naval and air missions in the disputed South China Sea near Chinese-occupied islands and a festering border dispute with India.

Li, in his state-of-the-nation address to the largely rubber-stamp legislature, said this year the regime would move faster to modernize the militarys logistics and asset management systems, and build a modern weaponry and equipment management system.

The budget gives only a raw figure for military expenditure, with no breakdown. Many diplomats and foreign experts believe Beijing under-reports the real number.

Chinas reported defense budget in 2022 is less than a third of proposed U.S. spending.

Arms Race?

Takashi Kawakami, a professor at Japans Takushoku University, said the spending increase was significant.

We will see how the U.S. responds to the increase in the defense budget, and how much China will increase its defense budget next year, but it looks like it will result in an arms race.

President Joe Biden is expected to ask Congress for a U.S. defense budget exceeding $770 billion for the next fiscal year as the Pentagon seeks to modernize the military, sources told Reuters last month.

The Chinese regime has long argued that it needs to close the gap with the United States. China, for example, has two aircraft carriers, compared with 11 in active service for the United States.

Kuo Yu-jen, a security expert at Taiwans National Sun Yat-sen Universitys Institute of China and Asia-Pacific Studies, said Beijing was being forced to spend more on research and development in light of the ChinaU.S. technology war.

Costs for Chinas third and fourth aircraft carriers are going up, too, he added.

($1 = 6.3188 Chinese yuan renminbi)
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A shopkeeper who told a pensioner his 130,000 EuroMillions ticket was a loser so she could steal the cash has been jailed.

Narendra Gill, 52, swiped the lucky dip ticket from retired delivery man Frank Gowland, 81, after checking it at her shop in Leeds, West Yorkshire.

Mr Gowland did not realise he'd won the prize with his ticket  which had five winning numbers and one Lucky Star  until police told him it was stolen.

Staff at Camelot, which runs the lottery, caught her out when they heard her try to check out the ticket on the phone while serving customers at her GT News shop.

Narendra Gill, 52, who told retired delivery man Frank Gowland, 81, his 130,000 EuroMillions ticket was a loser so she could steal the cash has been jailed.

Gill commiteGT News shop in White Rose Shopping Centre in Leeds

She admitted to working at the now-closed shop in White Rose Shopping Centre but claimed she was gifted the ticket and had no idea where it was bought.

Camelot called the police who checked CCTV footage and saw Mr Gowland get into a car at the shopping centre with his wife Sue, 77.

He told The Sun: 'The whole thing has been quite a shock.

'I had no clue I'd won until I got this phone call. I couldn't hear what the PC was saying so I asked my stepson to deal with it.

'He said to the officer, "You must be joking, this is a scam". Anyway, it wasn't and I had won.'

Mr Gowland's winning numbers were 3, 10, 13, 28, 46, with one of 4 and 11 winning one of the Lucky Stars [stock picture]

Mr Gowland, who wears a hearing aid, said Gill handed him back eight crumpled tickets after he asked her to check them.

She gave them back to him telling the pensioner they were all losers  but took the winning ticket, which was one of two to win 130,928 after the 46million jackpot rolled over on May 4.

His winning numbers were 3, 10, 13, 28, 46, with one of 4 and 11 winning one of the Lucky Stars.

The father-of-two eventually received his payout in November last year and has since bought a new car and walk-in shower for his wife, who has health problems.

Gill, from York, was jailed for 28 months at Leeds crown court yesterday after admitting theft and fraud.
People watch a TV broadcasting a news report on North Korea's firing a ballistic missile off its east coast, in Seoul, South Korea, on March 5, 2022. (Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters)

North Korea Says It Conducted Second Important Spy Satellite Test

SEOUL, South KoreaNorth Korea said it conducted another important test for reconnaissance satellite systems, state news agency KCNA reported on March 6, a day after regional military authorities reported the launch of a ballistic missile from the country for the second time in a week.

The launch drew condemnation from governments in the United States, South Korea, and Japan, which warn that the rogue regime is preparing to conduct a major weapons test within months. They see the Norths satellite launches as thinly veiled tests of ballistic missile technology banned by United Nations Security Council resolutions.

According to KCNA, the test was conducted under the plan of developing a reconnaissance satellite.

It was the second such launch in a week to test satellite equipment, and the ninth missile launch this year.

Like the last test on Feb. 27, KCNA didnt elaborate on the type of rocket used in the launch; officials in South Korea said it appeared to be a ballistic missile fired from an area near Pyongyang where its international airport is located.

South Koreas military said the North Korean missile reached a height of about 560 km (350 miles) and flew 270 km (170 miles).

Amid stalled denuclearization talks, North Korea conducted a record number of weapons launches in January, and has suggested it could resume testing nuclear weapons or its longest-range intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) for the first time since 2017.

The test occurred just days ahead of the March 9 presidential election in South Korea; its officials say North Korea may attempt to launch a spy satellite into orbit in the near future.

Any satellite launch would bring serious repercussions, as its the same technology used to launch an ICBM, Lee Jong-seok, the top foreign policy advisor to ruling party candidate Lee Jae-myung, told Reuters.

By Josh Smith
New Delhi: On the latest episode of the talent reality show 'Hunarbaaz', guest star Madhuri Dixit was seen kissing host Bharti Singh's baby bump on stage. 'The Fame Game' actress who was dressed in a stunning red dress looked as gorgeous as ever.

In a promo video shared by Voot, the actress was seen first approaching contestants from the show and warding any 'evil eye' off of them. Before walking off stage, Madhuri also went up to Bharti Singh and told her, "Aapko bhi nazar na lage" and then kissed her baby bump. Bharti reacted to this saying, "Awwwwww. How sweet."

Watch the video here:

For the unversed, Bharti Singh had announced her pregnancy in a video on their YouTube channel, LOL Life Of Limbachiyaa's.

After the news broke, fans were over the moon and congratulated them. Bharti has since shared a few pictures of her baby bump and even asked fans to guess the gender of the baby in an Instagram post.

Bharti got married to Haarsh Limbachiyaa in December 2017. The duo tied the knot in a grand ceremony that took place in Goa.

The power couple fell for each other on the sets of Comedy Circus, where Bharti participated as a contestant and Haarsh was a new scriptwriter.

The duo also participated in many reality shows later. Naming a few, they participated as contestants including - 'Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 5,' 'Nach Baliye 8', and 'Khatron Ke Khiladi 9'.

Meanwhile, Madhuri Dixit recently made her OTT debut with the show 'The Fame Game' with Sanjay Kapoor.
New Delhi: Apple's next 'cheap' iPhone SE 3 is expected to be released on March 8. Apple has confirmed a launch event on the same day at 11:30 PM IST, although specific product specifications are still unknown at this time. According to Ming-Chi Kuo, a well-known Apple analyst, the upcoming iPhone SE 3 or iPhone SE 2022 will have a similar form factor to the current iPhone SE 2022 or iPhone SE 2 model and will be available in White, Black, and Red colours.

The Cupertino-based computer behemoth is also slated to begin mass manufacturing this month, with a projected shipping of 25 million to 30 million units this year. Apple is also expected to release the updated iPad Air 2022 and MacBook Air 2022 models.

Kuo mentions the iPhone SE 3 would support mmW and Sub-6 GHz 5G bands and be powered by an Apple Bionic A15 chipset in a tweet seen by GSMArena. Apple's latest iPhone 13 variants are powered by the same chipset. Customers will have three storage options: 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB.

If you're not familiar, Apple does not allow iPhone owners to extend internal storage via microSD card, as many Android devices do. Because the latest iPhone SE 3 is reported to be comparable to the existing iPhone SE 2, we should expect a tiny 4.7-inch display and a single back camera. Other features could include a charging lightning connector, a single selfie camera inside a hole-punch cutout, no face ID, a home button, and greater wireless connectivity.

A recent report also pegged the pricing of the iPhone SE 3 at around $200, which is roughly Rs 15,100. According to another estimate, the pricing is expected to be around $300. (roughly Rs 22,500). With a price tag of $200, Apple will most certainly seek to get more people to try out its 'ecosystem.'

However, this price choice may not be available in the Indian market because iPhones are normally more expensive in the country due to taxes and the company's high pricing decision. The iPhone SE 2 currently costs Rs 39,900 for the base 64GB storage capacity. Several e-commerce sites, however, sell the smartphone for less than Rs 30,000.

Live TV
By Tim Culpan,

If you stand on a small lane at the west end of Taipeis Songshan airport at just the right moment, you can feel the hot air of a jet engine as it begins its takeoff run. On any given weekend, before the pandemic, dozens of people could be found milling about waiting for the next brief thrill as landing aircraft roared just above their heads and departures rustled the wind in their hair.

For most people, the only time we think about the wonders of aviation is when were strapped into our seats. But spotters, the uber-enthusiasts who camp out at airfields to watch and document aircraft at work, have continued to maintain humankinds sense of awe at a magical ability we discovered only 120 years ago.

In mid-February, as storm Eunice battered Europe, a livestream of the worlds biggest aircraft bounce and wobble their way to Londons Heathrow airport attracted almost 8 million views. Big Jet TV, a Youtube channel founded by spotter Jerry Dyer, kept enthusiasts and casual viewers enthralled for hours as plane after plane descended sideways through the overcast and blustery skies in an attempt to bring their cargo safely to the ground. Strong winds spurred some to take a second, or third, attempt. Some diverted to other airports. But they all made it.

Also Read | Airlines may not be able to pass on rising jet fuel costs to passengers

Those aircraft still operate under principles that German pioneer Otto Lilienthal and his contemporaries experimented with in the late 19th century. Rather than lighter-than-air ships, such as blimps and hot-air balloons, those early engineers found that by shaping a flat surface in just the right way, you can form differential air pressure below and above, which creates lift.

If you compare a modern Boeing or Airbus to the very machine flown  for just 12 seconds  by Orville Wright at Kitty Hawk on Dec. 17 1903, you can see that the fundamentals of aviation have barely changed. The main areas of advancement have been in propulsion, structural engineering and navigation systems, rather than the underlying physics of flight. The world, however, is vastly different because of it.

Among the Wright Brothers early backers was the British War Office  the US government initially rebuffed them  so when the Great War broke out in 1914, the use of aircraft irrevocably reshaped combat. As the fighting ended in 1918, Orville Wright was quoted as telling a friend, The Aeroplane has made war so terrible that I do not believe any country will again care to start a war.

Also Read | Alliance Air's ATR plane flies without engine cover from Mumbai to Bhuj, DGCA starts probe into incident

He was tragically wrong, with aviation becoming a key component of military conflict over the past century. The worlds most deadly weapon was ferried to its target over Hiroshima by a US aircraft in 1945, while aerial assaults have evolved to be conducted by uncrewed drones in all corners of the world. Russias invasion of Ukraine this month has seen battles between forces play out at sea, ground and air to devastating effect. In addition to thousands of lives lost, the only model of the worlds largest aircraft  Ukraines Antonov AN-225  was wrecked by bombing.

Despite all the death and destruction enable by aircraft, it can be argued that more good than harm has come of their invention. Aviation opened up the movement of people and goods, while advancing cooperation among nations. Instead of sailing past the Statue of Liberty, todays immigrants fly in to New Yorks JFK airport. Rather than a weeklong voyage on the high seas, travelers can now have breakfast in London then dinner in New York.

Flying is much safer than sea travel, too. More souls were lost on the Titanic than in aviation accidents over the past five years, and the maritime industry records more than 1,500 accidents per year compared to around 85 annually among commercial aircraft operators. Although ships shuttle far fewer people around the world annually, over 1,000 people died or were lost in maritime incidents in the five years through 2019, compared to 1,459 for aviation.

If you can drive a car, you can fly a plane, is the common mantra for flight schools around the world. And theyre right. Flying an aircraft is easy. Landing one is hard. The missed approaches on that wintry day in London are evidence that even the best pilots can struggle. Theyre also proof of the limits of technology. Todays two-person flight deck is seen as confirmation that more sophisticated systems are justified in current aircraft. The net benefits  including efficiency and flight safety  make it hard to put forward the opposing argument.

Yet its worth noting that in the early days aircraft had just one pilot. The Wright Brothers flew together only once, and many early pioneers including Amelia Earhart, the first female to cross the Atlantic Ocean alone, flew solo. Even modern small and medium planes often have just a single person at the controls. More people were added to the cockpit of airliners in the mid 20th century because increasingly complicated electronics kept finding their way on board  from navigation aids to radio communications equipment. A minimum of two are need these days simply to handle the computers and checklists.

Advancements in that technology may be reaching their limit, with modern electronics starting to become too much for even an experienced pilot to handle when they malfunction. Captain Kevin Sullivan barely managed to wrest back control of Qantas Airways Ltd. flight 72 when his Airbus SE A330 suddenly pitched toward the earth, twice, on its way from Singapore to Perth in October 2008. In No Mans Land: The Untold Story of Automation on QF72, the former US Navy pilot later wrote he felt like hes in a knife fight with this aeroplane, and it has cut me twice.

A decade later, system malfunctions ended in greater tragedy. Having decided to recycle the design of an existing aircraft, rather than start from scratch, Boeing Co. came out with the 737 Max. The placement of larger, more fuel-efficient engines meant the company had to tinker with some of the fundamental physics that govern balance and lift in an aircraft, and opted to adjust for these changes with software that runs the flight controls. Pilots were unaware, resulting in two separate crashes and the loss of more than 340 lives.

Boeing has since been chastened, and the world has learned from those disasters, putting us back on a path to even safer flying just as the global pandemic recedes. In coming years, even more aircraft with their sophisticated control systems will be taking to the skies and reconnecting the world. Aviation enthusiasts, affectionally called AvGeeks, will be documenting their journeys and reminding us of all thats been accomplished.

But you dont have to be able to distinguish a Boeing from an Airbus, or a wingtip from a winglet, to appreciate aviation. You need only marvel that we can fly.

Check out latest DH videos here
President Volodymyr Zelensky and others have called for NATO to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine to counter the threat from Russian military aircraft. For now, NATO leaders have said they arent willing, fearful such a move could drag them into a broader war with Russia.

A no-fly zone is an order to ban aircraft in a specified area. Such zones are sometimes imposed over government buildings or public places for security reasons, or over sacred sites for religious and cultural reasons. Their most contentious use is when they are used during conflicts to prevent military aircraft from engaging in hostile actions.

The modern use of no-fly zones stems from the Persian Gulf war. After the United States and its allies repelled Iraqs invasion of Kuwait in 1991, the leader of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, used helicopter gunships to quash uprisings at home, killing tens of thousands.
For once, Joe Manchin wants the Senate to get a move on. Photo: Shutterstock

After a burst of initial bipartisan interest in a fix for the dangerously complex Electoral Count Act of 1887  which played so prominent a role in the events of January 6, 2021  progress in the Senate seems to have slowed down. Negotiations on the subject did (at least so far) survive a flare of hostility from Donald J. Trump, perhaps because his objections were so incoherent (he is still fixated on his claim that Mike Pence could have stolen the 2020 presidential election for him, even though his own attorneys pitch to Pence argued the ECA was unconstitutional). But now, the word from Politico is that Republicans want to slow-walk the reform effort.

In part thats because Republicans want to slow-walk everything the Democratic-controlled Congress does. What, after all, is the filibuster tactic they love so much? Its a walk that slows to a crawl and then stops.

But another factor is that both parties in Congress are trying to get over the angry words uttered during the Democrats long and unsuccessful effort to pass voting rights legislation in 2021 and early 2022. Certainly Republicans dont want to give anyone the impression they favor anything like federally imposed standards for voting and elections, even though they did so for decades before the GOP abandoned its support for the Voting Rights Act of 1965 as we have known it. And some Democrats want to avoid the charge that they dumped voting rights to move on to the Electoral Reform Act too quickly.

An example of the hangover from voting rights is the Republican claim that Democrats are trying to sneak defeated voting rights provisions into a reformed ECA, as Politico notes:

A GOP aide familiar with the talks said that Democrats keep trying to push the envelope and talk about challenging state election laws in federal courts by establishing a new formal pathway to bring those suits. The aide said that dynamic could prevent the bill from getting the 60 votes it needs to advance.

There are some election-law reforms that would appear to flow naturally from the current negotiations, such as protecting election workers from violence and ensuring states have the infrastructure to conduct efficient elections that produce clear results. But according to the leading Republican involved in the effort, Maine senator Susan Collins, There are some Republicans that want only to focus on the Electoral Count Act, period. Thats not necessarily a clear and simple distinction, either, since some proposed ECA reforms relating to state certification of electors (a big potential problem in 2024 if Trump succeeds in getting control of governors and state election officials in the 2022 midterms) inevitably impinge on state prerogatives.

Perhaps the best news for Democrats on this issue is that their own lead senator is someone with Republican street cred and manifestly infinite patience. That would be Mr. Slow-walk himself, West Virginias Joe Manchin, who has worn out his own party with demands related to Joe Bidens stalled Build Back Better legislation. Manchin is laying down markers for progress on ECA reform, saying he wants to get whats known in the Capitol as a framework as soon as this week to reform the 135-year-old law. If that means the two parties will work out their fundamental differences on the scope of the legislation and begin focusing on the details, which may hide many devils, thats great. At least one Senate Democrat, Marylands Ben Cardin, told Politico the Senate should junk the 1887 law and start over by designing a sensible way to confirm the final results of presidential elections.

That may be a bridge too far for this gridlocked Senate and the gridlocked House that will have to go along with any deal on ECA reform. But theres no time like the present to get the process moving along. Preventing another blow to democracy ought to be a priority.
The Biden administration is holding talks with Poland about a possible deal to help provide Soviet-era fighter jets to Ukraine, a White House spokesperson said.

The deal would involve Poland donating its old Russian-made MiG fighters to Ukraine, and then replacing them with the purchase of U.S.-made F-16 jets.

We are working with the Poles on this issue and consulting with the rest of our NATO allies, a White House spokesperson said.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday confirmed that the discussions are underway but said the timing is still unclear.

Were looking actively now at the question of airplanes that Poland may provide to Ukraine and looking at how we might be able to backfill should Poland decide to . . . supply those planes, Blinken said at a news conference during a visit to Moldova.

How quickly might that happen? I cant speak to a timeline.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made an urgent appeal in a phone call with more than 300 members of Congress on Saturday for fighter jets and other military aid to fend off invading Russian troops.

His main ask was for the U.S. to allow Poland and Romania to transfer Soviet era jets to #Ukraine, and for the U.S. to compensate by giving more advanced planes to those two NATO allies, Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., said in a tweet.

Ukraines government is interested in the old Soviet-era planes because the countrys military pilots are trained to fly those aircraft and are familiar with the planes.

Ukraines foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, on Saturday also called on Western countries to provide Kyiv with warplanes to defend the country after holding talks with Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the Poland-Ukraine border.

Its no secret that the highest demand that we have is in fighter jets, attack aircraft, and air-defense systems, Kuleba told reporters after meeting Blinken.

If we lose the skies, there will be much more blood on the ground, Kuleba added.

It was up to Poland whether it wanted to transfer fighter jets to Ukraine, the White House spokesperson said.

Thats a sovereign decision for any country to make. We have in no way opposed Poland transferring planes to Ukraine, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said there were a number of challenging practical questions, including how the planes would get to Ukraine.

After hearing from Zelenskyy, lawmakers strongly endorsed Ukraines request and urged the White House to take prompt action to ensure Kyiv was able to get access to fighter jets.

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., sent a letter to President Joe Biden calling on the administration to support aircraft transfers to Ukraine from Eastern European allies.

NATO members Poland, Bulgaria, and Slovakia are ready to replace their older Soviet era aircraft such as the MiG-29 and the Su-25 with more advanced fighters such as U.S-made F-16 aircraft, Portman said in a statement.

We have been told that they are willing to donate these aircraft to the Ukrainians if they are provided assurances and a roadmap that they will be allowed to purchase advanced American aircraft in a reasonable timeframe, Portman said.

The embassy of Poland in Washington did not respond to a request for comment.

Josep Borrell, the E.U.s foreign policy chief, indicated last weekend that some member states were ready to deliver fighter jets to Ukraine along with other weapons. But EU officials later walked back the comments.
https://sputniknews.com/20220306/as-bennett-meets-putin-will-israel-mediate-between-russia-and-ukraine--1093631239.html

As Bennett Meets Putin, Will Israel Mediate Between Russia and Ukraine?

As Bennett Meets Putin, Will Israel Mediate Between Russia and Ukraine?

Shortly after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, the Israeli prime minister rushed to Germany where he met Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The... 06.03.2022, Sputnik International

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A third round of talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations is set to take place on Monday and the two sides are expected to discuss the establishment of humanitarian corridors and steps that need to be taken to resolve the crisis.Since the beginning of Russia's military operation in Ukraine on 24 February, the teams have met twice but no high-profile officials from the Russian side have been present.The Kremlin has already indicated that there was no plan for Putin to hold direct talks with Zelensky. But does Moscow need a mediator in talks with Kiev?Potential Mediator?A potential one has been found. On Saturday, Israel's Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, an observant Jew, who keeps Sabbath, rushed to Moscow, where he held a three-hour meeting with the Russian president.That meeting was coordinated with the US, Germany, and France, and shortly after the visit to the Kremlin, Bennett made his way to Berlin, where he met with Chancellor Olaf Scholz. He has also made sure to speak to France's President Emmanuel Macron and Zelensky, who had earlier accused Bennett of not "being wrapped" in the Ukrainian flag.According to reports, Putin has warned Bennett not to provide the Ukrainian side with any Israeli weapons and technologies. The Israeli premier asked the Russian leader to agree to establish a number of humanitarian corridors and to allow those who want to immigrate to Israel to leave.He has also asked Putin to maintain their coordination in Syria and reiterated the repercussions of the shaping deal between Iran and the West round the former's nuclear programme.Taking ChancesBennett wants these negotiations to succeed. It is not only because such mediation can bring Israel international praise and recognition; prior to the hostilities, the Jewish community in Ukraine consisted of some 200,000 people, and in recent months many have been leaving the country and immigrating to Israel. Others are still stranded in the country, and the Israeli PM wants to make sure they can escape.Reports suggest that Zelensky believes these negotiations will yield little results. Israeli sources that cite Ukrainian officials say the Ukrainian president hasn't heard "anything new" on the stance or the goals of the Russian leader.In Washington, Bennett's efforts are also viewed with scepticism, primarily because some American officials believe it is "pointless to talk with Putin," who will not change his mind about the military operation in the Ukraine.And how is it viewed in Israel? Some experts are optimistic. The Calcalist, one of Israel's leading news websites, published an article saying that Israel has a good connection with the Russian leader, and it also maintains reliable partnership with Washington and other international players.Other publications like Ynet doubt Bennett will succeed in a place where others failed, and it has also warned that a failure in the mediation process might eventually harm Israel and its position on the international arena."If it turns out that Putin only used Bennett and misled him, this campaign will claim tough prices  and not just a vigorous political mockery...," wrote a Ynet journalist Nadav Eyal.Right now, Bennett is taking chances. The upcoming days will show if he has made the right decision.

https://sputniknews.com/20220227/putin-assures-israels-bennett-russia-ready-to-talk-to-ukraine-says-kiev-showing-inconsistency-1093419609.html

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Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton during top of meeting remarks ahead of AustraliaUnited Kingdom Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN) talks at Admiralty House, in Sydney, Australia, on Jan. 21, 2022. (AAP Image/Bianca De Marchi)

Australias Defence Minister Warns of Nuclear Risk in Imposing No-Fly Zone Over Ukraine

Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton has warned against the imposition of a no-fly zone over Ukraine, saying such a move would only help if it didnt lead to a nuclear conflict.

The comment follows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys criticism of NATO for refusing to create a no-fly zone to stop Russias escalating attacks from the air, which he said gives the green light to the bombing of Ukrainian cities and villages.

Speaking on ABCs Insiders program on March 6, Dutton argued that a no-fly zone, which would ban unauthorised aircraft from flying over Ukraine, would bring catastrophic results not only to Europe but to the whole world.

The difficulty here is if you provide more support and surge with troops  or you allow planes to be staged out of Poland or somewhere else, what is the next step, and what is Putins next play? Dutton said.

He is holding out slightly veiled language, the threat of stepping up a nuclear conflict, and that would be really catastrophic for Europe and the world.

Russian President Vladimir Putin previously warned that Russian authorities consider any Western effort to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine as participation in an armed conflict.

Putin has also likened any economic sanctions on Russia to an act of war and told Ukraines leaders that their nation will be blamed for risking the future of Ukrainian statehood if they continued to resist Russias demands.

Dutton noted that Australias intelligence analysts, Ukraine, NATO, and the rest of the world share the same concern that Putin has a view of erasing history and of conquering those countries around him and bringing back a reunified USSR.

We need to be very clear about his intention, his capability. I think he has been significantly wounded out of this, both domestically and in terms of the international reputation that people have of Russia, and I think there will be internal discussions about the viability of his leadership going forward.

He applauded Ukrainians for putting up a magnificent resistance so far, but added that there is a sense of inevitability for Putin to escalate his attacks in Ukraine.

When you look at the sheer numbers and also the propensity for Putin to use chemical weapons or other weapons which would be used in a residential area, you just cant imagine it, it would be a war crime, he said.

Dutton said that if the Chinese Communist Party follows Russias behaviour and invades Taiwan, Australia doesnt rule out the possibility of going to the defence of Taiwan.

We want peace to prevail in our region. But you dont have that peace if youre arguing from a position of weakness.
As President Kennedy pointed out, Things dont just happen. They are made to happen. So, events in Ukraine are the culmination of many events in the history of Europe and the world. As we pray for the Russian war on Ukraine to end, we need to look back at history  to figure out how we got here  and how to get out without blowing up the planet. Yes, we have to remember the Russians have thousands of nuclear warheads, as do we. Just one nuclear bomb could kill millions.

A building burns after shelling in Kyiv, Ukraine, March 3, 2022. Russia has launched a wide-ranging attack on Ukraine, hitting cities and bases with airstrikes or shelling.

Some see the Russian attack as just an aberration of Vladimir Putin, Russian president. While thats a part, its not that simple. If were honest about it, as world leaders we havent set a very good example in our own history. With our Monroe Doctrine, weve dominated our entire hemisphere. And when the Russian people revolted, in 1917, throwing off centuries of repressive Tsarist rule, we invaded Russia to try to abort their revolution  and to keep them in WWI against Germany. We failed. For those who doubt that happened, there are the graves of our Polar Bear doughboys near Detroit.

Who knows what kind of nation Russia would have become if wed helped them recover from Tsarism, rather than trying to overthrow their government. During World War II, we did help Russia resist Hitlers invasion, partly to keep Russian oil out of German tanks. But after WWII, Russia  having been invaded five times in the 19th and 20th centuries, worried about encirclement by capitalist countries opposing their socialism. So they dominated eastern Europe, establishing the infamous Iron Curtain, as Winston Churchill called it.

Meanwhile, following our lead, they developed nuclear bombs. Eventually, both Russia and the US, realizing neither side would survive a nuclear war, developed various treaties for their inspection and control  though the world came close to nuclear war when Russia tried to put missiles in Cuba, in 62, to counter similar ones we had placed in Italy and Turkey. After both sides withdrew those missiles, we settled into a nuclear standoff known as MAD  mutually assured destruction. In other words, both sides had so many nukes that using them would literally be mad, crazy.

Story continues

In the late 80s, President Reagan realized nuclear war and the Cold War itself were bad ideas, and agreed with Russias Gorbechev to cut back on nuclear build-up. According to some sources, our government also agreed to not extend NATO one inch further toward Russia. But, after the Soviet Union was broken up in 1991, several countries that had been soviet joined NATO. Many Russians saw this development as a threat, especially when those countries then joined the European Union for economic purposes.

Our interventions in Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Venezuela, and Syria  all having leaders who were Russian allies  alarmed Russian leadership.

Then, in 2014, after much turmoil, Ukraine overthrew its pro-Russian government  with their president, Yanukovych, fleeing to Moscow -- and chose a government with strong ties to the West. There is pretty clear evidence that the US had a role in that overthrow, as American lawmakers and diplomats  including Sen. John McCain -- were there making speeches at the time. Asst. Sec. of State, Victoria Nuland, was taped in a phone conversation seeming to help choose the Ukrainian government. That overthrow endangered Russia militarily, as their main warm-water naval and shipping port is in Ukraines Crimean area on the Black Sea. Many people there identify as Russian, so Russia moved in militarily to hold onto the vital territory.

The whole matter has been up in the air since 2014. We did not expect Russia to try to retake Ukraine by force. Now that they are, we must deplore the death and destruction, but also work through the UN and other channels, public and private, to limit and conclude the disaster of this war. Luckily, President Biden, experienced in foreign policy, seems to be following a strong, calm approach in reacting to the aggression. Lets hope the sanctions work. Maybe, as JFK said in 1963, If we cannot end our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity.

Jack Burgess is a retired teacher of American & Global Studies, and a member of Veterans For Peace.

This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: Ukraine: The Lessons of History?
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 06/03/2022 (201 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Ihor Shveds friends and family in Ukraine are rushing back and forth from the border to Poland to transport food, medicine and refugees. He tries to keep in contact with them, but as they struggle to find places to charge their phones or get a signal, he might not hear from them for a time.

Shved, who is a priest at the Ukrainian Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral of Sts. Vladimir and Olga on McGregor Street, has been working to send money and supplies to Ukraine almost non-stop.

Its difficult, he said. Every morning, its 7 a.m., and Im already up and in touch with them and with volunteers here who help. And we are trying to organize what we can.

Kids say prayers for Ukraine at the Ukrainian Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral of Sts. Volodymyr and Olga on McGregor Street on Saturday. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press)

Shved and others at his congregation have collected about $6,000 from their own funds to send for aid. But actually getting that money in the hands of their friends in Ukraine is difficult, Shved said, and theyre still working out the logistics.

Theyre also collecting things like diapers and medical supplies, specifically something that will help stop bleeding, he said. Again the logistics are proving difficult, but most likely the goods will ship to Poland, before being transported into Ukraine.

He said the effort to help, while tiring, is necessary for the emotional health of himself and others at the church.

A lot of people are doing that  helping  because they need to be together. They are gathering because their brother, sister are in danger. They cant just sit at home and watch to see all the terrible things. You need to support them, he said.

The church is even selling small batches of pierogies to scrape together funds; although, Shved knows it will not bring in much money. It is just to keep busy, to do everything possible.

Shved said hes grateful for how the community has rallied to help his people.

Manitobans of both Ukrainian and non-Ukrainian heritage have been striking up fundraisers en masse to send aid to those affected by the Russian invasion.

Goodies Bakeshop has been collecting money to send to Ukraine through the sale of heart-shaped sugar cookies coloured with blue and yellow royal icing. Co-owner Max Plenokosov is from Ukraine, but was not available Saturday to speak.

However, employee Alison McNabb said the shop has been selling out of a daily stock of 1,000 cookies within an hour of opening each day.

Theyre flying off the shelves, she said. Theres usually a lineup outside for people asking for the cookies.

Reverend Ihor Shved and members of his congregation at the Ukrainian Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral of Sts. Volodymyr and Olga have contributed $6,000 of their own funds so far. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press)

Ivanka Watkins said shes been entreating everyone Ive talked to in the last year to raise money for Lyana Mytskio, who was director of the Lviv Municipal Arts Centre. Mytskio, who Watkins met while living in Ukraine, has turned the centre, a converted palace into a shelter for displaced people without any external support.

Shes a superhero, Watkins said.

Its been a shock getting videos of friends in bomb shelters making Molotov cocktails or photos of buildings in which she once lived burned and destroyed, Watkins said.

Watkins said she has raised almost $5,000 to this point.

Writers and Rockers Coffee Co. is donating proceeds from a coffee blend they call Dateline: Kyiv to a GoFundMe to help Ukrainian journalists continue to report on the violence; and Radiance Gifts, owned by the same couple, is donating 100 per cent of proceeds from handmade bracelets to the Red Crosss Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal.

I cant imagine the heartbreak and the terror of having to flee your home, said Lisa Tjaden, who crafted the bracelets. She and her husband have already donated the first $1,000 from the sales  though, a portion of that they advanced out of pocket until that target is reached.

In a post for her fundraiser, Meagan Pitura quoted an old Ukrainian legend, in which a horrible serpent is chained to a cliff. Each year the serpent sends out minions to count pysanky, or eggs drawn in with ornate designs, now associated with Easter, and the number must stay high to keep the serpent chained.

Through her home business Prairie Pysanky, Pitura is selling blue and yellow eggs at $20 each to donate to humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.

I posted it into a couple buy-sell pages and some handmade pages (on Facebook), and it exploded, Pitura said.

Within a few days, Pitura had a backlog of about 140 pysanky eggs to make. She expects that after covering her costs, shell be able to donate about $1,000.

Goodies Bake Shop is selling heart-shaped sugar cookies decorated with gold and blue icing to raise money for Ukraine, with customers lining up to buy them. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press)

Orysia Ehrmantraut is the owner of Babas House, an ice cream shop and bakery on Bannerman Avenue. She has deep roots in Ukraine, and her shop is dressed in cultural knick-knacks and art from her familys homeland.

Shes donating proceeds from the sales of many items on her menu, some of which shes renamed things like Ukrainian Hero.

One customer crocheted pins of sunflowers, which have become a symbol of Ukrainian resistance, that Ehrmantraut now sells at her shop to raise funds for humanitarian aid.

The outpouring has been really, really great, she said. I kind of went from the approach that were not all in a position to make a sizable donation, but if we all put in a little bit, then we could make a big difference.

Other businesses and organizations organizing fundraisers include Troyanda Ukrainian Dance Ensemble, Four Crowns Restaurant and Bar, RnR Family Restaurant, and home businesses Sweets by Arlene and Nicoles Knots, among others.

fpcity@freepress.mb.ca
NANNING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Carrying 100 imported cars from the United Arab Emirates, the rail-sea intermodal trains departed from south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on March 4 and are expected to arrive in the city of Lanzhou, northwest China's Gansu Province, on Wednesday, according to railway authorities in Nanning, the regional capital of Guangxi.

This is the first time cars from Middle Eastern countries have entered the Chinese mainland market through the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, a trade and logistics passage jointly built by western Chinese provincial regions and Singapore, said the China Railway Nanning Group Co., Ltd.

For a smooth shipment this time, the railway authorities in Guangxi have strengthened cooperation with customs departments and intermodal transport enterprises to ensure that goods are "loaded and transported along with arrival," said Huang Guanghui, with Guangxi Yanhai Railway Company Limited.

The trade corridor so far covers 311 ports in 106 countries and regions. 
Union Finance Minister on Sunday laid the foundation stone of a state-of-the-art planetarium in Mysore University's Chamundi Hill Campus.

This will be India's first planetarium with a Digistar 7 system and a Domex screen, COSMOS and will serve as a planetarium and also provide students and research scholars a platform to access the real time as well as archival data for analysis and use.

"I strongly felt a need that something should be developed which is helpful not only for one generation but for many upcoming generations. This idea of COSMOS can help our generations to learn from the great heritage that observatories in Karnataka and India carry since centuries," said Sitharaman.

COSMOS is being developed with a budget of Rs 81 crore and is supported under the MPLAD of Union Finance Minister . An amount of Rs 2 crore has been released through DC Mysore.

While underlining the importance of data, she added that data is termed as the "new oil" these days but it is important that we know how to use it.

"This will be a centre where students can be guided by faculty, scientists to use the data and see the outcome which can be put in use for benefits of our state, nation and humanity," she added.

The project is steered by the Principal Scientific Advisor to Government of India (GoI) (PSA) and it is managed by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, under an MoU between the University of Mysore and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics.

Comprehensive education and public outreach programme will be an integral part of the COSMOS project.

Prathap Simha, MP, Mysuru-Kodagu; Prof. K. VijayRaghavan, Principal Scientific Advisor, GoI; K.N. Vyas, Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy, GoI; S. Chandrashekhar, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, GoI; Prof. Annapurni Subramaniam, Director, Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore; Dr. Bagadhi Gautham, Deputy Commissioner, Mysuru; and Prof. G. Hemantha Kumar, Vice Chancellor, University of Mysore were among the dignitaries present on the occasion.

--IANS

pvn/dpb

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
One of the most acclaimed and innovative ensembles in chamber music, the Imani Winds, will return to Tulsa for two concerts under the auspices of Chamber Music Tulsa.

The group will perform Saturday, March 12, and Sunday, March 13, at the Tulsa PAC, 110 E. Second St. The Saturday concert, held in the Westby Pavilion, will begin with wine and conversation with the artists at 7 p.m., with the concert beginning at 7:30 p.m.

The Sunday concert, held in the Williams Theatre, will be at 3 p.m., with a pre-concert lecture beginning at 2:15 p.m.

Since its formation more than 25 years ago, the Imani Winds has excelled at the standard chamber repertoire, as well as working with contemporary composers to create music that addresses the issues and ideas of todays world.

Major projects have included the Legacy Commissioning project, which has created more than 30 works, from original compositions to arrangements of pieces such as Stravinskys The Rite of Spring and Holsts The Planets, to broaden the possibilities of what a wind quintet can do.

In addition, the group has collaborated with jazz luminaries such as Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea and Paquito DRivera, whose work Wapango will be part of the Saturday program.

Also to be performed at the Saturday concert will be Le Tombeau de Couperin by Ravel, Elliott Carters Quintet For Winds, and Gift of Life from Derek Bermels Wanderings, along with Valerie Colemans arrangements of traditional spirituals and Nkosi si ke Leli, the South African national anthem.

The program for the Sunday concert will feature works by women composers, including Colemans Umoja and Afro-Cuban Concerto, Nathalie Joachim Seen, the Suite for Wind Quintet by Ruth Crawford Seeger, and De Memorias Reena Esmail: The Light is the Same, by Tania Leon.

Bassoonist Monica Ellis and oboist Toyin Spellman-Diaz are founding members of the ensemble; other members are Kevin Newton, French horn; Brandon Patrick George, flute; and Mark Dover, clarinet.

Tickets are $65 for the Saturday concert. To purchase: 918-587-3802, chambermusictulsa.org. Admission to the Sunday concert is free, but seats should be reserved. To reserve seats: tulsapac.com.

Confess at Ok So Story Slam

The storytelling organization Ok So Tulsa will host its monthly Story Slam, 8 p.m. Thursday, March 10, at Living Arts of Tulsa, 307 E. Reconciliation Way.

The theme for this months event is Confessions. Anyone with a true story to share that involves some sort of confession is encouraged to take part.

Stories must be personal, and must be performed without script or notes. Storytellers are limited to five minutes to allow for as many stories to be shared as possible.

Audience members will select the most effectively told stories, with the best receiving a cash award.

Cost is $7. oksotulsa.com.

Philadelphia Orchestra at OSU

The internationally acclaimed Philadelphia Orchestra, led by principal guest conductor Nathalie Stutzmann, will make its lone Oklahoma stop on its current Midwest Tour to perform 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 10, at the McKnight Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater.

The program includes Missy Mazzolis Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres), along with the Violin Concerto No. 1 by Max Bruch, with concertmaster David Kim as soloist, and Franz Schuberts Symphony No. 9.

The concert will also be something of a homecoming for a member of the orchestras French horn section, Ernesto Tovar Torres, who earned his bachelors degree from OSU in 2014.

Seating is limited; for tickets and more information: 405-744-9999, mcknightcenter.org.

Tulsa World Scene: Batman opening coincides with Admiral Twin reopening
The levy of retrospective tax on the UK's Cairn Energy Plc is a tale of bizarre twists and turns that saw its attached shares being sold in May 2018 amid the passing of the baton from a full-time finance minister to interim one and the talks at the highest level to resolve the dispute, to claims that levy of back taxes was a result of an investigation into leak.

The government late last month refunded about Rs 7,900 crore it had collected from selling residual shares of the British firm in its erstwhile India unit, seizing dividend and withholding tax refunds, to settle an eight-year-old dispute that had tarred the country's reputation as an investment destination.

But, this did not come about easily. For seven years, the establishment vehemently justified in courts and outside seeking of Rs 10,247 crore in back taxes plus interest and penalty from a firm that gave India its biggest onshore oil discovery.

Officials even refused to accept a unanimous decision of an international arbitration tribunal, where one judge was appointed by the government, to overturn tax being sought on an internal business reorganisation that Cairn carried out in 2006-07 of its India business prior to listing.

Hawkish officials balked at offers Cairn, which is now known as Capricorn Energy Plc, made to settle the dispute after winning the arbitration award. These offers included reinvesting part of the refund due to it back in the country in a project or sector identified by the government.

A change came about when Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who had previously delegated the negotiations to her officials, met Cairn executives for the first time at her residence on April 16, 2021.

She was clear that the government wanted to resolve the issue once and for all, three officials with direct knowledge of the affairs said.

Cairn executives, who were to return to London that weekend, were asked to stay back and come for a follow-up meeting with the newly appointed Revenue Secretary Tarun Bajaj, a senior bureaucrat who had previously worked in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

Just like his boss, Bajaj also wanted to settle the issue but the ensuing severe second wave of Covid meant no substantive follow-up could happen.

In the meantime, Cairn's marquee shareholders, that included BlackRock, MFS, Franklin Templeton and Fidelity, became impatient and pushed the company board to initiate enforcement proceedings something that saw the company registering the arbitration award in nations from Singapore to the US and Canada and then moving courts in New York and Washington to seize Air India assets.

In July 2021, it succeeded in getting a French court order to freeze the Indian government's residential flats in an upmarket locality in Paris. This then triggered a spate of fresh meetings, and the result was legislation in Parliament in the following month that scrapped all tax demand made using a 2012 law, which gave tax department powers to go back 50 years and slap capital gains levies wherever ownership had changed hands overseas but business assets were in India.

Officials said Bajaj and his team worked at neck break speed thereafter to frame rules, get all legal challenges against the Indian government dropped across the world, secure an indemnity and thereafter refund about Rs 7,900 crore due to Cairn.

This, many in the industry believe, was an unbelievable change in the North Block the seat of the finance ministry.

The tax department had in January 2014 attached Cairn's 9.8 per cent residual stake in Cairn India, a firm it had sold to the Vedanta group in 2011, following slapping an initial tax assessment of Rs 10,247 crore in capital gains tax on 2006-07 reorganisation.

These shares were in its possession but for reasons unexplained, it sold them in May 2018 during the period when then finance minister Arun Jaitley had to step aside to recover from a kidney transplant and the charge of the ministry was given to Piyush Goyal.

The sale came just around the time Cairn executives were in dialogue with officials at the highest level to resolve the dispute.

While 2012 legislation was used to seek as much as Rs 1.1 lakh crore from multinationals such as telecom group Vodafone, pharmaceuticals company Sanofi and brewer SABMiller, now owned by AB InBev, Cairn was the only company against whom substantial recovery proceedings were taken. A total of Rs 8,100 crore was collected as tax using the legislation, of which Rs 7,900 crore was from Cairn alone.

In submissions before the arbitration panel and the courts such as those in the US, the tax department claimed it could not initially discover the capital gains made by Cairn as they were "intentionally camouflaged" by "using a number of artificial financial devices - including, most egregiously, a pair of 'Daylight Loans' to funnel billions of dollars in cash into and then out of India within 24 hours."



It calculated Rs 24,503 crore as the gains made and levied a short-term capital gains tax.

This, it claimed, was detected when it was probing the April 2013 publication of a list of offshore and the beneficial owners behind them in the so-called . These papers had the name of a Cairn executive, according to the department's filings.

Industry sources said it would have been much simpler for the government to just release the shares instead of now refunding the money it had collected from the share sale.

Arvind Mayaram, who served as finance secretary during the late years of the UPA and early part of the BJP government, in August last year wrote in an article in a leading daily that then finance minister P Chidambaram was unhappy with the 2012 legislation brought by his predecessor.

After the BJP swept to power in May 2014, he said he had brought up the matter of retrospective taxation with Jaitley the first finance minister of the Modi government.

"Before the elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies had termed retrospective taxation as 'tax terrorism'. I recommended that scrapping of the amendment could be included in the Finance Bill (as part of the full budget for 2014-15 fiscal)," he wrote.

Jaitley, he said, concurred without reservations, but suggested that this matter be discussed in a meeting with the prime minister.

"In that meeting, there was a lengthy discussion in which I put forward the reasons for amending the 'amendment'. Jaitley strongly supported the arguments. PM Narendra Modi also said he felt that the retrospective tax law had damaged the country's image.

"But, several senior bureaucrats from the PM's Office opposed the finance ministry's proposal vehemently. They put forward the argument that any change would appear that a deal had been made with Vodafone," he said adding that it led to the argument being lost and retrospective taxation remaining.

(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 Moscows invasion of Ukraine seemingly moving slower than expected, Russian President Vladimir Putin may turn to the indiscriminate tactics of the wars in Chechnya that turned Chechen cities to rubble in the 1990s and early 2000s, a noted Russian human rights activist says.

Memorial International Director Aleksandr Cherkasov told Current Time on March 4 that Russian forces in Ukraine increasingly turn to the use of artillery and missile strikes while targeting residential areas.

If we talk about [parallels], then Putin started the same way [in Chechnya] as he has [in Ukraine and] continues as we move to a new stage [of the conflict], Cherkasov said. It [also] began with a war that was originally called a counterterrorist operation and was not described as an armed conflict.

The First Chechen War was in 1994-96 and the Second Chechen War began in 1999, with Moscow sending in forces to put down armed and political movements in Chechnya aimed at seceding from Russia. The Kremlin used infantry, planes, tanks, and artillery while carpet-bombing the capital, Grozny, and other parts of Chechnya with seemingly little regard for civilian casualties -- killing tens of thousands.

During both wars, Memorial was involved in helping victims and refugees from the conflict and was part of negotiations during hostage situations and prisoner exchanges. It also sought to protect the rights of Russian soldiers and their relatives.

Live Briefing: Russia Invades Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, Russian protests, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

Cherkasov said he fears the Kremlin is repeating parts of the North Caucasus playbook in Ukraine, especially as Russian forces face stronger than expected resistance from Ukrainian forces.

As with Chechnya, the Russian government has also turned to censorship and intimidation at home to head off popular discontent and better sell its version of the war to the public.

Since the invasion of Ukraine on February 24, authorities have introduced new censorship in the country, banning many leading news organizations and blocking social media websites. New legislation threatens up to 15 years in prison for the dissemination of materials that refute the official statements related to the Russian military.

Similar to Ukraine, military casualties were also initially denied and minimized during the Chechen campaigns, with the Kremlin framing the conflict as a military struggle with terrorists like it now does in Ukraine against fascists, Cherkasov said.

The fact that the authorities do not refer to the reality of what is happening in their words -- that the authorities are trying to act outside the legal field -- this did not begin yesterday, Cherkasov said. But this is where the current government began and there was probably no more truth then than there is now.

Another Grozny?

After being a surprise pick for prime minister by President Boris Yeltsin in 1999, one of Putin's first major acts was to oversee a wholesale offensive against the rebels in Chechnya.

Although Putin denied a ground invasion was being prepared, tens of thousands of Russian troops were ordered into the breakaway Muslim-majority region along with an aerial and artillery bombardment that leveled Grozny.

[State media] also said then that the military was doing pinpoint strikes, but what kind of pinpoint strikes did we see? Cherkasov said. [There were] attacks on the center of Grozny, rocket attacks on markets, the post office, and [even] maternity hospitals.

Grozny, which was already badly damaged during the First Chechen War, was described by the UN at the time as the most destroyed city in the world following the second conflict that started in 1999.

Putin behaved like a political kamikaze, throwing his entire political capital into the war, burning it to the ground, Yeltsin later wrote in his memoirs.

Fighting in Ukraine has escalated as Russian forces have begun to rely more heavily on artillery and rocket attacks and increasingly target residential areas in besieged cities like Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mariupol, and others.

The war in Ukraine has already seen more than 2,000 civilian casualties since Russia invaded on February 24.

It's terrible for me to think that this is happening again, Cherkasov said.

Written by Reid Standish in Prague based on reporting by Current Times Ksenia Sokolyanskaya
Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast/Getty

LVIV, UkraineAn awful screeching sound fills the air as fighter jets zip low and fast over the skies of Lviv Oblast, one of the few regions safe enough for the Ukrainian Air Force to fly uncontested as the battle for the sky rages across Ukraine. It is an ominous warning that fighting could be coming to a part of Ukraine that was previously untouched.

Bombs and rockets have been smashing indiscriminately into civilian and military targets throughout the country, as Vladimir Putin takes revenge on the nation he sees as insolent enough to defy him.

Putin Isnt Just Insane. Its Far Worse Than That.

But when the daily air raid sirens ring out over the western city of Lviv, as rockets fly in from neighboring Belarus, no one pays it much attention. The bunkers are barely a few feet underground, a stark contrast to the 70-meter-deep monstrosities in Kyiv. I reckon the entrance would just collapse under a bomb one colleague remarked to me, we would be safer in the middle of the road.

In the relative safety of Western Ukraine, the war feels far away and the scenes of carnage from Kharkiv and Kyiv so surreal that they could come from a film. It still hasnt sunk in with us here yet. The war is still far, says Katya, a barista at a coffee shop in central Lviv. The residents are preparing for the upcoming battlemany civilian buildings are now sandbagged; Czech hedgehog anti-tank fortifications are laid all over the streets while checkpoints are being rapidly set up at all entrances to the city. The city has recently banned the sale of all booze, with authorities saying citizens need to keep their wits about them for the fight ahead.

In the film shown so far, Ukraine, the plucky underdog, has been a force to be reckoned with against the Vladimir Putin behemoth, bravely repelling Russian assaults on its major cities.

Members of the territorial defense battalion set up a machine gun and organize a military redoubt on February 25, 2022 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Anastasia Vlasova/Getty

There is no shortage of heroism here. The Ghost of Kyiv who allegedly shot down six Russian fighter jets on the first day, or the border guards of Snake Island who told a Russian warship go fuck yourself!, or the man who carried a mine out from under a bridge with a lit cigarette hanging from his mouth. Some of these stories have turned out to be dubious, or oversold, but they have had an extraordinary morale-boosting effect on the population. If the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense figures are to be believed, Russian forces have suffered tremendous casualties.

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It is very difficult to independently confirm the figures, but U.S. officials have confirmed that the Russians have at least lost several thousand men. Locals certainly believe them.

A member of Ukrainian forces patrols the streets at Maidan square in Kyiv, on February 27, 2022. ARIS MESSINIS/AFP via Getty

Russian coordination and logistics have been a mess from start to finish. A 40-mile-long Russian armored convoy on its way to Kyiv has turned into a massive traffic jam, left stuck on a highway and burning through food and fuel. Ambitious airborne and amphibious landings, including on the Hostomel airport outside Kyiv, have been easily repelled by the Ukrainians.

Along with an unprecedented and united Western diplomatic response, all this has added up to an impression that the Ukrainians have, at least for now, an upper hand in the conflict, and that Putin is on his way out. But the dictator in the Kremlin is far from done with the brave Ukrainian people, and he is yet to unleash the most fearsome weapons in his arsenal.

Now that Russias efforts to deliver a quick knockout punch to the Ukrainian government has failed, military experts are concerned that his next steps could be far more brutal. Already, the Russian forces have started using much more indiscriminate tactics, including a rocket attack on an apartment block in Kharkiv that killed at least 18 people and injured dozens more this week. Then, a rocket attack on a TV tower in Kyiv killed five civilians, including a Ukrainian journalist.

Im afraid that there are very few examples in recent historyBaghdad in 2003 being one of themwhere an invader has taken a major city by force against a determined defense without using heavy fires and doing extensive damage, said Justin Bronk, the research fellow for air power and technology at the U.K.s Royal United Services Institute. He told The Daily Beast that the Russians have not yet used the overwhelming superiority of their air force. In a report for RUSI, he wrote: The fact that there have only been a few confirmed sightings of Russian fixed wing sorties over Ukraine should not obscure the fact that the VKS fixed wing fleets remain a potentially highly destructive force and one that could be unleashed at short notice over the coming days.

There have also been reports of the Russians moving thermobaric missile-launchers, which fire rocket explosives that set the air around them on fire. These weapons, considered illegal under the Geneva Conventions, are many times more powerful than traditional explosive weapons that have been seen in Ukraine so far. If they are used, it would suggest that the Kremlin is willing to raze the historic cities of Kharkiv and Kyiv to the ground and inflict extraordinary numbers of civilian casualties in the process.

Michael Kofman, an expert on the Russian military, wrote on Twitter that The initial Russian operation was based on terrible assumptions about Ukraines willingness and ability to fight, and an unworkable concept of operations. Moscow badly miscalculated use of fires has been limited compared to how the Russian military typically operates. Sadly, I think this will change.

One nation that is well aware of the dangers of false optimism in the early days of a war is Armenia. At the beginning of their war with Azerbaijan over the Armenian-populated territory of Nagorno-Karabakh in late 2020, there was a huge swell of patriotism and a belief that because of their superior motivation, they would ultimately triumph. They ended up losing badly and ceding large amounts of territory they controlled to the Turkish-backed Azeri forces. They now look very cynically on the way the situation in Ukraine has been portrayed.

The Gravedigger Who Fears Digging His Own Sons Grave in Nagorno-Karabakh

I see many parallels between what happened in Armenia and what is happening in Ukraine, said Ani Meljumyan, the Armenia correspondent for Euronet.

Armenians also were fighting for an ancestral homeland in what they called Artsakh, against a ruthless enemy with higher numbers and better technology. Like Ukrainians, they believed until the end in their inevitable victory.

The words in Zelenskys speeches, the way he dresses and talks, are identical to Pashinyan, she told The Daily Beast, referring to Armenias populist president, who led the country during the Karabakh war. She said that Armenian authorities had frequently presented false optimism to the people, while secretly knowing that the war was going very badly.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the West on March 3, 2022, to increase military aid to Ukraine, saying Russia would advance on the rest of Europe otherwise. Sergei SUPINSKY /AFP via Getty

Meljumyan burst out laughing when she heard that Zelensky had used the slogan We Will Win, which Pashinyan had used in Armenia right up to the moment of defeat. The phrase We Will Win is such a joke in Armenia, it is what you use if you want to insult someone! It is the phrase you use to represent an official lie!

There is no evidence that Ukrainian officials are hiding the true military situation, but many of the similarities are reason enough for worry. In Karabakh, I heard many of the same quotes from people as I am hearing now in Ukraine. Our army is the strongest, or We can't lose because we are fighting for our homeland, along with boasts about heavy enemy losses.

I wanted to believe those lines in Armenia. I still want to believe them in Ukraine.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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New Delhi:

Two blasts and firing were heard as Afghanistan's two rival leaders held parallel presidential inaugurations in Kabul on Monday, underscoring the country's woeful security ahead of talks with a resurgent Taliban. Hundreds of people had assembled at two venues inside the presidential palace complex to watch the swearing-in ceremonies for President Ashraf Ghani and challenger Abdullah Abdullah, when the blasts were heard, prompting some to flee.

I have no bulletproof vest on, only my shirt, I will stay even if I have to sacrifice my head, Ghani told the remaining crowd, as sirens sounded overhead.

The left at least 18 people wounded, an official said, in what appeared to be the first violence to hit the capital since the US signed a withdrawal deal with the Taliban.

The Taliban immediately denied responsibility for the assault, which occurred at the commemoration ceremony for Abdul Ali Mazari -- a politician from the Hazara ethnic group, most of whom are Shiite.

Also Read | Afghanistan Partial Truce To Continue With 'Full Ceasefire' Goal: Ghani

An Islamic State group-claimed attack on the same ceremony last year saw a barrage of mortar fire kill at least 11 people. Interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said gunfire had erupted from a construction site near the ceremony in the city's west, which is largely Shiite. At least 18 people had been wounded so far, he added.

"Soon after the attack, police forces and police special forces units rushed to the scene," Rahimi told a local news station, noting that sporadic gunfire was ongoing. Photos on social media showed at least two bodies, but there was no official word on a death toll.

"We left the ceremony following the gunfire, and a number of people were wounded, but I do not have any reports of martyred people for now," Hazara leader Mohammad Mohaqiq told Tolo News.

(With agency inputs)

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
The international border with Myanmar has been closed including gate no 1 and 2 in Moreh, CM Biren Singh said. (Photo Credit: IANS File)

New Delhi:

Amid coronavirus scare, the government of Manipur on Monday decided to close the international border with Myanmar which also includes gate no 1 and 2 in Moreh. In view of possible threat of transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19), Government of Manipur hereby prohibits movement of people across the international border and accordingly orders closures of Gate No. 1 and Gate No. 2, Moreh and other crossing points along Manipur sector of Indo-Myanmar border until further orders, the government order states.

Manipur CM N. Biren Singh: In view of the possible threat of transmission of #Coronavirus / COVID-19, the international border with Myanmar has been closed including gate no 1 and 2 in Moreh until further orders. pic.twitter.com/KTNm69mTyp  ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2020

Earlier, in a similar measure against coronavirus outbreak, Arunachal Pradesh on Sunday decided to suspend issuing Protected Area Permits (PAPs) to foreigners. Foreigners require PAPs in order to travel to Arunachal Pradesh, which shares border with China. Sikkim had also announced similar steps in order to curb the footfalls of foreigners in the state.

Also Read: Coronavirus: India Sends C-17 Globemaster Military Aircraft To Iran To Evacuate Indians

The Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan too decided to shut its borders for a time period of two weeks to limit the impact of coronavirus.

According to AFP figures, China reported 17 new deaths on Tuesday taking the toll to 4,011. The coronavirus outbreak has spread to over 100 countries with more than 110,000 cases of infection reported so far.

Also Read: Coronavirus: 41 In Jammu And Kashmir's Budgam Who Returned From China, Iran To Be Quarantined

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases has gone up to 45 in India with the latest coming from Punjab.

Moreover, the Indian government on Monday sent the C-17 Globemaster military aircraft to Iran to evacuate the Indians stranded in the coronavirus-hit nation. The military aircraft departed from the Hindon airbase around 8 pm. Around 2,000 Indians live in Iran, a country that has witnessed increasing numbers of coronavirus cases in the last few days.

(With inputs from Agencies)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
WASHINGTON  It was only a few seconds after President Joe Biden announced Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as his nominee to the Supreme Court when she revealed an important part of her personal philosophy.

"I must begin these very brief remarks by thanking God for delivering me to this point in my professional journey," the federal appeals court judge said at the White House on Feb. 25. "My life has been blessed beyond measure, and I do know that one can only come this far by faith."

Jackson, currently a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, is being celebrated as the first Black woman picked for the high court as well as its first former federal public defender. She would also bring a measure of religious diversity to the court as the only Christian without a substantial connection to Catholicism.

The Miami native and Harvard Law School graduate identifies as a Christian and a Protestant, according to a source close to Jackson who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the judge's personal background. If confirmed, she would join a court made up of six Catholics, an Episcopalian who was raised Catholic and a Jew.

Trailblazers: Meet the Black women judges who came before Judge Jackson

Hearings: Durbin finds himself in the middle of Supreme Court confirmation fight

Assuming she is seated on the high court, Jackson would arrive as the justices  particularly those in the conservative majority  have paid an enormous amount of attention to religious exercise claims. In coming weeks, the court will decide whether Texas must allow a death row inmate to have physical contact with his preacher at the time of his execution, whether Maine may deny taxpayer tuition assistance to sectarian schools and whether a religious group may fly its flag over Boston's city hall.

Earlier this year the court agreed to hear an appeal from a former high school football coach who said his First Amendment rights were violated when he lost his job at a school district outside of Seattle when he kneeled on the 50-yard line in prayer.

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And while the legal questions in the case don't involve religion, the court has signaled it may overturn its landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that established a constitutional right to abortion. Not only would that upend decades of how federal courts have looked at reproductive rights, it would also represent a victory for Catholics and evangelical Christians who have sought for decades to undermine Roe.

An anti-abortion protester holds a cross outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 1 as justices consider state restrictions on the procedure.

Whether a potential justice's religion even matters is open to debate. Most of the current court's Catholics  including Associate Justices Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett along with Chief Justice John Roberts  fit squarely into its conservative wing. But Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who is also Catholic, has emerged as the liberal conscience of a court where conservatives hold a 6-3 edge.

"When we look solely at their denominational affiliation, that tells us next to nothing, unless somebody is a member of a far-right fundamentalist church or something like that," said Steven Green, a law professor and director of the Center for Religion, Law & Democracy at the Willamette University. "I think we have to look more at how they have approached church-state issues or related social issues."

On the other hand, religion can be an important part of a person's identity and how they view the world and think about moral issues such as fairness.

"It's not a peripheral matter," said Stephen Prothero, a religious studies professor at Boston University. "There's no unbiased reading of the Constitution. We're all affected by who we are  by our race, by our ethnicity, our gender, and our religion."

Like other American political institutions, the Supreme Court was dominated by Protestant Christians for much of its history. Chief Justice Robert Taney, nominated by President Andrew Jackson and confirmed in 1836, was the first Catholic to serve on the high court. Associate Justice Louis Brandeis, nominated by President Woodrow Wilson in 1916, was the first Jewish person seated on the court.

Analysis: Biden's Supreme Court pick forced to share spotlight with Ukraine

Poll: Majority of Americans say diversity should be a factor for Supreme Court

Diverse: Biden poised to triple number of Black women on federal appeals courts

On today's court, Associate Justices Elena Kagan and Stephen Breyer are both Jewish. Breyer announced in January that he intended to retire after nearly three decades on the court and Biden nominated Jackson, a former Breyer clerk, for his seat.

Six of nine current justices attended Catholic school, including Gorsuch. Though raised Catholic, Gorsuch attended an Episcopal church in Colorado as an appeals court judge there, according to reporting by CNN at the time. Episcopalians are part of the Anglican Church and describe themselves as "Protestant, yet Catholic."

In her prior public remarks, Jackson, 51, has tended to discuss religion in broad terms. Speaking to the Washington Council of Lawyers in 2018, Jackson described growing up in a predominately Jewish suburb of Miami. "And between all the bar and bat mitzvahs, I got involved in student government," she said, according to a copy of the speech.

Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson meets with Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., on March 3, 2022.

"In my faith tradition, it is said that to whom much is given, much is expected," Jackson told a group in 2020. "I take that to mean that we who have benefitted have a responsibility to give back to our community in whatever way we can."

During her confirmation hearing for the D.C. Circuit last year, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., quizzed Jackson about her position on the board of a Maryland school, the Montrose Christian School, from 2010 to 2011. That school reportedly included language on its website that promoted the "sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death" and asserted that "marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman."

Jackson said she wasn't aware of the statements.

"I do believe in religious liberty. That is a foundational tenet of our entire government," she told Hawley during the hearing. But, she added, "any personal views about religion would never come into my service as a judge."

Religion has played a role in past Supreme Court confirmation battles, including for Gorsuch, who faced some criticism on the right because his church was considered friendly to LGBTQ parishioners. The Washington Post described the church at the time as "notably liberal" and The Hill newspaper ran an op-ed questioning whether Gorsuch was a "secret liberal."

After five years on the court, Gorsuch is never described as a liberal, though he did author a decision in 2020 barring workplace discrimination against LGBTQ employees.

Barrett, who was previously a law professor at the University of Notre Dame, a Catholic university, came under fire for her ties to a Christian religious group called People of Praise. Among the group's teachings, according to the Associated Press and other outlets, was the idea that women must submit to the will of their husbands.

"The tenets of your faith mean a lot to you personally, is that correct?" Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., asked Barrett during her confirmation hearing in 2020.

"That is true," Barrett responded.

"Can you set aside whatever Catholic beliefs you have regarding any issue before you?" Graham continued.

"I can," Barrett said, asserting she had done so on the Chicago-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit and that "if I'm confirmed to the Supreme Court, I will do that still."

Contributing: Kevin McCoy

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Supreme Court: Ketanji Brown Jackson would add second Protestant voice
A pro-Kremlin short cartoon depicts Russian propaganda and tells the reason Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine.

The three-minute video shows children wearing t-shirts representing Ukraine, Germany, Russia and the US before going on to explain the War in Donbas.

It starts with inseparable 'friends' Ukraine and Russia playing together in a sandbox and sat next to each other at school before Ukraine leaves to 'hang out by himself', representing its independence from the Soviet Union.

It starts with inseparable 'friends' Ukraine and Russia playing together in a sandbox and sat next to each other at school before Ukraine leaves to 'hang out by himself, representing its independence from the Soviet Union (pictured)

The cartoon, created by Russian state media, then depicts the moment Ukraine establishes diplomatic relations with the US in 1991 - breaking it's 'friendship' with Russia for good (pictured)

The cartoon, created by Russian state media, then depicts the moment Ukraine establishes diplomatic relations with the US in 1991 - breaking their 'friendship' for good.

It goes on to show the Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic who became self-proclaimed breakaway states located in Ukraine, formed on 7 April 2014.

The pro-Kremlin propaganda says: 'Ukraine began to oppress the Russian population so these two oblasts wanted to separate and become a part of Russia - but Ukraine disagreed and began to go to war with those territories'.

It says the reason Putin went to war was because 'Russia tried to stop the killing of people and resolve the issue peacefully'.

Meanwhile, the cartoon added 'The West doesn't listen because Ukraine is telling everyone that Russia wants to kill people. Our country always stands for peace and open conversation around any conflict'.

The video, which has since gone viral on social media, goes on to explain the war in Donbas and is captioned 'How to explain to a child what the war in Donbas is and why Russia and Ukraine quarreled?'

One user commented: 'How is this narrative even possible?'

The pro-Kremlin short cartoon depicts Russian propaganda and shows 'the real reason' Vladimir Putin has invaded Ukraine

Another added: 'Absolutely ridiculous.'

One viewer said: 'This is messed up, they should be creating cartoons to advocate peace!'

One shocked viewer couldn't believe they were showing the 'historically inaccurate' cartoon to children and slammed the 'Russian narrative'.

On many occasions, Putin has accused Ukraine of being taken over by extremists after its pro-Moscow president, Viktor Yanukovych, was removed from office in the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution.

In the weeks leading up to the Russian invasion, Putin repeated his unsubstantiated claims that Ukraine wanted to exterminate Russian speakers in the east of the country.

Putin questioned Ukraine's right to exist on Monday and accused its government of being a 'neo-Nazi' regime supported by the West.

He said the West was 'closing its eyes... to the genocide that four million people are suffering' - a reference to the mostly Russian-speaking population of eastern Ukraine.

The conflict in eastern Ukraine has claimed more than 14,000 lives since it broke out in 2014 with casualties on both sides.
The latest private school voucher bill offers more of the same; nothing that would improve Oklahoma education and only harms public schools.

Senate Bill 1647 from Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, would take public dollars from the education funding formula and send to private schools for families of four earning up to $154,000. It would be overseen by the state treasurer.

It does not require private schools provide documentation on how tax dollars are spent. It does not require private schools accept all students. It does not require academic progress reporting.

Those are all things mandated of public schools.

The bill passed the Senate Education Committee last month 8-7 and passed a Senate panel 12-8 on Wednesday. It goes to the Senate floor, where it ought to stop.

Without a significant increase in education funding, this bill would cut the existing per-student allocations into smaller amounts. All schools lose funding under this bill, with rural schools taking a more severe hit.

Compared to the metro areas, where most private schools are located, small towns have lower home values and income. Rural areas have fewer financial resources to pick up the slack in state school funding.

The bill is not about student equity. Private schools have the right to deny services for students who need special education modifications, have English as a second language, experienced mental health crises or identify as LGBTQ+.

Vouchers would be between $3,600 and $5,300 each. The state Education Department estimates that if almost 3% of the total Oklahoma student population participates (about 20,000), it would send between $118.5 million and $161.8 million to private schools, according to Oklahoma Watch.

SB 1647 would annually audit only 10% of the voucher funds, compared to 100% of money going into public schools.

Students using vouchers would not undergo the same testing required of public students to gauge academic progress. Quality of education for voucher-using students would be unknown.

Oklahoma has created more school choice. The Legislature loosened school transfer restrictions last year and supports private education through the Nicole Henry Scholarship fund and Scholarship Opportunity grants. Charter and virtual programs have expanded.

The biggest challenge facing Oklahoma public schools is a teacher shortage and low per-pupil expenditures, currently at 47th in the nation. Schools have periodically closed due to not having enough staff.

Oklahoma sets annual records in emergency certification, which puts unqualified teachers in classrooms. In a decade, it went from 32 emergency certifications to 3,228 (2011 to 2021). Classrooms are overcrowded and under-resourced.

At least 90% of Oklahoma students (nearly 700,000) are enrolled in public schools; thats where attention needs to be.

Oklahoma House Speaker Charles McCall has stated his legislative body wont hear voucher bills because the membership isnt interested. That is a reassuring position.

We encourage senators to drop political posturing and vote against SB 1647 to focus on more productive education measures.
As the fiercely contested Uttar Pradesh assembly elections enter the final round, the Kashi Vishwanath temple here is witnessing a rush of political leaders.

They have been making a beeline at the famous shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva since the past few days in Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency and the focus of the seventh phase of the Assembly elections.

Friday was a busy day for the temple as Modi, leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Union minister Smriti Irani came to offer prayers.

The Kashi Viswanath temple is one of the 12 'Jyotirlingas' (special shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva) in the country.

The prime minister, who held a roadshow in the city on Friday to drum up support for candidates, went to temple before the mega programme ended.

He is understood to have performed the Shodashupchara Shiva Puja.

Hours before Modi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi paid a visit to the temple. Irani had come earlier.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, who was in the temple town to hold a roadshow on Friday, reached the shrine at night to seek blessings.

On Wednesday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee arrived in and paid a visit to the temple.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath too offered prayers at the temple on the banks of the Ganga.

The list also includes Union ministers Anurag Thakur and Ashwani Choubey, and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.

"These are top VIPs, the temple saw many other central and state ministers and senior civil and police officials drop by as well," the temple management said.

On what puja the prime minister and other dignitaries do, Durga Mishra, a priest of the temple, said they do the normal ones that everyone else does.

Nishi Kant Mishra who has conducted pujas for the prime minister many a times said he generally does the Shodashupachara Shiva Puja, which takes 15-20 minutes.

Priests at the temples confirmed that visits by politicians have increased during the election time.

Shastris (a category of priests) Nityanand Tripathi and Rakesh Kumar Tripathi said nobody is asked for any 'dakshina'. "Whatever these VIPs have to donate they put it in the donation box."



A total of 54 Assembly seats, including eight in Varanasi, will see voting on Monday to draw the curtains on the month-long elections in the politically crucial state.

Results will be declared on March 10, along with those in Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Home Minister on Sunday said that the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) needs to prepare a roadmap for the next 25 years when the Indian economy will grow to five trillion dollars, and more manufacturing units will be set up in all sectors.

Speaking at the 53rd Raising Day of the Force here, he said the journey of economic growth was not impossible without the contribution of the . "We are thankful for their support and contribution," he said.

"I will urge the DG to prepare the roadmap for next five years and also for 25 years when India will celebrate the 100 years of Independence," Shah said.

He also said that the private security agencies have been growing at a fast pace and the needs to take the responsibility to train them in a professional manner.

"CISF alone cannot provide security to all industrial sectors, therefore, the private agencies should also be trained in a professional manner", the Home Minister said.

He also said that the CISF needs to develop a hybrid model of industrial security in the country with the participation of the private sector.

Noting that the CISF is the only Force in the world that is dedicated to industries only, he further said that they need to ensure safety from the drone threats to the industries located in the coastal areas. He also informed that the Border Security Force and DRDO are developing the anti-drone technology and they should also line up with them to get this technology.

Speaking on the women security personnel in the force, Shah also said that there are many scopes of expanding their role and it should be increased from 94:6 per cent ratio has to be increased at least up to 20 per cent in the coming time.

Lauding the role of the Force, he further said that during the Covid period when hundreds of our own people were coming from abroad under 'Vande Bharat', the CISF personnel deputed at airports helped them and in this process, they also got infected and many of them lost their lives because of the pandemic and paid tributes to them.

Shah also said that as of now the CISF has been providing security to 354 industrial units, 65 airports and important installations like government buildings, coal, steel sectors, ISRO and their role will be expanded in the future, therefore, the force needs to anticipate these avenues and get themselves prepared accordingly.

--IANS

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(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.)
Indian Embassy on Sunday said that the last leg of 'Operation Ganga' has begun, asking the stranded students to reach the Hungarian City Center in Budapest between 10 am-12 pm.

"Important Announcement: Embassy of begins its last leg of Operation Ganga flights today. All those students staying in their OWN accommodation ( other than arranged by Embassy) are requested to reach @Hungariacitycentre , Rakoczi Ut 90, Budapest between 10 am-12 pm," Indian Embassy in Hungary tweeted.

Separately Indian Embassy in Kyiv also urged its nationals who are still in Ukraine to register themselves for the evacuation process under 'Operation Ganga'.

"All Indian nationals who still remain in Ukraine are requested to fill up the details contained in the attached Google Form on an URGENT BASIS," in Ukraine tweeted.

Ministery of External Affairs in its daily briefing said that around 13,300 people returned to from Ukraine so far by 63 flights under 'Operation Ganga'. He added that 15 flights have landed in the last 24 hours, carrying around 2,900 onboard.

"A total of 15 flights have landed in the last 24 hours with around 2,900 onboard. Approximately 13,300 people returned to India so far by 63 flights under 'Operation Ganga', and 13 flights are scheduled for the next 24 hours," MEA official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.

He noted that over 21,000 people have left Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the MEA yesterday informed that almost all Indians have left Kharkiv city of Ukraine and the main focus of the government is to evacuate citizens from Sumy as it is challenging amid ongoing violence and lack of transportation.

Bagchi further said that so far 298 students have been evacuated from Pisochyn.

"We will now be looking at how many are still in Ukraine. The Embassy will contact those who happen to be there but haven't registered... In nearby Pisochyn...we have moved (evacuated) 298 students, hoping to complete it by today," he said.

Bagchi added that probably one Nepali citizen will be coming today (onboard the Indian flight), and Bangladeshi is also expected later.

The government has also deployed "special envoys" to four neighbouring countries bordering Ukraine to coordinate and oversee the evacuation process of the Indian nationals.

Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities.

(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 recent clashes at the administrative buildings near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) could be a result of Ukraine storing documents on perspective developments of there, a news report said citing Russian sources.

"Certain documentation was also available at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. Clashes with Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups in administrative buildings adjacent to the NPP were apparently related to this fact," the source reportedly told Sputnik, adding that Ukrainian authorities have partially destroyed and evacuated the majority of documents on the issue from Kyiv and Kharkiv to Lviv.

The Russian source also accused Ukraine of trying to conceal program, saying that the Ukrainian authorities used the Chernobyl NPP for making a "dirty bomb" and for the work on plutonium separation.

A "dirty bomb" is a type of "radiological dispersal device" that combines a conventional explosive, such as dynamite, with radioactive material according to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC).

"According to the available information, the work on both the dirty bomb production and the plutonium extraction were conducted there. The elevated radiation background in the Chernobyl zone concealed such work," the source said.

He further accused Ukraine of destroying the evidence of its nuclear program saying, "In the realms of increasing tension in relations with Russia, the Ukrainian leadership decided to destroy all valuable documentation stored in the scientific centres in Kyiv and Kharkiv or evacuate it to Lviv Polytechnic National University."

The development comes a couple of days after clashes erupted between Russian and Ukrainian troops near the Zaporizhzhia NPP facility, followed by a Russian shelling near the nuclear facility which resulted in a fire in a training facility adjacent to the reactors. The Russian troops eventually occupied the nuclear facility.

The Director-General of the Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi in a press conference on Friday informed that the nuclear reactors in the facility were safe, and no radiation occurred.

"It is important to say that all the safety systems of the six reactors at the plant were not affected at all and that there has been no release of radioactive material ... importantly, in this regard, is the radiation monitoring systems ... are fully functional as well," Grossi said.

Earlier, IAEA had put its Incident and Emergency Centre (IAEAIEC) in full 24X7 response mode due to the serious situation.

IAEA informed in a statement on Saturday that Ukraine has confirmed that two out of 6 reactors of Zaporizhhzhya NPP are working, and the radiation levels are normal.

"Ukraine's nuclear regulator told the Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) today it had been able to maintain communications with staff at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) where two out of six reactors were now operating, a day after Russian forces took control of the site in the country's south-east," the statement by IAEA Director-General read.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The in Ukraine on Sunday asked its stranded nationals in the war-torn country to fill up a registration form containing their location and several other important information that might help in their evacuation.

"Embassy of India, Kiev, requests all Indian citizens stranded in Ukraine, and are yet to depart from their respective addresses and want to be evacuated urgently to fill up this form," the Embassy said.

The stranded nationals will be required to share their Email, Name, Passport Number, Age, Gender, Location (Region in Ukraine), Address of Present Stay, Contact Number in Ukraine, Contact Number in and Additional number of Indians staying with them.

Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had during a media briefing on Saturday informed that a large number of Indians, actually almost all of them, except for the two places Sumy and Kharkiv area, have now left Ukraine. Later it was learnt that every Indian national was evacuated from the Kharkiv region as well.

Bagchi had said that now the main focus is on the Sumy region.

Meanwhile, India's Ambassador to Ukraine Partha Satpathy said that Indian nationals, especially students, have displayed extreme maturity and fortitude amidst these turbulent times. He said in the case of Kharkiv, despite it being an active war zone with heavy shelling, the embassy has maintained 'consistent and constant' efforts to activate every citizen.

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine started in the early hours of February 24 after Russian forces launched a major assault on Ukraine, firing missiles on cities and military installations and posing a serious threat to the Indian citizens residing there. Since then, has been rigorously evacuating its citizens from the war-torn region.

As per the latest reports, intense fighting continues between Russia and Ukraine at several points as the war entered 11th day on Sunday.

--IANS

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(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.)
Its time for Tulsas largest career fair.

The Tulsa World Media Co. is hosting the fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday. It is free and open to the public.

More than 60 employers with jobs to fill will be in attendance. They are hiring for customer service, sales, manufacturing, administrative, trucking and more.

For years, Tulsa World Media Co. has hosted Tulsas largest career fair, said Bernie Heller, Tulsa World Media Co. president. By providing a space where companies with positions can connect with job seekers, everyone wins.

The career fair will be in the Central Park Hall at Expo Square, 1701 S. Sandusky Ave.

The Tulsa World has always been proud of the success weve had with our traditional in-person career fairs, said Kathryn Bezler, Tulsa World Media Co. classified manager. Its because of this success and experience that we are confident in our ability to deliver quality results for both companies offering positions and job seekers.

Learn more at tulsacareerfair.com.

Featured video:
New Delhi:

TSPSC Assistant Account Officer Result 2020 has been declared. According to the official notification released on the official website of Telangana State Public Service Commission, the TSPSC Result 2020 for the posts of Assistant Account Officer in Grade II, Data Processing and Assistant Store Officer is released. Candidates who appeared for the TSPSC Exam 2020 need to visit the official website, i.e. tspsc.gov.in to check and download the TSPSC Assistant Account Officer Result 2020. Alternatively, candidates can click on the below mentioned direct link to check and download the TSPSC AAO Result 2020.

TSPSC Assistant Account Officer Result 2020

TSPSC Assistant Account Officer 2020 Result is declared on the basis of candidates performance in the Main Examination. The TSPSC Account Officer Main Exam was conducted in the month of October, 2018 in the state. According to the official notification, the admit card ticket numbers of all shortlisted candidates have been published in the result that is available in the PDF format.

Also Read: Andhra Pradesh SSC Exams 2020 Postponed, Here's The Revised Schedule

In order to check and download the TSPSC Account Officer Result 2020, candidates need to follow the below mentioned steps:

First, candidates need to visit the official website of Telangana State Public Service Commission, i.e. tspsc.gov.in

Then, navigate and click on the list of selected candidates for the Account Officer Post link

The TSPSC Account Officer Result 2020 will open in the PDF format

Download and take a printout of the TSPSC Account Officer 2020 Result for future reference

TSPSC Assistant Account Officer Result 2020 Direct Link
New Delhi:

A three-year-old child in Kerala has been tested positive for the novel coronavirus, officials said on Monday. The child and its parents who had reached the Cochin International Airport Limited at 6 am on March 7 from Italy were subjected to thermal screening at the universal surveillance system established, officials said.

Detecting symptoms of coronavirus in the child,they were immediately referred to isolation ward of the Kalamassery Medical College Hospital, they said.

The samples of the child sent for examination at the NiV lab at Alappuzha have tested positive for Coronavirus, they said.

The samples of the parents have also been sent for lab test, the officials added.

Five fresh coronavirus cases, including three who evaded screening on return from Italy, were reported in Kerala, prompting the government on Sunday to sound a renewed alert and warn action against those hiding travel history to affected nations.

Earlier on Sunday, five people from Kerala were tested positive for coronavirus. Kerala Health Minister K K Shailaja said all the five hail from state's Pathnamthitta district. The patients have been isolated in Pathnamathitta general hospital and are under observation. According to reports, three of them had returned from Italy while two others who tested positive for the virus are their relatives, the Health Minister added.

According to the health minister, the three, a couple and their son, had evaded health screening at the airport on their return about a week ago and all the five hail from Ranni in Pathnamthitta district.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Ugadi is a popular festival in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Also known as Chaitra Suddha Padhyami the day makes the beginning of a new lunar calendar. In Maharashtra the same day is celebrated as Gudi Padwa. The date varies every year as it begins on the new moon night after the spring equinox. The festival nevertheless, always falls Between March end and April. Ugadi symbolises new beginnings and prosperity. With spring, trees get a new life with new shoots and flowers in full bloom, Ugadi too signify the start of a anew era. This year Ugadi will be celebrated on March 25.

Ugadi Date and Muhurat 2020

Pratipada Title Begins =14:57 on 24/Mar/2020

Pratipada Title Ends =17:26 on 25/Mar/2020

According to the folklore or saying of the Hindu ancient texts, Lord Brahma, called the creator of the universe stared his grand mission of creation on Ugadi. This day worships Brahma and Lord Vishnu who is the inceptor of Yuga, that got him the name of Yugaadikrit.

Rituals practiced during Ugadi celebrations

People in Andhra Pradesh and Telengana clean their homes, paint them anew a week ahead of Ugadi. They sprinkle cow dung water to sanitize their homes, as it is considered sacred.

Mango leaves are attached to the doors to attract prosperity and good fortune. Traditional dished with raw mango are prepared . Ugadi Pachchadi / Bevu Bella is a special dish made out of raw mango, tamarind, palm sugar, neem flowers. The dish symbolizes multiple palettes like the different phases in human life.

Panchanga Shravanam is arranged where people come together in huge numbers and read out the Panchanga. The priest who read is offered new clothes as a token of respect and gratitude.

Also Read: Gudi Padwa 2020: How To Celebrate Maharashtrian New Year

According to Hindu religious texts, Ugadi, is considered an auspicious day to start new ventures, purchasing assets.

For all the Latest Lifestyle News, Religion News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Karnataka TET 2020 Admit Card has been released. According to the official notification released, the Karnataka Teachers Eligibility Test 2020 Admission Certificate is released online. Candidates who are going to appear for the Karnataka TET 2020 exam need to visit the official website, i.e. schooleducation.kar.nic.in to check and download the Karnataka TET Admit Card 2020. Alternatively, candidates can download the Karnataka TET 2020 Admit Card by clicking on the below mentioned direct link.

Karnataka TET 2020 Details

It is to note that the Karnataka TET 2020 Exam is going to be held on March 15, 2020. The Karnataka Teachers Eligibility Test 2020 will include two papers. In order to check and download the Karnataka TET 2020 admit card, candidates need to follow the below mentioned steps:

Also Read: TSPSC Assistant Account Officer Result 2020 Declared, Details Here

First, candidates need to visit the official website of Karnataka TET, i.e. schooleducation.kar.nic.in

Then, navigate and click on the Karnataka TET Admission Certificate 2020 link that is available on the homepage

A new page will open

Enter the required details and click on the submit button

Download and take a printout of the Karnataka TET 2020 Admit Card for future reference

Alternatively, candidates can click on the below mentioned direct link to check and download the Karnataka Teachers Eligibility Test Admission Certificate 2020.

Karnataka TET Admit Card 2020 Direct Link
The Russian Defence Ministry said that the country's forces on Sunday disabled an airfield belonging to the Ukrainian Air Force in Starokonstantinov.

Igor Konashenkov, the Ministry's chief spokesman, further said that the Russian military has continued to strike the military infrastructure of as the war entered the 11th day on Sunday, RT News reported.

On Saturday evening as a result of a massive attack, 61 military facilities on the territory of were hit, he claimed.

Bomber and attack aircraft hit three radar stations of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the missile forces destroyed the S-300 air defense system, said Konashenkov.

He further claimed that over the past day, Russian fighters and air defense systems also shot down "four Su-27 and one MiG-29 aircraft in the Zhitomir region, Su-27 and Su-25 in the Radomyshl region, one Su-25 in the Nizhyn region, two Mi-8 helicopters in near Kiev, six unmanned aerial vehicles, including Bayraktar TB-2".

--IANS

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(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.)
Simultaneously with the work on the creation of a nuclear explosive device, has actively engaged in potential means of delivery of nuclear weapons, a Russian official told RIA Novosti.

"In parallel, work was underway in the country to modernize existing and create new missile weapons that can be used as a means of delivering nuclear weapons," the representative said.

He stressed that at the same time, Kiev "covers" most of the developments with the implementation of joint projects with other countries, RT New reported.

For example, in December 2013, and Turkey agreed to cooperate in the missile sphere.

"The main role in it should be played by the Ukrainian rocket and space enterprises Yuzhmashzavod and Yuzhnoye Design Bureau, which previously participated in the creation of the Soviet nuclear missile arsenal," the official said.

The main goal of such cooperation is the creation of a mobile complex that would be equipped with a solid-propellant ballistic missile with a range of up to 1,500 km, he was quoted as saying to RIA Novosti.

In addition, Yuzhmashzavod is developing a mobile ground-based missile system Grom-2 at the expense of Saudi Arabia, which, according to Kiev, will have a range of up to 280 km in the export version, claimed the official.

"However, according to experts, it is possible to upgrade it in order to increase the firing range over 500 km, according to some estimates - up to 1000 km. Since 2017, the Alibey missile range has been operated in the Odessa region to conduct flight tests of rocket technology."

The official also said that clashes at Ukraine;s Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, which caught fire last week and was subsequently seized by Russian forces, could have occurred due to the storage of documentation there.

According to the hom, partially destroyed, partially removed the main body of documents on this topic from Kiev and Kharkiv to Lviv.

The official hinted that the documentation may be in the National University "Lviv Polytechnic".

--IANS

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(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 thanked SpaceX chief executive for giving Ukraine access to his company's satellite- system, called Starlink.

I'm grateful to him for supporting Ukraine with words and deeds Zelenskyy said in a tweet.

Next week we will receive another batch of Starlink systems for destroyed cities.

He joked that they discussed possible space projects, which he would talk about after the war.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko on Saturday showed off a shipment of the Starlink systems that had arrived in the capital city.

He said Starlink would help secure the work of critical infrastructure and the defense of the city.

Several large Ukrainian cities remained without or phone connection after being shelled by Russian troops.

(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.)
No dispute over the mechanism of dialogue with Qatar: Bahrain Foreign Minister

No dispute over the mechanism of dialogue with Qatar: Bahrain Foreign Minister

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Dr Abdul Latif bin Rashid Al Zayani, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, yesterday denied Bahrain having any dispute with Qatar over the mechanism of dialogue to settle unresolved issues.

Bahrain, the minister said, is committed to the declaration of the 41st Gulf Cooperation Council summit in Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia.

During his meeting with the editors-in-chief of local newspapers yesterday, the ministry clarified that the delay in restoring ties with Qatar is due to a lack of agreement on mechanisms for resolving the dispute.

But, there is no dispute over bilateral dialogue mechanism, the minister stressed.

The minister explained that Bahrain invited the Qatari side three times but elicited zero response.

Bahrain, he said, suggested holding the bilateral meeting of the technical committee at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh.

The Cooperation Council had informed Doha about Bahrains request, but they are yet to respond to this proposal.
By Trend

In response to media inquiries, NEQSOL Holding states that the holding supports the evacuation of Azerbaijani citizens due to the situation in Ukraine. The evacuation works are carried out under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan in close cooperation with the Azerbaijani embassies and consulates in Ukraine and neighboring countries, as well as the Honorary Consulate of Ukraine in Azerbaijan.

NEQSOL Holding and its subsidiaries, Bakcell and Norm, organized flights, which have been operating since February 28, to ensure the return of citizens. As part of humanitarian support, citizens are provided with air tickets free of charge.

The flights are carried out in addition to flights organized by Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL).

NEQSOL Holding also organized the evacuation by train of more than 2,400 Azerbaijani and 185 Turkish citizens from the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv and Kharkov to the Romanian capital city of Bucharest.

The evacuation works are underway.
Hyderabad, March 6 : Ram Charan and his wife Upasana Kamineni Konidela were spotted at Hyderabad airport as they were heading for a vacation.

Ram Charan, who had participated in the Rajahmundry schedule of shooting for 'RC15', has wrapped up his part, and hence returned to Hyderabad on Sunday early in the morning.

The 'Rangasthalam' actor later set off with his wife Upasana, for a short vacation. As the pair walked hand-in-hand, they were papped at the airport.

Ram Charan, who awaits the release of his most-popular upcoming movie 'RRR' has been busy shooting for his next with Shankar Shanmugam. Tentatively titled 'RC15', the movie is billed as a political multi-lingual movie.

'RC15' will have Kiara Advani star opposite Ram Charan, while other roles in the movie.

Shankar Shanmugam, who is known for his movies like 'Indian', 'Anniyan', 'Robo', and other biggies, has been working for this heavy-budget movie and promises to deliver a magnificent movie.

Dil Raju will bankroll this movie, while Thaman is roped in to compose the music.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of African Energy Consortium Limited, Kwame Jantuah has urged President Nana Addo Dankwa-Akufo-Addo to reshuffle his Ministers and ensure the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta is moved.

In his view, the lack of reshuffle in the Akufo-Addo administration has not helped in managing the affairs country.

According to him, some Ministers appointed to help the government have failed to deliver and must be replaced for competent people to take over.

In addition to the Finance Minister, Kwame Jantuah also wants the Minister for Roads and Highways as well as the Health Minister moved.

I think if for nothing, the Minister for Roads and Highways should go, Ministry of Health, I think the Finance Minister should be moved. If you do a poll on Ghanaians they will say that he hasnt been able to handle the Ministry that well, the Lawyer shared in an interview as reported by Starr News.

Kwame Jantuah continued, He [Ofori-Atta] did not consult anybody, no consultation with stakeholders, no consultation with opposition parties then you brought it. You now took it to Parliament it raises so much and you are now doing the consultation.

The CEO of African Energy Consortium Limited believes that should President Akufo-Addo reshuffle underperforming Ministers, other Ministers will be fired up to work to succeed in the mandate given them at their respective Ministries.

This he stresses, will be beneficial to the government towards achieving its goals.
The Embassy of India has set up a control room in Budapest, Hungary under 'Operation Ganga' to coordinate the evacuation of Indians stranded in Ukraine. Young Indian Foreign Services (IFS) officers are spearheading the evacuation efforts, working as a team to make 'Operation Ganga' successful. In a small hotel room in Budapest, set up as the control room by the Indian Embassy, young Indian Foreign Services (IFS) officers work with a team of technical staff as well as hundreds of volunteers. Rajiv Bodwade, Deputy Chief of the mission from Israel on special duty here in Budapest, while speaking with ANI said, "When we started, it was just a few students but gradually their number started rising and called for an organised structure in place. We had managed to get more than 150 volunteers but a collated effort was needed." Talking to how the events unfolded and the efforts collaborated, Rajiv said, "We set up a command centre. Our teams at the border would tell us how many people had crossed over and how many would be coming to the city based on which we did the calculation in the command centre." Teams were divided into four key verticals: transportation, accommodation, food, and flights, he informed while saying that there are more than 150 volunteers helping them. "The first vertical would oversee transportation because people were using various means, including railways, roads, and some were even walked on foot. So we would arrange for them to travel from borders to the where they were to be put up for temporary accommodations. The second vertical would be responsible for finding accommodation for which more than 40 locations were identified," Rajiv said. He further added that arranging for food three times a day for the students was also a major challenge. "Over the last few days, we arranged for food for more than 2,000 people. We have to act very swiftly since there could be a change of multiple locations and that was a prime responsibility for our food team which is our third vertical," he said. The task is not over till students board flights, Rajiv said while adding that it was the job of the fourth vertical located at the airport to oversee the same. "Our team at the airport tells us how many flights are there at the airport and how many people can be sent and at what time," explained Rajiv. Just like Rajiv, several other officers have been brought in from neighbouring countries on special duty by the Indian embassy to help in one of India's biggest evacuation efforts. A core team of nearly 30 people, including former envoy Kumar Tuhin, who has been brought as an officer on special duty, has been set up to oversee the whole exercise. As many as six members are part of the core team in the command centre and for coordination with a team of 10-15 who lead volunteer teams. It would not have been a possibility without a team effort, Rajiv said while appreciating the selfless contribution of the volunteers. "Selfless volunteers have been working round-the-clock including some of them having taken leave from their jobs working with just three hours of sleep so now we are working like a well-oiled machinery," said Rajiv. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sent four special envoys to various countries from where Indians have been evacuated. Four cabinet ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia, Kiran Rijiju, General (Retd) VK Singh, and Hardeep Singh Puri have been on the job for the last many days. A former diplomat Hardeep Puri has been stationed in Hungary to coordinate their efforts to evacuate Indian students here. Around 13,300 people returned to India from Ukraine so far by 63 flights under 'Operation Ganga', Ministery of External Affairs said on Saturday, adding that 15 flights have landed in the last 24 hours carrying around 2,900 onboard. (ANI)
The international payment system Visa is leaving the market of the Russian Federation and will suspend transactions in the coming days, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov has said.

"Visa is withdrawing from Russia and will suspend transactions in the coming days," he wrote on his Telegram channel.
Residents of Nova Kakhovka (Kherson region), temporarily occupied by Russian occupiers, took to the streets to protest against the invaders, eyewitnesses told Interfax-Ukraine.

According to them, residents of the city take to the streets with Ukrainian flags and posters with patriotic slogans. As of 11:50 am, about 2,000 people have already taken to the central streets of the city, people continue to come.

Photos and videos have also been published on social networks, showing how citizens carry Ukrainian symbols along the central streets of the city.
This artist sketch depicts Guy Wesley Reffitt, joined by his lawyer William Welch, right, in Federal Court, in Washington, Monday, Feb. 28, 2022. Reffitt, a Texas man charged with storming the U.S. Capitol with a holstered handgun on his waist, is the first Jan. 6 defendant to go on trial. (Dana Verkouteren via AP)
By Azernews





By Vugar Khalilov

Illegal Armenian armed groups have shelled Azerbaijani military positions located in liberated Aghdam, the Defence Ministry reported on March 6.

In a statement posted on its website, the ministry said: Members of the illegal Armenian armed detachment in the territory of Azerbaijan, where the Russian peacekeepers are temporarily stationed, using small arms subjected to fire the Azerbaijan army positions in the direction of the Khidirli and Chukhurmehle settlements of the Aghdam region, and the deployment point of Azerbaijan Army unit at 0840 on March 6.

The Azerbaijani army units took appropriate retaliatory measures to suppress the opposite side.

The command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent and the Russian-Turkish Joint Monitoring Center were immediately informed about the incident, the ministry said.

The situation in these directions is currently stable, with the Azerbaijan army units in command of the operational situation.

About 2,000 Russian peacekeepers have been deployed for five years in Karabakh under the trilateral cease-fire deal signed by Baku, Moscow and Yerevan on November 10, 2020. The signed agreement obliged Armenia to withdraw all its troops from the Azerbaijani lands that it had occupied since the early 1990s.

The trilateral ceasefire deal signed by the Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian leaders on November 10, 2020, ended the three-decade conflict over Azerbaijans Karabakh region which along with the seven adjacent regions came under the occupation of Armenian armed forces in the war in the early 1990s.

The deal also stipulated the return of Azerbaijan's Kalbajar, Aghdam and Lachin regions. Before the signing of the peace deal, Azerbaijan liberated 300 villages, settlements, city centers, and historic Shusha city that had been under Armenian occupation for about 30 years.

On January 11, 2021, the Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian leaders signed the second statement since the end of the 44-day war. The newly-signed statement was set to implement clause 9 of the November 2020 statement related to the unblocking of all economic and transport communications in the region.

On November 26, 2021, the Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian leaders signed a statement and agreed on a number of issues, including the demarcation and delimitation of the Azerbaijani-Armenian border by late 2021, some points related to humanitarian issues and the issue of unblocking of transport corridors which applies to the railway and to automobile communications.

On December 14, 2021, during the Brussels meeting, organized between Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders at the initiative of European Council President Charles Michel, the sides reaffirmed their commitment to the conditions agreed in the Sochi meeting.

Both sides agreed to establish a temporary working group on the delimitation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

The issue of demining the liberated territories of Azerbaijan was also brought up on the agenda, and the European Union's readiness to provide technical assistance to Azerbaijan in this regard was underlined at the meeting.
By Azernews





By Vugar Khalilov

Azerbaijan has launched search operations to find two servicemen in liberated Lachin region, the Defence Ministry has reported.

The ministry stated that the Azerbaijani armys active servicemen - soldiers Farid Mammadov and Firdovsi Abdullayev lost their way due to sudden changes in weather conditions and blizzard while changing their combat positions in Lachin region.

Despite the unfavourable weather conditions in the highlands and difficult terrain, search operations were immediately launched to find our servicemen, the ministry said.

Additional information on the results of search and rescue operations will be provided, the report added.

A Moscow-brokered ceasefire deal that Baku and Yerevan signed on November 10, 2020, brought an end to six weeks of fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani army declared a victory against the Armenian troops. The signed agreement obliged Armenia to withdraw its troops from the Azerbaijani lands that it has occupied since the early 1990s.

The peace agreement stipulated the return of Azerbaijan's Armenian-occupied Kalbajar, Aghdam and Lachin regions. Before the signing of the deal, the Azerbaijani army had liberated around 300 villages, settlements, city centers, and historic Shusha city.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrains national carrier Gulf Air and Civil Aviation Affairs represented by Bahrain International Airshow Group signed an agreement to sponsor the Bahrain International Air Show in its two editions for 2022 and 2024.

The signing was part of the efforts made by the Higher Organizing Committee of the Bahrain Exhibition International Aviation, chaired by the Personal Representative of His Majesty the King and Chairman of the Organizing Committee HH Shaikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

It was also in response to HHs directives on the importance of coordination, cooperation and community partnership with leading national companies to contribute to supporting the national economy and the comprehensive development in Bahrain.

Acting Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Air Captain Waleed AlAlawi, Director of the Bahrain International Airshow Office Yousif Mahmoud, and members of executive management from both entities attended the ceremony.

Gulf Air is proud to participate as the official carrier of this important event, which we have been and still are an integral part of, since its inception in 2010," Al Alawi said.

"The Kingdom is growing on the international scene, and Gulf Air is one of the few companies that has been able to challenge the economic crisis that the world experienced during the pandemic. Bahrain has become a preferred economic destination for major global trade as well as for tourists, especially after easing travel restrictions and procedures to obtain a visa, all of which can now be done very smoothly and easily,."

Yousif Mahmoud said they are proud of the role played by the Civil Aviation Affairs in building bridges of communication with various airlines and in promoting and marketing Bahrain to become an important regional and international hub in the aviation industry, by attracting various international companies that manufacture, supply and operate the service of this vital sector.

The ministrys efforts in developing national human resources to support the progress of this country in all fields, especially the air transport sector must be commended. We are proud of our ongoing partnership with Gulf Air as the national carrier of Bahrain, and we appreciate the airlines continuous efforts to develop the aviation sector in the Kingdom, he said.

The sixth edition of the Bahrain International Airshow will be held on November 9-11. International companies that have confirmed their participation in the airshow include Airbus, Boeing, Indra Spain, DHL, DFS Aviation Germany, Etihad Engineering, Lockheed Martin, UAE Space Agency, Rolls-Royce, TAWAZUN, Texel Air and Thales. These organizations join the likes of Bell Helicopter, Chevron, Bae Systems, CFM, Aramco and Leonardo and other civil and military companies.
Oleksiy Arestovych, Advisor to the Head of the President's Office, has said that he was checking information about the alleged resignation of Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Belarus Viktor Gulevich.

"I'm checking this information," Arestovych said on Sunday during the telethon, which is broadcast by the Rada TV channel, answering the presenter's question.

Earlier, a number of media outlets published a scan of Gulevich's resignation letter dated March 4 addressed to Minister of Defense of Belarus Viktor Khrenin, in which he reports that the personnel of military units massively refuse to take part in hostilities and the Armed Forces of Belarus cannot complete a single battalion group. "Conducting explanatory work with the commanders of military units did not produce results. I have the courage to assume that replacing the commanders of these military units, who could not organize the formation of groups on the ground, will not give us the desired result," the statement says.

At the same time, the Ministry of Defense of Belarus refuted this information, stating that "Gulevich cannot ask the Minister of Defense of Belarus to resign, since only the one who appointed him  the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, can resign." They also said that the staffing of formations and military units of Belarus is 100%, "and they are already performing tasks, only on their territory."

During the telethon, Arestovych said that the Russian army is conducting shelling from the territory of Belarus, including with the use of Iskander operational-tactical missiles, thus holding Belarus hostage.

"The Belarusian army is not currently used against Ukraine. We know this for sure. It is deployed along the borders. Maybe there are isolated cases of the use of the Special Operations Forces, separate groups of Belarusians. This is not ruled out. However, the Belarusian army at the level of formations does not take part in the armed aggression against Ukraine. Nevertheless, the territory of Belarus is used, to put it mildly, to the fullest  troops come from there, the entire system of military airfields is used to bombard Ukraine, and anti-tactical missiles are launched. This is true," the adviser to the head of the President's Office said.

He suggested that the resignation of Gulevich and the corresponding sentiments among the Belarusian military "may be related to the fact that the Russian leadership is pressing and framing the Belarusian army and the Belarusian people." "Because we saw Russian tanks in the direction of Kyiv from the north-west, with Belarusian flags at the beginning of the conflict," Arestovych said.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  Mitchell Ryan, who played a villainous general in the first Lethal Weapon" movie, a ruthless businessman on TV's Santa Barbara" and had character roles on the soap opera Dark Shadows" and the 1990s sitcom Dharma & Greg," died Friday. He was 88.

Ryan died of congestive heart failure at his Los Angeles home, his stepdaughter, Denise Freed, told the Hollywood Reporter.

Rugged, granite-jawed and sporting a sleek mane of hair, Ryan was instantly recognizable on TV and the big screen. His career spanned more than a half-century, beginning with an uncredited role in the 1958 Robert Mitchum film Thunder Road."

He was a general-turned heroin smuggler in Lethal Weapon," police officer in Magnum Force" and Electra Glide in Blue," and the conniving, murderous Las Vegas businessman Anthony Tonell in the nighttime TV soap opera Santa Barbara."

In the 1990s, he had a long-running role as Greg's wealthy, eccentric and boozy father on Dharma & Greg."

Ryan played Burke Devlin on the cult 1960s soap opera Dark Shadows" for one season but he was fired because of his alcoholism.

Ryan acknowledged his drinking issues in his 2021 autobiography, Fall of a Sparrow."

Im blessed that, 30 years a drunk, Ive managed to live a working actors life to be envied. And Ive lived a great deal of real life while I was at it," he wrote. Sober for the next 30 years, Im told that Ive come out of it all a good and useful human being."

Ryan had roles on many TV shows and in movies ranging from High Plains Drifter" with Clint Eastwood to Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers."

He also performed in the theater, including Broadway appearances in Wait Until Dark," Medea" and The Price."

He was a great gift in my life," Kathryn Leigh Scott, who appeared with him in Dark Shadows," said in a Facebook post. I cherish my warm memories of his beautiful soul. Im heartbroken."
San Francisco, March 6 : Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has invited Tesla Founder and CEO Elon Musk to visit his country after the war.

A video of the meeting was posted on Zelensky's Instagram.

"Talked to @elonmusk. I'm grateful to him for supporting Ukraine with words and deeds. Next week we will receive another batch of Starlink systems for destroyed cities. Discussed possible space projects. But I'll talk about this after the war," Zelensky posted on Twitter.

Musk on Saturday said that Starlink, the satellite internet division of his rocket company SpaceX, will not block Russian news sources.

Musk on Twitter wrote that it will not do so unless at gunpoint.

"Starlink has been told by some governments (not Ukraine) to block Russian news sources. We will not do so unless at gunpoint," Musk wrote.

"Sorry to be a free speech absolutist," he added.

Meanwhile, tech giants including Apple, Google, Microsoft, Twitter, YouTube, Meta and several other tech platforms have already banned RT and Sputnik in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Christian Eriksen celebrates Brentfords victory away to Norwich (PA Wire)

Christian Eriksen admits every day gets easier after he marked his full debut for Brentford with a maiden win at his new club.

The Denmark playmaker was handed a first start since June 12  when he suffered a cardiac arrest playing for his country at the Euros  away to Norwich on Saturday and helped the promoted side clinch a vital 3-1 victory.

It put further distance between Brentford and the relegation zone while it was another step in the right direction for the former Tottenham attacker, who has made a remarkable comeback since he died for five minutes at Parken Stadium and had an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) device fitted days later in Copenhagen.

Eriksen, who played the whole match at Carrow Road, told BBC Five Live: I think if you take the win with it, it felt very good. Im very happy, pleased to be back playing 90 minutes because its been a long time but it went very well.

Thomas (Frank) asked me if I felt OK to play 90 minutes and I said for me thats no problem. I feel good, Ive been training very hard and been part of the team for a few weeks, getting used to the system they have here of how we want to play.

It gets easier every day and playing a full game obviously helps. Personally for me it has been about getting back to full fitness and being able to play football at the top level again, then lets see where that takes me.

Obviously, I am here to help Brentford to stay up and get my own football career back on track.

Ivan Toney scored a hat-trick in Brentfords win (Getty Images)

Frank insisted after Ivan Toneys hat-trick inspired a first league win in nine attempts that Eriksen could realistically play every game between now and the end of the season.

The class of the 30-year-old was evident early on in Norfolk, with trademark long-range passes from both feet before his fine 32nd-minute delivery from a corner created Toneys opener.

I wouldnt say it was a new chapter, it is just my life continuing, Eriksen reflected after his first competitive start in close to nine months.

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Of course I have had a bit of a setback, it has taken a few months, but it has been about getting my family really back together and being back to being a normal family again.

Being here now, eight or nine months later, it is incredible. Thank you to all the people and family I have around me who supported me. I am pleased to be here.

Norwichs fifth consecutive defeat in all competitions kept them bottom and saw them booed off.

The Canaries have little time to lick their wounds with Chelsea set to visit on Thursday, but boss Dean Smith was left frustrated with the Premier Leagues decision to play the fixture so close to next weekends trip to Leeds, who are only six points above the basement side.

We could play Chelsea here on Wednesday and have two days coaching before that, but the Premier League have decided to put that on Thursday so we get hardly any coaching going into the Leeds game, he said.

You have to deal with the hand you are dealt and we are doing that. We will keep working hard and hopefully we can turn some results around now and have some luck ourselves.
Pakistani investigation authorities on Sunday claimed to have uneartherd the entire network and family members of the bombers responsible for the deadly suicide attack on a crowded Shia mosque in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provice that killed 63 people and wounded 200 others, a senior official said.

A suicide bomber, belonging to the ISIS-Khorasan, blew himself up inside a mosque in Qissa Khwani bazaar in Peshawar, capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province on Friday, in one of the deadliest attacks in the restive region, bordering Afghanistan.

Advisor to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Information Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif along with Peshawar City Police Chief Ijaz Khan told reporters that a rickshaw driver and facilitator have been traced while the police investigators are very close to family of the bombers as their identification process has been completed.

The development came a day after Pakistan's Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed vowed to arrest the masterminds behind the deadly suicide attack.

FIR has been registered against the unknown accused in Khan Raziq Police Station and forwarded to Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) police probing the blast.

It is said that CTD has arrested two suspects in the case and collected the required data from the site.

According to the investigation team, they have found seven bullet shells and maintained that bomber used a 9 mm pistol before blowing himself.

The sketches of the bombers and two facilitators who have come on Tri wheeler at the blast site have been completed.

The city police chief Ijaz khan did not agree to the assertions of the people that police security guards did not play their role properly.

However, he agreed there may be some lapses as polio drives and festivals of minority communities were also underway in the city.

The police were fully alert. The Peshawar city police chief said they had information about presence of two terrorists in the city.

He further said that seven dead bodies could not be identified while police also found two broken legs which is believed to be of the bombers and has been sent to the forensic for DNA investigation.

The last major terrorist attack was also carried out in Peshawar a mosque in Dir Colony on Oct 27, 2020, killing eight students and injuring around 120 injured as a timed device went off on the premises, where a large number of seminarians were attending a class.

(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.)
Over the past day, on March 5, law enforcement officers in Kyiv checked 11,740 people and found 24 people among them who may be involved in the activities of sabotage-reconnaissance groups.

According to the Communications Department of the Metropolitan Police on Sunday, the Kyiv police also found 10 pillagers and one person who put enemy "marks". Procedural actions are being carried out with all detainees.
Colombo, March 6 : Sri Lanka's Tourism Ministry on Sunday announced that diesel vehicles registered with the Tourism Development Authority will be given priority access to fuel at state-owned bus depots amid an ongoing shortage of fuel in the island nation.

Vehicles that qualify for this scheme will be given an identity sticker, Xinhua news agency quoted local media reports as saying.

The decision was made at a meeting chaired by Minister of Finance Basil Rajapaksa and attended by officials from the Tourism and Transport Ministries, which was held following reports that a number of tourist transporting vehicles were stranded across the country due to fuel shortages.

The Tourism Ministry has also urged police authorities to provide assistance to the stranded tourist vehicles, and to help the hotels hosting tourists to procure diesel to run electricity generators.

Tourism has been one of the most affected sectors by fuel shortages and electricity cuts since February in Sri Lanka.
The Mariupol City Council announced the evacuation of civilians via humanitarian corridors on Sunday, a day later than the initially agreed upon date with Russia. "A ceasefire will be established today, March 6, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. local time [08:00 to 19:00 GMT]. The evacuation of the civilian population begins at 12:00," the council announced on Telegram. It added that civilians will be able to evacuate from Mariupol from three places by bus or leave the city on private transport. The evacuation was delayed by a day, which was blamed by both Russia and Ukraine on the other side. Russia maintained that the Ukrainian forces prevented people from leaving the city on Saturday, while the Ukrainian authorities blamed the delay on Russian forces violating the ceasefire that was agreed upon. According to the Donetsk authorities, 17 people managed to flee from Mariupol, and 36 others were taken out of the city by buses with an escort of the republic's police on Saturday. Russia and Ukraine had agreed to organize humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians in the second round of talks in Belarus on March 4 Meanwhile, the Mayor of the South-Eastern city of Mariupol Vadym Boychenko informed on Saturday that the city has been blockaded by the Russian forces, after days of sustained attacks. Mariupol, with a population of 450,000 people, is of strategic importance to Russian forces, as by taking Mariupol, they can complete a land corridor that would link Crimea with southern Russia, reported CNN. The third round of talks between Russia and Ukraine may take place on March 7, according to Sputnik News Agency. Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions, Donetsk and Luhansk as independent republics followed by the announcement of a "special military operation" to "demilitarize" and "denazify" Ukraine. (ANI)
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Staff Reporter

A large number of expatriates who have moved their families' homes is in a dire situation as private schools in Bahrain, mainly the ones affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in India, are not willing to offer Transfer Certificate (TC) to their children, citing the dues in payment of school fees.

Sources say students were allowed to go to their home countries by these schools with the advent of online classes and many expatriates who lost their jobs or suffered income losses during the pandemic season seized the opportunity to send their families home.

And now the time has come to hand over TCs after the final examinations and school managements are telling parents to settle the dues, take TCs and leave. We are obliged to pay the outstanding dues, but we dont have any source of income. I am worried about this situation jeopardising my daughters future? asked a parent, who has to pay nearly BD600 in outstanding amounts to the school, where his daughter is a student.

The Daily Tribune recently published a report on many expatriate parents pleading for cuts after being unable to pay the fees of their children on time.

They have sought intervention from the part of the Ministry of Education and have presented many requests before the ministry to issue a directive to reduce the existing school fees at all community schools in the Kingdom.

Last year hundreds of parents signed a petition urging the ministry to direct schools to cut existing fees, which according to them are very high despite most of the schools slashing the amounts between five and 10 per cent owing to the pandemic situation.

An Indian expatriate, who has three school-going children, said: I was successfully running a small business, which was shut down during the beginning of Covid season. My financial situation is so bad that I have hardly any money for daily requirements. The parent said it was his friends who raised money for sending his wife and three children home.

My son is studying in ninth standard and daughters are in Class Six and Class Four.

The school recently delinked my children from attending online classes from India as their fee was pending.

Now I need at least BD720 to settle the fee. And this amount is huge for someone like me who struggles to pay lunch and dinner bills. Without paying fees, my children wouldnt be allowed to sit for annual examinations without which they wouldnt receive their transfer certificates. I have no means to earn that money nor can I destroy my childrens future.

Sending shockwaves across the hearts of expatriate parents, one prominent CBSE school in Bahrain even increased its fees last week by 20pc from LKG to Grade 10.

It is learnt that the school is planning to increase its fee for Grade X1 and Grade XII students.

This is awful. We parents are already struggling to pay the outstanding amounts in fees and how could we afford this fee hike? a parent, who has two of his children studying at this particular school, asked.

The parents are urging the Ministry of Education to issue a directive similar to the one issued by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) in Dubai recently.

KHDAs decision to freeze private school fees has been based on the approved Education Cost Index (ECI) issued by the Dubai Statistics Center, and private schools have been officially notified of the index.

ECI measures annual changes in the costs of running a school, including salaries, rent and utilities.

The ECI and the Fee Framework were developed in collaboration with Dubai Government entities, including Dubai Statistics Centre, Department of Economic Development, and Dubai Chamber of Commerce, among others.
Irish farmers are being urged to grow more grains as part of a Government 'wartime' plan.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue has called a meeting of the main farm organisations to discuss the disruption to the sector as well as the current market situation as a result of the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

"I have asked members of the main farming bodies to attend a meeting in my Department on Tuesday to assess the situation and how we can work closely and collaboratively in the time ahead," Minister McConalogue said.

Ireland is heavily reliant on imported grains for both human and animal food.

It is understood the plan needs to be finalised quickly as spring crops will have to be planted in the next six weeks.

It was also confirmed that a rapid response team within the Department, which will be headed up by Secretary General Brendan Gleeson and will report to the Minister, has been established to actively monitor the developing situation.

"At times like these, food is our most important resource so, as a Department, we are taking every possible proactive step to ensure that we are agile and can respond to this rapidly evolving situation," Minister McConalogue said.

Earlier this week, Minister McConalogue attended a meeting of European Agriculture Ministers to discuss the Ukraine crisis. At the meeting, EU Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski confirmed that market support measures under CMO regulations would be made available when required.

"I welcome the Commissioner's commitment to support the agri sector. Following the EU Council of Minister's meeting, I have written to the Commissioner to ensure that any supports can be rolled out rapidly to support the sector. I will continue to work with my European colleagues to deliver supports if and when they are needed," the Minister concluded.
Simon Cowell with Peter Waterman, Ant and Dec, Nicki Chapman and DJ and Pop Idol host Neil Fox at the launch of Pop Idol in 2003 in London. (Photo by Steve Finn/Getty Images)

Nicki Chapman says Simon Cowell liked to 'crush' women in games of 'cat and mouse' but that he would always expect to get it back as well.

The former Pop Idol judge, who worked with acts like the Spice Girls, Take That and Annie Lennox in the 90s, said she often got asked what Cowell was like in real life.

The Escape to the Country presenter told Kate Thornton on White Wine Question Time that Cowell would ask her questions like 'what have you come as today?' but says she knew it was always 'done in jest'.

She said: "He just used to like crush [people]  and it was mainly women, let's be honest. Most of the women would really give it back and he would love it.

WATCH: Nicki Chapman on Pop Idol, what she loves most about Simon Cowell, and how the music industry's changed since the 90s

"It was cat and mouse with him. I was lucky because we had that reputation together because we'd worked together. I knew him, it was done in jest."

She said that many other people who had worked with them though had found him 'really intimidating'.

Chapman added: "But he loves it. He puts it out there, he wants it back. If he's gonna be rude to people he wants it back in bucketloads."

Pop Idol judges from left to right; Simon Cowell, Nicki Chapman and Pete Waterman with their TV entertainment programme of the award during the 2002 TRIC (Television & Radio Industries Club) Awards at the Le Meridien Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

Chapman and Cowell were judges together on the first Pop Idol series in 2001, but had worked together previously with some of the biggest acts of the 90s, with Chapman managing the Spice Girls and working with acts such as David Bowie.

Listen to the full episode to hear Nicki talk about getting into TV, managing the Spice Girls, and the world of 90s music

White Wine Question Time Banner

She said at the height of his fame, people would ask her what Cowell was really like, and she described him as 'the ultimate dinner party guest', but said he was always late for everything.

She said: "Even Ant and Dec used to be sitting down for like three hours. When we were judging, I can remember instances when you watch the show and there's no Simon.

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Simon Cowell is part of the panel on America's Got Talent (Trae Patton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

"And it's not because he's ill, we just couldn't wait any longer. We'd have to start filming because he didn't turn up till midday. And that never changed!"

She said she was sure Cowell's life was different now, but that when they worked together, he would get into work at midday, work late and have dinners, because he was a night owl.

Read more: 'Britain's Got Talent' judges reunite with Simon Cowell as auditions get underway

Thornton and Chapman remembered working together on the first series of Pop Idol, which launched the careers of Will Young and Gareth Gates, with Chapman saying their careers had run 'side by side'.

Chapman said part of her felt like the show just happened yesterday. She added: "And then another part thinks, I don't think it ever happened. It's weird.

"But such fond memories and life changing for me, it really was."

WATCH: Nicki Chapman on managing the Spice Girls in the 90s
(PA)

Hundreds of people marched through London on Saturday in a call to end male violence against women and girls.

Chanters walked from Charing Cross police station to Scotland Yard to highlight the harming of women by police.

Those marching on Saturday were supporters of the Million Women Rise collective, an organisation led by black women for all women.

Supporters carried signs that read: Womens rights are human rights, Girls just wanna have equal rights and The future is female.

aaMany wore red, which they said symbolised the blood of women who have died at the hands of men.

The marchers demanded a clear dialogue from police on tackling the issues.

They pointed to the rape and murder of Sarah Everard by a Metropolitan Police officer and the sharing of photographs of two murdered sisters, Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry, as evidence of why action is needed.

The Million Women Rise march started outside Charing Cross Police Station (PA)

Marketing executive Everard was abducted, raped and killed by serving Metropolitan Police officer, Wayne Couzens on 3 March last year.

Couzens was given a whole life sentence in September last year.

In December, two Metropolitan Police officers were sentenced to two years and nine months in prison for sharing photos of murdered sisters, Smallman and Henry, who were found stabbed to death in June 2020.

The Old Bailey in London heard that Deniz Jaffer, 47, and Jamie Lewis, 33 took photos of the scene, including some of the bodies, and shared them in two WhatsApp groups calling the victims dead birds.

Hundreds took part in the Million Women Rise march (PA)

Million Women Rise spokeswoman Sabrina Qureshi said: Violence against women is widespread in our society, yet none of our political leaders are willing to truly take this on.

We need change. From the disproportionate number of police officers who are offenders against women, to the clear back-slapping culture of hate, evidenced from the locker room to social media.

Enough. We demand accountability. We demand a total overhaul and rethink of what and who the police are for.

In a video message played to the crowd, Mina Smallman, the mother of the two murdered sisters, said: Its not on us to ensure our own safety, its up to the government legislation to ensure that we are kept safe and that we are believed when we come forward to say we have been attacked.

Additional reporting by PA.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine denied allegations of unequal treatment of foreign students leaving Ukraine due to the armed aggression of the Russian Federation.

"Discrimination of any kind, which includes discrimination based on race, skin color or nationality, has never been condoned in Ukraine which has been a key destination for foreign students from all corners of the globe for decades. The Ukrainian government takes very seriously all accounts alleging unequal treatment, including when it comes to the crossing of the state border by foreign citizens. We continue to prioritize supporting foreign citizens to leave Ukraine as safely and as quickly as possible," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Facebook on Sunday.

The ministry said that over the past week, the government of Ukraine has assisted more than 130,000 foreigners to leave the country, including 10,000 Indian, 2,500 Chinese, 1,700 Turkmen and 200 Uzbek students.

The ministry calls on diplomatic missions of other countries to be more proactive in joining our efforts to evacuate their nationals from the conflict zones, and keep regular contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and urges all foreign governments to demand from President Putin that he immediately stops his war on Ukraine.

"Russian armed forces continue to shell Ukrainian cities in violation of the ceasefire agreement. This has a direct, negative impact on our ability to secure the safe evacuation of foreign citizens out of Ukraine. Russias armed aggression continues to result in the killing and maiming of innocent people, the destruction of civilian infrastructure and it continues to create obstacles for the safe departure of foreign citizens," the ministry said in the statement.
The State Board of Elections website provides a lot of information for voters  and about voters. You can look yourself up to see your voting districts for local and state elections.

That means other people can, too.

Here is the voter information that is publicly available to you and others:

Your name, address, voting registration status, party affiliation registration and history of elections where you voted.

If you voted early, by mail or in person or voted on Election Day in person.

If you voted in a partisan primary, which ballot you chose  Democratic, Republican, another party or nonpartisan.

Your polling place.

The county or counties where youve voted.

Jurisdictions, which means the districts elected officials represent. Depending on where you live, categories include precinct, Congress, state Senate, state House, Superior Court, judicial, prosecutorial, county commissioner, municipality and school.

Sample ballots for the next election.

What it will never show: How you voted.

How to register

You can register online or in person at the Division of Motor Vehicles. You can also register by mail. Details on the Board of Elections website: ncsbe.gov/registering/how-register.

Voter registration deadlineIf you want to vote in the statewide primary on May 17, you must register by April 22. The deadline for civilians to register to vote before elections in North Carolina is 25 days before Election Day. You can also register during early voting, with verification of your identity and residence.

How to change your party affiliation or address

If you have moved, or want to change your party affiliation, you can update your registration by mail or through the DMV at ncdot.gov/dmv.
Thiruvananthapuram, March 6 : Kerala Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) President, Panakkad Sayyid Hyder Ali Shihab Thangal (74) passed away at a private hospital in Ernakulam district's Angamaly on Sunday.

His funeral will be held at Panakkad in Malappuram district on Monday morning.

He was the State IUML President for the past 12 years and succeeded his elder brother Panakkad Mohammed Ali Shihab Thangal.

One of the soft-spoken leaders of the Muslim League, he has always played a major role in mediating between the rivalries within the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF), of which the Muslim League, Congress, Kerala Congress and Revolutionary Socialist Party are a part of.

More than a political leader, Hyder Ali Shihab Thangal is considered as a spiritual leader of the Muslim community and was the State President of the Samastha Kerala Jamaithul Ulema, a powerful spiritual body of the Muslim community in Kerala.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee President, K. Sudhakaran said as a mark of respect to the late Muslim League leader, the Congress has cancelled all the official programmes of the party. He added that former Congress President Rahul Gandhi will attend the funeral.

Goa Governor, P.S. Sredharan Pillai, while speaking to IANS condoled the death of Panakkad Hyder Ali Shihab Thangal, said, "He was a person with high integrity and secular credentials. He was one whose life was always for maintaining the secular credentials of the state and his strength was the down to earth attitude. Hyder Ali Shihab Thangal will always be remembered as a great spiritual and social leader more than a political leader." K. Sudhakaran told IANS, "The passing away of Thangal is a personal loss to me. He was one of the most secular leaders of the state who stood for upkeeping the secular credentials of Kerala and was the harbinger of peace. He and his late elder brother Panakkad Mohammed Ali Shihab Thangal were instrumental in maintaining peace in Kerala even after the destruction of Babri Masjid." All India Congress Committee General Secretary (Organisation), K.C. Venugopal condoled the death of Hyder Ali Shihab Thangal.

Speaking to IANS over telephone from New Delhi, he said, "Hyder Ali Shihab Thangal will always be remembered for his secular and democratic credentials. Has always been a soft-spoken force for the Kerala UDF and one of the most prominent leaders of the Muslim League in Kerala and nationally. He was personally very close to me and I have always been in touch with him." Congress leader and Kerala Leader of Opposition, V.D. Satheesan told media, "The passing of Hyder Ali Shihab Thangal is a major loss for the UDF. More than a spiritual and political leader he was a social worker who was always keen on opening more and more charitable institutions, including dialysis centres, cancer treatment centres and many charitable activities." "Panakkad family has worked for maintaining the secular credentials of Kerala and his elder brother late Panakkad Mohammed Ali Shihab Thangal was instrumental in preventing any communal violence in Kerala after the Babri Masjid destruction. Hyder Ali Shihab Thangal always believed in living according to the rules and regulations of the land and has been a churning force for the Muslim community in Kerala."
Budapest: Indian Embassy on Sunday (March 6) said that the last leg of `Operation Ganga` has begun, asking the stranded students to reach the Hungarian City Center in Budapest between 10 am-12 pm.

"Important Announcement: Embassy of India begins its last leg of Operation Ganga flights today. All those students staying in their OWN accommodation (other than arranged by Embassy) are requested to reach @Hungariacitycentre , Rakoczi Ut 90, Budapest between 10 am-12 pm," Indian Embassy in Hungary tweeted.

Separately Indian Embassy in Kyiv also urged its nationals who are still in Ukraine to register themselves for the evacuation process under `Operation Ganga`."All Indian nationals who still remain in Ukraine are requested to fill up the details contained in the attached Google Form on an URGENT BASIS," India in Ukraine tweeted.

Ministery of External Affairs in its daily briefing said that around 13,300 people returned to India from Ukraine so far by 63 flights under `Operation Ganga`. He added that 15 flights have landed in the last 24 hours, carrying around 2,900 onboard.

"A total of 15 flights have landed in the last 24 hours with around 2,900 onboard. Approximately 13,300 people returned to India so far by 63 flights under `Operation Ganga`, and 13 flights are scheduled for the next 24 hours," MEA official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said. He noted that over 21,000 people have left Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the MEA yesterday informed that almost all Indians have left Kharkiv city of Ukraine and the main focus of the government is to evacuate citizens from Sumy as it is challenging amid ongoing violence and lack of transportation.

Bagchi further said that so far 298 students have been evacuated from Pisochyn."We will now be looking at how many are still in Ukraine. The Embassy will contact those who happen to be there but haven`t registered... In nearby Pisochyn...we have moved (evacuated) 298 students, hoping to complete it by today," he said.

Bagchi added that probably one Nepali citizen will be coming today (onboard the Indian flight), and Bangladeshi national is also expected later. The government has also deployed "special envoys" to four neighbouring countries bordering Ukraine to coordinate and oversee the evacuation process of the Indian nationals.

Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine`s breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities.

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The Indian Embassy in Hungary on Sunday asked the stranded nationals to reach Hungaria City Centre as they have begun the last leg of Operation Ganga flights.

"Important Announcement: Embassy of India begins its last leg of Operation Ganga flights today. All those students staying in their OWN accommodation (other than arranged by Embassy) are requested to reach @Hungariacitycentre, Rakoczi Ut 90, Budapest between 10 am-12 pm," the Embassy tweeted.

Important Announcement: Embassy of India begins its last leg of Operation Ganga flights today. All those students staying in their OWN accommodation ( other than arranged by Embassy) are requested to reach @Hungariacitycentre , Rakoczi Ut 90, Budapest between 10 am-12 pm  Indian Embassy in Hungary (@IndiaInHungary) March 6, 2022

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine intensified in the early hours of February 24 after Russian forces launched a major assault on Ukraine, firing missiles on cities and military installations and posing a serious threat to the Indian citizens residing there. Since then, India has been rigorously evacuating its citizens from the war-torn region.

The Indian government launched a multi-pronged evacuation plan named 'Operation Ganga' to bring home its citizens. Accordingly, Indian missions in several neighbouring countries of Ukraine made arrangements to receive the Indian nationals who are fleeing from the crisis-hit country.

Till now, approximately 13,300 people have returned to India by 63 flights.

On Sunday, 11 more special flights are expected to operate from Budapest, Kosice, Rzeszow and Bucharest, bringing in more than 2,200 Indians back home.

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United Nations, March 6 : UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed deep concern at the current severe political polarization in Libya, which carries significant risks for the country's hard-won stability, his press office said in a statement.

The UN chief expressed this during a phone call with Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah, Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity of Libya, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Secretary-General stressed the need for all actors to preserve calm and reiterated the UN's firm rejection of the use of violence, intimidation and hate speech, said the statement.

The Libyan House of Representatives, the country's Parliament, on March 1 granted confidence to a new government to replace the government led by Dbeibah.

The new government was sworn in on March 3.

The House of Representatives withdrew confidence from Dbeibah's government in September 2021 and kept it as a caretaker government.

On February 10, it unanimously voted to appoint Fathi Bashagha as new Prime Minister.

However, Dbeibah said his government would remain in office until an elected government is established.

On February 21, he announced a plan to hold general elections in June.

Dbeibah's government on March 1 accused the House of Representatives of approving the new government "without achieving quorum" during the session, confirming that it would continue to work and prepare for elections in June.
Pune: Making a pitch for the rejuvenation of rivers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called upon people to observe Nadi Utsav (river festival) in urban cities once a year to spread awareness for water conservation. "I will urge people to observe Nadi Utsav once a year, and a day may be fixed for it. It will help spread awareness among people regarding the proper utilisation of water," said PM Modi while addressing a public meeting after the inauguration of various developmental projects in Pune.

The Prime Minister said that the river festivals will help people understand the value of every drop of water. PM Modi in his address said that his government has undertaken various green initiatives to give a boost to sustainable development. He said that his government focuses on providing green transport and promotion of electric vehicles, establishing integrated command and control centers with waste and sewage management plants.

"It is our government's effort that every city should have more and more green means of transport, and electric buses, cars, two-wheelers," the Prime Minister said. He also said that every city should have a modern waste management system to strengthen the circular economy.

"We must focus on developing a sustainable environment that supports our vision of a circular economy, promotes Waste to Wealth` and encourages green development," PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister said that the development of modern infrastructure in any country is incumbent upon "speed and scale" of execution of the projects. "The most important thing for the development of modern infrastructure in any country is speed and scale. But for decades, we had such systems that the completion of important projects used to take a long time. This sluggish attitude has been affecting the development of the country as well," he said.

"That is why our government has prepared the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan," he added. Highlighting the work done under PM Gati Shakti, the Prime Minister said that the government is focusing on delivering speedy, and integrated developmental projects. "The PM Gati Shakti masterplan will work with an integrated focus along with proper communication systems for stakeholders, ensuring timely completion of projects," he said.

The Prime Minister today laid the foundation stone of rejuvenation and pollution abatement of the Mula-Mutha River projects. A rejuvenation will be done in a 9-km stretch of the river at a project cost of more than Rs 1,080 crore. It will involve works such as river edge protection, interceptor sewage network, public amenities, boating activity etc.

The Mula-Mutha River pollution abatement project will be implemented on the concept of One City One Operator at a cost of over Rs 1,470 crore. A total of 11 sewage treatment plants will be constructed under the project, with a combined capacity of around 400 MLD. The Prime Minister will also launch 100 e-buses and e-bus depot constructed at Baner.

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Thiruvananthapuram, March 6 : The country's youngest Mayor, Arya Rajendran got engaged to Kerala's youngest legislator, Sachin Dev on Sunday at the state headquarters of the ruling CPM, AKG Centre.

The ring exchange of the couple was attended by senior leaders of the CPI-M and close friends and relatives.

While Arya is the state committee member of the Students Federation of India (SFI), Sachin Dev is its state secretary. Both Arya and Sachin had worked together in Balasangam and SFI and were friends. The couple had decided to get hitched in January 2022 which was big news in the state.

Presently Sachin is the Kozhikode district committee member of the CPI-M and state secretary of the SFI while Arya is the Chala area committee member of the CPI-M and state committee member of SFI. They will tie the knot next month.

Arya and Sachin are both from CPI-M families. While Arya belongs to Thiruvananthapuram, Sachin Dev hails from Balussery in Kozhikode district of Kerala and had won the Balussery assembly seat as a CPM candidate trouncing Kerala's star comedian, Dharmajan Bologatti of the Congress.

CPI-M politburo member, M.A. Baby presented a book to the couple as a wedding gift.
Smuggled goods attempted to deliver into Ukraine under guise of humanitarian aid, it handed over to army  SBU

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reports on the exposure of businessmen who, taking advantage of the difficult situation in Ukraine, intended to bring smuggled goods into the country under the guise of humanitarian aid.

"But thanks to the SBU intervention, the truck with sweets and food became a real humanitarian aid  it was handed over for the needs of the Ukrainian army," the SBU Telegram channel reported on Sunday.

"While entire Ukraine has united and helps our military, there are those who want to cash in on the war Dealers will be punished! We will not allow abuses on human grief!" the service added.
PESHAWAR: ISIS has taken responsibility for Friday's blast in Pakistan's Peshawar. The death toll since the blast has risen to 62. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Home Minister has spoken of taking the perpetrators of the suicide attack into custody soon. On Friday, during Friday prayers, an ISIS-Khurasan-related suicide bomber has also carried out the blast in the Shia mosque.

Death toll rises to 62: Five more of those injured in Saturday's blast lost their lives in hospital. After this, the total number of deaths so far has increased to 62. Muhammad Asim, a spokesman for Peshawar's Lady Reading Hospital, said the death toll in the mosque blast had risen to 62. Five others lost their lives amid treatment on Saturday. This figure is expected to increase further.

All the accused in the blast have been identified: According to the information received so far, Pakistan Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police and investigating agencies have identified all the three suspects associated with the attack. Soon all the accused will also be taken into custody. In a video message shared on Twitter, Ahmed said the accused in connection with the attack are going to be taken into custody in two to three days' time. According to Peshawar police, the blast in the mosque was a suicide attack. A total of two people were involved in the incident, but only one of them was a suicide bomber.

Bomb fell from aircraft near Ratangarh Mata Temple amid Russia-Ukraine war, people shocked

Man did not come from Ukraine itself sent the dog to India

Russian rocket fell on father's grave, Ukrainian flared up
The number of refugees who left Ukraine after Russia launched a full-scale war on February 24 has exceeded 1.5 million people, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said on Saturday.

"More than 1.5 million refugees from Ukraine have crossed into neighbouring countries in 10 days  the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II," he said in Twitter.
Dissatisfaction and demoralization among the Russian occupation forces are growing. The Kremlin is not willing to admit its fiasco yet, but this time is almost here.

The relevant statement was made by Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov on his Facebook page, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

The situation on the positions is controlled. Indeed, we have losses. But, each name, each Hero will be remembered. Same as each murderer will not be forgotten. We understand the value of life and freedom. The life of each Ukrainian is priceless, Reznikov wrote.

In certain directions, Ukrainian defenders are starting to counterattack. The enemy is losing dozens of machinery units, simply leaving them and running away.

This way we are replenishing our vehicle fleet. The enemy will die from their own weapons. The Kremlin is not willing to admit its fiasco yet, but this time is almost here. Dissatisfaction and demoralization among the Russian occupation forces are growing. They are starting to see things clearly, just as some Russian oligarchs, Reznikov noted.

In his words, the enemy continues to suffer significant losses. More than 90 aircrafts and helicopters were destroyed. Several enemy pilots were taken captive, and they will be important witnesses at the future military tribunal.

The enemy was stopped in Kyiv and Kharkiv, and thrown back in Mykolaiv. Odesa is our strategic reserve. The replenishment of enemy forces will become more and more complicated, and its quality will be worse, Reznikov stressed.

According to him, the Kremlin has finally rejected attempts to hide its intentions.

They came to destroy our country, destroy our people. They will not succeed. They are conducting a war against women and children. They failed to defeat the defenders of Kharkiv, and they started to fight against Kharkiv University. Russians are common terrorists. And terrorists will be liquidated. [] We are making every effort to ensure humanitarian corridors, get our people out of shelling, provide the delivery of humanitarian aid, Reznikov added.

A reminder that, on February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, starting a war. Russian troops are killing civilians, shelling and destroying the key infrastructure facilities, launching missile strikes on residential houses.

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The Russian military left the territory of the Borodianka psycho-neurological boarding school, Head of Kyiv Regional State Administration Oleksiy Kuleba has said.

"The special unit, which entered this school at about 13:00, has now released people, left the premises, but they did not leave the territory of the settlement," Kuleba said on Ukrainian TV channels.

Earlier on Saturday, Kuleba admitted that the Borodianka psycho-neurological boarding school had been captured by Russian troops, who were firing artillery from there at the positions of the Ukrainian army.

"Information came from Borodianka that today a unit of Kadyrov's people has entered the territory of the local psycho-neurological boarding school! They mined all the approaches to the boarding school and now they are firing artillery at the positions of the Ukrainian army from there," Kuleba wrote earlier on the Telegram channel.
Laura Ingraham (Kate McKinnon), Tucker Carlson (Alex Moffat) and Donald Trump (James Austin Johnson) (Saturday Night Live/Twitter)

Saturday Night Live kicked off its 5 March show with a pointed satire of Fox News enthusiastic coverage of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, dubbed the Fox News Ukrainian Invasion Celebration Spectacular.

Ostensibly broadcast from former President Trumps Florida estate Mar-a-Lago, the sketch was hosted by Kate McKinnon and Alex Moffat, who played Fox hosts Laura Ingraham and Tucker Carlson respectively.

We got into a little bit of trouble for all the nice things we said about Russia and the mean things we said about Ukraine, Moffats Carlson said. I kept asking why do we hate Putin? Arent liberals in America even worse?

The pair were joined by James Austin Johnson, who sang My Funny Valentine in character as Donald Trump, dedicating his performance to to Russian leader Vladimir Putin: Vladimir, I want you to hear this from me. You is smart, you is kind, you is important. And here is a little song from me to you.

The sketch also starred Bowen Yang as Steven Seagal, who claimed he was Eskimo brothers with Putin, while Mikey Day and Cecily Strong appeared as Donald Trump Jr and Kimberly Guilfoyle to sing a reworked version of Lady Gaga and Bradley Coopers Shallow.

McKinnons Ingraham added that their televised special would raise money for the real victims of this invasion: the oligarchs.

The 5 March episode of Saturday Night Live was hosted by Oscar Isaac, who was making his debut in the role. The musical guest was Charli XCX, who had originally been set to perform back on 18 December before that show, hosted by Paul Rudd, was drastically downsized due to the surge of the Omicron variant of the Covid-19 pandemic.

XCX also appeared in a sketch, playing a singing meatball.
By Trend

Turkey evacuates 273 more citizens from Ukraine, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavushoglu wrote on his Twitter page, Trend reports citing Turkish media.

According to him, the number of evacuated Turkish citizens has reached 11,496 people.

The minister noted that work on the safe evacuation of Turkish citizens continues.
WHO officially recognizes attacks on Ukrainian doctors in Ukraine that led to casualties  media

The World Health Organization (WHO) officially confirms several attacks on healthcare facilities in Ukraine and is investigating reports of more attacks, European Pravda reported on Sunday.

"WHO has confirmed several attacks on health care in Ukraine, causing multiple deaths and injuries. Additional reports are being investigated," WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Twitter.

In a short official statement on this matter, Ghebreyesus did not name those responsible for the attacks or even mention the Russian Federation, but noted a violation of international law. "Attacks on healthcare facilities or workers breach medical neutrality and are violations of international humanitarian law," he said.
Lazio region responds to emergency in Ukraine.

Around 500 doctors, nurses and healthcare workers have responded to a call from Italy's central Lazio region around Rome seeking to recruit medical staff to help people affected by the war in Ukraine, reports Italian newspaper La Repubblica.

The appeal from regional health authorities sought healthcare professionals "interested in collaborating, through the international coordination agencies, in healthcare activities in the areas affected by the conflict as well as in neighbouring countries."

Among the 500 medics in Lazio who signed up were 172 paediatricians, offering their expertise for free in Italy or by going to conflict areas, La Repubblica reports.

The plan, which for now is a declaration of availability on behalf of healthcare workers, is pending co-ordination at a national level.

There are also concerns about the low level of covid vaccination among those entering Italy from Ukraine, with the Lazio region setting up a vaccination hub and testing centre at Rome's Termini station especially for Ukrainian refugees.

Last week the Gimbe Foundation, a public health think tank, said the 63.8 per cent of unvaccinated Ukrainians "should not be underestimated", calling for the Italian government to include vaccination as part of its plans to welcome refugees.

Crisis units to help refugees have been established both in Rome and Lazio whose governor Nicola Zingaretti told reporters on Saturday that the "region has sent a shipment of medicines to Ukraine in recent days and will guarantee Ukrainian students who want to stay in Lazio the possibility of doing so."

Humanitarian efforts to help Ukrainians affected by the Russian invasion include growing numbers of people in Rome and around Italy donating medicine, food and clothes to be sent to Ukraine.
Boris Johnson is facing demands for an investigation today over claims he intervened to help a Russian newspaper owner get a seat in the house of Lords.

Security services said granting a peerage to Evgeny Lebedev, the owner of the Evening Standard and Independent, in 2020 posed a risk to national security.

But it was reported today that MI5 and MI6 withdrew their opposition after the direct intervention of Mr Johnson, who accused them of 'anti-Russianism'.

Mr Lebedev, 41, whose father is the former KGB agent Alexander Lebedev, took his seat in December 2020 as Baron Lebedev of Hampton and Siberia.

Labour today demanded a probe into the claims made in the Sunday Times, with Keir Starmer saying: 'I'm very concerned about that story, because it goes to the heart of national security and there's at least the suggestion that the Government and the Prime Minister were warned that there was a national security risk in this particular appointment.

'I think, in the circumstances, what the appropriate thing is for the Intelligence and Security Committee, which is a cross-party committee in Parliament that can have access to confidential material - I think this case should be referred to that committee so they can look into this story.'

But Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said there was 'a very strict and stringent process when anyone is granted a peerage' when asked about Evgeny Lebedev's elevation to the House of Lords.

Mr Raab told the BBC's Sunday Morning programme: 'I don't know the facts of the case, I wasn't involved in it. But I do know that it was applied very rigorously in this case.'

He added: 'This was done properly and correctly, and we have procedures and systems in place to make sure it is.'

Lord Lebedev last week made an appeal to Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine via the Standard.

In a front page letter he condemned the invasion and 'pleaded' with him to 'save the world from annihilation'.

Security services said granting a peerage to Evgeny Lebedev, the owner of the Evening Standard and Independent, in 2020 posed a risk to national security.

It was reported today that MI5 and MI6 withdrew their opposition after the direct intervention of Mr Johnson, who accused them of 'anti-Russianism'.

Lord Lebedev last week made an appeal to Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine via the Standard.

He moved to London aged eight to be with his billionaire father, Alexander, and has remained in the UK ever since.

The money raised by the Mail Force charity  in record-breaking time  has already been put to good use, with mothers and children arriving over the border to Slovakia yesterday greeted by aid workers funded by our generous readers

Lord Lebedev,who was born in Russia, is a friend of the PM and was part of a peerages list which included the Conservative leader's close political allies, party donors and his own brother, Jo.

He moved to London aged eight to be with his billionaire father, Alexander, and has remained in the UK ever since.

In 2009, the pair bought a 65 per cent stake in the Evening Standard. A year later, he bought The Independent and launched the i newspaper.

After being made a peer he condemns the 'snobbery and casual racism' of critics who accused him of being one of the Prime Minister's 'cronies'.

He told the Mail on Sunday at the time: 'This is a racism that considers the House of Lords to be no place for someone such as me.'

The Sunday Times reported today that the House of Lords Appointments Commission (Holac) advised Mr Johnson against granting the peerage in March 2020, based on an assessment by the security services.

A source told the paper: 'Their initial advice was that they considered that there could be a threat to national security ... There was some security concern about the whole situation.'

But by June 2020, after Mr Johnson's personal involvement, it is alleged that the security concerns were withdrawn. Asked if the intelligence assessment seemed to have changed the source said: 'Yes it did. It did. What the intelligence would say was, that with the extra information it got, they felt it wasn't as big a threat as they had initially thought.'

Lord Lebedev told the Sunday Times 'all' the claims were incorrect and its questions did not 'merit an answer'.

Last week the crossbench peer used the front page of his London newspaper to reach out to Putin.

In a statement published alongside a photograph of a paramedic performing CPR on a girl injured by shelling, Lord Lebedev said: 'On this page are the final minutes of a six-year-old child fatally injured by shells that struck her Mariupol apartment block on Sunday.

'She is still wearing her pink jacket as medics fight to save her. But it is too late. Other children, and other families, are suffering similar fates across Ukraine.

'As a Russian citizen I plead with you to stop Russians killing their Ukrainian brothers and sisters.'

A government spokeswoman said: 'All individuals nominated for a peerage are done so in recognition of their contribution to society and all peerages are vetted by the House of Lords Appointments Commission.'
A Ukrainian peace negotiator has been shot dead ahead of the latest round of talks to end the war amid claims he was a Russian spy.

Ukraine's Ministry of Defence said Denis Kireev, 45, was a spy and former banker who was killed during an operation to 'defend the nation'.

After his death, the government hailed him as a 'hero' but MPs claimed he was shot and killed by Ukraine's security service after resisting arrest on suspicion of 'treason'.

Mr Kireev was pictured sat on the Ukrainian side of the negotiating table during last week's peace talks with Russia on February 28, despite not being on the official delegation list, and his role at the summit is unclear.

Both Russia and Ukraine have made claims about his alleged spying activities, each blaming him of working for the other side.

Denis Kireev, 45, was shot and killed yesterday after he was reportedly suspected of spying on behalf of the Russians

Last month, he was pictured sat on the Ukrainian side of the negotiating table during a summit with Russia on February 28

Ukraine war latest: at a glance Boris Johnson has drawn up a six-point plan to defeat Vladimir Putin as he moves to assume leadership of global efforts to end the horror of war in Ukraine.

A second attempt to evacuate Mariupol failed today after Ukraine accused the Russians of shelling the city as citizens attempted to flee through a 'humanitarian corridor'.

More than 1.5million refugees have now fled Ukraine for neighbouring countries since Vladimir Putin invaded, United Nations figures have shown.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says missiles have struck and completely destroyed Vinnytsia regional airport, and urges NATO to close the airspace and make a no-fly zone.

The Pope deplored 'rivers of blood' in Ukraine as he demanded humanitarian corridors.

Elon Musk held a video call with Volodymyr Zelensky as he promised to bolster his Starlink satellite support for the war-torn country, as he tweeted: 'Hold strong Ukraine.'

A Ukrainian peace negotiator is reported to have been shot dead amid claims he might have been a spy for the Russians. The reports are unconfirmed.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday held new telephone talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Elysee said.

More than 1,700 people in cities across Russia have been detained while taking part in anti-war protests against the country's invasion of Ukraine, a monitor said, more than a week after the assault began.

Russian pilots have been filmed saying they were 'following orders' after their aircraft was shot down over Ukraine.

The deputy minister of defence for Belarus has submitted his resignation and claimed he cannot support the current Russian invasion of Ukraine.

BBC World News has been taken OFF AIR in Russia  two days after Putin approved law that could lock up journalists for 15 years for spreading fake information. Advertisement

Russian newspaper Pravda reported that Ukraine's security service had 'clear evidence' of his suspected treason, which included telephone conversations.

An official statement from Ukraine's Ministry of Defence said: 'During the execution of special tasks, three spies were killed - employees of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

'The fate of Alexei Ivanovich, Chibineev Valery Viktorovich, Denis Borisovich Kireev.

'They perished defending Ukraine, and their rank brought us closer to victory!

'We express our sincere condolences to the families of the victims.

'Heroes do not die! They live as long as we remember them!

'Glory to Ukraine! Glory to heroes!'

Photographs were posted online yesterday allegedly showing Mr Kireev dead before rumours that he was spying for Russia began circulating.

Russia claimed he was killed by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), while senior Ukrainian politicians claimed he died while in SBU detention.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has drawn up a six-point plan to defeat Vladimir Putin as he moves to assume leadership of global efforts to end the horror in Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin has faced an unprecedented wave of international fury for offering safe passage to Ukrainian refugees  only to bombard them with artillery as they fled.

Some 200,000 civilians had been set to leave the port city of Mariupol and 15,000 from Volnovakha in eastern Ukraine at 7am yesterday (UK time) as part of a temporary ceasefire deal overseen by the Red Cross.

However, just 400 refugees managed to flee Volnovakha before the ceasefire was shattered.

The Prime Minister led the condemnation of Russia and said the world must unite under his plan to thwart the aggression.

In his action plan, Mr Johnson called for: the creation of an international humanitarian coalition for Ukraine; a boost to Kyiv's military self-defence; a ratcheting up of sanctions on Moscow; concerted diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the crisis; and 'a rapid campaign to strengthen security and resilience across the Euro-Atlantic area'.

In addition, Mr Johnson wants to combat 'the creeping normalisation of what Russia is doing in Ukraine' as he fears that the shock value of Putin's actions will start to fade.

It comes as dramatic footage emerged yesterday of the final moments of Russian attack helicopter shot down by Ukrainian soldiers over a rural village around 25 miles outside Kyiv.

After Mr Kireev's death, the government hailed him as a 'hero' but MPs claimed he was shot and killed by Ukraine's security service after resisting arrest on suspicion of 'treason'

The Mi-24 was struck by a rocket before plummeting to the earth, hitting the ground nose-first, with all its pilots and navigators feared killed.

Their deaths came on a day when Russian aerial forces lost as many as eight aircraft, as well as multi-role, strike and close air support aircraft and a drone.

And in another remarkable development yesterday, Putin came under pressure from his own soldiers to stop the war.

At a press conference in Kyiv, captured Russian troops condemned the mission and called on their fellow citizens to rally against the conflict.
The Kremlin is 'preparing' to pound Odessa and 'choke' off its lifeline as a ceasefire is called for the besieged city of Mariupol - amid fears Putin could blast the escape route of refugees with airstrikes for a second time.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky today warned that Russian forces are preparing to shell Odessa - a historic port city on the Black Sea coast.

Russia has made progress in southern Ukraine since its invasion 11 days ago, overrunning the city of Kherson and shelling the port of Mariupol, but Odessa has so far been largely spared.

In a video address, the Ukrainian leader said: 'They are preparing to bomb Odessa. Odessa"

'Russians have always come to Odessa. They have always felt only warmth in Odessa. Only sincerity. And now what? Bombs against Odessa? Artillery against Odessa? Missiles against Odessa?

'It will be a war crime. It will be a historical crime.'

Almost a million people live in Odessa, a cosmopolitan harbour on Ukraine's southern coast with both Ukrainian and Russian speakers and Bulgarian and Jewish minorities.

Analysts have previously said that taking Odessa would be a huge strategic victory and would give Russia a chokehold on Ukraine's economy.

Meanwhile, attempts to evacuate civilians from Mariupol will restart on Sunday after similar efforts yesterday were scuppered by Russian bombing just 45 minutes after a ceasefire was agreed.

Some 400,000 residents will begin to be evacuated from 12pm today, with the agreement in place until 9pm, according to the city council of Mariupol.

People will be able to use private transport to travel out the city, currently encircled by Russian troops, and will be accompanied by the Red Cross, while deviating from the set route is prohibited.

The city council has said: 'We ask all drivers leaving the city to facilitate the evacuation of civilians as much as possible - take people with you, fill the transport as much as possible.'

According to aid agency Doctors Without Borders (MSF) the humanitarian situation in Mariupol, a key target for the Russian invasion forces, is currently 'catastrophic' with no power or water in civilian homes.

They have called for a 'humanitarian corridor' to be imposed 'very quickly'.

Separately, on Sunday, the head of Kyiv-controlled Lugansk regional administration, said a train would be organised to evacuate women, children and the elderly from Lysychansk.

Lysychansk is near the frontline between Ukrainian forces and Moscow-backed separatists, who are fighting to link up with the Russian forces and control the entire southeast.

If Russian forces succeed in capturing Mariupol which held out against rebel forces in the previous 2014 conflict, they will control Ukraine's entire Azov Sea coast.

This would give them a landbridge from Russia to Russian-annexed Crimea and an important supply route and port if they decide to push north in a bid to take all of eastern Ukraine.

A safe passage out the nearby city of Volnovakha has also been offered after failed efforts on Saturday.

People cross on an improvised path under a bridge that was destroyed by a Russian airstrike, while fleeing the town of Irpin, Ukraine, on Saturday

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky (pictured) today warned that Russian forces are preparing to shell Odessa - a historic port city on the Black Sea coast

People place a man in a wheelchair in the back of an SUV after crossing on an improvised path under a bridge that was destroyed by a Russian airstrike, as people flee the town of Irpin, Ukraine, on Saturday

Women hold hands while crossing the Irpin river on an improvised path under a bridge that was destroyed by a Russian airstrike

Ukrainians crowd under a destroyed bridge as they try to flee across the Irpin River in the outskirts of Kyiv

Raab rules out no-fly zone in Ukraine Dominic Raab again ruled out imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine, saying this would lead to a 'massive escalation' and would feed into the Russian president's narrative. He told Sky News's Trevor Phillips on Sunday programme: 'We're not going to get ourselves into a direct military conflict with Putin because that would be a massive escalation, but also that feeds Putin's narrative. 'Putin wants to say that he's actually in a struggle with the west - he's not'. He called no-fly zones 'very difficult, very challenging' and said 'we will do everything short of that to support Ukrainians'. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said his party supports the Government but he wants to see them going "further and faster". Sir Keir told ITV News: "Everybody understands why we can't have a no-fly zone, why direct military assistance is not possible. That means sanctions have to be the strongest we have ever seen, the most effective we've ever seen. And in order for sanctions to work, you need to know what property the oligarchs have got here in the United Kingdom. Advertisement

Some 200,000 civilians were set to leave Mariupol and a further 15,000 from Volnovakha at 7am (UK time) as part of a temporary ceasefire deal overseen by the Red Cross on Saturday.

Under the agreement, the refugees had five hours to flee the cities and evacuate westwards along humanitarian corridors.

But just 400 refugees managed to flee Volnovakha before the ceasefire was shattered. It is unclear how many  if any  families escaped Mariupol.

The total number of people fleeing Russia's invasion reached 1.5 million in just ten days on Sunday, making it Europe's 'fastest growing refugee crisis' since World War Two, the United Nations said.

In comments carried on Ukrainian television, Mariupol mayor Vadym Boychenko said thousands of people had gathered for safe passage out of the city and buses were departing when shelling began.

'We value the life of every inhabitant of Mariupol and we cannot risk it, so we stopped the evacuation,' he said.

Before Russia announced the ceasefire, Ukraine had urged Moscow to create humanitarian corridors to allow children, women and the older adults to flee the fighting, calling them 'question number one'.

The UK's Ministry of Defence later said the ceasefire offer was likely to have been a ploy to distract attention away from it resetting its forces for a renewed attack.

Ukrainian authorities accused the Russians of the shelling, but Moscow's defence ministry accuses the city's defenders of exploiting a 'human shield'.

It comes as supply issues and logistical problems have been plaguing Russian advances for a number of days as Ukrainian forces continue to put up stiff resistance and hold key cities.

As the slow progress infuriates Putin, Moscow has been forced to deny it is targeting civilian areas.

Dominic Raab said today that Putin's army leaders in Ukraine could join him in jail for war crimes if they follow 'illegal orders' - as he warned the conflict could drag on for years.

The Deputy Prime Minister said economic sanctions had 'put the squeeze' on the Russia leader, which was forcing him to use 'evermore brutal tactics' to achieve a quick result.

Britain has already called for Mr Putin to face warn crimes prosecution, with reports of illegal weapons like cluster bombs and possibly thermobaric weapons being used.

Appearing on television this morning Mr Raab said Ukrainian forces have 'proved a far tougher prospect than Putin expected' and that military commanders could also be prosecuted if they did not refuse orders.

'I think we ought to be under no doubt that our mission with our allies is to ensure Putin fails in Ukraine, and it's going to take some time,' Mr Raab said.

'We're talking about months, if not years, and therefore we will have to show some strategic stamina because this is not going to be over in days.'

He added: 'For all of those commanders on the ground right through to the people around Putin in the Kremlin, what they do now, whether they give or whether they follow illegal orders to commit war crimes, they will be held to account for it, and they need to know that.'

Mr Raab also again ruled out imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine, saying this would lead to a 'massive escalation' and would feed into the Russian president's narrative

Refugees, mostly women with children, arrive at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland, on Sunday

Refugees wrapped in blankets try to keep warm as they try to escape the ongoing conflict in Ukraine

A child wrapped in a blanket and woolly hat attempts to keep warm as his family waits to cross the border into Poland

A man with a child in his arms at the Porubne border crossing on Saturday

People lie on the floor of a hospital during shelling by Russian forces in Mariupol on Saturday, when efforts to evacuate residents were scuppered by bombing

His appearance followed Putin's warning yesterday that ongoing resistance is putting Ukrainian statehood in jeopardy and sanctions imposed by the West sanctions are akin to 'declaring war'.

He continued to pin the blame for the war squarely on the Ukrainian leadership and slammed their resistance to the invasion.

The Russian leader said: 'If they continue to do what they are doing, they are calling into question the future of Ukrainian statehood. And if this happens, it will be entirely on their conscience.'

He also hit out at Western sanctions that have crippled Russia's economy and sent the value of its currency tumbling.

Putin added: 'These sanctions that are being imposed, they are akin to declaring war. But thank God, we haven't got there yet.'

But Russia's financial system suffered yet another blow late on Saturday as Mastercard and Visa announced they were suspending operations in the country.

It comes as some of Putin's own soldiers remarkable called on Russia to stop the war yesterday.

At a press conference in Kyiv, captured Russian troops condemned the mission and called on their fellow citizens to rally against the conflict.

Andrey Chuvatarevsky, a soldier who served on a contract basis in the Moscow region, said: 'Russians, do everything possible to stop this war. Neither Ukraine nor Russia needs this war. Only Putin needs this war.

The stricken Mi-24 plummets to the earth, hitting the ground nose-first, with all her pilots and navigators feared killed

This handout picture released by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine on March 5, 2022, shows what is said the wreckage of a Russian military aircraft on the outskirts of the city of Chernihiv

'Try to inform the President, drive the military away from the equipment so that they don't drive and bomb the civilian population. If you take to the streets, the President will decide to withdraw the troops. Then there will be no war.'

Fellow captured soldier Mikhail Kulikov warned that Ukrainian children were suffering: 'People of Russia, stand up. Your children are here. Children of the Ukrainian people are also suffering here. There is no need to be afraid.

'The Ukrainian people are not afraid of anyone. They will stand up for their land to the last. I also have two small children at home, to whom I do not know if I will get. Parents, block the roads, do not let your children go, do everything to make the Russian troops turn back.'

The two men were among ten soldiers who spoke at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine yesterday. They had voluntarily surrendered and each noted that they had received good treatment and the chance to contact their relatives.
Washington: Sirajuddin Haqqani, a $10 million bounty from the US and acting Home Minister of the Taliban, has made an unusual public appearance, saying policemen accused of misconduct and misconduct in Afghanistan are about to be punished. For the first time, a picture of Haqqani was circulated on the official channels of the Taliban government, in which his face is clearly visible.

A photo was also released in October last year, but the faces of some Taliban commanders, including Haqqani, were blurred. A recent picture of Haqqani is said to be of a ceremony held on Saturday to mark the completion of training of police trainees. During the ceremony, 377 men and women who completed the training were given certificates.

Spoke to the media for the first time- Haqqani spoke to the media for the first time since he was named home minister. Speaking at the function, Haqqani said that legal proceedings have been initiated against the policemen who committed crimes against Afghan nationals. He admitted that when Taliban fighters were engaged in policing, they had also misbehaved with civilians, but now they are being trained.

On the issue of the ban on girls and women, Haqqani has said that under the Taliban rule, Afghan women will be able to go to work and girls will also be able to go to school. This time she said, "Our sisters are also present at this ceremony. They are being given a certificate of training and will be given a posting soon. However, she did not specify how many women had received training.

Islamic State claims responsibility for Shia mosque blast, death toll crosses 60

Terror incidents increasing rapidly in Pak, Bilawal said this for PM Imran

Bomb fell from aircraft near Ratangarh Mata Temple amid Russia-Ukraine war, people shocked
Lexington students to be featured on TV's 'Academic Challenge'

A team from Lexington will be featured on "Academic Challenge" on WEWS-TV. They are (seated L to R) Katie Sheridan, Maggie Sheridan and Tommy Secrist.

A team from Lexington won its game on the high school quiz show "Academic Challenge," which airs on WEWS-TV (Channel 5) in Cleveland. Competing were Katie Sheridan, Maggie Sheridan and Tommy Secrist. Their adviser is Sally Giefer.

Their match against Northwest and Holy Name will air at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday (March 12).

Currently, Lexington's Academic Challenge teams are performing extremely well in the winter league. The varsity team of Seth Dahlhausen, Wes Holtz, Tommy Secrist, Katie Sheridan and Maggie Sheridan averaged 31 points per match and currently hold first place. The JV team of Russell Cole, Jen Covel, Chloe Dean, Jacob Halfhill, Grant Mentzer and Matthew Ward averaged 25 points per match and lead their bracket by 57 points.

A group of volunteers who provided more than 18 hours of service each to the monthly Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio Mobile Food Pantry events were recognized prior to the February 2022 distribution by the Galion City Schools and the City of Galion. Those recognized included, from left, Beth Ann Jones, Sheri McMullen, Jerry Myers, Cindy Wallis, Gina Redman, Adair Pittman, Lupe Campo, Heidi Wolfe (Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio) and Tim Mantey.

Volunteers recognized for helping Galion Mobile Food Pantry events

GALION  The Galion City Schools, in partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio and the City of Galion, recognized a group of Galion community members who have played an important role in the monthly Mobile Food Pantry program on Feb. 23.

Community volunteers who contributed 18-plus hours of their time and effort to the community each received a certificate of appreciation from the school district and a specially designed T-shirt designating them as Community Champions.

Among the many volunteers who helped in 2021, a total of eight Galion community members gave 18-plus hours each to helping with the program. These individuals included: Gina Redman (27 hours), Jerry Myers (27 hours), Beth Ann Jones (24 hours), Adair Pittman (21 hours), Lupe Campo (21 hours), Sherri McMullen (18 hours), Tim Mantey (18 hours) and Cindy Wallis (18 hours).

At Galion, between 20 and 25 volunteers are needed for optimum operation. Volunteers take different roles, including guiding traffic, registering community members and loading food.

Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio and the Galion City Schools, with financial support from the City of Galion, were able to distribute more than 341,000 pounds of food, totaling more than 122,000 meals for nearly 4,700 families in Galion and Crawford County.

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Contact Violeta Chinni at 419-709-4488 or email chinni.violeta@moesc.net for more information about volunteering opportunities.

Morgan Welch

Crestview student wins Firelands Electric Cooperative scholarship

Morgan Welch of Crestview High School was selected as the first-place winner of an $1,800 scholarship from Firelands Electric Cooperative. Welch is now eligible to participate in a statewide contest on April 12 for the chance to compete for additional scholarships worth up to $3,900.

Firelands' fifth-place winner of $1,000 is Allyson Gatchall of Tri-County International Baccalaureate Academy.

Several other students from Willard, Loudonville, Seneca East, New London, Ashland and Hillsdale were also awarded scholarships.

Firelands Electric offers its scholarship contest annually to graduating high school seniors who reside in a home served by the cooperative.

Coburn Gallery to host Art Saturdays for children

ASHLAND  Ashland Universitys Coburn Gallery has established Art Saturdays, an educational and creative experience for children. The first Art Saturdays of the year will be a class, titled Under the Sea, from 10 a.m. to noon on March 26.

Under the Sea will guide children through a variety of sea-themed art activities. The class is for children ages 6-10 years old with a $10 art fee per child. All supplies are included and class sizes are limited. Pre-registration is required. All proceeds benefit the Ashland Cat House.

For more information or to register your child for classes, contact the Coburn Gallery at cpetry@ashland.edu.

Samaritan Hospital Foundation scholarship applications now available

ASHLAND  The Board of Directors of Samaritan Hospital Foundation is once again offering scholastic awards to persons residing in Ashland County or UH Samaritan Medical Center employees or a member of their immediate family. To be eligible, applicants must be cuenrolled or accepted in an accredited program in the areas of nursing, medicine or allied medical studies.

Completed applications must be returned with appropriate grade transcripts by April 15 to the Samaritan Hospital Foundation, Attn: Mona Campbell, at 663 E. Main St., Ashland. Recipients will be notified in late May.

Scholastic Award applications for the 2022-23 academic year are available at samaritanhospitalfoundation.org. Applications are also available at Samaritan or by contacting the Foundation office at 419-207-7900.

CRF Museum invites public to explore Germany and Austria

LOUDONVILLE  The Cleo Redd Fisher Museum in Loudonville has announced a group tour to the German state of Bavaria and neighboring Austrian region of Salzburg, slated for this December. The tour is designed to give guests an introductory welcome to one of the most popular regions of Germany and includes numerous historic and cultural landmarks from the medieval, renaissance and world war eras.

Guests also have the option to extend their stay beyond the advertised tour, scheduled for Dec. 1-7. Packages start at just $1,995 per person.

The museum is accepting registrations until the Early Bird discounted deadline on March 31 and the final deadline on April 30. Space is limited.

Interested persons are encouraged to visit crfmuseum.com/travel for more details. Anyone with questions is welcome to contact the museum at 419-994-4050 or info@crfmuseum.com.

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Life briefs: Lexington on 'Academic Challenge,' Galion volunteers
WATERLOO  Best-selling young adult novelist Nic Stone had no interest in the books assigned in her high school classes, she recently told West High freshmen gathered at the Waterloo Convention Center.

When I was in ninth grade, I hated to read. You couldnt pay me to read, the 36-year-old Black woman said.

Among those assignments were ancient Greek epic poems the Odyssey and Iliad and they were super boring. She never saw characters that were like me in books.

At best, there were Black male characters who were falsely accused of a crime or runaway slaves. Even many of the Black women characters she encountered in novels during college didnt connect with her. That changed about a decade ago when Stone picked up the Divergent series and read about Christina  a character she described as brown-skinned, sassy and brutally honest.

Those books inspired her journey that led to becoming a writer. In 2017, her debut novel Dear Martin became a New York Times best-seller.

Waterloo Community Schools ninth-graders just read the book  and on Wednesday the West High School students got to hear from Stone in person. East and Expo high school students heard her speak Tuesday. In both appearances, she talked about her novel and addressed the question How do words inspire change?

Thats an essential question in the districts curriculum for freshman English language arts. It also relates to the ninth-grade theme of student voice/self expression for LifeLab, which was kicked off at the high school level with the event.

The LifeLab program began at the elementary schools in 2018-19 with the aim of providing experiential- and service-learning opportunities to all Waterloo Schools students every year, from preschool through 12th-grade when fully implemented.

The program itself aligns classroom conversations with applied or hands-on learning, said Amy Hunzelman, the districts coordinator of experiential learning. So, its taking what theyre already doing in the classroom and bringing it to life.

Its initial funding has been through a three-year $1.5 million grant from the R.J. McElroy Trust. Hunzelman was hired last spring to lead the program, replacing original coordinator Madelyn Ridgeway. Before taking the position, she spent 18 years as director of education for Kaleidoscope at the University of Northern Iowa, which partners with schools to bring children to the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center for performances at a low cost.

Reaching all students

Hunzelman was really drawn to the LifeLab opportunity because of the deeper connection it provides for students to receive hands-on experiential learning in an equitable manner. Being able to reach all the students was really intriguing and quite remarkable, she said.

Its rare for a district the size of Waterloo Schools to provide a preschool through 12th-grade experience for all students every year, Hunzelman noted. It gets student to understand our local community a little better, but also see opportunities.

Waterloo Schools was able to pause the program during the last school year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, making this the third year of funding. Hunzelman said the district will still have a portion of the grant money remaining to use next year and then federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief dollars will be used to fund it.

It hasnt been determine how much in ESSER money will be allocated for the program every year. Were still working through those details, she explained.

On Thursday, LifeLab was also started for another district grade level.

The inaugural event for all sophomores, whose theme is work-based learning, was held at the University of Northern Iowas Maucker Union. With the help of the SHIPHT Youth Opportunity Accelerator, students participated in a summit where they explored career and technical education and entrepreneurship. Among the speakers and workshop leaders who took part were Sashay Carroll, an associate producer for CNN, and Keyaira Miller, product development manager for Amazon.

So, its a busy, fun, exciting week to launch the high school, said Hunzelman. Were excited to bring the classrooms outside to multiple partnerships.

Plans are in the works for an 11th grade LifeLab experience with the theme of financial literacy. The program will start next year for 12th-graders, who will have a capstone theme.

Themed activities

She noted that the unique themes at each grade help to shape activities the students participate in. For example, the fourth-graders theme is travel. This year, they visited the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium in Dubuque and went on a river cruise.

Other themes include transportation and safety for preschoolers, farm and agriculture for kindergartners, world language immersion for first-graders, ecology for second-graders, My Waterloo for third-graders, environment for fifth-graders, transitions and team building for sixth-graders, motion for seventh-graders and college experience for eighth-graders.

Those grade-level themes are determined with a planning committee and teachers, said Hunzelman. They choose topics based on what makes the most sense to enhance the curriculum with all of the students.

The ninth-grade theme ties in well with English classes, making an address by Stone a great fit for the students LifeLab experience.

Being able to meet first-hand an author in person is quite remarkable, said Hunzelman.

Stone told the students the book manuscripts she submitted to publishers got rejected so many times that the agent she worked with at one point fired her. She was in the right place at the right time to get the opportunity that led to writing Dear Martin.

After her keynote address, students participated in breakout workshops taught by University of Iowa graduate students exploring the self expression theme in various ways such as writing, drama, dance, music, visual art and marketing.

West freshman Jahlil Manago said he enjoyed seeing the author speak and is interested in her book. Manago is one of a number of students who hasnt been assigned to read the book because he is in advanced English, taking a 10th-grade class this year.

I really liked the advice that she gave at the end, he noted, suggesting it applies to a lot of aspects for many professions students may aspire to.

Those who want to write professionally, Stone advised, should be avid readers. They should take time to write for the sake of writing along with watching and listening to the people around them. She also encouraged students to take their own ideas and experiences seriously.

The things that you say are vital. Everytime you walk into a room you change it, said Stone.

You as an individual have a story. You are creating a story.
Major General Rick Devereaux is a retired Air Force officer and the Secretary and Past President of the Rotary Club of Asheville.

Unfortunately the COVID-19 pandemic that has gripped the world for the past two years has often been viewed through a political lens, particularly in our own country. Individual perceptions about the seriousness of the disease, the merits of mask policies, school closures, treatment regimens, and the efficacy of vaccines have been influenced more by ones political tribe or ideology than science or expert judgment.

For instance, a November 2021 Kaiser Family Foundation study found that unvaccinated adults were three times more likely to lean Republican than Democrat. In essence partisanship mattered more than any other demographic factor in predicting whether someone got the vaccine.

What makes this so discouraging is the stark contrast between the lethality of COVID-19 and the ease of preventing its most severe manifestations. The pandemic has killed almost one million Americans, more than the 1918 flu and approaching the total number of Americans who have died in all of its wars. This horrific reality is dumbfounded by the fact that the vast majority of these deaths could have been prevented. The vaccines that have been widely available over the past 12 months effectively prevent hospitalizations and death in all but a tiny portion of the population. Yet despite this, over one third of Americans and Buncombe County residents remain unvaccinated, choosing to believe misinformation in their political or cultural news feeds over experts and science.

Because of this politicization of various COVID-19 mitigation strategies and vaccinations, many civic organizations and nonprofit groups have shied away from taking a stand, choosing against wading into a controversial area that might produce unintended consequences for membership or fundraising.

One organization that has rejected such caution is Rotary International, the global service organization comprised of 1.2 million members in over 200 countries. While understanding that many of its U.S. members remain unvaccinated, Rotary recently released a statement providing unambiguous support for the COVID-19 vaccine.

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Rotary sees the decision to vaccinate as a humanitarian and civic imperative, asserting that global vaccination is the path to ending the pandemic and the emergence of new variants. Rotary clubs around the world have been charged to set good examples by being exemplary role models and redoubling their efforts to support COVID-19 vaccination.

Rotarys statement is all the more significant given its conservative nature, the business orientation of many of its members, and a historical tendency to avoid controversy.

So why did Rotary come out with such a strong stance?

Its simple. For the past 35 years, Rotary has been in the forefront in promoting vaccinations to fight disease, highlighted by its signature campaign against polio. As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, Rotarys $2.1 billion in donations from its members, combined with its global vaccination distribution program, has driven down polio cases by 99.9%, saving an estimated 19 million children from permanent paralysis. Rotary and its partners are nearly at the finish line in this fight against polio. Only five cases of wild poliovirus were reported globally in 2021, all contained to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Rotary knows that vaccinations work and maintains that we can apply the lessons we have learned in fighting polio to the efforts in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite this strong Rotary International position, Rotary is not monolithic. While support for this position likely varies among Rotarians in our region, the two largest clubs in Western North Carolina are on board. The Rotary Club of Asheville, the oldest and largest club in the region, is proactively promoting the policy, even funding a billboard campaign due to launch on March 14.

Club president Katherine Morosani says, Our club stands proudly with Rotary in promoting COVID-19 vaccines for every eligible person. Vaccines worked to crush polio; they can do the same for COVID-19. Keith Logan, president of the Rotary Club of Hendersonville states, The data show that vaccinations reduce the likelihood of infection, severe illness, and death while having low risk. The best way to get past the pandemic is for everyone to be vaccinated.

We all need to heed the call of Rotary International, public health officials, and the experts to get vaccinated now against COVID-19. Despite declining infection rates, over 2,000 Americans still die each day from this disease, and the threat from future variants continues to loom. Like polio, there are treatments but no known cure for COVID-19. Our best defense is vaccination.

Major General Rick Devereaux is a retired Air Force officer and the secretary and past president of the Rotary Club of Asheville.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Rotary clear on stance, applies lessons of polio to COVID-19 vaccines
WATERLOO  A Waterloo teen accused to taking part in a fatal robbery during a 2021 rainstorm is now also charged with stealing from his alleged accomplice.

Alvonni A.J. Jante Stone, 18, was arrested for third-degree burglary and second-degree theft Thursday.

Stone has been in the Black Hawk County Jail since August when he was detained on robbery and intimidation charges after a botched robbery that led to a brief shootout outside the Kwik Stop convenience store on U.S. Highway 218/Washington Street.

His bond is currently set at $284,000.

Police allege Stone, Daijon Jarell Stokes and Dayton Sanders had attempted to rob Cedrick Smith during a synthetic marijuana deal around 4:30 p.m. Aug. 24. Smith was beaten and began to drive off, and he fired a pistol when Sanders  apparently carrying an empty handgun  ran after his car.

Sanders, 20, collapsed in the highway median and died.

Investigators now allege that after the shooting, around 7:55 p.m., Stone entered a building at 919 W. Fourth St. where Stokes had a T-shirt press and music studio. Stone allegedly took more than $1,500 worth of property from the building, according to court records.

Smith wasnt charged in Sanders death, but he is awaiting trial for drug offenses as part of the robbery and shooting investigation.

Stokes was found guilty of lesser assault charges during a January trial, and is awaiting sentencing.

Stone is awaiting trial for robbery.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine, which is well into its second week is now taking a toll on the civilians who are caught in the crossfire.

While many have fled the country, there are others who can't and don't realise what is happening around them.

In the oncology department of Chernihiv Regional Childrens Hospital, there is a group of 11 young cancer patients who are too ill to be treated at home.

Chernihiv Regional Childrens Hospital

The eldest of them is 15 years old and the rest are below 12 years.

The city that is close to the Belarus border is coming under increasing Russian bombardment.

We actually dont know how to survive here. Its unreal. We dont have any more resources, Serhiy Zosimenko, the head of Evum, a non-governmental organization that supports the childrens oncology ward told The Global Mail. Theyre in tough condition and need evacuation.

AFP/ Representational Image

"The Russian attacks on the city in recent days included strikes on schools and an apartment building - we need to get these children to safety," he explained.

We pretend its a game for them. We try to keep their spirits high. When it rumbles outside, we say its the Russians celebrating with fireworks, he told The Sun.

He however said that the older children understand that there is a war going on.

"They see their mothers crying. But they also know that they are surrounded by people who will look after them."

Yana and her two-year-old son Nikita are among the people trapped in the basement of the Chernihiv Regional Childrens Hospital in Ukraine.



In a video shared with The Globe, Yana pleads for a safe place to continue treatment for her son's leukemia.https://t.co/8JOVDRqcrV pic.twitter.com/E0IiZ3CMJV  The Globe and Mail (@globeandmail) March 4, 2022

He said that the children are mostly sleeping in a first floor corridor of Chernihiv Regional Childrens Hospital as it is safer than higher floors.

As the war rages on the hospital fast running out of critical medicines and even painkillers.

The hospital is now down to its last eight ampoules of morphine and was running out of other painkillers. And when the people are sick with cancer they need a lot of painkiller drugs, he said.

AFP/ Representational Image

"Time is running out for us - we have medical supplies for one to three weeks at the most. There are no fresh supplies coming in. May God help us," he told RTE.

Zosimenko and his team want to take the children and their parents to Italy for treatment, but for that, first, there should be an end to the bombardment in the city that is now surrounded by Russian troops.

For more on news, sports and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
New Delhi: The State Bank of India releases advice on a regular basis, warning its customers against fraudulent attempts. In retrospect, the expansion of technology has created a plethora of new avenues for scammers to steal information and money from clients.

As a result, SBI has redesigned its advice system to make the consumers more informed and mindful of the different ways they can be scammed as part of their "Yeh Wrong Number Hai" effort. SBI has reminded its customers not to click on embedded links in text messages requesting them to update their account information.

SBI also displayed one of the text messages used to carry out fraudulent actions. The SMS from SBI said, "Dear client, Your SBI Bank documents are no longer valid. Within 24 hours, your account will be blocked. Please update your KYC on the URL provided." Then, to expose the scam, SBI wrote in the digital notice, "SBI never invites you to update/complete your KYC by clicking on links embedded in an SMS." Maintain vigilance and safety."

The tweet included hashtags like '#YehWrongNumberHai,' '#SafeWithSBI,' and '#AmritMahotsav.' The tweet's caption states, "Here is an example of #YehWrongNumberHai, KYC fraud." Such SMS can result in fraud and the loss of your savings. Clicking on embedded links is not recommended. When you receive an SMS, look for the correct SB shortcode. "Remain vigilant and #SafeWithSBI."

The embedded links in the text messages that mimic State Bank of India service notifications are cryptic URLs that allow unscrupulous scammers to access the customer's account details. As a result, they discover a channel through which they can exchange large sums of money.

A similar warning was given a few days ago. It was about frauds involving OTP (One-time Password), in which fraudsters obtain OTP from consumers and subsequently swindle them. "DO NOT SHARE YOUR OTP WITH A STRANGER OR WITH ANYONE ASKING FOR A VERIFICATION CODE FOR ANY REASON." "It could be a scam," according to the digital advisory.

With these advisories flashing at consumers, the bank expects them to be more cautious and to keep important information hidden at all costs.

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Varanasi: 40 companies of police forces and around two and a half thousand policemen have been deployed for the security of polling stations during the last phase of elections in Uttar Pradesh. Apart from this, around 3,000 home guard personnel have also been deployed.

A Satish Ganesh, Police Commissioner, Varanasi said, "40 companies of police forces have been deployed for conducting secure polling. A total of two and a half thousand policemen have been deployed for the security of polling stations. Apart from this, around 3,000 home guard personnel have been deployed."

Polling parties have left for Varanasi ahead of the polls. These parties will reach the polling stations at 6 pm with full preparations so as to make sure that safe and secure elections take place from 7 am onwards tomorrow, added Ganesh.

Voters have been urged to participate in the elections and vote as much as possible. Police have also warned that appropriate lawful action will be taken against whoever tries to impede the election process. It is worth noting that there are a total of 8 Legislative Assemblies in Varanasi, which include Cantt, City North, City South, Ajra, Pindra, Sewapuri, Rohaniya, and Shivpur.

A total of 3371 booths are to be voted in these 8 assemblies, for which polling parties are being dispatched today. A total of 613 candidates are in the electoral fray for the last phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections for 54 constituencies slated for Monday in nine districts of Mau, Azamgarh, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Varanasi, Chandauli, Mirzapur, Sonbhadra, and Bhadohi (Sant Ravidas Nagar). The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

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BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- As a national lawmaker, President Xi Jinping joins other deputies to the National People's Congress (NPC) each year to deliberate issues of national importance at the annual "two sessions."

On Saturday, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, took part in the deliberation with fellow lawmakers from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

It was the fifth year in a row he did so since he was elected a member of the delegation in 2018.

What Xi has discussed with his fellow deputies from Inner Mongolia not only bears on the development of the region, but also gives a glimpse into China's modernization path.

Xi has used three metaphors to define Inner Mongolia's roles in China's modernization, and identify priorities of the country's modernization drive and what it takes to achieve the goal.

FORTIFYING "GREEN GREAT WALL"

Inner Mongolia, situated along China's northern border, is seen as a shield for the country's ecological security. The region is China's "green Great Wall," according to Xi.

Ecological conservation has been a key topic during Xi's discussions with lawmakers from the region over the years.

In 2021, a massive modernization plan was adopted, highlighting "green development" as a priority.

During the deliberation in that year's NPC annual session, Xi told lawmakers from Inner Mongolia that the region should unswervingly prioritize ecological conservation and boost green development, as they discussed desertification control and forest protection.

Lawmaker Zhang Xiaobing from the city of Bayannur told the delegation about local efforts in eco-system restoration and the prevention of desertification near the northerly bend of the Yellow River.

Xi, who was familiar with the situation in the region near this section of the Yellow River, said, "Local environmental protection involves both tackling the salinization of agricultural land and preventing and controlling desertification."

Xi has always stressed adopting "a holistic approach" to conserving mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes and grasslands. This time, he brought "deserts" into the picture, saying that their protection needs top-level design and comprehensive measures.

Lawmaker Zhou Yizhe shared with the delegation his personal story of transforming from a logger to a forest ranger, as the tree farm where he works has completely abandoned timber production to engage in environmental protection.

Zhou said the tree farm has become a habitat to more wild animals, and the eco-system in the forests and wetlands there has become a source of wealth.

"Your identity shift from a logger to a forest ranger epitomizes our country's transformation in industrial structures," Xi said after hearing Zhou's story.

OPENING-UP GATEWAY

The modernization roadmap adopted at the 2021 NPC session has vowed to increase the "breadth and depth" of China's opening-up.

Stressing improving the regional opening-up structure, the plan pledged efforts to "fuel the development of inland areas and push them to the forefront of opening-up."

Though a landlocked region, Inner Mongolia assumes special strategic importance in the country's opening-up landscape as it shares a long border in the north.

In an inspection tour to Inner Mongolia in 2014, Xi called on the region to facilitate reform and development through further opening up, develop port economy, and strengthen the building of infrastructure.

During the deliberation in 2021, Xi called for efforts to build Inner Mongolia into an important gateway for China's northward opening up, and told the region to make full use of its unique advantages and actively participate in the joint building of the Belt and Road.

SPIRIT OF MONGOLIAN HORSES

Inner Mongolia boasts vast grasslands, which are home to Mongolian horses.

Joining deliberations with lawmakers from the region during the 2020 NPC session, Xi called on people from Inner Mongolia to vigorously carry forward the "spirit of the Mongolian horses" in building a modern socialist country.

Giving his definition of the spirit, Xi once said the Mongolian horses are known for their toughness, stamina and strong physique.

"We should work like the Mongolian horses and have diligent and daring spirit," Xi said. 
RICHMOND  A larger workforce is needed to improve outcomes for the growing scores of people seeking mental health care in Southwest Virginia and beyond, according to officials striving to expand those services.

In 2020, one out of five adults said they had received mental health treatment in the prior year, according to interview data from the National Center for Health Statistics. Demand for mental health services is higher now than ever before, said New River Valley Community Services Executive Director James Pritchett.

As the stigma has decreased over the years, the demand has gone up, Pritchett said. Weve tried to meet the need by expanding programs and staffing.

New River Valley Community Services is one of 40 community service boards in Virginia, providing a public safety net for mental and behavioral health needs in Floyd, Pulaski, Giles and Montgomery counties, plus Radford, he said. Services range from psychiatric care to treatment for addiction, and the agency currently has at least 80 unstaffed jobs out of its 850 total positions, Pritchett said Friday.

Even before the pandemic, there were workforce issues, finding enough people to hire appropriate, credentialed staff to fill those positions, Pritchett said. The pandemic has made it worse, for many different reasons.

For one thing, community service boards like the New River Valleys are funded primarily through state and federal money, and usually serve people whose health insurance, if they have it, is covered by government subsidy, like Medicare, Medicaid and managed care organizations, which pay less to health providers than private insurance does.

When you dont have an opportunity to generate as much from those insurance companies, it gets really difficult to be able to keep up with competitive salaries and wages, Pritchett said. The most difficult positions to fill are psychiatrists, nursing, as well as licensed behavioral health therapists.

In Virginia, almost one in five people are enrolled in Medicare, according to government data as of 2020. Administrative costs have also increased for providers like New River Valley Community Services, as a result of so much paperwork required to satisfy those government-funded insurance providers.

We are struggling with the different regulations and processes, Pritchett said. And then their rates are lower than most other private insurance companies  It just becomes really difficult.

The workforce and administrative challenges are what Pritchett is looking to the state government for help with, he said. All the while, other strides are also being made to improve regional mental health services, such as the opening of a new crisis center recently in Radford, Pritchett said.

On the side of state government is Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath, who said mental and behavioral health providers are experiencing staffing shortages in every profession and in every area of the state.

We need to focus on keeping people out of crisis, Deeds said. We need to focus on making sure people are well in their communities. Thats the goal.

Mental and behavioral health is a sector that has been underfunded and underworked for decades, he said.

People with money, people with resources can get the services they need, but a whole lot of people dont have those resources, and dont have access to those services, Deeds said. Thats why we have to focus on building out the best public system we can.

Deeds said creating a comprehensive mental health system is urgent work, and he is frustrated that not everybody understands the urgency. He has campaigned for mental health care improvements since his sons suicide in 2013 exposed gaps in the states system.

There are huge losses across the board, affecting a lot of people, Deeds said. Lives are slipping between the cracks because were not providing for them.

Despite the frustrations associated with making changes to government, Deeds said the key is to keep working the process. Successful or not, he proposes legislation every session to fill in the gaps where statewide changes are needed, he said.

We have a long way to go. We made a lot of progress, particularly in the period between 2014 and 2018, Deeds said. We lost a lot of momentum, and then COVID was like a gut punch. It stretched resources as thin as could be across the state.

But momentum will return, he said. The state needs to focus on building its mental health workforce, in order to improve services provided, because west of Charlottesville, it gets difficult to find mental health care providers, he said.

Weve got some spots, say Blacksburg and Roanoke, where youve got some providers, but we have a real, real need in many of those communities, Deeds said. If you can provide services in places like West Texas, or Montana or Alaska, by golly you can provide them in Southwest Virginia.

One recent state success listed by both Deeds and Pritchett is STEP-VA, a long-term initiative designed to improve the range and quality of mental health services available to Virginians. Its one of several programs to result from state commissions and studies initiated by Deeds since 2013.

What we need to be thinking about is building a holistic structure that has goals of making sure people can live their best lives, and making sure that people, no matter where they are in Virginia, no matter what their resource level, have access to the services they need, Deeds said. The work has to go on.

Improvement has come incrementally, and Deeds said stigma surrounding mental health has decreased as a result of educational outreach. But the short staffing in state-supported mental health agencies reflects one aspect of much work yet to be done in ensuring a complete continuum of care.

People have a right to live the best life they can. We have to focus on making sure that people have the opportunity to do as well as they can, Deeds said. Its a problem in every community, in every family, and its one we have to deal with  We can address this situation, and we will.
PARIS (Reuters) -France and Britain engaged in a diplomatic spat on Sunday over the treatment of Ukrainian refugees stuck in the French port of Calais, with UK Interior Minister Priti Patel defending Britain's actions after earlier criticism from France.

The spat marked the latest diplomatic row between the two countries following Britain's departure from the European Union, which has resulted in arguments over how to tackle migrants crossing the English Channel, as well as fishing rights.

The French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin had urged Britain on Sunday to do more to help those Ukrainian refugees stuck in Calais, saying British officials were turning many away due to not having the necessary visas or paperwork.

"I have twice contacted my British counterpart, I told her to set up a consulate in Calais," Darmanin told Europe 1 radio.

Darmanin said hundreds of Ukrainian refugees had arrived at Calais in the last few days, hoping to join family in the UK, but that many had been turned away by British officials and told to obtain visas at UK consulates in Paris or Brussels.

Patel later denied France's accusations that Britain was not doing enough to help those Ukrainians in Calais.

"It is wrong and it is inaccurate to say that we are not providing support on the ground, we are," Patel told reporters. "I have staff in Calais to provide support to Ukrainian families that have left Ukraine to come to the United Kingdom."

Darmanin and Patel have clashed in the past over how France and Britain tackle the issue of migrants - many from Africa and the Middle East - risking their lives by crossing the English Channel in makeshift dinghies.

Migration is a sensitive issue in Britain, where Brexit campaigners told voters that leaving the European Union would mean regaining control of borders. London has in the past threatened to cut financial support for France's border policing if it fails to stem the flow of migrants.

Last November, 27 migrants died when they tried to cross the English Channel in a dinghy.

(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta in Paris and William James in London;Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Amman, March 6 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Mar, 2022 ) :In the age of Covid, Jordanian mechanical engineer Saliba Taimeh pondered how to deal with one contaminated everyday surface: the handrails of escalators in shopping malls and transport hubs.

He came up with a device to sterilise them with UV rays -- and this is where TechWorks stepped in.

A wealth of ideas would not have seen the light of day without TechWorks, a Jordanian platform aimed at bringing together youth, ideas and resources to jump-start innovations.

Set up in 2018, TechWorks says its mission is "to plug into entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystems" and turn ideas into reality.

It is equipped with state-of-the-art technology such as 3D printers and affiliated with a foundation set up by Crown Prince Hussein.

Last year, it attracted about 100 inventors and start-up companies, enabling them to produce prototypes quickly and at low cost.

Taimeh, 39, said TechWorks "provided me with every support, back-up, advice and guidance" to help perfect the sterilising device, after 23 attempts over almost two years.

His invention sterilises the handrails of escalators "from all kinds of viruses, such as coronavirus and bacteria," he said.

After contacting several international companies, a German firm specialising in health and safety in public places signed up to manufacture the "Brigid Box".

Weighing in at 7.2 kilograms (almost 16 Pounds), it can be installed in less than 15 minutes.
Some still hesitate to support the transgender community, and while big strides have been made, there's still a ways to go. However, a couple has broken all stereotypes and set quite an example for the future generation.

Parents of a 21-year-old trans girl held a puberty function for their daughter at Virudhachalam of Cuddalore district in Tamil Nadu. Kolanchi and Amutha celebrated their daughter Nisha, formerly Nishant.

According to News18, Nisha has a diploma in catering. But she had to leave her home a few years ago after her parents denounced her. She took shelter with a few transgender persons.

News 18

However, her parents had a change of heart and accepted her the way she was. They even changed her name during the ceremony. The ceremony was a lavish affair and all relatives, friends and neighbours attended the function.

Nisha said, I am blessed to have such parents and relatives who understood and respected my changes and feelings. I request all the parents out there to equally respect their childrens desire.

While talking to Times of India, Nisha said that she always wanted to be a girl. She said that she used to help her mother wash utensils, wash clothes and even cook food. This is when her urge to become a woman grew.

TOI

However, she did face trouble in the beginning. When she told her parents, they were shocked and beat her up. This is when she left. But Nisha's uncle sat with her parents, her father who was a vegetable vendor and her mother, who was a sanitation worker and told them what it feels like to be stuck in the wrong body.

This is when her parents realised their mistake and made sure to support their daughter.

Unsplash

Nisha now aims to support her parents by getting a good job.

For the latest from trending, click here.
Going Free Footed in a 2022 Chevrolet Bolt - Electric Observations and Review From Martha Hindes +VIDEO

By Martha Hindes

Senior Editor

Michigan Bureau

The Auto Channel

For car lovers, theres an odd numbered conundrum coming on scene. Is someone a three pedal or a one pedal driver?

Three, of course, refers to the road warrior who wouldnt be caught behind the wheel of a vehicle with less than three pedals on the floor  one for acceleration, one for braking and the requisite third for the standard transmission clutch.

On Sunday, St.Valentines Day, General Motors Chevrolet Division held a virtual reveal of what it probably hopes will spark a digression away from multiple footwork requirements, the new 2022 Bolt EUV along with a redesigned 2022 Bolt EV.

This from the official Bolt Press Release

"One Pedal Driving lets the driver speed up, slow down and even come to a complete stop using only the accelerator pedal"...and then this from the GM Lawyers: "You should always use your brake pedal if you need to stop quickly" HUH?...good advice no matter how many pedals your vehicle has.

As GM aims a five year plan toward an all electric future announced to shareholders earlier in February by CEO Mary Barra, it used a heart-warming collage of scenes interwoven with iconic ghostly Disney cartoon figures, Star Wars X-Wing Fighter futuristic space craft and an explosive takeoff into hyperspace to set the stage.

The introductory video, populated by a typical American family, journeying into Disney World magic in their sporty Bolt EUV, had footage, shot partially at Floridas Disney World, of how it went from concept to splashing with excitement across the screen. It was designed for customers to imagine an all-electric future, said Steve Majoros, vice president of Chevrolet Marketing.

The launch video, combines the lure of Disney with the practical elements that push it towards an unencumbered future where the driver can relax, coasting hands free and digging into a bag of chips while the Bolt EUVS Super Cruise driving system guides it along some 200,000 miles of compatible express roads in the U.S. and Canada, well spaced behind other traffic.

In that mode it wears a green band across the top of the steering wheel to show the system is under control. If the drivers attention is diverted for too many seconds or it requires driver intervention, it turns red with a warning signal to take over manually. (GM must have learned from Tesla on that one.)

A 90 second Magic is Electric commercial from the launch debuted on American Idols Valentines Day program Sunday evening and is scheduled to be on ESPNs SportsCenters Magical Moment segments from Feb. 15 th to 19 th.

Of course electric vehicles arent anything new. There was a proliferation of them in the early days of the 20th Century before the internal combustion engine pushed them off the road.

But, after four years of the original Bolt EV on sale, a cant resist statement was obligatory for a new generation sport utility vehicle thats small, for five, electric and produces 200 horsepower and 266 lb. ft. of torque from its single motor.

If youre going to show off a vehicle designed to out-Tesla Tesla, what better way to do it than with a sprinkling of stardust on the scene as you tout the 250 mile-on-a single-charge range, and one pedal driving as the Bolt EUV takes over braking functions. If you're in "low" it's dual function: throttle as you press, brake as you let up," explained Chevrolet spokesman Shad Balch.

The Bolt now has more modest pricing than might be expected for a vehicle loaded with almost every kind of electronic gadget and connectivity one could imagine. The Bolt EUV starts at $33,995 and the Bolt EV starts at $31,995.

And as an introductory bonus Chevy will have a program to underwrite installation of a Level 2 home-based fast charging station for those customers who have someplace to install it.(On street parkers need not apply)

Chevrolet has succeeded in getting our attention. We cant wait until its actually in showrooms sometime this summer to find out if they actually delivered.

However, a concern jumps out at this point. How do you explain to stick shift Corvette drivers their preferred means of shifting soon could only be an image in the rear view mirror?

Copyright 2021, Martha Hindes, Automotive Bureau, All rights Reserved.
CHRISTIANSBURG  A Radford woman who was arrested last year after being found in a car in Montgomery County with guns and a safe that held methamphetamine and heroin pleaded guilty Wednesday and was sentenced to serve five years behind bars.

The somewhat convoluted case against Ashley Dawn Poff, 34, began on April 16 when the county Sheriffs Office got a call about trespassers in the 2100 block of Shale Road in the McCoy community.

According to Commonwealths Attorney Mary Pettitts evidence summary Wednesday in the countys Circuit Court, and to a search warrant and a news release issued last year by the sheriffs office, deputies found a Honda sedan in a field, along with three people. Poff was in the back seat.

In the car were guns, smoking devices that held burnt white residue, scales and other items. In a backpack next to Poff was a small safe. She told officers it was hers, Pettitt said.

After Poff gave them the key, officers opened the safe and found what appeared to be a quarter-pound of meth, along with heroin and $622 in cash.

In a later statement to officers, Poff said that she had been getting a quarter-pound of meth at a time for $2,300, then selling grams of it for $75, Pettitt said.

Earlier in the case, charges were dropped against the two people who were with Poff, with Pettitt saying Poff had said all the firearms and drugs were hers.

On Wednesday, Poff pleaded guilty to possessing more than 100 grams of meth with the intent to distribute it, and an assortment of other charges were dropped.

But there was one more twist to the case before Poff, who appeared in court in a video link from the Western Virginia Regional Jail, made her plea.

When Judge Mike Fleenor asked Poff if she wanted to go ahead with a plea agreement, she said that she had been told at one point that she could enter the countys Drug Court program, which could lead to her charge being dismissed.

Poff said that she had realized that after 20 years of drug use, she had been out of control and that it was time to change. She said that she completed a drug rehabilitation program in jail, then took herself off Suboxone because she was pregnant and did not want her baby to be born addicted. She was released on bond to give birth, then returned to jail, Poff said.

I have totally changed my life around, Poff said.

A round of discussion by attorneys and judge ensued and Pettitt explained that yes, drug court had been discussed earlier in the case. But that was only until the court staff who handle drug court applications realized that there were two defendants with the same name. It was another woman named Ashley Poff, whose case was unrelated to Wednesdays plea hearing, who qualified for drug court, Pettitt said.

Defense attorney Matt Roberts of Blacksburg agreed with Pettitts account.

When Fleenor asked Poff if she understood the mixup and if she still wanted to go ahead and plead guilty to a charge that carried a possible sentence of life in prison, Poff breathed deeply and said that she did.

Fleenor then said he would accept a plea agreement worked out by Pettitt and Roberts, which recommended an active sentence of five years behind bars. Fleenor imposed a 20-year prison term, to be suspended after Poff served the five years.

Poff will be supervised by the probation office for five years after her release, and must forfeit the $622, Fleenor said.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi dismissed suggestions his countrys neutral stance in the Russia-Ukraine conflict is straining Islamabads relationship with the United States or the West at large, in an interview Sunday with VOA.

The South Asian nuclear-armed Muslim country has resisted Western pressure to condemn Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine, instead advocating dialogue and diplomacy to end the crisis.

Pakistan has argued that it needs to step back from global bloc politics to improve ties with all countries, including Russia, and to tackle its own domestic economic challenges.

We do not want to be part of any camp. We have paid a price for being in camps. That is why we are very carefully treading. We dont want to compromise our neutrality, and thats why we abstained, Qureshi told VOA.

The only sensible course is a diplomatic solution, Qureshi stressed, while speaking by phone from southern Sindh province, where he was attending a political rally of his ruling Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaaf party.

Pakistan, a key non-NATO ally of Washington, abstained last week from voting from both a U.N. Security Council resolution deploring Russias aggression against its neighbor and a General Assembly vote condemning the invasion. So did 34 other nations, including India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Western diplomatic missions in Pakistan on the eve of the General Assembly vote had collectively urged the host country to denounce Russias invasion of Ukraine and support international calls for Moscow to immediately stop the war.

Qureshi said that claims that his country has put itself in "Russia camp were false and misreading of Islamabads stated neutrality in respect to the Ukraine crisis.

I think our relationship with the United States is a good one. We consider the United States an important partner and we would like continued support from the U.S., he noted.

I have asked for a call with [U.S.] Secretary [of State Antony] Blinken and I was told that he is traveling for the next seven days. But I would be more than happy explain Pakistans perspective [on Ukraine] to him, Qureshi added.

He also contradicted reports that Pakistans diplomatic tensions with Washington have increased in the wake of last months visit by Prime Minister Imran Khan to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Khan was already in Moscow when Putin ordered his military to attack Ukraine. But the trip reportedly did not go down well in Washington.

We have briefed the government of Pakistan on the impact that Russias unprovoked war against Ukraine could have on regional and global security, a State Department spokesperson was quoted on Saturday as telling Pakistani English-language Dawn newspaper.



Qureshi-Lavrov talk

Qureshi said he spoke to Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov by telephone Saturday and underlined Islamabads concern at the latest situation in Ukraine. He told VOA Lavrov conveyed to him that Moscow was not averse to the idea of negotiations with Kyiv on reaching some sort of a conclusion.

The chief Pakistani diplomat said his Russian counterpart had noted that a positive outcome of two rounds of talks with Ukrainian officials was the agreement on establishing a humanitarian corridor to allow residents from two Ukrainian cities that were surrounded by Russian forces to evacuate. Qureshi and Lavrov spoke before Russian forces attacked the evacuation corridors.

We are ready for the third round of talks. Our people are there. In fact, we are waiting for the Ukrainian representatives to come and begin the talks, Qureshi quoted Lavrov as telling him.

Khan has defended his trip to Moscow, the first by a Pakistani prime minister in 23 years, saying his countrys economic interests required him to do so.

The Pakistani leader avoided criticizing Putin in a statement issued after his meeting with the Russian president. The statement said Khan regretted the latest situation between Russia and Ukraine and that Pakistan had hoped diplomacy could avert a military conflict.

Islamabad sided with Washington during the Cold War and played an instrumental role in arming and training U.S.-funded Afghan resistance in the 1980s to the decade-long Soviet occupation of neighboring Afghanistan.

However, Pakistans traditionally uneasy relationship with the United States has lately come under increased pressure over allegations that covert support from the Pakistani military helped the Taliban to sustain their insurgency against U.S.-led international forces in neighboring Afghanistan for 20 years and retake power last August. Pakistan rejects those allegations.

Russia and Pakistan, once bitter adversaries, have in recent years moved to restore ties, that analysts say is an outcome of the South Asia countrys frosty relations with the United States.

A leader of lesser mettle would have thought of abandoning the visit and plunging back into a past of adversity, Raoof Hasan, a special assistant to Khan on Information, wrote in an article published Friday on the prime ministers landmark visit to Moscow.

Instead of backing off, Prime Minister Khan used the opportunity to reiterate his deep belief in peaceful resolution of conflicts, Hasan said in the commentary published by The News, a local newspaper.

For their part, U.S. officials maintain they view their partnership with a prosperous, with a democratic Pakistan as critical to Washingtons interests. They say the United States is Pakistans largest trade partner and it considers the South Asian nation an important regional country.

U.S. officials acknowledge that Pakistan continues to play a crucial role in assisting international efforts aimed at evacuating Afghans at risk since the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan. A dialogue between Washington and Islamabad is also taking place on how to jointly counter terrorism threats emanating from Afghan soil.

Pakistani officials say Khan is preparing to make important visits to Western countries after hosting a meeting of foreign ministers of the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Islamabad later this month. But they have not yet disclosed further details about the expected visits.
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The French Interior Minister has accused the UK of 'lacking humanity' and has urged the Home Secretary to do more to help refugees stuck in Calais after it was revealed 150 Ukrainians were turned away by British officials.

Gerald Darmanin said the response of the UK is 'completely unsuitable' and shows a 'lack of humanity' towards refugees who are often 'in distress', in an open letter to Priti Patel, seen by the AFP.

He added: 'It is imperative that your consular representation, exceptionally and for the duration of this crisis, is able to issue visas for family reunification on the spot in Calais.'

It comes as UN figures show more than 1.5million refugees have now fled war-torn Ukraine since Russia invaded.

Many Ukrainian war refugees have taken a long and perilous journey to flee the destruction brought about by President Vladimir Putin - with 1.5 million crossing into neighbouring countries in 10 days.

Refugees walk on a bridge at the buffer zone with the border with Poland near to Zosin-Ustyluh. Entire families have left their homes in Ukraine as fighting intensifies in the second week of the Russian invasion

A family reunites after crossing the border from Ukraine into Poland. Officials have called the conflict the fastest growing refugee crisis since World War II

Speaking to Europe 1 radio about Ms Patel earlier today, Mr Darmanin said: 'I have twice contacted twice my British counterpart, I told her to set up a consulate in Calais. We have good relations with (Patel). I am sure she is a decent person. I am sure she will solve this problem.'

It comes as the UN High Commissioner for Refugee Agency, Filippo Grandi, called it the 'fastest growing crisis in Europe since World War II', as it was revealed mostly women and children are arriving at the borders.

Mr Grandi tweeted yesterday morning: 'More than 1.5 million refugees from Ukraine have crossed into neighbouring countries in 10 days  the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.'

UNCHR communications chief Joung-ah Ghedini-Williams added: 'The rate of this exodus is quite phenomenal. We know that there are many more on the move. Also there are possibly equal numbers inside the country that are internally displaced.'

Meanwhile, the number of war refugees who have travelled to Poland from Ukraine is set to reach one million today as Polish border guards revealed there have been record arrivals.

They cleared as many as 129,000 people at border crossings on Saturday in a single day - taking their total to 922,400.

The French Interior Minister (left) has accused the UK of 'lacking humanity' and has urged the Home Secretary (right) to do more to help refugees stuck in Calais after it was revealed 150 Ukrainians were turned away by British officials

Priti Patel was pictured today outside the Ukrainian embassy in London

Romani refugees from Ukraine rest at a temporary shelter in the main train station of Krakow on March 6 as they wait to be relocated to other temporary accommodations in Poland or abroad

Refugees from Ukraine rest at a temporary shelter in the main train station of Krakow, Poland

More than 1.5million refugees have now fled Ukraine for neighbouring countries since Vladimir Putin invaded, United Nations figures have shown

A child is kept warm with a blanket as refugees, mostly women with children, arrive at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland on Sunday afternoon

Many Ukrainian war refugees have taken a long and perilous journey to flee the destruction brought about by President Vladimir Putin - with 1.5 million crossing into neighbouring countries in 10 days

Ukrainian women and children, who left their homes and took refuge in Moldova after Russia's attacks on Ukraine, came to Izmir by plane to go to Kusadasi, Turkey

It comes as the number of war refugees who have travelled to Poland from Ukraine is set to reach one million on Sunday as Polish border guards revealed there have been record arrivals

A nation of some 38 million people, Poland is receiving the largest number of refugees among Ukraine's neighbors. Some who entered Poland have continued to other countries.

The head of the United Nations' refugee agency said Sunday that more than 1.5 million refugees have crossed from Ukraine into neighboring countries since Russia invaded.

Romania's border police say more than 227,000 Ukrainian citizens have entered Romania in total since the crisis began and more than 155,000 of them have already left the country.

During a visit on Saturday to Romania's northern border at Siret, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said that 'no Ukrainian will be denied entry into Romania.'

He said Romanian authorities believe that the situation 'will continue for a long time, and the complications will worsen.'

The president added: 'We believe that this humanitarian catastrophe will spread, that a lot of help will be needed here, but also in Ukraine.'

On Saturday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited a welcome centre set up by Polish authorities in what once was a shopping centre in Korczowa, where roughly 3,000 refugees are taking shelter.

Mr Blinken heard harrowing tales from mothers and their children who described long and perilous journeys - and the shock of the sudden disruption and the fear for their lives - after fleeing the devastation of the war.

'Near our home we heard bombs,' said Venera Ahmadi, 12, who said she came with her brother and sister, six dogs and seven cats from Kyiv - 372 miles away.

'We walked to the border, I don't know how many hours. We crossed the border on foot.'

Her 16-year-old sister Jasmine said: 'I was scared I would die.'

Refugees from Ukraine cross the border with Moldova in Palanca, which is near the border in Ukraine

Russian troops entered Ukraine on 24 February for a 'special military operation,' leading to a massive exodus of Ukrainians to neighboring countries as well as internal displacements

People crowd as they try to get on a train to the city of Lviv in western Ukraine at the Kyiv station on Friday March 4

A woman and a child fleeing Ukraine passed the border in Palanca Village, Moldova o n March 4. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Moldova received more than 72,615 fleeing Ukrainians into the country so far following Russia's military invasion in Ukraine

Children play after arriving with their families after fleeing Ukraine at Hauptbahnhof main railway station in Berlin, Germany

On Saturday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited a welcome centre set up by Polish authorities in what once was a shopping centre in Korczowa, where roughly 3,000 refugees are taking shelter

Natalia Kadygrob, 48, reached the centre with her four adopted children from Kropyvnytskyi, almost 500 miles by bus. Her husband stayed behind.

'There they bombed planes at the airport,' she said. 'Of course we were afraid.'

Tatyana, 58, who would not give her last name, came with her daughter Anna, 37, and Anna's daughters Katya and Kira, who are aged six and one. They are from Kharkiv, about 600 miles from the shelter.

'They were shooting on the street,' Tatyana said. Anna said her home had been destroyed by a shell or a rocket.

She was in the basement with her daughters when the explosion happened. 'They should be in school,' Anna said. 'They are children, they don't understand.'

Groups mainly of women, children and elderly men - rolling their possessions in luggage and carrying infants and the occasional family pet - made their way into makeshift processing centers set up in tents on Polish territory

People fleeing Russia's invasion of Ukraine arrive at the train station in Zahony, Hungary earlier today

A woman carrying her pet Chihuahua arrives at the train station in Zahony, Hungary earlier today

A girl from Mariupol rests in a tent after fleeing from Ukraine to Romania at the border crossing in Siret, Romania

A large family walks to the border crossing in Siret, Romania

Ukrainian man Yevgen Chornomordenko 34, reunites with his family at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland this morning

Ukrainian children wrapped in space blankets given by volunteers eat some food at the border with Poland in the border crossing of Zosin-Ustyluh, western Ukraine

Ukrainian refugees wait on the line near the border with Poland at the town of Ustyluh, western Ukraine

Mr Blinken watched as Polish authorities escorted small groups of refugees - about 20 at a time - across the frontier from the Ukrainian town of Krakovets.

Groups mainly of women, children and elderly men - rolling their possessions in luggage and carrying infants and the occasional family pet - made their way into makeshift processing centers set up in tents on Polish territory.

It comes as Ukrainian refugees will be allowed to stay in Britain for up to three years as the Government partially bowed to pressure to ease entry requirements today.

The Home Office expanded on the previous limit of 12 months as Home Secretary Priti Patel visited a border crossing between Poland and Ukraine to see thousands of refugees fleeing the advance of Vladimir Putin's army.

Ministers had been under pressure to act to make it easier for Ukrainians to be brought to the UK. An initial visa offer restricted to immediate family was widened earlier this week to include parents, grandparents and siblings, with applications open.

Ms Patel flew to Poland to launch the Ukraine family scheme to allow Britons and those settled in the UK to bring their relatives to the UK to join them.

Arriving in a blacked out Mercedes she was whisked up to the frontier and into a holding centre where she was shown the sheer heartbreak of what was taking place by Polish interior minister Bartosz Grodecki.

Huddled together, some under blankets, hundreds of women and children were trying to keep warm at the Medyka crossing in Poland as temperatures hovered around zero with a biting wind whistling through.

Charities were handing out hot food and drinks to the refugees many who had been waiting more than 12 hours to cross as the number arriving in Poland alone topped 700,000 with a million expected by early next week.

Meanwhile, Ukrainians able to obtain a UK visa will now be able to travel across the English Channel without charge, after Eurostar announced free travel for all Ukrainian passport holders fleeing Russia's barbaric invasion.

Anyone fleeing the destruction brought about by Putin will be able to collect free tickets from any Eurostar station to London St. Pancras International, the transport operator has announced.

'If you are a Ukrainian national travelling to the UK with a valid visa, we can offer a free Eurostar ticket to London,' said Eurostar on Twitter.
The Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR) has also become a centre for sustainable tourism through the efforts of Emirates Group and DDCR.

For almost 20 years, Emirates has helped support a sustainable and balanced ecosystem at DDCR through an ongoing investment of over AED28 million ($7.6 million), said a statement.

The funding has helped to preserve Dubais unique desert environment that is teeming with indigenous flora and fauna of all shapes and sizes, and has helped to raise awareness about the abundant natural beauty found in the UAEs terrestrial ecosystems, it said.

DDCR is a 225 sq km conservation reserve, and represents close to 5% of Dubais total land area - the biggest piece of land which Dubai has dedicated to a single project. The reserve protects the incredible wildlife and resilient vegetation within the vibrant UAE ecosystem, and today houses over 560 different species and 31,000 native trees. Over 29,000 of those trees are now sustainable without irrigation, like the native Ghaf tree (Prosopis cineraria), which has roots that can go down to 30 metres, enabling it to reach the water table in the DDCR.

While many may think that the deserts harsh, ever-changing habitat is barren of wildlife or vegetation, the collective efforts of Emirates and the DDCR have enabled many species to survive and thrive, and the reserve has become a showcase to some of the most important desert conservation accomplishments over recent years, it said.

Here are just some of the animals that have benefited from these conservation efforts:

 Over 1,300 Sand gazelles, Arabian gazelles and Arabian Oryx are thriving: Starting from just 230 vulnerable ungulates, these species have steadily grown since DDCRs reintroduction and breeding programme started, contributing to the objective of natural, sustainable development of free-roaming mammal populations that contribute to the health of the overall eco-system. Another 171 Arabian Oryx have been relocated to other protected areas in the UAE.

 Birdlife is flourishing: Over 2,800 Houbara, or Macqueens Bustard, have been reintroduced into the DDCR since 2010, with the birds freely moving in and out of the reserve. A healthy population of the Pharaoh eagle-owl also resides in the DDCR, and natural breeding at the south of the reserve will soon see owlets flying out and about. The reserve has also been an important feeding site for the endangered lapped-face vulture, and numerous visits have been recorded for the Cinereous Vulture, a rare visitor to the UAE.

 The diversity of species at DDCR has more than doubled: Careful protected area management, along with promoting natural processes have helped to rewild the desert habitat. In 2003, DDCRs list of species consisted of approximately 150. Today, the conservation reserve boasts over 560 species of plants and trees, birds, mammals, reptiles and arthropods.

Authentic desert experiences are in store at DDCR with a careful selection of activities that do not undermine the natural habitats of the local flora and fauna. DDCR runs a strict Approved Excursion accreditation process for tour operators, who undergo specialised training to get acquainted with the reserves flora, fauna and sustainable practices to protect the deserts ecosystem.

More than 125,000 visitors made their way to the DDCR in 2021, and plans are underway for a Visitors Centre at the reserve to enhance the visitor experience and will also be used as a platform to develop educational programmes for schools and higher educational institutions.

Emirates also supports the protection of Australias wilderness and bush through the conservation based Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley, located in the World Heritage-listed Greater Blue Mountains region.

The airline is also actively involved in the fight against illegal wildlife trafficking and exploitation, and is a member of the United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce, and is also a partner of ROUTES (Reducing Opportunities for Unlawful Transport of Endangered Species). Its freight arm, Emirates SkyCargo, has adopted a zero tolerance policy on illegal wildlife trade which includes big cats, elephants, rhinos and pangolins, among other types of wildlife, and has implemented a complete ban on hunting trophies. - TradeArabia News Service
A Ukrainian sailor who tried to sink a Russian military supplier's 5million superyacht following the invasion is pictured joining up.

Mechanical engineer Taras Ostapchuk, 55, attempted to scuttle the 156ft Lady Anastasia owned by millionaire Alexander Mijeev, after seeing pictures of missiles hitting apartment blocks.

Mijeev, is a former head of the Russian Helicopter Corporation who took over state-owned weapons supplier Rostec six years ago and Taras told cops he had tried to sink the yacht out of revenge.

Taras Ostapchuk, 55, shared a picture of himself as he joined up with recruiting officer Oberst Mahoncuk, at a military base in the capital Kyiv

Then speaking of his attempt to sabotage the yacht he added: 'I hope that the wave that I created by throwing a little rock against the yacht will grow and grow'

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Taras shared a picture of himself as he joined up with recruiting officer Oberst Mahoncuk, at a military base in the capital Kyiv after he flew back from Spain where the yacht was anchored in Port Adriano, Majorca.

He said: 'I am in the army now and I have my gun and uniform. I sorted out a few things at home and then I came to the recruiting office and enlisted.

'I'm proud to defend my country, especially as the situation is very difficult now.

'They asked me if I knew how to use a gun, I said I didn't but I was willing to learn to defend my country from the Russian invaders.

Mijeev, pictured, is a former head of the Russian Helicopter Corporation

'The city is in a very bad with food and supplies running out but morale is still high.

'I am proud to wear the uniform and defend my country. The Russians have blood on their hands and we will kick them out of Ukraine. I am now no longer a civilian. Glory to Ukraine.'

Then speaking of his attempt to sabotage the yacht he added: 'I hope that the wave that I created by throwing a little rock against the yacht will grow and grow and exit the sea onto land.'

MailOnline told last week how after the incident cops questioned Taras but he was bailed and immediately flew to Ukraine via Zurich and Warsaw.

He crossed the border at Rawa Ruska and then travelled two days before reaching Kyiv where he linked up with his 27-year-old son so he could join up.

Taras said he took revenge against his boss after seeing missiles from Russian attack helicopters hit apartment buildings which 'looked like my own'.

He explained: 'I know that Mijeev is the person responsible for making these helicopters and after I saw that video, I thought I have a house like that and it may be hit by a missile so I wanted to take action.

'What I do want to say is that Mijeev was a good employer and I have no complaints about working for him  it was just the situation with Russia that wound me up.'

Taras was Mijeev's member of staff and had worked for him for several years - but told police who turned up to arrest him: 'I don't regret anything I've done and I would do it again', adding: 'My boss is a criminal who sells weapons that kill the Ukrainian people.'

Ostapchuk tried to sink a Russian military supplier's 5million superyacht following the invasion

Taras explained how he asked for his salary to be paid in advance and then decided to sink the yacht by releasing valves which allowed water to rush in as it was moored at Port Adriano.

The yacht was left partially submerged but still tied to its moorings. When the police arrived Taras is said to have been waiting next to the boat as it went down and reportedly told a Civil Guard: 'My boss is a criminal who sells weapons that kill the Ukrainian people.'

He told MailOnline: 'I knew the water wasn't very deep there  maybe six metres so the yacht would maybe sink only 2.5 metres, enough for water to go into the main rooms but it would not sink to the bottom because it is too shallow.

'I'm a sailor and I knew those onboard would have time to collect their possessions and try and save the yacht.

'They did their duty, as any good sailor would do and then they raised the alarm which is when the police arrived.

'They asked who sank the ship and I said it was me and that it was a political act against Putin's regime.

'They put me in jail and I spent the night there and they took my laces and possessions away but I was fed well and I have no complaints against the Spanish.'

In an interview with the Majorca Daily Bulletin he added: 'We are at war and at war with a crazy maniac.

'Putin is a criminal rogue who is only interested in blood and money.

'He wants to destroy us and Ukraine because, in his opinion, we are a failed state because we refused to be ordered about by Russia.

The 156ft Lady Anastasia (pictured) is owned by millionaire Alexander Mijeev, after seeing pictures of missiles hitting apartment blocks

'It is Russia which is a failed state, Ukraine is a real state and has the full support of the whole world. Putin has been left with just a few international friends.

'I am angry, but I also glad to be home and fighting to save Ukraine from Putin.

'Everybody is angry, and also very sad. Families are being split up, refugees are flooding over the borders.

'But the Ukrainians are very proud and strong and we are all ready and willing to fight to the death.

'We've already taken out some 6,000 Russian troops and we're hitting their supply chains, their lorries and convoys but we need more weapons and military equipment to continue the fight because this is a real war, it is like the Second World War all over again.

'There are fighters arriving from other countries, but as I said, we're not short of people, we're short of guns.'
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.
The Viola Awards is back for its 14th year and with it a number of new additions.

Two new categories, (Excellence in Collaboration and the Philanthropy Award) are part of this years event, as are refined finalist criteria and a new venue, Flagstaffs historic Orpheum Theater.

Every year, the Viola Awards recognizes local artists, educators, organizations and leaders who make positive contributions to the arts and sciences. The COVID-19 pandemic took its toll, shifting the art world forever. And yet, as many can attest, Flagstaff and its arts, cultural organizations and luminaries persevered.

This year saw a record 300 nominations sent in by members of the community and close to 40 people applied to serve as panelists, who determine both finalists and winners.

This years Legacy Award will go to the late Jim Babbitt, who died in the fall of 2021 after a lifetime of supporting arts, culture, and science in Flagstaff. An author of three books on the history of Flagstaff, Creative Flagstaff stated they were honored to recognize his lasting impact on the town.

The Viola Awards is an apt place to celebrate his contributions and honor his legacy in Flagstaff," the organization stated in a press release. "The Babbitt Brothers Foundation has served as the founding sponsor of the Viola Awards since its inception, 14 years ago. Jim was modest in his personal recognition and an enthusiastic participant of the event. The Viola Awards are named after Viola Babbitt, who was an artist and fierce advocate of the arts in Flagstaff, and a relative of Jim Babbitt. In 2008, Jim Babbitt founded a $20,000 endowment to ensure the sustainability of the Viola Awards for the Flagstaff community."

This years award ceremony will be held Saturday, April 30 at the Orpheum Theater.

Without further ado, here are the 2022 Viola Award finalists:

Excellence in the Visual Arts

Bryan David Griffith: Watershed

Charles Decker: Murals at Kutz Barber Shop & Beauty College

Museum of Northern Arizona: Journey to Balance: Migration and Healing in Three Hopi Murals

Rebekah Nordstrom: One Hundred: The (Un)essential Series

Will Ambrose: The Forest

Excellence in the Performing Arts

Ballet Folklorico de Colores & NAU Wind Symphony: Escenas

Dark Sky Aerial: OMEN

Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival: Midsummer Nights Dream

MOCAF & Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival: Co-Vids

NAU Theater: Moving Through Grief

Excellence in Music

iiwaa

Tre Orona & Tsoh Tso

Tha Yoties

WinterHaven

Excellence in Storytelling

Ash Davidson: Damnation Springs

Dark Sky Aerial, Sandcast Media, & Firewatch Media: OMEN

Deidra Peaches: Lifeways of the Little Colorado River

Sandcast Media: They/Them

Will Cordeiro: Trap Street

Emerging Artist

Dana Kamberg

Ember Crowley

iiwaa

Tyrrell Tapaha

Excellence in Education

Diane Immenthun

Dr. Louise Scott

Rena Hamilton

Dr. Steven Hemphill

Excellence in Collaboration

Art Loft Collective

Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra & Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival: Family Pops Concert

MOCAF & Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival: Co-Vids

Kyle & Gretta Miller: Serenade

Community Impact (Individual)

Carrie Dallas

Jake Bacon

Lyncia Begay

Community Impact (Organization)

Ballet Folklorico de Colores

Threaded Together

Tynkertopia

Philanthropy Award

Arizona Public Service

Dark Sky Brewing

Flinn Foundation

Randy Beaumont

For more, visit www.creativeflagstaff.org/
Cybersecurity experts warn that even though recent spates of cyberattacks are targeted at Russia, it could affect other countries  including South Africa.

Stellenbosch University head of information security, Professor Bruce Watson, explained to City Press that cyberweapons targeted at Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine could easily attack South Africa too.

A cyberweapon is a blunt instrument, and its very difficult to refine it in such a way that its aimed at only one specific target, said Watson.

It attacks indiscriminately and can destroy everything in its path.

He added that South Africa could also be targeted directly if hacktivists believe the South African governments stance on the Russia/Ukraine conflict is not satisfactory.

This threat was exacerbated when South Africa abstained from voting in the United Nations resolution reprimanding Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Were between the devil and the deep blue sea because were part of Brics, said Watson.

Global cybersecurity group Orange Cyberdefence noted that South African organisations should be particularly cognizant of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks.

DDoS attacks are common tactics among hacktivists, country hackers, and cybercriminals because theyre relatively easy to deploy, Watson agreed.

Russian hackers, in particular, are commonly associated with large international DDoS attacks.

Despite this reputation, the Institute of Race Relations Nicholas Lorimer has cast doubt on Russias capabilities in cyberwarfare.

Where are they? The evidence of cyberactivity were seeing now is attacks on Russian and pro-Russian websites, and the propagandas in favour of Ukraine and the West, said Lorimer.

The Russian cyberarmy doesnt appear to be on the battlefield yet  that is, if it really exists.

Cyberattacks so far

Pro-Ukraine techies have already executed several notable attacks on Russia.

The office of Vladimir Putins website was taken down in late February and was still inaccessible at publication time.

Additionally, on 27 February, websites connected to Belarus train network went offline. A hacker group called The Cyber Partisans claimed responsibility for the hack, which even managed to bring some of the countrys trains to a halt.

However, pro-Russia attacks have also been documented, including destructive software found to be circulating in Ukraine. This software targeted state facilities and one financial institution.

Facebook has also found and disabled a network that spread Kremlin-friendly disinformation that targeted Ukraine.

Now read: Cyberattack brings Kremlin website down
Hamriyah Free Zone Authority (HFZA) has reiterated its commitment to providing all the necessary means to boost the confidence of over 1,400 Indian companies operating at HFZA in various industrial and commercial sectors.

The authority added: We spare no effort to provide all the facilities, the administrative, technical, and logistical services that ensure ease of doing business in Sharjah. This is in keeping with the UAE-India strenuous efforts to strengthen the solid economic, trade, and investment ties between the two friendly countries.

This was stated during a speech delivered by Saud Salem Al Mazrouei, Director of the Hamriyah Free Zone Authority, during the Tamil Entrepreneurs Forum, organised by the Tamil Entrepreneurs & Professionals Associates. UAE, at Holiday Inn Hotel, Dubai.

The forum aims to encourage and facilitate business development for the Tamil language speaking community.

Well-established relations

In his speech, Al Mazrouei said that the UAE and India have enjoyed a strong trade relationship for many years, and as these relations continue to grow, the trade markets grow and diversify.

"On February 18, India and the UAE inked a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that is being billed as a historic one in many ways. This agreement will usher in a new era in our bilateral economic relations and it is estimated that the bilateral trade volume will increase from $60 billion to $100 billion in 5 years," added Al Mazrouei.

He pointed out that HFZA provides all means of support, as well as the highest standards of excellence and innovation to the Indian business community and Indian companies seeking to take advantage of the promising opportunities available in the Emirate of Sharjah.

Al Mazrouei added that Indian companies at HFZA take advantage of the so many benefit on offer. This includes the strategic location connecting the East and West, sophisticated infrastructure, unrivaled global connectivity, and proximity to the port, which facilitates the import and export operations and raises trade exchange.

He continued to say that HFZA also sets its sights on the companies wishing to expand and grow, through the availability of industrial and commercial plots of land and free spaces for future expansions.

Stimulating trade

"Incorporating the principles and best practices of free trade, UAE free zones help stimulate trade and investment, and facilitate the transfer of skills, knowledge and technology. UAE free zones offer 100% foreign ownership, with no requirements of local sponsors or service agents. Business owners can also enjoy 100% repatriation of revenues and profits, and 100% transfer of funds. More importantly, there is a time-bound waiver of all corporate taxes as well as import and export taxes, and an exemption from all personal taxes," Al Mazrouei concluded.  TradeArabia News Service
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) has signed an agreement with Proman, one of the worlds leading producers of methanol, to develop a UAE-first world-scale methanol production facility at the TaZiz Industrial Chemicals Zone in Ruwais, Abu Dhabi.



Under the terms of the agreement, Abu Dhabi Chemicals Derivatives Company (TaZiz) and Proman will construct a natural gas to methanol facility with an anticipated annual capacity of up to 1.8 million tons per annum. The facility will meet growing domestic and international demand for this clean and versatile chemical commodity which is gaining momentum as a lower-emission fuel alongside existing uses spanning industrial products. The project is subject to relevant regulatory approvals.



TaZiz is a joint venture between Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and ADQ, an Abu Dhabi-based investment and holding company. The proposed partnership will capitalize upon Adnocs attractive value proposition for downstream petrochemicals, ADQs diversified portfolio and Promans extensive construction and operational expertise as the worlds second largest methanol producer.



Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Managing Director and Group CEO of Adnoc, said: We are pleased to welcome Proman as a strategic partner as we develop the UAEs first domestic methanol production facility. This world-scale plant advances the TaZiz mission to diversify the UAEs economy and accelerate industrial development, by enabling local supply chains through the production of new chemicals in the UAE.



As Promans first investment in the UAE, our agreement underscores the continued appeal of the UAE as a highly attractive destination for international capital, supporting long-term industrial growth for Abu Dhabis private sector.



David Cassidy, Proman Chief Executive, said: We look forward to bringing our full value-chain expertise to this development and expanding Promans global footprint to the UAE, in close partnership with Adnoc and ADQ. This will be the first methanol production facility in the UAE and will be one of the most energy efficient and low-emitting plants in the world.



Growing global interest in methanol as a cleaner fuel, particularly for the shipping sector, is set to drive a significant increase in worldwide methanol demand over the coming decade. As such, this is a particularly opportune time to invest in the UAEs domestic downstream production capacity. We are excited to help drive forward the ambitious TaZiz industrial development and the UAEs downstream growth strategy, as well as growing our partnership with TaZiz in the future.



Production of this versatile chemical in the UAE for the first time supports the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technologys mission to diversify the UAEs economy and accelerate industrial development.



Methanol is a critical chemical building block with a wide range of industrial applications including in fuels, adhesives, solvents, pharmaceuticals and construction materials. Growth is expected to be driven by emerging economies in Africa and Asia, while production of methanol in the UAE will support decreased reliance on imports, enabling local manufacturers to Make it In the Emirates and establish greater resiliency among domestic supply chains.



TaZiz comprises of three industrial zones, the first of which is an Industrial Chemicals Zone that will host chemicals production, with seven proposed world-scale projects already in the design phase. The second is the Light Industrial Zone, which will be home to downstream conversion industries that will convert the outputs of the Industrial Chemicals Zone into consumable products, and finally an Industrial Services Zone, which will house a variety of companies providing the necessary services required by the TaZiz industrial zones and the wider Ruwais Industrial Complex.



The TaZiz development has received significant interest from local and international investors since its launch in November 2020. Partnership agreements have been signed with Fertiglobe, GS Energy, and Mitsui for the proposed development of a low-carbon ammonia production facility and with Reliance Industries for a proposed ethylene dichloride (EDC), chlor-alkali (CA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) production facility.



Eight UAE-based investors have signed investment agreements with TaZiz, for up to a 20% stake in a portfolio of chemicals projects within the TaZiz Industrial Chemicals Zone, marking the first domestic Public Private Partnership in Abu Dhabis downstream and petrochemicals sector.



Final Investment Decisions for these chemical projects are expected later this year and are subject to relevant regulatory approvals. An agreement has also been signed with AD Ports Group to develop a new world class ports and logistics facility at TaZiz.  TradeArabia News Service
A man has escaped unscathed after being knocked on his side during a terrifying encounter with a monster great white shark at a popular beach.

The swimmer was 'rammed' by the 3.5 metre predator 150 metres offshore from Melros Beach in Perth's south on Sunday afternoon.

It's believed the man had dived off a reef in shallow waters before the frightening encounter.

The sighting prompted authorities to alert beachgoers and launch a search for the shark which swam away without causing any harm, much to the man's relief.

Florida Beach (pictured) in Perth's south was closed on Sunday after a swimmer's terrifying encounter with a 3.5 metre shark

'A great white shark has rammed a male person in his side, off the back of the reef at Melros Beach Mandurah,' Surf Life Saving WA tweeted.

'Nil injuries to swimmer, for awareness of other swimmers in the area Melros, south of Mandurah.'

The Department of Fisheries Shark Operation Unit said the encounter took place at nearby Florida Beach, which is a kilometre north of Melros.

'To reduce the threat to people, Florida Beach has now been closed and will remain closed for 24 hours when City of Mandurah will reassess the situation,' an alert read.

The department added it will work with local authorities on a coordinated response and dispatched a Surf Life Saving to monitor the vicinity.

Locals believed the swimmer's encounter was more likely to have been with a tiger shark and that sightings in the shallow reef area are uncommon.

'There's not many whites, they're normally out way deep, they come in if there's schools of fish,' a resident told The West Australian.

'They go where the food is. It obviously wasn't interested in the person it bumped, that's not really predatory behaviour.'

It's understood a great white shark (stock photo) 'rammed' the man on his wide before swimming away

Another added he spots great whites in the area around once a month.

The last fatal shark attack off the Mandurah coast was six years ago when a 29-year-old surfer was mauled at Falcon Beach.

It comes almost three weeks after British expat Simon Nellist was mauled to death by a 4.5 metres great white shark during his daily swim off Little Bay in Sydney's east.

It was the first fatal shark attack in Sydney in almost six decades.
(AP) - The superyacht Dilbar has two helipads, berths for more than 130 people and a 25-metre swimming pool that itself can accommodate another superyacht.

Dilbar was launched in 2016 at a reported cost of more than 648 million US dollars (490 million). Five years later, its purported owner, the Kremlin-aligned Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov, was already dissatisfied.

He sent the vessel to a German shipyard last autumn for a retrofit reportedly costing several hundred million.

Dilbar was in drydock on Thursday when the United States and European Union announced economic sanctions against Mr Usmanov  a metals magnate and early investor in Facebook  over his ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin and in retaliation for the Kremlins invasion of Ukraine.

US President Joe Biden addressed Russian oligarchs during his State of the Union speech on Tuesday night, warning: We are joining with our European allies to find and seize your yachts, your luxury apartments, your private jets. We are coming for your ill-begotten gains.

But seizing the behemoth boats could prove challenging. Russian billionaires have had decades to shield their money and assets in the West from governments that might try to tax or seize them.

Several media outlets reported last week that German authorities had impounded the Dilbar. But a spokeswoman for Hamburg states economy ministry told The Associated Press no such action had yet been taken because it had been unable to establish ownership of the yacht.

Stella Maris yacht belonging to Rashid Sardarov is docked in Nice, France, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. The boat is believed to be owned by Sardarov, a Russian billionaire oil and gas magnate not yet among the Kremlin-aligned oligarchs sanctioned by the United States and its allies in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The European Union began moving this week to seize at least two superyachts owned by Russians close to Vladimir Putin. (AP Photo/Colleen Barry)

Dilbar is flagged in the Cayman Islands and registered to a holding company in Malta, banking havens where the global ultra-rich often park their wealth.

Working with the UK-based yacht valuation firm VesselsValue, the AP compiled a list of 56 superyachts  generally defined as luxury vessels exceeding 79ft in length  believed to be owned by a few dozen Kremlin-aligned oligarchs. The yachts have a combined market value estimated at more than 5.4 billion US dollars (4 billion).

The AP then used two online services  VesselFinder and MarineTraffic  to plot the last known locations of the yachts as relayed by their onboard tracking beacons.

Many are anchored in the Mediterranean and Caribbean. But more than a dozen were under way or had already arrived in remote ports in small nations such as the Maldives and Montenegro, potentially beyond the reach of Western sanctions. Three had gone dark, their transponders last pinging just outside the Bosporus in Turkey  gateway to the Black Sea and the southern Russian ports of Sochi and Novorossiysk.

Graceful, a German-built Russian-flagged superyacht believed to belong to Mr Putin, left a repair yard in Hamburg, Germany, on February 7, two weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine. It is now moored in the Russian Baltic port of Kaliningrad, beyond the reach of Western sanctions imposed against him this past week.

French authorities seized the superyacht Amore Vero on Thursday in the Mediterranean resort town of La Ciotat. The boat is believed to belong to Igor Sechin, a Putin ally who runs Russian oil giant Rosneft, which has been on the US sanctions list since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.

The French Finance Ministry said in a statement that customs authorities boarded the 289ft Amore Vero and discovered its crew was preparing for an urgent departure, even though planned repair work was not finished.

The 213ft Lady M was seized by Italian authorities on Friday while moored in the Rivieria port town of Imperia. In a tweet announcing the seizure, a spokesman for Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said the yacht was the property of sanctioned steel baron Alexei Mordashov, listed as Russias wealthiest man with a fortune of about 30 billion US dollars (23 billion).

FILE - The yacht Amore Vero is docked in the Mediterranean resort of La Ciotat, France, Thursday, March 3, 2022. French authorities have seized the yacht linked to Igor Sechin, a Putin ally who runs Russian oil giant Rosneft, as part of EU sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The boat arrived in La Ciotat on Jan. 3 for repairs and was slated to stay until April 1 and was seized to prevent an attempted departure. (AP Photo/Bishr Eltoni, File)

But Mr Mordashovs 464ft Nord was safely at anchor on Friday in the Seychelles, a tropical island chain in the Indian Ocean not under the jurisdiction of US or EU sanctions. Among the worlds biggest superyachts, Nord has a market value of 500 million US dollars (377 million).

Dennis Cauiser, a superyacht analyst with VesselFinder, said the escalating US and EU sanctions on Putin-aligned oligarchs and Russian banks have sent a chill through the industry, with boatbuilders and staff worried they will not be paid. It can cost upwards of 50 million US dollars (38 million) a year to crew, fuel and maintain a superyacht.

Most of the Russians on the annual Forbes list of billionaires have not yet been sanctioned by the United States and its allies, and their superyachts are still cruising the worlds oceans.

The 237ft Stella Maris, which was seen by an AP journalist docked this past week in Nice, France, is believed to be owned by Rashid Sardarov, a Russian billionaire oil and gas magnate.

The crash of the rouble and the tanking of Moscow stock market have depleted the fortunes of Russias elite. Mr Cauiser said he expects some oligarch superyachts will soon quietly be listed by brokers at fire-sale prices.

On Thursday, the US Treasury Department issued a new round of sanctions that included a news release citing Mr Usmanovs close ties to Putin and photos of Dilbar and the oligarchs private jet  a custom-built 209ft Airbus A340-300 passenger liner.

But Mr Usmanov said in a statement issued through the website of the International Fencing Federation, of which he has served as president since 2008: I believe that such a decision is unfair and the reasons employed to justify the sanctions are a set of false and defamatory allegations damaging my honour, dignity and business reputation.

Russian metals and petroleum magnate Roman Abramovich is believed to have bought or built at least seven of the worlds largest yachts, some of which he has since sold to other oligarchs.

Location transponders showed the 533ft Solaris  launched by Mr Abramovich in 2010 with an undersea bay that reportedly holds a mini-sub  was moored in Barcelona, Spain, on Saturday.

His 600 million US dollar (454 million) Eclipse, which is eight floors tall and on the water since last year, set sail from St Maarten late Thursday and is under way in the Caribbean Sea, destination undisclosed.

Under mounting pressure, Mr Abramovich announced this past week he would sell Chelsea FC and give the net proceeds for the benefit of all victims of the war in Ukraine.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday informed that it is going to organize an International Election Visitors Programme (IEVP) 2022 for foreign Election Management Bodies (EMBs)/Organisations in virtual mode on Monday. "The ongoing legislative assembly elections in the states of Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh have a combined electorate of 183.4 million, one of the largest to vote amid the COVID-19 pandemic," the ECI said in a press release. IEVP constitutes an important part of ECI's international outreach and is organized with the goal of familiarizing fellow EMBs with the electoral system and processes adopted in the world's largest democracy. IEVP 2022 provides an opportunity for ECI to share best practices and experience of the conduct of the poll process along with the steps taken to ensure compliance of COVID-19 protocols. As per the ECI, over 135 delegates from over 26 countries across the world including Australia, Bahamas, Bhutan, Croatia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Georgia, Guinea, Guyana, Kenya, Liberia, Maldives, Mauritius, Moldova, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Romania, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Suriname, Tanzania, Uzbekistan, Zambia etc. and 4 international organizations including International IDEA, International Foundation of Electoral Systems (IFES), Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB) and Community of Democracies will be participating in IEVP 2022. "Besides, Ambassadors/High Commissioners and other members of the Diplomatic Corps based in India from 20 countries have also been invited to participate in the virtual IEVP 2022," the release read. The Programme for IEVP 2022 comprises of an online briefing session by Umesh Sinha, Secretary General, ECI and Head of India A-WEB Centre at ECI, which would give the participants an overview of the large canvas of the Indian electoral process, the new initiatives taken by ECI on voter facilitation, transparency and accessibility of electoral system; ECI's response to the changing needs of training and capacity building and the new formats necessitated by COVID-19 along with insights into the elections held in the states of Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. "With a vast electorate of more than 183.4 million, these elections have posed formidable challenges and arrangements have been made to address them and to deploy unique initiatives to conduct a Covid safe election," the ECI said. As per the ECI, the participants will be showcased a recorded broadcast from select polling stations in each of the five states of Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh where polls have taken place as well as live streaming from polling stations in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh on March 7. The programme, as per the press release, includes familiarization of participants with the electoral process, polling station arrangements, use of technology, interaction with various stakeholders followed by a Q&A session. (ANI)
My clothes lie in piles, my books, laptop, my dogs bed and toys and odds and ends are scattered throughout the living room. I am getting ready to leave the house. I am going on a roadtrip to visit family  by choice, of course. But the chaos inside my house reminds me of our brothers and sisters in Ukraine, who had to grab small piles of their things if they had timebefore running out of their homes and away from their country.

Similar thoughts entered my mind as I skied up behind Lowell Observatory with friends last weekend. It was cold and beautiful and peaceful as sunshine and shade competed between the towering ponderosa pines. And I thought, what would it be like to be doing this in the woods as bombs fell around us, as the observatory blew up because another country wanted to dominate us, take us hostage to fulfill a mad mans lust for power? Knowing that downtown Flagstaff was in rubble, and the roads out of town were impassible as enemies approached?

Most of us are glued to our radios, TVs and phones as we watch and listen, tears in our eyes and mouths agape, at the horrific news from abroad. The Russians have hundreds of thousands of troops surrounding Ukraine, and last week entered that country, bound to destroy and rule. The Ukrainians, bless them, are fighting back. Ukrainian men up to 60 years old have been ordered to stay and fight, but I have not heard reports of them complaining. One news story showed men in their 60s coming back in to Ukraine to fight. The president has encouraged his citizens to make molotov cocktails, and take up any arms they have to protect their homeland.

The fact that in his former life the Ukrainian president was an actor and comedian, and considered somewhat of a joke as presidential candidate, and now he is inspiring his country and the world makes everything seem more surreal. This must be a script someone wrote, thats not even that believable, right?

Yet heres one of his real-life lines, responding to misinformation claiming he had fled the country and was asking his people to surrender. Im here. We wont lay down our arms. We will defend our state, our territory, our Ukraine, our children, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told his countrymen and the world last week. Glory to Ukraine!

By the time you read this, more destruction and death will have fallen on Ukraine and Russia. As I write, more than a half a million Ukrainian refugeesmostly women and childrenhave crossed the borders into other countries. Bombs have fallen on Kyiv and Kharkiv, destroying buildings, infrastructure and killing many people.

The European Union and the United States are responding by freezing Russias economic assets, and the extent of this effort is unprecedented.

The unthinkable became the thinkable, said Samantha Power of the U.S. Agency for International Development. She said not only would the war have been unthinkable just a week ago, but so, too, would the scale of the EUs security assistance, of sending weapons to Ukraine. Even Germany reversed its longstanding policy of never sending weapons to conflict zones, calling the Russian invasion an epochal moment that imperiled the entire post-World War II order across Europe.

Last week, the New York Times front page showed the body of a Russian soldier lying in the snow. It was a shocking image, and followed by others in multiple media platforms of collapsed buildings and long lines of people fleeing Ukraine or hiding in the undergrounds with their families and friends and pets. And, of course, the bloodshed of Ukrainians.

As we sit securely in our little mountain town, at least for now, lets pray for all peopleincluding the many Russians against this warto find peace. Beyond that, here are a few places that are taking donations to help the Ukrainians. If you know more, please add them to the online comments below.
WorkSmart for Events Management said that the tenth edition of the Meet ICT and the Bahrain International Technology Exhibition (Bitex), will be held from June 14-16, instead of March 29-31.



WorkSmart for Events Management in partnership with The Bahrain Technology Companies Society (BTECH), said that the tenth edition of the Meet ICT and the Bahrain International Technology Exhibition (Bitex), will be held from June 14-16, instead of March 29-31.



The event is held under the patronage of the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunication, Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed.



Ahmed Al Hujairy, CEO of WorkSmart, explained that this amended date was chosen after consultation with the event's organizers to have more time for additional preparations to ensure the success of this regional technical event, as well as to accommodate more participants, in taking advantage of the ease in the government restrictions vs. Covid19 in the Kingdom and around the globe.



The Meet ICT conference and Bitex exhibition, are considered the leading event in the field of ICT in Bahrain and are being held this year under the slogan Leading the way towards the digital economy through artificial intelligence while celebrating its 10th Edition in line with Bahrains vision and technological progress in the region.



This three-day exhibition, and two-day conference session will feature specialized workshops that will tackle comprehensive topics such as Artificial Intelligence, Digital Transformation, 5G, Blockchain, FinTech, Cybersecurity, and many more.



More than 700 international delegates are anticipated to join, and local, regional, and International IT companies are expected to showcase the latest in technology innovation at Bitex Exhibition.



This event provides a conducive platform for bringing together private and public sector decision-makers, key players, IT experts, those interested in technology, and those who are passionate about



The event provides opportunities for networking, building valuable partnerships, reopening, and expanding business opportunities. It will highlight innovative trends, services and products of ICT companies.  TradeArabia News Service
Mar. 6OMAHA, Neb.  The last time UND lost a game in regulation and didn't collect any National Collegiate Hockey Conference points, it was mid-January.

The Fighting Hawks had lost four in a row at that time, had only scored twice in nearly 200 minutes and the direction of the season seemed to be at a crossroads.

It took 42 days and 12 games for it to happen again.

UND's 11-game point run and seven-game winning streak finally came to an end Saturday night in a 4-1 loss to Omaha in Baxter Arena.

After this loss, the tenor of the season was a bit different.

A night earlier, UND won the Penrose Cup as National Collegiate Hockey Conference champions for the third-straight season, and the Fighting Hawks still sat in excellent position in the Pairwise Rankings at No. 6.

They were forced to share the league title with Denver, though. The Pioneers matched UND's 53 league points by beating Colorado College on Saturday night.

"We wanted to have it outright," said UND junior forward Judd Caulfield, who scored the team's lone goal Saturday. "But at the end of the day, it is what it is. It's a regular-season championship and we know moving forward we've got more titles we want to accomplish here."

Now, UND (22-12-1) will begin the playoffs with a best-of-three quarterfinal series against Colorado College next weekend in Ralph Engelstad Arena.

It has been a familiar matchup. Colorado College made spring break trips to Grand Forks in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2021 and now in 2022. The Tigers were halfway to Grand Forks in 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic shut down the season.

"I'm really excited for it," UND captain Mark Senden said. "I'm excited to get everything going here with playoffs and I'm looking forward to next weekend at home. Moving forward, it's taking it day-by-day, coming to the rink every single day, coming to work and coming to compete."

The Fighting Hawks hope they'll be a bit healthier by then.

Story continues

On Saturday, they played without alternate captain Gavin Hain for a 15th-straight game, star defenseman Jake Sanderson for a 10th-straight game, leading scorer Riese Gaber for a fifth-straight game, top-pair defenseman Ethan Frisch for a third-straight game and starting goalie Zach Driscoll, who rested after carrying the load down the stretch.

That banged-up lineup made a charge to the top of the standings, but finally hit a stumbling block in the regular-season finale.

The Mavericks used two goals and an assist by Chayse Primeau and goals by Jack Randl and Nate Knoepke to beat the Fighting Hawks.

"I thought it wasn't our best," UND coach Brad Berry said. "But I did think they played very well. It was their senior night, their last game in this building this year, and they played from start to finish. We had spurts in the game but not nearly enough. I think it's a situation where we've got to know our identity. We've got to make sure we get back to that next weekend."

Omaha jumped out to the lead late in the first, taking advantage of a misplay by freshman goalie Jakob Hellsten. The rookie went into the corner to play the puck, but turned it over to the Mavericks. Hellsten made a save on Omaha's Taylor Ward, diving back into net, but Primeau easily scored on the rebound.

The Mavericks tacked on two more in the second period to open a 3-0 lead.

At 3:55, Primeau put home a long rebound off the end wall. At 13:38, Jack Randl scored a power-play goal on a rebound out front.

UND cut the lead to 3-1 when Caulfield scored on a rebound of a Jake Schmaltz shot just eight seconds into a power-play chance.

The Mavericks put the game away in the third, though. Moments after an Omaha power play expired, defenseman Nate Knoepke wired a shot to the corner of the net for his first of the season at 8:49.

"I thought Omaha came out and played really hard," Caulfield said. "We didn't quite match their intensity at times. They kind of took advantage of that. We've just got to know, moving forward, that we have to bring it every shift. We can't take shifts off, because come playoff time, everyone is going to bring their best. So, we know we have to bring ours."

After winning the Penrose Cup again, UND now has another trophy to try to defend. The Fighting Hawks won the NCHC playoffs last season in Ralph Engelstad Arena  the same place this year's playoff journey will begin.

"We got home ice," Berry said. "That's what we wanted to get out of our regular-season schedule. We've earned that right. Now, we want to make sure we take advantage of it."
VIENNA  Iran has agreed to supply answers long sought by the United Nations nuclear watchdog, Tehran and the U.N. agency said Saturday, as talks in Vienna over its tattered atomic deal with world powers appear to be coming to an end.

A joint statement by Mohammad Eslami, the head of the civilian Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, and Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy, came hours after the two met in Tehran.

It envisions the IAEA reaching conclusions on the discovery of uranium particles at former undeclared sites in Iran by June. The move is separate from the talks over the nuclear deal but could help push them to a conclusion.

But meanwhile, Russias foreign minister for the first time linked American sanctions on Moscow over its war on Ukraine to the ongoing Iran nuclear deal talks  adding a new wrinkle to the delicate diplomacy.

Grossi said in Tehran that it would be difficult to believe or to imagine that such an important return to such a comprehensive agreement  would be possible if the agency and Iran would not be seeing eye to eye on how to resolve these important safeguards issues. Safeguards refer to the IAEAs inspections and monitoring of a countrys nuclear program.

Grossi for years has sought for Iran to answer questions about man-made uranium particles found at former undeclared nuclear sites. U.S. intelligence agencies, Western nations and the IAEA have said Iran ran an organized nuclear weapons program until 2003. Iran long has denied ever seeking nuclear weapons.

Eslami said the men had reached an agreement that would see Iran presenting documents that would remove the ambiguities about our country. He did not elaborate on what the documents would discuss.

The later joint statement said that Eslamis agency will by March 20 give the U.N. nuclear watchdog written explanations including related supporting documents to the questions raised by the IAEA which have not been addressed by Iran on the issues related to three locations.

Within two weeks, the IAEA will review that information and submit any questions, and within a week of that the two agencies will meet in Tehran to address the questions.

Grossi will then aim to report his conclusions by the time the IAEA board of governors meets in June.

Speaking on his return to Vienna, Grossi said that may or may not happen, depending on Irans cooperation. He said the conclusions could go in different directions and could be final or partial.

The safeguards issues will not be resolved politically because I will not go for that, Grossi said.

There is no artificial deadline, there is no predefined outcome, there is no predefined name for what I am going to do, he told reporters.

The nuclear deal saw Iran agree to drastically limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of crushing economic sanctions. But a 2018 decision by then-President Donald Trump to unilaterally withdraw America from the agreement sparked years of tensions and attacks across the wider Mideast.

Today, Tehran enriches uranium up to 60% purity  its highest level ever and a short technical step from weapons-grade levels of 90% and far greater than the nuclear deals 3.67% cap. Its stockpile of enriched uranium also continues to grow, worrying nuclear nonproliferation experts that Iran could be closer to the threshold of having enough material for an atomic weapon if it chose to pursue one.

Undeclared sites played into the initial 2015 deal as well. That year the IAEAs then-director-general went to Tehran and visited one suspected weapons-program site at Parchin. Inspectors also took samples there for analysis.

Grossis inspectors also face challenges in monitoring Irans current advances in its civilian program. Iran has held IAEA surveillance camera recordings since February 2021, not letting inspectors view them amid the nuclear negotiations.

In Vienna, negotiators appear to be signaling a deal is near, even as Russias war in Ukraine rages on. Russian ambassador Mikhail Ulyanov has been a key mediator in the talks and tweeted Thursday that negotiations were almost over. That was also acknowledged by French negotiator Philippe Errera.

We hope to come back quickly to conclude because we are very, very close to an agreement, Errera wrote Friday on Twitter. But nothing is agreed until EVERYTHING is agreed!

But comments Saturday by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov for the first time offered the suggestion that the Ukraine war  and the stinging sanctions that Americans and others have put on Moscow  could interfere.

We need guarantees these sanctions will in no way affect the trading, economic and investment relations contained in the (deal) for the Iranian nuclear program, Lavrov said, according to the Tass news agency.

Lavrov said he wanted guarantees at least at the level of the secretary of state that the U.S. sanctions would not affect Moscows relationship with Tehran. There was no immediate American response to Lavrovs comments.

Meanwhile on Saturday, Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard unveiled what it described as two new underground missile and drone bases in the country. State TV said the bases contained surface-to-surface missiles and armed drones capable of hiding themselves from enemy radar.

___

Associated Press writers Geir Moulson in Berlin and Amir Vahdat in Tehran contributed. Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Boris Johnson is facing political pressure on all sides to reexamine the UK's military spending levels as one of his former ministers led Tory demands for an increase in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Lord Frost attacked 'many years of Western unseriousness about foreign and defence policy' as Labour's Keir Starmer also demanded a review of policy.

Frost, until last year the UK's Brexit Secretary, said inaction allowed Vladimir Putin to think he could 'try it on'. The former minister joined with other ex-Cabinet members including Michael Fallon to back a 25 per cent increase in defense spending.

Their intervention comes as Nato allies look at their own spending and European nations close to Russia geographically consider joining.

Germany is to plough 100 billion euros into a new defence procurement fund and raise overall spending above 2 per cent of GDP for the first time in decades.

At the same time Finland and Sweden are said to have begun looking at the possibility of joining Nato.

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph today, Lord Frost said: 'we are going to have to spend more on defence and that will mean tough choices. We need to reform and liberalise so that investment keeps coming.'

Lord Frost attacked 'many years of Western unseriousness about foreign and defence policy' as Labour's Keir Starmer also demanded a review of policy.

Boris Johnson is facing political pressure on all sides to reexamine the UK's military spending levels

Speaking on the BBC's Sunday Morning programme, Sir Keir said: 'I think there does need to be a step back and review of defence policy because this has, I think, blown away some of the assumptions the Government was working on.'

Sir Michael Fallon, who was defence secretary under David Cameron and Theresa May, added: 'In 1999, long before 9/11, before Russian aggression, before Kim Jong-il had nuclear missiles, we were spending 2.7 per cent.'

'[My] only criticism of last year's integrated review [of security and defence ] was that its ambition wasn't matched by signficant further uplift.

'I absolutely welcome both the review and the previous very welcome increase in 2020. But its ambition wasn't matched by a further increase building beyond 2.5 per cent by the end of the Parliament. That's the kind of ambition we need.'

Sir Keir said there needs to be a review of defence policy and spending, with Labour having also previously attacked wasted money in military procurement.

Speaking on the BBC's Sunday Morning programme, Sir Keir said: 'I think there does need to be a step back and review of defence policy because this has, I think, blown away some of the assumptions the Government was working on.'

Sir Keir said the Labour Party has been critical of the Government for cutting back the army by another 10,000 soldiers, noting 'as we have said, we wouldn't have done that'.

He went on: 'I think on the Government benches, there's a growing sense that there's got to be a review by the Government of its defence policy and strategy, and its funding, and I think that's true.'

When asked how much more on defence he would spend, Sir Keir said: 'Well, we've said we wouldn't be making the cuts that the Government is currently making. But I think in the middle of a conflict, we have to focus on the job in hand, which is supporting Ukraine and ensuring that Putin is defeated.

'In the aftermath, of course, there's going to have to be a review across Parliament about spending, about priorities about strategy in relation to defence.'

Last month MailOnline revealed Boris Johnson's Global Britain foreign policy has forced military chiefs to scrap equipment programmes worth 2billion - enough to build two new Royal Navy warships - MailOnline can reveal.

Germany is to plough 100 billion euros into a new defence procurement fund and raise overall spending above 2 per cent of GDP for the first time in decades (Bundeswehr Leopard 2 tank pictured)

The Prime Minister signalled a post-Brexit change in policy in March last year with a huge shift in emphasis from conventional forces to cutting edge warfare, with investment in space and laser weapons.

He also raised the limit on the number of nuclear warheads from 180 to 260 in the face of increasingly belligerent activity by Chin and Russia in the integrated review of security, defence, and foreign policy.

But the Ministry of Defence's annual review for 2021 shows that 'earlier retirement of assets cost more than 1.4 billion. Additionally, cancelling procurement programmes for equipment no longer required cost 545million.

The combined loss of almost 2billion would be enough to pay for two Daring Class Type 45 destroyers at 1billion a time.

The MoD said the figures were 'accounting adjustments' and highlighted increased military spending announced in the review.

The 100-page Integrated Review set out the Government's view of Britain's place in the world after Brexit.

At the same time Finland and Sweden (Saab Gripen fighters pictured) are said to have begun looking at the possibility of joining Nato

It declared: 'We will move from defending the status quo within the post-Cold War international system to dynamically shaping the post-Covid order.'

There will be a 24billion rise in spending on defence as the UK moves into the 'new frontiers' of space and cyber-warfare.

The review also paved the way for cuts to conventional forces, with the RAF set to lose 24 Typhoon jets and its 14 Super Hercules transport planes.

The Royal Navy is said to be facing the loss of two submarine-hunting frigates, HMS Montrose and HMS Monmouth, as well as its 13 minehunters, which are due to be replaced by drones.

And British Army commanders are expected to have to say goodbye to 10,000 personnel, four infantry battalions, 77 tanks and 760 Warrior fighting vehicles.

Even the Liberal Democrats have called for increased military spending. Yesterday its leader Ed Davy used a visit to Portsmouth to say: 'Now is not the time to be undermining our Royal Navy by slashing defence spending.

'That should include urgent investment in boosting our Royal Navy and fixing our destroyers that have been plagued with problems for many years.

'It is unforgivable that at a time we face a renewed threat from Putin's Russia, six of the UK's destroyers have been stuck in port and are not set to be fixed for years to come.'
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 05/03/2022 (202 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

HALIFAX  On a quiet day in the intensive care unit of the Halifax Infirmary, registered nurse Joan Kearney described the new infection-control measures deployed against COVID-19 and the exhaustion of staff after nearly two years of the pandemic.

Im tired, just like everyone. Its been a long journey, Kearney said during a recent interview. At the very beginning, the changes were coming daily as far as what we were doing and how we were doing it.

The Infirmary is now in the midst of a lull, as hospitalizations from the most recent wave of the pandemic gradually decline. But staff say theyre expecting a new rise in cases, as most public health restrictions in the province are set to lift later this month.

Registered nurse Teri Jones works with a patient in the intensive care unit at the Halifax Infirmary in Halifax on Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. As hospitalizations from the most recent wave of the COVID-19 pandemic recede, staff say theyre expecting a rise in cases again as most public health restrictions in the province are set to be rolled back later this month. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

I dont think its petering off, Kearney said of the pandemic. I think once things open up again, we will see another little blip, for sure.

Provincial health officials announced last month that by March 21, restrictions such as gathering limits, social distancing and masking would end. Premier Tim Houston has said the province was ready to make gradual changes with confidence.

On Jan. 19, health officials reported 83 people in hospital who were admitted because of COVID-19, and by March 3 that number was nearly halved to 46 people.

Kearney, whose specialty is infection prevention and control, said she worked with the hospitals many departments, from engineering to housekeeping, to outfit units to care for COVID-19 patients. The hospital installed new walls to protect staff and patients and planned out new walking pathways through the building to reduce the chances patients are exposed to the disease.

Dr. Sarah McMullen said the past two years have been somewhat demoralizing at times. The pandemic has inflicted an emotional toll on many within the hospital system, she said, especially those in intensive care, where restrictions prevented patients from being with loved ones during their final moments.

McMullen said now that the Omicron wave has subsided, it might be the best time to roll back restrictions.

I think now is the time to do it with Omicron, which we know is highly contagious, but we also know its not virulent, McMullen said. Theres going to be ups and downs, but we know how to deal with those.

Another doctor at the Infirmary, Christy Bussey, said that while residents across the province start to breathe a sigh of relief as restrictions lift, health-care workers continue to care for patients.

There is no breath; there hasnt been a breath since March of 2020, in fact, Bussey said. I dont think were done with the pandemic. Rather, I dont think COVID is done with us. I think COVID is going to be around for quite some time, just in a different form.

That different form, she said, might look like the lingering symptoms suffered by some patients  the so-called long haulers. It might also come in the form of patients who have aggravated illnesses because their treatments have been put on hold.

Registered nurse Teri Jones said the backlog of surgeries put on hold because of the pandemic could become another wave that health-care workers will have to face.

The acuity is still very high due to COVID and the (backlog) of all the delayed appointments and delayed surgeries  I think people have progressed to being a little bit sicker, she said.

As restrictions gradually lift, Kearney said that within the hospital, the focus will always be on prevention and on adapting to future challenges.

Hospital settings are very different from the community because our patient population is vulnerable, she said. In hospital settings, you cant let your guard down  We have to always maintain due diligence.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 5, 2022.



This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
Former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa hading over the cheque to Harsha's family (ANI)

Shivamogga: Former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Sunday handed over a cheque of Rs 25 lakh to the family of Bajrang Dal activist Harsha who was murdered last month.

The state police have arrested 10 people so far in this connection.

Earlier on February 28, schools and colleges reopened in Shivamogga city after one week. The educational institutions were closed for a week following the murder of Harsha. Shivamogga district administration has extended the prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) here, till March 4.

Following the murder, Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra alleged that it was "planned".
It has been whispered at construction sites across New York for decades. Want access to lucrative government contracts? Put your business in your wifes name.

But lately, New York State has been booting from its programs companies it says are not authentic woman-owned business enterprises, or WBEs, because the husband, father or brother of the female owner controls the company.

"We need to do that to ensure the integrity of the program," said Goldie Weixel, acting general counsel for Empire State Development. "The purpose is to support woman-owned businesses. Its not the family-owned business program."

Still, questions remain about how effective the state is at rooting out fraud  and whether state regulators are targeting the very companies their programs were designed to help.

A review of state economic development files and court records by The Buffalo News revealed nearly 500 cases in the last three years where state officials either denied the certification of a woman-owned business or revoked its certification years after the state initially approved it.

Most of those cases involved family businesses where a woman owned a majority stake in the company but a male member of the woman's family either co-owned or had significant roles in the business.

There are financial incentives that might prompt men in the building trades to put their company in their wife's name.

General contractors on state projects are required to hire minority- and woman-owned firms for roughly 30% of the total work on each project. For contracts exceeding $5,000 on any state building, if an MWBE company submits a bid within 10% of the low bidder, the minority- or woman-owned company is automatically deemed the apparent low bidder if their bid is for $1.4 million or less.

"The benefits of being certified provide for getting access to opportunities that the broader population would not have access to," said Hope Knight, president and CEO of Empire State Development Corp.

State officials deny they are "cracking down" on phony woman-owned business applications, but their own statistics show they are denying applications for WBEs at more than twice the rate of certification applications for minority-owned businesses.

To be sure, many certified woman-owned businesses are indeed run by women.

But some say regulators are now making up for a lack of vigilance in the past. State audits and court testimony indicate the state in recent years has certified 99% of minority and woman-owned businesses that applied.

Nearly one-third of the certification denials that were appealed in the last three years involved companies that had been let into the program years earlier, before regulators changed their minds and determined the businesses were really controlled by men.

And auditors working for the inspector general and the state comptroller have uncovered schemes where woman-owned businesses allegedly acted as "pass-through" companies for firms owned by men, including one case where a woman subcontracted the work to an independent contractor  her husband.

"There's some legitimate ones out there, but there are a lot of one-woman shell companies, too," said Timothy Crino, a retired FBI agent who investigated MWBE fraud for the state inspector general.

Knight, the state economic development commissioner, rejected the notion that fraud was common in the program.

"Fraud is really not a significant issue for the program," Knight said. "We do see that as the number of applications increase, we do have applications that we have to take a close look at to make sure that they comport with requirements. But from a keeping one up at night perspective, its not the kind of thing were worried about."

Bookkeeper vs. CFO

When MDS Associates, a medical supply company in Lancaster, reapplied for certification as a WBE, state officials didn't believe Sarah Stec ran the company.

In 2018, Stec had to fight the state to stay in the WBE program after Empire State Development said her husband was responsible for the core functions of the business.

Ms. Stec may play an important backup role, a state administrative law judge wrote in her denial. However, the certification requires that the woman owner makes the decisions with respect to the core functions of the company.

The state had certified MDS Associates as a woman-owned business starting in 1991, records show.

The business was originally owned by Stec's mother-in-law and father-in-law. When her mother-in-law was diagnosed with cancer in 2010, she gave her 51% ownership stake to Stec. Her father-in-law gave his 49% ownership stake to Stec's husband.

The state's Division of Minority and Womens Business Development had certified the business at least three times, Stec said, before suddenly raising questions in 2018 about the transaction.

The state also said Stec did not demonstrate enough control of the business because her work was "primarily centered on bookkeeping such as processing checks, paying bills, doing payroll, reconciliation of bank statements as well as personnel matters" while her husband handled marketing and sales, supervision of employees and negotiations with vendors.

"If a man is sitting in the office and he's dealing with the finances, he's a CFO. If a woman is doing it, she's the bookkeeper," Stec's lawyer, Kevin T. O'Brien, argued in court while attacking the state's position.

State Supreme Court Justice Paul B. Wojtaszek sided with Stec and ordered the state last month to grant the company's recertification to the WBE program.

Shell company flagged

Gina Fahey, the owner of GLB Interiors in Cheektowaga, got a different result when she challenged the state.

GLB Interiors was denied certification as a WBE in 2017 because state regulators determined Fahey's office furniture company was not "independent" enough from two businesses owned by her father.

Fahey's father, Michael Bonitatibus, was the president of Millington Lockwood Business Interiors and also owned Richway Refinishing. Both businesses were located on Genesee Street across from Buffalo Niagara International Airport  in the same building as GLB Interiors.

Fahey said she leased a separate office suite in the building, but state records described other ties: GLB subcontracted with Millington Lockwood and Richway for design, delivery and installation services.

"She had no inventory," said Crino, who investigated the case for the state inspector general. "She had no employees."

State regulators also said GLB's office "is accessed through the Richway Refinishing warehouse" and did not have its own exterior door. They said the business was "uniquely dependent" on her father's companies.

"Its basically your Dads company, and youve created this other, you know, shell company," Crino said.

An administrative law judge denied her WBE status and wrote that the intent of the program was to "confer program benefits upon minority and women-owned businesses that are most likely to have experienced discrimination in the marketplace, rather than those that enjoy benefits from a connection to a non-WBE firm."

Fahey and her father, who has since retired from Millington Lockwood, did not respond to messages seeking comment. Joseph Conley, the company's current chief executive, confirmed that GLB was no longer operating in the Genesee Street warehouse. He declined to comment further.

How common is fraud?

There are more than 9,200 businesses certified by Empire State Development to benefit from its minority- and woman-owned business enterprises program. New York denied 675 businesses a MWBE certification or recertification in the past three years.

State data obtained by The News through a Freedom of Information Law request show most of the businesses denied certification by ESD were owned by women, not minorities.

In the last three years, WBE applications have accounted for 74% of the certification and recertification denials. The other 26% were for minority-owned businesses or businesses that sought certifications as being owned by a woman who was also a minority.

The state would not provide statistics for the total applications to both programs. But in 2019, a top Empire State Development official testified in court that the state rarely denied applicants.

"It's a very small percentage," testified Raymond Emanuel, director of certification for ESD. "I would say between 1% and 2%."

While Knight said the program is "underpinned with integrity," Crino, the retired state investigator, said it was not hard for him to find instances of fraud or businesses that were let into the program but later kicked out.

State Inspector General cites minority business fraud on Southern Tier casino project Contractors evaded state rules requiring minority or women-owned businesses be hired for portions of the $44 million Tioga Downs casino job, the State Inspector Generals Office said in documents made public today.

"They dont do any due diligence in the beginning, because there was a time period where their marching orders were to just sign up as many MBEs and WBEs as you can," Crino said, referring to ESD. "They were catching some of them, but there were others they werent catching."

State Inspector General Lucy Lang has turned up instances of alleged minority-owned business fraud on the Buffalo Billion economic development program and the Tioga Downs casino in the Southern Tier.

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli late last year released an audit of the Office of General Services stating that on three of five downstate construction management contracts it reviewed, the WBE-certified business owner subcontracted out all of its approved services to her husband, who was an independent contractor.

Unlike some federal agencies, ESD does not post the results of certification reviews for all MWBE companies to its website. It posts only cases where the businesses appealed the agency's denial. Of the 50 appeals the agency heard in the last three years, 16 involved businesses who previously had been certified as MWBEs by the state.

Hochul proposing changes

Regulators may be trying to root out fraud in the program so that women, who are historically underrepresented in the building trades, are competing on more of an equal playing field with men.

But they also face pressure from politicians who want to make sure the number of MWBE companies in New York keeps going up.

New York officials have boasted that the percentage of state-awarded contracts going to MWBEs  30%  is the highest in the nation and is triple what the percentage was in 2010.

Hochul presents broad  and costly  2022 agenda for state government Gov. Kathy Hochul, in her first State of the State address, sets an ambitious agenda for her administration and lawmakers in the coming six months.

Knight said decisions are driven by the law, not politics. But in her State of the State address, Gov. Kathy Hochul made it clear she wants to cut red tape and make certification a quicker process for MBEs and WBEs.

One woman business owner in 2017 said in court papers that when she submitted her recertification documents, it took the state two years to respond to her application.

Hochul said high demand has led to "unacceptably long wait times" for businesses trying to access the program. She vowed to provide funding to eliminate the backlog of both MWBE applications and appeals.


This is not Russia Matthias Knab, Opalesque: I was born 1963 in (then West-) Germany and can remember a few things. I lived through the Cold War, saw the Falling of the Berlin Wall and the subsequent dreams for a better world which Putin trashed. Although it's impossible to know 360 degrees of the truth, but let me add a few chips to the puzzle: 1. In 1994 Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons in exchange for US, UK and Russia's commitment to defend its territorial integrity (the Budapest memorandum). The Russians breached the agreement in 2014 by invading and annexing parts of Ukraine, and now again. 2. The U.S.S.R. was never offered a formal guarantee on the limits of NATO expansion post-1990. There is NOTHING contractual that says so. Some reading on this: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/exposing-the-myth-of-western-betrayal-of-russia/ and for those who want to go a bit deeper: https://www.rferl.org/a/nato-expansion-russia-mislead/31263602.html Let's take advice from Occam's Razor. If there REALLY would be a written agreement, then Russia would be producing it and whack it around everybody's ears. In an article for the Brookings Institution in 2014, Stephen Pifer, the former US ambassador in the 90s, already predicted that for Putin, "The West's alleged promise not to enlarge the alliance will undoubtedly remain a standard element of his anti-NATO spin." Don't fall for his lies. 3. What's undoubtedly well documented is that 1997 in Helsinki, Yeltsin accepted a formula under which Russia would live with a NATO that included several former Soviet satellite states. This was the first time Russia admitted that nations had the right to pick their friends and alliances. "Also, don't forget that it's these countries are ASKING to join NATO. The request is coming from THEM. NATO isn't conquering them. WHY would a country want to join NATO? Could it be because they are afraid that Russia might invade them? That Russia is a kleptocracy run by a ruthless dictator, and they might lose the freedoms they fought for? And joining NATO would mean a small number of NATO troops and hardware would be based in your country as a small insurance policy against a Russian invasion, so you could continue to grow your country and economy and your population could prosper. These countries WANT to join NATO, they DON'T want Russia anymore. If a country wants to join NATO and NATO wants them, that's their business, it's not Russia's, nor China's, nor Iran's. "If NATO was a war-mongering conquering army gobbling up territory for an empire, I'd feel MUCH differently about it. But it just seems to be an insurance policy against Russia. And Russia just made the VERY best case one could make for joining NATO", Eric Ross. 4. Therefore, the myth of "Nato's betrayal" Putin brought up at the 2007 Munich Security Conference is a complete lie. I do remember the utter confusion this talk created at that time. People weren't "getting it" and asking "what did Putin smoke?" There was wide disbelief that he could say the things they just heard him saying with overt aggression. Now we know, it's a false narrative he has continued to build and use as justification to keep Russia isolated from the West so that he and his buddies can continue to plunder it. "This narrative that NATO is about to invade I was told daily since the first grade in USSR which gave me terrible nightmares. This is an old myth that was supposed to keep poor Soviet citizens in obedience. We had to wipe the ass with newspapers as the party was building thousands of nuclear submarines capable of destroying all the life on the planet several times over. The logic was that you cannot question the party and it's ok to stay poor because otherwise all the horrors of WW2 will certainly follow after NATO invasion. The Soviet unit collapsed and instead of genocide by NATO, Eastern Europe had a fantastic improvement in the standard of living." (Misha Fomytskyi) Russia has the talent, the history, the resources, but instead of diversifying and building a strong economy, things have been going the wrong way. Purchasing power declines, Russians are getting poorer. The brain drain is tremendous. "The 'Russian geopolitical lens' that Putin talks so much about, is this myth that was circulating in the minds of the Russians: that Soviet Union was doing really well in 1991, and the only reason it fell is because three men drank too much vodka and signed an agreement effectively dissolving USSR. And Putin wants to be the Terminator that goes back in time to change that one moment. Granted, that is a pure delusion; USSR decayed organically from the inside and over decades of time. But Putin liked the myth and repeated it so much, that he started believing it himself." (Yaroslav U.) "I travelled to Moscow in 2012 and happened to be there during the May Day parade and saw the full might of the Russian military display (no, I'm not a closet arms dealer). But I came away with the definite sense that Russians needed us to be their enemy in order to be important in the world: they WANT to be our enemy even though we have so much in common and so much we can do together. Americans didn't really see Russia as their enemy at that time; this is changing this week." (Eric Ross) You can see how Putin and his followers keep up the myth of Russia having to "battle the West" and now "fight the Nazis". 5. It is now equally well known that Putin is a kleptocrat with estimated $360bn amassed (see Panama Papers, Bill Browder's "Red Notice" book, or Catherine Belton's "Putin's People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and Then Took On the West") 6. As I read recently from Vitaliy N. Katsenelson, "There are no ex-dictators, there are only dead dictators, and Putin knows it. Trying to predict what Putin will do to maintain power is very difficult." So the risks are massive, but are these really NATO's fault? 7. Russian former world chess champion Garry Kasparov has been warning the world for well over a decade - mostly to no avail, sadly - about the dangers posed by Vladimir Putin. For example, in 2015 and 2016 he published these op-eds in the Wall Street Journal, Putin's Culture of Fear and Death and The U.S.S.R. Fell - and the World Fell Asleep, and in 2016 he published this book, Winter Is Coming: Why Vladimir Putin and the Enemies of the Free World Must Be Stopped. His recommendation is now to "Call out Putin's lackeys in the free world. The lobbyists, the law firms, the former politicians like German ex-chancellor Gerhard Schroder, who chairs two of Putin's strategically important energy companies. This includes the fifth columnists of all political stripes who side with a dictator for ideology or Russian cash." 8. Putin needs a history lesson: Built on fantasy and fabrication, Putin's Feb. 22nd address manufactured a succession of events that bear little resemblance to the real, rich history of a powerful, independent Ukraine that for centuries dwarfed an independent Russia in importance, even size. It is a frightening insight into the deep thinking of the path Putin would like to follow. It should send chills across the Baltic states through Central Asia and beyond -- all once republics of the Soviet Union, amalgamated at gunpoint from the time of the Russian Revolution to the end of World War II. Putin seems to believe it is his mission to recreate the old Soviet Union. And apparently, he intends to start with Ukraine. At its peak in the early 1200s, Kyiv's population of 100,000 was among the world's largest cities. Putin's claim that "before the 17th century, a portion of this territory rejoined the Russian state," is equally fictitious since for much of this period, it was actually controlled by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was repeatedly attacked by Crimean Tatars. "Modern Ukraine was entirely created by Russia, more precisely, by Bolshevik, Communist Russia," Putin continued. Well, in fact, as the late historian of Ukraine Orest Subtelny observed, in the years when the Soviet Union was being born after World War I, "Ukraine probably fought longer for independence and paid a higher price in lives than any other East European nation." Indeed, there was a bitter civil war between the Whites and Reds (Bolshevik) forces that finally led to a bloody takeover by the communists when their forces seized Kyiv in February 1919. "In 1919, total chaos engulfed Ukraine. Indeed, in the modern history of Europe no country experienced such complete anarchy, bitter civil strife, and total collapse of authority," Subtelny continued. "Six different armies ... operated on its territory. Kiev changed hands five time in less than a year." 9. 47-year-old economist Ingrida Simonyte, Prime Minister of Lithuania, says we also shouldn't forget what Russia did to Europe post 1945: "Sometimes I hear that we should be grateful to the Russians, because they liberated the continent from the Nazis. Then I say: Yes, but then they forgot to withdraw their troops. In our case for 50 years. That makes it very personal for me. I spent 16 years of my life under Soviet occupation. That was more than enough for me." < The Soviets also kept Eastern Germany occupied until the people stood up against it in 1989. Putin was a KGB officer in Dresden, East Germany at that time. In fact, given his fluency in German, Putin was the engagement officer between the KGB and the German equivalent, the "Staatssicherheit". In 1989 in Germany the people succeeded what earlier uprisings (1953 in East Germany, Hungarian Revolution of 1956, the Prague Spring (1968) in Czechoslovakia) did not accomplish as the Soviets sent tanks, murdered people and put an end to it. The "Eastern Bloc", made up of countries the Soviets controlled with an iron fist, included Bulgaria, Poland, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania at that time. Read this on Putin's "formative years" in Germany and why he fears democracy: https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-32066222 10. The fireman who starts the fires. "Every geopolitical conflict in that region since 1999 was engineered by Putin, so that he could offer his "solution". (Yaroslav U.) Let's look at Georgia whose effort to join NATO began in 2005. In 2006, the Georgian parliament voted unanimously for a bill which calls for the integration of Georgia into NATO. On January 5, 2008 Georgia held a non-binding referendum on NATO membership with 77% voting in favor. During the NATO summit in Bucharest, United States and Poland called for Georgia to be allowed to join the Membership Action Plan (MAP). The alliance decided NOT to offer Georgia a MAP due to opposition from Germany and France, who feared the decision would anger Russia. In August 7, 2008, Russia invaded Georgia with a larger assault. On the Russian encroachment map, let's also not forget to draw "Transdnistria" in Moldova, a fake country created and supported by Putin; Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region, two fake countries on Georgian land created and supported by Putin to intimidate Georgia. Let's also not forget the ever-increasing Russian intrusions into non-Russian airspace and waters. "I'm still stuck on 'why would we allow Russia to tell us to refuse to admit other countries into NATO' (which is by definition a defense against Russian invasion) when Russia continues to threaten them with invasion? Why does Russia get a say in this? That's a bit like saying 'India, you aren't allowed to defend the Himalayas because China feels threatened by you and wants to take this territory.' Makes no sense to me: India is of course going to defend itself BECAUSE China wants that territory. Same with NATO: join so Russia won't invade you." (Eric Ross) 11. The recent Putin landgrab Although Abkhazia and South Ossetia belong to Georgia under international law, they are recognized as independent by Russia and have been de facto controlled for years. Nevertheless, Thursday still turned into a special day in Tbilisi. That's because at a press conference, Kobakhidze announced his party's decision to apply for EU membership "without delay." The application was handed over to Brussels the same day. Was it pressure from the opposition or does Tbilisi suddenly see a favorable window after Selensky demanded immediate EU membership for Ukraine in Brussels? Actually, Tbilisi did not want to apply until the year after next. So far, both countries are linked to the EU through an association agreement. So is Moldova, another state where Russia's war against Ukraine is likely to raise fears. Moldova is considered the poorest country in Europe; but of course that doesn't matter to the tens of thousands who have since fled the war from Ukraine to the neighboring country. They are safe there. But already on the second day of the attacks, Moldova also had to mourn war victims. A chemical tanker flying the Moldovan flag was hit by a missile near the Ukrainian port city of Odessa. The situation is so delicate for Moldova that the parliament has declared a state of emergency for 60 days. Large demonstrations are banned for that long, and "undesirables" could be sent out of the country. The new Moldovan government, as well as President Maia Sandu, are striving for the closest possible ties with the EU, but have so far also tried to maintain a pragmatically good relationship with Russia. This is because a large part of the population has so far felt more connected to Russia. The problem for Moldova is that Russian soldiers are stationed in the breakaway territory of Transnistria, which is effectively controlled by Moscow. The Moldovan leadership would like to get rid of them. With the war, the situation has changed yet again. The concern in Moldova now is that the Russian military will try to capture the Ukrainian port city of Odessa. This would open the way practically all the way to Transnistria; there would be a direct link between Russia, the Donbass, the southern Ukrainian cities of Mariupol, Kherson, Odessa, all the way to Tiraspol, officially Moldova's second largest city. Any attempts to regain control of the breakaway territory would be rendered moot. But the Moldovan government apparently does not want to just sit back and watch the situation unfold. President Maia Sandu signed a formal application to join the European Union as recently as Thursday. "We want to live in peace and prosperity and be part of the free world," she said. Back to Ukraine, a single number shows how far the country is behind after 30 years of brutal privatization, oligarchy and political ups and downs. Despite extremely fertile farmland, despite all the advances in the steel and IT industries, the annual GDP per capita is just 2900 euros. This corresponds roughly to the level in Morocco or Bolivia - and one thirteenth of the German value. Even if you include the significantly lower cost of living, the overall economic performance in the Federal Republic is still more than four times as high. The war will worsen this relationship again - possibly for decades to come. Almost all factories, smelters and works in the iron and steel industry, which contribute a massive 12 percent to GDP, are in the Donets Basin - the region that Putin wants to keep under his own sphere of influence or even his own state. "Should Ukraine lose this strategically important region, it would be an economic catastrophe," says Grigoriadis. "Putin knows that too, of course: he is pushing ahead with the detachment of the Donbass from Kyiv in order to prevent Ukraine from being viable as an independent country." Selensky's transformation into a statesman could inspire many young Ukrainians. The situation for the government in Kyiv would be even more dramatic if the country had to give up the Crimean Peninsula, which has been occupied by Russia since 2014, the region around the port city of Odessa and other parts in the east of the country claimed by Moscow, in addition to the Donbass: Ukraine would lose as a result access to the Black and Azov Seas and would no longer be able to ship goods directly to Europe or China. 12. Rather than falling for Putin's lies and blaming NATO, we should be "irritated that there is such corruption in Russia, that there are practically no elections and no independent court, that the opposition is liquidated, the province is impoverished, Nemtsov is killed, that television degenerates into a propaganda tool", says Vladimir Sorokin, Russian writer and dramatist, one of the most popular in modern Russian literature. Thanks to ERIC Ross, Misha Fomytsky,i Yaroslav U., Vitaliy Katsenelson, CFA, for their contributions.
BBC podcast host Deborah James has hit back at critics who've accused her of 'sexualising cancer' with short skirts and 'pouting too much.'

Deborah, 40, from London, who has been living with incurable bowel cancer for five years, has documented the journey on the BBC podcast You, Me and the Big C and by sharing updates and pictures on her Instagram account.

The mother-of-two has been plagued by messages from cruel trolls who've criticised her clothing choices, saying she was 'acting like a teenager,' she revealed in The Sun.

The former deputy head teacher turned cancer campaigner said she wants women of all ages to be able to celebrate their bodies, and added looking in the mirror and feeling good is a big part of her treatment.

Deborah James, 40, lives in West London and has been living with incurable bowel cancer since she was diagnosed in 2015. Speaking in the Sun this week, she called out people who have criticised her for 'sexualising' her condition

The mother-of-two said putting on makeup, doing her hair and wearing short skirts help her face her treatment

'Ive been accused of sexualising cancer, of pouting too much and acting like a teenager,' Deborah wrote.

Deborah added some people have questioned her choice of clothes, criticising the short skirts and 'plunging necklines' she decided on wearing.

'I havent spent the past five years desperately trying to live to old age to be told how I should behave, if I have the luxury of making it that far,' she said.

She went on to say that people have commented on how embarrassed her children - Eloise, 12 and Hugo, 14 - must be of her, in spite of knowing neither her nor her kids.

The mother-of-two said taking pride in how she looks is a coping mechanism she uses in her fight against cancer

She also pointed out how some people have called her out for loving herself.

BOWEL CANCER: THE SYMPTOMS YOU SHOULDN'T IGNORE Bowel, or colorectal, cancer affects the large bowel, which is made up of the colon and rectum. Such tumours usually develop from pre-cancerous growths, called polyps. Symptoms include: Bleeding from the bottom

Blood in stools

A change in bowel habits lasting at least three weeks

Unexplained weight loss

Extreme, unexplained tiredness

Abdominal pain Most cases have no clear cause, however, people are more at risk if they: Are over 50

Have a family history of the condition

Have a personal history of polyps in their bowel

Suffer from inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease

Lead an unhealthy lifestyle Treatment usually involves surgery, and chemo- and radiotherapy. More than nine out of 10 people with stage one bowel cancer survive five years or more after their diagnosis. This drops significantly if it is diagnosed in later stages. According to Bowel Cancer UK figures, more than 41,200 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year in the UK. It affects around 40 per 100,000 adults per year in the US, according to the National Cancer Institute. Advertisement

The mother-of-two hit back at her critics, saying wearing short skirts, looking after her appearance and dancing are parts of who she is and helps her cope with her condition.

She added that she has done naked photoshoots in the past and would do it again.

The campaigner and podcaster, who was rushed to hospital due to an internal bleed that left her on the brink of death in January, said looking good helps her feel better.

She explained how doing her makeup and hair before heading to the Royal Marsden Hospital in West London for her regular chemo session and other cancer-related treatments helps her face the day.

And the mother-of-two, who loves to share videos of herself dancing while hooked on an IV, said she uses it as a coping mechanism.

Deborah, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2015, went on to say that people who have known her since before her cancer know that she's always been this way and that she has never taken herself too seriously.

The mother-of-two, who was given five years to live five years ago, said that losing confidence causes her to lose herself, and that she needs to keep a positive mindset while trying to stay alive.

The campaigner recounted how she recently suffered a bout of colitis which caused her stomach to swell.

She explained that she wore a mini skirt when her stomach began to go down, and that she instantly felt like another person.

She asked whether a 40-year-old woman wearing a mini is that offensive, and said there should be no age limit to feeling good.

TV presenters including Susanna Reid and Holly Willoughby have been criticised for their clothing choices on TV.

This week, presenter Ranvir Singh was called out by viewers for donning a form-fitting dress with a plunging neckline.

Some felt her attire was too revealing and 'unprofessional.'

Deborah said she feels inspired by women like Willoughby, Reid and Singh, and added she wouldn't let her own husband pick her clothes, let alone strangers on the internet.

She revealed she wants her own daughter, who is 12, to be proud of her body and dress how she wants to.

In the latest episode of her podcast, Deborah spoke of a medical emergency that almost killed her in January

Deborah was live on BBC Radio 5 just before she began to feel unwell, before running to her bathroom to vomit - with a scary sight of large bits of bright red blood coming out - but the ambulance wait time was 30 minutes so husband Seb took matters into his own hands

In her column with The Sun, she explained that she was due an urgent operation to try and unblock her bile duct as blood tests revealed she was suffering from liver failure, stopping her from having further chemotherapy in the new year (pictured receiving cancer treatment)

The BBC podcaster previously told of the trauma of saying goodbye to her children after suffering a medical emergency at the start of the year

The wife and mother of Hugo, 14, and Eloise, 12, pictured, has been open about the ups and downs of her cancer treatment, both and and out of the hospital

This comes after an emotional time for Deborah, who had to be rushed to hospital by her husband on January 6, where she endured a series of operations to save her life.

She has since revealed the extent of the traumatic experience, revealing that she has PTSD after the horrifying episode that saw her vomit blood in front of her daughter Eloise, 12, and screaming to her children she loved them before leaving for the hospital, not knowing if she'd ever see them again.

In the show's latest episode, the mother-of-two shared heart-breaking voice notes recorded five days after the emergency, in which she admitted she was scared of sleeping, eating or even coughing.
The government put out a tweet seeking donations in cryptocurrencies, and people from across the globe contributed 9.9 million dollars in just 48 hours (Its now above 20 million).

While some Ukrainians are twitter-bombing in a bid to inspire the world to take a

tough stand against Russia, young politicians, professionals and even models have been posting stylish pictures of themselves with Kalashnikov rifles, encouraging people to pick up arms and resist the invading Russian forces.

Even Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is using the platform as a force to fight the enemy, connecting with his people via social media and exhorting them to fight and drive out the Russians. In fact, social media appears to be the most potent weapon for the Ukrainians in the current war. If it hadnt been for this

particular battlefront, perhaps Russia, with its state-of-the-art weapons, may have been in a stronger position than it is today.

Ukrainian President and onetime actor Volodymyr Zelenskyy put out a selfie- style video viewed 3 million times within an hour as part of an effort to mobilize

international opinion against the Russian invasion of his country. And it is clearly working.

SOCIAL MEDIA, A TOOL OF WAR

The Ukrainians have launched a stunning defense, and pitched street battles using everything from Molotov Cocktails to automatic weapons including Ak-47s,

have succeeded in halting the Russian forces. Social media is a tool of war which is a high-speed, fast-track subset of the larger media and has the capability of producing instant results. It is an influence enabler, feels Lt Gen P R

Shankar, former Director General, Artillery, Indian Army and currently Professor,

Aerospace Department, at IIT Madras. Fundamentally, he says, the domain in which a war is fought is a three-tiered sandwich of data, information and knowledge. He explains that the media conveys information to create a knowledge narrative for recipients, and the narrative in turn influences people and governments to chart a course of action for a desired outcome.

ADVANTAGE UKRAINE

Ukraine requested Elon Musk to provide them with non-stop internet connectivity, and has used that facility to gain immense advantages so far:

 The government put out a tweet seeking donations in cryptocurrencies, and people from across the globe contributed 9.9 million dollars in just 48 hours

(Its now above 20 million).

 When Ukraines minister for digital transformation announced the creation of a volunteer IT army for cyber defense and attacks, 1,75,000 people (and counting) joined the Telegram channel

 Ukrainian MPs like Kira Rudik and Oleksiy Goncharenko and former Miss Ukraine Anastasia Lenna posed with weapons, and the photos went viral on social media, leading many of their countrymen to pick up arms and receive training to fight the enemy

 Through TikTok, Ukranians are teaching people how to drive abandoned military vehicles. In short, the numbers of those putting up a resistance have

grown exponentially through effective use of social media propaganda.

CLEVER MOVE

It was a clever move to ask Elon Musk for satellite internet. Social media is definitely the most potent weapon of psychological warfare in this age. While

the platform is mostly controlled by the US, and Ukraine has the sympathies of USA, for Russia, it has come as a huge disadvantage as social media companies pulled out support to the Russian state media, says Lt Col (Retd.) Mohan Bhandari.

Pointing out that very few people are aware of the history behind the current conflict, he stresses that the visuals of an invading Russian Army disrupting civilian life has created a very negative image of Russia, and there is huge sympathy for Ukraine due to social media.

Informality and lack of controls in social media is an advantage. The facility to share posts allows messages to spread like wildfire. Had Internet been banned in Ukraine, the situation would have been entirely different, says Lt Col Bhandari.

TOOL TO STOP HAVOC

Shalini Samuel, an influencer on Instagram and YouTube, says social media has emerged as the most powerful medium to galvanize public support. In times of

war, it can be that one weapon that can drive the difference between large scale destruction and the saving of human lives, resources and livelihood, she

feels.

International pressure to stop the war  in the form of people calling for this on social media can be immensely successful and should be used as a tool to

stop further destruction and havoc, she says.

SM ALONE CANT WIN A WAR

Another retired Army official, Col. S K Sinha, who has served in insurgency-hit regions of Jammu and Kashmir, the North- Eastern States, and Sri Lanka,

however, doesnt quite agree with these views. He feels that while social media will help keep up the morale of the Ukrainian Army and the countrys citizens,

it cannot by itself win the war. To defeat the Russian Army, the Ukrainian Army and volunteers will have to adopt hit and run tactics or guerrilla warfare, since their Army is smaller and has less firepower, he says.

VIRTUAL INSPIRATION

 President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has emerged as an online hero. His Twitter account has leapt by hundreds of thousands of followers a day, and he

now has 4.3 million.

 TikTok, the video-sharing app with more than a billion active users, has shaped views of the conflict and contributed to an intense global wave of sympathy

for Ukraine.

 Kira Rudik, MP , posted a photo of herself holding a Kalashnikov rifle on Instagram and Twitter, saying, Our #women will protect our soil the

same way as our #men.

 Ukrainians have also shared online tactical guides on how to dodge sniper fire, block road-ways and make explosive Molotov Cocktails, sometimes along with memes saying the Russians will find them very delicious.

 Beauty queen and former Miss Grand Ukraine Anastasia Lenna, has apparently traded in her high heels for combat boots, joining the Ukrainian military in its push against the Russian invasion.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
A scene at the Medyka border crossing between Ukraine and Poland on Feb. 28. More than a million people have fled Russia's invasion. (Visar Kryeziu / Associated Press)

My wife and I share a past that spans continents and tracks back to the Polish-Ukrainian border. Eighty-two years ago, during a frigid winter, both sets of our grandparents made the same escape from eastern Poland, ahead of the Nazis occupation. They crossed the River Bug, and found their way to what is today Lviv, Ukraine.

For more than a decade weve wanted to visit our ancestral homeland. The plan at last was set  and we hope it still is  in May, we are to arrive in Zamosc, Poland, birthplace of three of our grandparents, stop by the nearby village where the fourth came from, and then drive two hours east to Lviv.

But just when you think you are studying history, you find that you are living it. Except now, the refugees are fleeing in the opposite direction.

Since the Russian war against Ukraine began, more than 1 million people have fled their homes. Train cars are packed. Cars line the highways out of Kyiv headed to Lviv and, for those who can exit, onward to Poland and other countries. It is projected to be the biggest displacement of Europeans since our grandparents fled their homes for the East in 1939, at the onset of World War II.

That was the coldest winter of my grandmothers life. She had defied her fathers demands that she remain with her month-old baby in Zamosc: You will lose the kind, he shouted at her in Yiddish  you will lose the child.

Instead, she crowded onto a Russian truck to meet my grandfather, who had gone ahead of her. They rented a small, unheated apartment in Soviet Lviv with other refugees, selling their belongings on the black market to survive. One last letter arrived with news of their parents: They had been relocated by the Nazis to Zamoscs ghetto.

I prayed, if I can live to May, Ill be able to go outside with my child, my grandmother recalled in an oral history project for the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington. Just the opposite, when I started to go with the baby outside, he caught a very bad pneumonia. In May 1940, my uncle perished at 8 months old. My grandfather said that losing their baby boy turned my grandmothers hair white.

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Nearby in Lviv, my wife Talia Inlenders grandmother, then still a teenager, had also sought refuge. That winter, the memory book she had started in Poland, in which her friends shared rhymes and pleasant memories in a mix of Polish and Yiddish, took a darker turn.

Lviv, January 15, 1940  Remember that the patient will always get everything, so try to be patient.

Lviv, January 18, 1940  To Kind and Beautiful Pepcia: Almost everything is simple. Love God and Homeland. And don't forget me.

That summer, our grandparents were deported in cattle cars to Siberia, victims of one of Stalins massive and underreported purges.

Their forced labor in the gulag likely saved them from the gas chambers that extinguished their parents. Our grandparents  we are convinced they must have crossed paths  would be among 5,000 Jews (out of about 12,000 before the war) from Zamosc to survive. Most, like them, had endured Soviet imprisonment.

Once the Russians joined the Allies against the Germans in 1941, our grandparents were freed to travel within the Soviet empire. They landed in Uzbekistan. My grandmother said it was because they dreamed of making it to Palestine; my Uncle Moishe because it was warmer than Siberia. I have read that the relocation was simply part of Stalins plan.

After the war, rather than going back to Zamosc, where Poles in nearby towns were murdering returning Jews, they lived for years in Europes displaced-persons camps. My grandparents left for New York a decade after their frigid winter in Lviv; my wifes grandparents arrived in Haifa nine years after Lviv.

A month ago, as I dove into planning our trip to Poland and Ukraine, I contacted Daniel Sabacinski, who runs the local synagogue memorial site in Zamosc. (He isn't Jewish; he believes there is just one Jew left in Zamosc.) How easy would it be to travel on to Lviv? I asked him. No problem, he told me then, though Russian troops were massing on Ukraines borders.

The day of the Russian invasion I called him again. He was in shock. Its like 1939, he said. We havent had war in this part of Europe since World War II. War was just history.

War may never be just history in our families. The gassing deaths of their parents and half the Jews of Zamosc never faded for my grandparents; they lived by the mantra Never forgive, never forget. For our generation, that was amended to simply Never forget.

A similar generational shift from battle to history occurred after the Cold War. My father served in the Reagan administration at the United Nations and believed in fighting at all costs to defeat the "evil empire." For my generation, coming of age with the fall of the Berlin Wall, the focus has been on reconciliation, finding ways to build a new global society together.

In a post-Cold War soft-power experiment, I was one of 10 Americans and 10 Russians awarded a German Chancellor Scholarship by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. (The program has since expanded to include Chinese, Brazilians, Indians and South Africans.) For two months, we studied German in the West German capital of Bonn and drank a lot of vodka at raucous late-night parties before we scattered across the country to pursue research projects for the rest of the year. Bonding was part of the plan. It worked; some of the Russians are still among my closest friends.

Hours after the Ukraine invasion, I sent a WhatsApp message to them, checking in. One wrote back: How is it possible? We keep asking and have no words to explain.

I am also stunned, but perhaps a little less so.

Everything was so fast, my grandmother recalled in her 80s. It was such a shock. At the time, the idea that the Nazis would exterminate Jews seemed so silly or unbelievable. Later, she thought, how could I not have known?

My wife and I were raised to believe that we could move to a new era. But we were also raised to know intimately the unpredictable depravity deep in human nature that can change our trajectories in devastating and, as we would discover generations later, unexpected ways.

We hoped this was history; we fear it is not.

Daniela Gerson is a journalism professor at Cal State Northridge. She and Talia live in Echo Park with their 4-year-old twins.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
American elections are the latest industry to feel the squeeze of inflation and global supply chain disruptions.

As voters begin to cast ballots in the 2022 primaries, the election industry has been scrambling to get enough paper products to print ballots, stuff envelopes and produce other materials critical to the voting process.

Warnings about the availability of paper have circulated among election officials for months. But in February, a working group of election industry officials said in a report that orders typically filled in days or weeks now are taking months.

Prices, too, have spiked. With demand ticking up ahead of the election and a smaller supply from paper mills, election officials say they are paying more for paper products, putting more strain on an elections system that advocates say has been underfunded for years.

More: Voting rights activists are pushing to speak the language of all voters. It's not always English.

The shortage already is making it harder on voters. In Texas, some vote-by-mail ballots went out later than usual because local elections officials could not get their stock of paper early enough.

Election industry officials say paper mills have been closing for years and many shifted to producing corrugated boxes to meet demand for shipped goods during the pandemic. Transportation labor shortages also are making it harder to get paper, they said.

At the same time, new election laws adopted in several states have forced election officials to produce new materials that reflect those changes  such as new early voting hours and different vote-by-mail requirements  and in some cases resisted calls to digitize processes like absentee ballot requests.

More: Election workers faced new threats after 2020 election. Experts fear it will drive them away

Election officials also are competing with other industries that use paper products: from bank statements, credit card bills and advertisements, to the cardboard packaging used for various goods and the absorbent material in diapers.

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Industry experts told USA TODAY they now expect to have enough specialized ballot paper for jurisdictions that need it, but the paper used for instructional material, envelopes and registration cards is increasingly difficult to procure.

Even I voted stickers are at risk.

All of these things the election community needs all revolves around paper, said Jeff Ellington, CEO of Runbeck Election Services, a Phoenix-based company that helps produce elections.

I voted stickers are seen at a polling place, Sunday, March 15, 2020, in Steubenville, Ohio. Elections officials in the four states, Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio, holding presidential primaries next week say they have no plans to postpone voting amid widespread disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak. Instead, they are taking extraordinary steps to ensure that voters can cast ballots and polling places are clean. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Early orders

Tammy Patrick, senior adviser to the elections program at the Democracy Fund, said elections will go on despite the paper shortage, but local officials will have to be creative, as they were during the 2020 pandemic election.

There will be accommodations that will be made to make sure the election occurs on time and has legitimacy and integrity to it, but it may not happen in the way everyone has planned for, she said.

Runbeck and other election vendors are warning their customers to order paper products early to account for the longer runway needed to get them.

Texas: Texas Congressman Van Taylor abandons reelection bid after admitting affair

That was among the recommendations in a report about the risks posed to elections by supply chain problems that have rippled across industries over the last year.

Before the pandemic, paper mills could deliver 10 truckloads as fast as four weeks, according to the report from the Election Infrastructure Sector Coordinating Council, a group of private election industry officials organized under the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

Now, mills wont guarantee that they can fulfill an entire order even with months of lead time, according to the report.

'Texas is a battleground': Latino voters torn between GOP and Democrats ahead of midterm elections

That means last-minute changes are off the table, and jurisdictions that traditionally wait until closer to the election to place orders need to speed up their preparation in 2022.

Theyre not going to have that big of a luxury this time, said Kimberley Waltz, vice president for client relations and postal affairs at Cathedral Corporation, an election industry provider.

Ellington told USA TODAY that his company has gotten assurances from paper mills that they will fill orders for specialized ballot paper at the same quantities as they did in 2020, but it already has seen orders canceled in some cases for other products.

Ballot paper must follow precise specifications so it can be fed through scanners that read and tabulate votes. The paper must be the right shade of white and have the correct dimensions, and it cant be recycled.

Primaries to watch: Yes, the midterms have begun. Primary voting starts today in Texas. Here are ten House races to watch in 2022

Delays already are being felt in early primary states, such as Texas. Texas lawmakers adopted new voting regulations after the 2020 election, and that forced local election officials to turn over their stock of materials to reflect the changes at the same time that paper was becoming harder to find, said Remi Garza, president of the Texas Association of Election Administrators.

In Cameron County on the southern tip of Texas, Garza said vote-by-mail ballots were delayed by nearly two weeks because of shipping slowdowns. Garza, who oversees elections in the county, sent his own crew on a 10-hour journey to San Antonio to pick up the ballots.

All of the things that could happen badly are happening, Patrick said.

AUSTIN, TX: People vote at the Carver Branch Library on March 1, 2022 in Austin, Texas. Texans voted in the states first primary of the 2022 midterm election season. The state was among those where election officials have warned of paper shortages. (Photo by Montinique Monroe/Getty Images)

Supply chain, production slowdowns slow delivery, higher prices

Difficulties acquiring paper start at the paper mills, experts said, but they dont end there.

During the pandemic, paper mills slowed production as demand collapsed, and supply chain problems have made it difficult to import products that could help fill those gaps as the need for paper began to rebound, said Adam Josephson, a paper analyst at KeyBanc Capital Markets.

Paper mills shifted to producing packaging material instead, Josephson said, as people started shipping more goods to their homes.

Pennsylvania, Arizona, Alabama: the Senate primary races to watch in 2022

They moved to where their dollars were, Waltz said.

Labor shortages have limited paper mills ability to increase production, according to the report, and made it harder for transportation companies to deliver it.

Paper shortages also are driving up the cost of elections.

Waltz said prices are as much as 20% higher than they were last year. In Hamilton County, Ohio, election officials are spending 30% more on paper this year, said Sherry Poland, director of the county board of elections.

More: Voters get fewer choices as Democrats and Republicans dig partisan trenches in redistricting

The paper shortage was among the reasons election officials cited when they advocated against holding two primary elections as Ohio has struggled to finalize new district boundaries for state legislative and congressional seats.

They also have backed a bill that would remove a requirement in state law forcing election officials to buy products only from Ohio companies, said Aaron Ockerman, executive director of the Ohio Association of Election Officials. Going outside of Ohio would make it easier for local elections boards to find paper during the shortage.

Ballot printing is a highly specialized niche industry within the printing business and it is fraught with peril as we have discovered and other states and jurisdictions have discovered, he said. You cant just go out to your local Kinkos and print ballots.

Poll takeaways: No, Trump shouldn't have taken those White House papers back to Mar-a-Lago

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2022 Elections face paper shortages caused by supply chain, inflation
SANAA, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi militia has reached an agreement with the United Nations (UN) to deal with a rusting oil tanker carrying over 1 million barrels of crude oil off the war-torn country's Red Sea coast.

"A memorandum of understanding has been signed with the United Nations for the Safer tanker," Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, head of the Houthi supreme revolutionary committee, said on Twitter on Saturday.

Last month, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen David Gressly said he had held "very constructive discussions" with senior representatives of the Houthis on the Yemeni oil tanker Safer threatening to spill.

"They agreed in principle on how to move forward with the UN-coordinated proposal," he said in a brief statement without providing further details.

The rusting tanker has been stranded off the port city of Hodeidah for seven years since the eruption of the civil war, and the UN has repeatedly warned it was in imminent danger of leakage.

The Houthi militia had previously obstructed UN efforts to send inspectors to assess the tanker's condition or offload it. 
By Payal Mehta

Budapest [Hungary], March 6 (ANI): The Embassy of India has set up a control room in Budapest, Hungary under 'Operation Ganga' to coordinate the evacuation of Indians stranded in Ukraine.

Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: 23-Year-Old Man Beaten to Death After Dispute at Wedding Over Song Played by DJ.

Young Indian Foreign Services (IFS) officers are spearheading the evacuation efforts, working as a team to make 'Operation Ganga' successful.

In a small hotel room in Budapest, set up as the control room by the Indian Embassy, young Indian Foreign Services (IFS) officers work with a team of technical staff as well as hundreds of volunteers.

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Rajiv Bodwade, Deputy Chief of the mission from Israel on special duty here in Budapest, while speaking with ANI said, "When we started, it was just a few students but gradually their number started rising and called for an organised structure in place. We had managed to get more than 150 volunteers but a collated effort was needed."

Talking to how the events unfolded and the efforts collaborated, Rajiv said, "We set up a command centre. Our teams at the border would tell us how many people had crossed over and how many would be coming to the city based on which we did the calculation in the command centre."

Teams were divided into four key verticals: transportation, accommodation, food, and flights, he informed while saying that there are more than 150 volunteers helping them.

"The first vertical would oversee transportation because people were using various means, including railways, roads, and some were even walked on foot. So we would arrange for them to travel from borders to the where they were to be put up for temporary accommodations. The second vertical would be responsible for finding accommodation for which more than 40 locations were identified," Rajiv said.

He further added that arranging for food three times a day for the students was also a major challenge.

"Over the last few days, we arranged for food for more than 2,000 people. We have to act very swiftly since there could be a change of multiple locations and that was a prime responsibility for our food team which is our third vertical," he said.

The task is not over till students board flights, Rajiv said while adding that it was the job of the fourth vertical located at the airport to oversee the same.

"Our team at the airport tells us how many flights are there at the airport and how many people can be sent and at what time," explained Rajiv.

Just like Rajiv, several other officers have been brought in from neighbouring countries on special duty by the Indian embassy to help in one of India's biggest evacuation efforts.

A core team of nearly 30 people, including former envoy Kumar Tuhin, who has been brought as an officer on special duty, has been set up to oversee the whole exercise. As many as six members are part of the core team in the command centre and for coordination with a team of 10-15 who lead volunteer teams.

It would not have been a possibility without a team effort, Rajiv said while appreciating the selfless contribution of the volunteers.

"Selfless volunteers have been working round-the-clock including some of them having taken leave from their jobs working with just three hours of sleep so now we are working like a well-oiled machinery," said Rajiv.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sent four special envoys to various countries from where Indians have been evacuated.

Four cabinet ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia, Kiran Rijiju, General (Retd) VK Singh, and Hardeep Singh Puri have been on the job for the last many days. A former diplomat Hardeep Puri has been stationed in Hungary to coordinate their efforts to evacuate Indian students here.

Around 13,300 people returned to India from Ukraine so far by 63 flights under 'Operation Ganga', Ministery of External Affairs said on Saturday, adding that 15 flights have landed in the last 24 hours carrying around 2,900 onboard. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
WASHINGTON  Excitement tinged with concern greeted the news that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs wants to spend $1 billion to build a new veterans hospital on or near the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.

And no one expressed those two emotions better than Buffalo Common Council President Darius Pridgen, who represents the Ellicott District: home to both the Medical Campus and the Fruit Belt neighborhood, where residents have long complained that the fast-growing hospitals nearby meant fast-growing rents and parking problems.

"As a veteran, I am very pleased to hear that the federal government is planning on building a new facility," said Pridgen, who served in the U.S. Air Force from 1983 to 1987. "I think that veterans deserve top-of-the-line health care and a state-of-the-art center. So for that I'm very excited."

But Pridgen also acknowledged the parking problems that could ensue in the Fruit Belt if the VA locates another hospital on the Medical Campus.

"I do understand why they would want to, especially as it builds synergy in that area," he said on Friday. "My only concern is with a facility that large is about parking. And so I would hope that part of that plan would include parking for visitors and for the staff that would be working in such a huge facility."

Mayor Byron W. Brown echoed Pridgen's thoughts. He also said the hospital's move could also provide a chance for much-needed housing to be built in or at the site of the existing Buffalo VA Medical Center in the University District while providing veterans with a much better health care facility.

"While this sounds very preliminary, I think it could certainly be a great opportunity for improved medical treatment for veterans: a modern facility, greater medical access, improved research and development and greater opportunities for medical collaboration between institutions on the medical campus," Brown said. "It would be critically important for community concerns to be considered, and any impacts on the surrounding community to be completely addressed and completely mitigated."

The VA's proposal, outlined in internal documents obtained by The Buffalo News Thursday, calls for a modern hospital with inpatient medical, surgical and psychiatric beds, an emergency department, primary care offices and rehabilitation facilities, as well as mental and dental health clinics. A short-stay nursing home would be part of the plan, too.

The current Buffalo VA Medical Center on Bailey Avenue, built in 1949, is woefully outdated, the VA said. It lacks central air conditioning, and some operating rooms are too small for the equipment needed in them. What's more, the facility needs $260.9 million in repairs.

"The building that we do have now, they pretty much play Rubik's Cube trying to utilize and accommodate as many offices and and clinics and things like that that they need," said Marlene Roll, the national and state legislative chairperson for Veterans of Foreign Wars. Thanks to the building's poorly configured space, "they're constantly moving walls and shuffling offices from one place to another."

Roll added that she was "totally floored" by the proposal to build an entirely new facility.

And it makes sense to locate the new hospital near the other facilities at the Medical Campus, said Dr. Allison Brashear, vice president for health sciences and dean of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo.

"UB highly values our local veterans and the quality of care they receive," Brashear said. "The proposed move could certainly provide greater opportunities for clinical, academic and research collaborations with our VA partners, while expanding upon the care alternatives afforded to our deserving veterans."

The Medical Campus has transformed and energized the north end of downtown over the past two decades. But several sources noted concerns about one more hospital being added to an area that already hosts Buffalo General Medical Center, the John R. Oishei Childrens Hospital, the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, the UB medical school and several other smaller medical facilities.

Roll said veterans might be reluctant to drive into the congested area and park in the parking garage that would have to be part of a new VA hospital. And Dennice Barr, president of the Fruit Belt Advisory Council, echoed concerns about congestion in the area while noting that another hospital with hundreds of employees will likely lead to another increase in property values in a neighborhood where rents have been increasing.

She suggested that the city negotiate a "community benefits agreement" with the VA to compensate for any negative impacts such a large new facility would have on surrounding neighborhoods.

"What scares me is that some people think what's good for developers is always good for communities, and that's not true," she said.

The construction of a new VA facility at the Medical Campus would also mean a big change for the University District, which would lose the hundreds of employees and daily visitors who now frequent the veterans hospital.

The existing hospital is adjacent to UB's South Campus, but university spokesman John Della Contrada said the university has no interest in purchasing the VA facility or the land where it's located. He said the university's master plan instead focuses on restoring existing historic buildings on the South Campus.

But both Brown and University District Council Member Rasheed Wyatt said they viewed the potential move of the VA hospital as more of an opportunity than a problem.

"I'd be very interested in discussing how the land could be repurposed  and there are a number of different ways that land like that could be repurposed, including for housing," Brown said.

Noting that the city has been experiencing population growth for the first time in decades, Brown has set a goal that 40% of the city's housing should be permanently affordable. So he said such housing could certainly be located at the VA's old property.

Wyatt agreed.

"I'm hopeful that that site could be be reused, possibly for some additional affordable housing," he said.

Given the impact that moving the veterans hospital would have on two Buffalo neighborhoods, three Democratic members of the local congressional delegation  Rep. Brian Higgins of Buffalo, Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand  issued a joint statement calling for a collaborative process in planning the new facility.

It is important to begin a discussion about the future of VA health care delivery in Western New York," the statement said. "We want the best possible care for veterans, because they deserve no less, and that includes careful planning of new and improved resources to serve veterans throughout the region. But details matter. Preserving and expanding access to the full range of VA health care services must be a priority. Local veterans and employees should be briefed on the recommendations and have a voice in the outcome."
New Delhi, March 6: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday informed that it is going to organize an International Election Visitors Programme (IEVP) 2022 for foreign Election Management Bodies (EMBs)/Organisations in virtual mode on Monday.

"The ongoing legislative assembly elections in the states of Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh have a combined electorate of 183.4 million, one of the largest to vote amid the COVID-19 pandemic," the ECI said in a press release. Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022: Tight Security Arrangement at Polling Station for Seventh Phase of UP Polls.

IEVP constitutes an important part of ECI's international outreach and is organized with the goal of familiarizing fellow EMBs with the electoral system and processes adopted in the world's largest democracy.

IEVP 2022 provides an opportunity for ECI to share best practices and experience of the conduct of the poll process along with the steps taken to ensure compliance of COVID-19 protocols.

As per the ECI, over 135 delegates from over 26 countries across the world including Australia, Bahamas, Bhutan, Croatia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Georgia, Guinea, Guyana, Kenya, Liberia, Maldives, Mauritius, Moldova, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Romania, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Suriname, Tanzania, Uzbekistan, Zambia etc. and 4 international organizations including International IDEA, International Foundation of Electoral Systems (IFES), Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB) and Community of Democracies will be participating in IEVP 2022.

"Besides, Ambassadors/High Commissioners and other members of the Diplomatic Corps based in India from 20 countries have also been invited to participate in the virtual IEVP 2022," the release read.

The Programme for IEVP 2022 comprises of an online briefing session by Umesh Sinha, Secretary General, ECI and Head of India A-WEB Centre at ECI, which would give the participants an overview of the large canvas of the Indian electoral process, the new initiatives taken by ECI on voter facilitation, transparency and accessibility of electoral system; ECI's response to the changing needs of training and capacity building and the new formats necessitated by COVID-19 along with insights into the elections held in the states of Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.

"With a vast electorate of more than 183.4 million, these elections have posed formidable challenges and arrangements have been made to address them and to deploy unique initiatives to conduct a Covid safe election," the ECI said.

As per the ECI, the participants will be showcased a recorded broadcast from select polling stations in each of the five states of Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh where polls have taken place as well as live streaming from polling stations in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh on March 7.

The programme, as per the press release, includes familiarization of participants with the electoral process, polling station arrangements, use of technology, interaction with various stakeholders followed by a Q&A session.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
For the 18-year-old accused of leading police on a chase from Amherst to Lewiston two weeks ago, it wasn't his first encounter with law enforcement involving allegedly stolen vehicles over the last couple months.

Or his second. Or his third.

Or even his seventh.

Kahill J. Reeves had his eighth arrest since New Year's Eve on Feb. 21, according to police and prosecutors.

"It is frustrating," said Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia. "It is frustrating for the officers who are out there doing the work to see individuals like him continue to get arrested for the same thing and the judges not having the discretion to set bail and to stop this continual criminal behavior."

Changes made under the banner of "bail reform" that went into effect across the state two years ago  which included police issuing more appearance tickets for future court dates instead of holding someone who has been arrested until they appear before a judge  were aimed at keeping people merely accused of crimes from sitting in jail.

The changes also prevented judges from setting bail for people facing most misdemeanors and some low-level felonies, unless the person could be considered a flight risk.

Authorities acknowledge the changes have produced many benefits and that Reeves' case  which earlier included a stint in a program meant to change his behavior  is much more the exception than the rule, but many in law enforcement have been calling for adjustments to the bail reforms.

54 days, eight arrests

Reeves' most recent legal troubles started New Year's Eve.

Here's how events transpired, according to police and prosecutors:

A person called Buffalo police to report they saw their vehicle, which was stolen in Cheektowaga, being driven in the area of Bailey Avenue and Doat Street. Buffalo police tried to stop the vehicle shortly before 5 a.m. on Genesee Street. Reeves allegedly refused to pull over. The vehicle crashed into a parked car on Suffolk Street, near LaSalle Avenue.

Reeves was arrested and given an appearance ticket.

Around 3:20 a.m. Jan. 11, police spotted another vehicle stolen out of Cheektowaga on Keystone Street, near the Buffalo-Cheektowaga line. When police stopped the vehicle, Reeves and other vehicle occupants allegedly fled on foot. Officers caught Reeves on Wex Street.

Police gave him another appearance ticket.

The next day, around 10 p.m., police spotted Reeves on East Amherst Street sitting in the driver's seat of a vehicle reported stolen from the Town of Tonawanda. The victim left the vehicle running without the key inside. Reeves, who was also accused of giving police a fake name, allegedly had the victim's credit card in his pocket.

The arresting officers again issued him an appearance ticket.

Eight days later, police reported seeing Reeves driving a vehicle  stolen the day before in Amherst  on East Delavan Avenue, near East End Avenue, in Buffalo. He allegedly refused to pull over and led police on a high-speed pursuit that ended when Reeves collided with another vehicle on East Delavan near Roma Avenue.

The vehicle Reeves was driving flipped over, and the other vehicle was totaled.

Reeves was arrested and held for arraignment, his first appearance before a judge following the four arrests.

But since the charges were "non-qualifying offenses," meaning a judge was not allowed to set bail, a judge released him and told him to come back to court for a Feb. 3 felony hearing.

On Feb. 1, Reeves allegedly stole a vehicle parked in the driveway of a home on Dalton Drive in the Town of Tonawanda. The vehicle was left running without the key inside.

The victim chased the vehicle, which eventually shut off because the key wasn't inside. Reeves and another occupant exited, allegedly taking a backpack from the vehicle. Police located Reeves and a juvenile entering a ride-hailing vehicle. At his arraignment Feb. 2, a Tonawanda judge released him under the supervision of Erie County probation.

Reeves didn't show up in court for his Feb. 3 felony hearing.

But after his no-show, the judge did not immediately issue a warrant for his arrest. Another element of the bail reforms is a mandatory two-day waiting period if someone misses a court appearance before a judge may issue a warrant.

On Feb. 7, hours before the judge in Buffalo issued the warrant, Reeves and two others were seen by police sleeping in a vehicle near Colvin and Crescent avenues. The vehicle was stolen out of Tonawanda. The victim left the keys inside the vehicle.

A judge released him on an appearance ticket after his arrest.

On Feb. 17, Reeves was arrested on Cordova Avenue, a few blocks from the University at Buffalo's South Campus, in a vehicle allegedly stolen out of Amherst two days earlier, according to Buffalo police.

Another appearance ticket was issued.

The most recent incident came four days later, on Feb. 21. Amherst police investigating reports of larcenies from parked vehicles in the area of Florence Lane and Glenhaven Drive tried to stop a vehicle allegedly driven by Reeves. He allegedly fled into Wheatfield and a pursuit by law enforcement continued through the Town of Niagara and into Lewiston, where Reeves and three juveniles were arrested.

Reeves was arraigned in Niagara County and held on bail. Authorities also learned he was wanted on a warrant out of Erie County, Pa., on charges of indecent exposure and disorderly conduct, according to Pennsylvania court records.

Suspect took part in restorative justice program

In total, Reeves faces 17 felonies and 23 misdemeanor charges in Erie and Niagara counties.

Reeves, who turned 18 in October, also interacted with law enforcement while he was a juvenile, before his last birthday.

The Erie County District Attorney's Office said Reeves was one of the first to participate in a restorative justice program for adolescent offenders who face criminal charges in Erie County Youth Part. Youth Part, where juveniles are still tried as adults, is different from Family Court.

Reeves successfully completed the program, and prosecutors consented to the dismissal of the charge, according to the District Attorney's Office. The case has been sealed and prosecutors said they were not allowed to comment on it.

On Monday, Erie County Judge Kenneth Case, acting upon a request of county prosecutors, ordered Reeves remanded on four of his pending cases in Buffalo City Court.

If all of this had happened before bail reform took effect, it's likely Reeves' alleged spree may have been stopped after his second arrest, said Erie County District Attorney John Flynn.

Officers who pulled him over on Jan. 11 would have seen he was arrested less than two weeks earlier on similar charges. Prior to bail reform, these officers likely would have locked him up overnight until he could see a judge in the morning, Flynn said.

"That's why the whole appearance ticket part of bail reform needs to be changed," he said.

To address this kind of issue, judges need to be given back discretion, Gramaglia said, so at least they have the ability to look at the how dangerous a defendant is or the danger he or she poses to the community.

If judges had that, it's likely Reeves' situation would have played out differently.

"The well-intended, necessary changes to bail reform don't take into account someone like him," Gramaglia said.
More than 559 people were detained at protests on Sunday in 21 cities across Russia against President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, according to an independent Russian-based protest monitor.

The OVD-Info protest monitoring group said people were detained at protests including in the Russian Pacific port city of Vladivostok and the Siberian city of Irkutsk. Opposition activists posted videos showing protests in other cities. Reuters was not able to independently verify the information or reach spokespeople for the police in Vladivostok or Irkutsk. Nor could Russia's interior ministry be reached for comment.

Related news

Russia clamps down on anti-war protesters

The interior ministry warned on Saturday that any attempt to hold unauthorised protests would be prevented and the organisers held to account. A video posted on social media showed a protester on a square in the far eastern city of Khabarovsk shouting: "No to war - how are you not ashamed" before two policemen detained him. Police used loudspeakers to tell a small group of protesters in Khabarovsk: "Respected citizens, you are taking part in an unsanctioned public event. We demand you disperse." The post could not be independently verified.

  .       pic.twitter.com/T8TYbXSsoW   (@fbkinfo) March 6, 2022

Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny had called for protests on Sunday across Russia and the rest of the world against the invasion launched by Russia on 24 February. About 2,000 people attended an anti-war protest in Kazakhstan's biggest city Almaty, videos posted on social media showed. The crowd shouted slogans such as "No to war" and "Putin is a dickhead", while waving Ukrainian flags. Activists put blue and yellow balloons in the hand of a Lenin statue towering over the small square where the rally took place. "Because of Putin, Russia now means war for many people," Navalny said on Friday. "That is not right: it was Putin and not Russia that attacked Ukraine."

Putin, Russia's paramount leader since 1999, ordered what he casts as "a special military operation" to defend Russian-speaking communities against persecution in Ukraine and to prevent the United States from using Ukraine to threaten Russia. The West has called his arguments a baseless pretext for war and imposed sanctions that aim to cripple the Russian economy. The United States, Britain and some other NATO members have supplied arms to Ukraine.

Russians in St. Petersburg demonstrate against the invasion in Ukraine after jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny called on Russians to stage daily protests. Navalny depicted President Vladimir Putin as an obviously insane tsar. Watch live: https://t.co/uEk8MsAGjk  Reuters (@Reuters) March 2, 2022

Putin's approval ratings have jumped in Russia since the invasion, according to Moscow-based pollsters. Putin's rating rose 6 percentage points to 70% in the week to 27 February, according to state pollster VsTIOM. The FOM pollster, which provides research for the Kremlin, said Putin's rating had risen 7 percentage points to 71% in the same week.
Statement from Ukrainian president Zelenskyy

Ukraine's President Zelenskyy delivered an angry, impassioned speech in his nightly address to the nation.

"We will not forgive the destroyed houses. We will not forgive the missile that our air defence shot down over Okhmatdyt today. And more than five hundred other such missiles that hit our land. All over Ukraine .. hit our people and children. We will not forgive the shooting of unarmed people. Destruction of our infrastructure.

We will not forgive.

Hundreds and hundreds of victims. Thousands and thousands of sufferings. And God will not forgive. Not today. Not tomorrow. Never. And instead of Forgiveness, there will be a Day of Judgment. Im sure of it."

"There was a lot of talk about humanitarian corridors. There were talks every day about the opportunity for people to leave the cities ...

And we heard the promise that there would be humanitarian corridors. But there are no humanitarian corridors.

Instead of humanitarian corridors, they can only make bloody ones.

A family was killed in Irpen today. A man, a woman and two children. Right on the road when they were just trying to get out of town to escape. The whole family.

How many such families have died in Ukraine?

We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will punish everyone who committed atrocities in this war on our land.

We will find every bastard who shot at our cities, our people, who bombed our land, who launched rockets.

There will be no quiet place on this earth for you. Except for the grave.
Freedom was a major theme of Gov. Kim Reynolds State of the Union response last week: Democrats want to take it away. Republicans are protecting it.

In America, we prize our freedoms. They are enshrined in our founding documents, and if theres anything we can all get behind, its that people ought to be free to live their lives. But, of course, we all know our freedoms are limited. We all sacrifice a bit for the orderly function of society.

Still, at least for this election cycle, Republicans are telling us our freedom is at risk  and that theyre the guardians of freedom.

Iowans know better. At least they do if theyre watching this session of the Legislature. There, freedom is a political commodity and Republicans control its distribution. If you own farmland and want to sell it for conservation, lawmakers are on the cusp of limiting the price you can get. It doesnt matter if you have a county conservation board or the DNR willing to pay. Forget it. State lawmakers will set your price.

Then, theres the bill to stop the seizure of farmland for construction of a privately-owned pipeline. Ordinarily, youd expect freedom-loving Republicans to back that kind of proposal. But not this time. The bill stalled. It just so happens one of the companies that wants to build a carbon dioxide pipeline through 30 Iowa counties is tied to a Republican mega-donor and several others who are politically connected.

They want that land, so freedom-loving Republicans who run the Legislature are looking the other way.

Then theres the proposal to force gasoline stations to sell more ethanol. Filling stations didnt like the idea. They wanted to cater to the markets as they saw fit.

Theyre losing that freedom. (This actually was a bi-partisan effort.)

Of course, when the governor talks about freedom, it isnt about land rights or ethanol. Its mostly about Covid vaccines and masks. In her speech last week, she said that in the Covid fight, Republican governors "honored your freedoms"

Republicans have generally opposed mask and vaccine mandates. You should have freedom of choice, they said. Even if those choices raise the risks for others.

After last week, though, Republicans may want to amend their rhetoric. One of those freedom-loving Republican governors Reynolds praised made it clear hes tired of masks, whether people want to wear them or not.

In a video thats gone viral, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis berated a group of high school kids in Tampa for wearing masks at an event. "You do not have to wear those masks. I mean, please take them off, he said. Honestly, its not doing anything and we gotta stop with this COVID theater. So, if you want to wear it, fine, but this is ridiculous.

DeSantis later tried to say he was actually sticking up for the kids. And, yes, he did say "please," but watch the video: There was nothing polite about his tone. It was demanding and demeaning, and the message was clear: In Ron DeSantis Florida, its not about having the freedom to wear masks. Its about doing what Ron DeSantis wants you to do. And one of the kids got the message, too. He took off his mask, later saying he felt a little pressured.

I dont think Kim Reynolds would chastise a group of kids like this. Instead, the Iowa Legislatures approach to squelching freedom in this area is a bit more subtle. Witness the GOP-sponsored bill that would stop business owners from choosing to require masks on their own property, even if they believe it would make it safer.

Thats not the kind of intimidation we saw DeSantis deploy. But its not freedom, either.

Again, no society operates without rules. But Republicans like Kim Reynolds want you to believe they alone are standing up for your freedom. But that doesnt look to be the case if you want to sell your land for conservation  or not sell it to the politically connected. Or if you want the freedom to choose how to make your business safer. Or if you dont want to sell ethanol.

The truth is, freedom is a commodity in the Iowa Legislature, and Kim Reynolds and her friends control its distribution.
The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America reaffirm their obligation to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine. The Budapest Memorandum, 1994.

The Russian Federation broke that obligation in the 2014 annexation of Crimea and now the 2022 full-scale invasion of the sovereign nation of Ukraine. This is not the first time that Russians have sought to eliminate the Ukrainian people. Here is that story:

In 1922, when Joseph Stalin came to power in the Soviet Union, he instigated a series of plans to try and bring his Communist empire into the modernized industrial world. As in all Communist societies, he was not above killing people to get them to the enviable position in society that he had in mind for them.

The Ukrainian villages were home to very industrious and independent people who grew the wheat and rye that Stalin used as the instrument of payment for the industrial equipment needed to bring the empire into parity with the West as quickly as possible. Wheat for machines; more wheat for machines; all the wheat for machines.

The resistant Ukrainian farms were collectivized. The grain quotas kept increasing. There were no working tractors. There was unrest as the poor and middle peasantry resisted efforts to take from them what they had worked so hard to obtain  a little land of their own  a culture of their own  solid families of their own  a religion of their own.

At first, troublesome persons were simply deported to faraway corners of the Soviet Union with nothing but the clothes on their backs. All their property was confiscated. [Peasants] were unloaded into the snow about six feet deep. The frost registered at 75 degrees below zero . . . Without even an axe or a saw [they] began building huts from tree branches. (The Great Famine of 1932-33, Bohdan Krawchenko.) Most froze to death.

By 1932, the quotas for each Ukrainian family amounted to essentially 100% of what they grew. Stalin left no grain for the farmer and his family. Seed grain was taken, as well. Armed brigades took every morsel of food. Anyone attempting to retain or steal a sack of wheat was shot by a firing squad.

The Terror-Famine had begun. Subjugating the independent-minded Ukrainian became public policy. The children and elderly died right away. Some parents killed their children to keep them from suffering and then killed themselves from the guilt. Orphans sat in ditches and awaited death. The streets were littered with the emaciated bodies of grown men and women. Cannibalism emerged.

The West noticed. International relief efforts were attempted. Stalin let it be known that relief was unnecessary as the famine was nothing more than Western propaganda to embarrass the great Soviet Union. Of the most talented and intelligent Ukrainians, 80% were purged by deportation, starvation, or firing squad. Estimates of the final death toll are just estimates. At least 4.5 to 6 million people died.

Image: Starved peasants on Kharkiv streets (1933). Public domain.

Once before, in 1921, Lenin made an appeal to the United States for relief from famine. Then-Secretary of Commerce, Herbert Hoover, provided that relief and the Soviet Union acknowledged that twenty million lives had been saved. Stalin came to power the very next year. In 1933, at the height of the Ukrainian genocide, America recognized the Soviet Union.

So, here we are again  more of the same story. A shattered Budapest Memorandum. A destructive Russian invasion. Assassination squads to decapitate the Ukrainian government. A Holocaust survivor, in her nineties, arrested in Russia for objecting to the slaughter. An elderly Ukrainian woman, crushed in her car by a Russian tank that may have deliberately crossed a highway to run over her.

The world is in a state of shock and fear. We dare not arm the Ukrainians after the invasion of Crimea and risk upsetting Putin, it is thought. We dare not help with air cover lest we start WWIII, all agree. Russia cares more than we do, so a well-known TV pundit tells us. We have no national interest in Ukraine, announces a hysterical conservative cable host.

What does the American Rule of Law say?

It says that Moral Law, right versus wrong, is our highest governing principle and our most important bundle of Law. Our Law says we must do everything we can, within moral boundaries ourselves (calling for taking out Putin is not within those boundaries), and in concert with other principled nations, to stop another genocide of the Ukrainian people. We must not only do the right thing, but we must also refrain from doing the wrong thing. We cannot purchase 6 billion dollars of Russian oil per day and comply with Moral Law.

The United States is funding this Russian invasion. Every Ukrainian death is paid for with American dollars.

In Dantes Divine Comedy, Upper Hell has a Vestibule. It is filled with persons Dante calls Opportunists. These are persons who are neither faithful nor unfaithful, good nor evil, decisive nor indecisive, principled nor unprincipled, who take no stands, one way or another.

Dante sees them running around aimlessly waving a banner, being stung by bees and hornets for eternity. They merit no classification. Hearing their cries and wails, Dante asks his guide, [What] souls are these . . .? [The answer] These are the nearly soulless whose lives concluded neither blame nor praise. . .Mercy and Justice deny them even a name. Dante describes their plight. These wretches . . .ran naked in a swarm of wasps and hornets that goaded them the more the more they fled, and made their faces stream with bloody gouts of pus and tears that dribbled to their feet to be swallowed there by loathsome worms and maggots.

A detached America is beginning to feel Dantes sting  the Vestibule awaits us.
Just what is at stake in Ukraine? Oh, maybe everything. Besides the horrendous loss of life, the conscription of young Ukrainian boys to repel Russian soldiers' advance, the streaming of hundreds of thousands of homeless refugees across Europe, and widespread property destruction, the war has become an immediate referendum on the West's cherished "rules-based international order."

That "order" celebrated in the West as a system of rules, agreements, and commitments to keep the international peace has long been scorned by nation-states such as China, Russia, and Iran, which see the "international system" as nothing more than a type of regulatory prison that elevates the wealth and power of the United States and Europe while keeping potential competitors in check. If international law, trade, banking, technology development, and information access all flow from a single spigot controlled by Washington, D.C.; London; Brussels; and the United Nations headquarters in New York City, then Western leaders hold a distinct advantage over all geopolitical relations across the globe. When they are the only ones who can effectively place a thumb on that spigot and reduce its flow to perceived threats to the "international order," then those opposing the "system" lose out fast.

The battle in Ukraine has already become a world war  one in which the weapons used have been chiefly financial in nature and most of the territory being fought over involves digital ones and zeroes. Instead of shutting down Ukraine's airspace, the West's response to the Russian invasion has been an incremental ratcheting up of financial sanctions against Russia's central bank and powerful oligarchy and a cascading quarantine of Russia from the broadly used instruments of the West's "rules-based international order." Rather than rushing to put boots on the ground, Western leaders have clamored for Russia to be cut off from ease of access to the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) and to be limited in its ability to liquidate holdings of foreign currencies that could be used to keep its economic system afloat.

If the West can't financially squeeze Russia to yield control in Ukraine, then it threatens to blast its banks with enough "rules-based" bombs to sink the value of the ruble and leave Russia insolvent. If Russia can withstand this onslaught, then it weakens the overall power of the West's vaunted "international order." If the West's sustained pummeling of Russia's financial system convinces enough nation-states that they, too, could one day be targeted by "rules-based" warfare, however, then it becomes increasingly likely that an alternative to the current system arises out of Ukraine's ashes. In other words, even with violence so far limited to Ukraine, the whole global interconnected web of financial and cyber-instruments that undergird modern commerce is currently at some state of war.

That being the case, the question is how well the West's current "rules-based international order" is built to survive Russia's challenge. Its control over the interbank SWIFT system allows it to target select Russian banks, but Europe's dependence on Russia's energy supplies limits the West from targeting those financial institutions instrumental to keeping Europe's lights on and heat pumping. It can cripple Russia's ability to import and export goods by freezing the assets of its central bank, but it risks strengthening an alliance between Russia and China that the West has long sought to prevent. It can destroy the ruble, but it cannot prevent the possibility that such a calamitous attack on Russia's currency would precipitate the creation of some digital currency linking Russia, China, and much of Eurasia while simultaneously decoupling half the world from the U.S.-controlled "international system." It can limit Russia's ability to export its energy resources to Europe (thereby undermining European industrial capacity and national security), but it cannot prevent China from enthusiastically gobbling up Russia's abundant supplies. The West's all-in response to cripple Russia's power by decapitating its financial engine may end up being the dynamite that forces the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO, the world's largest regional economic and security alliance) to separate Eurasia entirely from the existing international order.

There is no doubt Russia has been preparing for this day, as it has steadily increased its gold supply over the last decade while reducing its dependence on U.S. dollars. There should be every doubt, however, that Europe has properly prepared for this financial world war when it has spent the last decade reducing its industrial energy supplies from nuclear energy (Belgium and Germany), fracking (United Kingdom), and oil and natural gas exploration generally. If the global economy is ultimately based on hydrocarbon energy, Russia is flush, and Europe is empty.

Meanwhile, far from jumping into action by quickly unleashing the potential of its coal, oil, and natural gas industries and releasing its abundant resources to a depleted Europe, the United States under Joe Biden has given every indication that it intends to follow the European Union's lead in chasing "green" energy dreams, tilting at windmills, and leaving the West to the tender mercies of its erstwhile Russian and Iranian energy-producing enemies. If that reality were in any doubt, Biden's recent decision to abandon support for Israel's EastMed pipeline that would have delivered natural gas to an energy-starved Europe in favor of doubling down on Russian gas exports piped through Ukraine sealed Europe's fate.

In other words, if the West were really committed to standing up to Russia, its first step would be to abandon its obsession with anthropogenic climate change, net-zero carbon emissions, and the political left's Green New Deal. It would also learn to lean on an ally, Israel, rather than repeatedly chasing friendship with an Iranian government that has proved itself for four decades a committed foe.

The war being waged between Russia and the West today, then, uses the blunt instruments of international institutions as its chief weapons in pushing for leverage. Not only that, but the war may well decide which international institutions ultimately survive to propagate the system going forward. Will the West's "rules-based international order" maintain control, or will the events unfolding bifurcate it permanently? Will a new Eurasian system, cemented by SCO and China's Belt and Road initiative, be spurred by the current crisis to supplant the existing global order?

Time will tell. As Lithuanian politician Matas Maldeikis stated of the European tinderbox in an interview with Breitbart London, if Ukraine can survive the next month, then "Putin will be dead in Russia." Of course, if Putin has pushed all his geopolitical poker chips into the pot for a hand that will decide his survival, then that makes this one of the most dangerous poker games since the Cuban Missile Crisis.

We don't have good choices today. We have an unfolding disaster.

Image: ChristianIS via Pixabay, Pixabay License.
Please hurry, man. Please hurry. This is insane! Is there any other way? Should I take her to hospital? Whats going on, man? Mr OBrien says on the recording, obtained by this masthead. The Telstra operator responded: Its really up to you, sir, if you want to take her. Artist Andrew OBrien, who had to wait at least five minutes to speak to an ESTA operator after his wife had a near fatal COVID-linked seizure. Credit:60 Minutes In an interview with The Age and 60 Minutes, Mr OBrien said it took three hours to get his wife, Georgie, to hospital. She survived her seizure but was diagnosed with a brain tumour and is recuperating after surgery. This [the triple-zero delay] will happen to someone else. The responsibility lies with the executives, the CEOs and the state government whose charge and responsibility it is to provide that critical, acute care  and if theyre not doing it, theyve abrogated their responsibility to us as citizens.

The interim CEO of ESTA, Stephen Leane, who replaced former agency boss Marty Smyth after he suddenly quit the agency in October, confirmed systemic failings had been exposed by surges in demand linked to the pandemic. Mr Leane vowed to grieving families he would lobby the Andrews government for support, which he said had been promised. My advice to government is that we need to build ESTA into a place where this doesnt happen again, he said. Several insiders involved in ambulance response have said the situation at the call centre was so dire that in some cases people may be better to drive their loved one directly to a nearby hospital as they waited to be connected, despite the inherent danger. The Andrews government had promised it was acting following outcry over the October death of father-of-three Nick Panagiotopoulos, the first among the 12 deaths. Mr Panagiotopoulos family made repeated unsuccessful attempts to reach triple zero, and it took about 15 minutes rather than five seconds for one of the calls to eventually reach an ESTA operator.

The inability of ESTA to deal with surges in demand has been the subject of multiple warnings dating back to a 2014 Auditor Generals report, as well as later reports by the State Coroner and Inspector-General for Emergency Management following the 2016 thunderstorm asthma event that left 10 Victorians dead. Mr Panagiotopoulos death prompted the Inspector-General for Emergency Management, Tony Pearce, to announce a major inquiry in December to supplement an existing and ongoing review into ESTA by former police chief Graham Ashton. Despite these inquiries, and additional funding announced last year for 43 new staff, the crisis has continued and more families are now grieving the loss of a loved one. Nick Panagiotopoulos and his wife Belinda. A summary of sentinel (adverse) events linked to ESTA call answering delays shows at least six deaths occurred in late December and January. Among them was a delay of almost four-and-a-half minutes after a baby boy went into cardiac arrest. He later died at hospital. There were also delays of more than four minutes when a man, 51, went into cardiac arrest after choking at a food court and after a 21-year-old man had a cardiac arrest at a car wash and could not be resuscitated.

A 39-year-old suffering severe shortness of breath endured a six-minute delay on the line and his care was further delayed when it took 14 minutes for an ambulance to be dispatched. The man was in cardiac arrest when he arrived at hospital. Earlier deaths included a 49-year-old man involved in a chainsaw accident in late November, where it took more than five-and-a-half minutes for a triple-zero call to reach an emergency dispatcher. Interim chief executive of ESTA, Stephen Leane. Credit:60 Minutes While it is impossible to know how many of the eight adults and four children would be alive today if not for the call delays, a senior health source, who was not authorised to speak publicly, said the fact that some patients were resuscitated after paramedics eventually arrived suggested they may have survived with earlier treatment. The crisis has also hit the morale of ESTAs existing workforce, who are dedicated and overworked frontline responders. They stress that they are answering as many calls as humanly possible and have for many months been demanding more resources.

Mr Leane, the organisations interim CEO conceded weve had some real trouble trying to deliver on the expectations of the community and we went through some really difficult patches through late 2021. We still havent worked our way through it  It will take ESTA 18 months to two years to get to where I think it needs to be, he said. We have to get on and make sure that no other families are affected. Underlining how far the performance standards have slipped at ESTA, 90 per cent of the ambulance triple-zero calls to the government authority are meant to be answered within just five seconds on average over a month, according to the organisations service benchmark. But between late September and mid-December there were more than 40,000 triple-zero ambulance calls delayed and waiting at least a minute to be connected. The daughters of Nick Panagiotopoulos, who died last year waiting for an ambulance call to be connected. They are aged 14, 11 and 9 in this picture. ESTA performance data from February showed in a single day there were 174 urgent cases where the emergency response was delayed by more than one minute, and that the longest delay was more than 13 minutes.

Data from two weeks in January shows there were more than 11,500 calls that waited more than one minute to be answered during the period. This included 1562 calls that waited more than five minutes, 857 that waited more than six minutes and 414 that waited more than seven minutes. Loading In a single day in mid-January, more than 1000 calls were affected by notable delays. Emergency Services Minister Jaclyn Symes described the $115.6 million funding package as a massive boost to tackle unprecedented demand that would not just fund 120 new positions at ESTA but a new training program. Its plain to see just how much pressure Omicron has put on our health system and I know this has been a difficult time for Victorians whove faced distressing delays getting through to triple zero.
13:29 06.03.2022

Rada calls on UN, ICRC to urgently provide humanitarian corridors for evacuation of children from hot spots
Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Liudmyla Denisova has said that 38 children have died and 71 children have been injured in Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian Federation's invasion.

"As of 12 noon on March 6, 2022, since the beginning of the invasion of the Russian Federation in Ukraine, 38 children have died and 71 children have been injured," Denisova wrote on the Telegram channel.

She said that these data are not final, since it is not yet possible to establish exact information on the number of killed and wounded residents of the city of Mariupol in Donetsk region and the city of Irpen in Kyiv region.

According to her, only in the past 24 hours,a one and a half year old boy was killed in shelling of Mariupol by Russian invaders.

In the city of Bucha in Kyiv region, two seriously injured children died due to the inability to receive medical care.

Also, at the exit from the city of Irpin, Kyiv region, Russian troops opened fire on civilians as they tried to evacuate from the city, as a result of which at least three people died, including two children, and another person was seriously wounded.

In addition, a boy who was born in the city of Kharkiv 40 days ago died of pneumonia. He fell ill with during a multi-day stay in a bomb shelter in Kharkiv.

Also, in an enemy air attack on the city of Bila Tserkva, 15 private houses were damaged by rocket attacks, where there are elderly people and children. The number of victims is still unknown.

In the direction of Hostomel-Bucha-Irpen, up to 70 kids are in shelters, there are wounded. The aggressor troops do not allow doctors and volunteers to see children.

"The armed forces of the Russian Federation continue to grossly violate the fundamental rights of children  the right to life and health care, guaranteed to every child in the world by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. I call on international human rights organizations to take all possible measures to increase pressure on the Russian Federation to stop the military aggression against Ukraine," the ombudsman said.
Testimonies of Russian soldiers taken prisoner and documents obtained indicate that Russia is preparing a brutal and cynical invasion of Ukraine in violation of the rules of warfare, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

"The Russian military, taken prisoner by our defenders, spoke... We heard their testimony. We saw documents, maps, plans. Not yesterday. This is not improvisation. They prepared this invasion just like that  cruelly, cynically. Knowingly in violation of the rules of warfare," the head of the Ukrainian state said in a televised address on Sunday.

Zelensky said that this is about hundreds, hundreds of prisoners, including pilots of planes that bombed Ukrainian cities and civilians.

"That's why Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Mariupol and many, many other Ukrainian hero cities saw pure evil, atrocity. It was planned that way," the President of Ukraine said.

He said that this would not kill the humanity of the Ukrainians.

"Despite everything, we treat prisoners within the framework of the Geneva Convention. Despite everything, our missiles do not fall on civilian targets in Russia or Belarus in response, from where the rockets are coming into our territory every day, from where columns of equipment are leaving, aviation is flying against peaceful people, against peaceful cities," Zelensky said.
Payment of UAH 6,500 for those who lost their jobs due to war to begin next week  Shmyhal

Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal says that the payment of UAH 6,500 for those who have lost their jobs due to the war will begin next week.

"I appeal to the Ukrainians! The war came as a shock to all of us. Many have lost their homes, jobs, savings, but remained to defend Ukraine. Today the state will support you. On behalf of the President of Ukraine, the updated ePidtrymka program will start working next week. As part of this program, every employee, every private entrepreneur whose job was taken away by the war will be able to receive UAH 6,500," Shmyhal said in his address on Sunday afternoon.

According to him, the program will work by analogy with payments for vaccination, that is, through the Diia application.

"The Ministry of Digital Transformation will inform about the details of how to issue assistance," the prime minister added.
Srinagar, March 6 : Ten people were injured in a grenade attack in Srinagar city on Sunday, police said.

Police sources said militants hurled a grenade at security forces in Amira Kadal area of the city in the afternoon.

"Ten people have been injured in this explosion. The injured are being shifted to hospital. The area has been surrounded for searches," a source said.
Eight flights with over 1,500 Indians will operate from war-torn Ukraine's neighbouring countries to on Monday, the Civil stated on Sunday.

The Ukrainian airspace has been shut since February 24 due to the Russian military offensive. Indian citizens fleeing Ukraine are being airlifted from its neighbours such as Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland.

"Under 'Operation Ganga' to rescue Indian citizens, 2,135 Indians have been brought back today (Sunday) by 11 special civilian flights from Ukraine's neighbouring countries," the ministry noted in a statement.

"Tomorrow, eight special flights are expected to operate from Budapest (five), Suceava (two) and Bucharest (one), bringing more than 1,500 Indians back home, it mentioned.

To date, the Indian Air Force has flown 10 sorties to bring back 2,056 passengers while taking 26 tonnes of relief load to these countries as part of 'Operation Ganga'.

The IAF is conducting its flights using C-17 military transport planes. The civilian flight are being operated by Indian carriers such as IndiGo, Air India, Vistara and SpiceJet.

(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.)
New Delhi, March 6 : Under 'Operation Ganga', 2,135 Indian citizens returned back home on Sunday through 11 special civilian flights from Ukraine's neighbouring countries.

Among the special civilian flights on Sunday, nine landed in New Delhi while two in Mumbai.

There were six flights from Budapest, two from Bucharest, two from Rzeszow and one from Kosice.

With Sunday's evacuation, nearly 16,000 Indians have been evacuated since the special flights began on February 22.

"The number of Indians airlifted by 66 special civilian flights goes up to 13,852. Till date, the IAF has flown 10 sorties to bring back 2,056 passengers while taking 26 tonnes of relief load to these countries as part of Operation Ganga," Union Ministry of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia said in a statement on Sunday.

On Monday, eight special flights are expected to operate from Budapest (5), Suceva (2) and Bucharest (1), evacuating more than 1,500 Indians back home.
CEDAR FALLS  A pair of historic University of Northern Iowa homes had been on the chopping block, but now it seems their preservation is a real possibility.

According to Cassie Mathes, director of university relations, UNI is engaged in ongoing conversations with an outside party interested in developing a viable plan to preserve at least one of the structures more than a 100 years old.

Among them is the former home of the late UNI president Homer Seerley and his family. In November the university requested it and the Alumni House be razed because of $1.6 million in needed maintenance.

The matter had been tabled in an 8-1 vote by the Board of Regents in November, and came about a few years before UNI celebrates its 150th birthday. An expectation had been it would return for consideration at its most recent meeting Feb. 23; however, it wasnt included on the agenda.

The next regents meeting is scheduled for April 6 and 7 at Iowa State University. Board of Regents spokesperson Josh Lehman said, UNI would bring it before the board if looking to move forward with demolition.

Several people have made an effort to make the community aware of the significance surrounding Seerleys former home, including Rosemary Beach, the retired longtime executive director of the Cedar Falls Historical Society, who has appeared before City Council on numerous occasions trying to drum up support for its preservation.

She was successful in having the home named the most endangered property in the state by the nonprofit Preservation Iowa last month after submitting an application.

It was ranked number one out of seven properties based on historical significance, present condition (worthy of saving) and the urgency or nature of threat. An application did not guarantee a property receiving the designation.

The Queen Anne style house constructed of local red brick is the oldest building on campus, according to a description provided by Preservation Iowa. It was built in 1890 to serve as the family home of Seerley who became president of what was then the Iowa State Normal School in 1886.

Seerley held the title for more than 40 years. His name in Cedar Falls is revered. In fact, theres a street, Seerley Blvd, that runs through Main Street and another half mile to the part of College Street where the house is located.

There was a lot concern about the house because of its historical significance in the state of Iowa, and its wonderful story of rural education which we feel could be lost if not saved, said Bruce Perry, Preservation Iowa board president.

Seerleys former home is known today as the Honors Cottage at 2401 College St. A local person with knowledge of these latest conversations says it is believed to be the focus of the preservation efforts.

According to this person, the outside party is an individual with experience in preserving and restoring historic buildings in the community who has hopes of saving both the homes on the northern side of campus.

Optimism was one feeling expressed about the talks, and generally people are very pleased with the university for pursuing these other avenues.

Since the tabling of the request, Mathes, the university spokesperson, said there was a first set of conversations the university had about finding a way to preserve the buildings. But these discussions were preliminary and the realization was that the ideas (presented) werent viable.

These conversations happen to coincide with the universitys work to update its Master Plan. Once complete by the end of 2022 or beginning of 2023, it would lend insight into the universitys space needs and the status of its buildings, said Mathes.

In November, Michael Hager, UNI senior vice president for finance and operations told the regents about $1,645,251 in deferred maintenance between the two buildings, as well as them having ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) code compliance issues.

It does move a significant amount of deferred maintenance off the books. Theyre not core academic buildings, said Hager. We are challenged as state agencies to make sure we are being good stewards of our resources. We reluctantly came to the conclusion that these two  while not sizable  do provide a savings to us and do not diminish the impact of the physical footprint for the institution.

Asbestos and electrical needs were reportedly other reasons UNI requested the board give the green light to demolish these underutilized buildings.

We do have a number of buildings in addition to these buildings that are more than (a) century old. But these two small ones do not make sense from a financial perspective to continue on, Hager said.

If the board gave approval, Hager said the demolition, costing an estimated $269,000, was expected to take place after the winter season. Once vacant, the land would be used for green space, but Hager noted the properties could become potential building sites.

Regent David Barker, a partner in a real estate development company, questioned whether all the scheduled maintenance was absolutely necessary.

Despite pointing out UNIs excellent record of historic preservation and it being a difficult decision, Barker asked for an analysis of UNIs overall space situation be presented before moving forward with demolition of the structures that he felt maybe could serve another purpose.

The lone vote against tabling the request and moving forward with demolition was Regent Milt Dakovich, the chair of the Property and Facilities Committee, who passed away Feb. 24 after a long battle with cancer.

Right now, the Alumni House is not actively used by the University of Northern Iowa Alumni Association, rather it serves as a call center for about 14-15 students to use some evenings as part of the development foundation fundraising effort.

The Honors Cottage has offices for three honors program staff, a student lounge and a classroom, and will likely be relocated to Bartlett Hall.

Its been a nice space, and is very visible on campus, but its been limiting our ability to grow our programs, said Jessica Moon, director of the universitys Honors and Scholars Programs.

No matter the outcome, others are vowing to keep the historic homes legacies alive.

Well work with the university to preserve the legacy of the two buildings and share their stories whether they are standing or not, said Nathan Arndt, UNI Museum director and chief curator.

He added that elements of their character like the front doors, stain glass windows, keystones or cornerstones could be retained to help memorialize them.
Per the mainstream media, the war in Ukraine is entirely about white supremacy. Articles by the usual far-left racist agitators have proliferated, analyzing the conflict through a race-only lens. Instead of proffering any solutions to save human lives (of any color) in Ukraine, or to maintain global stability, these efforts will achieve the opposite. Conflating foreign conflicts into a global race war has no redeeming qualities.

The audacity of this race-hate bears close resemblance to the vile race-baiting propaganda that fueled destructive division by exploiting George Floyd's death. As with Floyd, anecdotes are being employed to stereotype an entire nation. Fault for all evils is centered on race only. No solutions or positives of any kind are offered.

A recent headline platforms obscure neo-Nazi groups: "White supremacists condemn Ukraine conflict as a 'brother war': some blame Jews." Why consult international foreign policy experts when the ADL can ferret out unknown right-wing groups such as the "Indiana Active Club" and "White Lives Matter" as authorities for direction on Ukraine? Americans would never even know the irrelevant views of that minuscule minority if the far-left fascists weren't mining it like gold flake to weaponize their race propaganda.

An MSN video and article titled "As long as you are black, no one likes you": Students allege racism during the escape from Ukraine" quotes a young black woman:

I remember they punched a black guy, the police in Ukraine punched a certain black guy, for nothing. He was shocked for nothing. Yes, so like I said earlier on, consider white people before considering black.

George Floyd wasn't kneeled upon by all white police in America; not all white Ukrainian police, let alone all white Ukrainian women and children, punch black guys.

USA Today histrionically blares, "Russia's invasion of Ukraine draws attention to extremist regiment," with the bolded subheading: "A regiment in Ukraine's military was founded by white supremacists. Now it's battling Russia on the front lines."

What are the implications of these claims for American foreign policy? Is the argument that Russia should be allowed free rein to kill Ukrainians?

An opinion piece gaining global race-milking traffic claims that Ukraine's problems, and all world conflicts, are attributable solely to white supremacy:

The white world causes suffering and then says that the people of the global south are "uncivilized" with no rights that need to be respected. Ukraine has been pushed to the forefront of American thought in order to defend the imperialist foreign policy which led to the current conflict with Russia. If the blue eyed nation is suffering it is because of US and NATO arrogance and aggression. ... [I]t is the white supremacist underpinnings of US/NATO foreign policy which have created all of Ukraine's suffering.

These are bold  and extremely dangerous  claims, based on alleged student mistreatment and racist comments by officials in Poland, a grand stereotyping that seems to relish the deaths of blue-eyed devils in Ukraine. This article is the literary equivalent of a snuff film. Unsurprisingly, its agitating author offers no solutions in her conclusion:

The corporate media have joined the state in an extraordinary effort to create war propaganda. They deliberately tug at heartstrings and demand solidarity with Ukraine because the truth is very unpalatable. Instead of standing with Ukraine, Americans should stand with humanity across the world. If they did they would be better able to understand why there are wars in Europe or anywhere else.

Americans have many issues to weigh in the Ukraine conflict. Ukraine was part of the USSR from 1922 until 1991. America was not involved then; why should it be concerned with the country's re-absorption now? After the recent debacle in Afghanistan, many Americans (especially those whose loved ones were killed or permanently marred by that conflict) may ask why Putin should be challenged if the U.S. will simply walk off the field in due course (and leave Putin some military hardware as a bon voyage gift). The Vietnam "conflict" comes to mind, too. And besides all that, the whole "preserving democracy" thing is a tad stale in the face of POTUS vaccine mandates and calling parents domestic terrorists.

The world's power structure is wobbling, while racist SJW morons fiddle their vile tunes  as with health care, climate change, economics, immigration, etc. They seek to weaponize a real-life war into their ideological race-war arsenal. Are they obfuscating this complex foreign policy area to support the president? Or perhaps they are colluding with Russia...

The problem of clouding the issue with race is not limited to the left. As a Ukrainian writer recently opined:

Suddenly, a host of stories has appeared in conservative media that try to rally support for Vladimir Putin because he is allegedly fighting Nazis and the New World Order in Ukraine. ... The Nazi smear is a twisted but effective technique used by Russian propaganda and our left-wing media in equal abundance. ... Were there extremist or racist soldiers fighting in George Patton's army? I bet there were a few, but it doesn't follow that Patton was one of them, or that the U.S. Army had no moral right to fight Hitler and its victory was not legitimate.

America rebuffed Jews as refugees in World War II. Did that make the opposition to Hitler immoral or Americans complicit in a global white supremacy conspiracy in that conflict? That "blue-eyed" pejorative used to describe Ukrainians fleeing a massive assault by a military behemoth hints at naked racist hate. What difference was the color of the eyes (or skin) of Jews fleeing Hitler? Where was the white supremacy in Americans dead or wounded in Afghanistan and Vietnam?

"Blue-eyed" conjures the hatred of Elijah Muhammad, later picked up by Malcolm X:

[T]his blue-eyed devil has twisted his Christianity, to keep his foot on our backs ... to keep our eyes fixed on the pie in the sky and heaven in the hereafter ... while he enjoys his heaven right here ... on this earth ... in this life.

The ADL, which platforms white supremacists on the Ukraine issue, claims that "blue-eyed devils" is a hate symbol used by whites. What then is NWA? Where has all that BLM money gone? Why have social justice warriors persistently ignored the oppression of Uyghurs, Jews, and other minorities that don't fit their race narrative  perhaps "only African-Americans deserve peace and security"?

Throughout the BLM "movement," the daily suffering of black Africans in abject poverty has been sidestepped. Social justice agitators now blame white supremacy for their plight, while those chanting "black lives matter" don't care about those black lives one whit. Many (white?) Christian charities do.

The race-focused hatred against Ukrainians reveals the endless hate-cycle of the CRT cult. Sign-ups for the Indiana Active Club will doubtless escalate thanks to the ADL's advertisement (much like a vaccine manufacturer unleashing the virus it reaps billions "curing"). Racists reap what they sow.

White supremacists reportedly differ on which side they support in Ukraine and rue the tragedy of white people killing other whites. The SJWs don't care who wins, either. The only difference from their white supremacist counterparts is that they applaud blue-eyed devils killing one another.

Image: Marco Verch Professional Photographer via Flickr, CC BY 2.0.
Paris Saint-Germain suffered a late loss away at Nice in Ligue 1 on Saturday night, thanks to Andy Delort's 88th-minute strike.

All of the talk coming into this match was about how the suspended Kylian Mbappe could use this game to rest ahead of Wednesday night's match away at Real Madrid in the Champions League, but there was still the expectation that PSG would beat Christophe Galter's high-flyers.

Yet, a sub-par night for the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar, Angel Di Maria and Marquinhos left a lot to be desired, as Mauricio Pochettino's side now have to switch their attention towards European action.

At the Allianz Riviera, Nice's well-oiled defence stood firm and then it was two players off the bench who combined for their late winner, as Calvin Stengs' left-footed cross from the left was thunderously volleyed past Keylor Navas by Andy Delort.

This win moves Nice up to second in the Ligue 1 table, still some 13 points behind leaders PSG.
Anonymous donor from USA transfers $1 mln to special account of NBU to support Armed Forces of Ukraine

An anonymous donor from the United States transferred $1 million to a special account opened by the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), said Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova.

"Yesterday, $1 million was transferred to an account opened at the National Bank by a caring and generous friend," she wrote on Facebook on Sunday.

According to the NBU, Ukrainians and foreigners transferred more than UAH 10.1 billion equivalent to a special account, including UAH 2.9 billion equivalent in foreign currency from abroad, the regulator said on its website on Sunday.

The National Bank clarified that the money came from the USA, Great Britain, Poland, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Czech Republic, China, France and Canada.

According to the regulator, the balance on the special account amounted to UAH 4 billion.

In addition, on the account of the Ministry of Social Policy, which the NBU opened for humanitarian purposes, the balance of funds amounted to UAH 57.5 million in equivalent.

As reported, the National Bank opened a special multi-currency account UA843000010000000047330992708 to raise funds for the needs of the army in connection with the introduction of martial law in Ukraine, the armed aggression of the Russian Federation and the danger to the state independence of Ukraine, its territorial integrity.

The National Bank clarifies that this is a multi-currency account created both for transferring funds from international partners and donors in foreign currency ($, EUR, British pounds), and from Ukrainian businesses and citizens in the national currency.

One can transfer funds using a card at: https://bank.gov.ua/ua/about/support-the-armed-forces or through a bank account using the details.

The NBU transferred UAH 450 million to the needs of the National Guard, UAH 850 million to the National Police, UAH 4.3 billion to the needs of the Ministry of Defense, and UAH 420 million to the needs of the State Border Guard Service.
The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine team has done a heroic and tireless job supporting Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who met with U.S. diplomats, has said.

"So appreciated visiting with our U.S. Embassy in Kyiv team today. They have done heroic and tireless work supporting Ukraine providing critical assistance to American citizens departing Ukraine. We are all incredibly proud of them," Blinken wrote in Twitter on Sunday.

In addition, Blinken said that the United States called on U.S. citizens to immediately leave the territory of the Russian Federation, since the United States' ability to provide assistance if necessary is limited.
As a result of shelling by Russian aggressors in Ukraine since the beginning of the war, 16 hospitals have been damaged, six doctors have died.

According to the monitoring data of the Ukrainian Health Center, which records information about cases of shells hitting the building of medical institutions, attacks on ambulance teams and casualties among medical workers in Ukraine, as of March 5, twenty-three cases of attacks on hospitals and doctors in Ukraine were recorded.

In particular, Russian shells hit medical institutions in Donetsk region (Vuhledar, Volnovakha, Mariupol, Chasiv Yar village), Luhansk region (Lysychansk), Kyiv region (Buzova village), Zaporizhia region (Melitopol, Vasylivka village), Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Chernihiv, Kharkiv.

Most medical facilities were damaged in Kharkiv - City Hospital No. 3, Regional Children's Hospital, Blood Center, six doctors were injured.

Another six wounded doctors were recorded after being hit by a cluster projectile fired by the Russian military at a hospital in the town of Vuhledar, Donetsk region.

Russian troops fired at three maternity hospitals (the village of Buzova, the cities of Mariupol and Zhytomyr), there were no casualties among doctors and patients.

The Russians fired at the ambulances seven times, four doctors were killed.

As a result of the shelling of emergency medical vehicles and private cars of doctors who were traveling to provide assistance, two doctors were killed and three were injured. Attacks took place in Sumy, Kyiv, Poltava, Kherson and Zaporizhia regions.

In addition, on March 3, in Trostyanka, Sumy region, separate groups of Russian soldiers blocked the work of ambulance teams, and therefore they were unable to serve calls; on March 4, on the Sumy-Kyiv road, an ambulance came under fire from the Russian army.
The enemy has destroyed 34 hospitals on the territory of Ukraine: buildings were destroyed in some, engineering networks were broken in some, there is no water supply, electricity, some will no longer be able to work at all, Health Minister Viktor Liashko has said.

"This is another violation of the Geneva Convention: medical workers and healthcare institutions cannot be involved in war, in military conflicts," he said on Rada TV channel.
My brother-in-law long hosted a radio show called Whadya know? The answer to which was always, Not much. I feel that way about the Russian attacks on Ukraine. Its not that I havent tried. Ive read everything I consider reliable on the subject and cant begin to answer if the Russians are bogged down or simply regrouping. If they or the Ukrainians will win this fight.

Oh, there are some things I do know. I know that we've been bombarded by propaganda on both sides, and the Ukrainians have been particularly effective in making Putin the worlds pariah and his country along with him, despite the fact that thousands of Russians taking great risks are openly protesting this war. I know that civilians on both sides of the border are suffering great losses. I know that Ukrainian President Zelensky has charmed much of the world with his bravery and resistance calls. I know that the German government has taken an about-face and is upping its contributions to NATO, looking at strengthening its own conventional energy sources and, finally, regarding Russia as a more significant threat than Germany has for decades.

What I particularly dont know is the effectiveness of the sanctions and what we and those who oppose Russian intervention in Ukraine should do. (Yes, Ive read a lot of compelling articles about how prior U.S. administrations -- with the exception of Trumps -- set the stage for this by, among other things, pushing NATO to Russias borders and interfering outrageously in Ukraine and withdrawing anti-missile support from eastern Europe and then stationing NATO troops in Poland and the Baltic States.) Worse yet, they provocatively and falsely accused Russia of interfering with the 2016 election. As the late Angelo Codevilla wrote:

All this produced a mess of appeasement, provocation, insult, and enmity without much of an international point on either side -- another lesson in the consequences of incompetence mixed with self-indulgence at the highest level.

What I am unclear about is what should we do now. Surveys Ive seen indicate many -- maybe a majority of those polled -- want us to create and enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine. What are they thinking? Do they realize this would mean shooting down Russian planes and expanding this war even further? Others talk about offering Ukraine NATO membership -- again, what are they thinking? Do they really wish to commit to stationing our troops against Russia? Whatever you think of the effectiveness of the Russian troops, and whether their slow advance this week has weakened your fear of them, it still would likely greatly escalate this war into something broader and worse. If you dont like supply shortages, even higher taxes, and the high-handed government tyranny which marked the response to COVID (a disease which, like Dr. Fauci, seems mysteriously to have sunk from view), I guarantee you youll get it good and hard if we rush to defend Ukraine militarily.

To better understand Russias present situation and interests (and ours) I urge you to read in its entirely the Codevilla article. You will see why he said, Ukraine is the greatest practical limitation on Russias ambitions. Its independence is very much a U.S. interest, but it is beyond our capacity to secure. He contended that the only part of Ukraine that Russia can control is the Russian part. "...while we can foster Ukrainian independence, that independence depends on the Ukrainians themselves, and we should foreswear turning them into our pawns or even giving the impression 'that they may be.'" I suppose in practical terms that means we should supply needed weapons and humanitarian aid, but no troops nor any promises of military defense by us.

I realize that there is a great deal of emotion-driven support for our doing more. Heck, even the ridiculous Style Section of the Washington Post was full of articles this week supporting Ukraine. (Of course, past experience shows that while the left is often gung-ho on getting us embroiled in overseas military adventures, once these are underway they run from responsibility for them and demand immediate withdrawal at great cost to nationals in those countries who worked with us.) If all this sounds too depressing, Lord Conrad Black has a different view, that the end result of all this will be a negotiated deal and a strengthened West. Im inclined to agree with him. Hes quite right when he argues that Russias move into Ukraine is not the same as the Soviet repression of Czechoslovakia and Hungary. The USSR under which that took place had twice the population of present-day Russia, an immense army, and almost complete control of the borders of the countries over which it was reasserting control. On the other hand, as he observes:

The Ukrainian army today consists of over 200,000 highly trained and well-equipped soldiers, who know every square inch of their own country, are fanatically determined to defend it, and have been armed to the teeth with the most sophisticated weaponry, along with a reserve force of 900,000.

He notes in addition Ukraine is being supplied with virtually inexhaustible stores of mobile and sophisticated ground-to-air and surface-to-surface missiles and received constant, exhaustive intelligence from NATO satellite and aerial reconnaissance and other sources that detail all Russian movements in Ukraine. Russia, as he also noted, has so primitive an economy that is has a GDP smaller than Canadas. Sanctions will make that worse. As for China, it is being inconvenienced by the sanctions against Russia and wants a negotiated end to this.

Russia could not physically maintain the subjugation of all Ukraine. It probably would accept a compromise settlement allowing Ukraines eastern provinces to be declared autonomous and Ukraine promising not to join NATO, and this compromise, Black argues, will allow the West to emerge stronger from this ordeal. NATO is already starting to shape up and Germany has announced its return to its rightful role as Europes leading partner but in a positive and collegial context, and the long-festering issue of what would happen to the former republics of the U.S.S.R. will be substantially answered satisfactorily.

This scenario makes sense. I can only summarize it here and urge you to read it all.
(Newser)  Assuming his parents would be no help, a 9-year-old boy in Brazil turned to Google and searched for "how to get onto a plane unnoticed." Then he did it, winding up 1,677 miles from his hometown of Manaus after a flight to Guarulhos, the Mirror reports. Emanuel Marques de Oliveira had managed to board an airliner without a ticket, documentation, or luggage. The boy was found, unharmed, on the other side of the country and returned home. But he'd already given his parents a fright. His mother reported him missing last Saturday.

"I woke up at 5:30am, went to his room, and saw that he was sleeping normally," said his mother, Daniele Marques. She got up again at 7:30, she said, "and that is when I realized that he was no longer in his bedroom, and I started to panic." Marques spent the day worrying and waiting for news from police. The airline, LATAM, said in a statement that he was spotted on the flight and taken to a shelter after landing to await his return, per the India Times. Emanuel was flown back to Manaus the next day, where he was "welcomed by local authorities" and his parents.

Investigations by police, the airline, and the Manaus airport have begun. Police said there's nothing concerning about Emanuel's home life, he just wanted to see relatives. He had no help other than Google's, they said. It wasn't known whether Emanuel had searched for "how to scare your parents half to death." (A 15-year-old stowaway once survived hiding in a plane's wheel well.)
Five or seven Russian aircraft constantly flying over Kharkiv bombing residential areas, one shot down in the morning  authorities

On Sunday morning, Kharkiv air defense forces destroyed another combat aircraft of the Russian Air Force, a Su-25 attack aircraft, Head of Kharkiv Regional Military Administration Oleh Synehubov has said.

"The pilot of the plane managed to eject, units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, together with the territorial defense forces, the National Guard and the Security Service of Ukraine, are actively searching for the air criminal," Synehubov wrote on the Telegram channel on Sunday.

At the same time, he said that five or seven attack aircraft and fighters of the enemy are almost always simultaneously over Kharkiv, periodically bombarding city blocks with civilians.

"The Russian armed forces are sending a significant part of their own air fleet to Kharkiv ... But our Kharkiv air defense forces powerfully enter the battle, even if the enemy forces prevail. Our Ukrainian military will never retreat from the defense of Kharkiv!" Synehubov said.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the citizens of the Russian Federation must make a choice between life and slavery.

"We are fighting for our today. We are fighting for where the line between life and slavery will be. And this is not only our choice. The citizens of Russia are making exactly the same choice right now, in these days, at this time, between life and slavery. Today, tomorrow and in the coming week. This is the time when evil can still be defeated without irreparable losses, when a position is threatened with dismissal or a prison truck, not the Gulag [the system of Soviet labor camps and prisons]. Material losses, not execution," Zelensky said in a video message on Sunday morning.

"Do not miss this opportunity. Social networks, friends, acquaintances and strangers, colleagues and relatives. You must be heard! We, Ukrainians, we want peace! Citizens of Russia! For you, this is a struggle not only for peace in Ukraine! This is a struggle for your country, for the best that was in it, for the freedom that you saw, for the abundance that you felt. If you keep silent now, then only your poverty will speak for you later. And only repression will answer it. Do not be silent!" he said.
The Ukrainian authorities are already setting up special funds to rebuild the country after the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this in a video address.

"Ukrainians! We have been fighting for 11 days. For freedom. For the state. We withstood. We already understand how we will rebuild our country. We are already forming special funds for reconstruction. There are already four of them. Fund for the Restoration of Destroyed Property and Infrastructure. Fund for Economic Recovery and Transformation. Public Debt Service and Repayment Fund. Small and Medium Business Support Fund. And many more programs to support our people. Heroes who fight for our state. And this is just the beginning," Zelensky said.

According to the president, strength, wisdom and will are needed.

Zelensky also stressed that Ukrainians have already gained their future "but we are still fighting for our present, we are fighting for where the border will be."

He stressed that during all the days of the war, there is almost no hour when Ukraine does not hear what help it will receive. Zelensky said that he talked about it again with President Biden last night. "I am grateful to him for his determination. For preparing more new solutions for Ukrainians and Europeans. More new sanctions against aggression! And before that I spoke with American congressmen. More than two hundred representatives of both parties of the Congress. They are very sincere. They are fully interested in really helping us, providing concrete assistance. These are conversations that increase our confidence."

Zelensky said that the world is on the side of Ukraine, and the one on whose side the world is will never fall into darkness. "The world has the power to close our sky from Russian missiles. From Russian combat aircraft, helicopters. If anyone still doubts, Ukraine needs planes. In fact, it's simple. When you have the will. To make the sky safe. The sky of Ukraine. The sky of Europe. I spoke with the Prime Minister of Australia. And I am grateful to Australians for their moral stance on Russian exports. There must be no port where a terrorist state can make money. The Prime Ministers of Albania, Bulgaria and Israel. Support for Ukraine," he said.
Kim Kardashian showed off her famed hourglass figure on Sunday as she exited The Ritz in Paris ahead of the Balenciaga fashion show.

The 41-year-old A-lister - who was announced as ambassador for the luxe brand last month - teamed a striking black catsuit with a pair of distinctive thigh-high boots as she made a statement departure from the opulent hotel.

The now legally-single starlet, who is reportedly 'furious' over Kanye West's Eazy music video, which shows the rapper seemingly burying her beau Pete Davidson alive, slung a towel over her shoulders to quirkily complete her look.

Here she is: Kim Kardashian showed off her famed hourglass figure on Sunday as she exited The Ritz in Paris ahead of the Balenciaga fashion show

Kim was bound to have all eyes on her as she posed up her storm in France's capital in the jaw-dropping ensemble.

The TV personality kept a low profile as she was ushered to the prestigious fashion show in Paris.

The socialite was shielded by a navy umbrella as she arrived for the runway shenanigans, looking classically chic as she slicked back her raven tresses.

Wow: The 41-year-old A-lister teamed a striking black catsuit with a pair of distinctive thigh-high boots as she made a statement departure from the opulent hotel

Strutting her stuff: The now legally-single starlet slung a towel over her shoulders to quirkily complete her look

Entrance: The TV personality kept a low profile as she was ushered to the prestigious fashion show in Paris

On Tuesday, Kanye, 44, shared the bizarre new music video, where a clay-animated version of Kanye kidnapped a claymation Pete and threw a bag over his head before tying him up and throwing him on the back of an all-terrain vehicle.

The cartoon Kanye then buried Pete alive, keeping his head above the dirt and growing roses on it.

The Gold Digger hitmaker ended the clip with a direct message to the Saturday Night Live star: 'Everyone lived happily ever after, except Skete' before crossing out the name and writing, 'You know who.'

Low profile: The socialite was shielded by a navy umbrella as she arrived for the runway shenanigans, looking classically chic as she slicked back her raven tresses

Appearance: The now legally-single starlet, who is reportedly 'furious' over Kanye West's Eazy music video, slicked back her raven tresses for the luxury fashion show

Kanye continually refers to Pete as 'Skete' as a disparaging nickname, though the meaning of moniker remains unclear.

A source told PEOPLE on Friday: 'She's really upset with Kanye that he'd do this. She's completely over all of this and she wants it to stop.'

PEOPLE's source also claimed that Kim cannot grasp how her estranged husband can create 'violent' content for all to see but make a fuss about their daughter North, eight, having a TikTok account.

Disturbing: On Tuesday, Kanye, 44, shared the bizarre new music video, where a clay-animated version of Kanye kidnapped a claymation Pete

Upset: '[Kim] thinks it's way too violent and is upset,' a source told PEOPLE on Friday, 'she's completely over all of this and she wants it to stop'

The source added: 'She is very angry about the violence and she just feels that it's inappropriate and wrong'

The source added: 'She is very angry about the violence and she just feels that it's inappropriate and wrong'

Work it! Bella Hadid showed off her svelte waist in a form-fitting black dress which she wore above a white top while framing her face with a pair of sunglasses as she walked the runway

He previously voiced that North was on the app 'against [his] will.'

'[Kim] doesn't understand how Kanye can get upset about North being on TikTok yet he can put out these kinds of videos. It makes no sense to her,' the source explained.

Regardless of the drama, the insider stressed that the SKIMS founder's 'No. 1 concern right now is making sure that her children are protected from the situation because everything plays out in the public eye and that's very difficult when there are children involved.

Make it make sense: PEOPLE's source also claimed that Kim cannot grasp how her estranged husband can create 'violent' content for all to see but make a fuss about their daughter North, eight, (pictured) having a TikTok account

Focused: Regardless of the drama, the insider stressed that the SKIMS founder's 'No. 1 concern right now is making sure that her children are protected from the situation'

'She is very angry about the violence and she just feels that it's inappropriate and wrong.'

She shares North, as well as Chicago, four, Saint, six, and Psalm, two, with Kanye.

Kim subtly supported her beau Pete soon after the release of West's disturbing music video by liking a post made by filmmaker James Gunn.

Keep up! James Gunn, 55, who directed Pete in Suicide Squad, tweeted Thursday that Pete Davidson was 'one of the nicest, sweetest guys' and Kim proceeded to click 'like'

Supporting! Apropos of nothing, Gunn tweeted out kind words about Kim's boyfriend Pete following a disturbing music video from Kanye

The 55-year-old The Suicide Squad director, who directed Pete in the DC film released in 2021, seemingly injected himself into the fray with a tweet calling the SNL star 'one of the nicest, sweetest guy'.

Kim proceeded to click like on the complimentary social media post which added that the Staten Island native was a respectful and 'truly generous, tender & funny spirit.'

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star began dating Pete after she hosted SNL on October 9.

Just one day after Kanye released Eazy, Kim was declared legally single by a judge - a move vehemently opposed by the rapper - on Wednesday.

Single lady! Just one day after Kanye released Eazy, Kim was declared legally single by a judge - a move vehemently opposed by the rapper - on Wednesday

Starting fresh: Kim has since removed 'West' from all of her social media handles, including her Instagram account that boasts nearly 290million followers

Judge Steve Cochran also granted her request to have her maiden name restored, and he denied West's motion to prevent Kim from transferring assets out of trusts set up during the marriage.

The feuding couple, both billionaires, had their high powered attorneys in court Wednesday: Laura Wasser for Kim and Samantha Spector for Kanye. Spector was only appointed Tuesday night after West fired his previous lawyer which was his fourth.

Kim has since removed 'West' from all of her social media handles, including her Instagram account that boasts nearly 290million followers.
Harry Randall is aiming to lock down Englands scrum-half jersey (Getty Images)

Harry Randall may be the smallest player on the field when England collide with Ireland in the Six Nations next weekend but the Bristol Bears scrum-half is determined to continue punching above his weight.

An important moment in Randalls four-cap international career arrived against Wales in round three when he was chosen to start ahead of Test centurion Ben Youngs, ramping up their duel for the number nine jersey.

The 24-year-old has risen to the top despite standing 5ft 8in tall and weighing 11st 6lb  a modest frame for a modern rugby professional, even a half-back.

A player described as a tough bugger by Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam, Randall is finding ways to make his attributes work for him as he looks to retain his place for Saturdays decisive Six Nations clash against Ireland at Twickenham.

I have heard it a lot before about my size, but it doesnt really matter to me what people think as long as the people around me trust me and I back myself, Randall said.

Ben Youngs and Harry Randall are competing to be Englands scrum-half (PA Wire)

Everyone is going to have an opinion, I have just got to knuckle down and use to my advantage and be as strong as I can in all areas.

I have people say that size could be an issue, but I back myself as long as I work hard.

I am still working hard to get stronger, fitter and faster and all the things that will help me out in that area.
Married At First Sight's Carolina Santos was brutally called out by the show's experts on Sunday night.

Puerto Rican sexologist Alessandra Rampolla wasted no time in calling out Carolina after she used being 'Latina' as an excuse for her 'nasty' and 'demeaning' attitude.

After hearing how the brand manager, 33, treated her groom Dion Giannarelli during the week, Mel Schilling admitted that she wasn't happy.

Ouch! Married At First Sight's Carolina Santos, 33, (pictured) was brutally called out by the show's experts during Sunday night's Commitment Ceremony

'I would put it to you that the way you are communicating with this man is disrespectful rude and downright nasty at times,' she remarked.

Carolina then told the experts that she felt like she wasn't doing anything wrong, that they are polar opposites, and there hasn't been one thing they had in common.

'Carolina just on that, we watched the dinner party last night and I took some notes,' John Aiken interrupted as he pulled out his notebook.

Not happy: After hearing how the brand manager treated her 'husband' Dion Giannarelli during the week, Mel Schilling (centre) admitted that she wasn't happy. L-R: Alessandra Rampolla, Mel, John Aiken

'I would put it to you that the way you are communicating with this man is disrespectful rude and downright nasty at times,' she remarked. Pictured with 'husband' Dion Giannarelli

John then explained that not wanting to eat breakfast or not wanting to go to the gym every day wasn't a lack of common interest.

'Everything you are saying right now is very superficial,' he said.

Trying to defend herself, the Brazilian-born beauty explained: 'I feel like what I've said it's very hurtful, but it's the truth.'

Here it comes! 'Carolina just on that, we watched the dinner party last night and I took some notes,' John Aiken interrupted as he pulled out his notebook

Just being me! Trying to defend herself, the Brazilian-born beauty explained: 'I feel like what I've said it's very hurtful, but it's the truth'

Born this way: 'I'm Latina, I have a temper. And then when I get frustrated I just explode and I can't just filter you know? It's just the way I am,' Carolina explained

'We've heard this a lot people delivering their truth but they deliver it with a sledgehammer,' John commented.

'I'm Latina, I have a temper. And then when I get frustrated I just explode and I can't just filter you know? It's just the way I am,' Carolina explained.

Alessandra then jumped in to explain that she felt personally offended with Carolina trying to justify such nastiness as 'being Latina'.

Not acceptable! Alessandra then jumped in to explain that she felt personally offended with Carolina trying to justify such nastiness as 'being Latina'

Offended: 'As a Latina woman I can tell you we are of course feisty and very passionate. Never ever disrespectful and nasty and demeaning,' she continued

'As if Latina woman were disrespectful,' Rampolla began.

'As a Latina woman I can tell you we are of course feisty and very passionate. Never ever disrespectful and nasty and demeaning,' she continued.

'I'm not going to accept that as a representation of Latina women. I'll say that right now,' she added firmly.

Excuses: Carolina then bizarrely tried to explain that things may have been incorrectly misinterpreted because English was her second language

Don't think so! 'It's my second language too. I'm sorry but no, don't even go there,' she said pointing at her, before admitting that her behaviour was 'very disappointing'

Carolina then bizarrely tried to explain that things may have been incorrectly misinterpreted because English was her second language.

'It's my second language too. I'm sorry but no, don't even go there,' she said pointing at her, before admitting that her behaviour was 'very disappointing'.

'I know that you really want to find love. But this is not the way it is not the way. Not here, not in Brazil, not in the outside world, nowhere in the world.'

Married At First Sight continues Monday at 7.30pm on Channel Nine
NEW YORK, March 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of the securities of Bright Health Group, Inc. (NYSE: BHG): (i) pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and prospectus (collectively, the Registration Statement) issued in connection with the Companys June 24, 2021 initial public offering (the IPO); and/or (ii) between June 24, 2021 and November 10, 2021, inclusive (the Class Period), of the important March 7, 2022 lead plaintiff deadline.



SO WHAT: If you purchased Bright Health securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Bright Health class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=3073 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than March 7, 2022. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs Bar. Many of the firms attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: The complaint alleges that the Offering Documents were negligently prepared and, as a result, contained untrue statements of material fact or omitted to state other facts necessary to make the statements made not misleading and were not prepared in accordance with the rules and regulations governing their preparation. Additionally, throughout the Class Period, defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operations, and compliance policies. Specifically, the Offering Documents and defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Bright Health had overstated its post-IPO business and financial prospects; (2) Bright Health was ill-equipped to handle the impact of COVID-19-related costs; (3) Bright Health was experiencing a decline in premium revenue because of a failure to capture risk adjustment on newly added lives; (4) all the foregoing was reasonably likely to have a material negative impact on Bright Health's business and financial condition; and (5) as a result, the Offering Documents and defendants' public statements throughout the Class Period were materially false and/or misleading and failed to state information required to be stated therein. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Bright Health class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=3073 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investors ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.

Phillip Kim, Esq.

The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.

275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor

New York, NY 10016

Tel: (212) 686-1060

Toll Free: (866) 767-3653

Fax: (212) 202-3827

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Netflix's controversial new reality series Byron Baes is set to premiere in the coming days.

And sisters Jessica and Lauren Johansen Bell have revealed they pay no attention to criticism ahead of their appearance on the show.

'My partner said to me multiple times, "The town's going to lose it over this", but they often protest a lot of things so I wasn't too concerned,' Jessica told the Herald Sun.

Ignore: Glamorous sisters Jessica and Lauren Johansen Bell said they don't pay attention to criticism ahead of their appearance on Netflix's controversial reality series Byron Baes

'I felt like the town would move on from it,' she added.

'It wasn't going to be a life-threatening situation. People might be angry about it and then see it, and maybe not be angry.'

The show will follow the lives of 14 influencers who help each other grow their businesses, connections and social followings in the idyllic Australian beach town.

'My partner said to me multiple times, "The town's going to lose it over this", but they often protest a lot of things so I wasn't too concerned,' Jessica told the Herald Sun

Last year, the series received backlash for not consulting local Indigenous groups or the Byron Council before filming.

According to the Echo, the Byron Council 'passed an urgency motion' that would require producers to get permission before any further filming.

Independent Councillor Cate Coorey said: 'We need to stand up for our community.'

Filming was eventually moved to the Sunshine Coast.

New series: The show will follow the lives of 14 influencers who help each other grow their businesses, connections and social followings in the idyllic Australian beach town

Joining the cast is former reality star Elias Chigros, who appeared on Love Island.

Co-creative director of local boutique BISQUE Hannah Brauer will also appear on the show, alongside Byron Bay couple Dave Frim and Saskia Wotton.

Other stars include influencer Jade Kevin Foster, whose claim to fame is getting a selfie with Kim Kardashian, and 'spiritualistic therapist' Simba Ali.

All eight episodes of Byron Baes will be available on Netflix from March 9
Bella Hadid went for a low-key look as she stepped out in Paris on Sunday.

The supermodel layered up with a black turtleneck jumper and a long oversized cardigan, teamed with a pair of wide-leg ripped jeans.

She kept the dark theme with her footwear, adding a pair of black square toed shoes.

Layers: Bella Hadid went for a low-key look as she stepped out in Paris on Sunday in a black turtleneck and cardigan

Low-key: The supermodel sported a pair of wide-leg grey jeans with a ripped knee in the casual ensemble

Bella, 25, shielded her eyes with a pair of black sunglasses, adding a black croc-textured bag to her look.

The cover girl kept her long brunette tresses down, donning a makeup free look.

The outing comes after she walked in the incredible Vivienne Westwood and the Coperni shows during Paris Fashion Week.

Bella shielded her eyes with a pair of black sunglasses, as she donned a makeup free look

Recurring theme: She kept with the dark theme with her footwear, adding a pair of black, square toe shoes

It was a family affair at this fashion week, with Bella and her sister, Gigi, both posing up a storm on the Coperni stage on Thursday.

Bella left little to the imagination during her strut, donning a mesh mini-dress. While Gigi went for a blush pink dress for the appearance.

The famous sisters were also joined on the runway by the likes of David Ginola's daughter Carla and Kate Moss's daughter Lila.

Flowing locks: The cover girl kept her long brunette tresses down as they fell down her shoulders

Stunning! The model added silver hooped earrings and a black croc bag to her look

Bella has been sharing snippets from the French capital to her Instagram, posting images from the Coperni show to her 29.9m followers.

She shared images of her strutting down the catwalk, in a mix of looks from Coperni.

The beauty wrote: 'You and These looks are heaven,' tagging the French fashion brand in the post.

Catwalk: Bella has been sharing snippets from the French capital to her Instagram, posting images from the Coperni show to her 29.9m followers

Parisian work: The outing comes after she walked in the incredible Vivienne Westwood and the Coperni shows during Paris Fashion Week
Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelenskyy is pushing his call for foreign countries to impose a no-fly zone over .

Establishing a no-fly zone would risk escalating the conflict by involving foreign militaries directly. Although the United States and many Western countries have backed with weapons shipments, they have sent no troops.

Zelenskyy said in a video address on Sunday that the world is strong enough to close our skies."



NATO countries have ruled out policing a no-fly zone, which would bar all unauthorised aircraft from flying over . Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that Moscow would consider any third-party declaration of a no-fly zone over Ukraine as participation in the armed conflict.

(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.)
More than 1.5 million refugees have now crossed from Ukraine into neighbouring countries since the Russian invasion began, the head of the UN Refugee Agency has said.

Filippo Grandi, the UN high commissioner for refugees, tweeted on Sunday that it is the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.

A precise update on the refugee figures was not given.

Mr Grandi is currently visiting countries that border Ukraine.

Today at Palanca I saw thousands and thousands of people streaming across Ukraines border crossing with Moldova. Thousands of stories of separation, anguish, and loss. A difficult day, but much respect for the many dedicated Moldovan officials and people helping the refugees. pic.twitter.com/84dPcFcCPG  Filippo Grandi (@FilippoGrandi) March 4, 2022

On Saturday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited a welcome centre set up by Polish authorities in what once was a shopping centre in Korczowa, where roughly 3,000 refugees are taking shelter.

Mr Blinken heard harrowing tales from mothers and their children who described long and perilous journeys  and the shock of the sudden disruption and the fear for their lives  after fleeing the devastation of the war.

Near our home we heard bombs, said Venera Ahmadi, 12, who said she came with her brother and sister, six dogs and seven cats from Kyiv  372 miles away.

We walked to the border, I dont know how many hours. We crossed the border on foot.

Her 16-year-old sister Jasmine said: I was scared I would die.

Natalia Kadygrob, 48, reached the centre with her four adopted children from Kropyvnytskyi, almost 500 miles by bus. Her husband stayed behind.

There they bombed planes at the airport, she said. Of course we were afraid.

Tatyana, 58, who would not give her last name, came with her daughter Anna, 37, and Annas daughters Katya and Kira, who are aged six and one. They are from Kharkiv, about 600 miles from the shelter.

They were shooting on the street, Tatyana said. Anna said her home had been destroyed by a shell or a rocket.

She was in the basement with her daughters when the explosion happened. They should be in school, Anna said. They are children, they dont understand.

Mr Blinken watched as Polish authorities escorted small groups of refugees  about 20 at a time  across the frontier from the Ukrainian town of Krakovets.

Groups mainly of women, children and elderly men  rolling their possessions in luggage and carrying infants and the occasional family pet  made their way into makeshift processing centres set up in tents on Polish territory.
When Shakur Abdullah speaks to prison inmates who are preparing to transition back to society, he counsels them not to give up hope they can turn their lives around.

And the public shouldn't give up on them either, he says. People can be redeemed.

Abdullah knows a little about such turnarounds. He was once on death row in Nebraska for shooting two people in a drug-related robbery, killing one.

But given a second chance due to court decisions, the 64-year-old now works for a nonprofit that teaches Nebraska offenders the principles of restorative justice  helping them understand the impact of their crimes, accept responsibility for them, and act to repair the harm they have done.

I have caused a great deal of harm in my life, Abdullah said, his voice cracking and his eyes glistening. But that is not the totality of who I am.

Abdullah grew up in 1970s North Omaha, the son of a packinghouse worker. Life was hard, but certainly others had it worse and still avoided the minefields, he says now.

Abdullah, at the time named Rodney Stewart, saw his father come home each day beaten down. He looked for an easier way.

By middle school, he was using and selling marijuana. Then in January 1975 came a drug deal that, in his words, went very, very bad.

Prosecutors say he went to the deal with the intention of robbing and killing his drug suppliers, even bringing gasoline to the scene to set their van on fire to conceal the crimes. One of the men was killed. The other was blinded but survived.

The judge sentenced Abdullah to death row, saying he saw no magic in the fact that the youth was 16 at the time.

The Nebraska Supreme Court tossed out the death sentence due to numerous errors by the judge, including his failure to consider Abdullah's age as a mitigating circumstance.

Still, the court's 1977 decision that Abdullah would instead spend life behind bars meant little to him. His attitude was: Either way, he'd die in prison.

But he said older inmates in the Nebraska State Penitentiary took him under their wings. They convinced him he could change, become a better person and find meaning in life. He saw some of them leave the prison and succeed. His attitude changed.

In more than four decades behind bars, Abdullah was written up for bad behavior only four times, and in 1981 was commended by the warden for entering a burning portion of the penitentiary to make sure others had gotten out.

Over the years, the U.S. Supreme Court chipped away at the notion that even life sentences were appropriate for juveniles. The series of decisions was based on a growing body of science showing that a persons brain isnt fully developed until age 25, making juveniles unable to fully comprehend the consequences of their actions.

When the high court in 2012 ruled that state law must give judges in murder cases involving juveniles lesser sentencing options besides just life terms, Abdullah and 26 others were entitled to new sentences ranging from 40 years to life.

The judge in Abdullahs case essentially decided in 2015 that the 41 years he had already served was enough. He was set free six years ago.

Now Abdullah works as a trainer and outreach specialist for the Lincoln-based Community Justice Center, which teaches probationers and inmates about restorative justice. Understanding how their past actions harmed others is key to their development of empathy, Abdullah said  a trait that can help them avoid offending again in the future.

While many are inspired by Abdullah's story, he stands on the shoulders of those who went before him. He tears up again when he tells the story of how when he got out, he sought out one of the older inmates  now working as a barber  who had showed him the way.

Thank you for not coming back, Abdullah told him.

Paying the Price is part of the Omaha World-Herald's collaboration with the Flatwater Free Press examining Nebraskas prison crisis.
In another escalation of the conflict, President Volodymyr Zelensky said the military would call up reservists and assess how many others would be eligible to join them. Get the latest.
Julie Won, a first-term councilwoman from Queens who is one of the two first Korean Americans to serve on the body, pointed out that the recent violent incidents demonstrate that more police officers and tougher policing are not the answer.

Is it going to help you to lock people up after youre dead? Ms. Won said. Or is it about prevention and long-term solutions to what leads to these violent crimes?

On the flip side are elders and recent immigrants, who see more stringent law enforcement as the solution and have sided more closely with Mayor Eric Adams in calling for an increased police presence and changes to state laws to allow judges to consider dangerousness when setting bail.

Asian American women are paying the price. Asian American seniors are paying the price, said Mr. Yu, of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association.

He called on Mayor Adams to place more uniformed officers on patrol and to continue to push the State Legislature to change the bail law, even though leaders in both the Senate and Assembly have rejected such calls from the mayor.
Kylie Gillies has revealed that she almost quit Dancing With The Stars: All Stars following her beloved father Ron Mills' death in August last year.

The Morning Show host told The Daily Telegraph's Confidential on Sunday that she had to 'step away' from rehearsals as she 'couldn't be on television' while grieving.

Elsewhere in the interview, the 54-year-old addressed rumours she's the highest paid star on the dancing show, following a report she's pocketing a tidy $100,000.

'I had to step away': Kylie Gillies, 54, revealed to The Daily Telegraph's Confidential on Sunday that she almost QUIT Dancing With The Stars: All Stars after her beloved father Ron Mills' death at age 91 in August last year. Pictured with her father

'Dad passed suddenly within 24 hours. I had to step away from the show and stop rehearsing. I was going to pull out,' Kylie told the publication.

'I was off The Morning Show because I couldn't pretend. I couldn't be all quiet and upset and ugly with red swollen eyes, I couldn't be on television like that.'

Addressing a Woman's Day report in February claiming she's the highest pair star on Dancing With The Stars, ahead of Olympia Valance on the lowest figure of $25,000, Kylie laughed off the suggestion, saying she 'would pay Channel 7 to have me'.

Grieving: 'Dad passed suddenly within 24 hours. I had to step away from the show and stop rehearsing. I was going to pull out,' Kylie told the publication. In September, Kylie announced her beloved father had died while filming was underway for Dancing With The Stars: All Stars

In September, Kylie announced her beloved father Ron had died, just weeks after celebrating his 91st birthday.

The TV presenter revealed the news of his passing on Instagram, saying that the entire family was 'heartbroken' alongside a picture montage of happy memories.

'Our darling Dad,' Kylie began. 'A much-loved husband to my Mum for 57 years, and a Grandpa to four grandchildren who adored him.

'We are heartbroken but thankful. You looked after us all for so long. Ron Mills 10.8.1930 - 31.8.2021.'

No truth: Elsewhere in the interview, The Morning Show host addressed rumours she's the highest pair star on Dancing With The Stars, with a report suggesting she's pocketing a tidy $100,000. Kylie laughed off the suggestion, saying she 'would pay Channel 7 to have me'

The devastating announcement came just weeks after Sydney-based Kylie was forced to miss her father's birthday celebrations, after being unable to fly to Hervey Bay in Queensland amid lockdown.

Kylie had instead acknowledged the day with a sweet throwback photo of her with her dad.

The TV anchor captioned the post: 'Happy 91st dearest Daddy. Not long now 'til we get you that telegram from the Queen.'

Devastated: Kylie shared photos of her beloved father in her Instagram post in September. 'We are heartbroken but thankful,' she wrote online. 'You looked after us all for so long. Ron Mills 10.8.1930 - 31.8.2021'

She continued: 'Not socially distanced here in this pic ..but, yet again, border lockdowns are keeping us from all being together.

'I know Mum, Stacy and Julia spoiled you on your special dayas you deserve to be. Xxx from us all down south. Xx.'

While they hadn't been able to reunite on his birthday, Kylie luckily had been able to travel over to Queensland to spend time with him over the Christmas holidays.

She documented her nightmare last-minute rush to exit Sydney on December 20, as the New South Wales borders slammed shut.

Love: Kylie added that Ron had been married to her mum (pictured) for almost 60 years

Reunited: Kylie jetted out of Sydney at Christmas due to border closures, and caught 'the last flight' to Brisbane to be with her mum, dad and sister

Kylie said she had 'never packed so fast in her life' as she scrambled for a flight to Queensland to be with her mum, dad and sister, after an eruption of COVID-19 cases in Sydney meant state borders were closing rapidly.

Sadly, her husband Tony and their teenage sons, Gus and Archie, couldn't make it in time.

'As the border shuts in a few hours, I scrambled to get a flight into QLD,' she said, adding: 'I reckon I got the last ticket, on the last flight out tonight to Brisbane.'
As a trusted and credible community elder in my beloved North Omaha, I come to you in an sincere effort for you to see what I seen.

I grew up in a redlined and segregated Omaha. I witnessed the development of a wonderful and rich culture in my beloved North Omaha, along with multiple generations of poverty. I have seen the reaction within my community to police shootings, racism and racial strife. Those reactions have ranged from generational trauma to outright anger, violence and destructive protests. I have seen the brain drain and financial flight of some of our most talented African American people, to other more receptive cities.

I offer myself as an example. My first job was with IBM, starting in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1966. I was with them 15 years, starting in my early 20s. My gifts and financial potential were lost to North Omaha, as were so many of my North Omaha generation. We purposely left for opportunities elsewhere. For the record, I returned home in 2005.

Currently, I provide tours of the rich culture and history of North Omaha, which include all the good, bad and the ugly we have experienced. I note on my tour  and I note to you  that there are buildings in North Omaha that are boarded up and have been since the 1960s. I have been puzzled and amazed at why there has never been a concerted, comprehensive and thoughtful major development to improve, develop and rebuild North Omaha.

Despite Nebraskas claim of The Good Life, North Omaha has been a cloud on the glitter of Omaha and, to some degree, Nebraska. The realities of North Omaha are that generational poverty has created a community that has had to grapple with disparities in health, incarceration, educational achievement gaps, inequities and, I repeat, significant disinvestment. Generations of business as usual.

Now, in 2022, following the aftermath of George Floyd, assaults on democracy and heightened divisiveness, Omaha should realize that we are at the fork in the road.

Our leadership, in the private and public sectors, should understand that our very essence is at this fork. Will our city continue business as usual, or use this time as a great opportunity to make a statement of greatness, vision and transformation?

Let me be specific. There are many great and significant developments happening throughout the city. I am going to focus on two : They are the sparkling and exciting Kiewit Luminarium, in north downtown, and the awesome and game-changing, beautiful high-rise home of Mutual of Omaha in central downtown. In my humble view, these are wonderful additions, not only to our greater downtown area, but to Omaha. They will both serve us, as does the St. Louis Arch and the Seattle Space Needle. Those two new developments alone can signal our greatness.

I see a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these developments to make a grand statement . Their development could be linked to a collateral development in our citys most depressed areas. Imagine, if Mutual of Omaha collaborated with the community in their most depressed area, and developed an intentional, linked development in that sector? Something that would serve to change the nature  and the future  of that community forever.

I am not suggesting what form that collateral development will take. That can be part of the wonderful story. I suggest to you, when the story is told, it can be a beacon and example for cities all over the country to follow. Why not Omaha leading the way? We have that opportunity.

Despite the greatness of the new Mutual building that I am using as a example, I pray we are not facing business as usual. The same dynamics apply to the wonderful north downtown development of the Kiewit Luminarium. Will Omaha continue down its historical path of North Omaha neglect or will we once and for all seize the opportunities for greatness?

Lastly, I am an advocate for TIF. Tax Increment Financing, which simply stated, defers tax collections to facilitate and attract good developments. But business as usual does not take into consideration the effect that deferring tax has on the funding of Omaha Public Schools.

We are at a fork in the road, business as usual versus opportunity for greatness. North Omaha wants to know what directions will be taken this time.
Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], March 6 (ANI): In order to offset this interruption and ensure the young minds are nurtured, the Indian army organised 'Winter Tuition Classes'. These classes have been conducted in remote villages of Mandian, Kundian, Naga, Kuchiban, Banwali, Dogapatti, Attar & Sapanwali under Operation Sadbhavana.

This initiative was under the project 'Sadbhavna'. The move came after considering the loss of education during heavy snowfall & sub-zero temperatures in the region.

Also Read | Kerala: Tattoo Artist Sujeesh PS Held for Sexually Abusing Women While Tattooing on Their Private Parts.

The aim of the project was to maintain continuity while simultaneously enhancing the elementary knowledge base of the students. The tuition classes culminated on Saturday. These tuition classes were held with the help of local teachers and the collaborative support of the village population. The students were also given an insight into future prospects of schooling at APS Beas, Pehelgan, Udhampur and nurtured for exposure primarily with the aim of grooming responsible citizens.

Speaking about the project 'Sadbhavna'. Sabir Khatana, a local teacher of a remote village, stated that winter tuitions are an excellent initiative by the Indian Army.

Also Read | Punjab: 5 BSF Personnel Killed in Fratricide Incident in Amritsar.

"These tuitions bridge the gap between children of remote Line of Control villages and children from hinterland with better connectivity. A total of 380 students were part of the initiative that benefitted 12 villages of Kupwara district," said Khatana. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Ghana has signed visa waiver agreements with eight countries.

The deal would exempt officials from applying for visas when entering Ghana and vice versa.

The countries are Qatar, Jamaica, Suriname, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Guyana, Venezuela and Malta.

According to a tweet by the Presidency, the move was to improve service delivery regarding passport administration both in Ghana and missions abroad.

GNA
Minister of State for Electronics and IT, will be attending the India Global Forum (IGF) event at Bengaluru on March 7-8, an official statement said on Sunday.

The Minister is slated to meet and interact with the founders and CEOs of 30 unicorns during the event.

The IGF Bengaluru shall also see participation of Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, and Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, Meenakshi Lekhi as well as prominent CEOs and leaders from the industry, the release added.

India is in midst of a major transformation, and expansion of its economy, Chandrasekhar said in a statement, adding that Digital and tech opportunities are leading the transformation and India's 'Techade'.

The India Global Forum, Bengaluru will provide a platform to dive deep into this Techade of - The New India Inc, he said.

The Minister will be attending the Forum and speaking on the sessions titled - The New India Inc on March 7, a roundtable conference with Unicorns, Global supply chain boardroom, and concluding session on March 8.

The much-anticipated session with unicorns will see 30 CEOs and founders engage in a discussion with the Minister.

Over the last 6 months, the Minister has been actively meeting and interacting with the startups across the country and providing them full support from the government, the release said.

This is the first ever edition of IGF at Bengaluru.

The agenda-setting forum for international business and global leaders, IGF, offers a selection of platforms that corporates and policymakers can leverage to interact with stakeholders in their sectors and geographies of strategic importance.

(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.)
Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Sunday said that the state government has taken a handful of initiatives in collaboration with central agencies to set up a number of cultural institute campuses to give a push to the state's rich cultural heritage, and therefore, it has forwarded a proposal of Rs 100 crore for a cultural hub. "The campuses will be offering short term courses in various performing art disciplines for the students. A proposal of Rs 100 crore for the proposed cultural hub has been forwarded," he said while addressing the inaugural function of the Dharmanagar book fair. Saying that the state government is indebted to developing Tripura as a cultural hub, Deb said, "A proposal of Rs 100 crore has been put forward. The proposal includes the campus of Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute where short term courses pertaining to film production and other performing arts will be imparted." "Apart from that, a campus of Lalit Kala Akademi and a full-fledged campus of National School of Drama are also included in the ambitious project," he added. The motive of the government, the Chief Minister explained, is seamless study and exchange of culture with the neighbouring states as well as Bangladesh. "The government has already arranged a plot of 2,360 acres for National School of Drama while land acquisition process for Lalit Kala Akademi centre is also underway. The government is in talks with other cultural institutes running under the Ministry of Culture", Deb added. (ANI)
The deputy minister of defence for Belarus has reportedly submitted his resignation and claimed he cannot support the current Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Major General Viktor Gulevich, who is also the chief of the general staff, argued that Belarusian military unit personnel refused to take part in hostilities and that the Armed Forces of Belarus could not complete a single battalion group.

Mr Gulevich is among a number of Belarusian officials facing economic sanctions from the UK government because of their closeness with Vladimir Putin.

He was accused of directing joint military exercises with Russia, and consenting to the deployment of Russian troops along the border of Belarus with Ukraine - which, the UK government claimed, 'directly contributed to Russias ability to attack Ukraine'.

The UK Foreign Office previously said the Belarusian military has 'supported and enabled the Russian invasion of Ukraine' by allowing Russian troops to build up on its border with Ukraine.

A scan of Mr Gulevich's statement, which was reportedly addressed to the current Minister of Defence Viktor Khrenin, added: 'Conducting explanatory work with the commanders of military units did not yield results. I have the courage to assume that the replacement of the commanders of these military units, who could not organise the formation of groups on the ground, will not give us the result we need.

'In view of the above, I ask for your decision regarding the acceptance of my resignation.'

A picture of the letter was shared by former Deputy Defence Minister of Ukraine Alexander Nosov.

Major General Viktor Gulevich has reportedly resigned as deputy minister of defence for Belarus

A scan of Mr Gulevich's statement which was reportedly addressed to the current Minister of Defence Viktor Khrenin

Ukraine war latest: at a glance Boris Johnson has drawn up a six-point plan to defeat Vladimir Putin as he moves to assume leadership of global efforts to end the horror of war in Ukraine.

A second attempt to evacuate Mariupol failed today after Ukraine accused the Russians of shelling the city as citizens attempted to flee through a 'humanitarian corridor'.

More than 1.5million refugees have now fled Ukraine for neighbouring countries since Vladimir Putin invaded, United Nations figures have shown.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says missiles have struck and completely destroyed Vinnytsia regional airport, and urges NATO to close the airspace and make a no-fly zone.

The Pope deplored 'rivers of blood' in Ukraine as he demanded humanitarian corridors.

Elon Musk held a video call with Volodymyr Zelensky as he promised to bolster his Starlink satellite support for the war-torn country, as he tweeted: 'Hold strong Ukraine.'

A Ukrainian peace negotiator is reported to have been shot dead amid claims he might have been a spy for the Russians. The reports are unconfirmed.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday held new telephone talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Elysee said.

More than 1,700 people in cities across Russia have been detained while taking part in anti-war protests against the country's invasion of Ukraine, a monitor said, more than a week after the assault began.

Russian pilots have been filmed saying they were 'following orders' after their aircraft was shot down over Ukraine.

The deputy minister of defence for Belarus has submitted his resignation and claimed he cannot support the current Russian invasion of Ukraine.

BBC World News has been taken OFF AIR in Russia  two days after Putin approved law that could lock up journalists for 15 years for spreading fake information. Advertisement

The Ministry of Defense of Belarus questioned the authenticity of the letter and said Mr Gulevich cannot ask the Minister of Defence to resign, but rather the person who employed him - the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus.

The Ministry also disputed his claims and said the formations and military units of Belarus are staffed '100 per cent'.

Meanwhile, Oleksiy Arestovych, the advisor to the head of the Ukrainian president's office, said he is checking the information surrounding Mr Gulevich's resignation.

Speaking to Rada TV on Sunday morning, Mr Arestovych claimed the Russian army is conducting shelling from Belarus and holding the nation 'hostage' during the invasion of Ukraine.

He said the Belarusian army is not being used against Ukraine but was being deployed along the borders.

He added: 'However, the Belarusian army at the level of formations does not take part in the armed aggression against Ukraine.

'Nevertheless, the territory of Belarus is used, to put it mildly, to the fullest  troops come from there, the entire system of military airfields is used to bombard Ukraine, and anti-tactical missiles are launched.'

Mr Arestovych said the resignation of Mr Gulevich may be because the Russian leadership is 'pressing and framing' the Belarusian army and people.

Announcing sanctions against Mr Gulevich, the Foreign Office said: 'Gulevich is responsible for directing the actions of the Belarusian armed forces, which have supported and enabled the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

'He has directed joint military exercises with Russia, and consented to the deployment of Russian troops along the border of Belarus with Ukraine, which has directly contributed to Russias ability to attack Ukraine, including from positions in Belarus.'

Elsewhere, the China-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has said it will suspend business related to Russia and Belarus in a sign of the two countries' deepening pariah status over the war in Ukraine.

In a statement issued Thursday, the AIIB said that 'in the best interests of the bank, management has decided that all activities relating to Russia and Belarus are on hold and under review'.

China, whose bilateral relationship with Russia has strengthened in recent years, has thus far avoided criticising Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, while Belarus was the location from which some of the forces involved in the Ukraine invasion were launched.

While financial institutions and businesses around the world have been scrambling to distance themselves from Russia and Belarus over the conflict, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said Thursday it was banning Russian and Belarusian athletes from the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games, which began on Friday, following speculation Russian athletes could be allowed to compete.

Mr Gulevich, who has reportedly resigned, meeting with Russian general Valery Gerasimov
Group response.

Quote: redford Originally Posted by It would probably be a good idea to join the Illinois Chapter on this site and ask your question there also.

Quote: speakerfritz Originally Posted by " Illinois law allows an F-350 (based on GVWR) to have frame height of 28, a front bumper at 28, and a rear bumper at 30.

"



interesting



measured from the bottom edge?



also, do you gain anything by moving up to an f-450 with 14000 gvwr?

Quote: speakerfritz Originally Posted by look into "Superduty Drop Bumper Bracket Kit"



or change front and rear bumpers with an after market that hangs low...maybe a winch version.



interested in the out come.

Quote: titus_4 Originally Posted by Is it to top edge or bottom? My stock 19 350 is 24 to bottom and I thought the 20+ sat lower than the 17-19.



Theres guys running 37s with a front leveling kit, maybe you dont need as big of a lift as what you think?? Unless its the look you are going for and not just trying to clear the tires.

Quote: Lux194 Originally Posted by Ive been an Illinois Police Officer for 26 plus years and have never pulled over a truck for a frame and/or bumper height violation. I would say dont go too extreme and dont draw unnecessary attention, and you will be fine. With that said, Im just a city Cop. A State Trooper with a bone to pick could be a different story. The only other thing to consider is potential liability in a crash situation. Theres a lot of ambulance chasers out there.

first of all, I want to thank you all for taking the time to respond. That includes people I didnt directly reply to.I just joined the forum yesterday and was not aware of the Illinois chapter. I will certainly do that!my understanding of the law is thst the bumpers are measured from the lowest point and the frame is measured at the middle point between the driver side tires. The GVWR scale listed in the law caps out at 10K so Im assuming anything over is also regulated at the 28/28/30 mark.Im going to look at drop brackets today but still concerned for frame height.definitely have a look Im going for. Pic included for an example.thank you for offering your perspective from a LEO standpoint. From what I hear, the state troopers are the ones to watch for as they tend to enforce it a lot more. Unfortunately there is a state police headquarters building between where I live and work and they are THICC in that stretch of highway. It sounds like Im going to stick with the 8 on 38s to be safe. It will be over in the rear by 2-3 but like another person said, if youre not rocking some obscenely large lift that blatantly ignores the law and dont drive like an @$$ then you likely wont get messed with to much.thank you all again for helping me get moving in the right direction.
The scheme that ensnared Mr. Faunce  some bankers call it the me-to-me scam  has become so common that its a staple of local news reports and police blotters. The consumer bureau has been barraged with complaints. In Pennsylvania, a surge in reports about the scam prompted the police to issue a warning. The precise mechanics vary, but it is typically a psychological con that involves tricking victims into surrendering sensitive information.

In Mr. Faunces case, it started with a text message that appeared to come from Wells Fargos fraud department, asking him to verify whether he had made a payment through Zelle.

Moments after he texted back no, his phone rang. The caller ID flagged the number as Wells Fargo. The man on the line identified himself as a Wells Fargo employee and told Mr. Faunce that a thief was trying to empty his bank account using Zelle. To stop the transactions, the man said, Mr. Faunce would need to send the money back to himself.

Behind the scenes, the thief had linked his account, which was also at Wells Fargo, to Mr. Faunces phone number. To use Zelle, customers must link either their email address or their phone number to their Zelle account. Mr. Faunce did not have his Zelle account linked to his phone number. That allowed the scammer to claim Mr. Faunces number and attach it to his own Zelle account.

Then the thief instructed Mr. Faunce to send $500 to his phone number, assuring him that it would route the money right back into his own account. Instead, Mr. Faunce ended up sending money to the thiefs Wells Fargo account. The thief was able to sidestep the banks two-factor authentication process by asking Mr. Faunce to read out the verification codes that Wells Fargo sent to his phone.

It was only when the caller told him to repeat the procedure and send another $500, this time from his savings account, that Mr. Faunce got suspicious. He didnt have that much in the second account. A genuine bank representative would have known that.
A 47-year-old Clinton man with a criminal history dating back to 1994 in Cook County, Ill., was sentenced Thursday to more than 21 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to trafficking in methamphetamine.

During a sentencing hearing in U.S. District Court, Davenport, Chief U.S. District Judge Stephanie Rose sentenced Eric Lee Coleman to 262 months, or 21 years and 10 months, in federal prison to be followed by five years on supervised release.

On Nov. 4, 2020, a federal grand jury indicted Coleman on three charges, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance-at least 50 grams of methamphetamine, distribution of a controlled substance-at least 5 grams of methamphetamine, and distribution of a controlled substance-at least 50 grams of methamphetamine.

The charges alleged that Coleman was involved in the meth trafficking conspiracy from Nov. 22, 2019, through Jan. 9, 2020.

At the time he was indicted by the federal grand jury, Coleman was serving a 10-year prison sentence in the Iowa Department of Corrections for possession with the intent to deliver less than 5 grams of methamphetamine to which he had pleaded guilty Nov. 13, 2017, and for which he was sentenced Jan. 4, 2018.

On May 24, 2018, his prison sentence was suspended and he was placed on four years of supervised probation.

On June 5, 2019, Clinton County prosecutors filed to revoke Colemans probation for a violation after he was arrested May 24, 2019, for possessing methamphetamine.

Coleman was able to post a $5,000 cash bond on June 12, 2019, through a bonding company. Seven months later, a revocation hearing was held Jan. 9, 2020. Colemans probation was revoked and he was sent back to prison. The federal charges allege he was trafficking in methamphetamine while awaiting his probation-revocation hearing.

On Sept. 20, 2021, Coleman pleaded guilty to counts two and three of the federal indictment, distribution of a controlled substance-at least 5 grams of methamphetamine and distribution of a controlled substance-at least 50 grams of methamphetamine.

Coleman will be given credit for the time he has been held in federal custody on the charges.

There is no parole in the federal prison system.

According to court documents, Colemans criminal history dates back at least to 1994 in Cook County, when he was indicted on multiple charges stemming from a vehicle robbery and shooting.

On April 27, 1995, Coleman pleaded guilty to attempted murder and aggravated vehicular hijacking with a weapon. He was sentenced to 14 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. He was released on parole on Feb. 7, 2003, but violated his parole and was put back into prison on April 30, 2004. He was released again on parole on July 1, 2004.

He was in and out of the Illinois Department of Corrections two more times through Dec. 14, 2010, for various criminal offenses.

In 2014, he pleaded guilty in Clinton County District Court of domestic abuse assault while displaying a weapon after he threatened to kill his girlfriend with a handgun. He was sentenced to 45 days in jail.
President Joe Biden has decided to ban Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia's economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine. The United States generally imports about 100,000 barrels a day from Russia, only about 5% of Russia's crude oil exports, according to Rystad Energy. Last year, roughly 8% of U.S. imports of oil and petroleum products came from Russia. Gas prices have been rising for weeks due to the conflict and in anticipation of potential sanctions on the Russian energy sector. The U.S. national average for a gallon of gasoline soared 45 cents a gallon in the past week and topped $4.06 on Monday, according to auto club AAA. Should the US ban Russian oil imports over Ukraine war?

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British Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab described talk of the threat of Russia using nuclear weapons in its invasion of Ukraine as brinkmanship and rejected President Putin's statement that likened Western sanctions to a declaration of war.

A week ago Putin ordered his military command to put Russia's deterrence forces - which include nuclear arms - on high alert, citing what he called aggressive statements by NATO leaders and Western economic sanctions against Moscow.

On Sunday, Russian media reported Ukraine was close to building a plutonium-based "dirty bomb" nuclear weapon, citing an unidentified source and giving no evidence.

Also Read: Russia preparing to shell port city Odessa, Volodymyr Zelenskyy warns

"I think its rhetoric and brinkmanship," Raab told Sky News when asked about a possible nuclear escalation by the Kremlin.

"(Putin's) got a track record as long as anyone's arm of misinformation and propaganda ... this is a distraction from what the real issues are at hand - which is that it's an illegal invasion and it is not going according to plan," Raab said.

He warned the conflict could last for months, if not years, and when asked whether a temporary ceasefire in parts of Ukraine would hold, said he was sceptical about Russian promises.

Moscow calls its actions a "special military operation. It says it wants to "demilitarise" and "denazify" its pro-Western neighbour and prevent Kyiv from joining NATO.

Britain's Chief of Defence Staff stressed that the UK had its own defences and urged a calm response to any talk of nuclear weapons.

"We need to be very clear and we need to be calm and responsible and not react to threats from President Putin," Tony Radakin, who is head of Britain's armed forces, told reporters.

"There's an imperative that it doesn't escalate even in conventional terms, and it would be insane for this to start a path towards a nuclear escalation."

Follow live updates on Russia-Ukraine crisis here

Raab rejected Putin's statement from Saturday that likened the West's sanction's to a declaration of war.

"Sanctions are not an act of war, international law is very clear about that," he said. "Our sanctions are entirely both legally justified, but also proportionate to what we're trying to deal with."

Raab also called on China and India to help increase diplomatic pressure on Russia.

"China has got a job here. They've got to step up as well - this is a permanent member of Security Council - and India as well. We need to expand the diplomatic pressure," Raab said.

Watch the latest DH Videos here:
The ongoing Operation Ganga to evacuate Indian students from war-torn Ukraine and the mega Covid-19 vaccination programme reflects Indias growing influence internationally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday.

We have launched Operation Ganga in the wake of the crisis involving Ukraine and the stranded Indians, especially students. Big countries of the world are finding it difficult to do so. But it is the growing influence of India that we have brought thousands of students back to our homeland, Modi said.

Modi also spoke about the Covid-19 vaccination programme and Indias global supplies. "India showed its prowess to the world in the context of Corona vaccination, he said.

Modi was addressing the golden jubilee celebration of Symbiosis University, Pune, when he inaugurated Symbiosis Arogya Dham.

Your generation is fortunate in a way that it has not suffered the damaging impact of the earlier defensive and dependent psychology. If this change has come in the country, then the first credit of it also goes to all of you, goes to our youth, he said in a critical reference to previous governments.

The Prime Minister said that India has emerged as global leader in the sectors which were previously considered out of reach. India has become the second largest mobile manufacturer in the world.

Seven years ago there were only 2 mobile manufacturing companies in India, today more than 200 manufacturing units are engaged in this work, he said.

Even in defence, the Prime Minister said, India, which was recognised as the world's largest importer country, is now becoming a defence exporter.

Today, two major defence corridors are coming up, where the biggest modern weapons will be made to meet the defence needs of the country, he added.

The Prime minister called upon the students to take full advantage of opening of various sectors. Mentioning the recent reforms in the sectors of Geo-spatial Systems, Drones , Semi-conductors and Space technology, the Prime minister said the government in the country today trusts the strength of the youth of the country. That's why we are opening sectors one after the other for you.

Whatever field you are in, the way you set goals for your career, in the same way you should have some goals for the country, Modi requested.

He asked them to find solutions for the local problems. He asked them to maintain their fitness and stay happy and vibrant. When our goals go from personal growth to national growth, then the feeling of being a participant in nation building takes over, Modi said.

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INDIANAPOLIS  There are photos that once seen, will haunt one's soul in the context of this genocidal Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The first was Russian dictator Vladimir Putin meeting with the ministers of his government. Putin sits at one end of a very long table; his minister clustered at the other end, 40 feet away. This is a leader detached from reality, his 190,000 invasion force bogged down, with cruise missiles and cluster bombs strafing an array of civilian targets.

Another is of U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz laying a wreath at the base of the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial in Kyiv when she visited the doomed capital in late January. On Tuesday, a Russian missile hit a nearby TV tower, killing at least five people. NBC News showed footage of emergency officials using fire extinguishers to tamp the flames on smoldering corpses.

"To the world: what is the point of saying 'never again' for 80 years, if the world stays silent when a bomb drops on the same site of Babyn Yar? At least 5 killed. History repeating ...," Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote in a tweet.

This prompted Rep. Spartz to say of her native country, This is not a war. This is genocide of the Ukrainian people by a crazy man who cannot get over that the Ukrainian people do not want socialism, Soviet Union, or Communists. They want to be free people. They want to be with the West.

On Twitter this past week, there were photos of anti-tank hedgehogs outside the Odessa Opera Theatre taken during the Nazi invasion in 1941, and again this past week. This is history repeating with Russias fleet ominously appearing on the horizon.

Traveling to Moscow and Odessa with Sen. Richard Lugar in 2007, I remember passing three huge hedgehog sculptures in the Russian capital, the Monument to the Defenders of Moscow, marking the eastern most advance of the Wehrmacht during World War II, a conflict that claimed more than 20 million Russian and Ukrainian lives.

The Odessa National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre is a beautiful building situated on a boulevard not far from the Potemkin Stairs that present 192 steps from the wharves to this beautiful Black Sea city. I remember when we left at dawn, dozens of shop keepers were brooming the sidewalks in a normal display of civic pride.

In 1941 with the Romanian army bearing down on the city, defenders surrounded the opera house with anti-aircraft guns. When the siege lifted after 71 days, Commissar Nikita Khrushchev immediately returned to this liberated city, reporting that only one corner of the opera house had been damaged.

It's ironic that Khruschev is mentioned here. In 1962, this Ukraine natives decision to try to install nuclear weapons 90 miles from the United States set off the Cuban Missile Crisis, the most harrowing 13-day period of the nuclear age. It ended when President John F. Kennedy resorted to a blockade before the Soviet leader backed down. "Bombs do not choose. They will hit everything," Khrushchev said. "The more bombers, the less doves of peace."

Putins move has, after a week, looked to be an evolving disaster. His army has bogged down, losing some 4,000 soldiers in a week (the U.S. lost 4,431 soldiers in Iraq and 2,401 in Afghanistan). He may be forced to withdraw, or resort to tactical battlefield nukes or indiscriminate genocide waged against urban populations in Kyiv and other cities. Putin has to be growing nervous as Russian citizens continue to protest in the streets, forging long lines at collapsing banks and empty ATMs. The feeble Russian economy is cratering, with people taking to the streets in protest, at great peril to themselves.

There has been quiet talk that Putins invasion could backfire in Shakespearean fashion, with Russian people convincing the military to do what it did to Mikhail Gorbachev in 1991, which was to remove him from power. While this remains the longest of long shots, since Donald Trumps historic upset in 2016, the mantra here has been anything can happen. The next three months could be stunning.

On Sunday, Putin put his nuclear forces on high alert. 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 RF Armed Forces] to place the Russian Army Deterrence Force on combat alert, Putin said in televised meeting with his generals.

Are we about to enter a period of the first nuclear brinksmanship of the 21st Century? U.S. Sen. Angus King observed of Putin, Right now hes the most dangerous man in the world.

Appearing beside Rep. Spartz on Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham dismissed Trump's description of Putin as a "savvy genius" for putting "peacekeepers" in Ukraine. With the whole world watching, we've seen photos of dead Ukrainian children, bombed out apartment buildings, a million refugees, and video of a Russian tank swerving to crush a subcompact car. Its political malpractice not to get our crap together, Graham said. Putins not a genius. Hes a war criminal.

The problem facing western leaders is, what will the "delusional" Putin (as former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice described him last Sunday) do if his back is against the wall?

Khrushchev once said, "If you live among wolves, you must act like a wolf."
THE FORTUNE MEN. By Nadifa Mohamed. Alfred A. Knopf. 320 pages. $27.

Nadifa Mohameds latest novel, her third, takes one of the United Kingdoms most notorious miscarriages of justice for its subject matter. In 1952, a young Somali former seaman, Mahmood Mattan, was executed for the murder of Lily Volpert, a Jewish shopkeeper, in the Tiger Bay area of Cardiff. The case against him was flimsy in the extreme and in 1998 became the first to be referred to the U.K. Court of Appeal by a newly formed Criminal Cases Review Commission.

The Court of Appeal duly overturned the 1952 conviction calling the prosecution demonstrably flawed. Mattans surviving family  his Welsh widow and their three sons  were awarded 725,000 pounds in compensation.

Novels centering on racial injustice are, sadly, not uncommon. Cry, the Beloved Country and To Kill a Mockingbird are classics. Unlike the relatively simplistic racial binary of apartheid South Africa or Jim Crow Alabama, however, Mohamed gives us a more complex social portrait of Cardiff in the early 1950s. The murdered shopkeepers family members, for instance, are Jewish refugees from Russia and her brother-in-law Ben Tanay had signed up for the British army immediately after Kristallnacht.

More importantly, unlike Alan Paton and Harper Lee, who focus on the good (White) lawyer trying to save their helpless and naive Black victim, The Fortune Men gives us richly satisfying insight into the life of the victim himself and the hardscrabble milieu in which he and the other fortune men of the title move.

Like so many similar marginal communities in port cities around the world, the docklands area of Tiger Bay in Cardiff was inhabited by a multiracial mix of Somalis, Jamaicans, Nigerians, Sierra Leoneans, Kroos, Maltese, and Arabs  mainly men  who had been in the engine-room of Empire but never welcome in its drawing rooms. These cosmopolitan, polyglot migrants coexist uneasily with the local working-class Welsh population, but share a sense of exclusion from, and distrust of, the establishment, including the police and legal system. At the death of King George VI with which the novel opens, the news is met on the street not with reverence but with mockery of the late kings stutter.

The brilliance of Mohameds novel lies not just in its re-creation of working-class Cardiff in the early '50s, but in the seamless way it introduces us to Mahmoods backstory in East Africa. Mohamed relays Mahmoods recollections of his life in Somalia in his own voice, first via conversations with a Jamaican cellmate (who turns out to have been a police informant), and later by way of a more formal interview with the prison doctor.

The contrast between the stock phrases with which the doctor records Mahmoods life as a child and young man and Mahmoods own description running away to Nairobi, then Mombasa, then Zanzibar, and Dar es Salaam strikingly shows up the degree to which Mahmood is adrift in late imperial Britain. The fact that he does not fit the script as a British citizen facilitates the subsequent failure of the legal system that results in his wrongful execution.

Mohameds treatment of the legal proceedings again shows great literary deftness. Presenting the trial in dialog form, for example, and drawing directly from actual transcripts, Mohamed allows the reader almost to witness this travesty of justice as it unfolds. But while one reads with anger and a mounting sense of outrage against the system  the extraordinarily damning case presented by Mahmoods defense attorney, for example, beggars belief  Mohamed never overdoes things, nor does she reduce any character to stereotype. Even the racist end-of-empire Detective Powell is no mere caricature, and the two warders who are assigned to guard Mahmood in his condemned suite for the three weeks preceding his hanging are vividly humanized within a few brief sentences.

Balancing the slow horror of the legal process and the indifference (at best) of the system to Mahmoods plight, Mohamed gives us a wonderfully subtle portrait of Mahmoods Welsh family, notably the complex relationship Mahmood has with his more-or-less estranged wife, Laura. Mahmood has clearly not been a good and reliable husband and father, but Laura stands by him throughout the trial, and the couples love for each other is palpable. Their final meeting, separated by prison glass, is one of the most moving scenes I have read in years.
CHISINAU, Moldova (AP)  U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday pledged Americas support to the small, Western-leaning former Soviet republic of Moldova that is coping with an influx of refugees from Ukraine and warily watching Russias intensifying war with its neighbor.

Blinken met with senior Moldovan officials who are appealing for international assistance in dealing with more than 120,000 refugees from Ukraine that it is now hosting while also seeking security reassurances against potential Russian aggression.

More than 230,000 people have fled into or passed through Moldova from Ukraine since the war began 11 days ago. Blinken said Moldovas welcoming of refugees is an inspiration to the world.

We admire the generosity of hospitality, the willingness to be such good friends to people who are in distress, and, indeed, I want to do everything we can to help you deal with the burden that this has imposed, he said before heading to Lithuania.

Russia has troops in Moldova, a country of 2.6 million, stationed in the disputed territory of Transnistria, and they are being closely watched as Russian President Vladimir Putin presses ahead with the invasion of Ukraine.

This is a subject of high vulnerability and we watch it carefully," Moldovan President Maia Sandu said. She said there had not yet been any indication that the roughly 1,500 Russian soldiers based in Transnistria had changed posture but stressed that it was a concern given what is happening in Ukraine.

In this region now there is no possibility for us to feel safe," Sandu said.

Although it is neutral militarily and has no plans to try to become a member of NATO, Moldova formally applied to join the European Union just three days ago in a fast-track bid to bolster its ties with the West.

While we are facing this unprecedented circumstances, we are firmly committed to our path for European integration, Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita said. We believe that this is an agenda to transform Moldova into a modern, prosperous European state based on the fundamental values of human rights and the rule of law.

Story continues

Blinken praised Moldovas European aspirations and said Moldova could count on U.S. support.

Moldova has chosen the path to democracy, a more inclusive economy, a closer relationship with the countries and institutions of Europe, and the United States supports Moldova in those efforts grounded in our respect for the neutrality thats enshrined in the constitution, he said.

Moldova is a powerful example of a democracy rising to the moment with vision and with determination," Blinken said.

The U.S. State Department said Sunday that Blinken will meet with Israel's foreign minister, Yair Lapid, in Riga, Latvia, on Monday during the American's tour of Baltic nations. Israel's prime minister, Naftali Bennett, was in Moscow on Saturday for talks with Putin on the war in Ukraine and spoke again with Putin by phone on Sunday. Bennett also has spoken on the phone multiple times with Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy  most recently Sunday morning

Blinken will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Tuesday evening.
RACINE  At a time when some activists are trying to inhibit the teaching of black history, a group in Racine is working to build a museum where local black history can be preserved, displayed and taught.

Organizers of the Mahogany Black Arts & Cultural Center said Saturday they have received their first grant toward a $500,000 goal for building the proposed black history museum somewhere in Racine County.

Scott Terry, leader of the nonprofit group, told supporters that black history is overlooked and forgotten too often. Holding up a local history book, Terry said the new museum would capture and tell the stories of black people who have lived in Racine County.

This is our time to do our own initiative, he said. We are just building our own.

Terry and others involved in the organization held a news conference Saturday to highlight progress achieved in the effort, and to request more donations to get the museum built within the next three years.

Johnny Green, board president of the group, told about 20 supporters in attendance that his group is determined to fulfill its mission of creating a place for black stories to be told.

I know you guys want to see this happen, Green said. Its going to happen.

The Racine Community Foundation has donated $12,000  the first grant received  to jumpstart an effort at compiling recorded oral histories that will become part of the museum.

The news conference was held at Mahogany Gallery & Artspace, 1422 Washington Ave. The art gallery, owned by Terry, serves as the temporary home of the museum and cultural center.

Organizers hope to raise $500,000 to finance acquisition and remodeling for a facility to include museum exhibits, art displays, musical and other performances, a cafe and a coffee shop.

Terry said such centers in other communities have succeeded in capturing and preserving the part of a communitys history that resides within its black families and neighborhoods. Of those museums, he said, They tell our story, and connect it to the present day and the present time.

The effort comes at a time when politicians and others in Wisconsin and elsewhere are fighting to oppose what they consider critical race theory, which involves the manner in which black slavery and oppression are taught in classrooms.

Madelyn Tabor, a researcher working on the Racine museum project, said she hopes the museum teaches people about black oppression, as well as more uplifting stories of black joy and achievement.

Seeing such stories left out of Racine history, Tabor said, means that nobody of any race can learn the full history of the city.

It is a disservice to our entire community, she said. Everyone is interconnected. And we need a place to show that.

No location has been selected yet for the museum and cultural center. Organizers have reached out to the City of Racine community development department for assistance.

The organizing group includes activists who created a Black Humanity Now street mural in Racine during 2020 protests against racism and police brutality.

A former teacher, Terry said he struggled in his own classroom to find resources for teaching children about the struggles and accomplishments of black people.

Now, he added, we have an opportunity to fix that.

Green agreed, slamming his hand down on the local history book that Terry had displayed.

Its not in this book, Green said. But we want everybody to know every bit of history.
Author of The Ukraine Hoax Michael Caputo on NTD's "Capitol Report," on March 3, 2022. (NTD/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

Putin Underestimated Ukrainian Resistance: Author of The Ukraine Hoax

Michael Caputo, who spent years in Russia during the Clinton administration, said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has underestimated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the resistance he would face when he invaded their country.

Putin underestimated the Ukrainians, he underestimated Zelensky, he thought Zelensky would run like most other post-Soviet Ukrainian rulers would have  What happened when he didnt run? Putin completely didnt understand what to do next, Caputo, who authored the book The Ukraine Hoax, told the host of NTDs Capitol Report.

Caputo, whose in-laws are still in Ukraine, thinks the fighting will be prolonged because the Ukrainian people will continue to resist and will protect Zelensky from Russian assassination attempts.

Unfortunately, the Russians seem to be dead set on assassinating him, said Caputo. I think Ukrainian people will fold around him to protect him.

From the beginning of the invasion, Zelensky made it clear he would not leave even though Russia has marked him as its top enemy.

The enemy marked me as target number one, and my family as target number two, Zelensky said during a Feb. 24 televised address.

Its going to take a long time. And a lot of people are going to get killed in the meantime. And if the Russians take out Zelensky, Im afraid they will create a martyr and Ukrainian people will never ever give up, Caputo added.

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)

Caputo said he met Zelensky on one of his trips to Ukraine and thinks he is a good man who has been attacked by his opponents as being corrupt.

But nobody, even his biggest detractors, can put a finger on how he was corrupt, said Caputo. So in fact, hes turned out to be a pretty straightforward leader, the leader that the Ukrainian people deserve.

Given how Putin has dealt with past invasions and the level of resistance Ukrainians are showing, Caputo thinks this will only cause Putin to take more extreme measures, even beyond sacrificing his countrys young men.

These soldiers that theyre capturing, that are getting killed, these Russian soldiers, these are what the Russians call cannon meat. We call it cannon fodder. Every day that Zelensky and Ukrainians hold on, Vladimir Putin is going to turn the volume up more and more and kill more and more civilians and commit more and more war crimes.

Zelensky has shown no sign of conceding, and even turned down an evacuation offer from the United States on Feb. 26, according to the Ukrainian Embassy in the UK.

The fight is here. I need ammunition, not a ride, Zelensky told the United States, according to the embassy.

Caputo believes the war on Ukraine will mark the fall of Putin but will come at a high cost.

In the end, I think this is going to show the end of Vladimir Putins presidency, but hes going hold on every inch of his life, and I think the Ukrainian people are really going to suffer for it, said Caputo.

Masooma Haq Follow Masooma Haq began reporting for The Epoch Times from Pakistan in 2008. She currently covers a variety of topics including U.S. government, culture, and entertainment.
A Floyd man charged with abuse and disregard for the life of a 10-year-old child in August 2021 entered a plea in Circuit Court Tuesday that could reduce the charge to a misdemeanor or have it altogether dismissed.

The plea deal of Christopher Alan Dutey on March 1 dropped his second felony charge of unlawful wounding, and Judge Mike Fleenor deferred final action on the case for two years.

If Dutey can stay out of trouble until March 5, 2024, the charge could be reduced to a misdemeanor and dismissed as part of a statewide program that is used for those charged with their first felony.

Dutey will spend the next two years on probation and must compete community service.

Commonwealths Attorney Ryan Hupp told the court March 1 that the victim was found suffering with a serious injury, and the countys social services were brought into the case. If convicted of such a crime, Dutey could face a prison term of up to 10 years and a $100,000 fine.

Duteys case was one of what could have been a busy day with a crowded docked, but the bulk of 10 other hearings were continued, rescheduled and put on hold.

A scheduled aggravated sexual battery trail of Randolph Irvin Pease of Roanoke was moved to May 24. The case goes back to Nov. 1, 2016 and an incident that brought indictments from a Floyd County grand jury on Oct. 5, 2021.

Other actions by the court on Tuesday:

An ongoing series of reviews on the competency of Lavern Denise Beaver to stand trial on charges of grand larceny and auto theft that dates back to April of 2019 was extended to April 5.

Phillip Scott Taylor of Floyd entered a no contest plea on a probation violation as a habitual offender. The judge extended action on the matter for a year.

Another failure to appear by Jason Matthew Whitlock of Floyd on a drug possession charge led Judge Fleenor to continue for the third straight time, re-setting it for Mar. 22.

A trial of Darby Ellias Gillespie of Copper Hill on four drug possession was moved to May 3.

A scheduled plea by Jeremiah Edward Handy of Floyd on multiple drug charges and possession of a firearm in commission of a felon was reset for May 17.
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by Dario Salvi

Israel has reopened its borders welcoming the first groups of pilgrims after two years of closures due to Covid-19. The Latin Primate reflects on a time in which "we have come to terms with fragility and solitude", but the desire "to start again" defining "objectives and prospects" is strong. The importance of a "synodal path" of "participation and mission".

Jerusalem (AsiaNews) - An image of hope, in a world marked in the last two years by the daily victim count, contagions and restrictions imposed to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. A world which, in recent days, has woken up to a new conflict on Europe's doorstep triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with the risk that it could turn into World War III fought with devastating atomic weapons.

In this reality of shadows and fears, a glimmer of light arrives in the first groups of pilgrims who are once again animating the streets of the old city in Jerusalem and the holy places of the Christian tradition. From the desolation of the coronavirus to prayers, in the Lenten period, when in the past tens of thousands of faithful would retrace - as pilgrims - the footsteps of Jesus.

The rebirth linked to the spring season that has just begun is accompanied by the resumption of trips to the holy places, thanks to the reopening decided by the Israeli government. The go-ahead was expected at Christmas, but the emergence of the Omicron variant prompted the authorities to seal the borders again. Thanks to a massive vaccination campaign and the lower incidence of hospitalisations and victims - in proportion to the number of cases - with an easing of hospital pressure, the leadership of the Jewish State has put the emergency phase behind them, aiming at a gradual return to (new) normality. Hence the reopening, on March 1, of the air space to tourists (including non-vaccinated) of all ages, subject to a negative molecular swab on departure and a new negative test on entry into the Ben Gurion international airport in Tel Aviv.

The main tourist attractions and places of worship are accessible and the Green Pass (Tav yarok) is no longer required to enter Israel, one of the first countries in the world to adopt the controversial measure. The requirement to wear a mask remains, especially on public transport where the device is still compulsory. Nevertheless, the city has come back to life and the first groups of pilgrims are visible, as happened at the end of February when the patriarchal vicar emeritus Mgr Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo welcomed some fellow countrymen from the diocese of Treviso (in northern Italy) and a representation of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. They are small groups," confided the prelate, "of 20 or 30 people at the most, a sign of a trend that we can define as positive. And for the whole of Lent and Holy Week we foresee a good influx, which should increase in the period following Easter".

Silence, fragility, solitude

One of the most symbolic and meaningful events of the first phase of the pandemic is the celebration - almost in solitude - of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa on the slopes of the Mount of Olives on Palm Sunday. A rite that replaced the traditional procession inside the walls of the old city, with the government - in line with the measures adopted in much of the world - imposing a hard lockdown on the population. Today, two years later, the atmosphere has changed and there is expectation for the Lenten celebrations, while bookings for groups of pilgrims, one of the driving sectors of the local economy, especially for the Christian component, are growing at the same time.

Patriarch Pizzaballa reminds AsiaNews "For two years have had to witness silence, the almost total closure of the borders, the dramatic economic situation for many families in Bethlehem, Jerusalem and other areas of the Holy Land. Unlike in the West," he adds, "we have not seen churches being emptied, but there have been serious repercussions in the academic and scholastic worlds. We have come to terms with a lot of fragility and loneliness, but in these months I have also seen a great desire to restart. We too are wondering what the before and after of the pandemic will be like, there are no certain answers yet, but I believe that we must first of all work. There are no definite answers yet, but I think we have to work first of all. We'll see what happens in the future, but for now it's important to be there and to maintain our presence. The objective for the coming weeks is to celebrate "a normal Lent" as far as possible, leaving behind "closures and restoring all the normal and customary activities of prayer, fasting, which is very important for us," he said.

A community on the move

Patriarch Pizzaballa also anticipates the central theme of the Easter message, which is to continue on "a synodal path" that is made up of "communion, participation, mission: this - he explains - I believe is the most important point after two years of restrictions... to meet and make community". From this point of view, the progressive openings and the return of the faithful from all over the world are fundamental: "The borders have been reopened, from March 1st also to the non-vaccinated - confirms the primate - so we can look to the future with cautious optimism. Of course, we do not expect record numbers immediately", as recorded in the two years preceding the pandemic, "but we look forward to a recovery, with the awareness of being able to define objectives and prospects. Reorganising the opening of sanctuaries and places of worship takes time, but we know that we are moving in that direction".

Regarding the situation of the Church in the Holy Land, the Latin Patriarch underlines that "we do not have the vocations of 20 years ago in numerical terms, but they are still there and come from all over the territory. The profile has also changed, because before they were very young while today there are many people entering the seminary from the world of work or university. These are more mature vocations, which require different training programmes" in a situation where "the migrant component" remains a significant presence" and capable of surviving "despite the many problems".

Finally, on the tensions that still characterise the area and two years of pandemic have not abated but contributed to exasperate Patriarch Pizzaballa does not want to give in to pessimism: "The Middle East and the Holy Land in particular are a reality of 'et...et', not of 'aut...aut'" and after the violence of recent months, with the blitzkrieg in Gaza and disputed areas such as Sheikh Jarrah in Jerusalem "we welcome the permits that the Israeli government has granted for the Strip. We need relations, relationships, and for Gaza the situation seems to have improved recently. Changes do not happen overnight because they require steps that are also cultural as well as legislative, they require commitment and patience" such as "citizenship", which can be the basis for a peaceful "coexistence" in the region.
Brett Kepley is a lawyer with Land of Lincoln Legal Aid Inc. Send questions to The Law Q&A, 302 N. First St., Champaign, IL 61820.
Opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa yesterday said his party supporters must not panic over reports that the MDC-T faction leader Thokozani Khupe was on the verge of joining them as there would be no imposition of leaders.

Speculation has been rife on social media that Khupe wants to join CCC after her fallout with MDC Alliance leader Douglas Mwonzora in January.

Chamisa, without mentioning names, said he was aware of disgruntlement in the rank and file of the party over some politicians joining the CCC.

We want to work with everyone who is progressive, he said. On various platforms people were talking about a lot of things. We are beginning afresh.

He said CCC was a new formation and no one held positions in the party. We are starting from zero. We dont have an MP, councillor. Yes, others are joining every day, Chamisa said.

We are here; we are very inclusive. Its a new start, a new beginning. What is going to be different is that we are going to have a roadmap. We want big numbers. We want to repeat what was done in Zambia.

Zambian President Haikande Hichilema, a close ally of Chamisa, caused a major upset last year when he beat incumbent Edgar Lungu to take the presidency.

The CCC leader said an overwhelming vote for his party would stop rigging. If we have huge numbers, there is no rigging. Lets work together, Chamisa said.

Its not about positions, but the change we want for the people of Zimbabwe. There is enough space for everyone. We want to make sure that we build a CCC. Once bitten twice shy.

We are going to make sure that we dont allow Zanu PF to infiltrate us. Standard
Jimi Tihofsi at Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Eventim Apollo in London, on March 5, 2022. (NTD)

LONDON, U.K.Watching Shen Yun was a magical experience, said a London-based film producer and actor, who said the show was so exquisitely produced that he almost thought it was a film.

After seeing the performance at Londons Eventim Apollo, Jimi Tihofsi said: Its magical! You dont think its real!

Shen Yun presents story-based dances, colorful costumes, an orchestra that combines classical Western and traditional Chinese instruments, and animated backdrops creating unique effects.

You really think its a film because of the movement that they have, the way they have connected with the backdrop, and the way they connect both of them together. Honestly, you think this is not real, Mr. Tihofsi said, adding, Everyone should watch it.

There is something special about their body, about their mind, and the way they move, the way they dance with the music.  Jimi Tihofsi

He was particularly impressed with classical Chinese dance. Their bodies are so elastic that you feel as if they are not humansthats how they move.

There is something special about their body, about their mind, and the way they move, the way they dance with the music, he said.

Mr. Tihofsi said the show brought him closer to Chinese civilization. I havent been to China.  It just brings China to me, he said.

He said he felt sorry for people in mainland China, who live under an oppressive regime and currently cannot see Shen Yuns live performances.

I grew up in former Yugoslavia. I know what it means when certain ideas and beliefs are suppressed and art, in general, is censored. So I know how that feelsits sad, he said.

Originally from Kosovo, Mr. Tihofsi wrote and produced the acclaimed film Kesulat, which depicted the war in Kosovo in the late 1990s.

He said it is sad that you have to come to London to see something so Chinese.

Im lucky to see it, so Im sorry to all the Chinese that cant see it, he said.

Reporting by Alexander Zhang and NTD.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006.
Its no secret that Republicans and Democrats have retreated toward the extremes in recent years. Trump-era Republicans leaned into their populist base, while the progressives increasingly set the agenda of the Democratic Party.

Some have responded to this polarized world by renewing calls for a more moderate third-party alternative, theorizing perhaps that better politics would exist if there were only an outlet for them. Its an idea that sounds great in theory, but has no chance of making a difference in practice.

Thats because both parties also have large voter blocs motivated increasingly by gut feelings rather than rational views.

For Democrats, those issues tend to be related to economics, including populist calls to raise the minimum wage, increase benefits and tax the super wealthy. Many conservatives and libertarians, the core of the Republican base, have long lamented that their economic policies are more difficult to understand than those of Democrats  they have the right solutions long-term but are against popular short-term handouts and programs.

They may be right  regardless of who has the better policies, Democrats have the edge in appealing to voters gut instincts.

But arguing in favor of free trade, free markets or deregulation? Well, it can be a lot harder to understand how such ideas may benefit the little guy in the long run. No wonder some Republicans have begun to abandon these planks in recent years. Meanwhile, Republicans increasingly rely upon their own set of feelings-based politics, shifting debates to divisive social issues that appeal to their core voters basest instincts.

This tendency is nothing new. In his 2005 book Whats the Matter with Kansas?, Thomas Frank concluded that conservatives had won the heart of America because many Americans ultimately vote against their own self-interest as long as their social views are upheld in a general sense.

In essence, Democrats have the opposite problem of Republicans: while their economic views may be easier to express to voters, they struggle to explain their social policies.

Its not always easy to grasp why letting millions of immigrants into the country is good for the people who already live there. It can be challenging to explain the need for criminal justice reform in a time of rising violent crime. And the same goes for ideas like allowing flag burning or opposing the death penalty for a convicted murderer  issues that have long been supported more on the left. Perhaps thats why both parties simply do whats easy, emphasizing the gut-feeling policies and pulling back from tougher debates.

What does this have to do with the prospects for a third party?

For a new party to be successful in a meaningful sense, it would have to provide a unique perspective from Democrats and Republicans. But as both major parties lean in to feel-good, slogan-driven populism, the lane remaining is difficult to build a coalition from.

Put more simply, if the Republican and Democratic parties, with their decades of institutional power, failed to capture voter imaginations with more difficult issues, can we expect a new entity to be successful at doing so?

Polling consistently shows that few Americans prefer moderate views across all issues. As a New York Times analysis put it, There are very few voters in the middle across all issues. Though frustrating, its unsurprising that the major parties prioritize their extremes: thats where the market is.

A new, more moderate party would surely appeal to some Americans, but the unfortunate reality is that the current two parties in the United States are the way that they are because they reflect the underlying views  and instincts  of most Americans.

A new party would struggle to appeal to Americans gut feelings on economics or social issues, and so its ability to gain traction would ultimately be an uphill struggle.

Without making bigger changes to how we elect politicians in the first place, theres little opportunity for an alternative to the parties weve got  as appealing as such an alternative might be.
Hyderabad: 'Pushpa: The Rise' actor Allu Arjun celebrated the 11th wedding anniversary with his wife Allu Sneha Reddy on Sunday.

He took to his Instagram handle and shared two adorable posts marking their special day.

In the first post, he shared a picture of their anniversary cake, which had a heart-warming wish that read, "Happy Anniversary Cutie!!"

In the second post, he shared an endearing family picture, which showed the small and loving family cut the anniversary cake together.

He captioned the post as, "Happy Anniversary Cutie. 11 years of togetherness. #AAfamily"

The 'Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo' actor and his wife often share heart-warming family pictures on their social media that give major family goals to all their fans.

Meanwhile, on the work front, after the pan-India success of 'Pushpa: The Rise', Allu Arjun is all set to gear up for its sequel, 'Pushpa: The Rule', which will have Fahadh Faasil and Rashmika Mandanna share the screen space with him again.
Unlawful and Unhelpful for Britons to Fight in Ukraine: UK Military Chief

The UKs Chief of the Defence Staff has urged Britons not to head to Ukraine to fight against Russia, delivering a clear rebuke to Foreign Secretary Liz Truss after she expressed support for those joining the fight.

Admiral Sir Tony Radakin told the BBCs Sunday Morning programme: Weve been very clear that its unlawful as well as unhelpful for UK military and for the UK population to start going towards Ukraine in that sense.

Support from the UK, support in whatever way you can. But this isnt really something that you want to rush to in terms of the sound of gunfire. This is about sensible support based in the UK.

Last week, Truss said she would absolutely support anyone who wanted to fight, with a number of Britons keen to help Ukraine defend itself against Vladimir Putins invasion.

Asked if the Foreign Secretary should not have made the suggestion, Sir Tony said: I think she was reflecting (that) she could and that we can all understand that sentiment, and that sentiment needs to be channelled into support for Ukraine.

But were saying as professional military people that actually that is not necessarily the sensible thing to be doing.

Trusss comments run contrary to the Foreign Office advice against all travel to Ukraine, and she has also been contradicted by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and several other Cabinet colleagues who have warned Britons away.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the formation of an international legion to help defend his country and appealed to foreign volunteers to come forward, promising them arms to fight against Russian troops.

By Sophie Wingate
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.  Gov. Ron DeSantis decision to insert himself into Floridas redistricting process is sending shockwaves through the states final budget negotiations, leading House Republican leaders to punish their GOP rank-and-file members as the governors office lobbied them to vote against their own leadership.

Lawmakers on Friday sent maps to DeSantis he directly said he would veto, a move taken as the governors top staffers were reaching out to House Republicans to sway them to vote against the maps being considered because the governor has ill-defined legal concern over the proposals.

DeSantis' effort to muscle into the generally Legislature-driven process included a tweet Friday as lawmakers were debating the maps saying in blunt-terms they are doomed.

I will veto the congressional reapportionment plan currently being debated by the House. DOA, DeSantis said on Twitter.

He later told reporters during a press conference in Jacksonville that I dont bluff.

The governors lobbying effort failed, and House and Senate legislators easily approved the maps, though seven House Republicans sided with the governors argument that the new lines are unconstitutional.

Some of the budget and legislative priorities for those members who voted to reject the maps have now been bogged down, a signal that defying their own legislative leadership on a high profile vote where House leaders wanted to show a unified front could have consequences.

The redistricting fight between House Republican leaders and the DeSantis put the chambers rank-and-file in the politically perilous position of defying a popular GOP governor with a veto pen and a Republican speaker who can kill their bills and budgets before even getting to the governor.

My first word is to my constituents. Im willing to live with the consequences to do what I think is right, said state Rep. Cord Byrd, a Neptune Beach Republican who voted against the maps both on the floor and in committee.

Story continues

You hear things, but no one has said that to me, Byrd continued when asked directly if he thought his vote could hurt his budget priorities or sponsored bills. I take my stand, eyes wide open.

A spokesperson for House Speaker Chris Sprowls did not respond to several requests for comment on Saturday.

The speakers office says the map vote and priorities of defiant members are not connected. But most who have signaled for weeks that they oppose the maps or voted against them in committee have seen budget or legislative priorities stall.

Rep. Brad Drake (R-Eucheeana) voted against the maps in both committee and on the floor. In the original House budget passed Feb. 16, records show he had about $7.8 million in project requests funded. But that number that fell to just over $3.2 million in the Houses first offer during budget negotiations, a number that means the House  not Senate  decided against funding Drakes priorities headed into final budget negotiations, which started after drake voted to reject the map in committee.

Drake declined to comment on this story.

Rep. Jason Fischer (R-Jacksonville) has long signaled he was siding with DeSantis on the congressional maps, and voted against the proposal during Fridays floor session. He has had uncontroversial legislation to create an Advanced Air Mobility Task Force under the Florida Department of Transportation that has been ready for a House floor vote since Feb. 17  but the chamber has not taken it up. The bill has gotten unanimous votes in three House committees and not a single no vote in the Senate, which passed it 37-0 on Feb. 23.

I was elected to do whats right, not what is easy, said Fischer, who would not say if thought the bills stalling was tied to his stance on the House congressional maps. Those maps clearly violate the Constitution, and I plan to continue standing with Governor DeSantis.

Legislation sponsored by Rep. Mike Beltran, a Lithia Republican who voted against the maps on the floor, was temporarily pulled from consideration just before it was set to for final passage Friday after the chamber voted on congressional maps. Beltrans bill would change the process by which legal notices are delivered to someone facing pending legal action. Legislators passed at all three House committee stops with unanimous votes, and the Senate approved it on Feb. 17 on a 37-0 vote.

Beltran did not return a request seeking comment.

During the contentious Friday floor session, top DeSantis staffers were calling House Republicans identified to them as flippable to lobby them to vote against the House-preferred maps.

The calls were made by DeSantis chief of staff James Uthmeier, general counsel Ryan Newman and legislative affairs director Stephanie Kopelousos.

Taryn Fenske, DeSantis communications director, said the top staffers spoke with a handful of legislators this week to answer questions on our underlying legal concerns related to the maps passed today.

Of course, the governors tweet  speaks for itself, she said, referring to DeSantis post declaring that he would veto the maps. We continue to work closely with the Legislature on all issues, which are typical throughout the year and during session, and we are confident we will finish this session together with great success.

DeSantis lobbying effort came up short, but did influence even those who supported the maps.

I did [get a call] and it was not threatening, just reasoned conversation of making one point over the other, said Rep. Chip LaMarca, a Lighthouse Point Republican who voted for the House plan. It gave me a great deal of pause and forced me to think through the process.

Another lawmaker highlighted the impossible situation they found themselves in.

Its a lose, lose, without question. Either youre going to get cut by the House or vetoed by the governor, is what it is, said one House Republican granted anonymity so they could speak freely.

What will be really interesting is whether the governor starts going after the House speaker or the [Senate] presidents priorities, the member continued.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that even big countries found it difficult to evacuate their citizens stuck in war-torn Ukraine, but India has successfully evacuated thousands of students.

Speaking at Punes Symbiosis University, PM Modi said, "We successfully managed COVID & now the situation in #Ukraine; have evacuated our people safely ... Even big countries are facing difficulty in doing so, but it's India's increasing resilience that 1000s of students have been evacuated."

"Your generation is fortunate to not have experienced defensive and dependent, and the credit should be given to the youth, all of you, for the change that has been brought in the country," the Prime Minister added.

The government has launched 'Operation Ganga' to evacuate Indian citizens, mostly students, from Ukraine which has been attacked by Russia. 'Operation Ganga' was started on February 26 to evacuate stranded Indians from Ukraine. Prime Minister Modi has sent four ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia, Hardeep Singh Puri, Kiren Rijiju, and VK Singh to Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, and Poland to oversee the evacuation of Indians.

Also, in a bid to further scale up the evacuation efforts, the government has deployed 80 flights under 'Operation Ganga' to evacuate stranded Indians from Ukraine.

Live TV
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US President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a discussion on Saturday regarding issues like security and financial support for Ukraine. The two leaders also discussed sanctions against Russia for its military campaign in Ukraine. This is the second phone call between Biden and Zelensky this week. After the conversation, Zelensky tweeted, As part of the constant dialogue, I had another conversation with @POTUS. The agenda included the issues of security, financial support for Ukraine, and the continuation of sanctions against Russia.

As part of the constant dialogue, I had another conversation with @POTUS. The agenda included the issues of security, financial support for Ukraine and the continuation of sanctions against Russia.    (@ZelenskyyUa) March 6, 2022

The White House press pool said the conversation between Biden and Zelensky lasted about half an hour. On Thursday, Biden had received an update from Zelensky regarding the situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. A tweet by the White House about the meeting said that Biden reiterated his concern about the recent Russian attack on a Ukrainian nuclear power plant and he commended the skill and bravery of the Ukrainian operators who have kept the reactors in safe condition.

The White House said that Joe Biden welcomed Visa and Mastercards decision to cease operations in Russia in a bid to isolate Russia from the global economy. A tweet in the thread said, In particular, he (Biden) welcomed the decision this evening by Visa and Mastercard to suspend service in Russia.

The leaders also discussed the recent talks between Russia and Ukraine. Notably, Israeli PM Naftali Bennett has offered his countrys service to mediate peace between Russia and Ukraine. Bennett visited Putin on Saturday and held a telephonic conversation with Zelenskyy later in the day.
Media in Pakistan is being suppressed by the Imran Khan government as Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) expressed concerns over the reported withholding of advertisements for some newspapers and TV channels by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. It is worth mentioning that Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) is an ally of Imran Khan government. Elahi advised Prime Minister Imran Khan to "beware" of his advisers, accusing them of causing a dispute between the government and the media. He said he was clueless as to why the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was targeting certain media houses. Pakistani President Dr Arif Alvi had promulgated an ordinance on February 20 to amend the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). This move has drawn sharp backlash from various journalists unions. The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) moved a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) stating that the promulgation of the ordinance is based on "malice" as the required conditions have not been met by the government. Elahi said freedom of expression was the beauty of democracy. He also displayed his concern that some of the PTI members had reportedly been barred by the party from appearing in programmes on some TV channels. "This will hurt PTI in a way that it won't be able to present its balanced viewpoint to the public," he added. Under the Ordinance, the definition of a "person" has been broadened to include any company, association, institution, organization, authority, or any other. Furthermore, anyone found guilty of attacking a person's "identity" will now be sentenced to five years instead of three years. Another Ordinance was signed to amend the country's election laws, allowing any person holding any office under the Constitution or any other law to visit or address public meetings in "any area or constituency". The ambit of the Federal Investigation Agency has also been broadened. (ANI)
LVIV, Ukraine (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy appealed directly to Russians on Sunday to take to the streets in protest against the Kremlin's invasion of his country or risk their own poverty and repression.

Since last week, thousands of people in Russia have been detained for protesting against the invasion of Ukraine or what the Russian authorities call a "special military operation" that began on Feb 24.

Russians are now bracing for an uncertain and isolated future after international sanctions plunged the economy into crisis and authorities cracked down on independent media and restricted access to Facebook and other social media sites.

"Citizens of Russia! For you, this is a struggle not only for peace in Ukraine! This is a fight for your country," Zelenskiy said in a televised address, switching from Ukrainian to Russian.

"If you keep silent now, only your poverty will speak for you later. And only repression will answer," he said.

All forms of protest in Russia have essentially become illegal since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic for what authorities say are safety reasons.

Like the Ukrainian people, Russians now face a choice "between life and slavery," Zelenskiy said.

On the 11th day of the invasion, Russian forces are continuing to attack and are preparing to bombard the Black Sea port city of Odessa, he said.

(Reporting by Natalia Zinets and Max Hunder;Writing by Alessandra Prentice;Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky and Elaine Hardcastle)




South Korea's military on Sunday sent 2,240 troops and 26 choppers to the country's eastern coastal areas, as the country has struggled to contain wildfires in the region since last week.







Defense Minister Suh Wook also chaired a meeting with the top brass of all service branches to discuss the military's response to the wildfires in and around North Gyeongsang and Gangwon Provinces.







During the meeting, Suh instructed the military to maintain close coordination with related organizations and "utilize all available assets" to contain the wildfires, according to the defense ministry.







The country's eastern coast areas have been struck by the wildfires since Friday, with 15,420 hectares of woodland destroyed so far.







Since Friday, the Army has deployed 53 choppers and 2,756 soldiers to the scene to help contain the fire. The Air Force also sent 10 helicopters and 159 service members. The Navy and the Marine Corps also deployed 880 and 1,109 troops to the scene, the military added. (Yonhap)


An industrial park in the southern province of Binh Duong. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran

The southern province of Binh Duong will start construction of two 1,000-hectares industrial parks this year to increase supply of industrial land, local officials say.

Work on the Vietnam-Singapore III (VSIP III) industrial park covering 1,000 hectares in Tan Uyen Town and Bac Tan Uyen District is scheduled to start this month.

The project with a total investment of VND6.4 trillion ($280 million) got the green light from the government in November 2016. This is the 10th project of VSIP, a leading industrial park developer in Vietnam.

When this IP begins operations, it will give priority to attracting high-tech industries.

Meanwhile, work on the 1,000-hectare Cay Truong industrial park in Bau Bang District is expected to begin in the second quarter of this year.

Since late last year, industrial parks in Binh Duong have recorded high occupancy rates and the current supply has not been able to meet demand for rental land for building large factories.

Therefore, the southern industrial hub is rushing to increase the supply of industrial land to catch the production shift away from China that has been happening for several years.

Industrial parks have helped Binh Duong, 48 kilometers north of Ho Chi Minh City, to transform from a rural area into an industrial hub. Statistics show that industries and services account for 97 percent of the provinces total economic output.
Ukrainian soldiers bolstered defences around Kyiv on Sunday, digging trenches, blocking roads and liaising with civil defence units as Russian forces bombarded the surrounding areas and attacked towns and villages nearby.

While the armed forces and civilian volunteers dug in, thousands of people continued to try to flee the city of 3.4 million as fears of a full assault spread.

Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24 and has concentrated its heaviest attacks on the south and east of the country, besieging cities including Mariupol and Kharkiv with artillery fire and air strikes and causing extensive damage and casualties.

Follow live Ukraine-Russia crisis updates here

Kyiv has been spared the worst of the fighting so far, but intense battles have raged in surrounding towns and villages and Russia's defence ministry released footage on Sunday of some of its tracked military vehicles on the move near the capital.

Video provided by Ukraine's armed forces taken on Saturday in the Kyiv region, showed Ukrainian efforts to defend the capital, with piles of sandbags and concrete slabs laid across a main road, while Ukrainian soldiers carefully checked passing cars.

A smaller road was blocked by metal "hedgehog" anti-tank barriers, and machine gun positions had been erected. Molotov cocktails were lined up on the side of the road, as civilians vowed to join the battle to protect Kyiv.

"We are equipped 100 per cent," said an unidentified soldier in the footage. "Positions are prepared, we've fitted them out and we are simply waiting to meet them here ... Victory will be ours."

Also Read | Russia, without evidence, says Ukraine making nuclear 'dirty bomb'

Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a "special operation" that is not designed to occupy territory but to destroy its neighbour's military capabilities and capture what it regards as dangerous nationalists.

In Irpin, a town some 25 kilometres northwest of Kyiv, men, women and children trying to escape armed clashes in the area were forced to take cover when missiles struck nearby, according to Reuters witnesses.

Soldiers and fellow residents helped the elderly hurry to a bus filled with frightened people, some cowering as they waited to be driven to safety.

Mass exodus

The fighting has driven more than 1.5 million people to leave Ukraine for neighbouring countries in the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War Two, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said on Sunday.

Millions more displaced internally are heading for the relative safety of western Ukraine.

Men of a fighting age have been ordered to stay, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called on his people to do what they can to repel the Russians.

Kateryna Laskari, a production company executive, left her home city Kyiv soon after the invasion began.

She reached a small village 50 km away where her family has a house, and has stayed there with her three-year-old son, Simon, her pregnant sister, who is due to give birth in two weeks and their parents.

"To tell the truth, and it feels like 10 years," she told Reuters via Zoom of the first 10 days of the war.

"Of course, I'm frightened as is everybody, but I have so many people I'm responsible for. I'm responsible for my family, I'm responsible for my business," she added.

"But to tell the truth, I thought I would be even more frightened. Now I feel like a soldier. I feel that I have a lot of energy to just to fight, because I know that we will win."

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ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan urged his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Sunday to declare a ceasefire in Ukraine, open humanitarian corridors and sign a peace agreement, his office said.

NATO member Turkey shares a maritime border with Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea and has good ties with both. Ankara has called Russia's invasion unacceptable and offered to host talks, but has opposed sanctions on Moscow.

In a statement after a one-hour phone call, the Turkish presidency said Erdogan told Putin that Turkey was ready to contribute to a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

"President Erdogan, who said an immediate ceasefire will not only ease humanitarian concerns in the region but also give the search for a political solution an opportunity, renewed his call of 'let's pave the way for peace together'," his office said.

"Erdogan emphasised the importance of taking urgent steps to achieve a ceasefire, open humanitarian corridors and sign a peace agreement," it said.

The Kremlin said Putin told Erdogan that Russia would only halt its military operation if Ukraine stopped fighting and if Moscow's demand were met, adding the operation was going to plan.

Russia calls its assault a "special military operation". It has uprooted more than 1.5 million people, in what the United Nations says is the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War Two.

Turkey has said it would be "naive" to expect results from the Ukraine-Russia negotiations while the fighting continues. Turkey's defence minister on Sunday said an urgent ceasefire was needed so Ankara could evacuate its citizens from Ukraine.

Erdogan, who has called Putin a "friend", had last spoken to the Russian leader on Feb. 23, a day before Russia launched its invasion. The call makes Erdogan the third NATO leader to speak to Putin since his offensive, following the leaders of Germany and France.

Story continues

While forging close ties with Russia on defence, trade and energy, and hosting millions of Russian tourists every year, Turkey has also sold drones to Ukraine, angering Moscow, and opposes Russian policies in Syria and Libya, as well as its 2014 annexation of Crimea.

Turkey has said it wants to bring together foreign ministers from Ukraine and Russia for talks at a diplomacy forum next week in southern Turkey. Both countries have welcomed the offer, but Ankara says it is unclear whether they will be able to attend.

(Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Dominic Evans)
Customers wait in line to enter Busan's first Shake Shack restaurant that opened on July 11, 2019. Courtesy of SPC Group



By Kim Jae-heun



The competition is heating up over the country's rapidly growing premium burger market, as local consumers are willing to pay more for high-quality fast food, according to fast food industry officials Sunday.



According to the market research company Euromonitor International, the size of the hamburger market here hit 2.96 trillion won in 2020, up by 28.6 percent from 2.3 trillion won ($1.89 billion) in 2015. In 2021, the market reached 4 trillion won as more fast food franchises launched premium burger brands attracting an increasing number of young fast food lovers.



SPC Group pioneered the premium hamburger market by bringing the U.S. fast casual restaurant chain Shake Shack here six years ago. Its popularity has continued as it introduces new burgers every year, and SPC now operates 20 branches across the nation.



In January, renowned British chef Gordon Ramsay brought his burger restaurant brand, named simply "Gordon Ramsay Burger," to Seoul. The lavish burger joint's prices range from 30,000 won to 140,000 won. Despite the hefty prices, over 2,000 people visited the restaurant in a pre-opening event held from Dec. 30 to Jan. 7. The reservations for Gordon Ramsay Burger are fully booked for a month currently.





Models introduce No Brand Burger's two new menu items, last May 20. Courtesy of Shinsegae Food




South Korea will ban exports of strategic items to Belarus starting this week as the former Soviet republic has been supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the finance ministry said Sunday.







The move came after South Korea decided to ban exports to 49 Russian organizations and firms last week, including Russia's defense ministry. Under the measure, a license is required to export or transfer major items to these entities, with limited exceptions.







"As we have concluded that the Republic of Belarus has been effectively supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine, we have decided to implement the export ban on Belarus as well," the Ministry of Economy and Finance said in a statement.







The government announced restrictions against two Belarusian entities, including its defense ministry.







"We will promptly notify the United States of the decision and expand our support for South Korean firms and our nationals residing overseas that can potentially be affected by the measure," the statement said.







South Korea's exports to Belarus came to US$70 million in 2021, taking up only 0.01 percent of its total outbound shipments. Imports were estimated at $80 million, also taking up 0.01 percent.







The ministry also plans to provide legal consulting services to South Korean businesses that can face disputes with Russian counterparts, following the global move to remove Moscow from the SWIFT global payment network. SWIFT is a high-security network that connects thousands of financial institutions worldwide. (Yonhap)


It is somewhat mind-blowing that here, now, in 2022  where tech and science advances mean billionaires (the name we give oligarchs who are not Russian) can fund space exploration as a hobby  we are still in a position where half of the global population continues to oppress the other half. And the other half continues to put up with it.

Why else would International Womens Day exist, if the other 364 days were not structurally in favour of international men? No matter how feminist/aware/fair-minded individual men are  and millions are  structurally, women are still banging their heads against bias.

This is the theme of International Womens Day this year  Break the Bias. The first time I heard the word bias was in school, in Home Economics, a class where girls were taught how to cook and sew  and bias binding was not a tool of the patriarchy, but something you did with a sewing machine. Unless you were a boy.

It's broad-spectrum, bias, manifesting differently from region to region, culture to culture; being forced to wear high heels at work or having your emotions pathologized and medicated is not in the same league as, say, female genital mutilation. Yet such things tend not to happen to men.

International Womens Day invites us to imagine a gender-equal world, a world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. Sounds dreamy. But bias is baked in, and carried forward from generation to generation. Structural patriarchy - gender polarising, stereotype propagating, pay gap maintaining - keeps us divided, unequal, resentful. Women carry it forward too  the patriarchy is not male, just as feminism is not female. So what can we do about it, here, now, today?

Stop labelling, for a start. Stop medicalising women when we express non-compliant emotions like anger - anger is not just for men. Stop calling women mad or stroppy or difficult when we refuse to go quietly. Stop expecting women to defer, to acquiesce, to tolerate, to relent. To put up and shut up.

Stop expecting women to be naturally nurturing and caring  and allow men to be more nurturing and caring. Stop expecting men to perform masculinity and stop expecting women to perform femininity; because thats all it is  a performance, assigned from birth. Stop with the pink and blue.

Stop victim-blaming. Stop saying she was raped, and say instead a rapist raped her. Stop saying things like boys will be boys, which transmits your bias to the next generation. Stop excluding trans people  you might think youre a TERF but really youre a FART (Feminism-Appropriating Reactionary Transphobe). Theres no room in feminism for exclusion. Question your own bias - we are all biased, no matter who we are. Shine a light on it.

But most of all question why, when we are 51% of the global population, we live in a world where International Womens Day is still required. Break THAT bias.
Glass on a hospital window is shattered by shelling in Mariupol, Ukraine, Thursday. AP-Yonhap



Ukrainian authorities prepared Sunday for a second attempt to evacuate civilians from a southern city pounded by a week-long Russian attack as economic pressure on Moscow intensified and diplomats shuttled around Europe to try to end the war.



Evacuations from the port city of Mariupol were scheduled to begin at noon local time (10 a.m. GMT) during a 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. local ceasefire, Ukrainian military authorities said. A similar cease-fire planned there and in the nearby city of Volnovakha collapsed Saturday, trapping women, children and older under more shelling and aerial bombardment by Russian forces.



The revived announcement came after Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and a Russian-speaking member of his Cabinet traveled to Moscow and spoke with Ukraine's president in hopes of brokering a broader deal to stop the fighting, now in its 11 day.



U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spent the weekend visiting NATO member nations in Eastern Europe that have seen 1.5 million refugees stream across their borders since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. The head of the U.N. refugee agency called the exodus ''the fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War II."



Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelenskyy reiterated a request for foreign protectors to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Saturday that Moscow would consider a third-party declaration to close Ukrainian airspace to be a hostile act, and the West so far has rebuffed Zelenskyy's pleas, fearing a confrontation with Russia.



''The world is strong enough to close our skies,'' Zelenskyy said in a video address on Sunday.



As Russian forces surrounded several Ukrainian cities and maintained a convoy outside the capital, Kyiv, Zelenskyy appeared on television Saturday night wearing what has become a habitual military green T-shirt and rallied his people to remain defiant.



''Ukrainians in all of our cities that the enemy has entered  go on the offensive!'' Zelenskyy said. ''You should take to the streets! You should fight! It is necessary to go out and drive this evil out of our cities, from our land.''



After the cease-fire in Mariupol failed to hold, Russian forces intensified their shelling of the city and dropped massive bombs on residential areas of Chernihiv, a city north of Kyiv, Ukrainian officials said.



In Mariupol, bereft mothers mourned slain children, wounded soldiers were fitted with tourniquets and doctors worked by the light of their cellphones as bleakness and desperation pervaded.



''The city is in a very, very difficult state of siege,'' Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko told Ukrainian TV. ''Relentless shelling of residential blocks is ongoing, airplanes have been dropping bombs on residential areas. The Russian occupants are using heavy artillery, including Grad multiple rocket launchers.''





People lie on the floor of a hospital during shelling by Russian forces in Mariupol, Ukraine, Friday. AP-Yonhap